Jack Vance is one of the giants of science fiction and winner of Edgar and Hugo Awards. The Dragon Masters was his first Hugo Award-winning nov... read full description
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Feb 16, 2009
Tom
rated it: 
I've been eager to read The Dragon Masters for a long, long time. Back when I was a teenager, I spent a lot of time reading coffee table books about science-fiction, and something about the description "Men and reptiles wage war on one another using warriors genetically-engineered from the captured enemy" stuck with me for years after I'd read the two-sentence blurb underneath the cover photo. In my mind, I built-up a fairly comprehensive idea of what such a book would be like - a thou
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Oct 27, 2011
Dirk
rated it:
Wow, don't quite know what to make of this one. It was enjoyable enough and certainly aspires to a level of profoundness, although I'm not so sure I get it. Aliens enslave humans, genetically altering and breeding them into steeds and super-soldiers. Humans do same to said aliens, creating the "dragons" of the title. The question, I suppose, is whether this is any more ethical than what the aliens are doing. Riding around on dragons certainly seems less grotesque than lizard-like greph
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Feb 10, 2012
Nathan
rated it: 
Solid a novella as it is in its own right, it's almost worth reading The Dragon Masters simply to witness how much backstory, worldbuilding, and flavour Vance is able to weave into 130 or so brisk pages. Ostensibly The Dragon Masters is a straightforward adventure yarn about the leader of one of the universe's last pockets of humanity fending off threats from both within and without (by way of, of course, dragons), but the panache with which he does so can only be the sign of a singular talent
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Oct 08, 2009
Ethan
rated it:
A reasonably interesting sci fi-fantastical outing by Vance. For those folks who are used to the current crop of characterization-heavy novels, this will disappoint. However, there are plenty of interesting ideas and themes, in particular the interaction between the utter humans and the sacerdotes and the questions raised by the sacerdote philosophy and human nature.
At some points I wished for some more in-depth characterization and a little less one-sided portrayal of Carcolo, but More...
At some points I wished for some more in-depth characterization and a little less one-sided portrayal of Carcolo, but More...
Jun 09, 2010
Derek
rated it:
What's amazing to me about this book is how much Vance accomplishes in so little space. In a mere 133 pages he establishes setting, character, multiple levels of conflict, and theme. None of these are explored in quite the depth that they deserve, but frankly I did not miss them as the story went rocketing by.
Vance explores the conflict between several mutually-incompatable viewpoints, each convinced that it is completely correct and completely unable to negotiate. The Basics/grep More...
Vance explores the conflict between several mutually-incompatable viewpoints, each convinced that it is completely correct and completely unable to negotiate. The Basics/grep More...
May 04, 2010
It's got it all - a cheesy cover, an embarrassing title and a ridiculous synopsis on the back cover. But as Michael Chabon said, “Jack Vance is the most painful case of all the writers I love who I feel don’t get the credit they deserve. If ‘The Last Castle’ or ‘The Dragon Masters’ had the name Italo Calvino on it, or just a foreign name, it would be received as a profound meditation, but because he’s Jack Vance and published in Amazing Whatever, there’s this insurmountable barrier.”
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Oct 14, 2008
Jonathan
rated it:
This is actually two short novels, or novellas, led out by the Dragon Masters, presumably because it won an award, though it is the weaker of the pair.
The Dragon Masters is a conventional tale of genetic manipulation, petty warfare, public nudity and enslavement. I need say no more, all readers are familiar with works of this type.
The Last Castle contains echos of the refined castlefolk of Rhialto the Marvellous, though in a less miraculous setting, these being ordinary d More...
The Dragon Masters is a conventional tale of genetic manipulation, petty warfare, public nudity and enslavement. I need say no more, all readers are familiar with works of this type.
The Last Castle contains echos of the refined castlefolk of Rhialto the Marvellous, though in a less miraculous setting, these being ordinary d More...
Jun 19, 2011
reverend dak
rated it: 
Jack Vance is AMAZING. This edition also contains The Last Castle which is similar in theme to The Dragon Masters. They're both excellent reads, they kept me engaged and interested. I was bummed to finish this book so quickly.
Oct 04, 2009
Donya
rated it:
A fully-realized world in which Basic, which are a little like dragons that don't breathe fire, attack a planet in which beings similar to humans live when the stars align. Each group takes prisoners from the other group and the Basics breed humans into Giants and the humans breed Basics into fighting dragons. There's also a group of humans who are "passive" and wanted around naked...it's a little weird, but I can see why it inspired to many extraordinary science-fiction writers. It
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Jul 01, 2010
Stephen
rated it:
4.5 to 5.0 stars. Jack Vance is THE Master. I just re-read this after having read it first years ago and I think I liked it even more the second time around. Jack Vance creates a great scenario in which on one side you have the "men" who breed dragons as soldiers and on the other the "dragons" who breed "Men" as soldiers. Classic science ficiton as only Jack Vance can do it. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
Winner: Hugo Award best Novella
Most recently read
Winner: Hugo Award best Novella
Most recently read
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Dec 11, 2007
Robert
rated it:
This had been pimped pretty heavily to me by some fantasy aficionados whose opinions I respect -- and I dearly loved Vance's "Dying Earth" tales. "Dragon Masters" was quite good, just not the sci-fi classic I was expecting. Maybe it just finds me at the wrong time, but the characters were mostly uninteresting. The scenario was certainly interesting, however, as was Vance's commentary on the violent nature of man.
Jan 03, 2010
John
rated it:
Nicely written for the most part. A good example of a strong moral character triumphing over ineptness and greed. The character contrast reminds me strongly of Ayn Rand. My only complaint - too much already with the minute and unnecessary descriptions of the dragons. This excess seems to me to be a leftover from Mr. Vance's pre-teen fantasies.
Aug 19, 2010
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Apr 12, 2011
Justin
rated it:
Interesting story. I din't think I liked it as much as my friend who lent it to me, but it was a good, quick read. There's another story in the back of the book, which I will also be reading.
Mar 03, 2008
Shawna
rated it:
An interesting premise and a fast read, but I didn't connect on a deep level with this story. I found the description to be lacking in some places and a tendency towards gore.
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