Top 10 Dragon Books
Today, we've put together the top 10 best dragon books for you.
Hold on to your hats, let's go on a journey through fantasy literature and the draconic universe!
Plunge yourself right now in the universe of your favorite dragon:
10. Dragons At Crumbling Castle, By Terry Pratchett
In this collection of ancient chronicles from the pen of Terry Pratchett, a troop of mischievous dragons takes over a castle while King Arthur and his knights are on leave.
Knowing that there are no adults, it is a little boy who puts on his soldier's clothes and kicks out all these squatting fire-breathers.
This story is particularly fun, especially for young people!
9. Dragonflight, By Anne Mccaffrey
This is the first book in the legendary science fiction series Dragonriders of Pern, written by McCaffrey. It was published in 1989. It was this work that propelled the career of this talented writer. In fact, she was the first woman to win a Hugo and a Nebula Award.
Here is the summary of this book: in the distant future, humans have taken over a planet called Pern. It is secured by dragons and horsemen called Weyrs.
Lessa, the surviving daughter of a once large family, tries to escape her family's killers. Then, she joins the team of a Weyr. Great adventures await her.
8. How To Train Your Dragon, By Cressida Cowell
On the Viking island of Berk, a boy named Hiccup must follow an ancient custom: capture and tame a dragon, or be forced into exile.
When he meets a small being (whom he names Toothless), an unlikely friendship is born. But how far can these two go together?
This book is a clever mix of adventure, loyalty and humor. Perfect for a child!
What's more, this work has inspired 11 sequels, as well as a successful animated film.
7. Puff The Magic Dragon, By Peter Yarrow And Lenny Lipton
Adapted from the timeless song by Peter, Paul and Mary, this picture book brings Honalee's country to life, thanks to the splendid illustrations by painter Eric Puybaret.
This is sublime children's literature!
6. A Natural History Of Dragons, By Marie Brennan
If you're looking for scientific rigor, this is the book for you.
It is the memoirs of Isabella, a Victorian aristocrat who fled the patriarchy to become a renowned expert in the science of dragons.
But, it contains its share of fantasy! In short, it is a subtle mix between scientific and archaeological seriousness, and the Fantasy genre.
5. The Hobbit, By J.R.R. Tolkien
Deep in the mountains, the lone dragon Smaug guards a colossal treasure he stole from the dwarf kingdom over 150 years ago.
But his reign as the greatest holder of gold in Middle-earth is about to come to an end. Indeed, the dwarves want their hoard back.
The original publisher was Allen & Unwin, in 1937.
4. A Dance With Dragons, By George R. R. Martin
Games of Thrones is probably the main reason for the popular appeal of dragons.
However, the first credit goes to the dragon himself, as he brilliantly proves in this fifth volume of the fantasy series "The Iron Throne". This work has very strongly inspired Game of Thrones.
3. Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire, By J.K. Rowling
It's a given that dragons are found in a multitude of Harry Potter books and films.
However, in The Goblet of Fire, they play a particularly central role. For the first challenge of the Triwizard Tournament, students must retrieve a golden egg from one of four dragons: The Welsh, the Swedish Short-Snout, the Chinese Fireball, and the Hungarian Horntail, who is the deadliest of them all.
For fans of the magical genre, this is the book for you.
2. The Neverending Story, By Michael Ende
If you're from the 90s, you've probably dreamed of riding a dragon and going on a celestial adventure with it.
In The Neverending Story, an original novel by Michael Ende, the young warrior Atreyu must search for an antidote to preserve the life of the mysterious Child Empress. During his journey, he fights a terrifying monster to save the life of a luck dragon. - The latter becomes his loyal companion, and a faithful "plane" at the same time!
1. Eragon, By Christopher Paolini
Unlike almost all young adult fantasy novels, Eragon was written (and self-published) when author Paolini was still a teenager. It was originally published in 2002.
In this story, the focus is on Eragon. He is a poor farm boy who unearths a dragon's egg.
When an evil king comes to take it, the boy and his dragon take off. Thus begins their fabulous journey, in which Eragon tries to become a great dragon rider.
Only For You, The Bonuses
For the true dragon lovers who have made it this far, here are some bonus book references. We didn't include them in the top 10, but they are still interesting dragon books and worth mentioning. So here they are:
Bonus 1: Tooth And Claw, By Jo Walton
As its author so aptly puts it, Tooth And Claw is a Victorian romance novel in which all the characters are dragons who eat each other.
When the dragon patriarch dies, his children gather to eat his remains to ensure the ritual of inheritance. But, conflicts between brothers and sisters sometimes appear...
Greatly influenced by the works of Anthony Trollope, this book is a delightful fantasy tribute, with strong hints of politics and romance.
Bonus 2: Dragon Keeper, By Robin Hobb
Probably best known for his Royal Assassin series, author Robbin Hobb signs in 2009 a fantasy novel that is by no means without interest.
The story takes place in an era where dragons hardly exist anymore. They are a distant memory.
But a few malformed eggs hatch. Quickly perceived as a danger to the community, these dragons flee in the direction of a new home: the auspices of Thymara. She is a young girl with an ancestral family link to these creatures.
Bonus 3: His Majesty's Dragon, By Naomi Novik
Plunged into the heart of the Napoleonic Wars, Captain Will Lawrence of the King's Navy seizes a ship that contains a priceless dragon egg. Disturbed by the egg, he halts his naval career and joins the compelling British fleet of dragon aviators.
Novik builds an exciting and nourishing alternative narrative. Indeed, he imagines several cultures from all corners of the globe, through captivating dragons.
It's a worthwhile read.
Bonus 4: Dragon Boy, By Dick King-Smith
In the United Kingdom, King-Smith is one of the greatest writers of children's books.
In Dragon Boy, a dragon couple adopts a young orphan. He soon becomes very valuable to the household. Over time, he becomes the best friend of the dragons' daughter. They embark on a fun and original adventure.
Bonus 5: Dragon Rider, By Cornelia Funke
This children's novel tells the story of a charming boy and his scaly friend Firedrake. He' s a dragon who lives in a secret English valley.
He learned of the bad intentions of the humans towards him, namely to flood his house... not cool! After that, he went in search of a mythical place in the Himalayas, where he and his dragon could be in peace.
On his way, Firedrake and his friend Sorrel (a forest elf) save an orphan. They then take the child in their luggage.
An animated adaptation of this book was released in 2020. Make sure you've read the book before you go see it on the big screen!
Bonus 6: The Last Dragonslayer, By Jasper Fforde
In an alternate version of modern Britain, 15-year-old Jennifer Strange is pushed to become a dragon slayer's apprentice.
But when her master suddenly loses his life, she is thrust into the role of dragon slayer...
This book falls into the category of exciting and humorous novels!
Bonus 7 : Guards! Guards! by Terry Pratchett
A secret faction is plotting to take power. They call upon a dragon to go on the offensive.
But they've missed one thing: this noble dragon wants to be king. And to top it all off, he demands gold and virgin sacrifices... nothing less!
The city is terrorized. It is the Night's Watch, absolutely incompetent, and its latest recruit (not better!) who must save the day.
This book is meant to be a fantastic medieval satire.
Bonus 8: Here, There Be Dragons, By James A. Owen
In 1917, following the death of their professor, three Oxford scholars inherit the Imaginarium Geographica. This book indicates the secret locations of mythical lands. These precious documents attract evil powers.
In a slightly more famous version, the heroes are in fact the famous authors J.R.R. Tolkien, C. S. Lewis and Charles Williams. As a result of their journeys, they arrive in a hidden realm where there are dragons.
Bonus 9: Dragon Champion, By E. E. Knight
The Age of Fire series (of which Dragon Champion is the first installment) stands out from most of the works on this list. Here, the dragons are the actors of their own story.
Auron is a dragon who has been taken prisoner and ostracised from his family. His mission is to save his species from the threat of a warlord. The warlord uses dragons to launch terrible assaults. Auron's plan is to infiltrate his army, volunteering to participate in the conflicts.
Bonus 10: Seraphina, By Rachel Hartman
In a kingdom where humans and dragons have a vulnerable relationship to say the least, the corpse of the crown prince is discovered.
Everything suggests that a dragon did it. Seraphina, a young and formidable musician, is at the heart of the plot. But she has a dark secret that she must not reveal: she is half-dragon!
If you are passionate about dragon litterature, check out our collection dedicated to one of our favorite character: