The most recommended dragon books

Being a huge Chronicles of Narnia fan, I was taken in by Leah’s storytelling.

This is a middle-grade novel but I thoroughly enjoyed it and it brought me back to the time I read Narnia. Fighting evil, perseverance, overcoming trials, battling the darkness, and maintaining the hero’s resolve. This is what attracted me to this book. It’s a keeper and looking forward to the next adventure.

Another 90’s throwback, The Witches of Eileanan is the first in a six-book series featuring a slew of warrior women. Our heroine, Isabeau, is a young witch who has spent most of her life in seclusion—honing her skills while trying to remain hidden in a world where witchcraft is outlawed. Shortly after her sixteenth birthday, Isabeau is forced to abandon the safety of her home and embark on a quest to save her kingdom from dark forces. She meets many fellow warrior women along the way, all of whom are rendered in glorious, unabashed badassness that was truly revolutionary in its day. While this series is undeniably a trailblazer in the realm of heroine-centric fantasy, and certainly an excellent read for anyone on the hunt for fierce warrior women, I do want to warn potential readers that there are a few instances where female characters suffer sexual abuse. The casualness… show more.

Reputed to be one reason why J.R.R. Tolkien, Ursula K. Le Guin, and H.P. Lovecraft began writing fantasy, The Book of Wonder is a collection of short stories by Irish fantasy writer, Lord Dunsany. With gnoles, mail-clad warriors, and dragons, it is in many ways the foundation of what we consider classical fantasy stories. Unfortunately, it doesn’t often get the credit it deserves.

Tove Jansson was not only a wonderful writer, but also a superb illustrator. In this collection of stories, I particularly love "The Hemulen who loved Silence." Even now, I go back to this story to reconnect with the soulful main character who longs for solitude. It isn’t that he doesn’t like others, but he needs to be by himself sometimes, and more than the other hemulens around him. It is the story of an introvert, but not a loner. I can relate to the Hemulen! Tove Jansson stories are full of humour, insight, and thought-provoking ideas. They can also be a little bit scary. Like all the best children’s books, the Moomin books have hidden layers, providing a stimulating read for both adults and children. 

Dragon riders! Heroic quests! A flawed hero! Schools of magic!

The Earthsea trilogy has to be considered, alongside Lord of the Rings, as a template-setter for all the fantasy epics that have followed. What I loved about it, instantly, was the contrast in style to Tolkien’s book. Tolkien’s writing is ornate, his story epic. Leguin’s books, however, are short and lean with prose like a polished gem.

It inspired the style I aspire to in my own writing: slim, elegant prose, not a wasted word. And characters with flaws. In this first book, we follow Ged, a new student at a school of wizardry. In a rash action born of ego and power-greed, Ged unleashes a dark spirit, then must undo the wrong he’s done.

I cut my young-adult teeth on the Dragonriders of Pern, and it contributed in large part to my fascination with dragons and subsequent dream of writing about them. McCaffrey’s dragonriders enjoyed such a long-enduring culture that many ancient, efficient ways of surviving were long forgotten to them. But now, while engaged in an unending battle against the thread—small, worm-like creatures invading their planet to prey on its biological matter—the dragonriders learn how severely they have been disadvantaged by the careless lapses in their cultural recordkeeping. This complexly interwoven and expansive cast of characters (which necessitates a glossary) unfolds the mysteries of dragons, dragonriders, and thread in surprising and creatively tangled ways.

In short: Characters. This was a quick read, I had a tough time putting it down.

I loved Alysha, the strong, independent protagonist, who is smart and funny, and makes her own decisions. She doesn’t defer to anyone, even the controlling Aunties. I loved that this is a family where the women run the show, and unapologetically have the power.

Allie is faced with dragons, an assassin, a leprechaun, and a grandmother who may or may not be dead. She doesn’t whinge about what to do: she knows what has to be done, and she does it. I loved the characters, and Yay, there’s a sequel!

I do want to know the significance of the yo-yos… Also, there is a lot of pie in this book. I love pie.

There are dragons. And chocolate. What more could anyone want?

My son loves this book because the main character, Aventurine, gets to resolve big, scary things without hurting anyone. Even giant, fire-breathing dragons can be talked out of destroying the city once you understand what they want.

Also, his mother tends to make more desserts when this book is in the bedtime reading rotation. Yum!

Who doesn’t love a book with dragons? Bonus—a magic Hogwarts-ish school where you go to learn about how to control your dragon.

The extra twist in To Shape a Dragon’s Breath is that the story is told from the perspective of an indigenous woman, Anequs. People like her aren’t supposed to have dragons, let alone be capable of learning how to manage them. No one at the Anglish dragon school she’s forced to attend believes Anequs can succeed, but Anequs doesn’t care what the Anglish think. 

What I loved about this book was how firmly grounded Anequs is in her family and her people, as well as the confidence that gives her. Anequs never wavers in her belief in herself and the value of indigenous wisdom and culture.

Pia is forced to steal from a dragon hoard. She knows it’s wrong but she is stuck. Dragos is furious someone got into his hoard let alone took something from it. So I love how the two characters meet in this book. I also love how this woman is not the fainting flower. In fact, even though she’s faced with an alpha male to the Nth degree, she faces him down. This book holds humor, adventure, magic, and love. This one is definitely an adult book.