There’s a strange phenomenon when it comes to dragon mythology, wherein vast and varied depictions of the four-legged winged beast appear in folklore, historical cultures, civilisations and artworks from entirely opposite corners of the world.
Mythical creatures are commonly created by local, cultural legends – which means that they usually remain landlocked within their region of near-euhemerisation. Some popular examples of regional, mythological creatures include Bigfoot of the Pacific Northwest, The Loch Ness Monster, the Celtic Selkie, and The Red Dragon of Wales.
Yet the serpentine creature which continues to capture our imaginations seems to somehow crop up all over the globe, all throughout history. If we shift our perspective on what exactly constitutes a dragon, sea snakes and similar sharp-toothed, clawed, fire-breathing, wriggly and venomous creatures appear everywhere from China and Japan to Egypt, Greece, South Africa and ancient Mesopotamian civilisations with immensely varied symbolic significance. So, what does it all mean?
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According to English Heritage, some anthropologists have suggested that the dragon myth takes its origins from an innate fear of snakes, genetically encoded in humans from the time of our earliest differentiation from other primates. In line with this analysis, we might consider the serpent in the Garden of Eden a kind of dragon which represents power, evil and chaos. Mythology, after all, is inherently interwoven with religion.
Given the ubiquity of dragon mythology, it’s generally assumed that dragons must have appeared very early on in human history, or else we’re left with the conundrum that, as hinted at earlier, dragons appeared on their own, multiple times, in vastly unrelated regions.
A 2013 study which set out to determine the origins of mythologies and their archaeological consequences determined that the first dragon story was likely being told as long as 75,000 years ago in Southern Africa.
Migration out of Africa between 60 and 80,000 years ago would’ve carried this myth in changing shapes and forms; and so, the African chimeric, snakelike creature which was linked to bodies of water became the Mušḫuššu of Babylon, Ladon and the Lernaean Hydra of ancient Greece, Apophis of ancient Egypt, and so forth.
Where dragon mythologies diverge on an East/West basis is in the concept of good versus evil. In Western cultures, especially in Norse mythology, dragons are fire-breathing bad omens who hoard and terrorise (Fafnir, we’re looking at you), whereas in Eastern cultures they are often considered to be harbingers of good luck and fortune. Either way, they are symbols of great strength and power, which is why they often became symbols of nations – The Hang Dynasty, the Anglo-Saxons and more.
With such a kaleidoscopic, almost unpinnable history, it’s no wonder dragons continue to capture our imaginations so magnificently. Their storied and varied mythology also just so happens to make them perfect slates on which to build yet another fantasy world.
We’ve curated a selection of the best fantasy books about dragons below.
Temeraire by Naomi Novik
Beloved by fantasy obsessives across the globe, Naomi Novik’s rollicking Temeraire follows the adventures of former Naval officer Captain William Laurence and his titular fighting dragon during the Napoleonic Wars.
An alternative history fantasy, you might think that any member of the British navy during such turbulent times would relish in the acquisition of a dragon, but Will’s world is shredded as he is consigned to be the constant companion and trainer of the vicious creature.
Buy now £9.99, Amazon
The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon
An epic, and consequentially rather lengthy, fantasy for you to sink your teeth into, Samantha Shannon’s bestseller focuses on two warring kingdoms within a world besieged by fire-breathing wyrms. Though the East and the West kingdoms view dragons differently, both agree on one resolute fact: the ancient Nameless One cannot reawaken.
Rather than following the lives of the nobility, Shannon hones in on four distinct protagonists: the spy Ead Duryan, courtier Arteloth Beck, dragon rider Miduchi Tané, and alchemist Niclays Roos.
Buy now £9.99, Amazon
The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien
Published in 1937, the story which began the Lord of the Rings franchise is beloved by fans across the globe. When a simple hobbit by the name of Bilbo Baggins decides to set off on a wondrous adventure which takes him far away from the rolling hills of the Shire – Mr Baggins, alongside the wizard Gandalf and the thirteen dwarves of Thorin’s company - soon finds himself swept up in an unexpectedly Odyssean tale of heroism, sacrifice and delight.
Buy now £11.90, Amazon
The Silmarillion by J. R. R. Tolkien, edited by Christopher Tolkien
If you’ve already devoured The Lord of The Rings and The Hobbit multiple times, The Silmarillion will simply astonish you.
Edited and featuring maps crafted by Tolkien's son, this novel is arguably one of his most complex works. It tells the tale of the Elder Days – the first age of Tolkien’s world. Providing immense detail on the ancient stories referred to throughout his later novels, The Silmarillion sheds light on all those questions and concerns fans of Tolkien’s work may have subconsciously raised.
While the book features several shorter works, each storyline takes place within the age of Morgoth, the first Dark Lord who dwelt in Middle Earth. The High Elves waged war on him to recover the Silmarils – the jewels which contain the pure light of Valinor. In many ways, it is a book about the Lord of the Rings series.
Buy now £8.99, Amazon
A Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin
A series which frankly needs no introduction, George R. R. Martin’s A Game of Thrones is the first in a five-book series referred to as A Song of Ice and Fire. As the title suggests, the series spans roughly a decade of power struggle and throne-switching within the mythical realm of Westeros. With over 50 main characters and rather graphic scenes, we wouldn’t recommend delving into this collection of record-breaking novels if you’re of the faint-hearted.
Buy now £8.35, Amazon
Eragon by Christopher Paolini
The first book within the series known as The Inheritance Cycle, Paolini’s Eragon has been adored by adults and school children alike since its original publication in 2002. Drawing inspiration from the medieval epic Beowulf as well as the works of J.R.R Tolkien, Paolini tells the story of a poor farm boy named Eragon who finds a polished stone in the forest. Yet when a baby dragon hatches from the stone, Eragon discovers a centuries-old legacy which he has been thrust into the middle of.
Buy now £8.33, Amazon
Impossible Creatures by Katherine Rundel
A masterful builder of fantasy realms, Rundel’s brand-new novel has already been earmarked by reviewers as a classic in the making. Though technically a children’s book, just like many other age-old classics, Impossible Creatures has received rave reviews from adults since its release.
Whether read with children or independently, fans of the first of Rundel’s trilogy will be introduced to the cluster of magical islands known as Archipelago, where mythological creatures have roamed free and undiscovered for centuries. As the magical barrier which protects these creatures begins to wear thin, the young Christopher and Mal must work together to solve the mystery of the Archipelago and save both the human and mythical worlds in one fell swoop.
Buy now £14.99, Amazon
The Shadow of the Gods by John Gwynne
The first in an epic series inspired by Norse mythology, The Shadow of the Gods is set in the post-Ragnarok land of Vigrið which, following the cataclysmic extinction of the gods, is filled to the brim with power-hungry jarls and voracious monsters.
With the threat of an all-out war looming, we follow a huntress on a dangerous quest, a noblewoman who has rejected privilege in pursuit of battle fame, and a thrall who seeks vengeance among the famed mercenaries known as the Bloodsworn as their fates converge to form a new world.
Buy now £9.19, Amazon
Dragon Rider by Cornelia Funke
Like Harry Potter, Cornelia Funke’s Dragon Rider was likely written with children and young adults in mind – but that doesn’t stop it from being a classic, heart-warming story that we return to time and time again. The author of Inkheart tells the tale of a young dragon named Firedrake and his journey to find a safe place for his kind to live. accompanied by the brownie girl Sorrel and the human boy Ben, the heroic trio set out to find the ancient Rim of Heaven.
Buy now £3.20, Amazon
Of Blood and Fire by Ryan Cahill
The first in the incredibly popular The Bound and The Broken series by Ryan Cahill. In a remote village in southern Epheria, our protagonist Calen Cryer prepares for The Proving, a brutal test of courage and skill, all the while mourning the tragic loss of his brother. But when three strangers roll into town with a deadly secret, Calen is thrust headfirst into an ancient war.
Buy now £13.79, Amazon
Ascendant by Michael R. Miller
The story of an unlikely hero, protagonist Holt Cook dreams of becoming a dragon rider, but as a lowly kitchen bot in the Order Hall of the Crag – he’s resigned himself to the fact that there’s no chance of upward mobility. That is, until an older rider hints that commoners and servants have risen in rank before.
Holt soon learns that dragons kill the youngest of their kin which are deemed flawed by the horde. Defying the Order, Holt rescues a doomed egg and vows to protect the blind dragon within. With war looming and an undead horde known as the Scourge rising, he must master the mysterious power of his newfound companion before it’s too late.
Buy now £13.19, Amazon
Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros
Nothing is more suited to Valentine’s Day than a best-selling Romantasy yarn. Rebecca Yarros’ Fourth Wing is the unexpected, highly addictive and fiery (quite literally, there are dragons involved) novel which follows Violet Sorrengail, a new cadet in Navarre’s brutal Basgiath War College.
Initially slated for the rather tame Scribe quadrant, where cadets are tasked with bookkeeping and writing historical records, Violet is thrust into the Rider’s Quadrant – Basgiath’s most brutal yet revered army sector which demands survival yet does everything possible to prevent it. Violet doesn’t know what’s worse – fighting for her life on a daily basis, or her undeniable attraction to the enemy.
Buy now £5.50, Amazon
