Dragons: scaled, mythical and overwhelmingly epic. They slither and soar through the pages of fantasy books, delighting countless readers of all ages.
Are you looking for fantasy books about dragons? If so, this is the list for you!
Here are five fantasy books about dragons to read:
- Blue Moon Rising by Simon R. Green
- A Waking Fire by Anthony Ryan
- Crown of Vengeance by Mercedes Lackey and James Mallory
- Dragon Weather by Lawrence Watt-Evans
- Dragon Champion by E.E Knight
I’ve kept this list centered on fantasy books targeted to adult readers, with a follow up list here. For a quick comparison, check out the end of the list.
On top of that, those of you interested in books with non-human characters may also want to check out this list of fantasy novels told from the point of view of non-human characters.
Blue Moon Rising by Simon R. Green
Description
Rupert didn’t especially want to be a prince. And he certainly never asked to be the second son of a royal line that really didn’t need a spare. So he was sent out to slay a dragon and prove himself-a quest straight out of legend.
But he also discovered the kinds of things legends tend to leave out, as well as the usual demons, goblins, the dreaded Night Witch-and even worse terrors hidden in the shadows of Darkwood.
Rupert did find a fiery dragon-and a beautiful princess to rescue. But the dragon turned out to be a better friend than anyone back at the castle, and with the evil of Darkwood spreading, Rupert was going to need all the friends he could get.
What Do Readers Say?
Goodreads Rating: 4.09
Most Common Rating: 5
Positive Comments
First on our list of fantasy books about dragons is Blue Moon Rising. A unique blend of comedy and fantasy, readers who praised Blue Moon Rising applauded it for being fast-paced, witty and humorous. Especially considering its a lengthy page-count!
They also mentioned how memorable and fun each of the characters were. Unlike other books were only the main character shines, readers happily reported that it wasn’t just Rupert who delighted them. The entire cast was a pleasure to read about for hundreds of pages.
All in all, readers described Blue Moon Rising as a comedic, action-packed adventure suitable for all ages. Since gritty dark fantasy is the current trend, this book came across as a refreshing change!
Negative Comments
So if readers didn’t enjoy the novel, what did they say?
Well, some of them said that they found the story too fast-paced. These readers thought that because of the pacing, the book sacrificed characterization. They would have preferred that the cast have more details fleshing them out.
Others reported that the story’s humor didn’t resonate with them. In their view, the story’s light tone jarred with the fact that the characters fought to stop an impending, demon-fueled apocalypse.
A Waking Fire by Anthony Ryan
Description
Throughout the vast lands controlled by the Ironship Syndicate, nothing is more prized than the blood of drakes.
Harvested from the veins of captive or hunted Reds, Green, Blues and Blacks, it can be distilled into elixirs that give fearsome powers to the rare men and women who have the ability harness them – known as the blood-blessed.
But not many know the truth: that the lines of drakes are weakening. If they fail, war with the neighboring Corvantine Empire will follow swiftly.
The Syndicate’s last hope resides in whispers of the existence of another breed of drake, far more powerful than the rest, and the few who have been chosen by fate to seek it.
Claydon Torcreek is a petty thief and an unregistered blood-blessed, who finds himself pressed into service by the protectorate and sent to wild, uncharted territories in search of a creature he believes is little more than legend.
Lizanne Lethridge is a formidable spy and assassin, facing gravest danger on an espionage mission deep into the heart of enemy territory.
And Corrick Hilemore is the second lieutenant of an ironship, whose pursuit of ruthless brigands leads him to a far greater threat at the edge of the world.
As lives and empires clash and intertwine, as the unknown and the known collide, all three must fight to turn the tide of a coming war, or drown in its wake.
What Do Readers Say?
Goodreads Rating: 4.08
Most Common Rating: 4
Positive Comments
The next fantasy novel on our list is The Waking Fire.
Readers who enjoyed this book eagerly reported that it was a definitively dragon-focused fantasy. Unlike other stories where dragons hover on the periphery, the dragons in The Waking Fire are a key feature of Anthony Ryan’s tale.
In addition, readers praised the book for its great characters. They had different reasons for this. Some said they related to and connected with them. Others said that while they didn’t relate to the characters per se, they found them fascinating and exciting to read about.
Negative Comments
So what about this dragon-centric fantasy didn’t readers enjoy? Generally, readers commented that the story confused them. The story is told from three different characters’ perspectives and frequently shifts from point-of-view to point-of view.
On top of that, the story features a host of concepts, story lines and characters. This was a plus to fans, but also reasons critics struggled to understand what was happening.
Other readers said that the story’s actions scenes didn’t grab them. They reported that the battles seemed to happen at random. Particularly because the story has so much action, the battles started to drag rather than make these readers’ hearts pound. After a while, they even came across as repetitive.
Crown of Vengeance by Mercedes Lackey and James Mallory
Description
Mercedes Lackey and James Mallory, bestselling authors individually and together, return to the world of their New York Times and USA Today bestselling Obsidian and Enduring Flame Trilogies with Crown of Vengeance.
Here, readers will learn the truth about the Elven Queen Vielissiar Faricarnon, who was the first to face the Endarkened in battle and the first to bond with a dragon. She worked some of the greatest magics her world has ever known, and paid the greatest Price.
Crown of Vengeance is an exciting fantasy adventure that will appeal to fans of Mercedes Lackey’s Valdemar series. No previous knowledge of Lackey and Mallory’s collaborations is necessary to enjoy this fast-paced, action-packed novel, but returning readers will be excited to discover this amazing story.
What Do Readers Say?
Goodreads Rating: 4.06
Most Common Rating: 5
Positive Comments
Next on our list of fantasy books about dragons is Crown of Vengeance by authors Mercedes Lackey and James Mallory. Readers delighted by this book called it a vast epic, covering a large cast of characters over a great length of time.
These readers praised the story’s complexity, realism and its well fleshed-out characters. When the circumstances of the story turned against their favorite characters, these fans found themselves feeling for their loses as well as rooting for their comebacks.
Negative Comments
If Crown of Vengeance wasn’t a reader’s cup of tea, what did they say?
First off, for those you searching for a book that puts dragons front and center, it doesn’t seem like that’s the main focus of the novel. While readers didn’t mention this as a detractor, they also didn’t mention the dragons at all.
In addition, readers who didn’t enjoy this novel were frustrated by its several over-familiar story elements. For instance, the book features a ‘chosen one’ that’s the subject of a prophecy, a special school for the gifted, and a ‘bonded mate’ romance sub-plot.
Other readers said that the book had plenty of battle scenes – too much, in fact. Crown of Vengeance is action-packed, but the action won’t necessarily have the amount of tension, suspense or stakes to keep readers on the edge of their seats. After a while, these readers found themselves lulled into indifference.
Dragon Weather by Lawrence Watt-Evans
Description
Arlian had never left his home village in the Obsidian Mountains. The green hills, white peaks, and black glass were all he had ever known of life, and though he dreamed of travel and adventure, he knew deep in his heart that he would probably never leave.
Until the dragon weather came. Incredible heat, oppressive humidity, dark and angry clouds . . . and dragons. Dragons with no feelings, no empathy, no use for humans; dragons who destroyed his entire village and everyone in it. Everyone, that is, except Arlian.
Orphaned and alone, Arlian the child is captured by looters and sold as a mining slave. Seven years later Arlian the man escapes, fueled by years of hatred for the dragons, bandits, and slavers that took his youth away – and a personal vow to exact retribution from those who have wronged him.
As Arlian makes his way through life, he is obsessed with the concept of justice, and that obsession informs every task, every decision.
Even Black, the man he befriends and grows to love as a brother, has little influence against Arlian’s obsession. His entire life has one purpose, and one purpose only: to mete out justice.
But can one righteous man change the entire world for the better? Or is he doomed by his own actions to become as unjust as those he seeks to destroy?
What Do Readers Say?
Goodreads Rating: 4.00
Most Common Rating: 4
Positive Comments
Next up on our list of fantasy books about dragons is Dragon Weather, a novel readers praised for its exhilarating action and break-neck pacing. The story is a tale of Arlian’s quest for vengeance and his growth along the way.
As such, readers appreciated the book’s honest and ugly portrayal of combat. The battles were intense and brutal, even bloodcurdling. Those who enjoyed grittier and darker fantasies thought this was a great aspect of the novel.
Moreover, Arlian’s character growth into a more mature and gracious individual was insightful enough to make these readers think about issues of justice and revenge while not coming across as preachy.
Negative Comments
If readers didn’t enjoy Dragon Weather though, it was for the same reason many of the book’s fans loved it: the brutality.
Dragon Weather takes no prisoners with its portrayal of violence and cruelty. Readers mentioned, for instance, that characters have their hands and feet chopped off. Others said that the frequently sexual assault and abuse the women in the story faced particularly upset them.
Dragon Champion by E.E Knight
Description
High in the mountains, deep in the safety of a cave, a brood of dragons is born. The four young ones are among the last of a dying breed—the last hope for dragons’ survival.
But hope shatters when a murderous group of slave-trader dwarves breaks into the cave, leaving a wake of death and destruction…
Only young Auron, a rare, defenseless gray dragon, manages to escape. Armed with nothing but his claws and a boundless determination to survive, he sets off in search of his kind.
But to find other dragons—or, at least, find out who’s killing them off—Auron will have to search a world of mercenary elves, vicious humans, and dangers of all kinds.
Finding allies in the strangest places—and finding himself along the way—Auron is about to make the trek of a lifetime.
What Do Readers Say?
Goodreads Rating: 3.97
Most Common Rating: 4
Positive Comments
Last on our list of fantasy books about dragons is Dragon Champion, a coming of age tale told from the perspective of a dragon. Readers characterized this as an action-filled story that adult fantasy readers and young adult readers would find delightful!
The point of view of Auron, Dragon Champion‘s scaled protagonist, fascinated them. Unlike stories where the non-human characters come across as human in all but name, Auron has a perspective that comes across as suitably and intriguingly alien.
Negative Comments
On the other hand, readers who didn’t enjoy Dragon Champion cited the on-going violence as a negative. Several critics felt there was too much brutality overall, but others narrowed in on how much of that brutality came from the hands of the protagonist.
For instance, the first chapter features the protagonist hatching – and then immediately killing his siblings. Readers described the rest of the story’s tone as the same. Because of this, it made the story’s antagonists disconcertingly justified and Auron seem like a cold-blooded killer.
Other readers, though, said that the fight scenes were so frequent that they lost their impact. Instead of inspiring excitement, the action-oriented moments lulled them into apathy.
Fiery Fantasy Books About Dragons
How Do These Fantasy Novels Compare?
5 Fiery Fantasy Books About Dragons to Read Right Now
- Blue Moon Rising by Simon R. Green
- A Waking Fire by Anthony Ryan
- Crown of Vengeance by Mercedes Lackey and James Mallory
- Dragon Weather by Lawrence Watt-Evans
- Dragon Champion by E.E Knight
Related
- 20 Best Fantasy Books About Dragons You Can’t Put Down
- 5 Amazing Fantasy Books With Dragons to Read Right Now
- 5 Exciting YA Fantasy Books About Dragons
- Top 5 YA Fantasy Books With Dragons You Can’t Put Down
