What do you think?
Rate this book
Dragon in Distress
No matter how many princes woo you, you need some "If I were ever to marry, which I don't plan on," Rowena said firmly, "I'm sure I would want a husband who had some sense of self-preservation. Camping out on a ledge just outside a dragon's lair does not betoken any great degree of intelligence."
Nook
First published January 1, 1995
56 people are currently reading
350 people want to read
About the author
Mercedes Lackey
441 books9,530 followersMercedes entered this world on June 24, 1950, in Chicago, had a normal childhood and graduated from Purdue University in 1972. During the late 70's she worked as an artist's model and then went into the computer programming field, ending up with American Airlines in Tulsa, Oklahoma. In addition to her fantasy writing, she has written lyrics for and recorded nearly fifty songs for Firebird Arts & Music, a small recording company specializing in science fiction folk music.
"I'm a storyteller; that's what I see as 'my job'. My stories come out of my characters; how those characters would react to the given situation. Maybe that's why I get letters from readers as young as thirteen and as old as sixty-odd. One of the reasons I write song lyrics is because I see songs as a kind of 'story pill' -- they reduce a story to the barest essentials or encapsulate a particular crucial moment in time. I frequently will write a lyric when I am attempting to get to the heart of a crucial scene; I find that when I have done so, the scene has become absolutely clear in my mind, and I can write exactly what I wanted to say. Another reason is because of the kind of novels I am writing: that is, fantasy, set in an other-world semi-medieval atmosphere. Music is very important to medieval peoples; bards are the chief newsbringers. When I write the 'folk music' of these peoples, I am enriching my whole world, whether I actually use the song in the text or not.
"I began writing out of boredom; I continue out of addiction. I can't 'not' write, and as a result I have no social life! I began writing fantasy because I love it, but I try to construct my fantasy worlds with all the care of a 'high-tech' science fiction writer. I apply the principle of TANSTAAFL ['There ain't no such thing as free lunch', credited to Robert Heinlein) to magic, for instance; in my worlds, magic is paid for, and the cost to the magician is frequently a high one. I try to keep my world as solid and real as possible; people deal with stubborn pumps, bugs in the porridge, and love-lives that refuse to become untangled, right along with invading armies and evil magicians. And I try to make all of my characters, even the 'evil magicians,' something more than flat stereotypes. Even evil magicians get up in the night and look for cookies, sometimes.
"I suppose that in everything I write I try to expound the creed I gave my character Diana Tregarde in Burning Water:
"There's no such thing as 'one, true way'; the only answers worth having are the ones you find for yourself; leave the world better than you found it. Love, freedom, and the chance to do some good -- they're the things worth living and dying for, and if you aren't willing to die for the things worth living for, you might as well turn in your membership in the human race."
Also writes as Misty Lackey
Author's website
"I'm a storyteller; that's what I see as 'my job'. My stories come out of my characters; how those characters would react to the given situation. Maybe that's why I get letters from readers as young as thirteen and as old as sixty-odd. One of the reasons I write song lyrics is because I see songs as a kind of 'story pill' -- they reduce a story to the barest essentials or encapsulate a particular crucial moment in time. I frequently will write a lyric when I am attempting to get to the heart of a crucial scene; I find that when I have done so, the scene has become absolutely clear in my mind, and I can write exactly what I wanted to say. Another reason is because of the kind of novels I am writing: that is, fantasy, set in an other-world semi-medieval atmosphere. Music is very important to medieval peoples; bards are the chief newsbringers. When I write the 'folk music' of these peoples, I am enriching my whole world, whether I actually use the song in the text or not.
"I began writing out of boredom; I continue out of addiction. I can't 'not' write, and as a result I have no social life! I began writing fantasy because I love it, but I try to construct my fantasy worlds with all the care of a 'high-tech' science fiction writer. I apply the principle of TANSTAAFL ['There ain't no such thing as free lunch', credited to Robert Heinlein) to magic, for instance; in my worlds, magic is paid for, and the cost to the magician is frequently a high one. I try to keep my world as solid and real as possible; people deal with stubborn pumps, bugs in the porridge, and love-lives that refuse to become untangled, right along with invading armies and evil magicians. And I try to make all of my characters, even the 'evil magicians,' something more than flat stereotypes. Even evil magicians get up in the night and look for cookies, sometimes.
"I suppose that in everything I write I try to expound the creed I gave my character Diana Tregarde in Burning Water:
"There's no such thing as 'one, true way'; the only answers worth having are the ones you find for yourself; leave the world better than you found it. Love, freedom, and the chance to do some good -- they're the things worth living and dying for, and if you aren't willing to die for the things worth living for, you might as well turn in your membership in the human race."
Also writes as Misty Lackey
Author's website
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
August 6, 2011
This is a novella. It's a Tarma and Kethry story. Ok but not outstanding.
September 27, 2024
Entertaining short story.
A fantasy tale from the author of the Valdemar stories, this one involving a princess mage, a dragon and a couple of witches. It is full of humour, magic but unfortunately too short.
A fantasy tale from the author of the Valdemar stories, this one involving a princess mage, a dragon and a couple of witches. It is full of humour, magic but unfortunately too short.
August 12, 2025
Only Mercedes Lackey or one of her avid followers can paint a story like this one. A dragon, a princess with a peculiar gift, two of the Shia-nin female warriors and a foolish prince all make a very strange adventure well worth reading.
September 11, 2025
An interesting change for Tarma and Kethry!
A fun little side story in the Valdemar universe with Tarma and Kethry having to rescue a princess from the prince rather than the dragon!
A fun little side story in the Valdemar universe with Tarma and Kethry having to rescue a princess from the prince rather than the dragon!
January 7, 2019
It was a nice short story in the Valdemar world. I would have liked to see the princess find a cure!
May 14, 2021
A novella, with Tarma and Kathryn, cute story!
September 27, 2021
Fools & Frogs
I did not expect this twist. Mercedes Lackey is truly amazing. I have not read her in years. I am sorely sorry for losing track of such a genius
I did not expect this twist. Mercedes Lackey is truly amazing. I have not read her in years. I am sorely sorry for losing track of such a genius
December 30, 2022
Good story
I enjoyed the story it could have been longer. I would encourage even pre teens to read it. Excellent light reading.
I enjoyed the story it could have been longer. I would encourage even pre teens to read it. Excellent light reading.
July 10, 2023
Sweet short story.
A Dragon, a Princess, magic and an abduction by a Prince. A spell gone wrong, jewels spilling out with every word.
A Dragon, a Princess, magic and an abduction by a Prince. A spell gone wrong, jewels spilling out with every word.
March 19, 2024
Odd
I adore all of the Lackey universes, but this does make for an odd pairing. Sentient dragons in the Valdemar stories? Who knew?
I adore all of the Lackey universes, but this does make for an odd pairing. Sentient dragons in the Valdemar stories? Who knew?
August 18, 2025
This is a Tarma-and-Kethry short, a bit of a departure into an alternate world. It has tie-ins to other stories by the second author, probably more of akin to those than to Valdemar. But it's still a fun read!
July 17, 2011
Too short.
February 1, 2013
I really like the 500 Kingdoms background. So many fairy tales out there waiting for a chance to become something so much more!
May 20, 2013
Nice little novella
May 29, 2013
It was okay. I wish I had known it was a short story when I bought it.
March 16, 2012
I agree with Teresa.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews