The Flight of the Dragons

Rating:
Summary: Yuck!
Review: A small amount of old myth, and a huge amount of author's modern ideas. It tries to describe all of the things about European dragons scientifically, like a documentary. In doing so, all its theories are full of holes, and the dragons described are disgusting, sick, violent, evil, bloated, stupid beasts which still function in impossible ways despite Peter's amateur attempts to make them scientific. I am not fond of the artist's contributions either.

I originally picked up this book because I'd seen the animated movie called "The Flight of Dragons," which was supposedly based on this book, but it doesn't resemble it at all. The plot for that movie was actually based on a book called "The Dragon and the George." Get that instead.

Rating:
Summary: What if fire breathing dragons were real...
Review: How would they fly, why would they hoard gold, and how did they breed? Author Peter Dickinson attempts to answer these question from the standpoint that Dragons were very much real and, step-by-step, he explains how these meat-eating Hindenburgs would have lived. His viewpoint is that they were animals, and not 'intelligent beings', but, real or not, fire breathing dragons have left a mark in our minds and memories that remains to this modern day. Another plus are the nice dragon illustrations peppering the slim, 132 page coffee table styled book, so fantasy fans will find something to enjoy in it.

Rating:
Summary: Awesome!!!
Review: I totally agree!!! This is the best book! Basically, he starts out on the premise that dragons actually existed (at about the time cavemen were around), and goes on to explain how something that large could fly, why this lead to them liking maidens, jewels, and gold, why they lived in caves, and why they can no longer be found! Read it (if you can find it)

Rating:
Summary: Interesting but disappointing.
Review: Peter Dicikinson starts out saying he beleived thousands of years ago Dragons once existed. This starts us off at the first disappointment. The fact is Dragons DO exist today (and I am not talking about Komodo dragons or bearded dragons). I beleive anyone who reads this book shouldn't EVER take it into consideration as a close representation of dragons (Remember it is a book of theory!). Dickinson's theories I admit are rather unique and certainly worth looking at as to how he connected it together it may even hold some insight into true dragons today...but not very much.

Dickinson gives the image from his book that dragons are primative,idiotic,savage,slow,clumsy, and even admits this to certain degrees. This is where the disappointment comes in again. Dragons today are none of the latter listed above. In fact they are completely opposite. As absurd as it sounds it seems those dragons in D&D are more realistic then what Dickinson defines.If I could I would suggest he pick up a recent copy of the Draconomicon...while yet still these dragons fall CONSIDERABLY short of the mark it is a closer step to knowing the species. If anyone wishes to argue my statement above feel free to contact me at [e-mail] and i'll be happy to converse.

Overall as I said it's a interesting read but don't take it to heart, compared to true dragons today it's more or less a insult.Just to add I saw Dickinson's movie and with all the arrogance that comes with making a animated movie about himself and journeying with dragons, it is pretty good,despite a rushed plot.

Rating:
Summary: The Problem of the Flying Brick
Review: Peter Dickinson's classic book on such imponderables as how (and why) dragons fly is one of my favorite books on the care and feeding of our scaled neighbors. He goes into great detail about what it takes to get a 20,000-pound appetite up into the air and speeding to its next meal. Sometimes slightly tongue-in-cheek, Dickinson draws on legend and story to create a delightful theory that takes the imaginary and makes it real.

Not satisfied with explaining away the impossible, Dickinson goes on to explore the dragon life cycle, habitat and sociology. I took particular delight in the section that explains that most horrific of monsters, the george, otherwise known as 'the mean man in the tin can.' He is quite outspoken about the monstrous atrocities committed in the name of 'dragon-slaying.' And for doubters, there is even a section citing the evidences for the existence of dragons. Of course, those of us who drive from peak to peak dragon-watching in our ancient Volkswagen busses need no further evidence.

The other delight in this book is the rich illustration by Wayne Anderson. We find dragons cute and fearsome, old and new. The work is both beautiful and whimsical, and you will find yourself returning to the images countless times, whenever the dream starts to fade. The book is both beautiful and fun - a worthwhile addition to the mythophile's library.

Rating:
Summary: The Problem of the Flying Brick
Review: Peter Dickinson's classic book on such imponderables as how (and why) dragons fly is one of my favorite books on the care and feeding of our scaled neighbors. He goes into great detail about what it takes to get a 20,000-pound appetite up into the air and speeding to its next meal. Sometimes slightly tongue-in-cheek, Dickinson draws on legend and story to create a delightful theory that takes the imaginary and makes it real.

Not satisfied with explaining away the impossible, Dickinson goes on to explore the dragon life cycle, habitat and sociology. I took particular delight in the section that explains that most horrific of monsters, the george, otherwise known as 'the mean man in the tin can.' He is quite outspoken about the monstrous atrocities committed in the name of 'dragon-slaying.' And for doubters, there is even a section citing the evidences for the existence of dragons. Of course, those of us who drive from peak to peak dragon-watching in our ancient Volkswagen busses need no further evidence.

The other delight in this book is the rich illustration by Wayne Anderson. We find dragons cute and fearsome, old and new. The work is both beautiful and whimsical, and you will find yourself returning to the images countless times, whenever the dream starts to fade. The book is both beautiful and fun - a worthwhile addition to the mythophile's library.

Rating:
Summary: Answering the key question
Review: The book answers the right question - Not "How could something as big as a dragon fly?", but "Why did dragons need to be that big in order to fly?". The approach is a straight faced, imaginative explanation of dragon phsyiology, psychology, life cycle, and more. The author manages to engage in a ciritcal scientific examination of all the evidece without losing the sense of awful wonder for the dragons he is studying.

Rating:
Summary: Answering the key question
Review: The book answers the right question - Not "How could something as big as a dragon fly?", but "Why did dragons need to be that big in order to fly?". The approach is a straight faced, imaginative explanation of dragon phsyiology, psychology, life cycle, and more. The author manages to engage in a ciritcal scientific examination of all the evidece without losing the sense of awful wonder for the dragons he is studying.

Rating:
Summary: This book is the best!!
Review: Why is this thing out of print? It's the best!! Anyone who agrees with me should watch the movie