"Be There Dragons Here?" by Kenn Allan

"Of Whisperers, Warriors, and Canaanites" by Debby Alten

"The Price of Freedom" by Scott M. Sandridge

Dragons, Knights, & Angels bills itself as "The Magazine of Christian Fantasy and Science Fiction." As such, it strives to offer speculative fiction with moral and inspirational themes, all without resorting to "preaching." Judeo-Christian messages are overt in some of the stories, while others simply showcase positive values. The webzine publishes more fantasy than science fiction, and as much poetry as fiction.

Newly returned from hiatus, Dragons, Knights, & Angels may need more time to mature as a fiction market. Its current offerings are lackluster, and they suffer from overwritten prose, contrived dialogue, and/or weak plotting. Each one endeavors valiantly to deliver a lesson but ultimately lacks the strength to do so. The copyediting is also disappointing, as distracting spelling and grammar errors pop up frequently in the manuscripts.

Dragons, Knights, & Angels publishes on a rotating basis; "issues" are made available over the course of a calendar month rather than all at once. This review will cover the stories published during November 2005.

"Be There Dragons Here?" by Kenn Allan is a short, symbolic fable about overcoming one’s true enemies. It follows the unidentified narrator’s quest for a dragon to slay following his brief training by a mysterious knight. Unfortunately, the story does not support its own moral. The challenges faced by the protagonist are not very great, even if viewed symbolically, and his motivations are not very compelling. As a result, the ending falls flat.

"Of Whisperers, Warriors, and Canaanites" is a morality play by Debby Alten. It features a young warrior struggling to protect the people of a dying land from the whispering demons who haunt it. His is a thankless task, and doubt and desperation torment him more than his enemies. When an unexpected crisis forces a showdown between good and evil, he must decide whether a nation of cowards deserves his courage—and his sacrifice.

The story’s emphasis on theme comes at the expense of a logical plot. Cause-and-effect relationships are sometimes obscure, and the motivations of key minor characters (including God) are inscrutable. Names like "Pernicious" and "Paladin" suggest simplistic allegory, and taken together with the sometimes conversational storytelling, it’s tempting to see this as a juvenile piece. However, the story’s length and rambling prose—not to mention the constant violence—probably make it unsuitable for a young audience.

In Scott M. Sandridge‘s "The Price of Freedom," a young slave languishes in a society resembling Ancient Rome. His cunning twin sister launches a scheme to win their freedom, but when her secret plans culminate in violence and betrayal, he must choose between loyalty and survival.

This story feels like the first or second chapter of a much longer work. The world-building is incomplete, and the plot seems geared to lay the groundwork for a larger conflict. Moreover, most of the developments that drive the story occur "off-screen"; the protagonist himself is rather passive, and his actions have little impact on the outcome. Even though the plot resolves, the story may leave some readers feeling unsatisfied.