Fiction Rave: The Dragons of Trinity County

I don't swoon at dragons. They had their day as the hot creature on the genre shelf. These days vampires, zombies, pirates have all had their time in the sun recently, but some still enjoy their dragons. Reptiles that can be larger than houses, breathe fire, and if you're lucky allow you to fly them. I want more in my fiction than a pretty reptilian face. Peter S. Beagle's Trinity County, CA (subtitled, You'll Want to Come Again, and We'll Be Glad to See You!) delivers. While never explicitly mentioning dragons (they're just the big D), they're an invasive species that has taken over wild California hills in Peter S. Beagle's story.

This classic pairing of the grizzled old timer whose been patrolling the hills for years and the newbie, know it all woman fresh out of the academy combine to have great voices that make it a pleasure to read. Moreover, the background of life in the forgotten hills, replete with marijuana and methamphetamines, provide a gorgeous backdrop.

The story took first place in Orson Scott Card's Intergalactic Galaxy Medicine Show magazine's 2010 reader awards. The magazine is made to winners of their reader awards available for free, Trinity County, CA is highly recommended.