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The Ultimate Dragon Saga #3
Dragonflame
Before man, there was magic. And where there was magic, there were dragons.
Fortune’s daughter, Aria, has been trapped by the sinister Cult of the Last Circle. Under the guidance of Scarn, the Cult’s evil leader, Aria learns to worship the Flame and renounce the dragon gift of flight. Meanwhile, the wingless dragon Wyrm sets out on an epic quest to solve the riddle of the Last Circle – and his own uncertain destiny.
But a new day is coming, the long-awaited day of creation, when what’s left of the world’s charm will be swept away at last. Caught up in the final death throes of magic are Fortune, Gossamer and the very last survivors of the dragon race. What place can there be for dragons in a world that no longer wants them?
Prepare for the Lighting of the Sky …
Fortune’s daughter, Aria, has been trapped by the sinister Cult of the Last Circle. Under the guidance of Scarn, the Cult’s evil leader, Aria learns to worship the Flame and renounce the dragon gift of flight. Meanwhile, the wingless dragon Wyrm sets out on an epic quest to solve the riddle of the Last Circle – and his own uncertain destiny.
But a new day is coming, the long-awaited day of creation, when what’s left of the world’s charm will be swept away at last. Caught up in the final death throes of magic are Fortune, Gossamer and the very last survivors of the dragon race. What place can there be for dragons in a world that no longer wants them?
Prepare for the Lighting of the Sky …
515 pages, Paperback
First published October 20, 1997
About the author
Graham Edwards
40 books54 followersGraham Edwards is the critically acclaimed author of multiple novels and short stories. His recent fantasy novel, "The Dragons of Bloodrock," revisits the mythical prehistory he created in his first novel, "Dragoncharm," evoking a bygone age before man walked the Earth, when dragons ruled the skies. Meanwhile "Stone & Sky" transports its Victorian hero Jonah Lightfoot to the precarious slopes of a world-sized wall where strange creatures roam and the memories of all humanity are stored.
If it’s crime you prefer, try the interdimensional thriller "String City," which follows the adventures of a down-at-heel gumshoe as he embarks on a cosmos-shaking quest in a strange city perched on the edge of the cosmos. Or travel back to ancient times to meet wandering bard Talus, the world’s first detective, in the neolithic murder mystery "Talus and the Frozen King."
Graham has ghostwritten other novels under various pseudonyms. Formerly senior staff writer at Cinefex magazine, is also a reasearch journalist specialising in behind-the-scenes articles on film and television productions.
"Dragoncharm" and its two sequels were each nominated for Best Novel in the British Fantasy Awards. Short fiction by Graham Edwards has appeared in magazines and anthologies. His novelette "Girl in Pieces" made the longlist for the Nebula Awards.
If it’s crime you prefer, try the interdimensional thriller "String City," which follows the adventures of a down-at-heel gumshoe as he embarks on a cosmos-shaking quest in a strange city perched on the edge of the cosmos. Or travel back to ancient times to meet wandering bard Talus, the world’s first detective, in the neolithic murder mystery "Talus and the Frozen King."
Graham has ghostwritten other novels under various pseudonyms. Formerly senior staff writer at Cinefex magazine, is also a reasearch journalist specialising in behind-the-scenes articles on film and television productions.
"Dragoncharm" and its two sequels were each nominated for Best Novel in the British Fantasy Awards. Short fiction by Graham Edwards has appeared in magazines and anthologies. His novelette "Girl in Pieces" made the longlist for the Nebula Awards.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
September 2, 2022
The final installment of this trilogy has not disappointed me. The Turning arrives to its conclusion in a wrestle between old and new order, where all have their role to play.
With a quite exotic world building, the reader is immersed in a way that is not without reminding me of Bard Boom's Mating flight, although with different flavor and setting. While that is true of the entire trilogy, it is more blatant in this book.
Much like the 2nd book, this one delivers quite a few story threads and character povs without getting lost in them. Rather the contrary, this sets a good pace with a generally well-managed tension.
Fortune is getting less room, while he's still present, other characters claim more attention and agency.
I really liked these books, they're very original in their own way.
With a quite exotic world building, the reader is immersed in a way that is not without reminding me of Bard Boom's Mating flight, although with different flavor and setting. While that is true of the entire trilogy, it is more blatant in this book.
Much like the 2nd book, this one delivers quite a few story threads and character povs without getting lost in them. Rather the contrary, this sets a good pace with a generally well-managed tension.
Fortune is getting less room, while he's still present, other characters claim more attention and agency.
I really liked these books, they're very original in their own way.
September 4, 2012
Got through two chapters and still had no idea what the story was about. This book is painfully difficult to read out loud. Put it down to find something that flowed with a story that made sense. And I love dragons!!!
February 26, 2016
A satisfying conclusion to this trilogy about dragons.
July 23, 2026
Oh, Dragonflame.
I loved the first book, Dragoncharm, and though Dragonstorm wasn't as good I still enjoyed it. Dragonflame just left me feeling angry and hollow afterwards.
Through some elements of the previous two books there was the feeling that the author had some cool-looking imagery in his head that he just wanted to get into the books, no matter what, but it was never really a big problem: but then here comes Dragonflame. Dragonflame reads less like an adventure and more like a random sequence of cool-looking but completely nonsensical events where stuff happens because magic and characters do things that cause other random events to occur because they had a special 'feeling'.
Background characters were idiots in Dragonstorm, but here they are completely lobotomised nonentities. The villain seems interesting at first, but rapidly deteriorates into a cackling, mustache-twirling (metaphorically speaking) insane idiot who works for Evil itself because he is Evil. Long-standing characters are randomly killed off in anticlimactic and outright bizarre ways that makes it feel like there was a quota to be hit. They do not feel like people following their own motivations anymore, but husks being puppeteered towards the next set piece.
There is worldbuilding from Dragoncharm that just seems to have been retconned in favour of having what I assume is Christian symbolism and the story is weaker for it.
I struggled to get through this book but wanted to get a proper closure to the series. Now I wish I hadn't bothered.
I loved the first book, Dragoncharm, and though Dragonstorm wasn't as good I still enjoyed it. Dragonflame just left me feeling angry and hollow afterwards.
Through some elements of the previous two books there was the feeling that the author had some cool-looking imagery in his head that he just wanted to get into the books, no matter what, but it was never really a big problem: but then here comes Dragonflame. Dragonflame reads less like an adventure and more like a random sequence of cool-looking but completely nonsensical events where stuff happens because magic and characters do things that cause other random events to occur because they had a special 'feeling'.
Background characters were idiots in Dragonstorm, but here they are completely lobotomised nonentities. The villain seems interesting at first, but rapidly deteriorates into a cackling, mustache-twirling (metaphorically speaking) insane idiot who works for Evil itself because he is Evil. Long-standing characters are randomly killed off in anticlimactic and outright bizarre ways that makes it feel like there was a quota to be hit. They do not feel like people following their own motivations anymore, but husks being puppeteered towards the next set piece.
There is worldbuilding from Dragoncharm that just seems to have been retconned in favour of having what I assume is Christian symbolism and the story is weaker for it.
I struggled to get through this book but wanted to get a proper closure to the series. Now I wish I hadn't bothered.
November 29, 2009
I've read all the books in the Ultimate Dragon Saga. The first one was akin to Watership Down and focused on the main character, Fortune and his close friends.
Note I say close. In the second book that focus became hazy, and made Fortune into a mind-numb cutout.
By the 3rd book (this one) we hardly get into his head anymore, and are instead chasing multiple dragons all over the map. These dragons suddenly get a "feeling" that they must do something and go for it. There's no explanation as to why. It seems like there should have (and I dread to say it) a prophecy that would have given them a reason to do these things.
The plot is tangled in confusing and rather pointless acts, none of which make much sense. The first book was fine on its own and could have stopped there, because I honestly didn't care if the main character was tortured to death. As a matter of fact he kinda deserved it for becoming so bland.
Note I say close. In the second book that focus became hazy, and made Fortune into a mind-numb cutout.
By the 3rd book (this one) we hardly get into his head anymore, and are instead chasing multiple dragons all over the map. These dragons suddenly get a "feeling" that they must do something and go for it. There's no explanation as to why. It seems like there should have (and I dread to say it) a prophecy that would have given them a reason to do these things.
The plot is tangled in confusing and rather pointless acts, none of which make much sense. The first book was fine on its own and could have stopped there, because I honestly didn't care if the main character was tortured to death. As a matter of fact he kinda deserved it for becoming so bland.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews