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Dragonworld (part 2)
Recall when I posted about Preiss/Reaves/Zucker's Dragonworld for Snowflake Challenge? Well, it turns out that I DID have a used copy on hand, acquired at some point in the last 20+ years, and I've now read it. (A process that has been going on for two weeks at least - I took it with me on my trip to see my mom this past couple of weeks and have been reading it a little at a time.)
I enjoyed it, and also feel this might be an entirely unique experience in rereading a book I read a lot as a kid but - as far as I can remember - haven't read since: it's exactly like I remember it. EXACTLY. It has neither been visited by the suck fairy nor has it developed new layers and shades of meaning in the meantime. It's just exactly the book I remember, an absorbing if slightly superficial high fantasy adventure about two warring kingdoms and the rediscovery of long-lost dragons.
(I mean, it is completely possible that I did in fact reread this copy as an adult, which would explain why I remember the basics of the plot so well, but I have no memory of doing so. It was definitely one of those books I read as a kid until I practically had it memorized.)
One thing I found extremely interesting about this book for late-70s epic fantasy is that there's no magic, or at least very little magic. There's magic-adjacent magitech, but it generally has a scientific-ish explanation and is treated like technology rather than magic, such as the stones which, when wet, release gas that is what enables their airships to fly. One of the kingdoms believes the other one is full of evil wizards, but they're not actually any more magical than the other group. The only probably-magic in the whole book is a gemstone that contains the ancestral memories of the dragons, which can be unlocked by a young woman who is sort of vaguely psychic. Beyond that, it's completely nonmagical secondary-world fantasy. It's also lacking fantasy races beyond humans and dragons (although the two main kingdoms vaguely approximate a lot of the traits of dwarves and elves - they are both human, however).
So that was interesting to think about. Another new thing on this read that I doubt I noticed before is that there are clear signs that it was setting up a sequel, such as vague hints about a couple of characters' ~mysterious past~ that is clearly significant but never explained. And it ends with a definite "setting out on new adventures" vibe. But the sequel, as far as I know, never materialized, possibly because Preiss died young, or maybe because illustrated fat fantasy was never that commercially successful.
But in general, even if it took me absolutely forever to finish it, I enjoyed it a lot! The pencil illustrations are very charming - I can see why I loved looking at them as a kid - and the plot and large cast of characters carried me along nicely. I also remember being deeply charmed by the noble, melancholy Last Dragon as a child, and I still am.
I enjoyed it, and also feel this might be an entirely unique experience in rereading a book I read a lot as a kid but - as far as I can remember - haven't read since: it's exactly like I remember it. EXACTLY. It has neither been visited by the suck fairy nor has it developed new layers and shades of meaning in the meantime. It's just exactly the book I remember, an absorbing if slightly superficial high fantasy adventure about two warring kingdoms and the rediscovery of long-lost dragons.
(I mean, it is completely possible that I did in fact reread this copy as an adult, which would explain why I remember the basics of the plot so well, but I have no memory of doing so. It was definitely one of those books I read as a kid until I practically had it memorized.)
One thing I found extremely interesting about this book for late-70s epic fantasy is that there's no magic, or at least very little magic. There's magic-adjacent magitech, but it generally has a scientific-ish explanation and is treated like technology rather than magic, such as the stones which, when wet, release gas that is what enables their airships to fly. One of the kingdoms believes the other one is full of evil wizards, but they're not actually any more magical than the other group. The only probably-magic in the whole book is a gemstone that contains the ancestral memories of the dragons, which can be unlocked by a young woman who is sort of vaguely psychic. Beyond that, it's completely nonmagical secondary-world fantasy. It's also lacking fantasy races beyond humans and dragons (although the two main kingdoms vaguely approximate a lot of the traits of dwarves and elves - they are both human, however).
So that was interesting to think about. Another new thing on this read that I doubt I noticed before is that there are clear signs that it was setting up a sequel, such as vague hints about a couple of characters' ~mysterious past~ that is clearly significant but never explained. And it ends with a definite "setting out on new adventures" vibe. But the sequel, as far as I know, never materialized, possibly because Preiss died young, or maybe because illustrated fat fantasy was never that commercially successful.
But in general, even if it took me absolutely forever to finish it, I enjoyed it a lot! The pencil illustrations are very charming - I can see why I loved looking at them as a kid - and the plot and large cast of characters carried me along nicely. I also remember being deeply charmed by the noble, melancholy Last Dragon as a child, and I still am.