Books like Darkness of Dragons — picked by fans

I thought Hogwarts was special until I discovered the magical city of Nevermoor–a whole society filled with intrigue, surprises, and whimsical twists. (Giant talking cats, anyone?)

The central mystery is also gripping stuff, as cursed child Morrigan grapples with her powers and the dark presence of a powerful evil lurking just out of sight.

This is another one I have re-read because I love the fantasy aspect. I didn’t come across C.S. Lewis’ books until I was a young adult, and then it was his adult writings. Now, I’m loving catching up on his Narnia series.

Written in 1950, this classic tale lives on, never becoming out of date, and I love that it is currently a stage production.

As a Christian, I also love a classic tale of good versus evil, with the drama between the white witch and the lion hero, Aslan, who overcomes death to save Narnia from the witch’s evil spell. For me, it’s a truly inspirational allegorical tale that stands the test of time.

This wonderful (and danger-ridden) adventure starts by establishing a believable and endearing bond between siblings Ottilie and Gully—despite their grim life circumstances. The stakes are shot sky-high when Gully goes missing, and Ottilie risks life and limb to find him and get him back—only to discover a much more incredible (and terrifying) predicament that spans way beyond her small little (family-orientated) world. The mystery and tension driving Ottilie (and the story) are tight and addictive. And the world-building and dangers are delightful in the most imaginative (and scary) way. Secret organizations, dangerous hunts, blight-spreading monsters. And a scared but clever and determined girl who must disguise herself as a boy, to save the one she loves most. A well-worth read!

This is one of my personal inspirations for wanting to write (my own series) as a Quest-based Adventure. Deltora Quest follows brave and brash Leif, stoic but loyal Barda, and wild, headstrong Jasmine on an addictive and dangerous sprawling adventure to recover the powerful gemstones of the Belt of Deltora, and save the kingdoms from eternal darkness and servitude under the conniving Shadow Lord. A typical quest fantasy plot (and more basic Middle Grade format than older Middle Grade) but the characters, twists, and trials themselves are marvelously memorable. There are new encounters, new monsters, and new puzzles at every turn—making for delightfully fun story-telling. An archetypical quest-based adventure that is sure to capture any young reader’s (and young at heart) imagination!

I don't ordinarily care for stories about dragons or speaking animals, but this book's beautifully written descriptions of them and their world made it compelling, and the singing dragons remained in my memory long after the first time I read it. Moreover, the familiar elements of such fantasy–a hidden prince, animal companions, magical objects, imprisonment in a dungeon, and so forth--are here presented in unique and believable ways. The protagonists are heroic but vulnerable and the villains who seek to enslave the world are truly evil, so that the reader feels that what happens to them really matters. And looking it over recently, I was struck by the realization that in the years since its first publication in the 1980s the timeliness of the story has increased.

Dragon is the best at making balloon sculptures, drawing, and performing with his drums and guitar. He beats Frog in the race and is NOT a good winner. Dragon is a show-off and stacks the highest block tower. And then one day no one is around, because no one likes a “Braggin Dragon”.

This book has a great message about learning to appreciate your friends and how to be humble. The art in this book is excellent. The character design is brilliant and funny, and the book and text design works really well. A fantastic book on friendship to add to a classroom.

Annwyl is always known for her strength and brutality. But when she is betrayed she has only one place to go.

When mortally injured Annwyl take refuge in a cave, the dragon Fearghus is her only companion. What she doesn’t know is that Fearghus is actually a dragon shifter, son of the dragon queen. This entire series is amazing. Filled with fantasy elements, romance and humor this definitely tops my top 5 list of shifter romance.

If anyone can successfully blend post-apocalyptic fiction, romance, and fantasy into one amazing book, it’s definitely Ruby Dixon. I admit that when I first discovered this book, I was skeptical that it would be able to juggle those elements successfully.

However, this book introduces us to a fascinating post-apocalyptic world destroyed by the one thing nobody expects dragons! As it turns out, though, these are humanoid people who can shift into dragons at will. The world-building in this book and in the series that follows it is just right—compelling without being overwhelming—and the spice is, as usual with Dixon, irresistible. Highly recommended.

Adventure Quest, and Artix Entertainment’s games as a whole, were a formative part of my childhood and play a big role in what I write now. When I found out that a novel was made in that series, I had to check it out. Set in Adventure Quest, this novel follows the tale of a character who loses his home to a dragon attack, and sets out on a quest to find the dragon in question, while learning how to wield the magic that he is capable of using. It puts a fun spin on an old kind of story if you ask me!

Todd Lockwood makes amazing dragon art. How could I not want to read his debut novel?! These dragons and their bonds are a bit different from my other recommendations, more towards the non-magical way of how we humans can build bonds with horses, dogs, and other animals. This coming-of-age story focuses on Maia as she finds her own way and fights for a place in the world. Lockwood’s writing skill is as fine as his painting and more than once I was amazed by the beauty of how he worded certain things. The (sometimes graphic) action was exciting, and the entire book delivered a well-rounded adventure with dragons. As a bonus, there’s some very nice art included in the book as well.