A review by tsunni
The Book of Dragons by Jonathan Strahan

adventurous emotional funny mysterious sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

I haven't read many short story collections with multiple authors and I found I had zero guilt skipping stories I disliked and enjoying the ones I liked, which made this a refreshing, easy read. The stories ranged from ones I loved that prompted me to add the author's books to my to-read pile, to a few that I either couldn't finish or really disliked (and to-read pile removals!). All involved dragons, and it was interesting seeing how authors differed in their interpretation and use.

It was also nice to experience some popular authors' prose in short form before tackling their big novels, as I realized I probably wouldn't enjoy them for writing style reasons and don't have to prioritize spending time or money on them (sorry Ken Liu/Garth Nix, maybe one day).

I think the majority were at least likeable, and it's worth checking this collection out.

Some stories that stood out to me:
  • The Nine Curves River - R. F. Kuang - convinced me that maybe second person narration is ok
  • The Long Walk - Kate Elliot
  • Hoard - Seanan McGuire
  • We Don't Talk About the Dragon - my absolute favorite of the book for impact
  • Maybe Just Go Up There and Talk to It - Scott Lynch