Fiction in Dragon magazine

[JustaPlayer]

Honestly ... I just don't read the fiction in Dragon. It's pure wasted pages for me.

I don't know why; normally I love short fiction. But even when I make a pointed attempt to read the fiction in Dragon, my eyes glaze over.

It's a bizarre phenomenon.

-The Gneech

Not really. Frankly most of it isn't very good. No, the good stuff goes in Sci-Fi/Fantasy mags.

 

[Glyfair]

Honestly ... I just don't read the fiction in Dragon. It's pure wasted pages for me.

I don't know why; normally I love short fiction. But even when I make a pointed attempt to read the fiction in Dragon, my eyes glaze over.

Is it the fiction, or that it's in Dragon?

In other words, if it was the same story you would enjoy when you read it elsewhere, but in Dragon, would you eyes still glaze over?

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

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?

That's the only circumstance I would welcome fiction in Dragon.

The whole game-fiction idea has given us endless crappy novels by nearly every game company out there. While each line has a few gems, it has many more novels that would not normally be published, not because of subject matter (honestly, most fantasy novels today are incredibly generic, so generic game fiction doesn't offend on that score) but because the writing simply isn't there. (And being able to author an adventure or a supplement in no way suggests said writer can write fiction, something we've unfortunately gotten ample proof of at this point.)

At this point, I flip past all of the fiction in Dragon, unless it's an excerpt from a novelist's upcoming work. ("Novelist" defined here as "guy who got fantasy published by a major publishing house and not as part of a marketing tie-in fiction line.") The most recent such I can recall is George R.R. Martin's chapter preview a few years back.

I pine for the days of Niall of the Far Travels but have no expectation that we'll ever see their like again.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Not really. Frankly most of it isn't very good. No, the good stuff goes in Sci-Fi/Fantasy mags.

Which is racked next to Dragon in my Barnes & Noble anyway. If I wanted that stuff, The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction is unbelievably awesome, cheaper and packed with stories. (It's not sword & sorcery very often, but those magazines are racked nearby, too.)

 

[WayneLigon]

I pine for the days of Niall of the Far Travels but have no expectation that we'll ever see their like again.

How would you know, if you just flip past it?

Which is racked next to Dragon in my Barnes & Noble anyway. If I wanted that stuff, The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction is unbelievably awesome, cheaper and packed with stories. (It's not sword & sorcery very often, but those magazines are racked nearby, too.)

I want names if you're finding print magazines with sword and sorcery tales in them on a regular basis. I haven't been able to find anything. Black Gate is about the closest thing I've seen. Weird Tales; I dunno if they are still in business or not, but they don't tend to have much S&S.

 

[The_Gneech]

Is it the fiction, or that it's in Dragon?

In other words, if it was the same story you would enjoy when you read it elsewhere, but in Dragon, would you eyes still glaze over?

Not having a handy way to test this, I'm not sure. I read Weird Tales from time to time, and my reaction to the stories varies by story. So I guess it's just the context of finding them in the middle of where I want my magic items, new monsters, and class variants to be.

-TG

 

[Philotomy Jurament]

I always liked the idea of fiction of Dragon, but the reality of it never worked that well, for me. I guess when it comes right down to it, I'd rather have a gaming article in Dragon, and read the fiction somewhere else.

 

[Nathan P. Mahney]

I have no problem with fiction in Dragon, as long as it's not D&D-related, and as long as it's quality. If the purpose of fiction in the magazine is to fuel the imagination, keep D&D out of it - imagination is rarely fuelled by the familiar.

 

[Faraer]

I don't know why; normally I love short fiction. But even when I make a pointed attempt to read the fiction in Dragon, my eyes glaze over.

It's a bizarre phenomenon.

Bravo, a plain response that doesn't feel the need to project or rationalize itself into dogma. Pay attention, 007.

 

[Jefe Bergenstein]

I've never liked the fiction in Dragon, regardless of its author. If I want short stories, I'll buy a short story anthology. I was particularly annoyed by the 4 pieces of fiction in the anniversary issue.

Disliking fiction doesnt mean that I dislike fluff. By and large, the egology sections are fluff, but its fluff I can use a lot more readily than a 6 page story.