The Dragon, the Earl, and the Troll [Hardcover]

Gordon R. Dickson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 1, 1994

Finding himself in a parallel universe ruled by magic, Jim Eckert, a twentieth-century college professor, uses his ability to turn into a dragon to fight the Dark Powers that threaten the course of history and the life of Jim's unborn child.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Both medievalists and sword-and-sorcery fans will enjoy this fantasy adventure, as Dickson skillfully inserts interesting facts about chivalric revels into a tale replete with dragons, trolls and knights in shining armor. Jim and Angie, the loving couple introduced in The Dragon and the George, are again in trouble with the Dark Powers-and to complicate matters, an orphaned infant has been dropped in their laps. Learning that the Dark Powers plan to tamper with History at the Earl of Somerset's upcoming, 12-day Christmas revels, the pair attend the celebrations. There, Jim, aided by the trusty English wolf Aargh, the faithful knight Brian Neville-Smythe, the magician Carolinus and a cowardly hobgoblin, must solve myriad problems so that the Phoenix at World's End will fly and Chance and History will retain their proper balance. Many of the plot twists are transparent, but the innovative use of an offbeat nativity scene offers a clever theatrical touch. Ultimately, it's Dickson's ability to wallow joyously in the conventions of the genre that makes this such a satisfying read.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

A yuletide visit to a neighboring earl becomes a personal challenge for Sir James the Dragon Knight as the alliance of dark forces arraigned against him threatens to force his return to his original dimension-that of 20th-century Earth-despite his growing attachment to this alternate medieval world he now calls home. The author's realistic portrayal of the less savory aspects of the Middle Ages provides a necessary counterpoint to his story's overall humor. Dickson's "Dragon Knight" series (e.g., The Dragon at War, LJ 11/15/92) has gained a large following, and this latest addition will be welcomed by most fantasy audiences.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 442 pages
• Publisher: Ace Books; 1st edition (December 1, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0441000983
• ISBN-13: 978-0441000982
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.5 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,279,371 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Well known characters in all new situations, March 3, 2002

By 

Call_me_Sparky "Tai Nasha No Karosha" (NY, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Dragon, The Earl, and the Troll (Paperback)

Once again Jim Eckert, AKA the Dragon Knight has to face the dark powers. One should think this might become boring by now but Dickson made up a great scenery with lots of fascinating characters. Not only has James to deal with an army of trolls who intend to change history itself, but also with a great number of problems on the Earls christmas-party. Needless to say that the way he solves medevial trouble with 20th century skills is both surprising and unusual. To let a troll, disguised as a black knight, join the tounament to smell out a disguised troll among the guests was surely extraordinary. I also enjoyed to find characters like Angie, his charming but strong-willed wife, play more important roles than in earlier books.
Everyone who liked The Dragon At War will surely love this book, because it gives more insight on already well known characters and adds a lot of new ones who aren't less interesting.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars It's not the best in the Dragon Series, June 17, 2001

By 

Black Tiger (Miami, FL United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Dragon, The Earl, and the Troll (Paperback)

But each one furthers a response or a helpful hint about Jim's magical needs and expectations so as far as I'm concerned if you liked any of them they're all worth reading.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Plot upon plot of trouble and disaster for the Dragon Knight, November 2, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: The Dragon, The Earl, and the Troll (Paperback)

The only way to describe this book is by the trouble that pops up almost every paragraph. To put it short, Baron Sir James Eckert de Malencontri de Riveroak, otherwise known as Jim, or the Dragon Knight, was under a seemingly inescapable siege, and expecting death. This ended quickly as soon as his sea-devil friend showed up and inadvertantly scared the attackers off. But the real trouble started when Carolinus, one of the world's three most powerful magicians, showed up and confronted him, "asking" that he attended the local Earl's Twelve Days of Christmas party. This would mean much drinking, fighting, and official confrontation at the games, which was disagreeable to Jim, who came from the 20th century. Then at the Earl's castle, its resident troll began to execute damaging shakes to the architecture. Jim found that the troll wanted to scare off a troll in guise of a human guest. This, topped off with a nearby army of trolls (which was unusual for a socially inadept species) wanting to challange Mnrogar (the troll), Jim trying to get the troll and the Earl to cooperate, and the Bishop to approve cooperation, the Dark Powers seeming to be at work, and two hundred large dragons who mistaked Christmas for a chronicle rebirth of Jesus Christ, while thinking that the royal Prince was the baby Jesus and wanting to come to the Earl's castle, among dozens of knights all too willing to carve fresh reputations out of dragon flesh, the dragons desiring a blessing and thinking that the trolls were in the way, and a secondary inheriter of a dead knights lands wanting to kill his baby son, among an innumerable amount of intricate details, makes for a great frusteration, confusion, and fun fest. Perfect.