It all started when I woke up with horns...

...is what the main character in HORNS (by Joe Hill) experiences.


It's been a rough year for Ignatius Parrish. The love of his life has been murdered a year before and everyone thinks it was him. Generally his life sucks and then... HORNS. Just little ones, but horns nonetheless. What's worse is, they're still poking out of his head after the hangover fades and people suddenly tell him awful, awful things.

The parade of awful continues until someone blurts out (uncontrollably) who REALLY killed Ig's girlfriend- at which point Joe Hill dons a cloak and proceeds to write his hands off to a fantastic end. I personally binge read it in a four-hour window of compulsive page-turning and I'm pretty sure most people would do the same.

Worse still, it made me cry. Like a weenie. Ig and dead girlfriend had a lot of unfinished business, which gets solved for him at long last near the end. This was written so earnestly, so tenderly, that my girl-brain couldn't take it and I bawled as I read it.

When I finished it I couldn't help but sing its praise to everyone I could and now I find myself thrusting the book enthusiastically at EVERYONE- even people who wandered over to Galaxy looking for German Books.

So READ it- Sure it's horror - but with good horror there's an awful darkness that comes out of the characters, more than the situation. Hill (King Junior) seems to know as well as his father does that people make their own hell- and for Ig the horns help it surface. Also, Hill is a witty guy who has a knack for adding a dash of humour here and there- just to remind us that there are skeletons in everyone's closet.

Up Close with Michael J Sullivan

Theft of Swords
Riyria Revelations 1
by Michael J Sullivan

THEY KILLED THE KING. THEY PINNED IT ON TWO MEN. THEY CHOSE POORLY.
Royce Melborn, a skilled thief, and his mercenary partner, Hadrian Blackwater, make a profitable living carrying out dangerous assignments for conspiring nobles--until they are hired to pilfer a famed sword. What appears to be just a simple job finds them framed for the murder of the king and trapped in a conspiracy that uncovers a plot far greater than the mere overthrow of a tiny kingdom.

Can a self-serving thief and an idealistic swordsman survive long enough to unravel the first part of an ancient mystery that has toppled kings and destroyed empires in order to keep a secret too terrible for the world to know?

And so begins the first tale of treachery and adventure, sword fighting and magic, myth and legend.

When author Michael J. Sullivan self-published the first books of his Riyria Revelations, they rapidly became ebook bestsellers. Now, Orbit is pleased to present the complete series for the first time in bookstores everywhere.


1. What started you writing, and is it the same thing that still inspires you today?

I probably shouldn’t say this, but I have to be honest and say I wasn’t a big reader as a kid. I spent a whole summer on my sister’s farm struggling to finish a book and it felt like more of a chore then mucking out the horse’s stalls. Then one day I found a copy of the Hobbit that my brother had bought years before. I devoured it. So THIS is what a book could be like? I immediately went through all of Tolkien’s books, then C.S. Lewis, and a few others only to find…that’s all there was (It was the late 60’s early 70’s). This made me thoroughly depressed so I started writing a book myself. To try to create that same lightning in a bottle that got me so excited to read.

As to what inspires me today…it’s the same thing with slight variation. Today there’s a ton of great books to read…probably more than I could ever get through in a lifetime, but I sometimes find myself disappointed. It’s hard to explain but once you start writing, you can’t ever read, or watch a movie/tv show, without “rewriting” it. I think of all the ways I would have taken the story…what improvements I could have made. So today I still write to give myself something to read, something tailor made to how I would like them to come out. The only difference is it appears that there are more than a few people that seem to share my particular tastes.


2. How many novels did you write before you got published? 

I finished thirteen full length novels, not sure how many I started and abandoned because in the early days I didn’t outline and I wrote myself into a corner more often than I care to admit. Since then I’ve realized that it’s a lot more efficient to have an idea where you are going before starting. For years I felt like a loser for having so many “throw away” books—novels I was unable to publish.  But now I realize they were the practice I needed.


3. What was the first thing you did when you found out Orbit wanted to print your work?

I had lunch.

That’s probably not what you were expecting. At the time I was walking with a friend to a nearby Ruby Tuesday for lunch, and while waiting at an intersection for the light, my cell phone rang. It was my agent who was all giddy with the news. I did a lot of “uh-huhs,” and then hung up. My friend and I continued our conversation and I never mentioned what I had just learned. It was a little too good to be true, so I wasn’t jinxing it. After we ordered, I called my wife, and as I told her what had just happened, I watched my friend’s mouth drop.


4. What books, or authors, would you say have most influenced you in the type of writer you've become?

Another thing I shouldn’t admit to, but I’ve had no “formal” training in writing. I didn’t go to college for it, nor have I ever attended a writing seminar or workshop. I never even read a book on how to write a novel. I “taught myself” by reading other authors and dissecting what they did and how. From Steinbeck I learned the transporting value of vivid setting descriptions. From Updike I found an appreciation for indirect prose that could more aptly describe something by not describing it. From Hemmingway I discovered economy, and from King, his ability to get viscerally into the minds of his characters. I mentioned the thirteen books I wrote before The Riyria Revelations, they were my training ground where I took a nugget from one of these authors and applied what I learned from them to my stories that were constantly bubbling up in my head.


5.  Your latest release THEFT OF SWORDS is part of the RIYRIA REVELATIONS series, can you tell us a bit about the story and how you came up with it?

Going back to the thirteen books I wrote, I spent an incredible amount of time writing and finally produced a book I was truly proud of called, A Burden to the Earth. It is/was beautifully crafted and I painstakingly polished it to a fine sheen. I spent several years trying to get an agent for it and ultimately came to the conclusion that all my years of effort were just a waste a time.  I vowed to never write creatively again. I discovered that “never” is a long, long time.

About ten years later I was trying to help my daughter who is dyslexic to get interested in reading. At the time, Rowlings had published her third or fourth Harry Potter book and so I picked up the first one thinking Sarah would like it. I ended up reading it and had the same revelation as I did as when  I came across the Hobbit. So this is what a book can be like? I was whisked away and couldn’t put the book down as it was just so much fun to read.  It used the oldest clichés that existed (an ultimate evil bent on total destruction and an orphan boy destined for greatness ) and yet it seemed fresh and vibrant. That made me think that maybe I could do something similar…write individual books that were part of a larger story arc, and returning to the type of books I loved so much from my youth. Years and years ago I created two characters I named Royce and Hadrian who were like Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid in medieval times.  They were fun to write about, and as it turned out apparently fun to read about as well.


6. Do you consciously chose themes to explore in your work or does it 'just happen'? 

Yes…and yes. In the book I’m currently writing I’m very consciously exploring the age old conflict between good and evil, what those definitions mean, and how they exist in a symbiotic relationship. In the Riyria Revelations however, a theme of redemption evolved, growing naturally out of the events and the characters due to who they are and what happens to them.


7.  What do you consider the most challenging about writing a novel, or about writing in general?

It probably won’t make me too many friends in the writing world to say that I really don’t find writing a challenge. That’s like asking me, “What do you think is the most challenging part of watching football, or having fruity drinks on a beach at a Mexican resort, or playing volleyball with friends?” Writing is my way of having fun. I love the whole creation process. I get thrilled by writing. I’ve never experienced “writers block” nor had to “force myself to put my butt in the chair”. I hear writers talk about these thing and I’m baffled. Writing is a way of “playing god” to create something from nothing and make it exactly the way you want it to be…what can be more fun than that?


8. You mentioned that you use an outline when you write, so you aren’t a discovery writer?

No, not anymore. Part of the fun of writing was to see where the story would go. If I already knew, it stole some of the fun. The problem arose when I got stuck and realized that to fix what I screwed up, I would have to cut sections—pages and pages of stuff I loved. What a waste of time. What a waste of good writing. In most cases I saw that if I had just given a little forethought to the future I could have avoided the whole mess. So when I started seriously looking at writing as a career, I knew I had to approach writing like a construction project rather than a weekend hobby. You might build a tree-house on a lark, randomly nailing up boards and seeing where it leads, but when you’re building a home for your family to live in, you’re going to want to put in a little more planning. The cost in time and money for tearing up a foundation after it has been laid and dried is awfully prohibitive.

I also found that if I didn’t outline it was easy to build up great suspense for an ending that was lackluster. I find this tends to be a frequent problem for discovery writers, where the beginnings are great, but when it comes time to make sense of it all they are forced to settle for something that makes as much sense as it can when all the ends don’t exactly line up just right. This isn’t to say that I create detailed write-ups in advance. My outlines are pretty sketchy and evolve with the writing, but I always know where I am going before I start and as the story changes I keep a line-of-sight to that goal.


9. How much research do you do, and is it before or during the writing process?

Okay, another guilty admission. One of the reasons why I like writing fantasy is it cuts down on the amount and type of research I have to do. Elan is a fictional world and I can determine the constructs of it. If I were to write a thriller based in a hospital, I’d have to do tremendous research to “get it right.” There are doctors, nurses, and administrators that KNOW the ins and outs of working there and if I got anything wrong they would be all over me. But in Elan I’m the only expert on how things work there. Yes they ride horses and use swords and bows, but they speak with what most would describe as “modern speech.” Why? Because I say they do—there’s actually more of a reason for that, but I’ll try and stay on topic. The point is I wrote fantasy because, for me, it was easier.

Now that being said, I did do research for ideas, and I did a lot of research to learn how to write the sailing scenes in Emerald Storm, but the vast majority of what I research never enters the books—at least the Riyria books. My new one is very different. I don’t feel the need to force information in just to show people all the cool things I learned while doing research. Sometimes I’ll sneak in something I found interesting but I try to do it in a way that is consistent with the story and the characters. 


10. Do you ever base your characters on people you know or have known?

Not in the way that I suspect you think. Royce and Hadrian are both based on me, the different sides of my own personality (which is kind of schizophrenic because they are two very different people.)  Arista, Amilia, and Gwen, are all variations of my wife. All the others are just pure imagination.  

There are other books, like the Burden to the Earth, where those that know me well might recognize certain characters. The truth is they are really fictionalization of people I’ve met. The funny thing is there are sometimes when people will say…that’s so unrealistic no one would ever think/behave/act like that. They tell me I need to rewrite something that they see as being too “over the top” to believe. But the reality is that I actually toned down something that actually happened. The old adage that truth is stranger than fiction certainly applies.


11. What is your work schedule like when you're in writers mode?

I know a lot of writers strive to maximize their word count per hour/day/whatever. I can actually write pretty fast, but I chose not to. Writing is part of my life, not the reason for it. I like to have my world balanced—everything in moderation. Not having a boss looking over my shoulder allows for that.

In the morning I read various blogs and newspapers while I’m waking up with a cup of coffee. Once I start formalizing arguments in rebuttal to whatever I’m reading I know my brain is awake enough to write. I write until lunch, and then might put in another few hours after that if I have some stuff running around in my head that I want to get down on paper. Then I generally do something physical like bike riding or workout.  Then I have dinner with my family and catch up on what’s going on in the world by watching John Stewart or Steven Colbert which was recorded on the DVR. In the evenings, I either edit what I’ve written, or reread, or work on blog posts or emails to fans. In the summer I’ll throw in some painting – I do one a year. In the winter the painting is replaced with reading (generally nonfiction) on topics such as history or even physics. I love learning “something new” and will have my own little college courses by reading text books.


12. What do you do to relax, when you're not in 'writer's mode? (are you ever not in writer's mode?)

Ideas hit me all the time. As I said, I can’t watch a movie or TV show without reworking the plot. So in that respect I’m always in “writer mode”.  In addition to that new stories come to me constantly and I know I’ll never live long enough to get them all on paper. As to relaxing…well I’m never stressed so I don’t have to do anything to “unwind”.  Most writers have a day job, or rely on their spouses for support. My writing is now producing an income such that my wife was able to quit her job. I’m making a living doing something I love. I have a wonderful, intelligent wife who works tirelessly to help make me a success. My children are grown, responsible, and well adjusted. What in the world do I have to be stressed about? In many ways I feel like Dudley Moore in the movie Arthur when he says, “I race cars, play tennis, and fondle women, BUT! I have weekends off, and I am my own boss.”


13. When you look back on writing career to date, is there anything you would've done differently? If so, what and why?

I literally laughed out loud at this question. The reason is the thought of me having a “writing career” is just too absurd to even wrap my head around. I’ve written a few books.  They’ve been “out in the world” for only a few years. That hardly constitutes a “career”. On the other hand, I have been working at this for over thirty years so you would think I would have a lot of regrets. I’m not a huge believer in focusing on disappointments (such things would suggest I am capable of making mistakes, and I’ve been trying very hard to convince my wife that this is just not possible.) The fact of the matter is that publishing was different in 1980’s and I hadn’t practiced enough to really write well.  There’s not a whole lot I could have done differently. Self publishing really wasn’t viable at that time. My lack of success was a byproduct of the publishing environment at that time and the level of skill I possessed. The good news is that I didn’t stay in retirement. I decided to give it another shot. If I hadn’t done that, then I might have had some regrets so no, I don’t think there was anything I could have done differently.


14. How do you balance what you're reading against what you're writing?

I’m in a somewhat unique situation because my wife runs a publishing company and I mentor a bunch of writers and participate in a Writer’s Critique group. As such, much of my reading time is taken up reading fairly raw work by new and usually struggling authors. So in that respect my reading is not really for “enjoyment”.  Part of my problem is I’m exceedingly picky. I can count on my fingers the books that I loved enough to read multiple times. Remember the whole, rewriting movies and TV? I encounter the same frustration when reading books. After all they are not “tailor made” for me and what I enjoy. This is probably why most of my leisure reading is in textbooks or nonfiction.


15.  And finally, what future novels/ideas do you have in the works? What can your readers expect next?

Wow, did I happen to mention I have more ideas for books then I’ll ever be able to write in a lifetime?  Rather than going through all of them I’ll concentrate on the immediate projects. I’m currently writing a book called Antithesis. It is set in modern times but contains elements of magic where evil and good fight a never ending battle. I also want to get Burden to the Earth published. This is much different than Riyria – which is a light, fun, fast-paced romp. Burden is almost the “anti-Riyria” as it concentrates on the beauty of the writing and the complexity of the character and has a MUCH slower plot. I suspect most of my fans won’t like it for this reason but I still think it deserves to find its own audience.

I’ve also started outlining a “prequel” to The Riyria Revelations that goes back thousands of years to the time of Novron (the God of men in the book). I’d like to tell his story as it actually happened as opposed to the myths and propaganda that those in modern Elan are aware of. This would be a huge undertaking – probably a trilogy with multiple years to produce so I’m toying with the idea of writing another Royce and Hadrian book first (much to the delight of my wife when she heard this.) The series was carefully designed to end where it does so this would not be a sequel to that. I’m thinking something like taking one of their prior “missions” that is only briefly touched upon in the series and telling the whole story. Also based on requests from my wife (and many fans) I’m thinking of doing a Royce and Hadrian the early years where I explore what their lives were like before they got together and formed Riyria and going into detail about the first “job” they did together.  This last group of books only makes sense if Riyria continues to be a success. Knowing what no one else does, which is how the last book plays out, I think this will be the case, but if not I have plenty of other ideas to turn to.  I am a writer after all.

Up Close with Jo Anderton

Debris
Veiled Worlds #1
by Jo Anderton

Tanyana is among the highest ranking in her far-future society – a skilled pionner, able to use a mixture of ritual and innate talent to manipulate the particles that hold all matter together. But an accident brings her life crashing down around her ears. She is cast down amongst the lowest of the low, little more than a garbage collector. But who did this to her, and for what sinister purpose? Her quest to find out will take her to parts of the city she never knew existed, and open the door to a world she could never have imagined.

1. What started you writing, and is it the same thing that still inspires you today?

I've always loved stories. From books, to tv shows, to video games, if it's got a good story and interesting characters (and preferably something to do with speculative fiction!) then I just HAVE to know what happens next. Even as a kid I was making up my own -- in my head at first, and then I started writing them down. It's the same today. My brain creates stories, it's addicted to them, so I write them down because that's slightly less crazy than keeping them in my head.


2. How many novels did you write before you got published?

Hmm, let's see. I make it four and a half. I reckon a couple have still got life in them. One is a total mess... though it did involve demonic tattoos and giant monsters, so at least it's a fun mess!


3. What was the first thing you did when you found out a publisher wanted to print your work?

Ah, well I was at work at the time. So I was very calm and sensible and even able to maintain a conversation, until I managed to excuse myself, get outside, call my husband and unleash the OMG! on him. Poor man.


4. What books, or authors, would you say have most influenced you in the type of writer you've become?
This is always a hard question for me to answer! I feel like every book I've loved has become a part of me, and must have influenced the stories I tell and the words I write. But I would like to mention Sara Douglass, and in particular her book Threshold. I love all of Sara's books, but the world-building and the magic system in Threshold really made me look at fantasy, and what fantasy can be, in a different way.


5. Your debut is DEBRIS, can you tell us a bit about the story and how you came up with it?

Debris is set in a world where almost everyone can manipulate semi-sentient sub-atomic particles called pions. At the beginning of the book Tanyana is very skilled at this, and she earns a lot of money by doing so. However, she is involved in a terrible accident that scars her body, and strips her of her abilities. She is forced to the lowest rung of society, collecting debris -- the garbage created by all that manipulation of sub-atomic particles. But nothing is quite what it seems. Was her accident really so accidental? Is debris more than the waste product everyone else thinks it is? As Tanyana fights to learn the truth, she discovers a world she could never have imagined.

Debris was inspired by a strange combination of things, from anime, to quantum physics (kind of), to video games, to real life. It started with a question, "what would an industrial revolution look like in a world where magic was real?" and grew from there.


6. Do you consciously chose themes to explore in your work or does it 'just happen'?

I don't consciously chose themes to explore, and I'm always surprised when they start to appear. In Debris, for example, I think there's an undercurrent of environmentalism and sustainability that I had no idea I was writing about. Something about the consequences of industrialisation -- even though the industry in this world is rooted in magic, rather than the burning of fossil fuels!


7. What do you consider the most challenging about writing a novel, or about writing in general?

All the sitting at a desk. I have a cranky back and it really doesn't like sitting down for long. So writing has to involve conscious 'how am I sitting?' 'how long have I been sitting?' and 'time to get up and stretch' thoughts.


8. Do you use an outline when you write, or are you more of a discovery writer?

I'm a little bit of both. Too much of an outline and I get bored with the story and never finish it -- what's the point if I already know what happens? But I also need a vague idea of where I'm going. So I usually do a very, very broad outline that includes the beginning, a few points in the middle, and the end. Then I flesh it out as I go. The outline usually changes as the flesh goes on, but that's a good thing.


9. How much research do you do, and is it before or during the writing process?

It's always a little bit of both. I definitely research before I start writing. For Debris I read up on a range of interesting and diverse subjects, from quantum physics to Russian architecture. While it doesn't all go into the book, it does mush together into a creative compost for my brain! Invariably, I'll discover things I've missed as I write, and will have to go back and look into them -- in this case, I did a lot of post-first-draft research into food. Food is always fun!


10. Do you ever base your characters on people you know or have known?

Not on purpose!


11. What is your work schedule like when you're in writers mode?

It's squeezed in around my day job. I'm definitely a night-owl, so most of my writing happens in the evening. After a long day at work I'll come home, do something different for a while -- dog walking, cooking -- then settle in at the desk. I usually wake up again about 9pm anyway, so this works well!


12. What do you do to relax, when you're not in 'writer's mode? (are you ever not in writer's mode?)

I think writer's mode is always running in the background, gathering ideas, processing plot problems, creating characters. Sometimes letting it run in the backbrain like that is the best thing for it! For me, relaxing involves getting away from the computer. Anything outside is best. I'm a terrible gardener, but I like to try. I love bushwalking, or just taking the dog for a run.


13. When you look back on your writing career to date, is there anything you would've done differently? If so, what and why?

I would have put a lot more importance on keeping up my strength and general fitness! (see comment above about the bad back...)


14. Do you ever regret being 'self employed' (self motivating) and look longingly at people with 'normal' jobs - or you still hold down a 'day job'?

I have a day job, don't know that I would call it 'normal' though! I work in marketing for an Australian book distributor. That's right, more books, more sitting at a desk! Balance? What is this balance of which you speak?


15. How do you balance what you're reading against what you're writing?

They don't really seem to interfere with each other, although I will often read for research as well as fun!


16. And finally, what future novels/ideas do you have in the works? What can your readers expect next?

Well, book two in the Veiled Worlds series, Suited, is coming out next year! So that's exciting. I'm also working on something completely different -- it's a post-apocalyptic romantic comedy, set in Sydney in the not-too-distant-future, with ghosts. And aliens. It's heaps of fun!

Black Prism - Book Trailer

Up Close with M J Scott

Shadow Kin
Half Light City #01
by M. J. Scott

On one side, the Night World, ruled by the Blood Lords and the Beast Kind. On the other, the elusive Fae and the humans, protected by their steadfast mages.

Born a wraith, Lily is a shadow who slips between worlds. Brought up by a Blood Lord and raised to be his assassin, she is little more than a slave.

But when Lily meets her match in target Simon DuCaine, the unlikely bond that develops between them threatens to disrupt an already stretched peace in a city on the verge of being torn apart.

1. What started you writing, and is it the same thing that still inspires you today?

I started writing as a kid because there were stories in my head. That’s pretty much the same reason I write today, I need to know what happens to the people who show up in my head and starting talking to me.


2. How many novels did you write before you got published?

It’s probably about ten finished and a few more in pieces. There was a genre switch in there but it took me about nine years of serious writing to sell.


3. What was the first thing you did when you found out a publisher wanted to print your work?

Stifled a scream of joy and tried to walk nonchalantly to a meeting room so I could call my parents (I was at work when I got my agent’s email about the first offer…and knew I couldn’t tell everyone yet so no public snoopy dancing was allowed). I replied to my agent’s email in there somewhere too. It’s all a bit of a blur.


4. What books, or authors, would you say have most influenced you in the type of writer you've become?

Many! My parents were both teachers who encouraged my brother and I to read and, within reason, to read what we wanted. There was always a lot of science fiction and fantasy in our house plus my grandmothers gave me the classics like Anne of Green Gables and Pride and Prejudice. I discovered romance later but I read many different things. To pick a few favourite authors out…Tolkien, Diana Wynne Jones, Jane Austen, Robin McKinley, Guy Gavriel Kay, Jennifer Crusie, Georgette Heyer, Terry Pratchett, Lois McMaster Bujold and Jacqueline Carey.


5. Your debut is SHADOW KIN, can you tell us a bit about the story and how you came up with it?

Shadow Kin is one of those books where the main character just showed up in my head late one night and started talking loudly enough I had to get up and start writing her down. By the time I’d written the first fifteen pages or so that night, I had the bones of the world and her dilemma.

As to the story, well, it’s about a half-Fae assassin who thinks she knows how the world works and what her place in it is, until she botches her latest assignment and everything starts to fall apart.

6. Do you consciously chose themes to explore in your work or does it 'just happen'?

I don’t think about them in the first draft. Generally by the time I come to revise I have a clearer idea of what a particular book is about in the broader sense and will play with that a bit but I focus on the story and figure my themes are going to come out in my work no matter what I do.

7. What do you consider the most challenging about writing a novel, or about writing in general?

Apart from the slog of writing 100 000 plus words, the hardest part is convincing myself it will all work out in the end and, like most writers, that what I’m working on isn’t the worst book written in the history of the universe. I’m like both sides of the conversation in those lines from Shakespeare In Love:
“Strangely enough, it all turns out well.”
“How?”
“I don’t know. It’s a mystery.”

8. Do you use an outline when you write, or are you more of a discovery writer?

I don’t outline unless forced to. I do it sometimes when I’m stuck, kind of brain dumping what I know about the story onto the page so I can talk it through with my critique partners, but otherwise I’m a fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants writer. If I have to write it down in advance, I tend to get bored with the story and think it sounds terrible.

9. How much research do you do, and is it before or during the writing process?

I don’t do huge amounts of deliberate research. I research as I need to when writing a book. But I do read a lot and read widely and generally find that I know a snippet about something that gives me a diving off point to research more deeply when I need to.


10. Do you ever base your characters on people you know or have known?

No, not really. I might use a characteristic from someone but each character becomes more and more themselves as you write them. I will ‘cast’ a character at the beginning of my process using an actor or someone as a reference but usually that’s more about an attitude or an emotion the pictures give me than the character looking exactly like that person.


11. What is your work schedule like when you're in writers mode?

That largely depends on how the book is going and whether or not it’s a day job day or not. I write better in the afternoon and evenings and if things are just chugging along or going badly I aim for a page goal and stop after that. But when a book is flowing or I’m near the end, I pretty much write for as long as I can until I have to stop or fall asleep at the keyboard.


12. What do you do to relax, when you're not in 'writer's mode? (are you ever not in writer's mode?)

I like to read : ) And watch TV or movies which is just another form of story fix for me. I love to knit and am learning to spin and I sew a bit. I don’t know if I’m ever not in writer mode, there’s always that writer bit of the brain mulling things over or noticing something new and shiny to incorporate into the work.


13. When you look back on writing career to date, is there anything you would've done differently? If so, what and why?

Get published faster! No. Seriously, I think everyone has their path as a writer. If I’d sold my first book I’d be writing a different genre. I’ve had time to learn and (hopefully) grow as a writer though the learning curve changes again once you sell. Maybe switching genres faster but I loved writing those other books too.


14. How do you balance what you're reading against what you're writing?

I don’t generally have a problem with reading the same genre I’m writing. My story is my story and usually it’s strong enough in my head that reading other stories won’t influence it. I know some writers can't read while they're working but for me, reading is such an ingrained habit that I have to be really ill for me to not, at a bare minimum, read a few pages before I go to sleep. That said, when a book is really flowing I end up reading less due to lack of time and also tend to re-read old favourites…something about the repetition soothes my brain after a day of making up words.


15. And finally, what future novels/ideas do you have in the works? What can readers expect next?

Book two in the Half-Light City series is due out in June 2012 and book three is nearly done…after that, we’ll see!

Up Close with Daniel Polansky

The Straight Razor Cure
Low Town 1
by Daniel Polansky

In the forgotten back alleys and flophouses that lie in the shadows of Rigus, the finest city of the Thirteen Lands, you will find Low Town. It is an ugly place, and its cham­pion is an ugly man. Disgraced intelligence agent. Forgotten war hero. Independent drug dealer. After a fall from grace five years ago, a man known as the Warden leads a life of crime, addicted to cheap violence and expensive drugs. Every day is a constant hustle to find new customers and protect his turf from low-life competition like Tancred the Harelip and Ling Chi, the enigmatic crime lord of the heathens.

The Warden’s life of drugged iniquity is shaken by his dis­covery of a murdered child down a dead-end street . . . set­ting him on a collision course with the life he left behind. As a former agent with Black House—the secret police—he knows better than anyone that murder in Low Town is an everyday thing, the kind of crime that doesn’t get investi­gated. To protect his home, he will take part in a dangerous game of deception between underworld bosses and the psy­chotic head of Black House, but the truth is far darker than he imagines. In Low Town, no one can be trusted.

1. What started you writing, and is it the same thing that still inspires you today?

I started writing seriously because I felt unfulfilled by what I was doing at that point in my life. I guess as I’ve been writing more, I’ve become inspired by sheer love for the craft, and a desire to get better.


2. How many novels did you write before you got published?

Low Town: The Straight Razor Cure is my first novel. It’s actually the first work of fiction I’ve ever written, or at least as far back as I can remember.


3. What was the first thing you did when you found out a publisher wanted to print your work?

I was on my lunch break, at the time. I pretty much just walked around in a happy daze for forty-five minutes.


4. What books, or authors, would you say have most influenced you in the type of writer you've become?

I would say that my intellectual debt regarding The Straight Razor Cure is owed to Raymond Chandler and Dashiell Hammett, first and foremost.


5. Your debut is The Straight Razor Cure, can you tell us a bit about the story and how you came up with it?

The Straight Razor Cure is classic noir set in a dystopian fantasy setting. It primarily concerns the misadventures of The Warden, a small time drug lord whose iniquities are interrupted upon discovering the body of a murdered child. In a bout of ill-considered self-righteousness, he decides to hunt down the killer. Trouble ensues.

6. Do you consciously chose themes to explore in your work or does it 'just happen'?

A bit of both, I suppose.


7. What do you consider the most challenging about writing a novel, or about writing in general?

For me, personally, the revising process can grow pretty exhausting. After about the tenth time I edited The Straight Razor Cure, I began to have elaborate fantasies abut tossing the manuscript into the fire, or its 21st century equivalent, wiping my hard drive.


8. Do you use an outline when you write, or are you more of a discovery writer?

The Straight Razor Cure was my first novel, as I mentioned, and I just kind of struck off in a general direction narratively speaking. With subsequent works I’ve wised up some, and hammer out an outline before I get moving on the text itself.


9. How much research do you do, and is it before or during the writing process?

It depends on how you look at it. I read history pretty compulsively, and a lot of that ultimately makes its way into what I’m writing. I try and keep my eyes open all the time for things I might later fit into a book, so it’s sort of an abstract form of research.


10. Do you ever base your characters on people you know or have known?

Some of them, yeah. It’s a lot of fun when you can steal things from the real world.


11. What is your work schedule like when you're in writers mode?

It really depends. I move around a lot, so I don’t really have a set schedule. When I’m in full on writing mode I tend to just make time to get out what’s in my head.


12. What do you do to relax, when you're not in 'writer's mode? (are you ever not in writer's mode?)

I travel, I listen to music, I read, I play chess.


13. How do you balance what you're reading against what you're writing?

I sort of feel like half my job is to be constantly reading things, and my selection is pretty varied. One thing you sometimes have to be careful of is making sure that whatever you’ve picked up doesn’t bleed too much into your work. A curious example -- while working on the sequel to The Straight Razor Cure I was reading Remembrance of Things Past by Marcel Proust, which is this extraordinarily written, unimaginably long navel gazing sort of novel. At some point I went back and looked at what I had been writing and realized I had unintentionally (and without great success) started copying Proust’s style, which is about as far from the clipped, fast-paced prose style of classic noir as you could imagine. Needless to say, rewrites were in order.


14. And finally, what future novels/ideas do you have in the works? What can your readers expect next?

At the moment I am working on the sequel to The Straight Razor Cure, which doesn’t have a name yet, because names are hard as hell. It should be winging its way toward you guys sometime in 2012, and I highly recommend you purchase it in great quantities.

Visit my website, DanielPolansky.com, and leave a comment using the Facebook plugin on the lower left of the page so I know who you are. The first 7 chapters are on the website, along with two book trailers, a contest...all kinds of fun stuff. I’m on Facebook, Twitter (@DanielPolansky), Google+ (+DanielPolansky), and GoodReads, so there are lots of ways to connect!

Dragon Fiction

Dragons: Those magnificent, legendary creatures (typically displaying serpentine or otherwise reptilian features) found in the myths and folklore of many cultures. This list is arranged by author. The titles listed directly below have dragons as major or minor characters. For novels written from the perscpectives and lives of the dragons themselves – see the blog section titled ‘Dragon Eye-View Fiction’. For books involving Dragon shapeshifters (to human) and romance – see the blog section titled ‘Dragon Shapeshifter Romance Fiction’. See also sections titled ‘Dragon Game World Novels’, ‘Dragon Information & Care Handbooks’ and ‘Dragon Art & Drawings’ by clicking the label link ‘Dragons’.

How to Slay a Dragon by Bill Allen (2011).

Gold Magic Eggling by Lady Li Andre (2010). Dursdan would rather be a farmer and have nothing to do with the magical beasts that protect the Valley, but his father is a Dragon Lord. When his father risks his life to obtain a rare golden egg, Dursdan is forced to carry it.

The Xanth series by Piers Anthony.
1) A Spell for Chameleon (1977)
4) Centaur Aisle (1981)
5) Ogre, Ogre (1982)
6) Night Mare (1982)
7) Dragon on a Pedestal (1983)
The Continuing Xanth Saga Omnibus (Books 4-6) (1997)

The Agent Cormac series by Neal Asher. The entity Dragon.
1) Gridlinked (2001)

The Dragon Fire trilogy by Charles Ashton.
1) Jet Smoke and Dragon Fire (1991)
2) Into the Spiral (1992)
3) The Shining Bridge (1993)
Dragon Fire Omnibus (2003)

The Brothers of the Dragon series by Robin Wayne Bailey.
1) Brothers of the Dragon (1992)
2) Flames of the Dragon (1993)
3) Triumph of the Dragon (1995)
4) The Palace of Souls (1995)

The Chronicles of the Raven trilogy by James Barclay
1) Dawnthief (1999)
2) Noonshade (2000)
3) Nightchild (2001)

The Merlin series by T. A. Barron.
3) The Fires of Merlin (1998) aka The Raging Fires
4) The Mirror of Merlin (1999) aka The Mirror of Fate
5) The Wings of Merlin (2000) aka A Wizard’s Wings
6) Merlin's Dragon (2008) aka The Dragon of Avalon
7) Doomraga's Revenge (2009)
8) Ultimate Magic (2010)
9) Child of the Dark Prophecy (2004) aka Great Tree of Avalon
10) Shadows on the Stars (2005)
11) The Eternal Flame (2006)

The Havemercy series by Danielle Bennett and Jaida Jones.
1) Havemercy (2008)
2) Shadow Magic (2009)
3) Dragon Soul (2010)
4) Steelhands (2011)

The Black Jewels trilogy by Anne Bishop. Lorn, Prince of Dragons and Keeper of the Knowledge of the Blood, Race that created the Race of the Blood and Bestower of the Blood Jewels.
1) Daughter of the Blood (1998)
2) Heir to the Shadows (1999)
3) Queen of the Darkness (1999)

The Dragon Queen by Alice Borchardt (2003).

The Hurog series by Patricia Briggs.
1) Dragon Bones (2002)
2) Dragon Blood (2002)

The Magic Kingdom of Landover series by Terry Brooks. (Not part of the Shannara series). Look for Strabo the dragon.
1) Magic Kingdom For Sale -- SOLD! (1986)
2) The Black Unicorn (1987)
3) Wizard at Large (1988)
4) The Tangle Box (1994)
5) Witches' Brew (1995)
6) A Princess of Landover (2009)
Magic Kingdom of Landover Omnibus (Books 1-3) (2009)

The Pigs Don't Fly series by Mary Brown.
1) The Unlikely Ones (1986)
2) Pigs Don't Fly: But Dragons do... (1994)
3) Master of Many Treasures (1995)
4) Dragonne's Eg (1999)
5) Here There Be Dragonnes (omnibus) (2003)

The Unexpected Dragon by Mary Brown (1998).

The Vlad Taltos series by Steven Brust. Contain jheregs, tiny dragon-like creatures, and dragons, huge reptiles that cannot breathe fire but have tentacles that pick up psychic impressions.
1) Jhereg (1983) (5th novel chronologically)
2) Yendi (1984) (3rd novel chronologically)
3) Teckla (1987) (6th novel chronologically)
4) Taltos (1988) (1st novel chronologically)
5) Phoenix (1990) (7th novel chronologically)
6) Athyra (1993) (9th novel chronologically)
7) Orca (1996) (10th novel chronologically)
8) Dragon (1998) (2nd novel chronologically)
9) Issola (2001) (11th novel chronologically)
10) Dzur (2006) (12th novel chronologically)
11) Jhegaala (2008) (8th novel chronologically)
12) Iorich (2010) (14th novel chronologically)
13) Tiassa (2011) (Three Parts: 4th & 13th & 15th novel chronologically)
Omnibus Editions:
1) The Book of Jhereg (contains Jhereg, Yendi and Teckla) (1999)
2) The Book of Taltos (contains Taltos and Phoenix) (2002)
3) The Book of Athyra (contains Athyra and Orca) (2003)
4) The Book of Dragon (contains Dragon and Issola) (2011)
5) The Book of Dzur (contains Dzur and Jhegaala) (2011)

To Reign in Hell by Steven Brust (1984). Belial, one of the Firstborn angels, takes the form of a colossal, insane dragon living beneath a volcanic mountain range.

Brokedown Palace by Steven Brust (1986). Once upon a time there were four brothers--and a goddess, a wizard, an enigmatic talking stallion, a very hungry dragon--and a crumbling, broken-down palace with hungry jhereg circling overhead.

The Dragonmaster trilogy by Chris Bunch.
1) Storm of Wings (aka Dragonmaster) (2002)
2) Knighthood of the Dragon (2003)
3) The Last Battle (2004)
Dragonmaster Omnibus (2007)

The Dragon series by Don Callander.
1) Dragon Companion (1994)
2) Dragon Rescue (1995)
3) Dragon Tempest (1998)

Malpas the Dragon by Ann Cattanach and Michael Renouf (2007).

Blue Dragon (Dark Heavens #3) by Kylie Chan (2008).

Quillblade (Voyages of the Flying Dragon #1) by Ben Chandler (2011).

The Dragon and the Unicorn by Lynne Cherry (1998). The daughter of medieval King Valerio is visited by a unicorn and dragon who plead to have the forests of the realm preserved. Great for children aged 3-7.

Fortress of Dragons (Tristan #4) by C.J. Cherryh (2000).

The Shadow War trilogy by Chris Claremont and George Lucas.
1) Shadow Moon (1995)
2) Shadow Dawn (1996)
3) Shadow Star (1999)

The Devan Chronicles trilogy by Mark E. Cooper. Boldizar and other dragons.
1) The God Decrees (2001)
2) The Power That Binds (2002)
3) The Warrior Within (2003)

The Magic Shop series by Bruce Coville. A 12 year old boy is given a baby dragon (Tiamat) to raise.
1) Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher (1992)

The Unicorn Chronicles series by Bruce Coville. Ebillan and Firethroat are dragons.
1) Into the Land of the Unicorns (1994)
2) The Song of the Wanderer (1999)
3) Dark Whispers (2008)
4) The Last Hunt (2010)

The Last Dragon by Silvana DeMari (2006).

The Flight of Dragons by Peter Dickinson (1979).
Merlin Dreams by Peter Dickinson (1988).

The Spiderwick Chronicles series by Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black.
5) The Wrath of Mulgarath (2004). The snake-like poisonous dragons raised by the ogre Mulgarath as his weapons of mass destruction.

The Beyond the Spiderwick Chronicles series by Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black.
3) The Wyrm King (2009). A Hydra, a dragon or snake-like creature with multiple heads and gills appears, called the Wyrm King.

Kenny and the Dragon by Tony DiTerlizzi (2008).

The Last Dragon Chronicles series by Chris d'Lacey. Gadzooks, G'reth, Gretel, Gawain, and other dragons. These dragons are made of clay and brought to life by the fire essence, known as the "auma", of one of Earth's last true Dragons, called Gawain. It is possible that Gawain's line might rise to full draconicity as a result of the actions taken by the student David Rain, his girlfriend the sibyl Zanna, the clayworkers Liz and Lucy Pennykettle, scientist Anders Bergstrom, and the witch Gwillanna.
1) The Fire Within (2001)
2) Icefire (2003)
3) Fire Star (2005)
4) The Fire Eternal (2007)
5) Dark Fire (2009)
6) Fire World (2011)
Rain and Fire: A Guide to the Last Dragon Chronicles (2010) (with Jay d'Lacey).

The Dragon Book by Gardner Dozois and Jack Dann (2009).

Dragon Guard (Magickers #03) by Emily Drake (2003).

The Neverending Story by Michael Ende (1979). Falkor (Fuchur in the original German version) the luckdragon and Smerg, an evil dragon.

The Malazan Book of the Fallen series by Steven Erikson. Various dragons make small appearances throughout the series. Soletaken and Warren-ruling dragons.
1) Gardens of the Moon (1999)
2) Deadhouse Gates (2000)
3) Memories of Ice (2001)
4) House of Chains (2002)
5) Midnight Tides (2004)
6) The Bonehunters (2005)
7) Reaper's Gale (2007)
8) Toll the Hounds (2008)
9) Dust of Dreams (2009)
10) The Crippled God (2010)

Dragonverse by Doug Farren (2010).

Quest for the Dragon's Eye (Swordquest #2) by Bill Fawcett (1985).

The Riftwar trilogy by Raymond E Feist. Dragons Rhuagh, Ryath, Shuruga and others.
1) Magician (1982)
2) Silverthorn (1985)
3) A Darkness at Sethanon (1986)

The Last Dragonslayer series by Jasper Fforde.
1) The Last Dragonslayer (2010)
2) Practical Magic (2011)

The Dragon Chronicles series by Susan Fletcher. Byrn, Pyro, Embyr, Synge and others.
1) Dragon's Milk (1989)
2) Flight of the Dragon Kyn (1993)
3) Sign of the Dove (1996)
4) Ancient, Strange and Lovely (coming in 2011)

The Dragon Done It edited by Eric Flint and Mike Resnick (2008). Best-selling authors Eric Flint and Mike Resnick present a generous selection of stories from the intersection of mystery and magic by popular writers Neil Gaiman, Gene Wolf, David Drake, Harry Turtledove, Esther M. Friesner, and more, including Flint and Resnick themselves. The Dragon Done It is an exciting cross-genre volume that both mystery fans and fantasy fans will enjoy. And so will dragons.

The Osserian Saga series by David Forbes. Dragon in book three.
1) The Amber Wizard (2006)
2) The Words of Making (2007)
3) The Commanding Stone (2009)

The Witches of Eileanan series by Kate Forsyth
1) Dragonclaw (aka The Witches of Eileanan) (1997)
2) The Pool of Two Moons (1998)
3) The Cursed Towers (2000)
4) The Forbidden Land (2000)
5) The Skull of the World (2001)
6) The Fathomless Caves (2002)

The Spellsinger series by Alan Dean Foster. Contains Falameezar-aziz-Sulmonmee, a friendly Marxist dragon.
1) Spellsinger (1983)
2) The Hour of the Gate (1984)
3) The Day of the Dissonance (1984)
4) The Moment of the Magician (1984)
5) The Paths of the Perambulator (1985)
6) The Time of the Transference (1986)
7) Son of Spellsinger (1993)
8) Chorus Skating (1994)

The Moshui series by Daniel Fox.
1) Dragon in Chains (2009)
2) Jade Man's Skin (2010)
3) Hidden Cities (2011)

The Floramonde by Pamela Freeman.
1) The Willow Tree's Daughter (1996)
2) Windrider (1996)
3) Victor's Quest (1996)
4) The Centre of Magic (1998)
5) Victor's Challenge (2009)

The Time for Dragons series by Gary Gentile.
1) A Time for Dragons (1989)
2) Dragons Past (1990)
3) No Future for Dragons (1990)
The Time Dragons Trilogy Omnibus (2008) (contains all three)

The Dragon Slippers series by Jessica Day George.
1) Dragon Slippers (2007) (aka Dragonskin Slippers)
2) Dragon Flight (2008)
3) Dragon Spear (2009)

Strangewood by Christopher Golden (1999). Fiddlestick, a small musically emotive dragon.

Dragon Secrets (Outcast #02) by Christopher Golden (2004).

The Sword of Truth series by Terry Goodkind. Scarlet and Gregory, Scarlet's hatchling that Richard saves.
1) Wizard's First Rule (1994)
2) Stone of Tears (1995)
3) Blood of the Fold (1996)

The Eon series by Alison Goodman.
1) The Two Pearls of Wisdom (aka Dragoneye Reborn / Rise of the Dragoneye) (2008)
2) Eona: The Last Dragoneye (aka The Necklace of the Gods) (2010)
3) Eona: Return of the Dragoneye (2011)

The Binding of the Blade series by L. B. Graham.
4) Father of Dragons (2007)

The Band of Four series by Ed Greenwood.
1) The Kingless Land (2000)
2) The Vacant Throne (2001)
3) A Dragon's Ascension (2002)
4) The Dragon's Doom (2002)

The Falconfar Saga series by Ed Greenwood.
1) Dark Lord (2007)
2) Arch Wizard (2008)
3) Falconfar (2010)

We Three Dragons: A Trio of Dragon Tales for the Holiday Season by Ed Greenwood, Jeff Grubb and James M Ward (2005).

The Book of Dragons by Michael Hague (2005). Seventeen short selections that will appeal to lovers of dragons, fantasy, and folktales, providing readers with something fresh in each tale. Excerpts from classic novels such as J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit, C.S. Lewis's Voyage of the Dawn Treader and short stories such as Kenneth Grahame's "The Reluctant Dragon" are included. There are folktales from China, Italy and Germany as well.

The Dragon Whisperer by Lucinda Hare.
1) The Dragon Whisperer (2009)
2) Flight to Dragon Isle (2010)

The Symphony of Ages series by Elizabeth Haydon.
1) Rhapsody: Child of Blood (1999)
2) Prophecy: Child of Earth (2000)
3) Destiny: Child of the Sky (2001)
4) Requiem for the Sun (2002)
5) Elegy for a Lost Star (2004)
6) The Assassin King (2005)
Symphony of Ages (omnibus) (2006)

The Lost Journals of Ven Polypheme series by Elizabeth Haydon.
1) The Floating Island (2006)
2) The Thief Queen's Daughter (2007)
3) The Dragon's Lair (2008)

Between Planets by Robert A. Heinlein (1951). The sentient inhabitants of Venus are huge flightless dragons described as highly intelligent with an enormous aptitude for scientific research and are very warm and friendly to humans. Since humans can't prononce their real names, they habitually take the name of a prominent past human scientist. The main dragon protagonist calls himself "Sir Isaac Newton".

Central Park Knight by C. J. Henderson (2011).

The Dragon Codices series by R.D. Henham.
1) Red Dragon Codex (2008)
2) Bronze Dragon Codex (2008)
3) Black Dragon Codex (2008)
4) Brass Dragon Codex (2009)
5) Green Dragon Codex (2009)
6) Silver Dragon Codex (2009)
7) Gold Dragon Codex (2010)

The Gardone trilogy by Warren R Henke and Judy Schmidt.
1) Mandala's Catalyst (2010)

The Annals of Drakis series by Tracy Hickman.
1) Song of the Dragon (2010) (with Laura Hickman)
2) Citadels of the Lost (coming in 2011)

The Simon St George series by Jason Hightman.
1) The Saint of Dragons (2004)
2) Samurai (2006)

Fireball and the Hero by Douglas Hill (1995).
The Dragon Charmer by Douglas Hill (1997).

Danny's Dragon: A Story of Wartime Loss by Janet Muirhead Hill (2006).

The Farseer trilogy by Robin Hobb.
3) Assassin's Quest (1997)

The Fanuilh series by Daniel Hood. Features Fanuilh, a miniature dragon and familiar.
1) Fanuilh (1994)
2) Wizard's Heir (1995)
3) Beggar's Banquet (1997)
4) Scales of Justice (1998)
5) King's Cure (2000)
A Familiar Dragon Omnibus (1997)

The Pelmen the Powershaper series by Robert Don Hughes. Has Vicia-Heinox the two-headed dragon.
1) The Prophet of Lamath (1979)
2) The Wizard in Waiting (1982)
3) The Power and the Prophet (1985)

The Wormling series by Jerry B. Jenkins and Chris Fabry.
4) Minions of Time (2008)
5) The Author's Blood (2008)

The Eidolon Chronicles trilogy by Jane Johnson.
1) The Secret Country (2005)
2) The Shadow World (2006)
3) Dragon's Fire (2007)
Legends of the Shadow World Omnibus (2010)

Charmed Life (Chrestomanci #1) by Diana Wynne Jones (1977). Chrestomanci's pet dragon (rescued from poachers who killed its mother).

Fantasy Stories edited by Diana Wynne Jones (1994). Here are 18 imaginative stories (some dragons) from such accomplished writers as C.S. Lewis, Joan Aiken, L. Frank Baum, Isaac Asimov and Rudyard Kipling.

Hunting of the Last Dragon by Sherryl Jordan (2002).

Chasing the Dragon by Nicholas Kaufmann (2009). Centuries ago, St. George fought and killed a dragon-or so the legend goes. The truth is somewhat different. George failed in his mission, and the Dragon still walks the Earth, protected by an undead army, hiding in the shadows and slaughtering men, women, and children for its prey. Each of George's descendants through time has been tasked with killing the Dragon, and each has failed. Twenty-five-year-old Georgia Quincey is the last of the line. But Georgia is also an addict, driven there by the weight of her responsibility and the loss of everything and everyone she has ever loved.

The Dragon Quartet series by Marjorie B Kellogg.
1) The Book of Earth (1995)
2) The Book of Water (1997)
3) The Book of Fire (2000)
4) The Book of Air (2003)
Dragon Quartet Volume 1 Omnibus (2005)
Dragon Quartet Volume 2 Omnibus (2006)

The Deverry series by Katharine Kerr.
1) Daggerspell (1986)
2) Darkspell (1987)
3) The Bristling Wood (Dawnspell: The Bristling Wood) (1989)
4) The Dragon Revenant (Dragonspell: The Southern Sea) (1990)

The Deverry: The Westlands series by Katharine Kerr.
1) A Time of Exile (1991)
2) A Time of Omens (1992)
3) Days of Blood and Fire (aka A Time of War) (1993)
4) Days of Air and Darkness (aka A Time of Justice) (1994)

The Deverry: The Dragon Mage series by Katharine Kerr.
1) The Red Wyvern (1997)
2) The Black Raven (1998)
3) The Fire Dragon (2000)

The Deverry: The Silver Wyrm series by Katharine Kerr.
1) The Gold Falcon (2006)
2) The Spirit Stone (2007)
3) The Shadow Isle (2008)
4) The Silver Mage (2009)

The Dragonrealm series by Richard A. Knaak.
1) Firedrake (1989)
2) Ice Dragon (1989)
3) Wolfhelm (1990)
4) Shadow Steed (1990)
5) The Crystal Dragon (1993)
6) The Dragon Crown (1994)
7) The Horse King (1997)

The Dragonrealm: Origin of Dragonrealm series by Richard A. Knaak.
1) The Shrouded Realm (1991)
2) Children of the Drake (1991)
3) Dragon Tome (1992)

Legends of the Dragonrealm Volume I by Richard A. Knaak (2009)
Legends of the Dragonrealm, Volume II by Richard A. Knaak (2010)

The Dragon of Trelian by Michelle Knudsen (2009).

The Dragonling series by Jackie French Koller. Zantor and various other dragons.
1) The Dragonling (1991)
2) A Dragon in the Family (1993)
3) Dragon Quest (1997)
4) Dragons of Krad (1997)
5) Dragon Trouble (1997)
6) Dragons Kings (1998)
The Dragonling Collector's Edition Volume 1 (2000)
The Dragonling Collector's Edition Volume 2 (2001)

The Novel of the Nine Kingdoms series by Lynn Kurland.
1) Star of the Morning (2006)
2) The Mage's Daughter (2008)
3) Princess of the Sword (2009)
4) A Tapestry of Spells (2010)
5) Spellweaver (2011)

LIZARDS and WIZARDS by Gary Kuyper (2011). A novella telling the tale of how the very first dragon came to be.

The Dragon Jousters series by Mercedes Lackey. Avatre and several others.
1) Joust (2003)
2) Alta (2004)
3) Sanctuary (2005)
4) Aerie (2006)

The Obsidian trilogy by Mercedes Lackey and James Mallory. Ancalader, the dragon bonded to Jermayan.
1) The Outstretched Shadow (2003)
2) To Light a Candle (2004)
3) When Darkness Falls (2006)

The Enduring Flame trilogy by Mercedes Lackey and James Mallory. Wild Mage Bisochim bonds with the dragon Saravasse.
1) The Phoenix Unchained (2007)
2) The Phoenix Endangered (2008)
3) The Phoenix Transformed (2009)

The Darkest Age series by A. J. Lake.
1) The Coming of Dragons (2006)
2) The Book of the Sword (2007)
3) The Circle of Stone (2007)

Dragon's Tear by Sue Lawson (2002). Life in his country town would be better if Cam could make a friend. But a moody, mythical creature with bad breath and an egg about to hatch is not what he bargained for.

The Dragon Sword Histories series by Duncan Lay.
1) The Wounded Guardian (2010)
2) The Risen Queen (2010)
3) The Radiant Child (2010)

In the Earthsea fantasy series by Ursula Le Guin. The portrayal of dragons undergoes significant changes from book to book. In the original, they possess unbounded greed for hoards of precious jewelry; later, they grow in stature and nobility, to become virtual demi-gods. Later still, it is revealed that some rare humans (always women) can change into dragons at will (or they may be considered as dragons who can take human form at will).
1) A Wizard of Earthsea (1968). Yevaud the dragon. – Lewis Carroll Shelf Award winner (1979).
2) The Tombs of Atuan (1971) – Newbery Medal winner.
3) The Farthest Shore (1973). Kalessin the creator. – National Book Award winner.
4) Tehanu: The Last Book of Earthsea (1990) – Nebula Award winner (1990) & Locus Fantasy Award winner (1991).
5) Tales from Earthsea (2001) (Short Stories).
6) The Other Wind (2001) – World Fantasy Award winner (2002).
The Earthsea Quartet Omnibus (1993)

The Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis.
3) The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (1952)

Eye of the Dragon by Ian Livingstone (2005). Role-playing book where you seek the Golden Dragon.

The Sunset Warrior series by Eric Lustbader.
5) Dragons on the Sea of Night (1997)

The Pearl Saga series by Eric Lustbader.
1) The Ring of Five Dragons (2001)
2) The Veil of a Thousand Tears (2002)
3) The Cage of Nine Banestones (aka Mistress of the Pearl) (2003)

In the Dragonriders of Pern series by Anne McCaffrey. The fantastic dragon series about the magestic dragons of Pern! Highly recommended for lovers of dragons. Life on Pern resembles a pre-industrial society with lords, holds, harpers and dragons. The Pernese use intelligent firebreathing dragons and their riders to fight the deadly falling Thread. The riders have a telepathic bond with their dragons, formed by Impression at the dragon's hatching. Later books deal with the initial colonization of Pern and the creation of the dragons themselves.
1) Dragonflight (1968)
2) Dragonquest (1971)
3) Dragonsong (1976)
4) Dragonsinger (1977)
5) The White Dragon (1978)
6) Dragondrums (1979)
7) Moreta: Dragonlady of Pern (1983)
8) Nerilka's Story (1986)
9) The Girl Who Heard Dragons (1986 – Short story novella)
10) Dragonsdawn (1988)
11) The Renegades of Pern (1989)
12) All the Weyrs of Pern (1991)
13) The Chronicles of Pern: First Fall (1993). Contains stories ‘The Survey: P.E.R.N.’, ‘The Dolphins' Bell’, ‘The Ford of Red Hanrahan’, ‘The Second Weyr’ and ‘Rescue Run’.
The Dolphins of Pern (1994)
14) Red Star Rising: Second Chronicles of Pern (1996). (Called Dragonseye for U.S. release).
15) Masterharper of Pern (1998)
16) The Skies of Pern (2001)
17) A Gift of Dragons (2002). Contains stories ‘The Smallest Dragonboy’, ‘The Girl Who Heard Dragons’, ‘Runner of Pern’ and ‘Ever the Twain’.
Co-authored by her son Todd McCaffrey.
1) Dragon's Kin (2003)
2) Dragon's Fire (2006)
3) Dragon Harper (2007)
4) Dragonrider (2011)
Written by her son Todd McCaffrey.
1) Dragonsblood (2005)
2) Dragonheart (2008)
3) Dragongirl (2010)
4) Dragons Time TBC
The Dragon Lover's Guide to Pern by Jody Lynn Nye (1997).
Anne McCaffrey: A Life with Dragons by Robin Roberts (2007).

The Hero and the Crown by Robin McKinley (1984). Numerous small dragons, which cannot speak, and the huge, sentient dragon Maur, which is a malevolent force even after death.
Dragonhaven by Robin McKinley (2007). Jake Mendoza lives at the Makepeace Institute of Integrated Dragon Studies in Smokehill National Park. Smokehill is home to about two hundred of the few remaining draco australiensis, which is extinct in the wild. Keeping a preserve for dragons is controversial: detractors say dragons are extremely dangerous and unjustifiably expensive to keep and should be destroyed.

The Dragon's Apprentice series by Linda McNabb.
1) The Dragon's Apprentice (2002)
2) Dragon's Bane (2008)

The Dragon Charmers series Linda McNabb.
1) Mountains of Fire (2006)
2) Valley of Silver (2007)

The Song of Ice and Fire series by George R. R. Martin. Drogon, Viserion, and Rhaegal, the dragons hatched by Daenerys Targaryen. Also, Balerion the Black Dread, Meraxes and Vhaghar, ridden by Aegon the Conqueror and his sisters in the conquest of Westeros.
1) A Game of Thrones (1996)
2) A Clash of Kings (1998)
3) A Storm of Swords (2000)
4) A Feast for Crows (2005)
5) A Dance with Dragons (2008)
Dreamsongs: A Retrospective Volume I by George R. R. Martin (2003).
Dreamsongs: A Retrospective Volume II by George R. R. Martin (2008).

The Ice Dragon by George R. R. Martin (2006). Novella: The ice dragon was a creature of legend and fear, for no man had ever tamed one.When it flew overhead, it left in its wake desolate cold and frozen land. But Adara was not afraid. For Adara was a winter child, born during the worst freeze that anyone, even the Old Ones, could remember.

The Dragon Quintet by Elizabeth Moon (2004). Five authors of fantasy genre explore the fantastical world of dragons in an anthology of fantasy novellas, including "In the Dragon's House" by Orson Scott Card, Mercedes Lackey's "Joust," "Love in a Time of Dragons" by Tanith Lee, Elizabeth Moon's "Judgment," and Michael Swanwick's "King Dragon."

The Dragon Path by Kenneth Morris (1995).

The Book of the Years series by Peter Morwood.
3) The Dragon Lord (1986)
4) The Warlord's Domain (1989)
The Book of Years Volume 2 Omnibus (2005)

The Book of Dragons by Edith Nesbit (2002). First published in 1900! Has various dragons present, such as a red dragon that comes to life out of a magical Book of Beasts.
The Book of Dragons by Edith Nesbit, Ali Nicholls and Dee Dreslough (2010).

Dragon Prophecy by Melanie Nilles (2008).

The Halfblood Chronicles trilogy by Andre Norton and Mercedes Lackey.
1) Elvenbane (1991)
2) Elvenblood (1995)
3) Elvenborn (2002)

The Cycle of Oak, Yew, Ash and Rowan series by Andre Norton and Sasha Miller.
4) Dragon Blade (2005)

Dragon Magic by Andre Norton (1985).
Dragon Mage: A Sequel to Dragon Magic by Andre Norton and Jean Rabe (2008).

The Temeraire series by Naomi Novik. Temeraire and the other dragons of the Napoleonic Wars.
1) Temeraire (2006) aka His Majesty's Dragon
2) The Throne of Jade (2006)
3) Black Powder War (2006)
4) Empire of Ivory (2007)
5) Victory of Eagles (2008)
6) Tongues of Serpents (2010)
In the Service of the King Omnibus (2006)
In His Majesty's Service Omnibus (2009)

Cross-Eyed Dragon Troubles by Gloria Oliver (2008).

The Chronicles of the Imaginarium Geographica series by James A. Owen. Samaranth, an Eastern-type dragon who offers guidance to the main characters. Also various other dragons.
1) Here, There Be Dragons (2006)
2) The Search for the Red Dragon (2008)
3) The Indigo King (2008)
4) The Shadow Dragons (2009)
5) The Dragon's Apprentice (2010)

Knight Terrors: The (Mis)adventures of Smoke the Dragon by Nicholas Ozment and Richard Svensson (2010)

The Inheritance Cycle series by Christopher Paolini.
1) Eragon (2001)
2) Eldest (2005)
3) Brisingr (2008)
4) Inheritance (2011)
Eldest / Eragon Omnibus (2005)
Inheritance Boxed Set Omnibus (Books 1-3) (2008)
Mythic Vision: The Making of the Movie Eragon by Mark Cotta Vaz (2006).
The Inheritance Almanac: An A to Z Guide to the World of Eragon by Mike Macauley (2010).

The Dragons of Rosemar: The Dragon King Prophecy by D. S. Patrick (2009).

The DragonKeeper Chronicles series by Donita K. Paul.
1) DragonSpell (2004)
2) DragonQuest (2005)
3) DragonKnight (2006)
4) DragonFire (2007)
5) DragonLight (2008)

The Vanishing Sculptor (aka The Dragons of Chiril) by Donita K. Paul (2009).
Dragons of the Valley by Donita K. Paul (2010).
Dragons of the Watch by Donita K. Paul (2011).

The Cardinal's Blades by Pierre Pevel (2009).
The Alchemist in the Shadows by Pierre Pevel (2010).
The Three Prince War by Pierre Pevel (due in 2012).
The Dragon Arcarna by Pierre Pevel (due in 2012).

The Immortals quartet by Tamora Pierce. Skysong, as well as Flamewing, Wingstar, Diamondflame, Icefall, Steelsings, Jadewing, Jewelclaw, Moonwind, Rainbow and Riverwind.
1) Wild Magic (1992)
2) Wolf Speaker (1994)
3) The Emperor Mage (1994)
4) The Realms of the Gods (1996)
The Immortals Box Set Omnibus (2003)

The Alosha trilogy by Christopher Pike. Dragons also start life as legless, wingless, tailless, and without fire; in this form, they are known as Kouls. Later in life, a Koul develops legs, a tail, wings and fiery breath.
1) Alosha (2004)
2) The Shaktra (2005)
3) The Yanti (2006)

The Winter Dragon by Caroline Pitcher (2003).

The Discworld series by Terry Pratchett. Errol, Ninereeds and other dragons. Pratchett's Discworld novels describe two types of dragons: Noble Dragons (Draco Nobilis) which are typical European-type dragons, which are extinct by the time the books take place but can be summoned by magic or created with a lot of magic and imagination; and the Swamp Dragons (Draco Vulgaris), which are the size of small dogs, bred as pets, and, due to their complex, fire-producing anatomy, have a tendency to self-destruct.
1) The Colour of Magic (1983)
8) Guards! Guards! (1989)

The Lily Quench series by Natalie Jane Prior.
1) Lily Quench and the Dragon of Ashby (2004)
2) Lily Quench and the Black Mountains (2003)
3) Lily Quench and the Treasure of Mote Ely (2004)
4) Lily Quench and the Lighthouse of Skellig Mor (2003)
5) Lily Quench and the Magician's Pyramid (2003)
6) Lily Quench and the Hand of Manuelo (aka The Secret of Manelo) (2004)
7) Lily Quench and the Search for King Dragon (2005)
8) Lily Quench's Companion: And Guide to Dragons and the Art of Quenching (2007)

The Dragon Nimbus series by Irene Radford.
1) The Glass Dragon (1994)
2) The Perfect Princess (1995)
3) The Loneliest Magician (1996)
4) The Wizard's Treasure (2000)

The Dragon Nimbus History series by Irene Radford.
1) The Dragon's Touchstone (1997)
2) The Last Battlemage (1997)
3) The Renegade Dragon (1999)

The Stargods series by Irene Radford.
1) The Hidden Dragon (2002)
2) The Dragon Circle (2004)
3) The Dragon's Revenge (2005)

The Dragon Nimbus Omnibus Editions by Irene Radford.
1) The Dragon Nimbus Novels: Volume I (2007)
2) The Dragon Nimbus Novels: Volume II (2007)
3) The Dragon Nimbus Novels: Volume III (2008)

The Dragon Prince trilogy by Melanie Rawn. Azhdeen, Elisel and various unnamed dragons.
1) Dragon Prince (1988)
2) The Star Scroll (1989)
3) Sunrunner's Fire (1990)

The Dragon Star trilogy by Melanie Rawn
1) Stronghold (1991)
2) The Dragon Token (1993)
3) Skybowl (1994)

The Dragon Orb series by Mark Robson.
1) Firestorm (2008)
2) Shadow (2009)
3) Longfang (2009)
4) Aurora (2009)

No Such Thing as Dragons by Philip Reeve (2009).

The Lost Dragons of Barakhai (Books of Barakhai #2) by Mickey Zucker Reichert (2002).

Revolution (Dragon America) by Mike Resnick (2005). The British are coming, and the dragons are waiting for them! Set in an alternative colonial America where dragons rule the landscape, the revolution is taking its bloody toll and General Washington will need all the help he can get to free the American colonies from their overseas rulers. Dragon America is an alternative history in the Orson Scott Card and Harry Turtledove modes.

The Council Wars series by John Ringo.
1) There Will Be Dragons (2003)
2) Emerald Sea (2004)

The Egg by M.P. Robertson (2004).
The Dragon Snatcher by M. P. Robertson (2005).
The Great Dragon Rescue by M. P. Robertson (2009).

The Deltora Quest series by Emily Rodda. Dragons are portrayed as very intelligent and proud; as being divided into seven distinct tribes; as having the capacity to reproduce by parthenogenesis; and as each having a virtue to which it adheres, such as Strength, Honor, Luck, Faith, Hope, Joy, and Truth.
3) City of the Rats (2000)
4) The Shifting Sands (2001)
5) Dread Mountain (2001)
6) The Maze of the Beast (2001)
7) The Valley of the Lost (2001)
8) Return to Del (2000)
Deltora Quest Omnibus (2008)
Secrets Of Deltora (2009) (with Marc McBride)

The Dragons of Deltora series by Emily Rodda.
1) Dragon's Nest (2004)
2) Shadowgate (2004)
3) Isle of the Dead (2005)
4) The Sister of the South (2005)
5) Tales of Deltora (2006)

The Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling. Various dragons (including Norwegian Ridgebacks, Hungarian Horntails, Swedish Short-Snouts, Common Welsh Greens, Hebridean Blacks and a Chinese Fireball.
1) Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (1997)
4) Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2000).
7) Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (2007)
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by J. K. Rowling (2001) (with Newt Scamander)

Does Harry Potter Tickle Waking Dragons? (Book 1) by Nancy Solon Villaluz (2008).
Does Harry Potter Tickle Waking Dragons? (Book 2) by Nancy Solon Villaluz (due in 2012).

The Dragon of Lonely Island series by Rebecca Rupp.
1) The Dragon of Lonely Island (1998)
2) The Return of the Dragon (2005)

The Chronicles of Elantra series by Michelle Sagara.
1) Cast in Shadow (2005)
2) Cast in Courtlight (2006)
3) Cast in Secret (2007)
4) Cast in Fury (2008)
5) Cast in Silence (2009)
6) Cast in Chaos (2010)
7) Cast in Ruin (2011)
Chronicles of the Elantra (Books 1-3) Omnibus (2009)

The Spearwielder's Tales trilogy by R.A. Salvatore. Robert (also known as Robert the Wretched) is the dragon antagonist.
1) The Woods Out Back (1993)
2) The Dragon's Dagger (1994)
3) Dragonslayer Returns (1995)
Spearwielder's Tale Omnibus (2004)

The Dragon Chronicles: The Lost Journals of the Great Wizard, Septimus Agorius by Malcolm Sanders (2004).

The Scalehunter's Daughter by Lucius Shepard (1988). Griaule, a gigantic dragon, paralyzed and moribund yet still capable of casting a baleful influence.
The Taborin Scale (Novella of the Dragon Griaule) by Lucius Shepard (2010).

The Ashuak trilogy by Tony Shillitoe.
1) Blood (2002)
2) Passion (2003)
3) Freedom (2003)

Myth, Magic and Missiles (After Armageddon #1) by J. Skretteberg (2010).

The DragonCrown War series by Michael A. Stackpole.
1) Fortress Draconis (2001)
2) When Dragons Rage (2002)
3) The Grand Crusade (2003)

The Crown Colonies series by Michael A. Stackpole.
1) At the Queen's Command (2010)

The Ologies by Dugald Steer.
> The Dragon Dance (2005) (with D. Carrel)
> The Dragon Star (2005) (with D. Carrel)
> The Winged Serpent (2005)

The Ologies: Dragonology Chronicles series by Dugald Steer.
1) The Dragon's Eye (2008)
2) The Dragon Diary (2009)
3) The Dragon's Apprentice (coming in 2011)

Returner's Wealth: Wyrmeweald by Paul Stewart and Chris Riddell (2010). Young pioneer, Micah, enters Wrymeweald full of hope to return home having made his fortune. But this is a land where wyrmes, fabulous dragon-like beasts, roam wild and reign supreme.

Wings of Fire by Jonathan Strahan and Marianne S. Jablon (2010). The editors offer 26 dragon tales that are high in quality and diverse in writing style and characterization. The anthology includes tales by Peter S. Beagle, Anne McCaffrey’s (Dragonriders of Pern), Ursula Leguin (Earthsea Universe), George R. R. Martin, Michael Swanwick, Jane Yolen, Pat Murphy, Gordon R. Dickson’s well-loved “St. Dragon and the George” and more! A treasure trove for dragon lovers.

Buried Fire by Jonathan Stroud (1999).

The Cleveland Portal series by S Andrew Swann.
1) The Dragons of the Cuyahoga (2001)
2) The Dwarves of Whiskey Island (2005)
Dragons and Dwarves Omnibus (2009)

The Iron Dragon's Daughter by Michael Swanwick (1993).
The Dragons of Babel by Michael Swanwick (2008).

On Wings of a Dragon by Cora Taylor (2001).

Dragon's Egg by Sarah L. Thomson (2007).

A number of dragons have made appearances in J. R. R. Tolkien’s world of Middle-earth.
> The Hobbit or There and Back Again (1937). Smaug, a classic, European-type dragon.
> The Lord of the Rings:
1) The Fellowship of the Ring (1954). Ancalagon the black dragon.
3) The Return of the King (1955). Scatha the dragon (Appendix A. II, 1955).
> The Silmarillion (1977). Glaurung, the first of the dragons in Middle-earth and Ancalagon the black dragon.
> Tales from the Perilous Realm (1993). Dragons and Sea-Monsters.
> Roverandom (1998)

The Darkness series by Harry Turtledove. In this magical analogue of the Second World War, the dragons are beasts, highly pugnacious and under complete human control. In the storyline they are the analogue of fighter planes and dragon riders are obviously intended to represent fighter pilots of the Luftwaffe and the RAF.
1) Into the Darkness (1998)
2) Darkness Descending (2000)
3) Through the Darkness (2001)
4) Rulers of the Darkness (2002)
5) Jaws of Darkness (2003)
6) Out of the Darkness (2004)

Voices of Dragons by Carrie Vaughn (2010). Seventeen-year-old Kay Wyatt knows she's breaking the law by rock climbing near the border, but she'd rather have an adventure than follow the rules. When the dragon Artegal unexpectedly saves her life, the rules are abruptly shattered, and a secret friendship grows between them. As tensions mount and battles begin, Kay and Artegal are caught in the middle. Can their friendship change the course of a war?

Dragon Horse by Peter Ward (2008). Set in ancient China, two brothers fight the classic battle between good and evil as the Shadow-without-name attempts to break free from an eternal imprisonment by utilizing the strength and power of the famed dragon horses.

The Ethshar series by Lawrence Watt-Evans.
4) The Blood of a Dragon (1991)

The Obsidian Chronicles series by Lawrence Watt-Evans.
1) Dragon Weather (1999)
2) The Dragon Society (2001)
3) Dragon Venom (2003)

Testament of the Dragon: An Illustrated Novel by Margaret Weis (1996).

A Dragon Lover's Treasury of the Fantastic edited by Margaret Weis (1994).
New Amazons edited by Margaret Weis (1996).
A Magic-Lover's Treasury of the Fantastic edited by Margaret Weis and Martin H Greenberg (1997).

The Darksword series by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman.
1) Forging the Darksword (1987)
2) Doom of the Darksword (1988)
3) Triumph of the Darksword (1988)
4) Legacy of the Darksword (1997)
Darksword Adventures (1988)
The Darksword Trilogy (omnibus) (1989)

The Rose of the Prophet series by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman.
1) The Will of the Wanderer (1988)
2) The Paladin of the Night (1989)
3) The Prophet of Akhran (1989)
Rose of the Prophet Trilogy Omnibus (2010)

The Death Gate series by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman.
1) Dragon Wing (1990)
2) Elven Star (1990)
3) Fire Sea (1991)
4) The Serpent Mage (1992)
5) The Hand of Chaos (1993)
6) Into the Labyrinth (1993)
7) The Seventh Gate (1994)

The Starshield series by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman.
1) The Mantle of Kendis-Dai (aka Sentinels) (1996)
2) Nightsword (1995)

The Dragonships of Vindras series by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman.
1) Bones of the Dragon (2008)
2) Secret of the Dragon (2010)

Treasures of Fantasy edited by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman (1997).

Dark Heart (Dragon's Disciple #1) by Margaret Weis and David Baldwin (1998).

The Dragon Brigade series by Margaret Weis and Robert Krammes.
1) Shadow Raiders (2011)

The Dragonkeeper series by Carole Wilkinson.
1) Dragonkeeper (2003)
2) Garden of the Purple Dragon (2007)
3) Dragon Moon (2007)
4) Dragon Dawn (2008) (Prequel to Dragonkeeper)

The Memory, Sorrow and Thorn series by Tad Williams. Igjarjuk, the ice dragon.
1) The Dragonbone Chair (1989)
2) Stone of Farewell (1991)
3) To Green Angel Tower – Part 1 & 2 (1994)

The Dragons of Ordinary Farm by Tad Williams and Deborah Beale (2009). Tyler and Lucinda have to spend summer vacation with their ancient uncle Gideon, a farmer. They think they're in for six weeks of cows, sheep, horses, and pigs. But when they arrive in deserted Standard Valley, California, they discover that Ordinary Farm is, well, no ordinary farm.

The Enchanted Forest series by Patricia C. Wrede.
1) Dragonsbane (1990) aka Dealing with Dragons
2) Searching for Dragons (1991) aka Dragon Search
3) Calling on Dragons (1993)
4) Talking to Dragons (1984)
The Enchanted Forest Chronicles Omnibus (1995) (contains all four)

Merlin and the Dragons by Jane Yolen (1998).

The Dragon Cliff trilogy by Julie E. Young.
1) The Prophecy (2010)

The Dragonback series by Timothy Zahn.
1) Dragon and Thief (2003)
2) Dragon and Soldier (2004)
3) Dragon and Slave (2005)
4) Dragon and Herdsman (2006)
5) Dragon and Judge (2007)
6) Dragon and Liberator (2008)

A Gathering of Heroes (Dark Border #3) by Paul Edwin Zimmer (1987). Features Komanthodel, the ancient evil dragon.