H is for Here (There be Dragons)

Here, There be Dragons.

I've talked a lot about this book in past blogs; I will keep this short then. Here, There be Dragons written by James A. Owen is a fantastical story of high adventure, magic, literature, and heroes.

You're probably thinking that is like any fantasy book currently on the shelves of your nearest bookseller. Yeah, it may be, but what does Here, There be Dragons have that those books don't?!?!?!

Badgers!

Yes, badgers. First it was Tummeler; his story is heavily in Here, There. He is an aspiring Scholar and a pretty nifty driver (although you might want to buckle up if he drives). He goes into publishing to create the greatest tool ever, (no not Google, but a Little Whatsit) and is my favourite character outside of Samaranth, but that is for another time. Tummeler comes to the aid of John, Charles, and Jack the new Caretakers of the Imaginarium Geographica, as he knows a thing or two about the Archipelago of Dreams and those who live there and blueberry muffins. Oh,and there are more badgers in other later books.

Here, There is also about triumph over the forces of evil (does that sounds menacing enough?), let's try triumph over all things dark and brooding. Yeah, I like that! I think I should write book descriptions, right? Okay, off topic, I know. I just really enjoy Here, There be Dragons with all of its surprises and mysteries, but also it is a solid story; fully engaging and entertaining.

Now for a poem about the adventures of said Caretakers. Enjoy!

Indigo Winter

It started on a stormy night

when three men meet to find death;

adventure is waiting for them

in a man buried under scarves.

When three men meet to find death,

a dragon ship transport awaits to bring

a man buried under scarves

for a quest is called from one greater.

A dragon ship transport awaits to bring

the three Scholars to the isle forgotten

for a quest is called from one greater

and a book of maps they might chase.

The three Scholars to the isle forgotten;

to meet the Cossair, the Pirate Queen, and Badger;

and a book of maps they might chase

to discover who this king of winter might be.

ATo meet the Cossair, the Pirate Queen, and Badger

aboard the dragon ship of Indigo

to discover who this king of winter might be

and are charged the quest of the Archipelago.

Aboard the dragon ship of Indigo 

adventure is waiting for them

and are charged the quest of the Archipelago;

it started on a stormy night.

Terza Rima Sonnet - Pernese Call to War

Pern is for Pern (Anne McCaffrey)

The Pern series was my first fandom  that I fell into. I read the Dolphins of Pern in middle school. I was in

love with dolphin and dragons and the cover made me drool. So I read it and was in love. There was so much to Pern that appealed to me. Dragons, telepathic abilities, a non-technological world, adventure, and danger, what more could you ask for?

Oh, as I got older, I found more of Pern to love and some to hate. The non-theological basis for the world and the latter science based themes appealed to me even more. I read books, bought books, collected the harder to find books. I even made bubbly pies from the Dragonlover's Guide to Pern (2nd edition). A most excellent recipe for any fan to try.

After a while I wandered to other worlds, but would always come back. When Anne's son, Todd took of the mantle of Pern, I started reading the new generation of Pern stories. When Anne passed away in late 2011 I was crushed. She was a hero of mine and an amazing writer and a pioneer for women science fiction writers, with equally amazing, Andre Norton. Now, Todd has continued to write Pern stories (and I am about three or four books behind), but I thought that today's prompt would fit rather well with Pern's battle with Thread.

NaPoWriMo:
And now for our (as always, optional) prompt, which takes us from 2015 back to the 1700s. After all, it’s the eighteenth of April, which means that today is the 240th anniversary of the midnight ride of Paul Revere! Today, in keeping with the theme of rush and warning, I challenge you to write a poem that involves an urgent journey and an important message. It could historical, mythical, entirely fictional, or memoir-ical.

I wrote a Terza Rima Sonnet about the call to Thread attack. A little homage to Anne and Pern in the feel of Paul Revere riding to call the colonists to action. I hope you enjoy, Dear Reader.

Poetric Style: Terza Rima Sonnet scheme - aba, bcb, cdc, ded, ee

Pernese Call to War

Anon is the hour for us to take flight
we are bound as one to join in the assault
Although our fears hold us in bitterly tight.

In the smell of Dragon's sweat we will exalt,
knowing that the coming Fall races to us--
hungry and mindless does it accomplish to vault

Across the black void of space it's course, dauntless
from the maleviolent Red Star of it's birth,
Thread is looking to conquer Pern's own greenness.

So to the sky surges the great Dragon's girth
in battle for the fair hand of gentle Pern.
And in victory we shall sing songs of mirth.

When the generations have passed, we must learn
of those first arrivals upon shores Southern.

ROW80 update:
   *Reading: finished The Dragon and the George (Gordon R. Dickson) and started Murder in the Mews (Agatha Christie).
   *Writing: have written everyday for NaPoWriMo, a 30 day poetry challenge and Blogging from A to Z, a challenge through the alphabet and can be about anything and everything. Come on over and check it out!!

Wish I had more, but it's been a busy month. I do have a couple small goals that I am working on. A Round of Words in 80 Days is a blog challenge that allows you to set goals and report on them on a Blog Hop and meet fellow writers. Come on in and set a spell!

This week:
    *Writing: write a 2500 word flash fiction for #writestuff monthly challenge. Try to write something for Toasted Cheese's spring/summer challenge, A Midsummer Tale.
    *Reading: finish Murder in the Mews and start Alysa of the Fields (Tina Field Howe).

A to Z Challenge: Gimme a D-R-A-G-O-N. What does that spell?

Today is Friday and I am so ready for it. It's been a long week, filled with writings and theatre projects. Saturday is all but booked. I am not sure how I am going to manage Saturday, but it's a day of theatre with my friends. So, I can't complain too much.

I was trying to think about what I would write about today. I wanted something interesting for you, Dear Readers and something fun and really represented me. Then the idea kind of smacked me in the face with it's tail. DRAGONS! I am absolutely bonkers for (as you can tell from the web address of this blog.

All the Weyrs of Pern cover

I am not sure when I first discovered dragons and how awesome they were, but the two series of books that pulled me in deeper were the "Enchanted Forest Chronicles" by Patricia Wrede. That features a dragon Kazul, who instead of eating princesses and ransacking village takes in a Princess (Cimorene) to be her student and basically clean up after her. It's more of a friendship. But that friendship builds into adventures with the Enchanted Forest (which is quite the place to be). The other is the "Dragonriders of Pern" by Anne McCaffrey and later her son, Todd McCaffrey. A whole series of series of books about the little planet of Pern and the mighty Dragons created to help protect it.

Over the years I have collected statues and stuffed animals, to books and weaponry that feature this mighty creature of legend. Also, there are so many different stories and myths about the dragon that range from greedy, fire breather that wants to fights knights and eat princesses to that of the story that a rainbow is formed from a dragon rubbing it's back against the sky during a storm. All of these stories are fascinating, even the ones that feature dragon that don't always look like dragon, but are considered dragons, the sea monster Kraken (form differs from area and storyteller. Sometimes it's a dragon and sometimes it's more like a giant squid) from the Greek myth of Andromeda or the Norse dragon Fafnir, who was a shape shifter.

Bearded Dragon

Komodo Dragon

Dragons are everywhere both the real world, such as the Komodo and Bearded Dragons to wrapped in movies and stories with the likes of Elliot from Pete's Dragon (the kindliest of Dragons) to Smaug from Tolkien's "The Hobbit". There is strength within the dragon that I have aspired to. Dragons are a great patron animal to have as your own. They not only make you feel brave, but they guide you with wisdom, as Samaranth does, he's from the "Chronicles of the Imaginarium Geographica", written by James A. Owen (I might have mentioned him before).

Samaranth by James A. Owen

Elliot

My favourite dragon has to be the Asian lung, a water/storm dragon that  lives in rivers and clouds, depending on the species. Where they are located will determine how many   toes they have. A Japanese dragon,  in Japan will have more toes than a Korean dragon also in Japan. The same is for Korean and Chinese Asian Lung. So, the number of toes equates to power, based on where the dragon originates. And the pearl that they are so often depicted with is actually their egg. Asian Lung are considered more kindly and very wise, but you ultimately wouldn't want to piss off a dragon.