The story is of Joaz Banthen, the wise and modest
ruler of Banthen Valley.
Overseeing his land with aplomb, Joaz breeds dragons efficiently while
ensuring the villagers have enough food, as well as a means of escape when
danger comes. The latter is needed as
Ervis Carcolo, the ruler of nearby (ironically named) Happy
Valley, spites everything Joaz does,
and ultimately seeks to take over Banthen
Valley and its dragons
for his own. Humans inhabiting the world
for only a handful of generations, a species of alien patrol the neighboring
galaxy and pop in to take slaves as needed.
Fighting off the malice of Carcolo’s on one side and the harvesting of
humanity on the other, Joaz has his work cut out for him.
Action and entertainment taking center stage,
thematically there is little to say about The
Dragon Masters. What can be said is
that the hubris of working independently toward a goal common to all appears
and reappears; Ervis is not the only one who refuses to join forces with Joaz
to fight the aliens. An underground
group called the sacerdotes inhabit the land, secluding themselves, hoarding
their secrets, and are unwilling to unite against their common foe. Discussion futile, the smoke of battle drowns all.
In
the end, The Dragon Masters is full
barrel Vance aimed at fun and entertainment.
The usual bits and pieces of moral and cultural insight exist, but are
most often smothered by the carnage of Juggers, Termagants, Long-horned
Murderers, Striding Monsters, and other genetically modified beasts duking it
out in the valleys. Like a boy in the
sandbox with his collection of action figures, dragons, space ships, and ray
guns, Vance fills the story with all manner of youthful imagination. Short and sweet, the novella is recommended
as light reading for Vance fans for this precise reason.
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