Dragonhenge

Far exceeded my expectations. I'd glimpsed it in the bookstore before and avoided it, figuring it to be yet another gimmicky sci-fi "natural history" book. But then I saw the library had it, I was on a dragon-research spree (a better-researched one than ever before) and I said, "What the hey, I'll give it a read." Well, I'm surprised! It's actually spiritual- its stories tell the mythology told by the dragons within the book's mythology themselves, and it has much wisdom in it that is useful in real life. It's told by the dragons, and no humans make appearances in it, for slaying or otherwise. Nothing much is said about the dragon's bodies or their composition, and nothing really about what dragons are in human mythology, but much is said about what dragons are at heart. Grant's view about what dragons are seems to focus on wisdom and flight, and also good nature. Eggleton's artwork is appropriate- focuses on the immaterial concepts rather than the physical, although the physical things depicted are flawless. I'm a bit puzzled about why he designed the dragons to look the way they do, though- expressionless spooky crocodilian faces didn't seem to match the exuberant emotional people described by the author, but they both seemed quite satisfied by them in the comments, so I guess it's okay. Their anatomy is perhaps the most distinctly reptilian I've seen any dragons yet look like in art, even with subtle things like a certain curve to the tail- I take that the artist is very familiar with reptiles. (I'm not, so I might be missing a lot of body language cues after all.) His wonderfully wild, energetic, half-abstract painting style chosen especially for the book is ideal, and I applaud that he decided to use a different style from usual to capture the feel of "Dragonhenge."

I was blown away upon finally viewing and reading my copy of Dragonhenge. I had seen slides of some of the art, along with portions of the text as it was in final creative stages. But now, all together at last, it is a seemless and timeless masterpiece. Bob's glowing and stunning images flow beautifully within and around John's mesmerizing text, creating a visual and verbal feast for the imagination. This lovely book whispers the reality of the wisdom of the ancients, the dragon-like mythological beings who existed before the beginning of time itself. You must get a copy of this book.... no get several copies to share with everyone. It will become a classic!! Jael

Dragonhenge is a mesmerizing collaboration between Author John Grant and Artist Bob Eggleton. Both of these creators are well known for their many other ventures. John Grant/aka Paul Barnett, is a Chesley award winning art director, Editor, as well as being a brilliant and prolific Author. John Grant also wrote the lovely text for my book _Perceptualistics_. Then there's our Bob who's earned so many Hugo and Chesley Awards with his astonishing art through these many years. Dragonhenge, however, is something starkly unique, a seamless blending of text and art, softly framing lyrical mythological tales, passed down for thousands of years by ' the master story tellers', "Dragons".... many of them having been created well before time itself. You must pick up a book. Be sure to read it under soft lights, where multi-layered shadows will reflect the glowing imagery, and where the words will leap off the page and enter your soul. It's a wonderful wonderful book. Jael

This is an extraordinary book; a book that takes a concept and builds legends around it. In reading it, you feel as though you have stumbled on a long-lost trove of lore from a vanished race. The book is presented as a series of legends about a race of dragons, from their "how we came to be" origins tale through mythic explainations of where their powers came from and how their society developed. Eggleton's illustrations are beautiful, running from very tightly-sculpted depictions to much looser work that evokes a sense of time and space while presenting only form and color for the eyes.This is a book that is sure to end up on all the dragon lovers' "wish list."

The dragon myth is one of mankind's most ancient and enduring stories. Perhaps our ancestors stumbled upon the fossilised bones of large dinosaurs and that's how it all began. This wonderful book by illustrator Bob Eggleton and author John Grant explores the myth in a Tolkienesque style and is very engaging for that. The illustrations are original and impressive while the text reveals old and new slants on the dragon myth in an old worldly language, not unlike that of The Lord of the Rings or The Silmarillion. Like those classics, this narrative has a psychological side giving us insight into our own thoughts and actions. Dragonhenge is a most inspiring book and would be the ideal gift for children or for adults who can still dream.