The Dragon Quintet

An abiding presence in myth and literature from around the world, the dragon has been reborn in modern fantasy fiction. The classic winged fire-breathing reptile often associated with evil (they do despoil villages and demand virgin sacrifices, after all) tends nowadays to be more kindly disposed to humankind, sometimes aloofly offering magical wisdom, sometimes actively involved in human lives, whether as a servant or friend. In this volume, originally compiled exclusively for the members of the Science Fiction Book Club and not available in stores, editor Marvin Kaye has skillfully gathered brand-new contributions to the hoard of dragon lore by five top fantasy authors.

Orson Scott Card—-an expert at writing from a child's point of view, as evidenced in his bestselling Ender's Game and Ender's Shadow—-offers a gothic yarn set in contemporary suburbia. "In the Dragon's House" tells about the mysterious dragon that lives in the wiring of an old house, palpable only to a young boy who in dreams shares its body and feels its true size and power. But what does it really want?

Mercedes Lackey, prolific author of the Valdemar saga, writes of a slave boy who is chosen to care for a warrior's dragon. Vetch (and the reader) will learn much about dragon behavior . . . and this special dragon's secrets may be the key to his freedom. (Lackey was so taken by young Vetch that she expanded his adventures into a novel with the same name as this story—-"Joust.")

Tanith Lee is no stranger to dragons, which appear quite often in her award-winning fantasies. The fable "Love in a Time of Dragons" is imbued with her signature atmosphere—-Old World, moody, erotic-as a kitchen maid goes a-questing with a handsome champion to slay the local drakkor. But the tale takes a surprising twist. . . .

Elizabeth Moon, author of the popular Esmay Suiza and Heris Serrano series, takes a break from military science fiction to give us the tale of a young man forced by lies to flee his village . . . into an adventure of dwarfs and dragonspawn, of trust and wisdom, and, ultimately,

af0 "Judgment."

Rounding off the collection is Michael Swanwick's "King Dragon," a strange amalgam of twentieth-century technology and faery magic, in which the award-winning author invokes a truly sinister and repellent creature-a being with the soul of a beast and the body of a machine-part metal, part devil . . . all-merciless.

Brand-new contributions to the hoard of dragon lore by five top fantasy authors.

Heidi Hauser Green - KLIATT

Editor Marvin Kaye has brought together new works by five of fantasy's most renowned authors in these stories that celebrate the dragon's power and magic. Orson Scott Card's dragon lives in a dramatic old house and was drawn there by the place's unusually strong electrical currents. Residing in an attic room, the dragon is felt only by the young boy who lives there with his eccentric great-aunt and great-uncle. Mercedes Lackey's dragon belongs to a warrior, but develops a strong relationship with the slave boy who must care for him. Together, the pair may use the dragon's special power to secure their freedom. Tanith Lee's story follows a kitchen wench as she connives her way into the hills in pursuit of the dragon she knows she will marry. Elizabeth Moon's dragon works with a young lad who must complete a near-impossible task after being chased out of his village due to the lies of one who is affected by the terrible magic of dragon spawn. Finally, Michael Swanwick's techno-magical dragon is part machine and quite malevolent. He comes to rest in a village and destroys many before one youth is able to find the strength to overcome him. Each of these richly detailed stories presents a fresh perspective on a magical, captivating creature—the dragon. Some librarians in more conservative settings may wish to use caution, as Lee's work, in particular, involves both sex and violence, while Swanwick's involves a great deal of violence. KLIATT Codes: SA—Recommended for senior high school students, advanced students, and adults. 2004, Tor, 302p., Ages 15 to adult.

Marvin Kaye is the author and editor of more than forty books, including The Game Is Afoot: Parodies, Pastiches, and Ponderings of Sherlock Holmes and The Resurrected Holmes: New Cases from the Notes of John H. Watson, M.D. He lives in New York City.