Fiction in Dragon magazine

[Glyfair]

In my reviews of the classic issues of The Strategic Review & The Dragon, I've noticed that in the early days fiction was a strong element in The Dragon. Even then it was controversial including it in a "wargaming magazine.' However, lets look at some of the authors who appeared just in the first 15 issues of the magazine.

• Fritz Leiber
• Gardner F. Fox
• Andre Norton
• L. Sprague de Camp
• Fletcher Pratt

All of these are hall-of-fame caliber fantasy authors. Fritz Leiber had a close association with the staff (indeed, TSR published a few things based on Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser). Gardner F. Fox not only appeared regularly, he had an ongoing series in the magazine. I remember during the days looking for the next story in the series.

Do you think including fiction in Dragon would be more acceptable today if this caliber of author's were the ones with stories being printed? It wouldn't be for everyone, but little in the magazine is. We've had George R.R. Martin in recent years. If the top fantasy author's were producing the fiction (plus whatever legends are still around) on a periodic basis, would you like to see it?

 

[Brakkart]

No not really. When there is fiction in Dragon magazine I generally prefer it to be D&D related. I get far more excited about seeing a new short story by an author like Richard Lee Byers, Richard Baker, Paul S. Kemp etc than anything by "big" authors like George R. R. Martin. Dragon is the official magazine of Dungeons and Dragons and I like it when it stays that way. It used to have articles covering everything back in the day and fiction of all sorts and the magazine was a mess as a result.

Focus is everything and right now Dragon (and Dungeon too for that matter) have that sorted out. Long may that trend continue!

 

[BiggusGeekus]

If you look at the Dragon Magazine CD-ROM, you'll find some outstanding fiction from issues 1-250.

Personally, I suuport short fiction in Dragon. An idea can come from a story just as easily from a new feat.

 

[Glyfair]

Personally, I suuport short fiction in Dragon. An idea can come from a story just as easily from a new feat.

I agree as long as it's either D&D related (an Eberron or Forgotten Realms story) or else D&D appropriate from a major author. It also needs to be reasonably solid in quality. It doesn't need to be Tolkein, it is "gaming fiction" usually, but it should at least be professional.

It also shouldn't dominate the issue directly. An unpublished Jack Vance Dying Earth story with articles tying the Dying Earth into D&D would be great. However, 3 different fiction articles taking up 2/3 of the issue (as happened in some early Dragon's) I wouldn't support. I also wouldn't support it every issue.

 

[WmRAllen67]

I'm not opposed, but make sure you bring back the Monster Hunters! The encyclopedia-style ecologies don't do as much for me...

 

[JustaPlayer]

I'm not opposed, but make sure you bring back the Monster Hunters! The encyclopedia-style ecologies don't do as much for me...

Ack! Noooooooooooooooo!
I get much more out of it now then I ever did back then.

 

[Graf]

I’m in the “no” camp.

Its very hard to write short captivating fiction. I remember reading a few very well written dragon stories.
Usually, I’d gotten the magazine months earlier, read everything else and was just killing time.
The fiction-reading mindset is very different (for me) than the gaming mindset.
With dragon you’re actively hunting out new information and processing it for storage in the gaming machine. You leap from article to article searching for new information and ways it could be deployed in your game.

Fiction and book reading is also mentally tiring, but I think the process of reading is very different. I didn’t read any of the fiction in 344 for example. I’m aware there is historical precedent (and certainly including something from GG was proper) but in general its not what you buy dragon for.

Especially since about 10 pages are (multiple!) advertorials for WotC products I already have or know about.

 

[Mouseferatu]

No not really. When there is fiction in Dragon magazine I generally prefer it to be D&D related. I get far more excited about seeing a new short story by an author like Richard Lee Byers, Richard Baker, Paul S. Kemp etc than anything by "big" authors like George R. R. Martin. Dragon is the official magazine of Dungeons and Dragons and I like it when it stays that way. It used to have articles covering everything back in the day and fiction of all sorts and the magazine was a mess as a result.

Focus is everything and right now Dragon (and Dungeon too for that matter) have that sorted out. Long may that trend continue!

Word.

 

[Aus_Snow]

Do you think including fiction in Dragon would be more acceptable today if this caliber of author's were the ones with stories being printed? It wouldn't be for everyone, but little in the magazine is. We've had George R.R. Martin in recent years. If the top fantasy author's were producing the fiction (plus whatever legends are still around) on a periodic basis, would you like to see it?

No, I wouldn't. Reason being, I would rather there be no fiction in Dragon magazine at all. Ever.

Also, a whole lot less advertising would be neat. There used to be less. Yes I know, costs, etc., blah.

But yeah, that's what I'd like to see.

 

[arwink]

I like seeing fiction in Dragon, I've just rarely enjoyed the inclusion of Game Fiction in Dragon.

I'd gladly welcome back stories along the lines of the Fool Wolf series or Ben Bova's Orion stories, both of which have given me ideas for new adventures or campaigns in the past.

DnD fiction, on the other hand, is largely reflective of things that I already do with DnD. While I occasionally draw ideas from them, I'd rather be reading Enworlds Storyhour forum and see the open acknowledgement of the game underlaying the narrative.