Dragonsbane

By: Barbara Hambly

Narrated by: Derek Perkins

When the Black Dragon seized the Deep of Ylferdun, young Gareth braved the far Winterlands to find John Aversin, Dragonsbane - the only living man ever to slay a dragon. In return for the promise of the King to send help to the Winterlands, Aversin agreed to attempt the nearly impossible feat again.

With them, to guard them on the haunted trip south, went Jenny Waynest, a half-taught sorceress and mother of Aversin's sons.

But at the decadent Court, nothing was as expected. Rebellion threatened the land. Zyerne, a sorceress of seemingly unlimited power, held the King under an evil spell, and he refused to see them. Meantime, the dragon fed well on the knights who had challenged him.

In the end, Aversin, Jenny, and Gareth had to steal away at night to challenge Morkeleb, largest and wisest of dragons.

But that was only the beginning of the perils they must face.

©1985 Barbara Hambly (P)2012 Audible, Inc.

A masterful and beautiful composition

With a similar composition as Marion Zimmer Bradley comes a story enfolding a dragons heart in human love and the seeking of power.

A really great story, well written, great characters

I first read this book over 10 years ago and really liked it. I still do. I enjoy Hambly’s prose and the way she uses it to vividly color her world. Her main characters, especially, are well developed, interesting, and refreshingly mature. I’m really glad I picked this up on audible, it was worth the credit!

Wonderful visuals and feelings

I liked the visuals in the telling of the story. As well as the in-depth descriptions of the humans, gnomes, and dragons.

I found I could not put the book down. The story had an arc that kept you curious about the next step.

Thoughts I was thinking about while hearing the book:
I found descriptions of the seeking of magic to be similar to that of other human professions where seeking more knowledge is necessary to advancement. The temperament of the teacher frequently tempers the attitude of the student.

Absolute Love

This book is such a gem. Pure poetry and beautifully delivered. I looked forward to listening and hearing how Barbara Hambly skillfully intertwined and developed each character.

One of the best dragon stories I’ve read

What a beautiful book! So glad Brandon Sanderson recommended it in a podcast. The writing is gorgeous, and the story drew me in right away. Just what a fantasy novel should be. Looking forward to reading more books by this author (how did I not know about her before??).