Best Dragon Fantasy Books and Series: From Fourth Wing to Temeraire

Thanks to Fourth Wing, dragons are bigger than they’ve been in years — but the genre runs deep. Whether you want swoony romantasy, sprawling epic fantasy, beloved classics, or something genuinely strange, there’s a dragon series for you. Here’s a guide to the best, organised by what kind of reader you are.

If you loved Fourth Wing

Rebecca Yarros captured something specific: the bond between rider and dragon as an intensely personal, almost romantic relationship, layered on top of a high-stakes magical academy. If that’s what hooked you, these are your next reads.

Iron Flame is the direct sequel and doesn’t disappoint — the stakes escalate, the relationship deepens, and the world expands considerably. Start there before looking elsewhere. Full Empyrean reading order →

From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout isn’t a dragon book exactly, but if the Fourth Wing energy — slow-burn forbidden romance, dangerous magic, intense world-building — is what you’re after, it scratches the same itch. See the reading order →

For the romantasy crowd

The Empyrean (Fourth Wing) — Rebecca Yarros The series that lit the fuse: a deadly war college, bonded dragons with attitude, and a slow-burn romance that took over BookTok. Start here if you want to know what everyone is talking about. Browse Rebecca Yarros →

For the epic-fantasy reader

Temeraire — Naomi Novik The Napoleonic Wars… with a dragon air force. Novik’s nine-book series pairs meticulous historical adventure with one of the great human-dragon friendships in fiction. It’s smarter, funnier, and more emotionally complex than the premise suggests. Full reading order →

A Song of Ice and Fire / Fire & Blood — George R.R. Martin For dragons as instruments of dynasty and destruction. Fire & Blood — the basis for House of the Dragon — puts the Targaryen dragons front and centre. A different kind of dragon story: they’re weapons and symbols as much as creatures.

DragonLance Chronicles — Margaret Weis & Tracy Hickman The ’80s epic that defined how an entire generation imagined dragons. The original trilogy (Dragons of Autumn Twilight et al.) still holds up as foundational high fantasy with some genuinely great dragon characters.

The beloved classic

The Dragonriders of Pern — Anne McCaffrey The series that invented modern dragon-bonding fiction. Telepathic dragons, their riders, and a whole planet built around their symbiosis. McCaffrey ran this world for decades — there are standalone entry points if the full Pern reading order feels daunting, but it’s worth the commitment.

For younger (and young-at-heart) readers

Wings of Fire — Tui T. Sutherland The middle-grade dragon juggernaut, told entirely from the dragons’ point of view. Sutherland has built a sprawling world of dragon tribes with politics, prophecy, and surprisingly complex characters. Perfect for kids who’ve outgrown simpler fantasy. Wings of Fire reading order →

How to Train Your Dragon — Cressida Cowell The books are funnier, stranger, and more inventive than the films. Hiccup’s relationship with Toothless is completely different on the page — scrappier, more awkward, and oddly moving. Great for all ages. See the series →

Eragon (The Inheritance Cycle) — Christopher Paolini The gateway dragon fantasy for a generation, written by a teenager and still genuinely gripping. A new screen adaptation is in development, making now a good time to revisit (or discover) it.

The dark horse

The Rain Wild Chronicles — Robin Hobb Hobb’s take on dragons is unlike anyone else’s — stunted, bitter, memory-damaged, and utterly real. These aren’t noble beasts; they’re flawed creatures trying to become what they’re supposed to be. Best read as part of her Realm of the Elderlings saga, though they work as a standalone entry point.

Frequently asked questions

What’s the best dragon fantasy series for beginners? Fourth Wing for romance-leaning readers, Temeraire for those who prefer adventure and history, and Dragonriders of Pern for the classic epic experience. All three have strong first books that tell you immediately if the series is for you.

What should I read after Fourth Wing? Iron Flame (the direct sequel), then Onyx Storm. If you want something in a similar vein but different world, From Blood and Ash or A Court of Thorns and Roses both appeal to the same reader. See the full guide to what to read after Fourth Wing →.

Are there dragon books that aren’t fantasy? Temeraire is technically alternate history, grounded in real Napoleonic-era military strategy. Dragonriders of Pern began as science fiction — the dragons were genetically engineered, though later books leaned increasingly into fantasy conventions.

How to choose

Want romance and spice? Fourth Wing and the Empyrean series. Want history and heart? Temeraire. Want a foundational classic? Pern. Want dragons as pure destructive power? Martin’s world. Want something dark and literary? Robin Hobb. Want to read from a dragon’s perspective? Wings of Fire. Whatever flavour you’re after, the genre has never had more to offer.