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When it comes to the topic of dragons in fantasy literature, there's often this feeling of "the stories are told". People mention "Pern" (and probably the Dragonlord-Saga by Joanne Bertin) and a couple of shortstories and consider the topic closed. Truth be told, I'm not a fan of the Pern books, though I'm a fan of dragons -- of the bloodthirsty Western ones à la Fafnir a tad more than of the wise Eastern version. But that's a matter of taste. And action.
Then I realized that in the last few weeks I read two books which both shed a very different - and diametrically opposing - view on the dragons in fantasy literature. Both books are still on my mind after weeks have passed and I'm tempted to reread both of them (and the sequels to the second one); enough to warrant a book recommendation for them!
Markus Heitz: Die Mächte des Feuers
The title roughly translates as "Powers of Fire", but unfortunately there's no official English translation of the book that I'm aware of.
M. Heitz is a rather popular German fantasy author with a clear writing style and a knack for underlying humor in his characters. He's wrote - among other things - books starring Ork soldiers as the heroes and a six novel high fantasy series about politically warring kingdoms in a magical world: "Ulldart" (which is actually also a good read, though not a breathtaking one).
Die Mächte des Feuers plays in an alternate 1925 with a lot of attention put into both the feeling and background of the time.
For centuries the world was secretly ruled by powerful dragons, who catered to political conflicts, wars and rebellions to further their own purpose of "keeping control over their prey and slaves". But there are huge advances in technology at the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th Century: early warplanes, zeppelins, telephones, cable wires are now all available in the fight of the officium of dragonkillers of the Catholic Church, in which the descendants of the more than 80 dragonkillers the Catholic Church recognizes as saints (fact!) are continuing the fight of their ancestors' against the dragons.
The plot shows dragons as cold-hearted, conniving, highly intelligent and arrogant. Egotistical creatures of power who divided the world into personal districts and strife to maintain the status quo in a time when change was inevitable. The struggle of Saint George's last descendant, Silena, and a dragon who wants to take more than his share is highly entertaining and morbidly fascinating. I really hope Mr. Heitz continues this tale! It certainly has a unique setting, for once a tough heroine who still fits into "The Roaring Twenties" the story is supposed to play in, and a nicely alternative view of the Western dragons - away from the bloodthirsty beasts, who just sit around on their gold.
Naomi Novik: His Majesty's Dragon (and its sequels)
Naomi Novik's books combine the style and charme of some of the best historical navy adventure series I've read -- like the Hornblower books - with the idea of dragons being raised, used - and at least in the Western countries: exploited - for fast transport and warfare. Her tale begins in alternate 1806 when an English sea captain finds a dragon egg onboard of a raided French warship. The dragon soon afterwards hedges and forms a solid bond with him, effectively forcing him to leave behind the navy and enter the less-than-well-perceived Dragon Corps of his Majesty together with his new "partner": a dragon of an unidentified species, but with - compared to the average Western dragon - superior curiosity and intelligence.
This book, together with its first sequel, actually gobbled up most of my last Friday and a good part of the night to Saturday, making me do my weekend grocery shopping in a state of near-sleepwalking, but the idea of putting it aside and continue the next day was just ridiculous, and I'm eagerly awaiting the third book in this series. It's German version is scheduled for October. I highly recommend them - especially if you have at least a day free. ;)
Then I realized that in the last few weeks I read two books which both shed a very different - and diametrically opposing - view on the dragons in fantasy literature. Both books are still on my mind after weeks have passed and I'm tempted to reread both of them (and the sequels to the second one); enough to warrant a book recommendation for them!
Markus Heitz: Die Mächte des Feuers
The title roughly translates as "Powers of Fire", but unfortunately there's no official English translation of the book that I'm aware of.
M. Heitz is a rather popular German fantasy author with a clear writing style and a knack for underlying humor in his characters. He's wrote - among other things - books starring Ork soldiers as the heroes and a six novel high fantasy series about politically warring kingdoms in a magical world: "Ulldart" (which is actually also a good read, though not a breathtaking one).
Die Mächte des Feuers plays in an alternate 1925 with a lot of attention put into both the feeling and background of the time.
For centuries the world was secretly ruled by powerful dragons, who catered to political conflicts, wars and rebellions to further their own purpose of "keeping control over their prey and slaves". But there are huge advances in technology at the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th Century: early warplanes, zeppelins, telephones, cable wires are now all available in the fight of the officium of dragonkillers of the Catholic Church, in which the descendants of the more than 80 dragonkillers the Catholic Church recognizes as saints (fact!) are continuing the fight of their ancestors' against the dragons.
The plot shows dragons as cold-hearted, conniving, highly intelligent and arrogant. Egotistical creatures of power who divided the world into personal districts and strife to maintain the status quo in a time when change was inevitable. The struggle of Saint George's last descendant, Silena, and a dragon who wants to take more than his share is highly entertaining and morbidly fascinating. I really hope Mr. Heitz continues this tale! It certainly has a unique setting, for once a tough heroine who still fits into "The Roaring Twenties" the story is supposed to play in, and a nicely alternative view of the Western dragons - away from the bloodthirsty beasts, who just sit around on their gold.
Naomi Novik: His Majesty's Dragon (and its sequels)
Naomi Novik's books combine the style and charme of some of the best historical navy adventure series I've read -- like the Hornblower books - with the idea of dragons being raised, used - and at least in the Western countries: exploited - for fast transport and warfare. Her tale begins in alternate 1806 when an English sea captain finds a dragon egg onboard of a raided French warship. The dragon soon afterwards hedges and forms a solid bond with him, effectively forcing him to leave behind the navy and enter the less-than-well-perceived Dragon Corps of his Majesty together with his new "partner": a dragon of an unidentified species, but with - compared to the average Western dragon - superior curiosity and intelligence.
This book, together with its first sequel, actually gobbled up most of my last Friday and a good part of the night to Saturday, making me do my weekend grocery shopping in a state of near-sleepwalking, but the idea of putting it aside and continue the next day was just ridiculous, and I'm eagerly awaiting the third book in this series. It's German version is scheduled for October. I highly recommend them - especially if you have at least a day free. ;)
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Date: 2007-08-14 16:52 (UTC)From:Die Mächte des Feuers usually don't get as good reviews as his other works, probably because it is darker and more fierce, containing less of the eye-winking humor that branded his other works - which is actually one of the reasons I liked DMDF that much.
I read a two book series by Gentle about 15 years ago and remember that I kind of liked it, but it left the impression of something slightly too fluffy for my tastes. I don't recall the title just now.