The Dragon Knight

Remember the Middle Ages? You know, when castles were gleaming with banners streaming, knights wore shining armour and carried lances that never broke, and the ladies and damsels were all quiet beautiful, whether in distress or not. You know, like Camelot. Jim Eckert and his wife Angie, have been sucked into an alternative universe based on the Middle Ages, but where magic reigns supreme. (This was all spelled out in "The Dragon and the George", an excellent book as well.) Jim became a knight, and also a mage, and has the ability to change to dragon form at well. But this is no Camelot. Here, there are bedbugs. And lice. And if you drink the water - which mostly nobody ever does - you can plan on suffering through a nasty bout of dysentery. And while some of the ladies and damsels may be beautiful, have a certain, ah, earthy arouma, since they bathe on a monthly schedule. And novice knights don't just pick up a sword and slay every foe in sight, sometimes left handed and other times with their eyes closed. Because sword work is a very hard won skill, which takes years of practice. In this world, as in the real Middle Ages, being a knight isn't a leisurely pursuit. It's constant hard work. In addition to learning arms and armour, maintaining a castle, and governing his populace, Jim is trying to introduce some 20th century ideas about sanitation to his unreceptive subjects. Dickson does a marvelous job of bringing this world to life, bringing out details that show he's a true medieval scholar. Jim (and to some extent Angie, though she plays a pretty minor role) struggles to fit into his new society, and you can feel his frustrations at not having modern conveniences and tools to solve some pretty basic problems. You get to follow his though processes as he works though obstacles, and Dickson is exceptional at showing how well-intended actions can bring unexpected consequences. This isn't a low-rent fantasy, where the hero carves through ranks of enemies without breaking a sweat, or waves his arms and radiates an unlimited array of magic to solve every impossible problem. Fighting is hard work, and Jim has to live with the consequences of exhaustion. Magic is available, but only in limited amounts, and only through innovation and practice. For a fantasy world, everything becomes remarkably real. I only have two minor criticisms. First, some of the detail becomes a bit ponderous. It's all nice to know, but sometimes you wish things would get moving along a bit more smartly. Second, after a great build up to the conclusion, the book ends very abruptly. There are a few loose ends left hanging, and you get the distinct feeling that the last chapter is simply missing . . . or held back for the next book in the series, "The Dragon on the Border". In spite of that, this book is excellent. If you enjoy Dickson's other books, or fantasy in general, you will love this book. I very strongly recommend it!

This incredible book takes the best characteristics of a fantasy book and mixes them with a very particular way of seing every-day life during the Middle Ages. The author narrates the story with the fine humour that we see in all his work, capturing the reader with the crazy situations in which Jim and Brian are involved and trying to show us how beautiful and horrible can a life surrounded by magic and by unusual things can be. An excellent book full of magic, fantasy and optimism that any reader will enjoy a great deal!!!

This is the second in a series of books written by Gordon R. Dickson about a modern day man named Jim Eckert who finds himself in the 14th century. It's a great book, and I'd suggest it to anyone liking Medieval Fantasy.

I loved this book! It showcased the friendship between James and Sir Brian, a big reason to read the books. The trials Jim has to overcome and the way he triumphs over them using his intelligence and 20th century ideas is fascinating and original. The many plot twists make the book a can't put down-er, and it is full of a wonderful medeival atmosphere. A fabulous book!

I rated the first book of this series 'The dragon and the george' 9, so I have to rate this one 10 because I liked it better.In this book our heroes Jim, Brian, Dafydd and Aargh (the English wolf), go to France to save the Prince of England. The way Jim, now a D class magician, uses his magic to get over difficult situations is very funny and imaginative, and I think this book has more action than the first. You'll see how much of an advantage can have an apprentice medieval knight with the mind of a 20th century scholar..