The Book of Dragons: An Anthology

by Jonathan Strahan (Editor), Rovina Cai (Illustrator)

Overview

R. F. Kuang, Kate Elliott, Todd McCaffrey, Garth Nix, Peter S. Beagle, and other fantasy and science fiction masters take on the greatest mythical beast.

From China to Europe, Africa to North America, dragons have long captured our imagination in myth and legend. Whether they are rampaging beasts awaiting a brave hero to slay or benevolent sages who have much to teach humanity, dragons are intrinsically connected to stories of creation, adventure, and struggle beloved for generations.

Bringing together nearly thirty stories and poems from some of the greatest science fiction and fantasy writers working today— Garth Nix, Scott Lynch, R. F. Kuang, Ann Leckie & Rachel Swirsky, Daniel Abraham, Peter S. Beagle, Beth Cato, Zen Cho, C. S. E Cooney, Aliette de Bodard, Amal El-Mohtar, Kate Elliott, Theodora Goss, Ellen Klages, Ken Liu, Seanan Maguire, Patricia A McKillip, K. J. Parker, Kelly Robson, Michael Swanwick, Jo Walton, Elle Katharine White, Jane Yolen, Kelly Barnhill, Brooke Bolander, Sarah Gailey, and J. Y. Yang—and illustrated by award-nominated artist Rovina Cai with black-and-white line drawings specific to each entry throughout, this extraordinary collection vividly breathes fire and life into one of our most captivating and feared magical creatures as never before and is sure to become a treasured keepsake for fans of fantasy, science fiction, and fairy tales.

“A treasure trove of wonder.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“A heaping hoard of literary gems that fans of dragon-powered stories will surely treasure.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

“Seems almost certain to be the most significant fantasy anthology of 2020.” —Locus

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780062877178
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	03/19/2024
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	560
Sales rank:	6,216
File size:	7 MB

About the Author

Jonathan Strahan has co-edited The Year's Best Australian Science Fiction and Fantasy series of anthologies for HarperCollins Australia, co-edits the Science Fiction: The Best of . . . and Fantasy: The Best of . . . anthology series with Karen Haber for Simon & Schuster/ibooks, edits the Best Short Novels anthology series for the Doubleday Science Fiction Book Club, and co-edited The Locus Awards for Eos with Charles N. Brown. He is also the Reviews Editor for Locus: The Magazine of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Fields, and reviews for the magazine regularly. He is currently working on The New Space Opera II.

Editorial Reviews

★ 04/20/2020

There is not a single false note among these 29 stories and poems of dragons collected by Strahan (The Best Science Fiction & Fantasy of the Year, editor). Strahan’s passion for the mythological creatures is infectious and evident in his selections, which draw from many different myths and cultures, and paint portraits of dragons ranging from terrifying to heroic, even metaphorical. With “Cut Me Another Quill, Mister Fitz,” Garth Nix provides a clever quest for a dragon’s horde, while Brooke Bolander craftily marries high fantasy, climate fiction, and organized crime in “Where the River Turns to Concrete.” Among the more emotional tales are Sarah Gailey’s “We Don’t Talk About the Dragon,” a powerful portrait of familial dysfunction, and R.F. Kuang’s “The Nine Curses River,” about sisters facing the painful prospect of becoming a sacrifice. “Lucky’s Dragon” by Kelly Barnhill joyously embraces the connection between a young girl and the dragon she accidentally adopts when her science project goes awry, while the protagonist of Patricia A. McKillip’s “Camouflage” envisions a very different magical school experience. The dragons inhabiting J.Y. Yang’s otherworldly planets in “The Exile” are poetically alien, while those of Ann Leckie and Rachel Swirsky’s “We Continue” function as a hive mind. With myriad approaches to its subject, this wide-ranging anthology is a treasure trove of wonder. (July)

Publishers Weekly

"There is not a single false note among these 29 stories and poems of dragons collected by Strahan […] With myriad approaches to its subject, this wide-ranging anthology is a treasure trove of wonder." — Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“There are no weak links in this anthology, and every selection is noteworthy in some way […] A heaping hoard of literary gems that fans of dragon-powered stories will surely treasure.” — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

"This collection is highly recommended to both established genre fans and newcomers interested quality sf and fantasy." — Booklist (starred review)

"The Book of Dragons seems almost certain to be the most significant fantasy anthology of 2020." — Locus Magazine

From the Publisher

"This collection is highly recommended to both established genre fans and newcomers interested quality sf and fantasy."

Booklist (starred review)

"The Book of Dragons seems almost certain to be the most significant fantasy anthology of 2020."

Locus Magazine

06/01/2020

Gr 8 Up—Strahan has collected tales and legends of dragons from modern fantasy writers in this mythical and enchanting read. Dragons have always fascinated readers and through these compelling stories, adventure awaits. Scott Lynch, Peter S. Beagle, Kate Elliot, and R.F. Kuang are just some of the many authors included. Readers will explore different continents and the various ways writers see and imagine dragons and dragon lore. Along with the large group of authors, Cai adds magical black-and-white drawings. The entries are accompanied by brief bios of the contributors and the other books they have written, which allows readers to sample the writings and cultivate interest in their other works. The poetry portions are deftly woven among the prose entries. VERDICT An anthology that can stand alone as a great read, and will lead new genre fans to more in-depth works of fantasy.—Maeve Dodds, Charlotte Mecklenburg Lib., NC

School Library Journal

★ 2020-05-04
Including 29 original short stories and poems, Strahan’s stellar anthology of dragon-powered narratives features works by a veritable murderer’s row of genre fiction luminaries, including Peter S. Beagle, Patricia A. McKillip, Scott Lynch, Ken Liu, Kate Elliott, and Todd McCaffrey, among others.

Complemented by subtle illustrations throughout, the power of this gem-filled anthology is not only in the consistent quality of stories, but the impressive diversity of plotlines. Many selections derive inspiration from various folkloric tales and myths while others envision dragons in wildly untraditional—and at times metaphorical—ways. Seanan McGuire’s heartfelt “Hoard” chronicles a single woman who lovingly takes in foster children and helps them flourish. The system, however, sees her as something different. McCaffrey’s “Small Bird’s Plea” blends elements of science fiction and fantasy to create a story about a young girl on a quest to save her village, which she believes is being attacked by demons. Brooke Bolander’s “Where the River Turns to Concrete” follows a hulking amnesiac who, after being found naked in a parking garage by a local crime boss and hired on as muscle, finds something unexpected on his brutal journey of self-discovery. Beagle’s “Except on Saturdays” reimagines the French myth of Melusine with the story of a California high school history teacher who, after meeting a wheelchair-using woman on a bus, realizes that she is much more than she seems. In K.J. Parker’s “Habitat,” a local hero is tasked by a prince to catch and deliver him a living dragon. The hero delivers—with karmic results. There are no weak links in this anthology, and every selection is noteworthy in some way, but arguably the most memorable story is Ann Leckie and Rachel Swirsky’s “We Continue,” set on a planet where human colonists struggle to survive while dragons thrive in hivelike communities that regenerate with the birth of a new queen.

A heaping hoard of literary gems that fans of dragon-powered stories will surely treasure.

Kirkus Reviews