Dragon America: The Phobos Science Fiction Anthology v. 2 [Paperback]

In another one of those odd literary coincidences two authors simultaneously got the bright idea of writing historical fiction with dragons. But while Naomi Novik has now produced six novels about Napoleonic warfare with dragons: His Majesty's Dragon, Throne of Jade, Black Powder War, Empire of Ivory, Victory of Eagles, and Tongues of Serpents, Mike Resnick has yet to produce the promised follow up to American Revolutionary warfare with dragons: Dragon America.

Of the two Dragon America is the more realistic, if it is proper to use that word in connection with novels about dragons, because in it the dragon is just another animal, albeit an animal with many militarily useful abilities, something like about as intelligent as a dog or a horse. Unfortunately this greater realism substantially reduces the "fun", and dragon fanciers in particular, used to the intellectual equals dragons are portrayed as in most dragon rider fiction, are likely to be disappointed, maybe even appalled at what is done to what is just another animal in this universe.

The novel begins cleverly with a Historical Note about the controversy aroused when "a science fiction writer named Robert A. Heinlein wrote a rigorously extrapolated novel entitled 'Mammal America'" speculating upon how history might have turned out if European settlers in North America had "found themselves surrounded by the same mammalian ecology that existed throughout Europe, Asia, and Africa". The result was books and more books, documentaries, and "more than one fistfight" among "otherwise sedate scholars".

For reasons not entirely made clear (the lack of French intervention?) the American Revolution is going much more badly for the Americans in this universe, badly enough that Daniel Boone has been sent by George Washington to try and recruit some Indian allies. Unfortunately, the number of braves they are willing to spare would not be enough to alter the war's outcome. However, the Shawnee chief's eldest son suggests an alternative: seeking out the great and terrible dragons of legend that they've all heard stories about in the far west, so this they do. Meanwhile General Washington is experimenting with making military use of the much smaller and weaker local dragons, including even of imaginary dragons.

Resnick has offered some truly fascinating ideas about what a realistic Dragon Ecology, with dragons filling most of the ecological niches filled by mammals in our universe, would look like and how they could be made use of by man for military or other purposes. Unfortunately in the process he has considerably reduced their military usefulness in comparison with "normal" dragon rider fiction, to the point that the scheme by which dragon heavyweights are finally brought to bear would make Rube Goldberg blanch and be almost impossible to duplicate. The focus on half a dozen main characters, many of them historical figures, in four essentially separate narratives hinders reader identification. You will be more intrigued by the concept than swept away by the story. The final paragraph reads:

"This was the first time that the dragons of America played a major role in history. It would be far from the last."

Actually, given their limitations and the difficulties involved, I'm thinking it WOULD be the last, which might explain the lack of a sequel.

Note: if you find yourself intrigued by the idea of Napoleonic or American Revolutionary warfare with dragons, how about American Civil War naval action...

with magic?

Land of Mist and Snow

It's a decent read, with Resnick's usual bantering conversations between interesting characters, in this case including historical people. There are some glaring editorial/plot errors. For example, earlier in the book Tall Mountain is clearly described as too large to ride a Blue Nimble, so he has to ride a Landwagon instead; yet later in the book there he is riding a Blue Nimble. And there are a couple of inconsistencies in the military side of things as well. These are things that a good editor would have caught--I'm not familiar with this publisher (Phobos Impact). So these were distractions that made me stop in the middle of the story and say "Wait a minute" and flip back to reread what came before. But aside from that, the story itself was well done, the concept interesting, and overall an enjoyable read from one of my favorite authors, albeit more on the light side.

George Washington sends Daniel Boone to the Ohio wilderness where the frontiersman is to seek his adopted father Chief Blackfish to enlist the Shawnee to the American cause against the British. However, Blackfish is irate with his "son" for escorting settlers onto Shawnee lands; in fact Daniel is banned from the tribal lands. Still the brave frontiersman feels he must make the effort and accompanied by only his minuscule dragon Banshee ventures onto Shawnee territory.

When Daniel arrives at Blackfish's camp, he finds British colonial loyalist Simon Ginty advising the chief. Daniel requests a thousand warriors, but a reluctant Blackfish offers a couple of hundred. Instead his son Gray Eagle provides Daniel with a counter suggestion that they head further west to the land of the giant dragons and tame these potential weapons of mass destruction to use against Cornwallis' army. Boone agrees and the two men accompanied by escaped Indian slave Pompey journey to the land of the giant dragons.

The structure of the wonderful alternate history DRAGON AMERICA is actually four interrelated novellas that flow brilliantly together to enable the audience to feel events including believing mythical creatures are genuine. The above paragraphs only relate the beginning of the book of Daniel, but are followed by fabulous entries starring George Washington, Pompey's book and Ephram Eakins (working on training a different dragon breed). Mike Resnick shows why he is one of the best fantasists writing today as he adds dragons to the Revolutionary War and makes his book seem like a thrilling historical fiction as much as a fantasy.

Harriet Klausner