THE SCALEHUNTER'S BEAUTIFUL DAUGHTER by Lucius Shepard. Willimantic, CT; Mark V. Ziesing; 1988. 1st edition hardcover. "The Scalehunter's Beautiful Daughter" is built around an independent, separate sequence of events from the acclaimed Shepard short story "The Man Who Painted the Dragon Griaule" which was nominated for Hugo, World Fantasy, and Nebula Awards. This novella begins and ends with the paralyzed dragon who constitutes the setting for each story. Catherine, the heroine, determines her own fate. No knights in shining armour come to her rescue from the drooling horde of mental defects who imprison her. She has no suitor to aid her, no loyal family servant does her dirty work. And, in the end, nobody slays the dragon. As the dust jacket proclaims, "this is a story of betrayal and vengeance, lust and violence. Yet it is also a tale trust and forgiveness, love and tenderness. A story about predestiny and adventure..." Lucius Shepard's novels include Green Eyes and Life During Wartime. He won the John W. Campbell Award in 1984 as the Best New Writer. Fine in fine dj. |