A Guile of Dragons (A Tournament of Shadows, Book 1) [Paperback]

James Enge (Author)

Book Description

Release date: August 24, 2012

It's dwarves versus dragons in this origin story for Enge's signature character, Morlock Ambrosius!

Before history began, the dwarves of Thrymhaiam fought against the dragons as the Longest War raged in the deep roads beneath the Northhold. Now the dragons have returned, allied with the dead kings of Cor and backed by the masked gods of Fate and Chaos.

The dwarves are cut off from the Graith of Guardians in the south. Their defenders are taken prisoner or corrupted by dragonspells. The weight of guarding the Northhold now rests on the crooked shoulders of a traitor's son, Morlock syr Theorn (also called Ambrosius).

But his wounded mind has learned a dark secret in the hidden ways under the mountains. Regin and Fafnir were brothers, and the Longest War can never be over. . . .

Editorial Reviews

Review

Praise for James Enge:

"James Enge's books are like a strange alloy of Raymond Chandler, Fritz Lieber, Larry Niven, and some precious metal that is all Enge's own. They're thrilling, funny, and mysteriously moving. I see ten things on every page I wish I'd written. I could read him forever and never get bored." --Lev Grossman, New York Times bestselling author of The Magicians

"[W]hat Tolkien might have written had he lived in this postmodern age." --Grasping for the Wind

About the Author

James Enge is the author of Blood of Ambrose (nominated for a World Fantasy Award), This Crooked Way, and The Wolf Age. His fiction has appeared in Black Gate, Flashing Swords, and everydayfiction.com. He is an instructor of classical languages at a Midwestern university. Visit him online at jamesenge.com or follow him on Twitter @jamesenge.

Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Pyr (August 24, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1616146281
• ISBN-13: 978-1616146283
• Product Dimensions: 5.3 x 0.8 x 8.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #946,032 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

James Enge lives with his children in northwest Ohio, where he teaches classics at a medium-sized public university. His short fiction has appeared in Swords and Dark Magic (Eos, 2010), in the magazine Black Gate, and elsewhere. His previous novels are Blood of Ambrose (Pyr, 2009), which was listed on Locus magazine's Recommended Reading for 2009, and This Crooked Way (Pyr, 2009).

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Beguiled by the Guile September 16, 2012

By M. P. Cummings

Format:Paperback

High Fantasy often faces the criticism that it is a poor reflection of the works that have gone before it, most notably Tolkien. By employing the same basic mythos with a highly Western European (and generally, British) composition, many chide that too much of fantasy falls into this trap and needs to be refreshed with something edgier, or something more original. The end result is generally a poor facsimile that inevitably fails to shine in comparison.

"A Guile of Dragons" is not some mere copy.

Yes, it employs many of the elements that we might quickly label a High Fantasy trope - dwarves, dragons, ancient terrors, and the name Merlin (or at least his son, Morlock). Its important to remember that it is not what elements a writer uses, but how they use them, that brings distinction. Enge does not treat these elements lightly - the history and culture of the dwarves alone are an integral part of this story, hinting at a depth we never see a bottom to. The shortness of the work (@300 pages) is belied by the depth and fullness of the characters that populate it. These are thick characters, populating the pages not because they fill a need but because it is their story to tell.

Set as a prequel for Enge's character, Ambrosius, aka Morlock syr Theorn, "A Guile of Dragons" introduces us to a small cast of recurring characters, each of whom demonstrates a depth and fullness usually reserved for the titular character. Not having read the other books in this milieu proved to not be a problem - as a prequel, it is a well contained volume, beginning with the birth of Morlock, son of Merlin, and the circumstances that place young Morlock in the care of the dwarves of Thrymhaiam to the north. This is also the story of Morlock's first real adventure (other feats are alluded to, but nothing so grand), following a metre and pace that is reminiscent of a classic saga even when the story telling is modern.

For in the Northold, the dwarves find themselves cut off from the Graith of Guardians as a guile of dragons invades, reigniting the Longest War from before the dawn of history. Morlock, a thaen of the Graith, adopted son of the dwarves, trapped between both worlds, faces the failings of each as he is thrust into battling the dragons themselves.

Enge, who's unsecret real world identity is a classics professor, demonstrates that a writer is influenced by the books and life you lead. "A Guile of Dragons" is a worthy epic for any fantasy reader, containing a surprising depth and fullness that is rarely found in so short a book. I cannot say more about this book without spoiling it, so I will just say that I wholly and heartily recommend that it be read.

~Fantasy Book Addict

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Have to Read All Three September 21, 2012

By Marcia J. Martak

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

I really enjoyed this book and it definitely would recommend all three books. Exciting and keeps you eager to see what happens next. Plus - all three books have been completed so you won't have to wait forever for the last book - by that time you've forgotten what you'd read in the last 2 books.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Blazes a new trail in fantasy October 21, 2012

By Harry W. Holland Jr.

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

Yes, it has wizards and dwarves and dragons, but this is no rehash of Tolkein. Read this book if you want to learn what the *real* relationship is between those who dig in the earth and those who covet the fruits of their labors.