Dragon and the Fair Maid of Kent

I just wanted to let it be known that The Dragon and the Fair Maid of Kent, is not, as stated by Marc Ruby in his Oct. 17 review, the fourth book in Gordon Dickson's Dragon Knight Series.It is actually the NINTH book in the series. It may only appear to be the fourth due to the fact that Tor only included in the list of previous books those which had been published by Tor. The rest of the series was published by Ace Fantasy, with the exception of the very first book, The Dragon and the George, which was published by Del Rey in 1976.Essentially, I just didn't want anyone to miss any of the books out of this wonderful series. Happy reading!

By habit I read more than one book at a time. It keeps me from getting bored, and sometimes the odd juxtaposition of ideas gives me something unique for a review. Right now I'm reading a horror story so bad I regret agreeing to review it and a mystery story that makes too great an effort to be literature. It's slow going at best. The third volume is (or rather, was) this, Gordon Dickson's fourth in his dragon series. It took me exactly three days to read this hefty (500+ page) small print book from cover to cover, and I am not a speed reader. The other books just had to wait. What makes Dickson so good that he has managed to author two major series (the dragon series and the Dorsai series) and innumerable other novels and collections? Personally I would call it superior plot making, intense dedication to details, and yes, heaps of talent. Dickson always takes the necessary time to draw his characters out fully, be they James Eckhart the knight/apprentice mage/sometimes dragon who is the hero of the story or the lowly master carpenter who keeps James in everything from chairs to outhouses. And he goes to know end of trouble to make sure that the reader painlessly acquires enough 14th century lore to make sense out of the goings on. This volume finds James at Malencontri, his castle, trying to cope with both a plague of Plantagenet nobility and the very real plague which is advancing into James part of England. In addition, Carolinus, James mage master (one of the three AAA+ mages in the world, he'll have you know) is insisting that the King be protected at all costs. The Plantagenets on hand are Prince Edward the Fourth, the king's son and the beautiful Countess Joan, the Fair Maid of Kent. All they want is James assistance in a plot to make Edward the Third fond of Edward the Fourth again. This plot becomes ever more complicated until James finds himself commanded to appear before the King at Tiverton, where Edward III has retired to avoid the plague in London. While this complexity develops James works overtime to prepare Malencontri against the plague. Since James and his wife Angie are actually visitors from our time who were unexpectedly thrust into the 14th century of an alternate earth, they know something of germs and disease protection. Since magic will not work on diseases, it is this knowledge which it their only hope. In the midst of all this confusion and stress, the EcKharts, their closest friends and Hob (the castle hobgoblin) are off to Tiverton to see the King. Thanks to Hob, James is able to discover that an evil plot is afoot at Tiverton. Goblins, who are spreading the plague in order to take over the world, have slain the real castle staff and are now running it in disguise. James, due to his commitment to keep the king alive, goes into action. Since this is less that a third of the way into the book, it should be no surprise that Jim manages to use a small handful of men and knights (plus the unstoppable

Dickson has developed a series of books that allows the reader of today to say what if...? This unique viewpoint allows for the writer to put a 21st century spin on a classic fantasy novel. Characters are real in a fatastic world. This time Jim has organized his motly crew to fight the plague which is born by shape changing goblins. He must do this while working around the politics of the middle ages with the King and Crown Prince in his company.This one has the least adventure and the most politics, but still an enjoyable read.

Jim Eckert loves his wife Angie who accompanied him when he left the world of his birth and being a mathematician to enter this medieval world. His new home is similar to the history of his old home, but some variance exists. Jim is an apprentice to one of the realm's three only AAA+ Magickians, Carolinus. His mentor is worried that the English King will die soon and assigns Jim to prevent that from happening at any cost. However, whether he occupies the relatively stupid dragon Gorbash or remains in human form, Jim finds himself dealing with three global disasters. In his birth environs the plague reached Italy a few years later than the foothold it has attained in his new home. France and much of the continent is ravaged. The deadly disease is coming to England soon via a horde of goblins. The Plantagenet dynasty has moved into Jim's Malecontri castle, proving that a man's home is his monarch's castle. Finally, war seems eminent and Jim will be thrust into the middle of the conflict if he is not more careful. Any time a Dragon novel is released, fantasy readers know they are receiving the very best in the genre. Award winning Gordon R. Dickson keeps his hero fresh while altering fourteenth century history to provide a taut but often amusing story line. THE DRAGON AND THE FAIR MAID OF KENT retains the triumphant nature of the previous novels, which says a lot because the Dragon tales are one of the all time best and long running series in any genre.Harriet Klausner

Ahh for 2 years I waited for the arrival of this book. then it wasn't released when it was said to be I got upset. But I waited. Ahhh once gain I am not disappointed. the book is funny, well written, with a very interesting cast of characters (hobgoblins are just so darn cute!) Tho once again James spent hardly any time at all in his dragon body, the things he did in human form are nothing short of astounding and kept the book going. The only thing I was concerned about was that James was not accepted(or rejected) for the Colegiate of Magickians. I suppose Dickson will reveal all that in the next book. I just hope it's out sooner than this one was. All in all...fabulous.