The curse that follows the dragon slayer is a well-known tale passed down through generations. It tells the story of brave warriors who defeat dragons only to face a dire fate. According to the legend, anyone who slays a dragon is automatically afflicted with a curse that alters their life forever. The curse varies in severity, but it always leaves a lasting impact on the dragon slayer's well-being. One of the most common manifestations of the curse is a physical transformation. Dragon slayers find themselves slowly morphing into a dragon-like creature, with scales, claws, and a tail.
Review by Simon Ball
St George the dragon-slayer, the trophy bearer, protector of the armed forces, liberator of prisoners and defender of the poor, healer of the sick, Christ s soldier. Equally beautiful and not coincidentally known by the same name of Omorfokklisia is the church of St George in the eponymous village 21 km outside the town of Kastoria in northern Greece.
Dragon slayers find themselves slowly morphing into a dragon-like creature, with scales, claws, and a tail. This transformation is gradual and irreversible, leading the afflicted to become outcasts in society. Another aspect of the curse is the haunting nightmares that plague the dragon slayer.
Curse of the Dragon Slayer (2014)
You can never accuse us of not mixing things up a bit here at the Horror Hothouse! Curse of the Dragon Slayer is a sword and sorcery flick with a heavy debt owed to one JRR Tolkien.
In the best traditions of epic fantasy, the movie opens with a bold statement scrolling across the screen to tell us that the Shadow Cabal, an Orc cult, are after resurrecting Goth Azul, the Undead God, and unleashing all kinds of nasty stuff upon Earth. To do this they need the usual collection of mystic artefacts, You get the picture: blood of this, bone vessel of that sort of thing, everything a demonic Nigella would need to get cooking!
Image sourced from scifibloggers.com
Fortunately for us humans, elf assassin Nemyt (Danielle Churchran) shoots down a dragon riding orc messenger and gets to team up with Keltus the Wanderer (Richard McWilliams) a Knight of the Ruling Order and rogue orc Kullimon the Black (Paul D Hunt), as they hunt down the artefacts and attempt to prevent Goth Azul’s come back tour. Along the way we meet gun toting dwarves (don’t ask me why they are the only elvish people to have invented gun powder), river monsters that would make Jeremy Wade break out the brown waders, a goddess and some very hot and quite wicked mermaids. There’s also a lot of acrobatic fighting and the odd bit of gore.
So, essentially what we have here is a fantasy A-Team (or a cut down Dirty Dozen?) off on an epic quest movie. Aside from, Nemyt’s elf ears, which were a bit too much like a cute little piggy’s, the fantasy creature costumes, prosthetics and make up were all pretty good for a low budget movie, even if Keltus had a far too contemporary haircut. The limited amount of CGI special effects were a bit Mega Shark, especially underwater. As these sort of things go its OK, but overlong. Some judicious trimming with the editor’s scissors really could make a very big improvement.
Derivative but fun nonetheless Curse of the Dragon Slayer gets a big 444/666
Image sourced from dreadcentral.com
I read a lot of sword and sorcery in my teens, it went along with listening to Hawkwind! My recommendations would be:
Robert E Howard’s original Conan the Barbarian stories. Disregard the Hollywood blockbusters, where the screenwriters have chosen to mostly ignore Howard’s masterfully dark storytelling, packed with terrible creatures both human and paranormal. Howard was a friend of dear old HP Lovecraft and his influence clearly shows in tales like The People of the Black Circle (1934)
Fritz Leiber’s Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser stories, A kind of antidote to the muscular hero typified by Conan Lieber’s antiheroes were the huge barbarian warrior Fafhrd and his devious sidekick the Gray Mouser. The story where they cheat death The Sadness of the Exceutioner (1973) is a particularly fine example of Leiber’s intelligent wit.
Michael Moorcock’s tales of Elric of Melniboné: The albino weakling Prince Elric derives strength from his enchanted black blade Stormbringer. The price is the soul of every life the blade takes. Who is the master man or blade? An Elfin prince who turns against his own people in a world full of mad gods, elemental spirits, dragons and even the odd werewolf, Elric is just one aspect of the Eternal Champion in Moorcock’s multiverse.
Review by Simon Ball
Connect with Simon: @RealShipsCook or here.
Fortunately for us humans, elf assassin Nemyt (Danielle Churchran) shoots down a dragon riding orc messenger and gets to team up with Keltus the Wanderer (Richard McWilliams) a Knight of the Ruling Order and rogue orc Kullimon the Black (Paul D Hunt), as they hunt down the artefacts and attempt to prevent Goth Azul’s come back tour. Along the way we meet gun toting dwarves (don’t ask me why they are the only elvish people to have invented gun powder), river monsters that would make Jeremy Wade break out the brown waders, a goddess and some very hot and quite wicked mermaids. There’s also a lot of acrobatic fighting and the odd bit of gore.
They relive their encounter with the dragon over and over again, suffering from vivid and terrifying dreams. This constant torment affects their mental state, causing paranoia, anxiety, and insomnia. In addition to the physical and mental toll, the curse also affects the dragon slayer's relationships and social standing. Friends and loved ones tend to distance themselves out of fear or superstition, leaving the slayer isolated and alone. The curse becomes a burden that the dragon slayer must carry, with no hope of ever escaping its grasp. The curse that follows the dragon slayer serves as a cautionary tale, discouraging others from seeking out and destroying these mythical creatures. It highlights the transient nature of victory and the unforeseen consequences of one's actions. While the allure of fame and glory may be tempting, it is a reminder that every action has a price. In the end, the curse acts as a reminder of the delicate balance between humans and the fantastical world of dragons and magic..
Reviews for "The secret behind the dragon slayer's curse"
1. Jennifer - 2 stars - I was really disappointed with "The Curse That Follows the Dragon Slayer". The story started off promising, with an interesting concept and a strong protagonist, but it quickly lost momentum. The pacing was uneven, with long stretches of dull dialogue and repetitive action scenes. The plot twists were predictable and there was a lack of character development. Overall, it felt like a wasted opportunity for a great fantasy novel.
2. Michael - 1 star - I couldn't even finish "The Curse That Follows the Dragon Slayer". The writing was full of clichés and the dialogue was cringe-worthy. The plot was overly convoluted and confusing, with too many unnecessary subplots and characters. The world-building lacked depth and detail, leaving me feeling disconnected from the setting. I found myself skimming through pages just to get to the end, and even then, the resolution was unsatisfying. I would not recommend this book to any fantasy lover.
3. Sarah - 3 stars - "The Curse That Follows the Dragon Slayer" had its moments, but overall, it fell short of my expectations. The concept was intriguing, and the first few chapters had me hooked. However, as the story progressed, it became repetitive and formulaic. The main character lacked depth, and the supporting cast felt underdeveloped. The writing style was decent, but the pacing could have been better. While there were some exciting action scenes, they were not enough to salvage the overall mediocrity of the book.
4. Mark - 2.5 stars - "The Curse That Follows the Dragon Slayer" had potential, but it ultimately failed to deliver. The plot was interesting, but it lacked originality and was full of tropes that have been done to death in the fantasy genre. The characters were one-dimensional and lacked depth, making it difficult to connect with them. The dialogue was stilted and often felt forced. Despite its flaws, the book had some moments of excitement and suspense, but they were overshadowed by the overall lackluster storytelling. I wouldn't recommend this book to avid fantasy readers, as there are much better options out there.