A Diversity of Dragons

[Plo Addonnas]

A Diversity of Dragons is a book by Anne McCaffrey, but it's more like a story in which she and a man named Eppi or something like that are telling the history of dragons to a young man who has a dragon problem. It's a short but very cool story, and the tales that are told by Anne and Eppi are great. Plus, the book is illustrated by J.R.R. Tolkien, and these are some of the most beautiful dragon illustrations I've ever seen. I recomend everyone who likes dragons look for this book.

[dwndrgn]

I believe I've heard of this one but never seen it. I would love to read it. Incidentally, for those who love dragons and happen to have the Animal Planet network available to them, there is a program all about the mythology of dragons coming on the 20th of March.

[Cheryl]

Diversity of Dragons was illustrated by John Howe. Tolkien never did illustrations as far as I know, and has been dead for three decades (while Diversity was published in 1997). John Howe has done LOTR/Tolkien illustrations, so perhaps that's the source of the confusion.

It is a fictional tale, as Plo said. Because it contains a lot of reference material about dragon myths through the ages, it's often mistaken classified as non-fiction.

Co-author Richard Woods wrote a second story about the character of Eppy, titled Epiphanius Tighe and the Dragon of East South Water Street. I believe this is a full novel, rather than a short illustrated tale as Diversity is.

[Rosemary]

Originally Posted by Cheryl

Diversity of Dragons was illustrated by John Howe. Tolkien never did illustrations as far as I know, and has been dead for three decades (while Diversity was published in 1997). John Howe has done LOTR/Tolkien illustrations, so perhaps that's the source of the confusion.
It is a fictional tale, as Plo said. Because it contains a lot of reference material about dragon myths through the ages, it's often mistaken classified as non-fiction.
Co-author Richard Woods wrote a second story about the character of Eppy, titled Epiphanius Tighe and the Dragon of East South Water Street. I believe this is a full novel, rather than a short illustrated tale as Diversity is.

Books on Dragons, will certainly have to put those on my book list. I did see a beautiful hardback book in one of our major bookshops. Trouble was they wanted AU$55 for it! Hopefully the two you have mentioned will not be quite so expensive!

[KoffeeKat]

Ebay is a wonderful thing!