A Diversity of Dragons

Finally... She's written The Book on Dragons.<P>Anne McCaffrey is as renowned for her knowledge of dragons as she is for her <I>New York Times</I> bestselling novels. In this beautifully designed hardcover, McCaffrey focuses her attention on the fantastical creature's existence throughout history. Her words are complemented by the stunning color portraits by John Howe, noted for his success with several J.R.R. Tolkien calendars and maps.<P>Engagingly conceived, McCaffrey's story is a moderndaydragon fantasy, colored with excerpts of some of the most thrilling scenes taken from classic dragon tales and accompanied by John Howe's magnificent art. Dragons from the time of the Bible and the Babylonians, the Arthurian Era and the Chinese Dynasties, to the current dragons invented by Robin McKinley, Gordon R. Dickson, Melanie Rown, and McCaffrey herself--are all fully explored and rendered in glorious detail.<P>At once a thrilling history, a charming fantasy, and a tantalizing art book, <I>A Diversity of Dragons</I> is sure to find a place beside Anne McCaffrey's other bestsellers.

Richard J. Woods is a Dominican friar and teaches in Chicago and Blackfriars' Hall, Oxford University.