 Action/Adventure: February 26, 2025 Issue [#13000] |
This week: On Dragons Edited by: Kit  
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Dragons: Friend or foe? A bit of both, perhaps? Dragons are a part of many cultures, and have appealed to artists and readers across space and time.
This week's Action/Adventure Newsletter, then, is all about dragons.
Kit
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| ASIN: B085272J6B |
Product Type: Kindle Store
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Amazon's Price: $ 9.99
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I’ve just finished reading Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros, and if you haven’t read it yet, I can highly recommend it. It’s an action-packed 561-page novel that keeps the reader engaged throughout – the kind of book that I didn’t want to put down once I’d started it.
Fourth Wing was released in 2023, so I am slightly late to the game. I’ve been in the mood for stories about dragons, and if it’s dragons you want, Fourth Wing has plenty of them. So, here we are.
I have always been fascinated with dragons. Ever since I was a little kid they’ve filled me with a sense of wonder. I don’t know what it is about them, but they are magical in every way. Even back then I felt outraged when a story tried to depict some kind of dragon slayer as heroic. I mean, sure, the dragon can burn down your village, but have you tried just not poking it? How would you like it if people kept on waving sharp, pointy things at you? Leave the poor creature be.
I’d love it if dragons were real. Or, if it were discovered that they’d existed on this planet, once upon a time. It’s like with unicorns: horses are real, there are plenty of other animals who have horns, so a horse with a horn seems quite possible. We know that dinosaurs once roamed these lands, and that flying reptiles soared through our skies… The weight’s an issue, though. And breathing fire’s a step too far. Still, it would be an amazingly wonderful discovery. No matter how you look at it, dragons are a part of this world.
The first known (or strongly thought to be) mention of dragons was found on a clay tablet, written by a scribe in ancient Mesopotamia, more than 4000 years ago . There is a surprising amount of variation in how people across time, and across cultures, have pictured dragons, from lion-like snakes, to wingless serpents weaving through clouds, to wyrms and wyverns and the four-legged, large-winged dragons of Western culture. Some depict them as wise and noble; others as evil terrors who must be destroyed. Whichever version you prefer, it is undeniable that dragons have proven to be an enduring source of inspiration to artists. You are likely to have some favourite dragons. Here are some of mine:
Errol: Errol (full name: Goodboy Bindle Featherstone of Quirm) can be met in Sir Terry Pratchett’s Guards! Guards! In this novel, a huge dragon has taken over Ankh-Morpork. Errol is an odd-looking little swamp dragon with a pear-shaped body and stubby little wings. He cannot breathe fire. He cannot fly. He’ll eat anything and everything. When Ankh-Morpork is under threat, though, his humans discover that there’s more to Errol than meets the eye.
Drogon: He hasn’t been given the most creative of dragon names in the history of dragon stories. Then again, the author of the A Song of Ice and Fire novels, George R. R. Martin, named the planet his story takes place on Planetos, and the Western continent Westeros, so Drogon is just one more victim here. He is one of three dragons birthed in fire by Daenerys Targaryen, and once he is large enough to carry a rider, he is the one to carry her. Drogon is strong, and fierce, intelligent and independent, but has a clear love for Daenerys. He is loyal to her even through the darkest times, in the most inhospitable of places, and against the most frightful of enemies.
Tairn and Andarna: These two dragons from Fourth Wing have become instant favourites. Andarna is sweet, and cute, and brave; Tairn is an enormous and immensely powerful dragon. He and his mate, Sqaeyl, play a parental role to Andarna, who is but a youngling when we meet her – she does not yet have claws, cannot yet breathe fire, and she struggles to keep up. Both Tairn and Andarna are loyal to – and protective of – Violet, the first dragon rider found worthy of a bond with two dragons.
Toothless:Toothless is simply adorable. It’s impossible to not love Toothless. He is loyal, and brave, playful and inquisitive and the bond between him and Hiccup is utterly endearing. You can find Toothless and Hiccup in How to Train Your Dragon - I have only watched the animated movie, but there is a book series by Cressida Cowell.
I could go on. There’s The NeverEnding Story’s Falkor, who is rather unique in his looks. Norbert(a) from Harry Potter, who we meet too briefly, really. The dragon from Shrek, with her unusual romance. And poor old Matafleur from the DragonLance novels – she truly is a heroine who deserved better.
I own a couple of paintings featuring dragons, and I am not too embarrassed to admit that I have some dragon plushies – the Jellycat ones are lovely, and squishy, and soft. It’s not a big collection of dragon-related stuff. There are no figurines or anything. Still, dragons have their place in my life, and I go through these stages where I enjoy reading about them.
I have Iron Flame lined up to read. It takes place after the adventures of Fourth Wing. I also have a few DragonLance novels waiting on my shelf. Guess I won’t be short on dragons for a good while to come.
Do you have a favourite dragon or dragons? Or do you favour another mythological creature?
Wishing you a week filled with inspiration,
Kit
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Some items you may enjoy/that may inspire you:
| | Sand (18+)
In a country torn apart by war, two men find freedom in the shadows of their truths.
#2331282 by Jeremy  |
| | Book Brothel (18+)
A hole-in-the wall reading challenge with goals, incentives, and motivating adult banter.
#2233315 by Brooke  |
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