April 25, 2026
Dragon banter, recs on fire
The George Business, by Roger Zelazny (1980)
Fans crown Zelazny king of wit; one comment drops a must‑read list
TLDR: Zelazny’s cheeky dragon‑and‑“George” showdown reminds readers how funny, fast, and clever his fantasy is, while the top comment crowns him unbeatable and dishes a starter reading list. It matters because one vintage excerpt is reigniting interest in classics like Lord of Light—and welcoming new fans in.
A dragon named Dart, a knight named George, and a fake duel-for-hire plot? Roger Zelazny’s 1980 short “The George Business” is pure, snappy chaos—and the crowd vibes say the author’s still untouchable. The loudest cheer comes from user lukasb, who basically throws a mini parade for Zelazny’s style, calling him unbeatable in SF/fantasy (that’s science fiction and fantasy) and turning the thread into a syllabus. Their recs read like a hall-of-fame tour: Lord of Light, Nine Princes in Amber, Jack of Shadows, and the story collection The Doors of His Face, the Lamps of His Mouth. The strongest opinion? Zelazny supremacy—full stop. Drama? It’s a love-fest masquerading as a duel, with the only flames coming from Dart’s side of the cave. The “hot take” is that modern fantasy still wishes it had this much charm per sentence. And jokes? The story delivers them by the mouthful—“hardly sporting” dragons, poisoned lances, and a showdown that turns into a job interview—exactly the razor-edged banter fans say defines Zelazny. Translation: one witty excerpt, one ecstatic comment, and suddenly everyone’s building a reading list. Long live the king of quip-fantasy.
Key Points
- •Dart, a dragon, dreams prophetically of identical armored attackers and prepares for potential conflict.
- •He confronts a lone knight named George, who appears in mismatched armor on a tired gray horse.
- •George carries a poisoned lance for self-protection but states he does not want to fight.
- •George offers his life savings to hire Dart for a scheme instead of engaging in combat.
- •George’s plan is for Dart to abduct Rosalind, Baron Maurice’s daughter, so they can later stage a fake battle and rescue.