Here, there be dragons! Is there anything more brilliant than the mythical creatures of the sky? They evoke such a sense of wonder, thrilling adventures and a source of great power. In some books below, humans control that power.
How wonderful would it be to have a dragon as a pet, or would that be too dangerous? Either way, here are a few books that have dragons in them:
A Chorus of Dragons Series by Jenn Lyons
A Chorus of Dragons is an epic fantasy series that follows the story of Kihrin, the bastard son of a treasonous prince, who discovers that his destiny is to destroy the world. The series is set in a world where the fate of an empire is intertwined with Kihrin’s destiny.
The first book in the series, The Ruin of Kings, introduces readers to Kihrin and his journey as he discovers the significance of his lineage and the role he plays in the future of the empire.
There are a lot of different types of mystical beings in this series, from gods and goddesses to demons, eldritch horrors, and, of course, dragons, all of whom are either trying to control or kill Kihrin.
The Dragonriders of Pern Series by Anne McCaffrey
The Dragonriders of Pern Series by Anne McCaffrey is a science fantasy series that primarily consists of novels that are written both by Anne and Todd McCaffrey.
Set on the Planet of Pern, the series follows the story of the Dragonriders, humans who bond with and ride telepathic dragons to protect their world from periodic threats of deadly spores known as The Thread.
McCaffrey’s Dragonriders of Pern Series has garnered a dedicated following and is highly regarded for its imaginative world-building, compelling characters and the bond between humans and dragons.
The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon
The Priory of the Orange Tree is a fantasy novel that tells the story of a divided world and a queendom without an heir. It is a feminist retelling of Saint George and the Dragon. It is widely regarded as a compelling high fantasy novel, filled with dragons, magic and political intrigue. Come for the strong female characters, diverse cast, political intrigue and romance, but stay for the dragons.
Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros
The first book in the Empyrean series, this young adult fantasy novel follows a group of dragon riders who attend a war college. Following Violet Sorrengail, a young woman who was destined for a quiet life surrounded by books and history in the Scribe Quadrant. Instead, Violet finds herself enlisted in a war college as a dragon rider.
This book delves into the competitive and challenging atmosphere of a military college, against the backdrop of war and romance. And, apparently, this book has a body count, which should be a thing if you are dealing with uncontrollable dragons or untrained people trying to ride dragons. It’s only fair. If you like war and romance with dragons (not like that) then check out Fourth Wing.
Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire) by George R. R. Martin
Speaking of body count, w could not miss out on the book that made everyone dragon crazy back in 2011-2019. And once again in 2022 with the House of Dragons series, but it all started with A Song of Ice and Fire.
This is definitely worth checking out if you are looking for a book where dragons play a prominent role in the story. From the discovery of dragon eggs to the birth and growth of dragons, and their eventual use in battles by the House Targaryen.
The series follows multiple families and the various houses in Westeros and the power struggle for the Iron Throne. So, if you are looking for political intrigue and compelling and morally ambiguous characters, this series is for you.
The Draconis Memoria series by Anthony Ryan
The Draconis Memoria series begins with Waking Fire. The series is set in a world where magic exists in the form of dragon blood, which can grant an individual extraordinary powers.
The novels follow three characters who seek to harness the power of dragon blood in their own ways. It’s another book with political intrigue and unique world-building. If you love books with that, you should give the series a try.
Temeraire series by Naomi Novik
This series begins with His Majesty’s Dragon, where a British naval captain pastures a French frigate carrying an extremely valuable dragon egg. After the dragon hatches and bonds with the Captain, we are thrown into a world where the dragon plays a vital role in the war effort and the military.
The series explores the relationship and challenges faced by the captain and his dragon during a time of political upheaval and military conflict.
Earthsea by Ursula K Le Guin
Earthsea is a series of high-fantasy books. The first book, A Wizard of Earthsea, introduces us to a vast archipelago known as Earthsea. It follows the adventures and coming-of-age story of a young mage named Ged, also known as Sparrowhawk. Through the series, Ged faces various challenges, encounters mystical creatures including dragons and explores themes of power and identity.
Inheritance Cycle series by Christopher Paolini
We all know Eragon is the first book in the inheritance Cycle, but if you don’t know, the story follows a farm boy living in a secluded village in the land of Alagaesia. While hunting, Eragon stumbles onto a blue stone which turns out to be a dragon egg.
When the egg hatches, the dragon bonds with him, and he must embark on a dangerous journey to fulfil his destiny as a Dragon rider. Eragon is a classic novel that is worth checking out if you are interested in dragons and want to read one of Christopher Paolini’s earliest works.
Guards! Guards! by Terry Pratchett
This fantasy novel by legend Terry Pratchett is the eighth instalment in the Discworld series. The story revolves around the city of Ankh-Morpork, which no longer has a king and is now ruled by a corrupt Patrician.
A secret society named the Unique and Supreme Lodge of the Elucidated Brethren of the Ebon Night, summons a dragon intending to use it to overthrow the Patrician and install a puppet king under their control.
Of course, this is more than a handful for the Nightwatch of the city, especially for our main character Carrot Ironfoundersson, the adopted son of dwarves who arrived in Anhk-Morpork to join the Nightwatch. He arrives to find them struggling to deal with the dragon terrorizing their city.
As with most of Terry Pratchett’s novels, there are underlying themes that comment on the world around us, but it’s done with Pratchett’s signature humour and fun, and most importantly, it has a dragon!
These are just a few books that have dragons in them. Of course, there is the Hobbit, The Neverending Story, Here, There Be Dragons and a few other books that are great for dragon lovers out there too which could have easily featured on this list too!
Have you read any of the books on this list? Are there books that we’ve missed and you would like to recommend? Comment below and let us know!