Are you a dragon lover? One of those people like J.R.R. Tolkien who have always desired dragons of one sort or another? If your answer is yes, then get in line with devoted dragon fans like author Anne Petty, who has been reading and thinking about dragons for years, especially as they appear in fantasy fiction. Petty asks, "What is a dragon? What does it look like, and how does it behave? What image pops into your mind when you read the word dragon?" You are invited on a quest for dragons of fantasy literature, for an in-depth look at the scaly characters on the page and the skilled writers who created them. A longtime dragon admirer, Tolkien scholar Petty takes readers on an adventurous ride over the hills and far away into realms populated by the likes of Smaug, Ramoth, Norbert, and Orm Embar, just to name a few. Authors under discussion include J.R.R. Tolkien, Anne McCaffrey, Terry Pratchett, Ursula Le Guin, Jane Yolen, Terry Goodkind and J.K. Rowling. there's also an in-depth background section on the history of dragons in myth and literature, plus an extensive bibliography. Happy dragon hunting! - Back cover.