The Eyes of the Dragon

By Stephen King

Once Upon a Time, There Was Terror…

The Eyes of the Dragon

A tale of archetypal heroes and sweeping adventures, of dragons and princes and evil wizards, here is epic fantasy as only Stephen King could envision it.

A kingdom is in turmoil as the old King Roland dies and its worthy successor, Prince Peter must do battle to claim what is rightfully his. Plotting against him is the evil Flagg and his pawn, young Prince Thomas. Yet with every plan there are holes—like Thomas’s terrible secret. And the determined Prince Peter, who is planning a daring escape from his imprisonment…

Stephen King has taken the classic fairy tale and transformed it into a masterpiece of fiction for the ages.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Penguin Group
• Release date: Dec 8, 1987
• ISBN: 9781101138076

Stephen King

Stephen King is the author of more than sixty books, all of them worldwide bestsellers. His recent work includes the short story collection You Like It Darker, Holly, Fairy Tale, Billy Summers, If It Bleeds, The Institute, Elevation, The Outsider, Sleeping Beauties (cowritten with his son Owen King), and the Bill Hodges trilogy: End of Watch, Finders Keepers, and Mr. Mercedes (an Edgar Award winner for Best Novel and a television series streaming on Peacock). His novel 11/22/63 was named a top ten book of 2011 by The New York Times Book Review and won the Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Mystery/Thriller. His epic works The Dark Tower, It, Pet Sematary, Doctor Sleep, and Firestarter are the basis for major motion pictures, with It now the highest-grossing horror film of all time. He is the recipient of the 2020 Audio Publishers Association Lifetime Achievement Award, the 2018 PEN America Literary Service Award, the 2014 National Medal of Arts, and the 2003 National Book Foundation Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters. He lives in Bangor, Maine, with his wife, novelist Tabitha King. 

Reviews for The Eyes of the Dragon

[thewallflower-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This was way better than I thought it would be. King’s known for horror, not high fantasy. Before this point, the only other fantasy he wrote (if you don’t count The Gunslinger, which goes beyond genres) was The Talisman. And after this point, he didn’t go back to it for a long time. So I thought it would be a disaster. When an author writes outside their wheelhouse, you get wary. But it was also written in 1987, around the same time as It, Misery, and Skeleton Crew. And before he got sober.The whole book has a fun storyteller vibe, like an old man in a tavern telling you the saga of King What’s-his-face. And since it’s a secondary world, you don’t have to worry about those Stephen King cliches.However, the weird thing is the story never seems to start. It keeps describing characters, giving anecdotes, showing the history of the kingdom, etc. but you’re halfway through the book and the inciting incident hasn’t occurred. The narration consistently feels like it’s building towards something all throughout, which is disconcerting.But overall, yes, I recommend it. It’s a good book even for the non-Stephen King fan and I plan on reading the sequel.

[leanne.atutis · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

this is probably the 100th time i have read this book and it never, ever, disappoints. perhaps i have a soft spot for it, as it is the first 'no pictures" book i have ever read almost over 25 years ago. the characterization is phenomenal and you become a part of not only the characters but are invited into their psyche. it's a magical, mystical, mysterious read with moments of sincerity mixed with darkness. it's luxe and i love it.

[hredwards · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Mr. King is one of my favorite authors. But for some reason I could not get into this book. It's a good fantasy story, but just not quite up to King's usual work.

[df1a_nathanb · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I thought the book itself was good, only a bit long and tiresome. The writing and plot are interesting, and the characters are specific too. I just dont like how long the book dragged on the what seems like an unnecesary amount of time. Not captivating enough.

[aliceanna-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Really a delightful children's story that is also a good read for adults. Very simple yet clever.

[librarycin · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

3.75 starsRoland is King of Delain and has two sons: Peter is the older son and is heir to the throne; he seems to be everyone's favourite. Thomas is the younger son and is jealous of Peter. Flagg, Roland's magician and advisor knows that he won't be able to stick around once Peter is King, so he has a plan...I really enjoyed this. Even though I'm not always a fantasy fan, this seemed to be aimed at a YA audience, so it did appeal to me more. It also read a little bit like a fairy tale, which I enjoy. I also liked the little bit of humour inserted every so often. This was my first book on my new Kobo, so it took a little bit to get used to the Kobo initially, but once I settled in with it, I was really able to enjoy it more. If King ever wrote a sequel to it, I'd be interested in reading it.

[kraysaulis · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Surprisingly well-written, but the typos pulled me out of the story more often than the narrator did.

[aryadeschain-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

If you compare this book to most of Stephen King's other books, you'll find that, in spite of keeping some of his trademarks, The Eyes of the Dragon is actually rather refreshing. You can see that several elements of this book were created based on books that he already wrote, and yet King manages to create a brand new world with original characters, and yet not straying too far from the Hero's Journey formula. The characters of this book, from the main ones to the regular citizens are very human and very realistic. The hero and the villain have very distinct points of view and unlike several other books, they are not too aware of each others thoughts.

I wouldn't go as far as calling this book a "masterpiece", but it was one of the best books from Stephen King that I read so far.

[thelivesoundguy · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I believe that somewhere in my library I still have a signed and sealed copy of this book.

[sonicquack · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Stephen King's talent is a little wasted in this fleshed out short story about political backstabbing in the fantasy kingdom of Delain. Although it's a strictly by the numbers affair, the story is interesting enough to see you through to the end. The characters are rather dull, even with considerable time devoted to their development, for the book spans some 20 years or so. Despite this time-scale, the plot is very simple and never really looks beyond the few central protagonists. Overall, this feels more like a short story than a full book and takes a simple narrative style, when it could have been so much better.

[karrieskorner · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This is a fairy tale by Stephen King. It a great little tale, but a big departure from King's other works.

[authormarion · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I read this book when it was first released and remembered enjoying it at that time. Now, I have re-read it again and believe that I enjoyed it even more than the initial reading. The tone of the book is reminiscent of fairy tales of my youth. All the ingredients (a kingdom, good and bad royals, faithful servants, an evil force, a murder most foul, high adventure, mythical beasts) combine for a magical venture into the realm of fantasy. This is an easy read. Don't read too much into the story. It is simply fantasy done extremely well. I am an avid Stephen King fan and of all his works this one ranks #2 in my book - right after The Stand.

[ceora-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Gorgeous fairy tale/fantasy. I went in with high expectations (loved Dark Tower though not familiar with much of King's other stuff) and was not at all disappointed. Loved every word of it.Eventually decided I felt a bit meh on the illustrations though. I really, really wanted to love them, they were almost perfect, but the soft edges drove me nuts.

[donnagalanti · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Many people I know have not heard of this book. A fantastic tale for grown up and kids alike, full of real heroes and unlikable characters you want to hate...and some you want to pity as well. Its about keeping hope in the darkest of places and never forgetting that anything can be done with the help of true friends willing to risk everything. Have re-read it many times since adolescence. You want to keep turning the page with this book...hating what happens to the hero and reading on desperately hoping he is redeemed against all odds.

[norabelle414 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

audiobook from the library - A classic fairy tale-style story. Drunken kings, kind queens, ferocious dragons, noble and not-so-noble princes, evil magicians, loyal butlers, etc. etc. It's usual Stephen King style, which means the whole thing could have been told in half as many words. But it was still good.Be warned if listening to this as an audiobook - the narrator is great but there is a lot of yelling and screaming.

[wordgeek76 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Good story. Reminiscent of old fairy tales with the Stephen King slant. Thoroughly enjoyed it.

[narilka · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is not your typical Stephen King book. The Eyes of the Dragon is a great story for a younger reader about kings, princes, dark magic and daring heroics. The characters are memorable and the action is fast paced. The story itself is rather simplistic, but that makes sense as I believe this was written for his teenaged daughter at the time. That said, it was still an entertaining read.

[laphenix · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

A strong beginning and a long, slow end. I loved the characters and the narration of this book, however I expected more from a Stephen King plot. The dominoes didn't magically fall into place, the path didn't lead to the promised yet unexpected ending, nor did the story leave me with a sense of triumph.

[lukerik-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This book is related to The Stand and the Dark Tower Series (and thus to many of King's other books), though only through echoes. You needn't read those to enjoy this. It sits halfway between a child's and a young adult's book. I contains the word 'bastard' and has a inexpicit discussion of impotence. The authorial voice is a pastiche of CS Lewis but the story has none of the heavy hidden meanings. This is a simple story with a goody and a baddie and a simplistic fantasy setting. If you want a STORY, nothing more and nothing less, this is your book. It's very readable; I did it in one sitting.

[mahsdad · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Read this many years ago, when it first came out, and recently went back to it on audio (from the library). This is King's foray into Young Adult Fantasy fiction, that he was inspired to write, when he had written 13 novels and his daughter had reached 13 years and had never read (nor desired to) any of his books.It is the story of a kingdom and its elderly monarch; Roland, his two sons and his "trusted" adviser/wizard Flagg. There really isn't much fantasy (at least too my mind) in this story, other than it set in a far off fairy tale like world and sure there is the one encounter with a dragon, and Flagg has been around for more years than is possible and has magical powers. Okay, in retrospect there is a lot of fantasy elements, but the bulk of the the story deals with regicide, political intrigue, wrongful imprisonment and redemption, all orchestrated by the man behind the curtain; Flagg.It was a pretty good story, not great, but worth your time, if you are a King-o-phile. If you've read his other works, especially, the Dark Tower series and the Stand, you will recognize the names and see that while King's stories might not all be in one universe, they touch in various places and bleed through. 6/10S: 3/11/15 F: 3/26/15 (16 Days)

[sturlington_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

King takes a stab at young adult fantasy. Not a very memorable book, but probably still better than loads of other books in this category.

[edward.lorn · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I understand that this was many readers' first King book. I understand that this book rests in the hearts of thousands. I understand this is meant to be a fairytale, and that I am not the target audience. I understand all that and I still choose to hate this book. How'd Bobby Brown put it... "It's my prerogative."

The Eyes of the Dragon was slightly more bearable this go around because Laddie from Perfect Strangers read it to me, and I highly suggest you take the same route when/if you decide to tackle this lesser-known fantasy novel. Bronson Pinchot's performance is fantastic, and lends entertainment value to some of the most boring shit King has ever written. There are only three major scenes in the book, and the plot doesn't even begin until a hundred pages in. That would be fine if this book was six- or seven-hundred pages long. But no. It's 380 pages long, with artwork and big-ass font to make the book seem thicker than it actually is.

This book ties in very loosely to the Dark Tower books. Delain is mentioned in several DT novels, and Thomas and Dennis's names are dropped in The Waste Lands, but overall, I feel that this one happens outside of Mid-World, in perhaps another inscape that resides off to the side, much like our own whens.

In summation: Not quite Young Adult because there's no trials-of-youth theme and nowhere near the quality of King's adult fiction, The Eyes of the Dragon is pretty much impossible to categorize in the King-verse. Recommended to King completionists only.

[celestialfingerpaint · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is a book that can make you fall in love with fairy tales all over again. I read it when I was in middle school and wrote to Stephen King to ask him if Flagg and Randall Flagg from "The Stand" were the same character. When he responded and told me they are, it sent me on a quest to see how many of his books I can spot Flagg in. (I've counted four.)Being a fairy tale doesn't take anything away from what makes King's novels so great. It simply provides a backdrop for a book that has wonderfully fleshed out characters. Certainly, being longer than the average fairy tale, the characters seem more alive and the reader can form attachments to them that one usually just doesn't feel for Snow White or Cinderella.Lest we be lost in this make believe realm, King brings us back to reality right at the end. This is my favorite quote from the book: "Did they live happily ever after? They did not. No one ever does, in spite of what the stories may say. They had their good days, as you do, and they had their bad days, and you know about those. They had their victories, as you do, and they had their defeats, and you know about those, too. There were times when they felt ashamed of themselves, knowing they had not done their best, and there were times when they knew they had stood where their God had meant them to stand. All I'm trying to say is that they lived as well as they could."

[duranfan · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Great fantasy novel. King once again creates characters so real you fall in love with them and hate to see the book end. Not your usual King novel, this one void of anything gorey or downright scary. Tame enough for kids and teens, but well-written to be enjoyed by adults.

[niecierpek · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A great book for younger readers. The only King I read from cover to cover and enjoyed.

[nm2fall072jcorrea · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book wasn't a let down. It has a great plot and amazing characters. From beginning to end you'll be excited. This wont bore, this book is a great example that books dont need action for them to be interesting. Stephen King switches between a couple of characters. Its about a king who has a son but than he has another who if he could would do without

[pingobarg · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

the best fanasy/morality tale ever. move over leaves of grass!

[beckahrah · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

One of my favorites by Stephen King! I love dragons and horror, and this book unifies those two genres into a vastly entertaining tale. Anyone who enjoys a good fantasy read and some classic Stephen King will thoroughly enjoy this story.

[pghdragonman · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Not quite a horror story, and definitely not a children's fairy tale, "Eyes of the Dragon" may best be described as a fantasy story with fairy tale overtones. It's all there, the old but well remembered king, the dutiful son and the evil court adviser, all the usual cast of characters we know so well. It is King's imagination that sets the story apart from the usual formula. While the story is an excellent read, the book is not as polished as some other of King's truly great works.

[blazingice0608 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Keep in mind that this is very different for King, it was meant to be an childrens story for one of his children. However, it turned out to be a great book. Its a very short, easy read that is tightly paced. I pretty much read it in a day or two, but it was worth it. Its a fantasy type novel staring a famous character of Kings names Flagg. Any diehard King fan must read this book