There are many different and special books in the world, each genre a different experience. One fantasy book series that stands out completely is Wings of Fire, a fifteen book series with 8 spin off stories and 6 graphic novels based on the first 6 books. Unlike millions of other fantasy books, it is written through the perspectives of dragons. The first book, The Dragonet Prophecy, is an excellent introduction to the series. Overall, for any lover of fantasy series, this series is a must read.
The Wings of Fire series has a complex world that is constantly worldbuilding throughout the books and arcs. In the world of Wings of Fire, dragons rule a world where humans —called scavengers by dragons— are nearly extinct. In The Dragonet Prophecy, there are 7 tribes of dragons on the continent of Pyrrhia with each tribe adapted to a different environment. Each book has a description and picture of what they look like. The main storyline of Wings of Fire has 3 war arcs that focus around prophecies and sometimes magic. Magic isn’t relevant to the plot until many books later, where the very few dragons that have magic (known as animus) become important.
One unforgettable detail that makes the series a great read is that the author, Tui T. Sutherland, is a master at foreshadowing. She incorporates information that —at the time— seems trivial, only to come back as an important plot point in later books. The author’s use of foreshadowing and other writing techniques makes Wings of Fire even more of an intriguing, unique read that keeps the reader engaged, making the book almost impossible to put down.
The first book, The Dragonet Prophecy introduces 5 teenage dragons from different tribes living together, stolen as eggs by a group of peacemakers called the Talons of Peace, to fulfill a prophecy that foretold the ending of a war that’s lasted for 20 years all across Pyrrhia. They live trapped under a mountain, learning about the war and different factions led by 3 princesses, born from the same mother. Later on in the series, the dragons and princesses cross paths and undergo change throughout the war.
While living under the mountain, the 5 siblings discover that their teachers planned to kill one of them because they believed that she had the potential to make the prophecy not come true. In order to make sure they would all survive, 2 of the siblings escape from their home in a secret passage. However, escaping only served to make their situation more grave due to unforeseen consequences and conflicts from an outside force.
Overall, I rate this book a 4 out of 5 because the book manages to create a compelling story that is fun and adventurous but also serious. Even so, The Dragonet Prophecy does have a slow pace at the beginning which can be hard to read through. However, the characters and suspense make it worth reading through
I would recommend The Dragonet Prophecy to those interested in reading long fantasy series with excellent world building, interesting plot twists, well-placed foreshadowing, and a story with dark tones and implications.
