The single worst Stephen King novel I have ever read and this man has written his fair share of turds.

Stephen King has been the king of horror for so long, that people always seem surprised when he tries something else. A time travel story? "Can he do it?!?" A crime trilogy? "WHAT?!?!?!" Whenever he tries something different people seem surprised, and it's been that way throughout his career.

King initially wrote this book for his daughter, because she didn't like his "scary" books. As such, this is honestly the easiest to read King novel, it's a short fantasy and it's written in a way that may have some adult material, but is fairly easy for a younger audience to process… in other words, it's a fairy tale.

When initially published, this was not received well by many fans. In fact, I read an interview once where King said how fitting it was that this and Misery (a book where a fan loses her mind at the idea of her favorite author trying something different) came out the same year.

Honestly as fan of fairy tales, fantasy and King, I loved it. It very much is a young adult book, in fact I would honestly say middle grade if not for a few scenes. That said it's not condescending, and is very readable still as an adult. While I can't say it is my favorite of his books, this is definitely not anywhere the worst of King's writing and it would also be my suggestion as a good introduction book to King if you have a younger reader who wants to try him (or for someone intimated by horror but wants to give him a shot)

Also, Dark Tower fans, you need to read this one for a couple of the references. Trust me. 4/5 stars.

Un libro escrito para su hija, por ende, es más bien infantil: para chicos.



King trató un tema de reyes y magos, de conspiraciones y secretos, de tragedia y traición de una manera soberbia. Es una novela que no tiene escenas macabras, ni sexo ni vocabulario burdo; es una obra para todas las edades. Porque, si bien está dirigido a los niños, no es tan infantil.

Un relato excelente, que disfruté muchísimo. En este el autor demuestra que su imaginación no tiene límites. Personajes bien desarrollados, sentimientos profundos, buena creatividad, punto álgido logrado. Si quieren una historia con una fantasía suave, una prosa exquisita y una forma de narración hermosa, al viejo estilo de los cuentacuentos, este libro es para ustedes.

"Book, you have the right to a speedy trial" review

n  THE DEFENSEn
- He may have switched from horror to fantasy with this one, but Stephen King's trademark gripping prose is still in full force!
- A scene-stealing villain who creates chaos and is just so much fun to watch, Flagg would fit right in at Gotham City!
- Despite the fantasy setting, the emotions of the characters always feel real.
- King takes some narrative risks that really pay off. (The segments told through the POV of a dog are particularly effective.)

n  THE PROSECUTIONn
- Very little action for a fantasy novel... (putting "Dragon" in the title when the dragon is only in the book for about two pages...that's downright cruel, Mr. King!)
- The book's fairy-tale narrative voice may not be for everyone. (King often speaks directly to the reader, like Aesop speaking to a crowd, which some might find off-putting.)
- Story drags a bit in the final act.

n  THE VERDICTn
A fractured fairy tale as only Stephen King can deliver, this book is perfect for someone who wants to see an author step out of their comfort zone and try something new!

Did you know Stephen King wrote a fantasy novel? Well he did, and it's glorious. All his best skills are on display here: short episodic chapters that end with a "what happens next?" cliffhanger, relatable inner monologuing from ordinary folks thrown into extraordinary situations, creative worldbuilding that fills out every scene. King has a knack for good old-fashioned storytelling, and here he does a rip-roaring fantasy tale that serves up the genre's tropes and conventions with ease and an enthusiasm befitting any 80s movie of the week.

4 stars. Melodrama that shows King has chops in the non-horror department, this was so much more fun than expected.

“The Eyes of the Dragon” by the incomparable Stephen King has a unique “A Game of Thrones” fairytale element that I haven’t experienced before in any of his earlier novels (the closest one being his recent novel, Fairy Tale but it still has the creepy vibe that I’ve come to expect from the Master of Horror.

In a kingdom called Delain, a widowed King had two sons. One is destined for the throne and the other is destined to follow in his brother’s footsteps. But the sons aren’t the only ones who are in line for the throne. The Kingdom’s renowned but feared magician, Flagg, also wants the power that comes with ruling a Kingdom and he will use all of his tricks, no matter who suffers, to get what he believes he deserves.

Fans of King will recognize the mysterious castle magician, one Randall Flagg, from many of King’s other novels, including “The Stand” and “The Gunslinger” and he is just as evil in “Dragon”. Flagg is the epitome of “bad guy” and he sets the stage for any who come after, and I just know that if Flagg is present, the spookiness factor will increase tenfold.

To help cement the “fairytale” vibe, King’s novel is narrated by an unnamed storyteller, which seems to innocuous and yet accomplished exactly what the author set out to do. It is these small creative gestures that makes King a novelist unlike any other.

“Dragon” is actually a standard size novel, in comparison to some of King’s more hearty stories, and the gripping plot pulls you in right from the first page, making this yet another completely immersive, un-put-downable novel. Each chapter flows seamlessly into the next and when the ending comes there is the feeling of finality and satisfaction with the events, but also disappointment in the fact that the story has ended so soon.

I am a life-long King fan, and although “Dragon” is a lesser-known King tale, I was completely fascinated. King can make anything spooky and terrifying, which is why I will continue to read anything and everything he writes (if he wants to send me his grocery list, I guarantee I would read it several times). “Dragon” is a good starting point for anyone who wants to slowly dip into the King-infested waters, as it will introduce the impeccable writing style and character development, but won’t overwhelm the readers with gore and terror, like some of his better known classics.

Libro que tuvo todo para ser mejor, pero King quería otra cosa.

n  

"Y en ocasiones, cuando algún pensamiento es demasiado desagradable para poder soportarlo, la persona dueña de ese pensamiento lo guarda bajo llave en una pesada caja y la arroja al pozo. Luego, oirá cómo la caja choca con el agua… y considerará que ha desaparecido. Por supuesto, esto no es exacto. No del todo."

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El libro trata del reino de Delain, su rey actual llamado Roland tiene dos hijos —Peter y Thomas—, y un consejero que a la vez es mago llamado Flagg. Eventualmente se espera que Peter herede el reino, pero Flagg tiene otros planes.

La historia inicia de manera muy concisa, narrando los acontecimientos del reino, describiendo los personajes, tanto su presente como cosas de su pasado y sentimientos más íntimos. Pero a medida que avanza, todo eso se va perdiendo, y hubo ocasiones donde el libro parecía dar un giro interesante, pero se volvía a encaminar en la senda de lo plano, lo cliché y cada vez con menos descripciones de las situaciones y los personajes. Todo empezó a resolverse de manera inesperada donde como lector no tenía más que aceptar lo que pasaba.

Algunas personas declaran que este libro es infantil porque King lo escribió para su hija Naomi, no lo veo tan así, para mí es más bien juvenil, pero no por eso se le excusa para resolverlo de la forma que lo hizo, muy escueta para mi gusto, dejando más preguntas que respuestas. Este libro está en mi top de libros de King que menos me ha gustado.

n  

"La mayor parte de las veces que los demás nos vieran sin nuestras máscaras, sin duda sólo se reirían. Sí, se reirían o harían una mueca. Tal vez ambas cosas a la vez."

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Lo que me agradó del libro fueron los personajes de Peter y Flagg. Por un lado, Peter me pareció un chico inteligente a pesar de su edad, pero también paciente, perseverante, pero a la vez compasivo. Todo digno de un buen rey. Por otro lado, Flagg, malvado hasta la médula, pero con bastante cautela a la hora de actuar. Mi duda es sí este Flagg es el mismo que aparece en el libro Apocalipsis, yo creo que sí, pero no estoy seguro.

No es un libro que recomiende, pero siempre están abiertos a darle una oportunidad. Para mí fue una gran decepción.

The Eyes of the Dragon... more like "How the most generic medieval fantasy story can turn into a charming tale you won't ever forget".
Recommended for all ages :)

Apercebi-me muito recentemente, aliás, há uns minutos, que não li a sinopse deste livro antes de iniciar a sua leitura. Isto é muito, muito raro em mim. Prefiro sempre saber no que me estou a meter. Em tudo, mas, principalmente, no que a livros diz respeito.
Primeiro estranhei a história, pois dos poucos livros que li do autor, e do que conheço, nunca imaginei que tal obra tivesse sido criada por ele. Depois comecei a interessar-me cada vez mais pelo desenrolar da história. Ao ponto de desejar ter tempo para ler e, quando lia, de não sentir tanto sono.
Só depois de terminar a leitura percebi o porquê deste livro. Gosto disto, desta sensação agradável de ter sido "enganada".

To me it's pretty interesting that my favorite Stephen King book is not horror at all, but rather, fantasy. It makes sense, really. I don't enjoy reading about people being tormented and murdered. I like to read about people overcoming their fears and the villains they encounter in life. So it was nice to read a story by King in a setting I love, fairy tale land. This is a fairy tale, with all the usual trappings, and he does a great job with it.

I think this story really shows what a good writer and a storyteller King is. There's no gore, shocking, horrific events. So the clarity of his ability to use words shines through. This is not a review so much as my thoughts on this book. In order to do a review justice, I'd need to reread this book. But I can say that I loved this book.

Another King reread on my chronological King rereading adventure. I had been really looking forward to this one since I remembered loving it when I first read it over 20 years ago. Would the reread go as well?

I will start by saying I loved it again. It is a great fantasy book with an interesting premise that does not get bogged down in complex world building. He originally wrote it for his daughter, Naomi, so he kept it at a YA sort of level (before YA was officially a thing). And, there is a lot to tie it into the Stephen King Universe - so, fans who enjoy all the intricacies of his books being connected must read this.

I will follow up that by saying I liked it better the first time. I think it might the a nostalgia thing - remembering a really great book experience and then not quite feeling it the next time. It happens to me a lot with movies from the 80s as well. When I watched or read as a kid/teen I was blown away. But, when I go back to find the same magic it is not quite there.

But, that is only a minor issue - as I said, I still loved it!

Note on the audiobook:. I usually love Bronson Pinchot as a narrator and he does a lot of King books. But, he made a big audio narrator mistake (at least in my book). Most of the dialogue of Flagg was whispered and it drove me crazy. I had to rewind several times to figure out what he was saying. I know he was trying to create atmosphere, but this dialogue did not have to be whispered to make that happen.

Book two into my Dark Tower pre-read (thanks @ LTJ for the recommendation). After The Stand, I didn't think I could like Randall Flagg any less, but Mr. King succeeded in making him even more creepy.

I would 10/10 recommend this. This can be a standalone if you're not a series reader. It's an epic fantasy set in medieval (ish) times, which is totally not my bag usually, but this just worked for me. It has a nostalgic feel, told in a fairy tale style with the author directly speaking to the reader. The Gothic atmosphere was top tier