Review: My thoughts
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 01 2, 2013
When I listen to music, although I have several albums from one particular artist, I set my player on shuffle. Why? Because I want variety. When I am reading, I have often wanted the same experience--to be able to read different tales by different people while the target subject matter stays the same.Dragonthology, a collection of seven stories by seven different authors, is interesting because of the approach each one took in creating their tales about dragons. It is also exciting because each writer's style changes in pace, setting, and approach so that you are not stuck with the same, fixed view, that often happens from a single author. All the stories whet your appetite in wanting more."The Case of the Bloodstone Dragon", by author G.L. Jackson, captures the feeling of the old, film noir setting with the main character, a private detective, being hired by a humanoid-type dragon in search of a relic. Without going into details about the how, I can definitely say I felt like I was reading a Humphrey Bogart tale where Sam Spade gets hired by the "femme fatale" Gladys George in search of the mysterious "Maltese Falcon." By the end, I was hoping to hear more of the new relationship that formed between the two main characters in the story."Under the Breach" by Jason Andrew, takes place in the trenches of an actual battle of World War I. The story is gritty and gives the reader a sense of what it must have been like during the time. The appearance of the dragon was a surprise and a nice twist."The Dragon of Sullivan Hall" by Marian Allen, is set in a late 60's sorority hall where a miniature dragon has taken up residence. Small in size, but large in attitude, you can image what happens when the girls in the hall upset it."Egg Hunt" by Jay Wilburn, is a science-fiction story on a smuggler's ship in outer space. The story is full of action and problems with evading capture. When one egg hatches, he was about to flush it into space when he discovers it to be the rarest of all possible hatchlings: a male blue dragon. What does he do with it? You will have to read it and find out."The Clan" by Troy Lambert takes place in a futuristic, apocalyptic setting on Earth, where most technology has been forgotten about or fallen into ruin. Dragons have been dominated and enslaved. But a spark of rebellion starts a chain no one can break."Dragon Seeks a Wife" by Sandra Graves, is an Aesop-like love story in which the main character, an emerald dragon, must take human form and find a wife, or face certain death. He starts his journey by meeting a legendary bird that gives him aid on his quest to find true love. He journeys to the king's land, to try to take his daughter's hand, but discovers human relations are often complex."Darkness Taken" by J.A. Campbell, is an Eragon-like story where dragons and riders hold a special bond with young humans. But the dragons are not the only mystical creatures, for unicorns also have their own riders. When a tragic event causes both groups to search for their missing, the main character gets whisked into a thrilling adventure in an attempt to get them back.Of all the stories, I'd have to say I loved "Egg Hunt" and "Dragon Seeks a Wife" the best. I like the fast paced nature of being aboard a space ship and the way the main character resolves the crisis that occurs. With "Dragon Seeks a Wife", I love the feel of tale; like reading a new Arabian Tale or Aesop Fable. But all the stories brought a smile to my face. From the stories themselves to the author's thoughts after each, the reader is brought on new journeys, and in doing so, gave Dragonthology its wings.