Harrowing The Dragon is a collection of short works by award-winning author Patricia McKillip. Among the stories are tales of dragons, bards, princess, witches, and more. She reinvents fairy tales, offers up original stories, and even gives fresh eyes to the classic Romeo and Juliet. The collection includes 15 stories of magic and reshaped standards of classic fantasy.
Impression: I've yet to read a McKillip book I didn't like, and Harrowing The Dragon is no different despite my tendency to be impatient with short stories. McKillip's shorts are much like her novels: rich with detail and in their use of language and beautifully written. I particularly liked "The Lion and the Lark" which uses "The Beauty and the Beast" as a foundation for a new tale of love that goes beyond the boundaries. I also enjoyed "A Matter of Music", the story of a young bard who releases two lovers with her music; "Lady of the Skulls", a tale which reveals that not all treasure is silver and gold; and "Star-Crossed", an exploration into the investigation of the deaths of Romeo and Juliet. Not all her stories were a hit with me–I wasn't particularly fond of "Transmutations"–but they were all rich and beautifully written. I highly recommend Harrowing The Dragon.
Unless otherwise noted, all books reviewed have been purchased by me.
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