I acquired Diary of a Dragon by Tad Williams from the same Scrabble player who gave me Death’s Last Run. This was a signed edition limited to 750 copies. It was a slight book of 64 pages, illustrated throughout by William Eakin. It tells the tale of a dragon who kidnaps the Princess Lillian, and holds her captive in his cave. He is unable to eat her–his reason for capturing her in the first place–since she had sequestered herself into the far recesses of the cave where the dragon’s fiery breath cannot reach. During this short story the two develop a friendship and the dragon decides he doesn’t want Princess Lillian for lunch after all. Via a visiting suitor, a knight named Sir Greg, Princess Lillian works her matchmaking magic in trying to pair the dragon, whose name we learn is Flammiferus Vermistorix, with an eligible female dragon. Much to his surprise Flammiferus finds himself engaged to Ms. Ophidia Montedraco and Princess Lillian and Sir Greg hold a double wedding ceremony.

The drawings were in brownish grey and not too impressive, but I am sure fans of dragons and fantasy fiction would like them. I liked Flammiferus for his snarky qualities and how pained Williams portrayed him each time Princess Lillian sang. Imagine how such an awful singer would echo throughout your cave home. I wonder if it was a ruse of hers to get Flammiferus to free her:

“Horrible princess sang songs all night. My old bones ache and my eyes feel like I have flown through a sandstorm. I threatened to roast her, but she just sang louder.”