There Will Be Dragons (The Council War) [Mass Market Paperback]

John Ringo (Author)

Book Description

Series: Council Wars | Publication Date: October 26, 2004

In the future there is no want, no war, no disease nor ill-timed death. The world is a paradise-and then, in a moment, it ends. The council that controls the Net falls out and goes to war. Everywhere people who have never known a moment of want or pain are left wondering how to survive. But scattered across the face of the earth are communities which have returned to the natural life of soil and small farm. In the village of Raven's Mill, Edmund Talbot, master smith and unassuming historian, finds that all the problems of the world are falling in his lap. Refugees are flooding in, bandits are roaming the woods, and his former lover and his only daughter struggle through the Fallen landscape. Enemies, new and old, gather like jackals around a wounded lion. But what the jackals do not know is that while old he may be, this lion is far from death. And hidden in the past is a mystery that has waited until this time to be revealed. You cross Edmund Talbot at your peril, for a smith is not all he once was. . . .

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Ringo provides a textbook example of how a novel in the military SF subgenre should be written. . . . For those who have read everything David Drake has written or who may have wished that Tom Clancy, Larry Bond or Harold Coyle would write SF, Ringo provides what's needed. . . . Crackerjack storytelling." --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 752 pages
• Publisher: Baen (October 26, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0743488598
• ISBN-13: 978-0743488594
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.3 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (47 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #171,133 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I'm a professional author of... Well, I used to say "science fiction." Then came There Will Be Dragons, which is sf with a distinct fantasy twist. Then came Ghost which is techno-thriller crossed with porn. Then came Princess of Wands, a Christian soccer mom battling demons through the power of God. Who knows what's next? Children's books? (I've actually got that one mapped out. You see, there's this girl who is raised by dolphins... You think I'm joking, don't you?)
:-)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars exciting blending of futurescience fiction with fantasy, November 21, 2003

By 

Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews
(#1 Hall OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: There Will Be Dragons (Hardcover)

Humanity lives in a veritable Garden of Eden with disease and death conquered. Mankind lives almost like Gods in a Utopian Olympus controlled by the computer "Mother", who monitors and calculates probable outcomes. Mother realizes that there is a 99.9999915% chance that the humans will go to war as the council, who oversees her, is squabbling and there is a 17.347% probability they will wipe out the species. However, Mother is not programmed to warn humanity or any other intelligent speices (machine or animal).

The war causes massive destruction with no corner of the globe immune. In isolated Raven's Mill, smith and self proclaimed historian Edmund Talbot sees refugees seeking asylum while warlords assault anyone. Elves visit him to help save mankind, but it may be too late. Enemies from Edmund's past and new foes realize that to conquer, they must eliminate Edmund first. He is the key for the 82.653% survival of the species; that is if he is not distracted by the fact that his daughter is out there as a perfect pawn to destroy him. Mother knows that without Edmund the survival odds are reversed.

THERE WILL BE DRAGONS is an exciting blending of future science fiction with some fantasy elements into a delightful action-packed tale. The story line never slows down from the moment Mother computes the odds in a mundane ho hum manner. The cast seems genuine whether they are "perfect" human, elf, other mythological creature, or man working the land. Still it is John Ringo's world that makes Paradise obtained and Paradise Lost seem credible that makes this fab tale so much fun. Fans will anxiously await sequels to ascertain whether humanity finds Paradise Regained.

Harriet Klausner

31 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Simply amazing, November 11, 2003

By 

Shawn Hougo (Belle Plaine, MN United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: There Will Be Dragons (Hardcover)

My idea of Television is reading multiple books at the same time. Its just like being a regular viewer of television. You read a few chapters, put that book down and pick up the next.
I was planning to do this yesterday. I had the whole day to myself and looked forward to the books I was enjoying. Until I picked up There Will Be Dragons.
I couldn't put it down. Of course I finished it yesterday and now I'm upset because I can't have more.
By the way; that only happened one other time this year. The name of that book was "A hymn before battle."
John Ringo is one hell of an author.

The cover of There Will Be Dragons would make one believe that it was a fantasy story. That is not the case. It is purely Sci-Fi in its finest form. The story is set in the 40th century(?) where people have advanced to the point in which they can change their form to be anything from the most beautiful human imaginable to a unicorn.
The book begins with society being nearly euphoric. Then because of political infighting, control of the energy which sustains that euphoria is subverted and all of society reverts to a preindustrialized level.
The plot builds quickly and the momentum never stops. I dare you to pick this book up. You can't put it down.

34 of 38 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars VERY GOOD START, January 5, 2004

By 

Phillip B. Spotts "cintibookworm" (Cincinnati, OH) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: There Will Be Dragons (Hardcover)

THERE WILL BE DRAGONS is the first episode in a new series by John Ringo. To be honest I really didn't want to like this book. I am so angry with Ringo for what he has done, or better yet not done, to the MARCH and the Posleen series, that is take a wonderful story and drive it straight to hell!

As much as I wanted to trash it I can't. It is a truly good story with exciting, vibrant characters, great storyline (not very original, see EARTH ABIDES, THE STAND, ALAS BABYLON, etc.) but when your dealing with a high tech civilization being reduced to pre-industrial revolution levels it's a darn good one. Although the basic storyline isn't original the way he gets there is.

Do I RECOMMENDED it? Yes, it's too well written not to. I enjoyed it, but I'm still afraid that about two books into the series good ol' Mr. Ringo is going to get bored again and leave us hanging with either no follow-up, or even worst a pathetic thrown together ending like that crud in HELL'S FAIRE. But, where there's life there's hope...