The most recommended dragon books

Who picked these books? Meet our 317 experts.

317 authors created a book list connected to dragons, and here are their favorite dragon books.
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Book cover of Dragon Actually

Catherine Edward Author Of Lycan's Blood Queen

From my list on fantasy/shifter romance to make your heart flutter.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m a paranormal romance and fantasy author who fell in love with fantasy as a young girl. My journey as a reader started when I was four, but what changed me entirely was Russian Tales woven with magic. I’m passionate about Lycans, Werewolves, Witches, Vampires, and everything that’s magical. I like to write sizzling tales of love and betrayal.

Catherine's book list on fantasy/shifter romance to make your heart flutter

Catherine Edward Why did Catherine love this book?

Annwyl is always known for her strength and brutality. But when she is betrayed she has only one place to go.

When mortally injured Annwyl take refuge in a cave, the dragon Fearghus is her only companion. What she doesn’t know is that Fearghus is actually a dragon shifter, son of the dragon queen. This entire series is amazing. Filled with fantasy elements, romance and humor this definitely tops my top 5 list of shifter romance.

By G.A. Aiken,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked Dragon Actually as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

It's not always easy being a female warrior with a nickname like Annwyl the Bloody. Men tend to either cower in fear—a lot—or else salute. It's true that Annwyl has a knack for decapitating legions of her ruthless brother's soldiers without pausing for breath. But just once it would be nice to be able to really talk to a man, the way she can talk to Fearghus the Destroyer.

Too bad that Fearghus is a dragon, of the large, scaly, and deadly type. With him, Annwyl feels safe—a far cry from the feelings aroused by the hard-bodied, arrogant knight Fearghus…


Book cover of Dragonslayer

Mikayla Deely Author Of The Rise of Surge: Of Fire and Fate

From my list on ferocious and fantastic dragons.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve read books about dragons ever since I can remember. If I couldn’t read it, my dad read it to me. Outside of books, I’d seek out movies or shows with the magical beasts in them. I was a bit obsessed, really. From cruel-hearted and devious to kind-natured and intelligent, I was writing and reading about it all. My favorite, however, is dragons that are as smart as they are deadly. This reflects a lot in the books I chose, as they all contain some pretty ferocious dragons!

Mikayla's book list on ferocious and fantastic dragons

Mikayla Deely Why did Mikayla love this book?

Where do I even start with this book? It has such a strong opening and hooked me immediately from the first page. We follow the story of Guillot, a once noble knight of the Silver Circle, now a lazy man who drinks his days away. He is summoned by the king to slay the last living dragon in the realm. What strikes me about this book is that you feel sympathy for the dragon, Alpheratz, as he wakes up to find out he is the last one left. With exciting magic, tense fights, and one powerful dragon, this is a book I cannot stop recommending!

By Duncan M. Hamilton,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Dragonslayer as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

"Successfully mixes swords, sorcery, and skullduggery with complex characters. Dumas fans will especially appreciate the faux-French setting. This is pure adventure fun with plenty for epic fantasy readers to enjoy.”—Publishers Weekly

With the dragons believed dead, the kingdom had no more need for dragonslayers.

Drunk, disgraced, and all but forgotten, Guillot has long since left his days of heroism behind him.

As forgotten places are disturbed in the quest for power, and things long dormant awaken, the kingdom finds itself in need of a dragonslayer once again, and Guillot is the only one left...

"Charming [and] entertaining. Recommended for fans…


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Book cover of The Rosewood Penny

The Rosewood Penny By J.S. Fields,

The dragons of Yuro have been hunted to extinction. 

On a small, isolated island, in a reclusive forest, lives bandit leader Marani and her brother Jacks. With their outlaw band, they rob the rich to feed themselves, raiding carriages and dodging the occasional vindictive pegasus. Thanks to Marani’s mysterious invulnerability,…

Book cover of The Phoenix Stone: On Wings of Light: Book 1

Maria Schneider Author Of Under Witch Moon

From my list on urban fantasy books with found family and shenanigans.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am a secret hearth witch, a simple gardener working hard to keep fairies, dragonflies, fireflies, and pixies alive. I love to cook, mixing in a dash of magic with flavors from all over the world. Dragons or cats are always welcome in my world, and I’ve been known to shelter a hellhound in need.

Maria's book list on urban fantasy books with found family and shenanigans

Maria Schneider Why did Maria love this book?

Tesha Geddes may have set out to write a Beauty and the Beast story, but like most of her books, her characters had plans of their own. This wonderful “retelling” strayed from the standard plot with lovely tangents, unique characters, and superb world-building.

I can’t help but hope for more of this kind of story from Geddes. Characters who start out needing a leg up learn that maybe they have something worthy to offer after all.

By Tesha Geddes,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Phoenix Stone as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Cursed with the form of a dragon, Prince Liam searches for the legendary Phoenix Stone. Rumored to be able to break any curse, this mythical stone is his only hope of regaining his humanity ... and his life.
Then he meets Ryn, the adopted daughter of a nobleman. Unlike others, she doesn't run screaming when she gets a good look at him. Instead, she offers him the hand of friendship and an absolute readiness to throw hands with anyone who treats him as less than.
Suffering from a curse that slowly steals her life, Paladin Eminent Taeryn hides in plain…


Book cover of Draco: An Alien Warrior Romance

Clair McIntyre Author Of Predator of Prey

From my list on for character bonds.

Why am I passionate about this?

I have a passion for character bonds which come from my day-to-day “normal” life. Outside of being a writer, I’ve been working at one of our city’s busiest hospitals for the past 7 years as a communications operator. Every day, I interact with people who are facing challenges, struggling, and in need of help. With that being said, I also interact with people who are supportive, grateful and overall happy. I find myself drawn to how people come together in both the good and the bad times. In my opinion, you need to be able to relate to the characters in order for the story to become a success. 

Clair's book list on for character bonds

Clair McIntyre Why did Clair love this book?

I have to say, behind shark shifters, dragon shifters are my favorite kind of people. Generally speaking, if they’re the main characters in a book, it will definitely be on my radar. 

I was not disappointed. These characters were strong, fierce, and brutal, just exactly how a dragon should be. I also found it to be really refreshing to have human characters from the UK. This added a healthy amount of dry responses, especially in the main female lead, Amber. Despite everything Amber has gone through, she still holds onto the core of herself. 

I also loved the world the author created. I found myself getting lost in the intriguing plot and great action sequences.

Overall, I quite enjoyed the entire series, and I will definitely continue to read novels by the same author. 

By Hattie Jacks,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Draco as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

He's the big bad alien dragon shifter with the soul as black as night, and he's claimed me as his fated mate.

I was escaping from my stalker ex when they took me from Earth. Dropped into a hellish alien maze where all I am is potential food. Until I run headlong into a huge, smoking hot alien dragon, covered in golden scales and with an ego which could light up a planet. Draco rules the prison maze they call the Kirakos and he says I belong to him.

Do I get any choice? No.

Do I have any other…


Book cover of Oracle

K.B. Thorne Author Of Bad Blood

From my list on if first person snark is your style.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve adored reading a good snarky first-person story since I first read Bloodlist, so long as the snark doesn’t go too far and become total unlikeable jerk… It can be a fine line! I hope I stay on the right side of it, but having read it enough and written in it for years with my Blood Rights Series, I feel qualified to say I’m a…snark connoisseur. (If you ask my family, this is how my own internal/life narrator speaks! My mother says that my character Dakota is me if I “said everything aloud that I think in my head.” She’s probably right, and I’m okay with that.)

K.B.'s book list on if first person snark is your style

K.B. Thorne Why did K.B. love this book?

The final book on my list rolls into epic fantasy, with oracles and dragons and magic and prophecies… All sorts of stuff to really make the life of a girl who works at a coffee shop very confusing and difficult. Poor Davie gets thrown into the deep end but works to keep her head above water. Savvy and snarky, she got to me right away, but again, it’s the heart. She’s one of those characters that inspires loyalty from the people around her and you understand why. You want to be by her side too, even if she’s got a totally sardonic inner and outer voice.

By Jada Fisher,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Oracle as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

I hate fire. It nearly destroyed me. Now, my only chance at survival is a fire-breathing, shape-shifting dragon.
An urban fantasy adventure full of mystical creatures and sassy heroines

Davie is a normal girl trying to live a normal life. Except that she can see the future and has visions that make her seem crazy. When she meets a man who immediately seems too perfect to be real, her quest for a normal life quickly ends. She soon learns the world is full of mythical creatures including shapeshifting dragons, dwarves, and mystical oracles. Can Davie adapt to the new world…


Book cover of Veil of the Dragon

Walter Rhein Author Of The Reader of Acheron

From my list on from criminally oppressed and exploited authors.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve been working professionally as a writer for twenty-five years. I’m nothing close to a household name, but a number of my articles have gone viral throughout the years. I’ve had educators reach out to mention they’ve taught my work at both the high school and college levels. Writing is an occupation of passion, and the authors I’ve mentioned are all talented and passionate about their craft. It’s rare to find people who speak the truth anywhere in our society. These writers don’t just speak the truth, they make it sing.

Walter's book list on from criminally oppressed and exploited authors

Walter Rhein Why did Walter love this book?

Barczak’s work belongs to that realm of poetic fiction that is occupied by Robert E. Howard and Janet Morris. Veil of the Dragon plays out like a vivid nightmare. This is the kind of fantasy novel that makes you want to pause in the middle of the paragraph you’re reading, go back to the beginning, and read out loud just to see how the words sound. Poetic fantasy takes you to another level.

By Tom Barczak,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Veil of the Dragon as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Chaelus, Roan Lord of the House of Malius is raised from the dead by the hand of a child. His kingdom stolen by the evil dragon, Gorond, Chaelus’ only hope to reclaim his throne rests with the child knight who saved him, the heretical order to which the child belongs, and the truth about Chaelus which they alone protect.


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Book cover of An Heir of Realms

An Heir of Realms By Heather Ashle,

An Heir of Realms tells the tale of two young heroines—a dragon rider and a portal jumper—who fight dragon-like parasites to save their realms from extinction. 

Rhoswen is training as a Realm Rider to work with dragons and burn away the Narxon swarming into her realm. Rhoswen’s dream is to…

Book cover of The Part about the Dragon Was (Mostly) True

Bjørn Larssen Author Of Why Odin Drinks

From my list on Terry Pratchett collaborations that never happened.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve been a Pratchett fan since I first read The Colour of Magic in 1986. I was nine and suddenly obsessed. When he died, I cried; when I found out he left me – us – one last gift, I cried again. The best satire doesn’t just make you laugh through the tears and cry with laughter; it makes you think. Over the decades, Pratchett perfected this art. Nobody can replace him, although many authors, including myself, try to follow. Searching for them between the rock and the trying-too-hard place, sometimes I find diamonds. May they shine as brightly in your eyes as they do in mine.

Bjørn's book list on Terry Pratchett collaborations that never happened

Bjørn Larssen Why did Bjørn love this book?

Only a real genius of a bard could give justice to the heroes who saved the village city of Skendrick from Dragonia the Dragon. Due to a sudden shortage of geniuses Heloise the Bard, who’s never met a run-on sentence she didn’t like, tells you (mostly) all about herself the battles, the riddles, Heloise, the magic, pooping in swamps, Heloise, the flatulent minotaur… oh yes, the dragon! Almost forgot. And if there’s one thing she knows, it’s that facts will ruin the truth every. Single. Time.

Black’s ‘Friday’ is a song so infinitely horrible it creates a space-inverting portal that makes it an eternal classic. So is this book. Read it with your eyes closed. In hiding. With mushroom powder at hand.

By Sean Gibson,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Part about the Dragon Was (Mostly) True as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The #1 humorous fantasy bestseller!
Sure, you think you know the story of the fearsome red dragon, Dragonia. How it terrorized the village of Skendrick until a brave band of heroes answered the noble villagers' call for aid. How nothing could stop those courageous souls from facing down the dragon. How they emerged victorious and laden with treasure.  

But, even in a world filled with epic adventures and tales of derring-do, where dragons, goblins, and unlicensed prestidigitators run amok, legendary heroes don't always know what they're doing. Sometimes they're clueless. Sometimes beleaguered townsfolk are more hapless than helpless. And orcs?…


Book cover of Dealing with Dragons

Bruce Coville Author Of Into the Land of the Unicorns

From my list on middle grade and YA fantasy series.

Why am I passionate about this?

Both as a writer and reader, I adore stories of fantasy and magic. The thing is, these stories have what I call a “price of admission,” which is the time and effort it takes to learn the world of the story in order to immerse yourself in it. That's one reason I am passionate about reading series books: they welcome me back to a world I already love and understand. Speaking as a writer, multiple volumes allow me to make the world I've created richer and deeper with each new book. A new book in a beloved series feels like catching up with an old friend, whether you're reading or writing.

Bruce's book list on middle grade and YA fantasy series

Bruce Coville Why did Bruce love this book?

I love to laugh, I love fantasy, I love dragons, and this book provides hilarity and dragons in rich measure. Patricia C. Wrede has a delightful way of twisting old tropes into something fresh and new.

Even better, she is a master of creating feisty female characters...the kind that I wanted my daughter and my students to read about. 

By Patricia C. Wrede,

Why should I read it?

5 authors picked Dealing with Dragons as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 8, 9, 10, and 11.

What is this book about?

Meet Princess Cimorene-a princess who refuses to be proper. She is everything a princess is not supposed to be: headstrong, tomboyish, smart . . . and bored. So bored that she runs away to live with a dragon. And not just any dragon, but Kazul-one of the most powerful and dangerous dragons around. With a new look and new introduction from the author, this story is sure to acquire a new generation of fans. AGES: 10-13 AUTHOR: Patricia C. Wrede has written many novels, including all four books in the Enchanted Forest Chronicles as well as 'Sorcery and Cecilia', 'The…


Book cover of In the Vanishers' Palace

Lila Gwynn Author Of The Orc and Her Bride

From my list on sapphically inclined monster ladies.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m a big-time fantasy reader, and I’ve always loved non-human characters in fiction, whether it was The Little Mermaid or Beauty and the Beast. It never sat right with me that the Beast becomes human when I got to understand his vulnerability in monster form; I hated that Ariel wanted boring human legs. I was a romance novel hater for a long time, too, because I thought they were repetitive (and mostly straight). Finding queer indie romance that embraced these monsters and explored what makes them monstrous caused a huge shift in the way I interpret all relationships in literature, and it definitely influenced my choice to write monster romance.

Lila's book list on sapphically inclined monster ladies

Lila Gwynn Why did Lila love this book?

I couldn’t leave out one of my favorite monsters of all time: dragons. Also, I just love secondary-world fantasy, especially the kind that has important themes like the effects of imperialism and that are set in a shifting palace full of magical rooms.

This book beautifully executes one of my favorite relationship dynamics in fiction: the dragon love interest starts out ice cold and very gradually warms up to the main character as they get closer, and they both overcome their past traumas as their romance grows deeper. That’s the good stuff!

By Aliette de Bodard,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked In the Vanishers' Palace as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

From the award-winning author of the Dominion of the Fallen series comes a dark retelling of Beauty and the Beast.

In a ruined, devastated world, where the earth is poisoned and beings of nightmares roam the land...

A woman, betrayed, terrified, sold into indenture to pay her village's debts and struggling to survive in a spirit world.

A dragon, among the last of her kind, cold and aloof but desperately trying to make a difference.

When failed scholar Yên is sold to Vu Côn, one of the last dragons walking the earth, she expects to be tortured or killed for…


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Book cover of Dragon Disciples: Resurrection

Dragon Disciples By Christina Weigand, Rhomda Chieduch (editor),

When the head of an ancient Samaritan family is injured, it throws the family into turmoil. There isn’t enough money to pay the hefty Roman taxes.

The daughter, Chana, is taken as compensation and forced into slavery inside a cruel centurion’s home. As a slave, Chana witnesses the miracles of…

Book cover of Tidesong

Stephanie Cooke Author Of Paranorthern: And the Chaos Bunny A-Hop-Calypse

From my list on magical middle-grade graphic novels.

Why am I passionate about this?

As a kid, I was obsessed with the fantastical, especially when it came to books. I was constantly trying to find my own door to Narnia to go off on an incredible adventure. While I never found a door that led to another world, I found that books offered me a similar experience…and all from the comfort of my fave places to read. Magic is still something I’m enthralled with and love exploring in books I read as well as the ones I write. And these are some of my favorite magical graphic novels.

Stephanie's book list on magical middle-grade graphic novels

Stephanie Cooke Why did Stephanie love this book?

If, like me, you’re a fan of Studio Ghibli films like Spirited Away or Ponyo, then this graphic novel is for you. It not only tackles a story revolving around growing up with magic but it adds in many other things that many of us have struggled with such as family expectations, living up to your potential, and more. Of course, everything feels a little more exciting when magic is added to the mix, but those themes that exist in the real world ground this story and allow for a strong connection to Sophie, our young protagonist.

By Wendy Xu,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Tidesong as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 8, 9, 10, and 11.

What is this book about?

Perfect for fans of Studio Ghibli and The Tea Dragon Society, this is a magically heartwarming graphic novel about self-acceptance and friendship.

Sophie is a young witch whose mother and grandmother pressure her to attend the Royal Magic Academy—the best magic school in the realm—even though her magic is shaky at best. To train for her entrance exams, Sophie is sent to relatives she’s never met.

Cousin Sage and Great-Aunt Lan seem more interested in giving Sophie chores than in teaching her magic. Frustrated, Sophie attempts magic on her own, but the spell goes wrong, and she accidentally entangles her…


Book cover of Dragon Actually
Book cover of Dragonslayer
Book cover of The Phoenix Stone: On Wings of Light: Book 1

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