Synopsis
Finding himself in a parallel universe ruled by magic, Jim Eckert, a twentieth-century college professor, uses his ability to turn into a dragon to fight the Dark Powers that threaten the course of history and the life of Jim's unborn child.
Reviews
Both medievalists and sword-and-sorcery fans will enjoy this fantasy adventure, as Dickson skillfully inserts interesting facts about chivalric revels into a tale replete with dragons, trolls and knights in shining armor. Jim and Angie, the loving couple introduced in The Dragon and the George, are again in trouble with the Dark Powers-and to complicate matters, an orphaned infant has been dropped in their laps. Learning that the Dark Powers plan to tamper with History at the Earl of Somerset's upcoming, 12-day Christmas revels, the pair attend the celebrations. There, Jim, aided by the trusty English wolf Aargh, the faithful knight Brian Neville-Smythe, the magician Carolinus and a cowardly hobgoblin, must solve myriad problems so that the Phoenix at World's End will fly and Chance and History will retain their proper balance. Many of the plot twists are transparent, but the innovative use of an offbeat nativity scene offers a clever theatrical touch. Ultimately, it's Dickson's ability to wallow joyously in the conventions of the genre that makes this such a satisfying read.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Dickson's series about the Dragon Knight, a twentieth-century American transported into an analogue of medieval England, has been going on for some time now, and this latest contribution to it evinces no diminution in its quality. This time out, Sir James must (once again) contend with medieval court intrigues and the Dark Powers and other unworldly wildlife. He is helped by his wife, Angie; his master-in-magic Carolinus; the unforgettable English wolf Aargh; and his other friends. Although the yarn is unquestionably formulaic, that formula is a tried and tested winner allowing, in Dickson's capable hands, a wealth of wit and range of invention not found in the common ruck of thud-and-blunder romances. Dennis Winters
A yuletide visit to a neighboring earl becomes a personal challenge for Sir James the Dragon Knight as the alliance of dark forces arraigned against him threatens to force his return to his original dimension-that of 20th-century Earth-despite his growing attachment to this alternate medieval world he now calls home. The author's realistic portrayal of the less savory aspects of the Middle Ages provides a necessary counterpoint to his story's overall humor. Dickson's "Dragon Knight" series (e.g., The Dragon at War, LJ 11/15/92) has gained a large following, and this latest addition will be welcomed by most fantasy audiences.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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