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Dragonslayer
Vermithrax, the last of dragonkind, swooped down over the kingdom of Urland, let loose a torrent of flames, and reduced everything to smoldering ash. Then, finding the newly blackened wasteland much to its liking, it settled in for a long stay.
Desperate, the villagers finally sought the help of Ulrich, the last living sorcerer. But Ulrich was too old, too feeble. That left only his apprentice, Galen, to go against the might and terror of the deadly dragon. Of the use of weapons he knew nothing. Of the Old Magic he knew very little. But he was sworn to defeat Vermithrax -- one way or the other.
"A fantasy . . . with an eloquence and humor that raises it above the average . . . Highly recommended." -- Library Journal
Desperate, the villagers finally sought the help of Ulrich, the last living sorcerer. But Ulrich was too old, too feeble. That left only his apprentice, Galen, to go against the might and terror of the deadly dragon. Of the use of weapons he knew nothing. Of the Old Magic he knew very little. But he was sworn to defeat Vermithrax -- one way or the other.
"A fantasy . . . with an eloquence and humor that raises it above the average . . . Highly recommended." -- Library Journal
218 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1981
12 people are currently reading
326 people want to read
About the author
Wayland Drew
23 books33 followersWayland Drew (1932-1998) was a writer born in Oshawa, Ontario. He attended Victoria College at the University of Toronto, where he earned a BA in English Language and Literature (1957). Shortly after graduation he married Gwendolyn Parrott and together they raised four children. From 1961-1994 he was a high school teacher in Port Perry, Bracebridge, and Muskoka Lakes. He also worked for the Ontario Ministry of Education.
Drew began to write seriously in high school and published a number of short stories (to magazines such as The Tamarack Review) and non-fiction pieces throughout his career, while also selling radio and film scripts. His first novel (and sometimes stated to be his best) was The Wabeno Feast (1973). While rooted in Northern Ontario, the story indicted modern industrial civilization as an extension of the European colonization of Canada by depicting an entire society's fall into ruin. In her essay on "Canadian Monsters: Some Aspects of the Supernatural in Canadian Fiction ", Margaret Atwood noted that Drew's use of the aboriginal wabeno revealed a concern "with man's relationship to his society and to himself, as opposed to his relationship with the natural environment" and she concluded that Drew's novel combined "both concerns in a rather allegorical and very contemporary fashion".
Many readers, though, surely know him better as the author of an ecological science fiction trilogy, the Erthring Cycle (1984-1986), and of several movie novelizations (Corvette Summer, Dragonslayer, Batteries Not Included, and Willow, the last three of which were translated into French and the second in German). His non-fiction also reflected his concern for the environment and interest for Canadian landscapes, as seen in books such as Superior: The Haunted Shore and A Sea Within: the Gulf of St. Lawrence. His final novel, Halfway Man (1989), echoed themes from his first, The Wabeno Feast.
Drew began to write seriously in high school and published a number of short stories (to magazines such as The Tamarack Review) and non-fiction pieces throughout his career, while also selling radio and film scripts. His first novel (and sometimes stated to be his best) was The Wabeno Feast (1973). While rooted in Northern Ontario, the story indicted modern industrial civilization as an extension of the European colonization of Canada by depicting an entire society's fall into ruin. In her essay on "Canadian Monsters: Some Aspects of the Supernatural in Canadian Fiction ", Margaret Atwood noted that Drew's use of the aboriginal wabeno revealed a concern "with man's relationship to his society and to himself, as opposed to his relationship with the natural environment" and she concluded that Drew's novel combined "both concerns in a rather allegorical and very contemporary fashion".
Many readers, though, surely know him better as the author of an ecological science fiction trilogy, the Erthring Cycle (1984-1986), and of several movie novelizations (Corvette Summer, Dragonslayer, Batteries Not Included, and Willow, the last three of which were translated into French and the second in German). His non-fiction also reflected his concern for the environment and interest for Canadian landscapes, as seen in books such as Superior: The Haunted Shore and A Sea Within: the Gulf of St. Lawrence. His final novel, Halfway Man (1989), echoed themes from his first, The Wabeno Feast.
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
November 29, 2010
Perhaps the best novelization I have ever read. It takes the movie's plot and expands it into a fully realized novel with much more depth than the movie. Details such as the link between dragons and sorcerers and the political machinations of the kingdom of Urland really make this book stand on its own.
February 1, 2013
This book is the complement to the 1981 film of the same name and contains a brief collection of photos from the actual film clustered about midway through it. Though nearly identical to the progression of the movie I found the book highly entertaining.
Short and rather simple, the book has a very linear and straight forward plot. Surprisingly enough, the prose of the author is loaded with a potency that might leave one feeling nostalgic for an older style of writing, with a deeper and even romantic method of word-smithing.
Despite the relatively low page count a younger or less developed reader may find this book takes them longer to work their way through than works of the same genre produced today.
4 stars for clean simplicity dressed in the wrappings of deep and fluent prose.
Short and rather simple, the book has a very linear and straight forward plot. Surprisingly enough, the prose of the author is loaded with a potency that might leave one feeling nostalgic for an older style of writing, with a deeper and even romantic method of word-smithing.
Despite the relatively low page count a younger or less developed reader may find this book takes them longer to work their way through than works of the same genre produced today.
4 stars for clean simplicity dressed in the wrappings of deep and fluent prose.
May 8, 2021
A good example of what a novelization should be. Well written, it expands and deepens the story of the film. If you read it without knowing it was a novelization, it would stand as a good fantasy novel.
July 10, 2020
Wonderfully written! Many fantastic passages and prose. Loved it! And Thanks to Goodreads swords&sorcery groupread for inspiring me to pick it out of a box in my attic and finally read it! I grabbed a hardcover edition to add to my collection of 'loved fantasy'.
May 6, 2018
A pretty basic retelling of the movie, one I only really remember the last scene of - where the king takes all the credit.
February 20, 2024
Overall it was an enjoyable basic fantasy adventure, but rather frustrating the lack of character development and lots of unanswered questions
September 24, 2014
This was a wonderful novelization, and I felt really expanded on the theme of Christianity supplanting the time of Magic. Worth reading both for fans of the film and pagans.
May 1, 2016
This one took me a little time to get into, but once it got moving, I was engrossed. Not a bad read!
April 8, 2025
Screenplay novelization
May 17, 2019
Very cool adaptation that flushed out all the characters. Really enjoyed this, since growing up with Dragonslayer the movie as one of my favorites this was a great read.
September 11, 2019
Read this when I was a kid. Loved the movie and read the book in 4th grade or so. Totally forgot about it until I saw a copy at Half Price Books and remembered that I'd read it.
September 8, 2024
I have a 1983 paperback edition in French from J’ai Lu. This is the novelisation of the 1981 film Dragonslayer. I saw that in the cinema when I was ten or eleven and read the book as soon as I found it in the shops. I haven’t read it again for some forty years.
But on rereading I am reminded just how impressed I had been with that movie. Although it seems to have vanished without trace it was very good. The dragon was particularly well done, and I find from Wikipedia that many luminaries of fantasy feel the same way. The story was also good: simple but imbued with essential ingredients of myth making, following the Hero’s Journey to an extent, but concentrating on one man making amends for his failures.
The novelisation takes these themes further, setting the story in the years following the Roman withdrawal from Britain, when Saxons were encroaching and Christianity appearing to replace the old magical order (somewhat anachronistically but hey it’s Hollywood). The links between mages and dragons are deepened as are all the characters who were mere cyphers in the film, making good use of having all the time necessary to develop the themes. Although the book is still short it is densely packed with incident. The writing style is a bit purple, but the pace remains good.
It’s a pleasure to reread, as I notice now that this tale had strongly influenced some of my early attempts at writing.
But on rereading I am reminded just how impressed I had been with that movie. Although it seems to have vanished without trace it was very good. The dragon was particularly well done, and I find from Wikipedia that many luminaries of fantasy feel the same way. The story was also good: simple but imbued with essential ingredients of myth making, following the Hero’s Journey to an extent, but concentrating on one man making amends for his failures.
The novelisation takes these themes further, setting the story in the years following the Roman withdrawal from Britain, when Saxons were encroaching and Christianity appearing to replace the old magical order (somewhat anachronistically but hey it’s Hollywood). The links between mages and dragons are deepened as are all the characters who were mere cyphers in the film, making good use of having all the time necessary to develop the themes. Although the book is still short it is densely packed with incident. The writing style is a bit purple, but the pace remains good.
It’s a pleasure to reread, as I notice now that this tale had strongly influenced some of my early attempts at writing.
April 25, 2020
Enjoyable light fantasy about magic, faith and facing evil. The main character Galen is rather plain, almost a silent protagonist type character, but still comes off as likeable and relatable. Ulrich the wizard is a very charismatic persona that is just not in the book enough. The female characters are rather unnecessary to the plot unfortunately, Valerian comes off as strong-willed and formidable while (an obvious SPOILER) dressed as a man, but as herself she just becomes relegated to the damsel in distress persona. There is a lot of damsel in distress murder in this book, men die too but it's always in battle or betrayal. The dragons are extremely fun and are so fleshed out that you start to root for them to win...oh and if you are wondering: Yes, there is dragon sex in this book (wonder if that made it into the film?). Later in the book they really push the Christianity taking over the magic world plotline which I found rather redundant and boring. Luckily all the dragon fighting keeps things interesting in the finale. Fun read, gonna track down the movie cause I'm sure it's silly fun too.
March 13, 2019
If you're familiar with the 1981 film, this novelisation is like the missing pieces of the puzzle. There are quite a few differences as this was based on the original screenplay in which the princess dies. It's quite dark and some of the descriptions even made my stomach churn. This book is a good example of the novel version actually adding something new. Recommended.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 27, 2025
Never saw the movie. This review is for my own memory.
Finished this one because of nostalgia. Tried reading it as a kid. Carried it around with me for a whole camping week, but I never finished it.
It was fun enough. Well written. Concise.
There isn’t enough there to warrant reading again I would say, but nostalgia goal complete.
Finished this one because of nostalgia. Tried reading it as a kid. Carried it around with me for a whole camping week, but I never finished it.
It was fun enough. Well written. Concise.
There isn’t enough there to warrant reading again I would say, but nostalgia goal complete.
September 21, 2018
A largely boring book that gets 2 stars instead of 1 because the 'damsel' does something really cool right before the climax.
August 16, 2022
A nice companion to the movie but not without missteps. I liked the movie more but this was a fun read
November 20, 2022
One of the few books that's probably better as a movie.
May 19, 2024
I read this in 1982 or there abouts and wasn't impressed. I'm going through my old old books and re-reading and passing on. This book did not get any better with time. In fact it got worse. I did not realize in 1982 that this book was written from a movie script. Books first, movies second. This was probably not a great movie and the book was blah.
December 14, 2009
One of my favorite all-time movies drawn up as a book. Well-written but all of the surprises were brought up right in the beginning of the book. I am sticking with my movie and sending this book into the recycle bin.
June 21, 2025
I absolutely loved this novelization, it adds so much interesting lore to the film. Wayland Drew was an excellent author.
A deeper review is found here, reviewed by Paper Movies Book Club:
Dragonslayer (1981) Novelization Discussion
https://youtu.be/FwEjlPzEZFc
A deeper review is found here, reviewed by Paper Movies Book Club:
Dragonslayer (1981) Novelization Discussion
https://youtu.be/FwEjlPzEZFc
November 10, 2010
It was as good as the movie. The only thing that made the book more interesting than the movie was the bond between dragons and wizards. Fun read though.
September 1, 2012
It seemed to take forever to get to the dragon. Still, it was better than the movie.
December 5, 2013
Not too bad, bit hard to get into. Movie was better
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews