Dragons Wild

February 18, 2008
This colorful series opener from comic fantasist Asprin (Myth-Chief
) introduces lazy con artist Griffen McCandles, who got through business school on his “charm and quick wits” and now expects to be given a job working for his uncle Malcolm's company. Then Malcolm reveals that Griffen and his sister, Valerie, are near pureblood dragons, expected to chose sides in an international battlefield of magic and ancient rivalries. With assassins and a professional dragon-slayer on their trail, Griff and Val head for New Orleans (with no mention of Hurricane Katrina) to ally with Mose, an unlicensed casino operator and leader of a band of renegade dragons who hope Griff can bring them some respect as well as power. Asprin promises much but delivers little, apparently saving his plots for later books, but with all the characters and factions now in place, the series may eventually develop into something more engaging.

March 15, 2008
Fresh out of college, Griffen McCandless meets with his wealthy uncle to discuss his employment "potential" only to discover the family secret: both he and his sister, Valerie, along with their uncle, are more than human. They are, in fact, nearly purebred dragons and, as such, they have inherited the highly political, cutthroat world of dragon society. Opting out of the "game," Griffen takes his sister to New Orleans, where he becomes involved in a small-time illegal gambling racket, something he excelled at in college. But other dragons, as well as a legendary slayer of dragons known as "the George," are stalking him. The prolific author of the "Myth" and "Phule's Company" series as well as a contributor to the long-running "Thieves' World" series, Asprin tackles a new kind of comic fantasy, a little more serious and hard-boiled than previous books. Featuring a likable rake and plenty of action and quirky humor, this series opener belongs in most adult and YA fantasy collections.

Copyright 2008 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 1, 2008
Recent college grad Griffen McCandles, known as Grifter because he spent more time on poker than in class, is stunned when his uncle reveals that he and sister Valerie are rare, nearly pure-blooded dragons who will soon be able to use their powers. Whats more, many dragon factions will assume the siblings will become more powerful than they are and try to recruit them. Or kill them. Griffen and Valerie make tracks for New Orleans, where he enters the underworld of the French Quarter. Asprin deftly captures the roiling ambience of New Orleans as the sibs dodge danger, hone their powers, and encounter, among other eerie beings, a chimera, a Santeria ghost, and people who can control animals. Shape-shifting dragons have been done before, but Asprin puts his own spin on them with lots of intriguing dragonology, plenty of humor, and psychologically credible and engaging protagonists. The first in a new series that is something of a departure from Asprins rollicking Myth and Phules Company books encourages looking sharp for the next.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2008, American Library Association.)