Book Review: The Eyes of the Dragon

The Eyes of the Dragon by Stephen King
Release Date: February 1987
Publisher: Viking (now owned by Penguin)
Audience: Everyone
Pages: 384
Buy the Book: Amazon
Book Rating: 3/5








Day four of Stephen King week!

Today I am going to cheat a little bit and review The Eyes of the Dragon. A departure from most of his oeuvre, this book, while straight fantasy, still harbors that Stephen King flair.

The Eyes of the Dragon follows two brothers, princes, who are to inherit the kingdom. However, the older brother, Peter, is framed for the murder of the King by Flagg (our villain and stereotypical evil advisor) and the younger brother, Thomas, is placed on the throne. Flagg, knowing Thomas is only 12, offers his services and advice and Thomas, not knowing any better, gives him more and more power, despite knowing Flagg framed Peter and killed his father. The brunt of the novel follows both Peter's attempts to escape prison and kill Flagg along with the decay of the kingdom, the throne, and Thomas.

I think the main reason I enjoy this novel is that the novel, while including many tropes from the fantasy genre, focuses not on the kingdom per se but the two brothers. It is interesting to see how Peter and Thomas, through chance and circumstance, become two completely different individuals. By the end of the novel Thomas, under Flagg's influence, has become a obese, dunk, shamble of a man while Peter is almost the complete opposite. For me, the compelling elements of this novel is seeing the passage of time and affects of entropy on the two princes.

However, beyond that you do not get much other than the general plot of: good king replaced by inept king ruled by evil advisor via murder and rightful king is banished. I am sure you all can guess as to the novels outcome from there. Yet again, perhaps not one of his strongest novels, and not a dystopian novel (unless you count the dark potential we all share given the effects of entropy, decay, and the passage of time on the human frame) It is worth checking out from your local library. Stephen King offers nothing new in this book as far as the fantasy genre is concerned, but it somehow feels fresh.