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The Dragon Lottery
Win the lottery? Congrats! You get to fight the dragon—to the death!Each summer, the kingdom of Dunbury holds a lottery. The prize? The right to face the Black Dragon in a fight to the death.
Nobody ever returns.
Widespread hunger. Banned Books. Harsh royal decrees to keep the citizens in line. After nearly fifty years, the poor, downtrodden people in the isolated country between the mountains and the sea have lost all hope. Somehow, mysteriously, the cruel King Goodheart controls the dragon. And with the dragon, no one dares defy him.
Until thirteen-year-old Lucky Grayblock, the clumsy, gangly, decidedly unlucky assistant in the dusty old library, finally becomes eligible for the dragon lottery … and discovers one last chance to turn everyone’s luck around.“Scott is one of those rare writers who can and does cross genres, and do it well. You never know what kind of story you’ll get from him, but you do know that it’ll be good.”— Kristine Kathryn Rusch, Hugo Award-Winning Writer and Editor
Nobody ever returns.
Widespread hunger. Banned Books. Harsh royal decrees to keep the citizens in line. After nearly fifty years, the poor, downtrodden people in the isolated country between the mountains and the sea have lost all hope. Somehow, mysteriously, the cruel King Goodheart controls the dragon. And with the dragon, no one dares defy him.
Until thirteen-year-old Lucky Grayblock, the clumsy, gangly, decidedly unlucky assistant in the dusty old library, finally becomes eligible for the dragon lottery … and discovers one last chance to turn everyone’s luck around.“Scott is one of those rare writers who can and does cross genres, and do it well. You never know what kind of story you’ll get from him, but you do know that it’ll be good.”— Kristine Kathryn Rusch, Hugo Award-Winning Writer and Editor
- GenresFantasy
274 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 15, 2021
27 people are currently reading
27 people want to read
About the author
Scott William Carter
82 books172 followersScott William Carter’s first novel, The Last Great Getaway of the Water Balloon Boys, was hailed by Publishers Weekly as a “touching and impressive debut” and won an Oregon Book Award. Since then, he has published many books and short stories, his fiction spanning a wide variety of genres and styles. His book for younger readers, Wooden Bones, chronicles the untold story of Pinocchio and was singled out for praise by the Junior Library Guild. He is the author of the popular Garrison Gage mystery series set on the Oregon coast, as well as the provocative Myron Vale Investigations, about the private investigator in Portland, Oregon who works for both the living and the dead. He’s also the cartoonist behind the Run of the House comic strip.
If that wasn’t enough to keep him busy, in his “day job” life he works as an Instructional Designer and Digital Production & Publishing Specialist at Western Oregon University, where he manages the Digital Media Center and provides training and expertise to the campus community on a variety of topics, including Web page creation, digital video production, print-on-demand and ebook publishing, and many software applications related to publishing, distribution, and education in all its forms. He also teaches occasional classes for both the English department and the College of Education.
In past lives, he has been an academic technologist, a writing instructor, bookstore owner, the manager of a computer training company, and a ski instructor, though the most important job — and best – he’s ever had is being the father of his two children. He currently lives in Oregon with his wife and two children.
If that wasn’t enough to keep him busy, in his “day job” life he works as an Instructional Designer and Digital Production & Publishing Specialist at Western Oregon University, where he manages the Digital Media Center and provides training and expertise to the campus community on a variety of topics, including Web page creation, digital video production, print-on-demand and ebook publishing, and many software applications related to publishing, distribution, and education in all its forms. He also teaches occasional classes for both the English department and the College of Education.
In past lives, he has been an academic technologist, a writing instructor, bookstore owner, the manager of a computer training company, and a ski instructor, though the most important job — and best – he’s ever had is being the father of his two children. He currently lives in Oregon with his wife and two children.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
July 22, 2025
A must read for everyone from 9 to 90. I am 86 and absolutely could not put it down. A story about honour, honesty, and love and what those words really mean in real life. It is a fantasy but a story that also sometimes plays out in reality.
August 11, 2025
All the feels.
Loved this book. Brings out all feelings. Great worldbuilding, plot, and characters. Will be reading more from this author.
Clean but mentions of violence, death, and betrayal.
Loved this book. Brings out all feelings. Great worldbuilding, plot, and characters. Will be reading more from this author.
Clean but mentions of violence, death, and betrayal.
July 9, 2025
Lucky, was not really very lucky, but that was his name. He was the apprentice to Smudge, the keeper of the scrolls in the great library.
In his town, they hold lottery every year to see who will fight (or rather be eaten by) the great black dragon who guarded their town. Now that he was of age, he was in the draw.
What happens next is a story of sacrifice, intrigue and bravery. I recommend this story to readers of all ages.
In his town, they hold lottery every year to see who will fight (or rather be eaten by) the great black dragon who guarded their town. Now that he was of age, he was in the draw.
What happens next is a story of sacrifice, intrigue and bravery. I recommend this story to readers of all ages.
August 9, 2025
The Dragon Lottery
A very sweet and lovely, lovely read. I’ve enjoyed Mr. Carter’s books for years. This may well be my favorite.
A very sweet and lovely, lovely read. I’ve enjoyed Mr. Carter’s books for years. This may well be my favorite.
January 26, 2026
I really enjoyed this book! I look forward to reading more by this author!
September 15, 2025
Completely enjoyable read from the first paragraph to the end. Enjoyable characters. Great story line. Highly recommended
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews