I have to admit, I love the big, scaly, firebreathing things... or small, scaly magical things; winged, wingless, friend or foe, if it is called a dragon, I'll read about it and wish I could meet it.
Here are four of my recent favorites:
Dragon Mage by Andre Norton and Jean Rabe: Shilo has recently moved to boring Wisconson to live with her grandparents - little does she know that soon she will be in another world altogether, when she heeds the call of a mysterious voice. She meets a gold and silver dragon who asks her to perform a favor that could save dragonkind, but terrifies Shilo. Can she find the courage to become a dragon mage? Andre Norton was one of my all-time favorite authors, and it makes me sad to know that this is one of the last books she ever worked on; it's a fine tale by two master writers of fantasy.
Dragon's Egg by Sarah L. Thomson: Mella tends dragons - small farm animals raised for their eggs, and longs for the old days of legend when giant, fierce dragons still roamed free. Then a knight defender arrives and announces that signs of dragons roaming loose have been seen. Thus begins Mella's quest with Richard, the knight's page, to save the last surviving dragon's egg. They survive kidnappings and giant eagle attacks and more... Fun, adventuresome and a quick read; if you love dragons, knights and perilous quests, this is a must-read.
Dragonhaven by Robin McKinley: Everyone knows dragons are an endangered species, living in protected havens. But when a dragon hunter sneaks in and kills a rare female, but is also killed by her, the continued safety of the species is put at risk. Jake lives at Dragonhaven with his father. While he's on his solo walkabout, he stumbles across the killing scene, and makes a rescue. What happens then changes his future, the future of Dragonhaven, and possibly the futures of all dragons everywhere. This is a complex novel, a combination of adventure-survival story and dragon history. Do you want to believe in dragons living today? Would you do anything to work in a "dragon zoo"? Then this is a tale for you.
Dragon and Herdsman by Timothy Zahn: The fourth tale in the Dragonback series involves Jack Morgan and his buddy Draycos continuing their quest to find the killers of Draycos' shipmates. Jack hacks into a computer system to find information and bites off more than he expected: they are chased by mercenaries to a primitive planet where they discover a lost group of Draycos' kind. Not only must they rescue themselves, but they must also rescue these dragons - who have lost their way, their intelligence, and their ability to protect themselves.
In Zahn's science fiction universe, k'da (dragons) require a "host" to survive; this creates a fascinating alliance between Jack - borderline criminal teenager with a spaceship, and highly honorable warrior-on-a-quest Draycos. Their continuing adventures are exciting, scary and fun. I've enjoyed them all, but this one is especially good.
Have you read any really good dragon books lately? Or do you not like dragons? Share what you do and don't like, and why!
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