Following on from Jane's questions about AM's series. What other dragon books have you read?
I have always been a lover of all things dragon, after learning when I was very little that I was born in the Chinese, Year of the Dragon (1964). My favourite song when I was a child - Puff the Magic Dragon. Remember I was little and had no clue of the other connotations.
But I have only read a couple of other books that deal with Dragons and wondered if there're some I may have missed?
I've read:
Terry Pratchett's books but hated the lack of chapter division, and thought the series silly.
I've heard mixed reviews of Eragon - still waiting for a copy in the secondhand book store.
And Mikel recently put me on to the Temeraire series by Naomi Novik, which is a brilliant series - fresh ideas and well worth paying for brand new copies!!!
So are there others out there?
The ending of Puff the Magic Dragon always made me cry :(
I haven't read any other dragon books, alas. I'm the incredibly odd member who doesn't really read fantasy much :geek:
Eragon of course, and there were dragons in Melanie Rawn's Sunrunner books.
I had a record (yes Vinyl!!! ) of Puff the Magic dragon, and I'm sure I had books about St George killing a dragon and Welsh legends about dragons as well - I have a cuddly toy of a welsh dragon, he's bright red and called Dudley.
There are more, but I'd recommend these ones:
Saint of Dragons - Evil dragons. Great fun.
Patricia C. Wrede's
Enchanted Forest Chronicles - The three prequels are great. Funny dragons!
Chris d'Lacey's 'trilogy' starting with
The Fire Within - Cute dragons![/list]
I'm not much into dragons as such, just YA fantasy. Dragons tend to turn up in that genre fairly frequently.
Quote from: "Jane"There are more, but I'd recommend these ones:
Saint of Dragons - Evil dragons. Great fun.
Patricia C. Wrede's Enchanted Forest Chronicles - The three prequels are great. Funny dragons!
Chris d'Lacey's 'trilogy' starting with The Fire Within - Cute dragons![/list]
I'm not much into dragons as such, just YA fantasy. Dragons tend to turn up in that genre fairly frequently.
Will stay away from the first one. I don't believe in Evil Dragons!! Hated the Dungeons and Dragons movie because of the nasty, evil dragons in it.
(YA??? Young Adult?)
Quote from: "emma"Eragon of course, and there were dragons in Melanie Rawn's Sunrunner books.
I had a record (yes Vinyl!!! ) of Puff the Magic dragon, and I'm sure I had books about St George killing a dragon and Welsh legends about dragons as well - I have a cuddly toy of a welsh dragon, he's bright red and called Dudley.
Haven't read Melanie Rawn, but will keep an eye for them now.
Quote from: "Eimi"The ending of Puff the Magic Dragon always made me cry :(
I haven't read any other dragon books, alas. I'm the incredibly odd member who doesn't really read fantasy much :geek:
If not fantasy, then what?
I have eclectic taste in books. My all time favourite is Pat Cornwell with her Kay Scarpetta novels, closely followed by James Herbert with his gothic horror. (should really be a different thread.. :-)
Quote from: "Kaysea"Will stay away from the first one. I don't believe in Evil Dragons!!
(YA??? Young Adult?)
Yes, young adult.
I think you'd like it if you could put aside your dragon prejudices! The main character is a descendant of St George - born to hunt and kill dragons. Dragons live among us, disguised and making trouble. Written by a scriptwriter so it rolls along like an action movie.
Quote from: "Jane"Quote from: "Kaysea"Will stay away from the first one. I don't believe in Evil Dragons!!
(YA??? Young Adult?)
Yes, young adult.
I think you'd like it if you could put aside your dragon prejudices! The main character is a descendant of St George - born to hunt and kill dragons. Dragons live among us, disguised and making trouble. Written by a scriptwriter so it rolls along like an action movie.
Hmmm.... St George was a baaaad man....!
Definitely Melanie Rawn, starting with Dragon Prince series and moving on to Dragon Star (I think that's what it is -- I slept in this a.m. and still groggy).
Try also Robin Hobb's Live Ship and Fool series.
Quote from: "Kaysea"If not fantasy, then what?
Classics, mostly. Steinbeck. Hemingway. The first few Tarzan books. Lord of the Flies is one of my all time favorites. Clan of the Cavebear. Roots... Bree says I'm a snobby reader :dontknow:
Quote from: "Kaysea"I've heard mixed reviews of Eragon - still waiting for a copy in the secondhand book store.
And Mikel recently put me on to the Temeraire series by Naomi Novik, which is a brilliant series - fresh ideas and well worth paying for brand new copies!!!
I really liked the concept of Eragon, (good dragons with riders in a fantastical world) even if the books are a bit... meh. I'm still going to buy the 3rd one when it comes out because I'm that much of a freak. :geek:
I've wanted to read the Temeraire series for FOREVER! I heard about them once on All Things Considered (They had Anne on the same show, it was on her website *nods*) and have wanted to read them ever since. I just can't find them in most book stores. I guess I'll have to go to a Borders or something.
I've never read any other books with dragons. I'm more of a sci-fi reader than a fantasy reader though, which might explain it.
Melanie Rawn has some amazing books, so I highly recommend her. Also, another author is Elizabeth Kerner and I can't remember what her series is, but the first book is Song of Silence (I think, I'm at work and can't check). Her series is also about dragons and how they can communicate w/ one girl who comes to their island. Very good story. :) :cheers:
Quote from: "Eimi"Classics, mostly. Steinbeck. Hemingway. The first few Tarzan books. Lord of the Flies is one of my all time favorites. Clan of the Cavebear. Roots...
I remember reading Lord of the Flies in school. We even watched the movie. I liked Clan of the Cavebear and I read Roots a few times.
I've been reading a series by Jane Lindskold that is very interesting. The first book is "Through Wolf's eyes" A girl raised by intelligent wolves is brought back into the human world.
I have the 'Earths's Children' (Clan of the Cavebear) books, and Roots belongs to my Dad. I'm reading some 'chick lit' that my cousin lent me because the serious book shopping gets done just before I go on holiday next month.
That means a trip to Borders where I just take cash and leave the plastic and cheque book at home!
Ohhh pick me pick me! *jumps up and down*
- I've Christopher Paolini's 'Eragon', only 'cause I saw the review from AM on the back... :geek: I must say I wasn't overly impressed with it... which is prolly why 'Eldest' is sitting unread on my shelf *shame*
- I've also read Chris d' Lacey's trilogy 'The Fire Within' 'Ice Fire' and 'Fire Star'. Interesting read, fell in love with all the little dragons around the place, I have a few questions about the end of 'Fire Star' through. Very cute dragons.
- Naomi Novik's 'Temperaire' series is sitting on my desk to be read, looking forward to that. Just a note as I saw a few of you mention them they are being released with new covers, and sold at Borders ^^. (Also: http://www.temeraire.org/ (http://www.temeraire.org/) )
- 'Dragon Fire' by Charles Ashton was another one I've picked up and read. It was more based on the magic side of things and having to stop a dragon... good story, but its gets minus points due to the fact the dragon was seen as evil. Sorry I love dragons and evil doesn't seem right in my opinion.
- Graham Edwards, I find him near impossible to track down (I did though and now own the books). He wrote two dragon based trilogies; the first more so that the second. The first trilogy has been dubbed the 'ultimate dragon saga' (though that could just be the name), and consists of 'Dragoncharm' 'Dragonstorm' and 'Dragonflame'. Its the format of a classic adventure story, working together to stop the evil (yes there is an evil and ambitious dragon in this; but he is black and smexy). The whole story is told from the point of view of the dragons and set in a world that is drenched in magic called Charm.
His second Trilogy, 'The Stone Trilogy' consisting of 'Stone and Sky' 'Stone and Sea' and 'Stone and Sun' is remarkably different. Set on a different world it is set after the events of his first series. As one of the ambitions dragons seeks a way to regain her body. Only this time it is told from the point of view of two humans who happened to cross her path. Personal I prefer the second series, but the first one is well worth the read if you want to pick up all the references made to other dragons and places that seem to not exist.
- Also, slightly off topic, but I'd love to suggest Anne Bishop's 'Black Jewels Trilogy' for any hard core fantasy fans. There is a dragon in it (later in the series). But the series alone is fantastic, dripping with dark magic and romance. it consists of 'Daughter of the Blood' 'Heir to the Shadows' and 'Queen of the Darkness' along with two side titles that were a bit of a letdown 'The Invisible Ring' and 'Dreams made Flesh'.
That's all I can think of right now...
Hope that helps Kaysea :cheers:
Quote from: "draconafin"Ohhh pick me pick me! *jumps up and down*
- 'Dragon Fire' by Charles Ashton was another one I've picked up and read. It was more based on the magic side of things and having to stop a dragon... good story, but its gets minus points due to the fact the dragon was seen as evil. Sorry I love dragons and evil doesn't seem right in my opinion.
That's all I can think of right now...
Hope that helps Kaysea :cheers:
Thanks Christina! And it's nice to see someone else who doesn't think evil dragons seem right!
Quote from: "Kaysea"Thanks Christina! And it's nice to see someone else who doesn't think evil dragons seem right!
No Probs Kaysea, ^^ and no it doesn't fit them... I have an issue with pictures where you see wizards trying to tame or banish them. Although I will admit the 'evil dragons' in Graham Edwards's stuff was fun, because they were more ambitious than evil.. yes I'm a Geek :geek:
Also... *remembered more* although these next three are picture books, and sort of 'mock quests' in the pursuit of real dragons.
- 'The discovery of dragons' by Graeme Base. Wonderful, wonderful pictures of different dragons. I fell in love with them, all of them, often I pick it up just for the images not to read it. Snow dragons as on the front cover (http://7parabian.com/Images/dragon/Base/snowdragons.JPG).
- 'Dragonology' I'm guessing most of you have seen it around along with the others of the same series, Pirateology, Egyptology to name the ones I can remember. Its not worth picking up in my opinion, not even for the images.
- Same can be said for 'How to Raise and Keep a Dragon' which to me reads as an attempt to get on the 'Dragonology Bandwagon' the only reason I have these two is they were given to me
Oh I thought of another set of dragon books that peeked my interest!
The Pit Dragon Trilogies by Jane Yolen.
Dragons Blood
Dragon's Heart
A Sending of Dragons
I read them the first time back in like 7th grade. But I've liked them since. Its set on an arid planet that used to be a "Prison world" where convicts where sent instead of prisons on earth. And it evolved into this world of Bonders and Masters. And the dragons were raised to fight in "pits". It was a pretty good book series. Theres rumors of a fourth one, I even read an excerpt, but I haven't seen anything else since.
Mercedes Lackey has a pair of books called Joust and Alta that make up the Dragon Jousters Series that are pretty good. They're like reworkings of Ancient Egypt only where magic and dragons were real and dragons are trained to carry 'jousters' into battle.
Ok, I want that Discovery of Dragons solely for the picture of Snow Dragons!!!
I love White Tigers, and the Snow Dragons give me a feel of White Tigers, don't ask why, I'm kinda weird that way. ;)
Thers's nothing wrong with That ^^ I read it mainly for the pictures too *shame*
Some more I managed to dig up (http://7parabian.com/dragon/base.html)
Mercedes Lackey and Andre Norton wrote 'Elvenbane' and 'Elvenblood' together, and it's one of the few dragon books out there that I've enjoyed. :) I tend to gravitate toward books without the hyper-magical super-human type 'races' and prefer books like 'Perdido Street Station' which have ordinary-type people in fantastic settings.
And the 'Clan of the Cave Bear' stuff? Please, please don't get me started. :P I know the theories were acurate for the time it was written, but MAN do those books get my goat. That stupid chickie invents the entire world, pretty much!
Quote from: "Yvonne"And the 'Clan of the Cave Bear' stuff? Please, please don't get me started. :P I know the theories were acurate for the time it was written, but MAN do those books get my goat. That stupid chickie invents the entire world, pretty much!
Yeah, but that's mostly in the later books. Clan of the Cave Bear was really interesting. Besides, it makes it kind of fun to figure out what she'll do next! I'm betting on brain surgery personally ;) And she and Jondalar are going to have uber children with the most amazing bodies, gorgeous faces, most advanced intellects, and incredible leadership skills who will found all the tribes that will eventually become sovereign nations. So what if its slightly Mary Sue... XD
I recommend Andre Norton's/Mercedes Lackey's "Elvenbane" and Melanie Rawn's "Dragon Prince" and "Dragon Star" trilogies as well :)
Another series with dragons I'd recommend is the "Obsidian Chronicles" by Lawrence Watt-Evans. I thought they were quite original. The first is called "Dragon Weather" the second "The Dragon Society" and the third "Dragon Venom"
Quote from: "Patrick"Quote from: "Kaysea"I've wanted to read the Temeraire series for FOREVER! I heard about them once on All Things Considered (They had Anne on the same show, it was on her website *nods*) and have wanted to read them ever since. I just can't find them in most book stores. I guess I'll have to go to a Borders or something.
Find them, ready them.
http://www.temeraire.org/ (http://www.temeraire.org/)
Quote from: "Eimi"Quote from: "Yvonne"slightly Mary Sue... XD
Slightly?
Oh, and "Dragonsbane" by Barbara Hambly is a good one too. Her perspective on dragons and why they hoard gold is definitely unique :)
There be dragons in the Narnia books.
Quote from: "Dana"Oh, and "Dragonsbane" by Barbara Hambly is a good one too. Her perspective on dragons and why they hoard gold is definitely unique :)
Oh. . . how could we forget
The Hobbit?
Quote from: "Vix"Oh. . . how could we forget The Hobbit?
Tolkien's illustration of Smaug on his pile of gold is how I visualise me and marks!
Quote from: "Jane"Quote from: "Vix"Oh. . . how could we forget The Hobbit?
Tolkien's illustration of Smaug on his pile of gold is how I visualise me and marks!
That's exactly how I see you, too! :bounce:
Anyone read The Dragon DelaSangre by Alan F. Troop? Someone returned the whole series to the library today, and I checked out the first one.
Oh, I've heard of those, Rochelle :) I want to read them....tell me how they are if you read them all please?
Will do!
I liked John Ringo's series, There Will Be Dragons, about futuristic earth when the "Web" fulfills all needs and desires. Human bodies can be transformed permanently or temporarily into anything imaginable (mermaids, dolphins, dragons...etc.). So when the Web Falls, people are stuck in whichever form they had chosen at that moment. People who have never wanted for anything have to survive with nothing.
The major fantasy creatures in the series are the merpeople, but the dragons are there and I really enjoyed the series.
Joanna Bertin's Dragonlord-series. It's only two books long and no knowledge if she's continue it.
And there's of course Dragonlance-series...but I can't recomend in to anybody with good concience. :thin: