List of dragons in literature
Encyclopedia
Dragon
A dragon is a legendary creature, typically with serpentine or reptilian traits, that feature in the myths of many cultures. There are two distinct cultural traditions of dragons: the European dragon, derived from European folk traditions and ultimately related to Greek and Middle Eastern...
s in literature
Literature
Literature is the art of written works, and is not bound to published sources...
. For dragons in other media, see the list of dragons in popular culture. For dragons from legends and mythology, see the list of dragons in mythology and folklore.
Antiquity (until 5th century AD)
- Book of JobBook of JobThe Book of Job , commonly referred to simply as Job, is one of the books of the Hebrew Bible. It relates the story of Job, his trials at the hands of Satan, his discussions with friends on the origins and nature of his suffering, his challenge to God, and finally a response from God. The book is a...
(5th century BC?): leviathanLeviathanLeviathan , is a sea monster referred to in the Bible. In Demonology, Leviathan is one of the seven princes of Hell and its gatekeeper . The word has become synonymous with any large sea monster or creature...
(chapter 41). - Apollonius of RhodesApollonius of RhodesApollonius Rhodius, also known as Apollonius of Rhodes , early 3rd century BCE – after 246 BCE, was a poet, and a librarian at the Library of Alexandria...
, Argonautica (3rd century BC): the dragon guarding the golden fleece (Book 2), and the dragon whose teeth can be sown like seed to make an army grow (Book 3). - Pseudo-Apollodorus, BibliothecaBibliotheca (Pseudo-Apollodorus)The Bibliotheca , in three books, provides a comprehensive summary of traditional Greek mythology and heroic legends, "the most valuable mythographical work that has come down from ancient times," Aubrey Diller observed, whose "stultifying purpose" was neatly expressed in the epigram noted by...
(after 1st century BC): the sea monster Perseus slays to rescue Andromeda, and the dragon guarding the apples of the Hesperides (Book 2). - John of PatmosJohn of PatmosJohn of Patmos is the name given, in the Book of Revelation, as the author of the apocalyptic text that is traditionally cannonized in the New Testament...
, Book of RevelationBook of RevelationThe Book of Revelation is the final book of the New Testament. The title came into usage from the first word of the book in Koine Greek: apokalupsis, meaning "unveiling" or "revelation"...
(1st century AD): SatanSatanSatan , "the opposer", is the title of various entities, both human and divine, who challenge the faith of humans in the Hebrew Bible...
as a dragon (chapters 12-13, 16:13, 20:2).
Middle AgesMiddle AgesThe Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
(5th century-15th century)
- BeowulfBeowulfBeowulf , but modern scholars agree in naming it after the hero whose life is its subject." of an Old English heroic epic poem consisting of 3182 alliterative long lines, set in Scandinavia, commonly cited as one of the most important works of Anglo-Saxon literature.It survives in a single...
(8th - 11th century): The unnamed dragon from the end of the Old English epic, which dies by the combined efforts of Wiglaf and Beowulf. - Life of Euflamm (12th century): The dragon slain by King ArthurKing ArthurKing Arthur is a legendary British leader of the late 5th and early 6th centuries, who, according to Medieval histories and romances, led the defence of Britain against Saxon invaders in the early 6th century. The details of Arthur's story are mainly composed of folklore and literary invention, and...
. - Geoffrey of MonmouthGeoffrey of MonmouthGeoffrey of Monmouth was a cleric and one of the major figures in the development of British historiography and the popularity of tales of King Arthur...
, Historia Regum BritanniaeHistoria Regum BritanniaeThe Historia Regum Britanniae is a pseudohistorical account of British history, written c. 1136 by Geoffrey of Monmouth. It chronicles the lives of the kings of the Britons in a chronological narrative spanning a time of two thousand years, beginning with the Trojans founding the British nation...
(c.1136): the dragons in the underground lake whose fighting upsets Uther PendragonUther PendragonUther Pendragon is a legendary king of sub-Roman Britain and the father of King Arthur.A few minor references to Uther appear in Old Welsh poems, but his biography was first written down by Geoffrey of Monmouth in his Historia Regum Britanniae , and Geoffrey's account of the character was used in...
's tower, as revealed by MerlinMerlinMerlin is a legendary figure best known as the wizard featured in the Arthurian legend. The standard depiction of the character first appears in Geoffrey of Monmouth's Historia Regum Britanniae, written c. 1136, and is based on an amalgamation of previous historical and legendary figures...
. - Jacobus de VoragineJacobus de VoragineBlessed Jacobus de Varagine or Voragine was an Italian chronicler and archbishop of Genoa. He was the author, or more accurately the compiler, of Legenda Aurea, the Golden Legend, a collection of the legendary lives of the greater saints of the medieval church that was one of the most popular...
, The Golden LegendGolden LegendThe Golden Legend is a collection of hagiographies by Jacobus de Voragine that became a late medieval bestseller. More than a thousand manuscripts of the text have survived, compared to twenty or so of its nearest rivals...
(c. 1260): the dragon slain by St. George. - Völsungasaga (late 13th century): FáfnirFafnirIn Norse mythology, Fáfnir or Frænir was a son of the dwarf king Hreidmar and brother of Regin and Ótr. In the Volsunga saga, Fáfnir was a dwarf gifted with a powerful arm and fearless soul. He guarded his father's house of glittering gold and flashing gems...
. - Sir Gawain and the Green KnightSir Gawain and the Green KnightSir Gawain and the Green Knight is a late 14th-century Middle English alliterative romance outlining an adventure of Sir Gawain, a knight of King Arthur's Round Table. In the poem, Sir Gawain accepts a challenge from a mysterious warrior who is completely green, from his clothes and hair to his...
(14th century): The "wormsWyrmWyrm , or wurm, is the Old English term for a dragon or a dragon-like creature, especially one that is serpentine. It is used as an archaism in English folklore and modern fantasy to distinguish it from its Modern English counterpart worm...
" Sir Gawain battles. - Jacques de LonguyonJacques de LonguyonJacques de Longuyon of Lorraine is the author of a chanson de geste, Les Voeux du paon , written for Thibaut de Bar, bishop of Liège in 1312. It was one of the most popular romances of the 14th century, and introduces the concept of the Nine Worthies...
, Les Voeux du Paon (1312): MelusineMelusineMelusine is a figure of European legends and folklore, a feminine spirit of fresh waters in sacred springs and rivers.She is usually depicted as a woman who is a serpent or fish from the waist down...
, a beautiful woman who seems faithful but refuses to take communion in church. When confronted, she turns into a dragon and flees. She has been depicted in Russian art of the 18th century as a woman's head on a dragon's body.
Early Modern Era (15th century-18th century)
- Edmund SpenserEdmund SpenserEdmund Spenser was an English poet best known for The Faerie Queene, an epic poem and fantastical allegory celebrating the Tudor dynasty and Elizabeth I. He is recognised as one of the premier craftsmen of Modern English verse in its infancy, and one of the greatest poets in the English...
, The Faerie QueeneThe Faerie QueeneThe Faerie Queene is an incomplete English epic poem by Edmund Spenser. The first half was published in 1590, and a second installment was published in 1596. The Faerie Queene is notable for its form: it was the first work written in Spenserian stanza and is one of the longest poems in the English...
(1590): Unnamed dragon slain by Redcrosse knight (Book 1, Canto 11-12). - Christopher MarloweChristopher MarloweChristopher Marlowe was an English dramatist, poet and translator of the Elizabethan era. As the foremost Elizabethan tragedian, next to William Shakespeare, he is known for his blank verse, his overreaching protagonists, and his mysterious death.A warrant was issued for Marlowe's arrest on 18 May...
, Doctor Faustus (1604): The dragons that draw Faustus's chariot. - Marie Catherine d'Aulnoy, The Green SerpentThe Green SerpentThe Green Serpent , is a French fairy tale written by Marie Catherine d'Aulnoy, popular in its day and representative of European folklore, that was published in her book New Tales, or Fairies in Fashion , in 1698. The serpent is representative of a European dragon...
(1698): A handsome king turned into a green dragon by enchantment.
19th century
- JacobJacob GrimmJacob Ludwig Carl Grimm was a German philologist, jurist and mythologist. He is best known as the discoverer of Grimm's Law, the author of the monumental Deutsches Wörterbuch, the author of Deutsche Mythologie and, more popularly, as one of the Brothers Grimm, as the editor of Grimm's Fairy...
and Wilhelm GrimmWilhelm GrimmWilhelm Carl Grimm was a German author, the younger of the Brothers Grimm.-Life and work:...
, "The Two BrothersThe Two BrothersThe Two Brothers is a German fairy tale collected by the Brothers Grimm, tale number 60. It is Aarne-Thompson type 567A, the magic bird heart, and type 303, the blood brothers.-Synopsis:...
" (1812): A seven-headed dragon who demands maidens in one of Grimm's Fairy TalesGrimm's Fairy TalesChildren's and Household Tales is a collection of German origin fairy tales first published in 1812 by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm, the Brothers Grimm. The collection is commonly known today as Grimms' Fairy Tales .-Composition:...
. - Lewis CarrollLewis CarrollCharles Lutwidge Dodgson , better known by the pseudonym Lewis Carroll , was an English author, mathematician, logician, Anglican deacon and photographer. His most famous writings are Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and its sequel Through the Looking-Glass, as well as the poems "The Hunting of the...
, "JabberwockyJabberwocky"Jabberwocky" is a nonsense verse poem written by Lewis Carroll in his 1872 novel Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There, a sequel to Alice's Adventures in Wonderland...
" in Through the Looking-GlassThrough the Looking-GlassThrough the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There is a work of literature by Lewis Carroll . It is the sequel to Alice's Adventures in Wonderland...
(1871): The Jabberwock, a fearsome dragonlike beast with "jaws that bite," "claws that catch," and "eyes of flame." - Richard WagnerRichard WagnerWilhelm Richard Wagner was a German composer, conductor, theatre director, philosopher, music theorist, poet, essayist and writer primarily known for his operas...
, Der Ring des NibelungenDer Ring des NibelungenDer Ring des Nibelungen is a cycle of four epic operas by the German composer Richard Wagner . The works are based loosely on characters from the Norse sagas and the Nibelungenlied...
(1876): FafnerFafnirIn Norse mythology, Fáfnir or Frænir was a son of the dwarf king Hreidmar and brother of Regin and Ótr. In the Volsunga saga, Fáfnir was a dwarf gifted with a powerful arm and fearless soul. He guarded his father's house of glittering gold and flashing gems...
. - William MorrisWilliam MorrisWilliam Morris 24 March 18343 October 1896 was an English textile designer, artist, writer, and socialist associated with the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood and the English Arts and Crafts Movement...
, The Story of Sigurd the Volsung and the Fall of the NiblungsThe Story of Sigurd the Volsung and the Fall of the NiblungsThe Story of Sigurd the Volsung and the Fall of the Niblungs is an epic poem by William Morris, telling the tragic story of the Norse hero Sigmund, his son Sigurd and Sigurd's wife Gudrun...
(1877): FafnirFafnirIn Norse mythology, Fáfnir or Frænir was a son of the dwarf king Hreidmar and brother of Regin and Ótr. In the Volsunga saga, Fáfnir was a dwarf gifted with a powerful arm and fearless soul. He guarded his father's house of glittering gold and flashing gems...
. - Kenneth GrahameKenneth GrahameKenneth Grahame was a Scottish writer, most famous for The Wind in the Willows , one of the classics of children's literature. He also wrote The Reluctant Dragon; both books were later adapted into Disney films....
, The Reluctant DragonThe Reluctant DragonThe Reluctant Dragon is an 1898 children's story by Kenneth Grahame , which served as the key element to the 1941 feature film with the same name from Walt Disney Productions. The story has also been set to music as a children's operetta by John Rutter, with words by David Grant...
(1898): A dragon who does not want to act like a dragon.
Twentieth Century
1900s (decade)
- E. NesbitE. NesbitEdith Nesbit was an English author and poet whose children's works were published under the name of E. Nesbit. She wrote or collaborated on over 60 books of fiction for children, several of which have been adapted for film and television...
, The Book of Dragons (1900): Various dragons, such as a red dragon that comes to life out of a magical Book of Beasts.
1910s
- Ryūnosuke AkutagawaRyunosuke Akutagawawas a Japanese writer active in the Taishō period in Japan. He is regarded as the "Father of the Japanese short story". He committed suicide at age of 35 through an overdose of barbital.-Early life:...
, "Dragon: the Old Potter's TaleDragon: the Old Potter's Taleis a short story by Ryūnosuke Akutagawa. It was first published in a collection of Akutagawa short stories, Akutagawa Ryūnosuke zenshū. The story is based on a thirteenth-century Japanese tale, with Akutagawa’s Taishō literary interpretations of modern psychology and the nature of...
" (1919): a vague shadowy image which observers believe is a dragon ascending to heaven.
1920s
- Lena Leonard Fisher, "The River Dragon's Bride" (1922): a divine river dragon is invented by greedy priests, and maidens die as brides to the supposed dragon until the emperor insists that the groom come to the wedding before the bride be asked to go.
- E. NesbitE. NesbitEdith Nesbit was an English author and poet whose children's works were published under the name of E. Nesbit. She wrote or collaborated on over 60 books of fiction for children, several of which have been adapted for film and television...
, The Last of the Dragons (1925): the last dragon on earth, who is tired of being expected to fight a prince for a princess, and becomes the princess's pet instead. Drinks petrol ("that's what does a dragon good, sir") and, at his own request, is eventually transformed by the king into the first airplane.
1930s
- C. S. LewisC. S. LewisClive Staples Lewis , commonly referred to as C. S. Lewis and known to his friends and family as "Jack", was a novelist, academic, medievalist, literary critic, essayist, lay theologian and Christian apologist from Belfast, Ireland...
, The Pilgrim's RegressThe Pilgrim's RegressThe Pilgrim's Regress is a book of allegorical fiction by C. S. Lewis.This 1933 novel — Lewis's first-published work of prose fiction — and his third piece of work to be published; charts the progress of a fictional character through the philosophical landscape before eventually...
(1933): the cold Northern dragon, slain by John, and the hot Southern dragon, slain by Vertue. The Northern dragon is so greedy that his anxiety for his gold hardly lets him sleep. He recalls eating his wife, saying, "worm grows not to dragon till he eats worm," a loose translation of the Latin saying, Serpens, nisi serpentem comederit, non fit draco. The Guide explains that dragons always live alone because they have become dragons by eating their own kind. Lewis reiterates the notion of cannibalistic dragons in The Voyage of the Dawn TreaderThe Voyage of the Dawn TreaderThe Voyage of the Dawn Treader is a fantasy novel for children by C. S. Lewis. Written in 1950, it was published in 1952 as the third book of The Chronicles of Narnia...
(see below). - J. R. R. TolkienJ. R. R. TolkienJohn Ronald Reuel Tolkien, CBE was an English writer, poet, philologist, and university professor, best known as the author of the classic high fantasy works The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion.Tolkien was Rawlinson and Bosworth Professor of Anglo-Saxon at Pembroke College,...
, world of Middle-earthMiddle-earthMiddle-earth is the fictional setting of the majority of author J. R. R. Tolkien's fantasy writings. The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings take place entirely in Middle-earth, as does much of The Silmarillion and Unfinished Tales....
(1937):- Ancalagon the Black (The Fellowship of the RingThe Fellowship of the RingThe Fellowship of the Ring is the first of three volumes of the epic novel The Lord of the Rings by the English author J. R. R. Tolkien. It takes place in the fictional universe Middle-earth. It was originally published on July 29, 1954 in the United Kingdom...
, 1954; The SilmarillionThe SilmarillionThe Silmarillion is a collection of J. R. R. Tolkien's mythopoeic works, edited and published posthumously by his son Christopher Tolkien in 1977, with assistance from Guy Gavriel Kay, who later became a noted fantasy writer. The Silmarillion, along with J. R. R...
, 1977) - GlaurungGlaurungGlaurung is a fictional character in J. R. R. Tolkien's fictional Middle-earth legendarium. He is introduced in The Silmarillion as the first of the Dragons. He is also a major antagonist in The Children of Húrin. He was known as The Deceiver, The Golden, The Great Worm and the Worm of...
, the first of the dragonsDragon (Middle-earth)J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth legendarium features dragons closely based on those of European legend.Besides dragon , Tolkien variously used the terms drake and worm .-History:The dragons were created by Morgoth...
in Middle-earthMiddle-earthMiddle-earth is the fictional setting of the majority of author J. R. R. Tolkien's fantasy writings. The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings take place entirely in Middle-earth, as does much of The Silmarillion and Unfinished Tales....
(The SilmarillionThe SilmarillionThe Silmarillion is a collection of J. R. R. Tolkien's mythopoeic works, edited and published posthumously by his son Christopher Tolkien in 1977, with assistance from Guy Gavriel Kay, who later became a noted fantasy writer. The Silmarillion, along with J. R. R...
, 1977) - Scatha (The Return of the KingThe Return of the KingThe Return of the King is the third and final volume of J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, following The Fellowship of the Ring and The Two Towers.-Title:...
, Appendix A.II, 1955) - SmaugSmaugSmaug is a fictional character in the novel The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien. He is a dragon, and the main antagonist within the story.-The Hobbit:...
(The HobbitThe HobbitThe Hobbit, or There and Back Again, better known by its abbreviated title The Hobbit, is a fantasy novel and children's book by J. R. R. Tolkien. It was published on 21 September 1937 to wide critical acclaim, being nominated for the Carnegie Medal and awarded a prize from the New York Herald...
, 1937) - Smaug is a classic, European-type dragon; deeply magical, he hoards treasure and burns innocent towns. Contrary to most old folklore and literature J. R. R. Tolkien's dragons are very intelligent and can cast spells over mortals. See also dragons listed at Dragon (Middle-earth)Dragon (Middle-earth)J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth legendarium features dragons closely based on those of European legend.Besides dragon , Tolkien variously used the terms drake and worm .-History:The dragons were created by Morgoth...
.
- Ancalagon the Black (The Fellowship of the Ring
1940s
- Ruth Stiles GannettRuth Stiles GannettRuth Stiles Gannett Kahn is the author of the My Father's Dragon series as well as other short children's novels. She wrote the first novel, My Father's Dragon after her graduating from Vassar College in 1944, with a BA in Chemistry...
, My Father's DragonMy Father's DragonMy Father's Dragon is a children's novel by Ruth Stiles Gannett about a young boy, Elmer Elevator, who runs away to Wild Island to rescue a baby Dragon. Both a Newbery Honor Book and an ALA Notable Book, it is the first book of a trilogy whose other titles are Elmer and the Dragon and The Dragons...
(1948): a young dragon rescued by a little boy from its abusive animal masters. - J. R. R. TolkienJ. R. R. TolkienJohn Ronald Reuel Tolkien, CBE was an English writer, poet, philologist, and university professor, best known as the author of the classic high fantasy works The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion.Tolkien was Rawlinson and Bosworth Professor of Anglo-Saxon at Pembroke College,...
, Farmer Giles of HamFarmer Giles of Ham"Farmer Giles of Ham" is a Medieval fable written by J. R. R. Tolkien in 1937 and published in 1949. The story describes the encounters between Farmer Giles and a wily dragon named Chrysophylax, and how Giles manages to use these to rise from humble beginnings to rival the king of the land...
(1949): Chrysophylax Dives.
1950s
- Robert A. HeinleinRobert A. HeinleinRobert Anson Heinlein was an American science fiction writer. Often called the "dean of science fiction writers", he was one of the most influential and controversial authors of the genre. He set a standard for science and engineering plausibility and helped to raise the genre's standards of...
, Between PlanetsBetween PlanetsBetween Planets is a science fiction novel by Robert A. Heinlein, originally serialized in Blue Book magazine in 1951 as "Planets in Combat". It was published in hardcover that year by Scribner's as part of the Heinlein juveniles.-Plot summary:...
(1951): the sentient inhabitants of VenusVenusVenus is the second planet from the Sun, orbiting it every 224.7 Earth days. The planet is named after Venus, the Roman goddess of love and beauty. After the Moon, it is the brightest natural object in the night sky, reaching an apparent magnitude of −4.6, bright enough to cast shadows...
are huge flightless dragons, who are described as highly intelligent with an enormous aptitude for scientific research, who are very warm and friendly to humans. Since humans can't prononce their real names, they habitually take - while conversing with humans via a special device - the name of a prominent past human scientist (the book's main dragon protagonist calls himself "Sir Isaac Newton"). - C. S. LewisC. S. LewisClive Staples Lewis , commonly referred to as C. S. Lewis and known to his friends and family as "Jack", was a novelist, academic, medievalist, literary critic, essayist, lay theologian and Christian apologist from Belfast, Ireland...
, The Voyage of the Dawn TreaderThe Voyage of the Dawn TreaderThe Voyage of the Dawn Treader is a fantasy novel for children by C. S. Lewis. Written in 1950, it was published in 1952 as the third book of The Chronicles of Narnia...
(1952), one of the Chronicles of Narnia: The unnamed elderly dragon who dies, and then Eustace ScrubbEustace ScrubbEustace Clarence Scrubb is a fictional character in C. S. Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia. He appears in The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, The Silver Chair, and The Last Battle. In The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, he is accompanied by Edmund and Lucy Pevensie, his cousins...
, who becomes a dragon by magic when he puts on a bracelet from the dragon hoard. Eustace actually eats much of the dead dragon by instinct; Lewis explains that dragons like to eat other dragons, and are therefore usually alone, echoing his thoughts on dragons in The Pilgrim's RegressThe Pilgrim's RegressThe Pilgrim's Regress is a book of allegorical fiction by C. S. Lewis.This 1933 novel — Lewis's first-published work of prose fiction — and his third piece of work to be published; charts the progress of a fictional character through the philosophical landscape before eventually...
(see above). - Ray BradburyRay BradburyRay Douglas Bradbury is an American fantasy, horror, science fiction, and mystery writer. Best known for his dystopian novel Fahrenheit 451 and for the science fiction stories gathered together as The Martian Chronicles and The Illustrated Man , Bradbury is one of the most celebrated among 20th...
, "The DragonThe Dragon (story)The Dragon is a short story by author Ray Bradbury. This story was originally published in 1955 in the magazine Esquire. A limited edition of the story was published by Footsteps Press in 1988....
" (1955): set simultaneously in the recent and distant past, the short story features a pair of knightKnightA knight was a member of a class of lower nobility in the High Middle Ages.By the Late Middle Ages, the rank had become associated with the ideals of chivalry, a code of conduct for the perfect courtly Christian warrior....
s setting out to fight what they think is a dragon. After they are killed by it, it is revealed that the "Dragon" is actually a steam train.
1960s
- Oliver PostgateOliver PostgateOliver Postgate was an English animator, puppeteer and writer.He was the creator and writer of some of Britain's most popular children's television programmes...
and Peter FirminPeter FirminPeter Arthur Firmin is an English artist and animator. He was the founder of Smallfilms, along with Oliver Postgate. Between them they created a number of popular children's TV programmes, The Saga of Noggin the Nog, Ivor the Engine, Clangers, Bagpuss and Pogles' Wood.-Early life:He trained at...
, The Ice Dragon (1962), one of the books in The Saga of Noggin the Nog: an ice dragon whom Noggin intends to fight, but instead helps. - Ursula K. Le GuinUrsula K. Le GuinUrsula Kroeber Le Guin is an American author. She has written novels, poetry, children's books, essays, and short stories, notably in fantasy and science fiction...
, world of EarthseaEarthseaEarthsea is a fictional realm originally created by Ursula K. Le Guin for her short story "The Word of Unbinding", published in 1964. Earthsea became the setting for a further six books, beginning with A Wizard of Earthsea, first published in 1968, and continuing with The Tombs of Atuan, The...
(1964): the portrayal of dragons undergoes significant changes from book to book. In the original, they resemble Smaug, with unbounded greed for hoards of precious jewelry; later, they grow in stature and nobility, to become virtual demi-gods who speak the "Language of Creation" as their mother tongue. Later still, it is revealed that they share an ancestry with humanity, and that some rare humans (always women) can change into dragons at will (or they may be considered as dragons who can take human form at will). In contrast to the dragons of C.S. Lewis's fiction, the dragons of Earthsea do not eat each other. Like Tolkien's Smaug, they are susceptible to drowning.- Kalessin the creator of the world of Earthsea. (The Farthest ShoreThe Farthest ShoreThe Farthest Shore is the third of a series of books written by Ursula K. Le Guin and set in her fantasy archipelago of Earthsea, first published in 1972. It follows on from The Tombs of Atuan, which itself was a sequel to A Wizard of Earthsea. It is the Earthsea series novel which inspired the...
, 1972) - Orm, the great dragon who slew and was slain by the legendary Warrior Mage Erreth-Akbe.
- Orm Embar, Orm's descendant, who died battling the evil magician Cob on the eastern shores. (The Farthest ShoreThe Farthest ShoreThe Farthest Shore is the third of a series of books written by Ursula K. Le Guin and set in her fantasy archipelago of Earthsea, first published in 1972. It follows on from The Tombs of Atuan, which itself was a sequel to A Wizard of Earthsea. It is the Earthsea series novel which inspired the...
, 1972) - Yevaud (A Wizard of EarthseaA Wizard of EarthseaA Wizard of Earthsea, first published in 1968, is the first of a series of books written by Ursula K. Le Guin and set in the fantasy world archipelago of Earthsea depicting the adventures of a budding young wizard named Ged...
, 1968) - Orm Irian and Tehanu, each of whom was a dragon in human form who acted as a diplomat between her races.
- various dragons
- Kalessin the creator of the world of Earthsea. (The Farthest Shore
- Ruth Manning-SandersRuth Manning-SandersRuth Manning-Sanders was a prolific British poet and author who was perhaps best known for her series of children's books in which she collected and retold fairy tales from all over the world. All told, she published more than 90 books during her lifetime. The dust jacket for A Book of Giants...
, A Book of DragonsA Book of DragonsA Book of Dragons is a 1965 anthology of 14 fairy tales from around the world that have been collected and retold by Ruth Manning-Sanders. It is one in a long series of such anthologies by Manning-Sanders....
(1965): 14 fairy tales about dragons. - Anne McCaffreyAnne McCaffreyAnne Inez McCaffrey was an American-born Irish writer, best known for her Dragonriders of Pern series. Over the course of her 46 year career she won a Hugo Award and a Nebula Award...
, Dragonriders of PernDragonriders of PernDragonriders of Pern is a science fiction series written primarily by the late American-Irish author Anne McCaffrey, who initiated it in 1967. Beginning 2003, her middle child Todd McCaffrey has written Pern novels, both solo and jointly with Anne. The series comprises 22 novels and several short...
series (1966): The (genetically engineered) Dragons of PernPernPern is a fictional planet created by Anne McCaffrey for the Dragonriders of Pern series of fantasy and science fiction books. It is said to be "Rukbat 3", the third planet in orbit around the star Rukbat, counting outward....
. DragonsDragons (Pern)The Dragons of Pern are a fictional race created by Anne McCaffrey as an integral part of the science fiction world depicted in her Dragonriders of Pern novels....
in Pern (genetically modified fire-lizards, which were Pernese natives) are ridden by "dragonriders" to protect the planet from a deadly threat, the Thread. - Robert Don HughesRobert Don HughesDr. Robert Don Hughes , is an American educator and writer, author of both mainstream fantasy and science fiction and evangelical non-fiction.-Education:...
, Pelmen the Powershaper series (1979–1985): Vicia-Heinox, the two-headed dragon.
1970s
- John Gardner, GrendelGrendel (novel)Grendel is a 1971 parallel novel by American author John Gardner. It is a retelling of the Anglo-Saxon epic poem Beowulf from the perspective of the antagonist, Grendel. The novel deals with finding meaning in the world, the power of literature and myth, and the nature of good and evil.Grendel...
(1971): Grendel's omniscient advisor, revealing to Grendel the meaning of the universe, and enchanting Grendel to be impervious to man-made weapons. (Based on the unnamed dragon from BeowulfBeowulfBeowulf , but modern scholars agree in naming it after the hero whose life is its subject." of an Old English heroic epic poem consisting of 3182 alliterative long lines, set in Scandinavia, commonly cited as one of the most important works of Anglo-Saxon literature.It survives in a single...
.) - Astrid LindgrenAstrid LindgrenAstrid Anna Emilia Lindgren , 14 November 1907 – 28 January 2002) was a Swedish author and screenwriter who is the world's 25th most translated author and has sold roughly 145 million copies worldwide...
, The Brothers LionheartThe Brothers LionheartThe Brothers Lionheart is a children's fantasy novel written by Astrid Lindgren. It was published in the fall of 1973 and has been translated into 46 languages. Many of its themes are unusually dark and heavy for the children's book genre. Disease, death, tyranny, betrayal and rebellion are some...
(1973): KatlaKatla (dragon)Katla is a fictional female dragon from the Swedish children's book The Brothers Lionheart, written by Astrid Lindgren.Katla is a huge ancient monster in the land of Nangijala, with the ability to spray flames from her mouth, just like its namesake volcano in Iceland. And if a victim of the flames...
. - Gerald DurrellGerald DurrellGerald "Gerry" Malcolm Durrell, OBE was a naturalist, zookeeper, conservationist, author and television presenter...
, The Talking Parcel (1974): Tabitha, last remaining dragon and Keeper of the Eggs. - Gordon R. DicksonGordon R. DicksonGordon Rupert Dickson was an American science fiction author.- Biography :Dickson was born in Edmonton, Alberta, in 1923. After the death of his father, he moved with his mother to Minneapolis, Minnesota, in 1937...
, Dragon KnightDragon KnightThe Dragon Knight is a series of fantasy novels by Gordon R. Dickson . The first book informed the 1982 animated movie The Flight of Dragons by Rankin/Bass, but was previously published as a short story, St. Dragon and the George...
series (1976):- Bryagh, a major character. (The Dragon and The GeorgeThe Dragon and the GeorgeThe Dragon and the George is a 1976 fantasy novel by Gordon R. Dickson, the first in his "Dragon Knight" series. A shorter form of the story was previously published as the short story, "St...
, 1976) - Jim Eckert, main character in the series: reluctant knight and magician, part-time dragon and de facto member of the Cliffside dragons
- Gorbash, major character in The Dragon and The GeorgeThe Dragon and the GeorgeThe Dragon and the George is a 1976 fantasy novel by Gordon R. Dickson, the first in his "Dragon Knight" series. A shorter form of the story was previously published as the short story, "St...
novel and minor character in the rest of the series: largest dragon of the Cliffside dragons, grandnephew of Smrgol - Secoh, major character in the series: a member of the Mere-Dragon clan, which have become diminutive as the result of a blight
- Smrgol, major character in The Dragon and The GeorgeThe Dragon and the GeorgeThe Dragon and the George is a 1976 fantasy novel by Gordon R. Dickson, the first in his "Dragon Knight" series. A shorter form of the story was previously published as the short story, "St...
novel: an elderly and respected member of the Cliffside dragons and the paternal granduncle of Gorbash - Various other dragons.
- Bryagh, a major character. (The Dragon and The George
- Piers AnthonyPiers AnthonyPiers Anthony Dillingham Jacob is an English American writer in the science fiction and fantasy genres, publishing under the name Piers Anthony. He is most famous for his long-running novel series set in the fictional realm of Xanth.Many of his books have appeared on the New York Times Best...
, XanthXanthXanth is a fantasy world created by author Piers Anthony for his Xanth series of novels, also known as The Magic of Xanth.-History:The name Xanth is in itself an unintentional pun, which matches the playful tone of the books...
novels (1977): Stanley Steamer, the Gap Dragon; and Stella Steamer, Stanley Steamer's female counterpart. - Diana Wynne JonesDiana Wynne JonesDiana Wynne Jones was a British writer, principally of fantasy novels for children and adults, as well as a small amount of non-fiction...
, Charmed LifeCharmed Life (novel)Charmed Life is a 1977 novel by British children's author Diana Wynne Jones. It was the first book in the Chrestomanci series of novels to be published. The series name comes from the way the plots involve a series of powerful nine-lived enchanters who carry the title Chrestomanci...
(1977): ChrestomanciChrestomanciThe Chrestomanci series is a children's fantasy series by Diana Wynne Jones. The word "Chrestomanci" may be derived from the Greek khrestos, meaning "useful," and -mancy, "divination."...
's pet dragon (rescued from poachers who killed its mother). - Robert AsprinRobert AsprinRobert Lynn Asprin was an American science fiction and fantasy author and active fan, best known for his humorous MythAdventures and Phule's Company series.- Background :...
, MythAdventuresMythAdventuresMythAdventures or Myth Adventures is a fantasy series by Robert Lynn Asprin and Jody Lynn Nye. After twelve novels by Asprin, published 1978 to 2002, he and Nye continued the series with seven more books...
series (1978): Gleep. - Michael EndeMichael EndeMichael Andreas Helmuth Ende was a German author of fantasy and children's literature. He is best known for his epic fantasy work The Neverending Story; other famous works include Momo and Jim Button and Luke the Engine Driver...
, The Neverending StoryThe Neverending StoryThe Neverending Story is a German fantasy novel by Michael Ende, first published in 1979. The standard English translation, by Ralph Manheim, was first published in 1983...
(1979): Falkor (Fuchur in the original German version), the luckdragon, and Smerg, an evil dragon.
1980s
- David and Leigh EddingsDavid EddingsDavid Eddings was an American author who wrote several best-selling series of epic fantasy novels.-Biography:...
, The BelgariadThe BelgariadThe Belgariad is a five-book fantasy epic written by David Eddings.The series tells the story of the recovery of the Orb of Aldur and coming of age of Garion, an orphaned farmboy. Garion is accompanied by his aunt Polgara and grandfather Belgarath as they try to fulfill an ancient prophecy that...
(1982) and The MalloreonThe MalloreonThe Malloreon is a five part fantasy book series written by David Eddings, which follows The Belgariad. The Malloreon is set in the same world as The Belgariad, but expands on several aspects of the setting, especially the eastern continent of Mallorea....
series (1988): Unnamed dragons. There used to be three: two males and one female but the males killed each other in the first mating season leaving the female alone for millennia. - Raymond E Feist, RiftwarRiftwarThe Riftwar Saga is a series of fantasy novels by Raymond E. Feist, the first series in The Riftwar Cycle.-Magician:"To the forest on the shore of the Kingdom of the Isles, the orphan called Pug came to study with the Master Magician Kulgan...
trilogy (1982–1986): Rhuagh, Ryath, Shuruga and others. - Laurence YepLaurence Yep-Background:Chinese-American, Yep was born in San Francisco, California to Yep Gim Lew and Franche. His older brother, Thomas named him after studying a particular saint in a multicultural neighborhood that consisted of mostly African Americans. Growing up, he often felt torn between both...
, Dragon seriesDragon (fantasy series)The Dragon series is a tetralogy of fantasy novels by Chinese-American author Laurence Yep. Yep had already written several books including the Newbery Honor novel Dragonwings by 1980, when, after undertaking careful research, he decided to adapt Chinese mythology into a fantasy form, something he...
(1982–1992): Shimmer the dragon princess. - Jane YolenJane YolenJane Hyatt Yolen is an American author and editor of almost 300 books. These include folklore, fantasy, science fiction, and children's books...
, The Pit Dragon TrilogyThe Pit Dragon TrilogyThe Pit Dragon Chronicles is a series of science fiction and fantasy novels by Jane Yolen. The anthology is simply all of the first three books in one. The books are set in the far future, on a desert planet called Austar IV, which has a history and climate similar to that of Australia. The planet...
series (1982–2009): Heart's Blood and several others. - Terry BrooksTerry BrooksTerence Dean "Terry" Brooks is an American writer of fantasy fiction. He writes mainly epic fantasy, and has also written two movie novelizations. He has written 23 New York Times bestsellers during his writing career, and has over 21 million copies of his books in print...
, Magic Kingdom of Landover novels (1986): Strabo. - R. A. MacAvoyR. A. MacAvoyRoberta Ann MacAvoy is a fantasy and science fiction author in the United States. Several of her books draw on Celtic or Zen themes. She won the John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer in 1984.-Biography:...
, Tea with the Black Dragon (1983) and Twisting the Rope (1986): Mayland Long, who used to be a Chinese dragonChinese dragonChinese dragons are legendary creatures in Chinese mythology and folklore, with mythic counterparts among Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese, Bhutanese, Western and Turkic dragons. In Chinese art, dragons are typically portrayed as long, scaled, serpentine creatures with four legs...
. - Alan Dean FosterAlan Dean FosterAlan Dean Foster is an American author of fantasy and science fiction. He currently resides in Prescott, Arizona, with his wife, and is also known for his novelizations of film scripts...
, SpellsingerSpellsingerSpellsinger is a series of fantasy novels written by Alan Dean Foster. At present the series consists of eight books, and although there was a significant gap between the writing of book six and book seven, it seems unlikely that any more will be written....
series (1983–1994): Falameezar-aziz-Sulmonmee, a friendly Marxist dragon. - Terry PratchettTerry PratchettSir Terence David John "Terry" Pratchett, OBE is an English novelist, known for his frequently comical work in the fantasy genre. He is best known for his popular and long-running Discworld series of comic fantasy novels...
, DiscworldDiscworldDiscworld is a comic fantasy book series by English author Sir Terry Pratchett, set on the Discworld, a flat world balanced on the backs of four elephants which, in turn, stand on the back of a giant turtle, Great A'Tuin. The books frequently parody, or at least take inspiration from, J. R. R....
novels (1983), notably The Colour of MagicThe Colour of MagicThe Colour of Magic is a 1983 comic fantasy novel by Terry Pratchett, and is the first book of the Discworld series. Pratchett has described it as "an attempt to do for the classical fantasy universe what Blazing Saddles did for Westerns."...
(1983) and Guards! Guards!Guards! Guards!Guards! Guards! is the eighth Discworld novel by Terry Pratchett, first published in 1989. It is the first novel about the City Watch. The first Discworld computer game borrowed heavily from Guards! Guards! in terms of plot.-Plot:...
(1989): Errol, Ninereeds and other dragons. Pratchett's Discworld novels describe two types of dragons: Noble Dragons (Draco Nobilis) which are typical European-type dragons, which are extinct by the time the books take place but can be summoned by magic or created with a lot of magic and imagination; and the Swamp Dragons (Draco Vulgaris), which are the size of small dogs, bred as pets, and, due to their complex, fire-producing anatomy, have a tendency to self-destruct. - Steven BrustSteven BrustSteven Karl Zoltán Brust is an American fantasy and science fiction author of Hungarian descent. He was a member of the writers' group The Scribblies, which included Emma Bull, Pamela Dean, Will Shetterly, Nate Bucklin, Kara Dalkey, and Patricia Wrede; he also belongs to the Pre-Joycean...
, Vlad Taltos novels (1983–present): jheregs, tiny dragon-like creatures, and dragons, huge reptiles that cannot breathe fire but have tentacles that pick up psychic impressions. - Steven BrustSteven BrustSteven Karl Zoltán Brust is an American fantasy and science fiction author of Hungarian descent. He was a member of the writers' group The Scribblies, which included Emma Bull, Pamela Dean, Will Shetterly, Nate Bucklin, Kara Dalkey, and Patricia Wrede; he also belongs to the Pre-Joycean...
, To Reign in HellTo Reign in HellTo Reign in Hell is a 1984 fantasy novel by American writer Steven Brust. It deals with the revolt of angels in Heaven from a point of view that casts Satan as a sympathetic protagonist...
(1984): BelialBelialBelial is one of the four crown princes of Hell and a demon in the Bible, Jewish apocrypha and Christian apocrypha...
, one of the Firstborn angels, takes the form of a colossal, insane dragon living beneath a volcanic mountain range. - Tracy HickmanTracy HickmanTracy Raye Hickman is a best-selling fantasy author, best known for his work on Dragonlance as a game designer and co-author with Margaret Weis, while he worked for TSR...
, and Margaret WeisMargaret WeisMargaret Edith Weis is a fantasy novelist who, along with Tracy Hickman, is one of the original creators of the Dragonlance game world and has written numerous novels and short stories set in fantastic worlds.-Early life:Margaret Weis was born in 1948 in Independence, Missouri, and later attended...
, DragonlanceDragonlanceDragonlance is a shared universe created by Laura and Tracy Hickman, and expanded by Tracy Hickman and Margaret Weis under the direction of TSR, Inc. into a series of popular fantasy novels. The Hickmans conceived Dragonlance while driving in their car on the way to TSR for a job application...
universe (1984): Cyan Bloodbane, a green dragon; Khisanth, Skie, Malystryx, Pyros, Flamestrike, Silvara, Khirsah — among others - Robin McKinleyRobin McKinleyRobin McKinley is a distinguished author of fantasy and children's books who has written sixteen books to date. Her latest book Pegasus was published in 2010...
, The Hero and the CrownThe Hero and the CrownThe Hero and the Crown is a fantasy novel written by Robin McKinley and published by Greenwillow Books in 1984. It is the winner of the 1985 Newbery Medal award. The book is the prequel to The Blue Sword, written in 1982. This story focuses on "Aerin Dragon-Killer," also known as "Aerin...
(1984): numerous small dragons, which cannot speak, and the huge, sentient dragon Maur, which is a malevolent force even after death. - Barbara HamblyBarbara HamblyBarbara Hambly is an award-winning and prolific American novelist and screenwriter within the genres of fantasy, science fiction, mystery, and historical fiction...
, DragonsbaneDragonsbaneDragonsbane is a fantasy novel written by author Barbara Hambly and published by Del Rey Books in 1985.- Plot summary :A witch, Jenny Waynest, and lord, John Aversin, who live in the Northlands are approached by a young southern noble, Gareth, who requests they slay a dragon in the capital city of...
(1985): Morkeleb, the black dragon around whom revolves the plot. - Paul Edwin ZimmerPaul Edwin ZimmerPaul Edwin Zimmer , was a noted poet and author. He was also an accomplished swordsman and founding member of the Society for Creative Anachronism...
, A Gathering of HeroesA Gathering of HeroesA Gathering of Heroes is a novel by Paul Edwin Zimmer. It is the third book in the Dark Border books and fuses classic high fantasy with science fiction.-Plot:...
(1987), part of the Dark Border series: Komanthodel, the ancient evil dragon. - Melanie RawnMelanie RawnMelanie Rawn is an author of fantasy literature. She received a BA in history from Scripps College and worked as a teacher and editor before becoming a writer....
, the Dragon Prince seriesDragon Prince seriesThe Dragon Prince and Dragon Star trilogies comprise connected fantasy novels written by Melanie Rawn. The Dragon Prince trilogy focuses on Prince Rohan of the Desert and his Sunrunner wife, Sioned, while the Dragon Star trilogy focuses on their son, Pol...
(1985–1994):- Azhdeen, a dragon belonging to Pol.
- Elisel, a dragon belonging to the SunrunnerSunrunnerSunrunner is a fictional title created by author Melanie Rawn for her novels of the Dragon Prince and Dragon Star trilogies.Sunrunners, or faradh'im , are people who are able to use the Sun, and Moon, for communication and spellcasting. They weave the light with their thoughts, which are...
Sioned. - Various unnamed dragons.
- Lucius ShepardLucius ShepardLucius Shepard is an American writer. Classified as a science fiction and fantasy writer, he often leans into other genres, such as magical realism. His work is infused with a political and historical sensibility and an awareness of literary antecedents...
, stories (e.g., The Scalehunter's Daughter, 1988): Griaule, a gigantic dragon, paralyzed and moribund yet still capable of casting a baleful influence. - Martin BayntonMartin BayntonMartin Baynton is a British Author, Illustrator, Actor and TV producer. He is a children’s book writer, he has also written fiction for adults and a selection of his short stories have been anthologised. He is well known for his children’s book Jane and the Dragon , which has since been adapted...
, Jane and the DragonJane and the DragonJane and the Dragon is a series of children's books written and illustrated by Martin Baynton. The three books are "Jane and the Dragon" ; "The Dragon's Purpose" ; and "Jane and the Magician" ....
(children's book series, 1988, later adapted into a TV show): features a twist on the conventional tale, with a friendly and chatty dragon who befriends a teenage girl training to be a knight. - R.A. Salvatore, novels set in the Forgotten RealmsForgotten RealmsThe Forgotten Realms is a campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. Commonly referred to by players and game designers alike as "The Realms", it was created by game designer Ed Greenwood around 1967 as a setting for his childhood stories...
(1988–present):- Icewind Dale Trilogy (1988–1990): Ingeloakastimizilian, also known as Icingdeath, is a White Frost Dragon who fights Drizzt Do'Urden and Wulfgar.
- Streams of Silver (1989): Shimmergloom the shadow dragon is mentioned.
- Sojourn (1991), Servant of the Shard (2000): Hephaestus the red dragon is a minor character.
- Tad WilliamsTad WilliamsRobert Paul "Tad" Williams, born in San Jose, California, is the author of several fantasy and science fiction novels, including Tailchaser's Song, the Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn series, the Otherland series, and The War of the Flowers....
, the Memory, Sorrow and Thorn series (1988–1993): Igjarjuk, the ice dragon. (The Dragonbone ChairThe Dragonbone ChairThe Dragonbone Chair is the first novel in Tad Williams' Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn trilogy. The saga follows a young man named Simon as he is caught up in an epic adventure.-Plot introduction:...
, 1988) - Susan FletcherSusan Fletcher (American author)Susan Fletcher is an American novelist. She was born in Pasadena, California in 1951.-Works:* Alphabet of Dreams* Shadow Spinner* Dragon Chronicles** Dragon's Milk** Flight of the Dragon Kyn** Sign of the Dove...
, The Dragon Chronicles novels (1989–1996): Byrn, Pyro, Embyr, Synge, and others. - Gary GentileGary GentileGary Gentile is an American author and pioneering technical diver.-Diving:Gary Gentile is a wreck diver. It has been suggested that Gary Gentile may be the most experienced wreck diver in the world...
, A Time For Dragons (1989), Dragons Past (1990), and No Future For Dragons (1990): Various dragons.
1990s
- Patricia C. Wrede, Enchanted Forest ChroniclesEnchanted Forest ChroniclesThe Enchanted Forest Chronicles is a series of four young adult fantasy novels by Patricia C. Wrede titled Dealing with Dragons, Searching for Dragons, Calling on Dragons, and Talking to Dragons....
series (1990–1993): Various dragons. - Jackie French KollerJackie French KollerJackie French Koller is an American author of picture books, chapter books, and novels for children and young adults. She lives and writes in western Massachusetts.Koller is also an accomplished painter...
, "The Dragonling" series (1990–1998): Zantor and various other dragons - Robert JordanRobert JordanRobert Jordan was the pen name of James Oliver Rigney, Jr. , under which he was best known as the author of the bestselling The Wheel of Time fantasy series. He also wrote under the pseudonyms Reagan O'Neal and Jackson O'Reilly.-Biography:Jordan was born in Charleston, South Carolina...
, The Wheel of TimeThe Wheel of TimeThe Wheel of Time is a series of epic fantasy novels written by American author James Oliver Rigney, Jr., under the pen name Robert Jordan. Originally planned as a six-book series, the length was increased by increments; at the time of Rigney's death, he expected it to be 12, but it will actually...
series (1990–2011): A depiction of a Chinese dragonChinese dragonChinese dragons are legendary creatures in Chinese mythology and folklore, with mythic counterparts among Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese, Bhutanese, Western and Turkic dragons. In Chinese art, dragons are typically portrayed as long, scaled, serpentine creatures with four legs...
as the sigil of the Dragon, Lews Therin Telamon. - Christopher RowleyChristopher RowleyChristopher Rowley is an American writer of both science fiction and fantasy novels.Rowley was born in 1948 in Lynn, Massachusetts to an American mother and an English father. Educated for the most part at Brentwood School, Essex, England, he became a London-based journalist in the 1970s...
, Bazil BroketailBazil BroketailBazil Broketail is a 1992 fantasy novel by author Christopher Rowley, the name of its main character, and the name of the further series of books featuring him...
book series (1992–1999): Bazil Broketail and many others. - Bruce CovilleBruce CovilleBruce Coville is an American author of children's and young adult novels. He was born in Syracuse, New York and lives there currently; he has spent most of his life there, leaving to attend Duke University and then to live in New York City....
, Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon HatcherJeremy Thatcher, Dragon HatcherJeremy Thatcher Dragon Hatcher is a novel by Bruce Coville and is part of the Magic Shop Books. It was first released in 1991 by Harcourt Brace Jovanovich/Jane Yolen Books, and later was reissued in paperback by Aladdin...
(1992): Tiamat. - Andrzej SapkowskiAndrzej SapkowskiAndrzej Sapkowski, born 21 June 1948 in Łódź, is a Polish fantasy writer. He is best known for his best-selling book series The Witcher.-Biography:...
, The WitcherThe WitcherThe Witcher, or , by Polish writer Andrzej Sapkowski is a cult series of fantasy short stories and five novels about the witcher Geralt of Rivia...
series (Sword of Destiny novel, 1992): Villentretenmerth, the golden dragon - intelligent shape-shifting creature, the only dragon among others (green, black, red and white) that can tolerate humans and even take their form. Also known as Borch in his human form. - Tamora Pierce, The ImmortalsThe Immortals (series)The Immortals quartet, by Tamora Pierce, is the story of Veralidaine Sarrasri , an orphan with an unusual talent: she can speak with animals.-Plot Summary:...
quartet (1992–1996): Skysong, as well as Flamewing, Wingstar, Diamondflame, Icefall, Steelsings, Jadewing, Jewelclaw, Moonwind, Rainbow and Riverwind. - Dick King-SmithDick King-SmithRonald Gordon King-Smith OBE, Hon.M.Ed. , better known by his pen name Dick King-Smith, was a prolific English children's author, best known for writing The Sheep-Pig, retitled in the United States as Babe the Gallant Pig, on which the movie Babe was based...
, Dragon BoyDragon Boy (book)Dragon Boy is a book written by British author Dick King-Smith in 1993. It looks at the life of John, a young orphan in the Middle Ages who is adopted by dragons.-Plot summary:...
(1993), Albertina, Montague, and Lucky Bunsen-Burner, Gerald Fire-Drake and his family - R.A. Salvatore, The Spearwielder's Tale trilogy (1993–1995): Robert (also known as Robert the Wretched), the antagonist.
- Terry GoodkindTerry GoodkindTerry Goodkind is an American writer and author of the epic fantasy The Sword of Truth series as well as the contemporary suspense novel The Law of Nines, which has ties to his fantasy series, and The Omen Machine, which is a direct sequel thereof. Before his success as an author Goodkind worked...
, The Sword of TruthThe Sword of TruthThe Sword of Truth is a series of thirteen epic fantasy novels written by Terry Goodkind. The books follow the protagonists Richard Cypher, Kahlan Amnell and Zeddicus Zu'l Zorander on their quest to defeat oppressors who seek to control the world and those who wish to unleash evil upon the world of...
(1994): Scarlet, the red dragon Gregory, Scarlet's hatchling that Richard saves in Book One. - Bruce CovilleBruce CovilleBruce Coville is an American author of children's and young adult novels. He was born in Syracuse, New York and lives there currently; he has spent most of his life there, leaving to attend Duke University and then to live in New York City....
, the series The Unicorn ChroniclesThe Unicorn ChroniclesThe Unicorn Chronicles consists of four young adult fantasy novels by Bruce Coville.The first book, Into the Land of the Unicorns, introduces the main character, Cara Hunter, and her grandmother, Ivy Morris...
(1994): Ebillan and Firethroat, dragons. - Daniel HoodDaniel HoodDaniel Hood is an American writer of fantasy novels.He was born in Pelham, a small town just north of the Bronx. He wrote his first book in 1991, which was published in 1994.-Fanuilh series :...
, Fanuilh series of books (1994–2000): Fanuilh, a miniature dragon and familiarFamiliar spiritIn European folklore and folk-belief of the Medieval and Early Modern periods, familiar spirits were supernatural entities believed to assist witches and cunning folk in their practice of magic...
. - Harlan EllisonHarlan EllisonHarlan Jay Ellison is an American writer. His principal genre is speculative fiction.His published works include over 1,700 short stories, novellas, screenplays, teleplays, essays, a wide range of criticism covering literature, film, television, and print media...
and Robert SilverbergRobert SilverbergRobert Silverberg is an American author, best known for writing science fiction. He is a multiple nominee of the Hugo Award and a winner of the Nebula Award.-Early years:...
, "The Dragon on the BookshelfThe Dragon on the Bookshelf"The Dragon on the Bookshelf" is a short story by Harlan Ellison and Robert Silverberg. The story was originally written and copyrighted in 1995, and appeared in Ellison's 1997 short story collection Slippage.- Plot summary:...
" (1995): Urnikh. - Robin HobbRobin HobbRobin Hobb is the second pen name of novelist Margaret Astrid Lindholm Ogden who produces primarily fantasy fiction, although she has published some science fiction....
, Realm of the Elderlings series (1995): dragons and humans coexisted in the distant past. Their essences became mixed in some cases, producing scaled humans referred to as Elderlings, or small, rubbery-skinned dragons, called "Others" and treated as abominations. Humans carved living dragon statues out of special living stone; these statues were later used as a weapon against the Outislanders by King Verity Farseer of the Six Duchies.- Hobb's dragons would begin life as sea serpentSea serpentA sea serpent or sea dragon is a type of sea monster either wholly or partly serpentine.Sightings of sea serpents have been reported for hundreds of years, and continue to be claimed today. Cryptozoologist Bruce Champagne identified more than 1,200 purported sea serpent sightings...
s, who would swim upriver to a special beach where they would cocoon themselves and hatch as dragons the next year. After a natural disaster changed the shape of the land, the serpents could no longer find their cocooning grounds and remained in the sea, as the cataclysm wiped out all but two of the dragons.
- Hobb's dragons would begin life as sea serpent
- Graham EdwardsGraham Edwards (writer)Graham Edwards is an English author of fantasy and crime novels. His most popular books have generally featured dragons as their central characters....
, the Ultimate Dragon SagaDragoncharmDragoncharm is a fantasy novel written by Graham Edwards. The novel was first published in 1995 by Voyager Books and HarperPrism . It is the first book in the Ultimate Dragon Saga trilogy, and its sequels are Dragonstorm and Dragonflame....
trilogy (1995–1997): Cumber, Fortune, Wraith and many other dragon characters. - Frank E. PerettiFrank E. PerettiFrank Edward Peretti is a New York Times best-selling author of Christian fiction, whose novels primarily focus on the supernatural. To date, his works have sold over 15 million copies worldwide. Peretti is best known for his novels This Present Darkness and The Oath...
, The Oath (1995): Giant, silver, unnamed dragon; a pact was made with this demonic creature by the citizens of a mining town in the northwest - George R. R. MartinGeorge R. R. MartinGeorge Raymond Richard Martin , sometimes referred to as GRRM, is an American author and screenwriter of fantasy, horror, and science fiction. He is best known for A Song of Ice and Fire, his bestselling series of epic fantasy novels that HBO adapted for their dramatic pay-cable series Game of...
, A Song of Ice and FireA Song of Ice and FireA Song of Ice and Fire is a series of epic fantasy novels by American novelist and screenwriter George R. R. Martin. Martin began writing the series in 1991 and the first volume was published in 1996. Originally planned as a trilogy, the series now consists of five published volumes; a further two...
series (1996–present), and the CCG based on the books: Drogon, Viserion, and Rhaegal, the dragons hatched by Daenerys Targaryen. Also, Balerion the Black Dread, Meraxes and Vhaghar, ridden by Aegon the Conqueror and his sisters in the conquest of Westeros. - Cornelia FunkeCornelia FunkeCornelia Funke is a multiple award-winning German author of children's fiction. She was born on 10 December 1958, in Dorsten, North Rhine-Westphalia. Funke is best known for her Inkworld trilogy, with the English translation of the third book, Inkdeath, released on 6 October 2008. Many of her...
, Dragon RiderDragon Rider (novel)Dragon Rider is a 1997 German children's novel by Cornelia Funke. Originally translated by Oliver Latsch, Dragon Rider was published in 2004 by The Chicken House in the UK and Scholastic Inc. in the US, using a translation by Anthea Bell...
(1997): Firedrake, Slatebeard, Maia, Shimmertail and several unnamed dragons. The cannibal Nettlebrand from the same book may also be considered a dragon due to his appearance. - Elizabeth KernerElizabeth KernerElizabeth Kerner is a fantasy writer. She is the author of Song in the Silence, The Lesser Kindred, and Redeeming the Lost, the initial trilogy of a series based upon humans re-establishing contact with dragons, who fled mortal lands thousands of years ago for reasons unknown.An American by birth,...
, Song in the Silence (1997): the Kantri, a society of telepathic dragons, including Akhor, the king; Shikrar, his soulfriend; Kedra and Mirazhe, the first new parents in centuries, and Idai, and old and wise admirer of Akhor. - J. K. RowlingJ. K. RowlingJoanne "Jo" Rowling, OBE , better known as J. K. Rowling, is the British author of the Harry Potter fantasy series...
, Harry PotterHarry PotterHarry Potter is a series of seven fantasy novels written by the British author J. K. Rowling. The books chronicle the adventures of the adolescent wizard Harry Potter and his best friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, all of whom are students at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry...
series (1997–2007): Various dragons (including Norwegian Ridgebacks, Hungarian Horntails, Swedish Short-Snouts, Common Welsh Greens, Hebridean Blacks, and a Chinese Fireball - see magical creatures in Harry Potter). Dragons are mentioned throughout the Harry PotterHarry PotterHarry Potter is a series of seven fantasy novels written by the British author J. K. Rowling. The books chronicle the adventures of the adolescent wizard Harry Potter and his best friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, all of whom are students at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry...
books and a baby dragon appears in the first installment and dragons later play a significant role in the fourth and seventh. They are portrayed as having strong magic (even in their blood), but they do not exhibit any hints of intelligence or self-awarenessSelf-awarenessSelf-awareness is the capacity for introspection and the ability to reconcile oneself as an individual separate from the environment and other individuals...
. Within the series, dragons are considered very dangerous by most characters (Rubeus HagridRubeus HagridRubeus Hagrid is a fictional character in the Harry Potter book series written by J. K. Rowling. Hagrid is introduced in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone as a half-giant who is the gamekeeper and Keeper of Keys and Grounds of Hogwarts, the primary setting for the first six novels...
being a notable exception) and private ownership of dragons is illegal.- Norbert, Hagrid's baby dragon, in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's StoneHarry Potter and the Philosopher's StoneHarry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone is the first novel in the Harry Potter series written by J. K. Rowling and featuring Harry Potter, a young wizard...
- Hungarian Horntail, Welsh Green, Swedish Short-snout, and Chinese Fireball in Harry Potter and the Goblet of FireHarry Potter and the Goblet of FireHarry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is the fourth novel in the Harry Potter series written by J. K. Rowling, published on 8 July 2000.The novel won a Hugo Award in 2001, the only Harry Potter novel to do so...
- The gigantic, almost blind dragon that guards some of the deepest vaults of Gringotts in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
- Norbert, Hagrid's baby dragon, in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
- T. A. BarronT. A. BarronThomas Archibald Barron is an American writer of fantasy literature, books for children and young adults, and nature books.-Biography:...
, The Fires of Merlin (1998), The Mirror of Merlin, and The Wings of Merlin: Valdearg the Wings of Fire and his daughter Gwynnia (named after TiamatTiamatIn Babylonian mythology, Tiamat is a chaos monster, a primordial goddess of the ocean, mating with Abzû to produce younger gods. It is suggested that there are two parts to the Tiamat mythos, the first in which Tiamat is 'creatrix', through a "Sacred marriage" between salt and fresh water,...
). - Anne BishopAnne BishopAnne Bishop is an American fantasy writer. Her most noted work is The Black Jewels trilogy. She lives in upstate New York. She won the Crawford Award in 2000 for the first three novels in her The Black Jewels series: Daughter of the Blood, Heir to the Shadows, and Queen of the Darkness.-The Black...
, Black Jewels TrilogyBlack Jewels TrilogyThe Black Jewels is a series of fantasy novels by Anne Bishop. Originally conceived as a trilogy and published in that form, until the prequel The Invisible Ring was published in 2000.-Series:In publication order the titles are:...
(1998): Lorn, Prince of Dragons and Keeper of the Knowledge of the Blood, Race that created the Race of the Blood and Bestower of the Blood Jewels. - Joanne BertinJoanne BertinJoanne Bertin was born in 1953 in the borough of Manhattan in New York City, USA. She writes science fiction/fantasy novels in addition to being employed...
, Dragon and PhoenixDragon and Phoenix"Dragon and Phoenix" is the second of the Dragonlord series by Joanne Bertin and was published in 1999. It takes place in a world of truehumans, truedragons, and dragonlords - beings which have both human and dragon souls and can change from human to dragon and vice versa at will...
(1999): Kelder Orolin, Linden Rathan and other dragonlords (or weredragons) in The Last DragonlordThe Last DragonlordThe Last Dragonlord is the first in a series of books written by Joanne Bertin. It takes place in a world of truehumans, truedragons, and dragonlords - beings which have both human and dragon souls and can change from human to dragon and vice versa at will.The Last Dragonlord refers to a central...
(1998) and Minue (a water dragon). - Christopher GoldenChristopher GoldenChristopher Golden is an American author of horror, fantasy, and suspense novels for adults, teens, and young readers.Golden was born and raised in Massachusetts, where he still lives with his family. He is a graduate of Tufts University...
, Strangewood (1999): Fiddlestick, a small musically emotive dragon. - James Clemens, the series The Banned and the Banished (1999): Various dragons:
- Ragnar'k, the stone dragon of A'loa Glen
- Conch and others, seadragons bonded to the Mer'ai
- Steven EriksonSteven EriksonSteven Erikson is the pseudonym of Steve Rune Lundin, a Canadian novelist, who was educated and trained as both an archaeologist and anthropologist....
, the Malazan Book of the FallenMalazan Book of the FallenThe Malazan Book of the Fallen is an epic fantasy series written by Canadian author Steven Erikson, published in ten volumes beginning with the novel Gardens of the Moon, published in 1999. The series was completed with the publication of The Crippled God in February 2011...
series (1999–present): SoletakenShapeshiftingShapeshifting is a common theme in mythology, folklore, and fairy tales. It is also found in epic poems, science fiction literature, fantasy literature, children's literature, Shakespearean comedy, ballet, film, television, comics, and video games...
and WarrenMagic in the Malazan Book of the FallenMagic in the Malazan Book of the Fallen, a high fantasy series by Steven Erikson, involves tapping power from inside the mage, taking power from spirits, or most commonly using the power of a Warren or Hold. The effects created varies depending on where the magic is taken from, how it is combined,...
-ruling dragons. - Harry TurtledoveHarry TurtledoveHarry Norman Turtledove is an American novelist, who has produced works in several genres including alternate history, historical fiction, fantasy and science fiction.- Life :...
, DarknessHarry Turtledove's DarknessThe Darkness Series is a series of six fantasy novels by Harry Turtledove. Though a fantasy the general history, geography, and combatants are analogs of World War II, or the "Derlavai War" in this universe. Many of the characters are also the equivalents of historical people. Magic and other...
series (1999): in this magical analogue of the Second World WarWorld War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the dragons are beasts, highly pugnacious and under complete human control. In the storyline they are the analogue of fighter planes and dragon riders are obviously intended to represent fighter pilots of the LuftwaffeLuftwaffeLuftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
and the RAF. - Jeffrey A. CarverJeffrey CarverJeffrey A. Carver is an American science fiction author. He was born in Cleveland, Ohio and graduated from Brown University. He currently lives in Arlington, Massachusetts...
, science fiction novels set in the Star Rigger UniverseStar RiggerA Star rigger is a person in author Jeffrey Carver’s Star Rigger universe books who pilots a spacecraft through the hyperspace realm known as “the Flux.”-Riggers:...
: Dragons in the Stars (1992) and Dragon Rigger (1993); dragons live in the hyperdimensional "Flux" of interstellar space.
For Consideration
These works have titles suggesting they might describe dragons, but no summaries are readily available which confirm that there are actual dragons in the story.- Ruth Manning-SandersRuth Manning-SandersRuth Manning-Sanders was a prolific British poet and author who was perhaps best known for her series of children's books in which she collected and retold fairy tales from all over the world. All told, she published more than 90 books during her lifetime. The dust jacket for A Book of Giants...
, "The Conceited Dragon" in Tales of Magic and MysteryTales of Magic and MysteryTales of Magic and Mystery is a 1985 anthology of 11 fairy tales from around the world that have been collected and retold by Ruth Manning-Sanders. It is one in a long series of such anthologies by Manning-Sanders.-Table of contents:*Foreword...
(1985) - Abd al-Wahhab Al-BayyatiAbd al-Wahhab Al-BayyatiAbd al-Wahhab Al-Bayati was an Iraqi poet. He was a pioneer in his field and defied conventional form of poetry that had been common for centuries.-Biography:...
, "The Dragon" (1996)
2000s (decade)
- Chris d'LaceyChris D'LaceyChris d'Lacey is an English writer of children's fiction.-Biography:Chris d'Lacey was born in Valetta, Malta, but as a child moved first to Leicester and then to Bolton...
, "The Last Dragon Chronicles" series, starting with The Fire Within (2001): Gadzooks, G'reth, Gretel, Gawain, and other dragons. These dragons are made of clay and brought to life by the fire/essence (known as the "auma") of one of Earth's last true Dragons, called Gawain. It is possible that Gawain's line might rise to full draconicity as a result of the actions taken by the student David Rain, his girlfriend the sibylSibylThe word Sibyl comes from the Greek word σίβυλλα sibylla, meaning prophetess. The earliest oracular seeresses known as the sibyls of antiquity, "who admittedly are known only through legend" prophesied at certain holy sites, under the divine influence of a deity, originally— at Delphi and...
Zanna, the clayworkers Liz and Lucy Pennykettle, scientist Anders Bergstrom, and the witch Gwillanna. - Cressida CowellCressida CowellCressida Cowell is an English children's author who wrote the Hiccup series of books.- Personal life :Cowell lives in London with her husband Simon, a former director and interim CEO of the International Save the Children Alliance; daughters Maisie and Clementine; and son Alexander...
, How to Train Your DragonHow to Train Your DragonHow to Train Your Dragon is a series of nine books set in a fictional Viking world. The books were published starting in 2003 as children's novels written by British author Cressida Cowell and published by Hodder Children's Books...
series (2003) - Emily Rodda, Deltora Quests third installment (2000–2004): Dragons are portrayed as very intelligent and proud; as being divided into seven distinct tribeTribeA tribe, viewed historically or developmentally, consists of a social group existing before the development of, or outside of, states.Many anthropologists use the term tribal society to refer to societies organized largely on the basis of kinship, especially corporate descent groups .Some theorists...
s; as having the capacity to reproduce by parthenogenesisParthenogenesisParthenogenesis is a form of asexual reproduction found in females, where growth and development of embryos occur without fertilization by a male...
; and as each having a virtue to which it adheres, such as Strength, Honor, Luck, Faith, Hope, Joy, and Truth. - Emily Rodda, Deltora Quest 3Deltora Quest 3Deltora Quest 3 is a series of children's fantasy books, written by Australian author Emily Rodda...
(2000–2004): The various Gem Dragons. - Mark E. Cooper, The Devan Chronicles novels (2001): Boldizar, and other dragons.
- Neal AsherNeal AsherNeal Asher is an English science fiction writer. Both his parents are educators and science fiction fans. Although he began writing Science Fiction and Fantasy in secondary school, Asher did not turn seriously to writing till he was 25...
, several books (e.g., GridlinkedGridlinkedGridlinked is Neal Asher's first novel, published by the Macmillan Publishers imprint Pan Books in 2001. It contains elements of the technological inventiveness of hard science-fiction with a more contemporary political plotline...
, 2001): The entity Dragon. - Robin HobbRobin HobbRobin Hobb is the second pen name of novelist Margaret Astrid Lindholm Ogden who produces primarily fantasy fiction, although she has published some science fiction....
, The Tawny Man trilogy (2002–2003): Icefyre and Tintaglia, the last remaining dragons. - Christopher PaoliniChristopher PaoliniChristopher Paolini is an American author. He is best known as the author of the Inheritance Cycle, which consists of the books Eragon, Eldest, Brisingr, and Inheritance...
, The Inheritance Cycle (2002): Glaedr, Saphira, Shruikan, and Thorn. - Robin Wayne BaileyRobin Wayne BaileyRobin Wayne Bailey is an American fantasy and science fiction author. He is a past president of SFWA, the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America . He was South-Central Regional Director for SFWA nine years. He has also hosted three of SFWA's Nebula Awards weekends...
, DragonkinRobin Wayne BaileyRobin Wayne Bailey is an American fantasy and science fiction author. He is a past president of SFWA, the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America . He was South-Central Regional Director for SFWA nine years. He has also hosted three of SFWA's Nebula Awards weekends...
series (2003): The dragons of Wyvernwood. - Margaret WeisMargaret WeisMargaret Edith Weis is a fantasy novelist who, along with Tracy Hickman, is one of the original creators of the Dragonlance game world and has written numerous novels and short stories set in fantastic worlds.-Early life:Margaret Weis was born in 1948 in Independence, Missouri, and later attended...
, DragonvarldDragonvarldDragonvarld is a trilogy of fantasy novels by Margaret Weis. Within the series, this also refers to the setting; the word Dragonvarld is said to be the Dragon name for Earth . It resembles Earth of the Middle Ages, complete with a church bent on witch and demon hunts...
trilogy (2003–2005): Maristara, an evil black dragon; Braun, her grandson; Draconas, the walker, a dragon in human form; and various other dragons. - Tony DiTerlizziTony DiTerlizziTony M. DiTerlizzi is an American fantasy artist, children's book creator, and motion picture producer.DiTerlizzi created The Spiderwick Chronicles series with Holly Black, and was an executive producer on the 2008 film adaptation of the series. He won a Caldecott Honor Medal for his adaptation of...
and Holly BlackHolly BlackHolly Black née Riggenbach is an American writer and editor, best known for writing The Spiderwick Chronicles, a series of children's fantasy books she created with illustrator Tony DiTerlizzi.-Early life and education:...
, The Spiderwick ChroniclesThe Spiderwick ChroniclesThe Spiderwick Chronicles is a series of children's books by Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black. They chronicle the adventures of the Grace children, twins Simon and Jared and their older sister Mallory, after they move into Spiderwick Estate and discover a world of fairies that they never knew...
(2003–2004) and Beyond the Spiderwick Chronicles (2007–2009):- In The Spiderwick ChroniclesThe Spiderwick ChroniclesThe Spiderwick Chronicles is a series of children's books by Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black. They chronicle the adventures of the Grace children, twins Simon and Jared and their older sister Mallory, after they move into Spiderwick Estate and discover a world of fairies that they never knew...
serial (2003–2004), Book Five, The Wrath of Mulgarath: The snake-like poisonous dragons raised by the ogre Mulgarath as his weapons of mass destruction. Mentioned as the European Wyrm variety. - In Beyond the Spiderwick Chronicles serial (2007–2009), Book Three, The Wyrm King: A Hydra, a dragon or snake-like creature with multiple heads and gills appears, called the Wyrm King.
- In The Spiderwick Chronicles
- Mercedes LackeyMercedes LackeyMercedes "Misty" Lackey is a best-selling American author of fantasy novels. Many of her novels and trilogies are interlinked and set in the world of Velgarth, mostly in and around the country of Valdemar...
, the Dragon Jousters series (2003–2006): Avatre and several others. - Mercedes LackeyMercedes LackeyMercedes "Misty" Lackey is a best-selling American author of fantasy novels. Many of her novels and trilogies are interlinked and set in the world of Velgarth, mostly in and around the country of Valdemar...
and James Mallory, The Obsidian TrilogyThe Obsidian TrilogyThe Obsidian Trilogy is a three-novel fantasy series, chronicling the journey of Kellen Tavadon in relation to the third war between the Light and the Endarkened, co-written by Mercedes Lackey and James Mallory...
(2003–2006): Ancalader, the dragon bonded to Jermayan. - Keith Baker, world of EberronEberronEberron is a campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, set in a period after a vast destructive war on the continent of Khorvaire...
(2004):- Eberron, one of the progenitor dragons. Eberron's bones compose the world.
- Khyber, one of the progenitor dragons. Khyber rules the underworld and his children are the demons and monsters of the world.
- Siberys, one of the progenitor dragons. Siberys is the "Dragon Above", his remnants compose the Ring of Siberys, a golden ring of crystal-like shards that glitters in the night sky.
- Bryan DavisBryan DavisBryan Allan Davis is a former West Indian cricketer who played in four Tests in 1965. He later qualified for Glamorgan playing in the championship winning side in 1969....
, Dragons in Our Midst series (2004): Clefspeare, Hartanna, Firedda and others. - L. B. Graham, The Binding of the Blade series (2004): Eliandir, Sulmandir the Father of Dragons.
- Christopher PikeChristopher Pike (author)Christopher Pike is the pseudonym of American author Kevin Christopher McFadden . He is a bestselling author of young adult and children's fiction, but whose expertise is in the thriller genre. The pseudonym Christopher Pike is allegedly a reference to the captain of the USS Enterprise in the Star...
, Alosha series (2004): Dragons also start life as legless, wingless, tailless, and without fireFireFire is the rapid oxidation of a material in the chemical process of combustion, releasing heat, light, and various reaction products. Slower oxidative processes like rusting or digestion are not included by this definition....
; in this form, they are known as Kouls. Later in life, a Koul develops legLegŁęg may refer to the following places in Poland:*A former name for the town of Ełk *Part of the Czyżyny district of Kraków*Łęg, Pleszew County in Greater Poland Voivodeship...
s, a tailTailThe tail is the section at the rear end of an animal's body; in general, the term refers to a distinct, flexible appendage to the torso. It is the part of the body that corresponds roughly to the sacrum and coccyx in mammals, reptiles, and birds...
, wingWingA wing is an appendage with a surface that produces lift for flight or propulsion through the atmosphere, or through another gaseous or liquid fluid...
s, and fiery breath. To do this, a Koul must risk its life for protection of others, learn to swim, and take a literal "leap of faithFaithFaith is confidence or trust in a person or thing, or a belief that is not based on proof. In religion, faith is a belief in a transcendent reality, a religious teacher, a set of teachings or a Supreme Being. Generally speaking, it is offered as a means by which the truth of the proposition,...
" from a high place. - Emma Maree UrquhartEmma Maree UrquhartEmma Maree Urquhart is a Scottish writer and Computer Engineer.-Biography:She was born in Raigmore Hospital Inverness before moving to Stornoway with her family, returning to Inverness for school at an early age. At school, she developed a fondness for reading and of creative writing also...
, Dragon TamersDragon TamersDragon Tamers is a novel series written by Scottish author Emma Maree Urquhart.The Dragon Tamers series itself is a set of tales focussing on an alternative universe, where Virtual Reality is finally in use for video games...
series (2004–2005): Sam, Nick and Crystal, plus various other dragons. - Donita K. PaulDonita K. PaulDonita Kathleen Paul is a best-selling contemporary Christian fiction novelist. Best known for her fantasy DragonKeeper Chronicles series, she won a finalist medal in the Christy Awards for the first installment of the DragonKeeper Chronicles, DragonSpell. She has also written romances and...
, Dragonkeeper Chronicles (2004–2008): Celisse, Metta, Gymn, Greer and others. - E. E. KnightE. E. KnightE. E. Knight is the pen name for a science fiction and fantasy writer, born in La Crosse, Wisconsin. He grew up in Stillwater, Minnesota and now resides in Oak Park, Illinois with his wife, newborn daughter and young son....
, the Age of FireAge of FireAge of Fire is a series of fantasy/adventure novels written by E. E. Knight, who is also known for writing the Vampire Earth series of novels.- Plot :The series follows the adventures of three dragon siblings...
series (2005): Auron (later AuRon), the gray, scaleless dragon. Also included are Natasatch (his mate), Irelia (his green mother), AuRel (his bronze father), Jizara (green sister), Wistala (green sister), NooMoahk (black dragon), Rugaard (copper dragon), and many others. - Michele Avanti, GreeHee - The Journey Of Five (2006): GreeHee, an adolescent dragon, thirteen soars old, son of Tereem the Terrible.
- Joe Ekaitis, Collinsfort Village (2006): Dorian di Drago, a 40 feet (12.2 m) tall mural-painting dragon, gives up flying on the same day a famous aviatrix disappears in 1937.
- Gareth P. JonesGareth P. JonesGareth P. Jones is a British children's writer, and author of the Dragon Detective Agency series of books. He is most famous for his book The Thornthwaite Inheritance. All six of his books are detective stories for children...
, Dragon Detective AgencyDragon Detective AgencyThe Dragon Detective Agency is a series of children's books written by Gareth P. Jones and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. The first book, called The Case of the Missing Cats, was published in 2006. It involves a girl called Holly Bigsby who has lost her cat Willow. She calls the Dragon...
(2006): Dirk Dilly. - Naomi NovikNaomi NovikNaomi Novik is an American novelist. She is a first-generation American; her father is of Lithuanian Jewish ancestry, and her mother is an ethnic Pole. She studied English Literature at Brown University, and holds a Master's degree in Computer Science from Columbia University...
, Temeraire seriesTemeraire (series)The Temeraire series of novels by Naomi Novik is composed of His Majesty's Dragon , Throne of Jade, Black Powder War, Empire of Ivory, Victory of Eagles, and Tongues of Serpents...
(2006): Temeraire and the other dragons of the Napoleonic WarsNapoleonic WarsThe Napoleonic Wars were a series of wars declared against Napoleon's French Empire by opposing coalitions that ran from 1803 to 1815. As a continuation of the wars sparked by the French Revolution of 1789, they revolutionised European armies and played out on an unprecedented scale, mainly due to...
. - James A. OwenJames A. OwenJames A. Owen is an American comic book creator, publisher and writer. He is best known for his creator-owned comic book series Starchild and as the author of The Chronicles of the Imaginarium Geographica novel series, that began with Here, There Be Dragons in 2006.-Life and career:Owen...
, The Chronicles of the Imaginarium Geographica series (Here, There Be Dragons, 2006): Samaranth, an Eastern-type dragon who offers guidance to the main characters. Also various other dragons. - Dave FreerDave FreerDave Freer is a South African-born science fiction author writing mostly humorous or alternate history novels.He was conscripted into the South African Defence Force and sent to the Angolan Border as a medic....
, Dragon's Ring (2009): Fionn, a black dragon who plans to destroy Tasmarin.
2010s
- Janet Lee Carey, The Dragons of Noor (2010): The dragons which the Three meet in the forests of Jarrosh.
- Janet Lee Carey, Dragon's Keep (2010): Tells the tale of Princess Rosalind, who was born with a greenish-yellow dragon talon on her wedding finger, and thus must wear golden gloves to hide her secret.