The Book of Dragons

An Anthology

Rovina Cai, Jonathan Strahan

• Publisher: Harper Voyager
• Year: 2020
• eBook ISBN:
  9780062877178
• Print ISBN:
  9780062877161
• Subtopic: Science Fiction

R. F. Kuang, Kate Elliott, Todd McCaffrey, Garth Nix, Peter S. Beagle, and other fantasy and science fiction masters take on the greatest mythical beast.
From China to Europe, Africa to North America, dragons have long captured our imagination in myth and legend. Whether they are rampaging beasts awaiting a brave hero to slay or benevolent sages who have much to teach humanity, dragons are intrinsically connected to stories of creation, adventure, and struggle beloved for generations.
Bringing together nearly thirty stories and poems from some of the greatest science fiction and fantasy writers working today— Garth Nix, Scott Lynch, R. F. Kuang, Ann Leckie & Rachel Swirsky, Daniel Abraham, Peter S. Beagle, Beth Cato, Zen Cho, C. S. E Cooney, Aliette de Bodard, Amal El-Mohtar, Kate Elliott, Theodora Goss, Ellen Klages, Ken Liu, Seanan Maguire, Patricia A McKillip, K. J. Parker, Kelly Robson, Michael Swanwick, Jo Walton, Elle Katharine White, Jane Yolen, Kelly Barnhill, Brooke Bolander, Sarah Gailey, and J. Y. Yang—and illustrated by award-nominated artist Rovina Cai with black-and-white line drawings specific to each entry throughout, this extraordinary collection vividly breathes fire and life into one of our most captivating and feared magical creatures as never before and is sure to become a treasured keepsake for fans of fantasy, science fiction, and fairy tales.
"A treasure trove of wonder." — Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"A heaping hoard of literary gems that fans of dragon-powered stories will surely treasure." — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
"Seems almost certain to be the most significant fantasy anthology of 2020." — Locus

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Dedication
• Epigraph
• Contents
• Introduction
• “What Heroism Tells Us,” Jane Yolen
• “Matriculation,” Elle Katharine White
• “Hikayat Sri Bujang, or, The Tale of the Naga Sage,” Zen Cho
• “Yuli,” Daniel Abraham
• “A Whisper of Blue,” Ken Liu
• “Nidhog,” Jo Walton
• “Where the River Turns to Concrete,” Brooke Bolander
• “Habitat,” K. J. Parker
• “Pox,” Ellen Klages
• “The Nine Curves River,” R. F. Kuang
• “Lucky’s Dragon,” Kelly Barnhill
• “I Make Myself a Dragon,” Beth Cato
• “The Exile,” JY Yang
• “Except on Saturdays,” Peter S. Beagle
• “La Vitesse,” Kelly Robson
• “A Final Knight to Her Love and Foe,” Amal El-Mohtar
• “The Long Walk,” Kate Elliott
• “Cut Me Another Quill, Mister Fitz,” Garth Nix
• “Hoard,” Seanan McGuire
• “The Wyrm of Lirr,” C. S. E. Cooney
• “The Last Hunt,” Aliette de Bodard
• “We Continue,” Ann Leckie and Rachel Swirsky
• “Small Bird’s Plea,” Todd McCaffrey
• “The Dragons,” Theodora Goss
• “Dragon Slayer,” Michael Swanwick
• “Camouflage,” Patricia A. McKillip
• “We Don’t Talk About the Dragon,” Sarah Gailey
• “Maybe Just Go Up There and Talk to It,” Scott Lynch
• “A Nice Cuppa,” Jane Yolen
• Acknowledgments
• About Our Poets
• About Jonathan Strahan
• Also Edited by Jonathan Strahan
• Credits
• Copyright
• About the Publisher