The Dragons of Magic

Magic: The Gathering: Anthology #6

by J. Robert King (Editor)

What beasts rule our dreams?

Ancient Primevals enslaved our ancestors, and modern dragon engines enslave us. Plains dragons defend humans, and undead dragons destroy them. And all dragons hold mysteries deep within.

Uncover the secrets of the dragons of Dominaria.

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Anthologies, Science Fiction Fantasy

312 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published September 12, 2001

Reviews

[Quentin Wallace · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't have any knowledge of the Magic: The Gathering universe, but this was still a good read. As others have stated, you don't really need any background info to enjoy this collection. Each story features a dragon (of course) although the types of dragons differ.

If you're a fan of fantasy stories based around dragons, don't let the "Magic" tie in scare you off. You'll probably still enjoy it. I'm assuming fans of Magic: The Gathering will pick up on things that the average reader misses.

[Chip Hunter · Rating 4 out of 5]

While I'm not usually a big fan of anthologies, I was surprised to find myself really enjoying this one. Almost all of the stories here, with only a couple of exceptions, are worthwhile and memorable. A few of the stories here are fantastic, worth getting this book just for them. Another great thing about this book is its near-total unreliance on any knowledge whatsoever of the MTG universe or game. These stories, while great, are mostly generic dragon-based fantasy stories, that could be (and maybe should have been) published without the MTG label. So if you're a fan of dragons, don't hesitate to try this one even if you typically stay away from MTG fluff. Of course, this book still suffers from the same things that all anthologies suffer from. No time for great character development, limited scope of stories, poor continuity from one story to the next, ect. And, while some stories are really great, with characters that you'd like to continue reading about, those stories come to a quick end and you find yourself starting a less-good story immediately after. Still, I guess those things are to be expected with this format, and this collection is much better than the previous couple of MTG anthologies, The Colors of Magic and The Myths of Magic, each of which included some tales better left untold. My favorites of this book included "Hero of the People" by Jess Lebow, "Deathwings" by Paul B. Thompson, and "Kelden Staredown" by Scott McGough. My least favorite was "Dreamwings" by Tom Dupree, and even that one would be one of the better ones in some other anthologies. Overall, this is a great collection, and not just for MTG fans. Recommended!