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A review by dirk_bannion_author
Dragonworld by Michael Reaves, Byron Preiss
5.0
I finally finished [b:Dragonworld|415463|Dragonworld|Byron Preiss|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1174538290s/415463.jpg|404648] yesterday, and I took the remainder of the day to digest it.
This was a truly well-written fantasy novel with all the right pieces to the puzzle. The heroes (there are several) were flawed and real, the villians (there were also several) were sympathetic and entirely three-dimensional. The plot was large enough to fill the space without getting out of hand or too mired in itself to enjoy.
In the end, it was a perfect self-contained epic fantasy which left the door open for sequels, but neither needs nor demands them.
I've read in various places online that Dragonworld is a children's book. I can't find any indication by the authors that that was the intention, and I don't notice it to be immature in the least. But, then again, the very best literature is often able to transcend artificial age barriers, as is evidenced by some of the most enduring, classic titles in fantasy: Lord of the Rings, Chronicles of Narnia, Alice in Wonderland, and so many others.
So, in closing, I'd definitely recommend reading Dragonworld, and I'd like to know what you think about it too!
____________________________________________
Reading Progress
05/08 page 300
54.0% "The book's just getting better and better. I definitely recommend Dragonworld for any pure fantasy aficionados. I especially like the fact that magic is an exceptionally understated factor in the story. While it's obviously going to be there (it is a Fantasy novel, after all) I think some authors rely so heavily on it, magic becomes a huge, ugly crutch on which everything leans."
05/01 page 168
30.0% "It's been slow going, but only because my writing work has been very busy lately. I'm very impressed with Dragonworld: subtle yet deep world-building with familiar but not cliched characters and situations. The political intrigue is interesting without being overbearing and the building drama of two nations at war for no reason keeps the plot plunging forward at a good pace.
I'm looking forward to finishing it!"
04/21 page 1
0.0% "So, since I couldn't make it through The Company, I decided on a completely different flavor for my next book to dive into. I'll let you know how it goes!"
This was a truly well-written fantasy novel with all the right pieces to the puzzle. The heroes (there are several) were flawed and real, the villians (there were also several) were sympathetic and entirely three-dimensional. The plot was large enough to fill the space without getting out of hand or too mired in itself to enjoy.
In the end, it was a perfect self-contained epic fantasy which left the door open for sequels, but neither needs nor demands them.
I've read in various places online that Dragonworld is a children's book. I can't find any indication by the authors that that was the intention, and I don't notice it to be immature in the least. But, then again, the very best literature is often able to transcend artificial age barriers, as is evidenced by some of the most enduring, classic titles in fantasy: Lord of the Rings, Chronicles of Narnia, Alice in Wonderland, and so many others.
So, in closing, I'd definitely recommend reading Dragonworld, and I'd like to know what you think about it too!
____________________________________________
Reading Progress
05/08 page 300
54.0% "The book's just getting better and better. I definitely recommend Dragonworld for any pure fantasy aficionados. I especially like the fact that magic is an exceptionally understated factor in the story. While it's obviously going to be there (it is a Fantasy novel, after all) I think some authors rely so heavily on it, magic becomes a huge, ugly crutch on which everything leans."
05/01 page 168
30.0% "It's been slow going, but only because my writing work has been very busy lately. I'm very impressed with Dragonworld: subtle yet deep world-building with familiar but not cliched characters and situations. The political intrigue is interesting without being overbearing and the building drama of two nations at war for no reason keeps the plot plunging forward at a good pace.
I'm looking forward to finishing it!"
04/21 page 1
0.0% "So, since I couldn't make it through The Company, I decided on a completely different flavor for my next book to dive into. I'll let you know how it goes!"