The first dragon I can really remember in my life is Smaug. My mother read The Hobbit to me at a very young age, which might just explain a number of things about me.

Smaug, that great ancient dragon, was described as a “calamity.” Practically a force of nature, rather than just some  mere monster. He was a devastation. It wasn’t just that he would kill some people — as though that wouldn’t be bad enough — no, he left destruction and long-term suffering in his wake.

He seemed like something that would require an army to defeat. At least. And even then, even if some massive army managed to eke out a victory, that victory would be Pyrrhic. At best.

And yet, the great Smaug, “chiefest of calamities,” was defeated by a single arrow, shot by a single bowman.

Move on then to the first time I saw a dragon depicted on the big screen…

All right. Technically this would be the second time. After all, I’d seen Pete’s Dragon in the theaters. But it was hardly the same thing, a cartoon dragon who primarily served as a boy’s seemingly imaginary friend. It was a Disney movie, after all.

No, I’m talking about the first time I saw an epic fantasy dragon on the big screen. And in a live-action movie, yet. (Ironically, also a Disney production).

I’m talking, of course, about Dragonslayer. And boy, did that movie set a standard for draconic depictions that took decades to be equaled, and arguably was never truly exceeded.

But that’s a different post. Let’s not debate that question here.

The point is that in Dragonslayer, as in The Hobbit, we were presented with a mighty wyrm that could, and did, ravage the countryside when angered. Vermithrax Pejorative. A chief calamity in his own right. And still my favorite big-screen dragon. Definitely a formative movie for me.

And like Smaug, Vermithrax Pejorative was taken down by a single hero. This time a wizard, but this one’s more obscure, so I won’t go into detail. Wouldn’t want to spoil a wonderful movie.

Still, there is one point about that movie that I need to touch on, and it comes from close to the beginning, so I’m not spoiling anything.

To appease the dragon, the locals held a lottery. The loser, always a young woman, would be bound to a stake in offering.

This was the first time I’d ever run across that idea. Since then, though, I’ve come across it countless times in countless ways. I’ve even read a number of one-panel comics depicting the situation for humor. (Often in the appropriately titled Dragon magazine.)

In fact, the princess tied to a stake in offering to a dragon  was a such a common idea that, not too long ago, I felt a need to turn it on its head. By digging into the possibilities through a single question.

What if an enterprising young noblewoman got together with an equally enterprising young dragon?

Say, a young noblewoman who didn’t like the idea of an alliance marriage — often the fate of young noblewomen in fantasy — and a young dragon who wanted to live to become an adult dragon, while still gathering a start on his treasure horde.

Two such enterprising young people got together, and the Rescue Game was born. For a reasonable fee, titled noblemen could have their sons (or favored knights) go battle a dragon to rescue a princess, in a controlled environment. Afterwards, the rescued princess* would return to court with the knight and tell the tale of his heroism – in thrilling detail.

Everyone wins, everyone’s happy. The knight gets a reputation, the princess* gets money and accolades at a court without expectations of marriage, and the dragon gets gold for his or her hoard.

Until it all goes wrong.

That’s where things start in The Rescue Game: The Tale of a Professional Damsel in Distress.

This time, of course, it’s the princesses who have to save the day. Good thing they have more going for them than their looks.

And right now, you can check out The Recuse Game and fourteen other excellent light and humorous fantasy books in the Light Fantasy Bundle over at StoryBundle.com. Check them out. They’re written by a bunch of great writers that I’m proud to be counted among.

*Not guaranteed to be an actual princess.