When you are sick, do you have ‘comfort’ items that automatically make you feel better? Maybe a favorite pair of pajamas or a blanket? I always feel better when I curl up in my oversized The Lost Boys tee and fuzzy socks. (Side note – If you haven’t seen the 1987 movie The Lost Boys, you must correct this oversight! Teen angst, a hardcore soundtrack, the two Corys, Kiefer Sutherland, and not a sparkle in sight! The way teen vampires were meant to be!) My absolute ‘this-makes-me-feel-better’ item is my dogeared copy of Eyes of the Dragon by Stephen King. I have read this book several times, during COVID and recovery from shoulder surgery and during many, many, many migraines. It is a comfort to me. I know the story so I can follow along without expending too much brain energy. It is entertaining, so it raises my endorphins. It is well written, so it inspires me to work on my own craft.
First published in hard cover in 1984, then paperback in 1987, Eyes of the Dragon is not your typical Stephen King novel. This tale was originally written for his daughter, who did not like horror stories. When he asked her what she would like to read about, she answered ‘Dragons’. So, he created a magical kingdom for her, complete with princes, dragons, wizards, and magic. Sort of a fairy tale with a King twist. Narrated by an unnamed storyteller, you get the sense of sitting around a campfire at night, resting yourself after a long day of travel. Our narrator tells us the fantastical story set in the magical kingdom of Delain. He peppers his tale with his own thoughts, often challenging the listener/reader to come to their own conclusions about the actions of our story’s characters.
Our tale focuses on the royal family. King Roland is a robust and hearty man. Queen Sasha is the love of his life – soft-spoken yet firm, beautiful… Don’t get attached. Their two sons, Prince Peter and Prince Thomas, are as different as two brothers could be. Peter is tall, handsome, charming (he is a prince, of course!), and smart. Everybody loves Peter. Everybody… does not like Thomas. Poor Thomas is not as charming as Peter. Not tall and good-looking like Peter. Not as good at schoolwork as Peter. Even their own father favors Peter the most. Perhaps he sees too much of himself in Thomas. Whatever the reason, Thomas is a lonely boy with many insecurities. Eager for a friend. Any friend.
Enter our antagonist, the dark wizard Flagg. (Yes, that Flagg who appears in several of King’s novels. This is his second appearance in King’s universe.) In this time, he is royal advisor to the King, essentially his right-hand man. In at least four other lifetimes in Delain, he has been the chief executioner, killing hundreds on the gallows. Or a twisted, malignant taxman determined to wring every last cent from the peasants. His biggest ambition is to destroy Delain and its monarchy, thereby throwing the kingdom into ‘a thousand years of bloody anarchy, give or take a couple of months’.
He is a nasty one. Ready to exploit any weakness he sees. A weakness such as a weak-willed, often ignored, unfavorably compared little boy. A royal prince no less.
The kingdom is shocked when King Roland dies suddenly. It is not an easy death – the king burns from the inside, his final breath a green glowing flame. Courtiers and common folk alike are baffled. What had happened to their King?
One word whispers across the cobbled courtyards of the castle, flowing down to the taverns and farmhouses.
Murder.
Not a regular murder. Murdered by a son, a royal prince. And not the one you would expect.
I am not going to spoil the rest of the story. I know Stephen King is not for everybody. I do feel this book–though not as popular as his other books–has a more widespread appeal. It is epic high fantasy as opposed to his works of horror or psychological terror. It shows King’s range. He can scare us with a rabid dog, give us nightmares with a killer clown, or give us glimpses of an apocalyptic future we could have had with COVID. In this story, he can also sit down with us and regale us with a tale of intrigue, mystery, and fantasy.
I haven’t forgotten his daughter’s dragon. The way he weaves this mythological beast into the story is just genius.
You know what? I have a headache right now. Maybe it is time again to curl up with my well-worn, beloved copy of Eyes of the Dragon and lose myself in the realm of Delain.
From Amazon: Once, in a kingdom called Delain, there was a king with two sons…
Thus begins one of the most unique tales that master storyteller Stephen King has ever written—a sprawling fantasy of dark magic and the struggle for absolute power that utterly transforms the destinies of two brothers born into royalty. Through this enthralling masterpiece of mythical adventure, intrigue, and terror, you will thrill to this unforgettable narrative filled with relentless, wicked enchantment and the most terrible of secrets…
