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Book Review By Ursawolf
The Dragon and the George by Gordon R. Dickson

This is the first book in the Dragon Knight series.

Jim Eckert is a graduate student and teaching assistant struggling to gain an instructor position at Riveroak College. When his fiancée, Angie, suddenly disappears during a graduate student's experiment, Jim goes after her and lands in an alternate world where magic exists. He discovers that Angie has been taken captive by a community of dragons, and that he himself is in the body of the dragon Gorbash. Furthermore, Jim and Angie's arrival has stirred the interest of the evil Dark Powers, a malevolent force existing solely to upset the balance between History and Chance.

When Angie is taken away to the Loathly Tower by a dragon under the control of the Dark Powers, Jim seeks out the advice of the powerful mage Carolinus. Carolinus tells Jim that, if he wants to rescue Angie, he must ally himself with several Companions. So, in his dragon body, Jim embarks on a quest to find his Companions and convince them to join his cause. Among his Companions are Sir Brian, the bachelor knight; Secoh, the timid mere-dragon; Aragh, the grim and philosophical English wolf; Danielle, the beautiful outlaw's daughter, and Dafydd, the greatest archer in the land. Along the way to the Loathly Tower, Jim and his Companions must battle fearsome sandmirks, rescue Sir Brian's lady from a wicked knight, and, ultimately, face the dark creatures awaiting them at the Loathly Tower.


Plot & Themes
Tone of book - suspenseful (sophisticated fear)
FANTASY or SCIENCE FICTION? - part earth & part fantasy world
Explore/1st contact/ enviro story Yes
Explore:
Adversaries are… - dragon buddy
Is this an adult or child's book? - Adult or Young Adult Book
GIANT monster(s) Yes
Descript. of chases or violence - 20 %
planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 40 %
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 20 %
Descript. of society, phenomena (tech), places - 20 %

Main Character
Identity: - Male
Profession/status:

Main Adversary
Identity: - An "It".
Age: - long-lived adults
Profession/status:
Has magical powers? Yes
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in: - a moderate amount
How sensitive is this character?
Sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence - Very much smarter than other characters

Setting
Takes place on Earth? Yes

Writing Style
Accounts of torture and death? - moderately detailed references to deaths
How much dialogue? - roughly even amounts of descript and dialog
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