Tea with the Black Dragon
Encyclopedia
Tea with the Black Dragon is a 1983 fantasy
novel
by R. A. MacAvoy
. It was nominated for the Nebula Award
for Best Novel
in 1983, the Hugo Award
for Best Novel
in 1984, and won MacAvoy the John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer in 1983 and the Locus Award
for best first novel in 1984. It also found a place in David Pringle
's Modern Fantasy: The Hundred Best Novels (1988).
gentleman, who is skilled in languages, including those used for computer programming (he settles down to read Donald Knuth
's The Art of Computer Programming
with a “contented sigh”) and who may be a transformed 2,000 year old Chinese dragon
, aids Martha in her search for her daughter. As they search for clues to Elizabeth's disappearance, they discover hints that Elizabeth is involved in a dangerous crime.
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
novel
Novel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
by R. A. MacAvoy
R. A. MacAvoy
Roberta Ann MacAvoy is a fantasy and science fiction author in the United States. Several of her books draw on Celtic or Zen themes. She won the John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer in 1984.-Biography:...
. It was nominated for the Nebula Award
Nebula Award
The Nebula Award is given each year by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America , for the best science fiction/fantasy fiction published in the United States during the previous year...
for Best Novel
Nebula Award for Best Novel
Winners of the Nebula Award for Best Novel, awarded by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America. The stated year is that of publication; awards are given in the following year.- Winners and other nominees :...
in 1983, the Hugo Award
Hugo Award
The Hugo Awards are given annually for the best science fiction or fantasy works and achievements of the previous year. The award is named after Hugo Gernsback, the founder of the pioneering science fiction magazine Amazing Stories, and was officially named the Science Fiction Achievement Awards...
for Best Novel
Hugo Award for Best Novel
The Hugo Awards are given every year by the World Science Fiction Society for the best science fiction or fantasy works and achievements of the previous year. The award is named after Hugo Gernsback, the founder of the pioneering science fiction magazine Amazing Stories, and was once officially...
in 1984, and won MacAvoy the John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer in 1983 and the Locus Award
Locus Award
The Locus Award is a literary award established in 1971 and presented to winners of Locus magazine's annual readers' poll. Currently, the Locus Awards are presented at an annual banquet...
for best first novel in 1984. It also found a place in David Pringle
David Pringle
David Pringle is a Scottish science fiction editor.Pringle served as the editor of Foundation, an academic journal, from 1980 through 1986, during which time he became one of the prime movers of the collective which founded Interzone in 1982...
's Modern Fantasy: The Hundred Best Novels (1988).
Plot introduction
Tea with the Black Dragon is about Martha MacNamara, called west to San Francisco by a message from her daughter, Elizabeth, a computer programmer. When she arrives, however, Elizabeth has disappeared. Mayland Long, an AsianAsian people
Asian people or Asiatic people is a term with multiple meanings that refers to people who descend from a portion of Asia's population.- Central Asia :...
gentleman, who is skilled in languages, including those used for computer programming (he settles down to read Donald Knuth
Donald Knuth
Donald Ervin Knuth is a computer scientist and Professor Emeritus at Stanford University.He is the author of the seminal multi-volume work The Art of Computer Programming. Knuth has been called the "father" of the analysis of algorithms...
's The Art of Computer Programming
The Art of Computer Programming
The Art of Computer Programming is a comprehensive monograph written by Donald Knuth that covers many kinds of programming algorithms and their analysis....
with a “contented sigh”) and who may be a transformed 2,000 year old Chinese dragon
Chinese dragon
Chinese dragons are legendary creatures in Chinese mythology and folklore, with mythic counterparts among Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese, Bhutanese, Western and Turkic dragons. In Chinese art, dragons are typically portrayed as long, scaled, serpentine creatures with four legs...
, aids Martha in her search for her daughter. As they search for clues to Elizabeth's disappearance, they discover hints that Elizabeth is involved in a dangerous crime.