I’ve haven’t read too much fantasy, maybe 20 books in all, but not many that involve dragons. The very few I’ve read where characters are directly interacting with dragons (The First book of Swords and a one by Anne McCaffrey) features dragons as somewhat unintelligent, or created and enslaved by man. Not the type of dragon story I’d like to read.
Can anyone give me a couple titles which feature stories that involve dragons of the mythical majestic highly intelligent benevolent or malevolent sort? I don’t care if they are hoarding treaure, giving riddles or quests or destroying towns, I just want something going on with them beyond “author inserts dragon here to destroy town and start a hero out on his journey which will only show up again in the last two pages before he is smote” variety.
What are the best stories that feature these creatures? The entire story doesn’t need to revolve around them, but when they’re featured I wouldn’t mind if they came across as more than just big lizards or a mindless godzilla creature.
Haven’t read that many books with dragons as a main focus.
Well, you mentioned Anne McCaffrey and her books are definately dragon-centric. She’s written loads of them - best to start with “Dragonflight”. They are quite fun, and when I read them (a long time ago as a teen), I enjoyed them. The series did drag on too long and I lost interest after a while.
Then there are the Temeraire novels by Naomi Novik. Busy reading book three at the moment. Again, not terrible complicated, just a fun easy read.
Lastly I could recommend the Robin Hobb Liveship trilogy, though dragons aren’t featured that much initially, they are a pretty fundamental part of the world the characters live in.
Thats about it from what I’ve read. I vaguely remember reading the original Dragonlance trilogy, and there must have been dragons in there, but I don’t remember all that much, so would hesitate to recommend it. Also those books are very kid orientated…
I was hoping someone would link this… it was the first thing I thought of when I read the first post, but I couldnt remember the name, or the webpage with the description of what the book is about.
Might want to try The Adamantine Palace by Stephen Deas. One of the most commonly cited features in reviews of the book is that the dragons are more akin to forces of nature than what you see in most fantasy.
The Adamantine Palace reads like a gritty remix of Naomi Novik’s Temeraire novels. The dragons here aren’t fluffy or cuddly, but dangerous beasts whose very training usually costs human lives. They are hazardous animals to be respected rather than talking flying ponies, and when we get a look into a dragon’s mind later in the book it is revealed as a rather alien and unfeeling place indeed.
Unfortunately the book isn’t available in the US yet, so you have to import it from the UK.
Dragons of Autumn Twilight
Dragons of Winter Night
Dragons of Spring Dawning
Many people (like myself) read these when we were significantly younger (I was in High School when they came out), so I’m not sure they stand the test of time. They are not serious or deep novels, but I did enjoy them.
Dark Lord of Derkholm, besides being a pretty funny sendup of everything fantasy related, has a character who is exactly the type of dragon you are talking about.
It doesn’t entirely fit your criteria, but Jane Yolen’s Pit Dragon trilogy is really wonderful. The dragons are enslaved by men, but they are intelligent creatures and are fully realized characters in the series. I reread them a while ago and really enjoyed them, so I think they’ve held up fairly well.
