Dragontales

This article is about the Dragontales series of gamebooks. For the children's television series, see Dragon Tales.

Dragontales was a series of gamebooks written by Rhondi A. Vilott Salsitz as "Rhondi Vilott" and published by Signet in the 1980s. The books place the reader in the role of a young man or woman in various fantasy countries inhabited by a variety of extravagant creatures. The books were meant for readers somewhat older than those of most gamebooks, as romance is a common element, as are allusions to physical development in the books' heroines.

An interesting feature of the Dragontales series was that each odd-numbered book in the series had a white cover and featured a female protagonist, while each even-numbered book had a black cover and a male protagonist. ^[1]

The first book was licensed and made into a visual novel video game by Hanako Games in early 2015.^{[ citation needed ]}

Themes and Audience

The Dragontales series incorporates themes of personal growth, emotional development, and interpersonal relationships, distinguishing it from many conventional gamebooks aimed at younger readers. ^[2] Each volume places the reader in the role of a protagonist navigating fantastical environments populated by mythical creatures and moral dilemmas. ^[3]

A notable structural feature of the series is its gender-based alternation: odd-numbered books feature female protagonists and white covers, while even-numbered books present male protagonists with black covers. ^[4] This design choice was intended to broaden the series' appeal to slightly older readers, introducing subtle references to emotional maturity and interpersonal dynamics. ^[5]

Books in the series

1. Sword Daughter's Quest (1984)
2. Runesword! (1984)
3. Challenge of the Pegasus Grail (1984)
4. The Towers of Rexor (1984)
5. The Unicorn Crown (1984)
6. Black Dragon's Curse (1984)
7. Spellbound (1984)
8. The Dungeons of Dregnor (1984)
9. Aphrodite's Mirror (1985)
10. Hall of the Gargoyle King (1985)
11. Maiden of Greenwold (1985)
12. Storm Rider (1985)
13. Pledge of Peril (1985)
14. Secret of the Sphinx (1985)

References

1. Katz, Demian (2003-11-29). "Series - Dragontales". Demian's Gamebook Web Page. Retrieved 2023-01-07.
2. "Dragontales". RPGGeek. Retrieved 3 September 2025.
3. "Dragontales Series by Rhondi Vilott". Goodreads. Retrieved 3 September 2025.
4. "Rhondi A. Vilott Salsitz". The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction. Retrieved 3 September 2025.
5. "Dragontales". RPGGeek. Retrieved 3 September 2025.

2. Illustrated by Tom Hallman.