Desiring Dragons

the long version

This is a lovely thoughtful book about the journey of writing fantasy. Its author brings together a wealth of learning from all manner of sources to create a beguiling work that covers a lot of ground. Worth reading for anyone who loves writing, or loves reading, fantasy. From the back cover: Author of *The Hobbit*, J.R.R. Tolkien, talked of 'desiring dragons'; that he would prefer a 'wilderness of dragons' to the bleak territory of the unimaginative critic. The genre of Fantasy (including Science Fiction and its various sub-genres in TV, film & computer games) has never been more popular. This book seeks to examine why this might be and why so many are tempted to write Fantasy fiction. Tolkien suggested how 'consolation' is an important criteria of the Fairy Tale: we look at how writing Fantasy can be consoling in itself, as well as a portal to Fantastic Realms for the reader. Along the way famous dragons of myth, legend and fiction will be encountered - from Grendel to Smaug. The riddles of dragons will be tackled and their hoard unlocked.