Dragons have been a staple in the human imagination. These legendary fire-breathers frequently populate our myths and folklore in various forms.
The fantasy genre, in particular, has long held a fascination with these creatures. They’re often depicted as intelligent beasts with overwhelming power and overflowing riches that carry great influence in the worlds they live in. Sometimes benevolent, sometimes savage, there are different dragons for every kind of reader.
12 Best Dragon Books
If you’re currently going through a dragon phase, then we’ve got a selection of books that you might want to check out. We’ve purposely veered off Game of Thrones because, well, everyone knows about Daenerys’ dragons. Check out the list below!
1. Here, There Be Dragons by James A. Owen
For fans of J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, and Charles Williams.
In 1917, after to the death of their mentor, three Oxford scholars inherit the Imaginarium Geographica. The book—which contains the locations of mythical and fictional lands—makes them the target of dark forces. Pursued by terrifying creatures, they are forced to go on a journey to the realm of imagination itself, where dragons are, (fortunately or not), real.
2. His Majesty’s Dragon by Naomi Novik
For fans of alternative history.
During the Napoleonic wars, dragons are used as an air force. Captain Will Laurence of the King’s Navy captures a ship carrying a precious dragon egg. When the egg unexpectedly hatches and imprints itself on Laurence, he leaves the Navy to become an aviator and joins Britain’s fleet of dragon-riders.
3. The Rage of Dragons by Evan Winter
For fans of African mythology.
The Omehi people have been fighting a desperate war for almost two centuries. Some of the women are gifted with the power to call down dragons, and some of the men can transform themselves into devastating killing machines. Tau, a young boy, has no talent at all. But that doesn’t matter, because what he has is far more powerful—revenge.
4. Tooth and Claw by Jo Walton
For fans of Victorian-style novels.
Every character in this book is a dragon. When a death occurs, it is dragon custom for the family to eat the deceased and the weakest members of the family in order to gain their strength. So when a patriarch dies, everyone scrambles for the top spot while trying to avoid being eaten at the same time.
5. The Neverending Story by Michael Ende
For fans of fairy tales.
Bastian Bux finds a book titled The Neverending Story while escaping from bullies. In the book, a young warrior named Atreyu, accompanied by the luckdragon Falkor, must find a cure to save the child-like empress and prevent the encroachment of a formless entity called the “Nothing.” To Bastian’s surprise, he becomes part of the story!
6. The Waking Fire by Anthony Ryan
For fans of dragon-slaying stories.
Drakes are hunted down for their valuable blood. Harvested from Greens, Reds, Blues, and Blacks, their blood can be used to activate different powers by people called Blood-Blessed.
But drakes are slowly becoming rarer, their lines growing weaker and eventually extinct. In desperation, the Ironship Trading Syndicate puts together a team to search for the White, a breed of drake only spoken in legends.
7. Guards! Guards! by Terry Pratchett
For fans of lighthearted stories.
A secret society in Ankh-Morpork decides to overthrow the king by summoning a dragon. But they didn’t expect the dragon to turn on them and crown itself king and demand tributes and sacrifices. With the people in a panic, the less than competent Night’s Watch must try their best to save the day.
8. The Great Zoo of China by Matthew Reilly
For fans of Jurassic Park.
A group of people is invited to view a secret project located deep in rural China. It turns out, China has been keeping the existence of dragons a secret and has built a zoo for them as an answer to Disneyland. But the dragons are more intelligent than they thought, escaping their cages and causing widespread destruction. Who’s going to catch them now?
9. A Natural History of Dragons by Marie Brennan
For fans of science-based stories.
Isabella Trent defies societal norms and becomes the leading expert on dragons, and follows her adventures as she attempts to bring the study of dragons from myths and folklore into modern science. Written as her memoir, this book explores the spirit of real-life scientists who risk their reputation in the pursuit of something they love.
10. Dragonsbane by Barbara Hambly
For fans of swords and sorcery.
Crown Prince Gareth intends to kill a dragon menacing his kingdom. He recruits Lord Aversin, a renowned dragon-killer who is not what he is known to be, and Jenny Waynest, an ambitious witch with puny powers. This ragtag crew of dragonslayers must journey forth to kill the dragon or die trying.
11. The Last Dragonslayer by Jasper Fforde
For fans of coming-of-age stories.
Set in an alternate Britain where magic exists but has largely weakened and replaced by technology, Jennifer Strange is pushed into being the dragonslayer’s apprentice. When the dragonslayer dies, Jennifer finds herself taking up the dragonslayer mantle, and must kill the last remaining dragon in the world.
12. Tea with the Black Dragon by R.A. MacAvoy
For fans of shapeshifters.
Martha knows her daughter, Elizabeth, is in trouble. She hurries to San Francisco to help her child, only to find her missing. She meets Mayland Long, a distinguished Chinese gentleman who promises to help Martha find her child. What she doesn’t know was that he had one odd characteristic—he can turn into a dragon.
Reading Dragon Books
Fantasy has always made a person’s imagination go wild. Reading about fantastical settings, magic, and imaginative creatures is just such a great way to pass time.
Dragons have become a symbol of fantasy for most readers. They carry that sense of majesty, power, and influence that a lot of us subconsciously want; a feeling that we experience as we daydream of adventuring in unfamiliar lands, doing great deeds, and earning the affection of the people.
If you’re one of those avid fans of dragon literature, or if wanting to get into it, then hopefully we’ve helped you pick out your next read.
Do you have a favorite dragon book? Share it on the comments below!
If you enjoyed this post, then you might also like:
- 20 Books Like Harry Potter Filled with Magic and Mystery
- 25 Mythical Creatures and Where to Find Them in Literature
- 21 Magical Books About King Arthur, Camelot, and the Knights of the Round Table
- What Is Magical Realism? Definition and Examples
Cole is a blog writer and aspiring novelist. He has a degree in Communications and is an advocate of media and information literacy and responsible media practices. Aside from his interest in technology, crafts, and food, he’s also your typical science fiction and fantasy junkie, spending most of his free time reading through an ever-growing to-be-read list. It’s either that or procrastinating over actually writing his book. Wish him luck!
