Dragonrouge

Terra Magica #2

by Lin Carter

Come with us out of this dull, workaday world to Terra Magica, tha land beyond World's Edge, where knights ride out on wonder quests, where beautiful princesses wait for rescue from sea serpents, where sky-high giants seek human morsels for their cookpots, and where a king may seek a champion to set aside his realm's enchantment. Here again is Kesrick, knight of Dragonrouge, in combat against villainy. At his side stand a Scythian princess and a lost nobleman of Tartary. Here be wizards of good and wizards of evil; here be mighty giants and witches of utter meanness. Here be high fantasy from thne golden pen of the Grand Master himself, Lin Carter!

Genres: Fantasy

224 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1982

About the author

Lin Carter was an American author, editor, and critic best known for his influential role in fantasy literature during the mid-20th century. Born in St. Petersburg, Florida, he developed an early passion for myth, adventure stories, and imaginative fiction, drawing inspiration from authors such as Edgar Rice Burroughs, Robert E. Howard, H. P. Lovecraft, and J. R. R. Tolkien. After serving in the U.S. Army, Carter attended Columbia University, where he honed his literary skills and deepened his knowledge of classical and medieval literature, myth, and folklore — elements that would become central to his work.
Carter authored numerous novels, short stories, and critical studies, often working within the sword-and-sorcery and high fantasy traditions. His own creations, such as the “Thongor of Lemuria” series, paid homage to pulp-era adventure fiction while adding his distinctive voice and world-building style. His nonfiction book Tolkien: A Look Behind The Lord of the Rings was one of the first major studies of Tolkien’s work and its mythological roots, and it helped establish Carter as a knowledgeable commentator on fantasy literature.
Beyond his own writing, Carter was a central figure in bringing classic and forgotten works of fantasy back into print. As editor of the Ballantine Adult Fantasy series from 1969 to 1974, he curated and introduced dozens of volumes, reintroducing readers to authors such as William Morris, Lord Dunsany, E. R. Eddison, and James Branch Cabell. His introductions not only contextualized these works historically and literarily but also encouraged a new generation to explore the breadth of the fantasy tradition.
Carter was also active in the shared literary universe of the “Cthulhu Mythos,” expanding upon the creations of H. P. Lovecraft and other members of the “Lovecraft Circle.” His collaborations and solo contributions in this genre further cemented his reputation as both a creative writer and a literary preservationist.
In addition to fiction and criticism, Carter was an active member of several science fiction and fantasy organizations, including the Science Fiction Writers of America. He frequently appeared at conventions, where he was known for his enthusiasm, deep knowledge of the genre, and willingness to mentor aspiring writers.
Though sometimes critiqued for the derivative nature of some of his work, Carter’s influence on the fantasy revival of the late 20th century remains significant. His combination of creative output, editorial vision, and scholarly enthusiasm helped bridge the gap between the pulp traditions of the early 1900s and the expansive fantasy publishing boom that followed.
Lin Carter’s legacy endures through his own imaginative tales, his critical studies, and the many classic works he rescued from obscurity, ensuring their place in the canon of fantasy literature for generations to come.

Reviews

[David Mann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another silly fantasy tale, in the same vein as Kesrick (see my review of that). Part of the fun is the incorporation of fantastic monsters and places from literature (Carter if anything was widely read and an expert in this genre), which Carter identifies in an appendix to the story. Some of the humor is puerile, but overall it is a fun read, and as James Branch Cabell might have put it, "monstrously clever" at times.
I've already read Kesrick as well as the sequel to this one, Mandricardo. Now to track down the last book in the series, Callipygia.

[Mike Nemeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bought "Dragonrouge" back when it was new. So sometime soon after its 1984 copyright. The paperback copy had gotten wet at some point and smelled a little musty, probably like the first edition of "Lord of the Rings" I was handed at the ripe old age of 11. I became familiar with Lin Carter after the debut of "Conan the Barbarian" in the Marvel Comics lineup, which was fabulously drawn by Barry Smith. Conan led me to Robert E. Howard, Edgar Rice Burroughs (via Barooom) and various others in the sword and sorcery genre. Carter's name adorned the Conan books along with L. Sprague de Camp, whose original works I never did read. And other than the posthumous collaborations with Howard, I didn't get around to Carter. "Dragonrouge" meant to end that. That it took me 36 years to change that just shows how little imagination I have. Or maybe that I'm loyal to a fault and don't like to throw things away or waste money. All true, of course. When I finally cracked it open and began reading, the number of characters assailing me without definition or plot engagement left me reeling. I then discovered the book is the second in the Terra Magica series, that one had come before. And by page four or five, I cared less about keeping the characters straight and just went with Carter's cadence. He doesn't take much too seriously. He's no Howard. But his imagination doesn't stop. He paints a world of dragons, wizards and odd characters at every turn. He also can write about food in such reverent tones that no matter what the ingredients I wanted to imbibe nearly every time protagonist Kesrick and his traveling companions stopped for a meal. Once they were almost the protein in a giant's stew. That wasn't so intriguing. But Carter definitely lives up to the "master" designation given in his Wikipedia writeup. He paints details of an imaginary world that come to life and more importantly put the reader firmly in his pantheon. I'm glad I unearthed this aging little paperback. Carter has taken me back to my younger days when I disappeared for long periods of time in the words of writers.

[Nathan Dehoff · Rating 4 out of 5]

The sequel to Kesrick continues the adventures of the heroes from the earlier book. The sorcerer Pteron is no longer part of the party, but Atlantes from Orlando Furioso does journey with them for a while. The scoundrel Gaglioffo also continues on his misadventures, and eventually reforms. This one feels even more episodic than the last, with the main quest being to rescue Felixmarte of Hyrcania's love from an enchantment cast by an evil fairy, but the story frequently digresses from that. Our heroes camp out on the back of an enormous turtle, escape a giant, make friends with a dragon, and tame a unicorn (sorry, a monoceros). As before, most of the references are mentioned in the notes, with a definite favor toward works written or edited by Andrew Lang. There's a discussion of how he prefers Lang's term "draklings" for young dragons over L. Frank Baum's "dragonettes." One likely source that Carter doesn't include is George MacDonald's The Light Princess, which seems to have influenced Princess Lunetta's curse. It's a very light read, and I like how it essentially crosses over a lot of different stuff in a pretty casual way.

[Tom · Rating 2 out of 5]

Carter takes a weirdly erudite, academic tone to this fairy tale fantasy complete with extensive endnotes to catalog his references to other stories and myths. Ultimately, that resulted in this book not really coming together as a story in its own right for my tastes as I flipped back and forth to get the jokes and whatnot. Which came first: the events of the story or the references that inspire the events? The answer becomes obvious as one incongruity yields to the next.

Still, if you're reading it with academic interest, there are interesting tidbits. If that's what you're doing though, I guess there would be nothing stopping you from dispensing with the story altogether and just reading the endnotes.

[D M · Rating 3 out of 5]

I stand corrected, it is fantastical, silly and fairly-tale-like. It was better than the first book. Looking forward to the final two books in the series. 3++/5