Okay, you miss the fire-breathing beasts. I get it. Dive into The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon. It’s a massive, standalone dragon-fest. You get four types of dragons. Queer royalty. A secret society of knights. And a plague that makes the Grey Scale look like a pimple. It’s epic. It’s lush. It has a very long, satisfying payoff. Bring snacks.
If you want dragons and court intrigue, try The Burning series by Evan Winter. African-inspired, fast-paced, and vicious. The main character, Tau, is basically Jon Snow if he were fueled by pure rage. He’s not trying to be king. He’s trying to kill everyone. It’s bloody, it’s tight, and the dragons are terrifying. Not pets. Ever.
