Dragonsbane by Barbara Hambly
"Dragonsbane" is a fantasy tale centered around Lord John Aversin, known as the only man to have slain a dragon, and Jenny Waynest, a conflicted human mage. The story unfolds in the Winterlands, where Jenny struggles with her dual identity and her love for John, which complicates her magical aspirations. The narrative escalates when Prince Gareth seeks John's help to combat Morkeleb, a black dragon terrorizing the realm of Belmarie, a problem that is ultimately linked to the ambitions of Zyerne, a powerful sorceress and the king’s mistress.
As John and Jenny confront Morkeleb, they discover that the true threat stems from Zyerne's relentless pursuit of the Stone in the Deep, which grants immense power. Throughout the story, Jenny's internal conflict deepens as she faces Zyerne and grapples with her own magical limits. In a pivotal moment, Jenny heals Morkeleb, forming an unexpected bond with him, which leads to a climactic battle against Zyerne, who has become dangerously powerful after defiling the Stone.
The resolution sees Jenny choosing between her human life with John and the allure of her dragon form, ultimately embracing her true magical potential while recognizing the complexities of love and power. Through rich character dynamics and themes of sacrifice, "Dragonsbane" explores the intersection of human desires and magical destiny.
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Dragonsbane
First published: 1986
Type of work: Novel
Type of plot: Fantasy—heroic fantasy
Time of work: The late medieval period
Locale: The Realm of the King, Winterlands, and Belmarie
The Plot
Although Dragonsbane refers to Lord John Aversin of Alyn Hold, the only living man to have slain a dragon, the story centers on Jenny Waynest and the dilemma she faces in being both a human being and a mage. This dilemma first arose ten years before the time of the plot, when Jenny met and fell in love with John, and reaches its climax after Prince Gareth comes to the Winterlands, a province of King Urien’s realm, to recruit the aid of the Dragonsbane in ridding the Deep of Ylferdun of the black dragon. Reluctantly, Jenny and John, the north country scholar with a deep brogue and a love of old wives’ tales, accompany Gareth to the land of Belmarie to slay the dragon.
They soon realize that the dragon is merely a symptom of the realm’s problems. The king’s mistress, Zyerne, a beautiful but utterly ruthless young sorceress who places no limitations on her powers, is the disease. Jenny learns from a gnome mage, Lady Mab, that as a child Zyerne was apprenticed to the gnomes and learned their magic. While with them, Zyerne stole her way to the Stone in the heart of the Deep, the spot from which unlimited powers emanate. Zyerne’s every move since has been calculated to gain her permanent access to the Stone. For that purpose, she summoned Morkeleb, the black dragon, to rid the Deep of the gnomes and now is unable to banish the greedy dragon from the gold hordes. That is where Dragonsbane comes in. Zyerne wants John to kill Morkeleb so that she can take over the Deep. She did not count on the small witch, Jenny Waynest, getting in her way.
In contrast to Zyerne’s single-minded dedication to her “art,” for ten years Jenny’s life has been divided between her love for John and their two sons and her devotion to magic. She knows that she is no match for Zyerne and no threat to Morkeleb. When John insists that they battle the dragon to keep Zyerne from gaining ultimate power, she is distraught, having foreseen the outcome of the combat. When John stumbles back badly wounded, she decides to go into the Deep and find the places of healing to restore him to life. In so doing, she must confront Morkeleb. Also mortally wounded, Morkeleb telepathically bargains with her, offering to convey her through the intricate warrens if she will heal him. Jenny agrees, but not before she looks into the eyes of the dragon, entangling her soul with his.
After Jenny heals Morkeleb, she exacts his promise to leave and learns his true name, music that holds the essence of his soul and binds him to her. The problem is far from solved, however. By this time, Zyerne knows they are rid of the dragon and incites a mob to take over the Deep. Although Jenny’s powers have increased, she has practically exhausted her abilities in holding off the mob when Morkeleb unexpectedly returns. Morkeleb and Jenny are united in the final battle with Zyerne, now indomitable because she has defiled the Stone and attained unlimited power. Jenny and Morkeleb are able to hold off the shape-shifter until John and Gareth blow up the Stone, thus killing Zyerne.
Although peace returns to the land with Zyerne’s death, peace does not return to Jenny. She has tasted the freedom and magic of the dragon. Morkeleb wants her to accompany him north, as a dragon. After some deliberation, she sheds her humanness and soars into the sky, white dragon against black dragon. Even in the first glow of her freedom, though, she looks down on John Aversin and feels the sterility of this life, realizing that “the key to magic was not magic,” as her master Caerdinn had asserted, but the use of magic. As her love draws her back earthward, Morkeleb’s love for her allows her to go.