The Dragon of Despair was first published in hardback and ebook formats in 2003 by Tor Fantasy.

[3] Don D'Ammassa, who reviewed for the Chronicle: SF, Fantasy & Horror's Monthly Trade Journal, considered The Dragon of Despair to be an improvement on the two previous books in the series, "despite its familiar plot".

[4] Jackie Cassada, for the Library Journal, considered the book to be an enjoyable closure to the first three books of the series, praising "[t]he author's ability to create complex tales involving believable human and animal characters".

[6][7] Kirkus Reviews criticized Lindskold's book, saying the "distracting subplots, tedious dialogue, and multiple points of view stalls a story that starts too slowly and never gains momentum.

"[8] Publishers Weekly, on the other hand, praised the story, especially for Lindskold's use of "lore about pack behavior and feral animals.