 First edition cover | |
| Author | Barbara Hambly |
|---|---|
| Cover artist | Michael Whelan |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Series | Winterlands |
| Genre | Fantasy novel |
| Published | 1985 (Del Rey Books) |
| Media type | Print (Paperback) |
| Pages | 352 |
| ISBN | 0-345-31572-3 |
| OCLC | 13000587 |
| Followed by | Dragonshadow |
Dragonsbane is a fantasy novel written by author Barbara Hambly and published by Del Rey Books in 1985.
A witch, Jenny Waynest, and lord, John Aversin, who live in the decaying Northlands are approached by a young southern noble, Gareth, who requests they slay a dragon in the capital city of Bel to the south. The pair agree on the condition the king send troops to the north to fend off bandits. On arriving, it is revealed that Gareth is not a mere noble, but the prince of the realm seeking aid against the wishes of his father. The dragon is revealed as Morkeleb the Black, an ancient and powerful dragon, now inhabiting the caverns of the gnomes. In addition, the sorceress Zyerne is revealed to hold the king in her power, dominating him with the goal of capturing the power of the Stone in the heart of the gnomish Deep. John is persuaded to kill Morkeleb, with Jenny's assistance, but is himself wounded and Jenny is forced to save the dragon's life in exchange for that of John's. In saving Morkeleb's life, Jenny's weak powers are much augmented, allowing her to confront Zyerne but also tempting her to transform into a dragon and abandon the concerns of humanity. Zyrene enters the Deep, attempting to claim its magic, but is defeated when the Stone is destroyed by John, Jenny and Morkeleb. Jenny accepts Morkeleb's offer to transform into a dragon, but later returns to the North, unable to live without her humanity.
Dragonsbane was a Locus award nominee in 1986 [1] and 1987. [2]
Overall, the critical reception to Hambly's book has been positive. A reviewer from Curled Up with a Good Book wrote, "Dragonsbane has everything you could look for in a fantasy book: wonderful characterization, non-stereotypical dragons, beautiful prose--and it's self-contained as well." Speaking more on characterization, the reviewer notes, "Hambly's characterization is first-rate, and she plays most of her characters against stereotype. ... I would be remiss if I didn't mention the dragon. Hambly has created a truly three-dimensional character in him.... He's not your normal dragon, and he's more than just an adversary." [3]
And the Fantasy Cafe site gave the book an 8 out of 10, writing, "While it was a somewhat slow paced book, Dragonsbane managed to pull me in immediately with the way it introduced the characters in the very first chapter. ... Hambly took what felt like a very traditional fantasy story and made it unexpectedly unique." Moreover, the unique love story also received the Fantasy Cafe reviewer's approval: "It was about established, mature love that’s existed for a while.... It was a nice change to read about a couple who has been together for a while instead of romance filled with significant glances and conversations and wondering when/how the two people would end up together." [4]
Locus praised the novel as well, stating, "This is literary alchemy of a high order, and it confirms Hambly's place as one of the best new fantasists"; moreover, Locus advises, "When the author is Barbara Hambly, prepare for something special." [5] Betsy Shorb from the School Library Journal also observed, "This fantasy is peopled with appealing, fully delineated characters, even the dragon Morkeleb. The conflict between the need to love and the need to develop one's talents add even more interest to an already interesting quest." [6]
Dave Langford reviewed Dragonsbane for White Dwarf #79, and stated that "her hero slays dragons only with extreme reluctance and by fighting dirty, the traditional witch is not only the hero's lover but a strong heroine in her own right, and the dragon is a damned sight more sympathetic than some of its victims." [7]
Published March 29, 2011, Open Road Integrated Media ebook, 342 pages
Published March 23, 2011, Open Road Kindle Edition
Published May 12, 1987, Del Rey Mass Market Paperback, 341 pages
Published December 12, 1985, Del Rey Mass Market Paperback, 352 pages
Blood of Amber is a fantasy novel by American writer Roger Zelazny, published in 1986. It is the second book in the second Chronicles of Amber series, and the seventh book overall in the Amber series.
The Light Fantastic is a comic fantasy novel by Terry Pratchett, the second of the Discworld series. It was published on 2 June 1986, the first printing being of 1,034 copies. The title, taken from a poem by John Milton, in which it refers to dancing lightly with extravagance.
Equal Rites is a comic fantasy novel by Terry Pratchett. Published in 1987, it is the third novel in the Discworld series and the first in which the main character is not Rincewind. The title is wordplay on the phrase "Equal Rights".
Barbara Hambly is an American novelist and screenwriter within the genres of fantasy, science fiction, mystery, and historical fiction. She is the author of the bestselling Benjamin January mystery series featuring a free man of color, a musician and physician, in New Orleans in the antebellum years. She also wrote a novel about Mary Todd Lincoln.
Tik-Tok is a 1983 science fiction novel by John Sladek. It received a 1983 British Science Fiction Association Award.
The White Dragon is a science fantasy novel by American-Irish author Anne McCaffrey. It completes the original Dragonriders trilogy in the Dragonriders of Pern series, seven years after the second book. It was first published by Del Rey Books in June 1978.
Golem in the Gears is a fantasy novel by American writer Piers Anthony, the ninth book of the Xanth series.
Who Made Stevie Crye?, subtitled A Novel of the American South, is a horror novel by American writer Michael Bishop. It was released in 1984 by Arkham House in an edition of 3,591 copies, and later in paperback by Headline. It was the author's first novel and third book published by Arkham House.
Those Who Hunt the Night is a 1988 horror/mystery novel by American writer Barbara Hambly. It was first published in paperback by the British publisher Unwin Paperbacks in November 1988 under the title Immortal Blood. The first American edition was published in hardcover by Del Rey/Ballantine in December 1988 under the title Those Who Hunt the Night, which has been used for all subsequent English-language editions; a paperback edition followed from the same publisher in July 1989, and was reprinted in May 1991 and October 1995. A book club edition was issued by Del Rey in conjunction with the Science Fiction Book Club in June 1989. An ebook edition was issued by Open Road Integrated Media in March 2011. The novel has also been translated into French. The novel won the 1989 Locus Poll Award for Best Horror Novel.
Eye (1985) is a collection of 13 science fiction short stories by American writer Frank Herbert. All of the works had been previously published in magazine or book form, except for "The Road to Dune".
Dog Wizard is a fantasy novel by Barbara Hambly and published by Del Rey Books in February, 1993. The book was a 1994 Locus Award nominee, and the third book of the Windrose Chronicles.
Sinister Barrier is an English language science fiction novel by British writer Eric Frank Russell. The novel originally appeared in the magazine Unknown in 1939, the first novel to appear in its pages. It was first published in book form in 1943 by The World's Work, Ltd. Russell revised and expanded the book for its first US publication by Fantasy Press in 1948. Most subsequent editions were based on the Fantasy Press version.
Heroes in Hell is an anthology book and the first volume of its namesake series, created by American writer Janet Morris. The book placed eighth in the annual Locus Poll for Best Anthology in 1987. "Newton Sleep" by Gregory Benford, originally published in The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, received a Nebula Award nomination in 1986, as well as placing 16th in its category in the Locus Poll.
The Opium General and other stories by Michael Moorcock was a hardcover collection of novellas, short stories, and articles. It was published in 1984 by Harrap. It was a collection of new work and rare items.
The Unlikely Ones is a novel by Mary Brown published in 1986.
The Changeling Sea is a fantasy novel for juvenile readers by Patricia A. McKillip. It was first published in hardcover by Atheneum/Macmillan in October 1988, with a paperback edition issued by Del Rey/Ballantine in December 1989. It was subsequently reissued in paperback and ebook by Firebird/Penguin in April 2003. The first British edition was published in hardcover by Oxford University Press in September 1991, with an ebook edition following from Gateway/Orion in December 2015.
Something Rich and Strange is a fantasy novel by Patricia A. McKillip written for Brian Froud's Faerielands series under the inspiration of Froud's fantasy artwork. Its title is derived from a line in Shakespeare's The Tempest. The book was first published in hardcover by Bantam Spectra in November 1994, with a trade paperback edition following from ibooks in October 2005. It was later incorporated into the author's collection Dreams of Distant Shores, issued by Tachyon Publications in ebook and trade paperback in May 2016 and June 2016, respectively.
Castles is a book by David Day, David Larkin, and Alan Lee published in 1984.
The Ladies of Mandrigyn is a fantasy novel by Barbara Hambly published in 1984.
The Witches of Wenshar is a novel by Barbara Hambly published in 1987.