The Dragon Quintet

Rating:
Summary: Interesting, but flawed, anthology
Review: "Dragon Quintet" is an odd mix of stories only slightly linked by one thing: all feature a dragon, or at least a dragon-like, creature, and most of these stories are dark to out and out black-spirited.

The sole uplifting story of the lot, "Joust" by Mercedes Lackey, is good, interesting, and very representative of Ms. Lackey's style. However, I'd already read the novel version of "Joust," which oddly beat this collection to the press by at least a year. Four stars for that.

The next best story was by Elizabeth Moon, and is in her "Paksenarrion" universe but does not feature paladins or elves. Instead, this features dwarves, a dragon, and two very put upon villagers. I liked the villagers very much, and appreciated a return to this universe, one of my all-time favorites. Still, it's a rather dark tale, and I'd rather have had a happier ending. Three and a half stars.

The third best story was by Michael Swanwick. I liked the story up until the end, where Mr. Swanwick basically ruined it by tossing off a fable-type ending that didn't make a goodly amount of sense. In addition, this story only had two likable characters in it, and both were more or less abused throughout the story, something I really did not care for. Granted, this is dark fantasy, and Mr. Swanwick definitely made me hate all his hatable characters. But I'd have liked to have love his likable ones, and I didn't. Three stars.

The remaining stories seemed, to me at least, to be incomplete. Orson Scott Card's story was a sort of urban fantasy about a resident dragon and a boy, and as far as it went, up until the end, I liked it. But once again, a lousy ending ruined it. In addition, the information given by the editor led me to believe that Mr. Card is planning to turn this story into a novel. I really hope that doesn't happen, as this has to be the most downbeat story I've ever read by Mr. Card (not even excepting the last book about Andrew "Ender" Wiggin), and that's not what I've grown to expect from him. Two stars for that.

And Tanith Lee's story, while engrossing and having some truly unseen plot-twists, didn't totally make sense, either. I enjoyed the basic "women done wrong gets revenge" plotline, but the story was either too long or too short; too long in that it makes little sense in this form (even considering Ms. Lee's normal elliptical plotlines and fairytale-esque endings, dark or bright), too short in that in a novel, it might have worked well. Two stars, barely.

And that's basically it; it's an interesting experiment, but it's flawed, and if you don't like dark fantasy or aren't in the mood for it, don't get this book. It's not advertised as dark fantasy, but in my opinion, that's exactly what it is (with the sole exception of Ms. Lackey's stripped-down version of "Joust").

Three stars.

Barb Caffrey

Rating:
Summary: A good short story is hard to find
Review: Perhaps because I am older and have read many stories from the Golden Age of SF, or perhaps only because times have changed, I find it more and more difficult to find a good genre short fiction. I frequently pick up anthologies and magazines, but more often find disappointment than satisfaction. I had high hopes for The Dragon Quintet. After all, every author in here is well known and writes "good stuff."

"In the Dragon's House" by Orson Scott Card was slow. Some aspects of the story were intriguing, but it was difficult to finish. "Judgment" by Elizabeth Moon has some fine moments, but there are rules that must be followed, but no one knows the rules except the ones who made them. The characters aren't very likable. Tanith Lee's "Love in the Time of Dragons" is dark and again has no sympathetic characters. Unfortunately, she sometimes has too much brutality against women than I like.

At last, we come to "Joust" by Mercedes Lackey, the best of the lot. This is a story that would stand out in any collection. The characters are sympathetic and the cause and effect are logical and satisfying. Although the end may be a bit too "nice" for some tastes, there is no illogic to it. I liked this one.

The final story, "King Dragon" by Michael Swanwick, is such a mishmash of ideas, names, things and creatures, that I became frustrated with it and barely finished. I know writers and editors are looking for things that are new and different; however, nothing beats a good, well-told story that, at least part of the time, makes sense.