The Dragon and the Gnarly King

In the sequel to The Dragon Knight, a young mathematician from Earth travels to a parallel medieval world of sword and magic where he gains the ability to transform himself into a dragon and now must save his son, who has been kidnapped by his sworn enemies. 25,000 first printing.

Another of Dickson's tongue-in-cheek medieval fantasies (The Dragon and the Djinn, 1996, etc.). Former college professor Jim Eckert now lives in an alternate 14th-century England where he's Sir James of Malencontri, a magickian's apprentice, and also, part- time, a rather dimwitted dragon named Gorbash. This time out, Jim is presented with a fine set of problems: Mysterious holes appear in castle and forest; his adopted son, infant Robert, is kidnapped; Jim joins an expedition to Cumbria on behalf of the king; once again he has trouble drawing on his account at the magickal bank; and finds that his master, the AAA+ magickian Carolinus, is inconveniently absent. Still, Jim will be assisted by humans, Rrrnlf the sea devil, Aarg the wolf, and Hob the hobgoblin, to stop the malefactors from usurping the kingdom. Agreeable and satisfying. -- Copyright ©1997, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

In this latest book in his humorous dragon series (e.g., The Dragon on the Border, Tor 1992), Nebula and Hugo award winner Dickson returns to the tale of the English professor who must adjust to life as a medieval dragon in a parallel 14th century world. When the King of the Gnarlies kidnaps Jim and Angela Eckert's adopted son Robert, Jim again assumes his dragon form to save the child. Jim and Angela bring their 20th-century sensibilities and his fledgling magical abilities to a medieval world of talking wolves and trolls. Dickson adds a sly touch of humor to make this a highly enjoyable read. Highly recommended for all fantasy collections.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

In the seventh tale of Baron James de Bois de Malencontri, the Dragon Knight, his adopted son is kidnapped by his longtime rival, the earl of Cumberland, in cahoots with the king of the Gnarlies, faeries with an agenda of their own and a taste for meddling in human politics. In both human and dragon forms, Baron James has his work cut out for him, and he and his wife, Angie, are still struggling to reconcile late-twentieth-century and medieval (also magical) realities. Faster paced than some of its predecessors, with more adventure and less humor, this series member is as well written, for Dickson is a writer who would never, even under threat of death, fail to do his homework. It will definitely hold series fans, even if it wins no new converts. Roland Green