The Dragons of the Cuyahoga [Paperback]

S. Andrew Swann (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 10, 2001

Meet Kline Maxwell. City Hall reporter for the Cleveland Press. He's the kind of guy who's seen it all-if "it all" includes a fellow reporter sprouting eyeballs all over his body....

That's just the beginning. Maxwell's assigned to a story about the crash-landing of a dragon in the Cuyahoga River. Typical of the stuff that's been happening since that magical Portal opened up. Seems like just another "fuzzy gnome" kind of story.

Until Maxwell gets kidnapped. By elves....

Editorial Reviews

Review

Cleveland author S. Andrew Swann's newest book involved elves, dragons and magic. Best of all, THE DRAGONS OF THE CUYAHOGA takes place in Cleveland.

Swann's tale centers around an investigative journalist and the murder of a dragon, an act that involved greed, graft, and a lot of very heavy magic. It's a good energetic mystery, with a complicated plot and lots of chasing-down-leads action. But the Cleveland setting, and the idea that this is a place of powerful juju, is what makes it fun.
-Cleveland Plain Dealer

Swann's latest hard-hitting mystery is a fantasy, set in a Cleveland, Ohio that has been drastically changed by the opening of a gateway to a magical dimension, and the resulting leakage of magic. The murder victim is a dragon; the detective is a political reporter who really resents being forced to cover a "fuzzy gnome" story about a dead dragon.... Though the death of a dragon provides the impetus, the novel's really about the way this transformed world works, with elves, wizards, scrambled electronics-and an ailing city revived thanks to an influx of magic-seeking tourists. It's a provocative world of deadly enchantment in which the dirty game of politics remains the biggest theme of all.
-Locus

--This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: DAW (October 10, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0756400090
• ISBN-13: 978-0756400095
• Product Dimensions: 6.5 x 4.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,541,562 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

S. A. Swann is the pen name of Steven Swiniarski. He's married and lives in the Greater Cleveland area where he has lived all of his adult life. He has a background in mechanical engineering and --besides writing-- works as a Database Manager for one of the largest private child services agencies in the Cleveland area. He has published 18 novels over the past 15 years, which include science fiction, fantasy, and horror. See the author's website for more information: www.sandrewswann.com and also www.wolfbreednovels.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Decent urban fantasy/mystery story, January 9, 2002

By 

Shanshad "shanachie_shadowfax" (Discworld) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The Dragons of the Cuyahoga (Paperback)

This story was a very enjoyable read, the premise of Cleveland being blanketed by a magical portal and having to cope with the affects of this was an interesting method of introducing magic in to the urban setting of Cleveland. A reporter sent to look into the death of a dragon quickly discovers there are dark plots at work behind the dragon's death--and quickly winds up in over his head. There are some unexpected twists and turns, startling betrayals and underhanded motives at play. If you enjoyed Jim Butcher's Harry Dresden books, this story will probably appeal. Melisa Michaels' paranormal mysteries dealing with a female detective duo and elven invegstigations are fairly similar in style. There is more focus on the unfolding events and the mystery itself than on the more emotional or romantic elements that some other urban fantasies contain. Those looking for a strongly magical plot may be disappointed. The author's use of fantasy is fairly matter-of-fact and more like his SF roots. I did feel there were a few plot threads left hanging--but it was all in all a good read. It has the earmarks of a possible series, and I wouldn't be surprised to see our reporter hero back again.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Another enjoyable Swann book, November 9, 2001

By 

sprocketeer "sprocketeer" (Eugene, OR USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Dragons of the Cuyahoga (Paperback)

S. Andrew Swann has written a number of good novels. Most of his books are science fiction, but he has also written horror novels under the name S. A. Swiniarski and a science fiction novel and a "mainstream" novel under the name of Steven Krane. I recommend nearly all of his books.

The Dragons of the Cuyahoga is his second fantasy novel, and I think it is a good deal better than his first one, God's Dice (the only one of his books I was disappointed with). I had a lot of fun reading this one; part of the charm is that Mr. Swann can take fantasy elements and treat them with the same matter-of-fact and logical consistency as science fiction elements. He also used this talent to good effect in his first vampire novel, Raven (written under the S. A. Swiniarski name). Another thing I liked was that the motivations of the "supernatural" characters, rather than being cloaked in mysticism, are understandable and logical from the reader's point of view -- such as why dragons like gold so much.

The only fault I can find is a trivial one: if you are at all knowledgeable about firearms, you may find Mr. Swann's mistakes about them distracting. Don't let that distract you; The Dragons of the Cuyahoga is a good read.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Dragons invade our world -- watch out!, October 31, 2001

By 

Mary A. Turzillo "Marite" (Cleveland, OH United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Dragons of the Cuyahoga (Paperback)

Swann's off-the-wall crazy mixture of the mundane world with worlds too strange to view unafraid reminded me of the finest classic Philip Jose Farmer. Swann moves from the fallen, jaded world of a Great Lakes city to a world forever changed by the invasion of magic. A dragon dies -- spectacularly! I loved all the magical creatures, but my favorite was the dragon keeping careful track of her stock market investments. And the fate of a certain lap-top computer tickled me -- maybe because of my ambivalence toward that particular techno-magic in our own world.

To complement to his crazy critters and engagingly cynical but vulnerable hero, Swann is an expert at keeping the plot galloping. I read the novel in one giant gulp and looked around hoping for more.