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Dragons
Time-Life has once again done an outstanding job putting together a series. From cover to cover they are thoughtful, beautiful books. Presents tales and examines beliefs about dragons of the enchanted world. Includes: Chaos Incarnate: A Field Guide to Dragons, Glittering Gods of the East, The Serpent Ascendant, Rise of the Dragonslayer. If you love dragons, this may be the ultimate guide book.
143 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1984
7 people are currently reading
469 people want to read
About the author
Tristram Potter Coffin
73 books5 followersTristram (“Tris”) Potter Coffin was an American folklorist and leading scholar of ballad texts in the 20th century. Coffin spent the bulk of his career at the University of Pennsylvania, where he was a professor of English and a co-founder of the Folklore Department. He was the author of 20 books and more than 100 scholarly articles and reviews.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
July 23, 2012
This is an awesome book. It`s informative and has a load of lores and tales about my favorite creature. I ended up collecting the entire series! :D
January 1, 2020
Big, gorgeous hardback that is visually wonderful. Sturdy cover, lots of full-color drawings and art reproductions and clear, vibrant type. This is one of those books I should have had as a kid, when I could get lost in the drawings for hours. But now that I'm 50, my attention span has considerably diminished.
The text, however, leaves a lot to be desired. I was hoping that this would be a good round-up of dragons in myth and art but, alas, my hopes were dashed. This is a book that goes on the premise that dragons really existed (uh-oh) and there are many retold stories in detail -- and some annoying NOT in detail, although those stories often merited a detailed drawing.
This book suffers in comparison to other looks at the history and myths of dragons or even those books that theorize at how dragons may have existed, such as The Flight of Dragons. Still, has some really pretty pictures.
The text, however, leaves a lot to be desired. I was hoping that this would be a good round-up of dragons in myth and art but, alas, my hopes were dashed. This is a book that goes on the premise that dragons really existed (uh-oh) and there are many retold stories in detail -- and some annoying NOT in detail, although those stories often merited a detailed drawing.
This book suffers in comparison to other looks at the history and myths of dragons or even those books that theorize at how dragons may have existed, such as The Flight of Dragons. Still, has some really pretty pictures.
December 4, 2012
I liked the large illustrations and the way dragons from all over the world at various times were covered. I even read of a couple that I had not heard of before.
January 2, 2019
I found this book in the used book section at my local library. Paid 50 cents for it. Best value/price deal i've ever found when buying a book. The illustrations alone are worth turning through the pages, and the stories are a great read. Some are presented as rather factual, others as mostly factual with some likely embellishment, and others as pure tales for the sake of good tales. Whatever perspective one may take on any of them, they are an easy and enjoyable read. The prose was rather pleasant as well.
April 8, 2019
Another great book in this series. The stories are concentrating on Europe and great Britain as well as Asia. I'm curious if there are stories from indigenous populations in America and elsewhere, but we hear nothing of those. Apart from that this book was again awesome, a joy to read and beautifully designed.
May 6, 2019
I very much enjoy this beautifully illustrated series. This one was especially good in that it had a nice section on Asian dragons (a decided hole in my knowledge) as well as Persian dragons (another hole.) In the series the illustrations are in the style of the culture of the time period and region discussed, which, in this book especially, added greatly to the atmosphere.
May 24, 2019
Another gorgeous volume in the series. Furthermore, this one benefits from being less Eurocentric than some of the others.
January 29, 2021
Third in a series. Review upon completion.
March 9, 2022
4.5*
They don't miss
They don't miss
October 12, 2022
Libro consigliato a tutti gli amanti di queste creature mitologiche. Un vero e proprio raccoglitore, con tanto anche di stupende illustrazioni
February 18, 2021
When I was a kid advertisements for this series aired constantly - at least in the time slots that I usually watched. Time Life had a great reputation of putting out intricate and useful reference materials. This was well before the internet so good reference materials were needed. This series was different however. It collected all the fantasy elements and placed them in their proper books. It was unlike any sort of book I had seen before. My mother finally caved in and ordered me the set. When I ran out to show my friends they were mostly unimpressed by the first volume, Wizards and Witches, but when I showed them this one, all their eyes lit up. Dragons were no joke. Suddenly they were all very envious.
The book itself is worth it just to leaf through and drink in all of the magnificent art. As previously the volume breaks down the various types of dragons based primarily on region. The European stories of dragons, or drakes, or wyrms - whatever they are called - are very different from those told further east in China. The Asiatic versions were seen as spiritual beings, personifications of the air and water - creatures to be reasoned with on occasion, rather than outright killed.
The four parts of the book deal with the dragon as the form of chaos incarnate at the beginning of time. Born before time began, these creatures were sons of chaos, and so the gods did battle with them, for only when they were beaten could order prevail and the universe be born. Moving on to tales of European dragons in their various forms in the second chapter. While the third deals with Asain tales of dragons, and the final focuses solely on the rise to prominence of the dragonslayer as hero. In the course we learn the stories of Apep, Tiamat, Jörmungandr, Nidhoggr, and Typhon. Beowulf, Perseus (in the original telling of his story the monster was a sea dragon), Saint Martha and Tarasque, St. George, Sigurd the Volsung, along with a host of Persian and Russian rulers - among many many others.
The book itself is worth it just to leaf through and drink in all of the magnificent art. As previously the volume breaks down the various types of dragons based primarily on region. The European stories of dragons, or drakes, or wyrms - whatever they are called - are very different from those told further east in China. The Asiatic versions were seen as spiritual beings, personifications of the air and water - creatures to be reasoned with on occasion, rather than outright killed.
The four parts of the book deal with the dragon as the form of chaos incarnate at the beginning of time. Born before time began, these creatures were sons of chaos, and so the gods did battle with them, for only when they were beaten could order prevail and the universe be born. Moving on to tales of European dragons in their various forms in the second chapter. While the third deals with Asain tales of dragons, and the final focuses solely on the rise to prominence of the dragonslayer as hero. In the course we learn the stories of Apep, Tiamat, Jörmungandr, Nidhoggr, and Typhon. Beowulf, Perseus (in the original telling of his story the monster was a sea dragon), Saint Martha and Tarasque, St. George, Sigurd the Volsung, along with a host of Persian and Russian rulers - among many many others.
April 17, 2009
My review for all of these books in this series is the same.
Time-Life has once again done an outstanding job putting together a series. From cover to cover they are thoughtful, beautiful books. I'm starting to sound generic, but it's true.
I'm a DK fan, I like white backgrounds and side notes with clear sections for every subject. This series has none of that. What they do have is an old book feel. Timeless artwork, thoroughness, and very well written makes these a must on my occult/paranormal bookshelf at home. I've been collecting the series slowly over several years and still have a few books to go. I refuse to go on amazon and buy them. It's all in the hunt for me. There is no subject they have left untouched. I highly recommend them.
Time-Life has once again done an outstanding job putting together a series. From cover to cover they are thoughtful, beautiful books. I'm starting to sound generic, but it's true.
I'm a DK fan, I like white backgrounds and side notes with clear sections for every subject. This series has none of that. What they do have is an old book feel. Timeless artwork, thoroughness, and very well written makes these a must on my occult/paranormal bookshelf at home. I've been collecting the series slowly over several years and still have a few books to go. I refuse to go on amazon and buy them. It's all in the hunt for me. There is no subject they have left untouched. I highly recommend them.
August 4, 2016
This book brings me back to my childhood and probably where I first got a real love for dragons.
I think it is a good anthology full of stories about various dragons from all around the world. It has many great reference on the various dragon myths and tales surrounding these creatures too.
Beautifully illustrated, this book certainly is one for the dragon lovers out there and I don't just recommend reading this book I think you should also take a look at the entire series because they're just as informative and inspiring too!
I think it is a good anthology full of stories about various dragons from all around the world. It has many great reference on the various dragon myths and tales surrounding these creatures too.
Beautifully illustrated, this book certainly is one for the dragon lovers out there and I don't just recommend reading this book I think you should also take a look at the entire series because they're just as informative and inspiring too!
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January 31, 2011Regalo natalizio questo librone sui draghi, molto azzeccato vista la mia passione verso questi essere mitologici.
Bisogna dire che è strutturato bene e si presenta proprio come una guida all'universo draconico, quasi una sorta di enciclopedia con tanto di illustrazioni e spiegazioni sulle classi e sugli ambienti di vita.
Molto carino e ben fatto.
Bisogna dire che è strutturato bene e si presenta proprio come una guida all'universo draconico, quasi una sorta di enciclopedia con tanto di illustrazioni e spiegazioni sulle classi e sugli ambienti di vita.
Molto carino e ben fatto.
November 6, 2021
My grandmother, who was a painter, expanded my imagination by letting me peruse her set of these books. I was very young, so the simplicity and bit of folklore were quite appealing. They hold a special place in my heart, and were no small part of my inspiration while following in her artistic footsteps.
March 2, 2012
Great reference on various dragon myths and tales surrounding these mythical creatures.
October 28, 2013
A series of short articles and stories.
September 7, 2015
Lots about dragons. Great stuff. Too bad my copy is musty. Got to go. Donation fodder. =)
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews