The Dragon Has Some Complaints

by John Wiswell

In this heartfelt and humorous fantasy, a dragon whose three heads bear rather…different personalities finds family in the most unexpected of places.

From the Nebula-winning author of Someone You Can Build a Nest In!

Garrodigh was once a four-headed dragon, among the most powerful in Kardoša. After an unfortunate incident, he now has three heads, one stump, and a daily whirlwind of internal bickering. Centerhead wants to rain death upon all humanity, Bottomhead is like a feral cat, and Upperhead is under the delicate delusion that he is, in fact, human.

When a nearby battle goes awry, Garrodigh sneaks into an elite dragon rider academy, pretending to be tame to get free food and a warm bed. Lucky for him, rider Rania Albright is desperate enough for a dragon of her own that she overlooks his eccentricities.

As Garrodigh recovers under Rania’s care, all three heads start to turn, for the first time, in the same direction. Each wants to protect her from the invaders who killed their fourth head—the same invaders who seek to conquer Kardoša. When the academy comes under attack, can this wild dragon and his wilder rider save their homeland together?

This cozy fantasy intertwines epic battles with loving friendships, sharing an utterly unique perspective on what it means to be a ‘monster.’

Genres: Fantasy, Dragons, Adult, Cozy, Cozy Fantasy, Fiction, High Fantasy

400 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication July 14, 2026

About the author

John Wiswell is a disabled author who lives where New York keeps all its trees. He won the Nebula Award for Best Novel and the Locus Award for Best Debut Novel for Someone You Can Build A Nest In, and the Nebula Award for Best Short Story for Open House on Haunted Hill, and the Locus Award for Best Novelette for That Story Isn't The Story. His fiction has been translated into over fifteen languages.

Reviews

[Ricarda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not a new favorite, but of course I did enjoy the book with the three-headed dragon main character. The whole concept of the three heads having all different personalities will never not make me grin, and I just loved to read about Garrodigh, the Great Terror. That's the name the dragon is widely known under, but we get to know him a little better than that. There is Centerhead, who is bloodthirsty and hostile, Bottomhead, who feels more like a dog and is mostly thinking about food, and Upperhead, who is convinced that he is a human hallucinating this whole situation. Which is understandable, because reality really doesn't look too good for Garrodigh. War made him flee his home and other wild dragons were not willing to shelter him. He can't fly anymore and is gravely injured (he used to be a four-headed dragon after all) when he comes up with the great plan of letting himself be captured by humans. The people of the Winged City tamed dragons long ago and so they might as well feed and heal Garrodigh. There's still enough time to conquer the city and destroy humanity afterwards. Especially Centerhead is determined to hate all humans, but it's hard when they show him so much love and care. One dragon-rider in particular just adopts Garrodigh and is beyond thrilled to have a new steed. John Wiswell always writes weirdly cozy and wholesome stories set in rather harsh worlds, and this one was no exception. At first it was the healing journey of a dragon with quite the repressed feelings, and a bit of a found family situation with his new rider, a woman named Rania. She was an interesting character as well, a refugee of war struggling with being accepted in her new home. I know that the dragon POV is a big part of the appeal of this book, but I wish Rania had gotten her own chapters as well. It was rather unnatural how her whole personal story was observed from an outside perspective and there were plenty of awkward moments because of that. (Really, what was up with all the sex she was having right next to her dragon?) Rania had a whole rom-com-drama going on, and I was not into it. I was very interested in the dragon-part, though. There were pretty cool dragon powers shown in this book, like dragons producing lava or them basically manipulating gravity to fly. They also had a whole religion and it was very interesting how it tied into the war plot of the story. It's definitely a mix of humor and heavier themes, so be aware of that when you pick it up expecting a fun little silly read. I enjoyed it, but I ultimately also have to call it my least favorite book from this author. But I guess it's just hard when you only ever write bangers.

Huge thanks to NetGalley and DAW for providing a digital arc in exchange for an honest review.

Pre-read: John Wiswell really saw that meme with the three-headed dragon and made a whole book out of it, but his dragon has one head that wants to annihilate humanity, one that thinks it's human and one that just wants some good head scritches, and I love absolutely everything about that.

[Chantaal]

PLEASE BE A REFERENCE TO THIS MEME

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️ Very cute if a little underwhelmed. Garrodigh is an ancient four headed dragon who’s a bit worse for wear. He can’t fly, has a busted leg and one of his heads is dead. Losing Lefty has left his other three heads more than a little confused. Upperhead thinks he’s a human, Bottomhead doesn’t think just eats and Centerhead is trying to keep them all together except there’s some pretty big holes in his memory. All Centerhead knows was the humans killed Lefty & he wants revenge but he’d like some breakfast first!

This is the type of cozy that I like! There are still stakes that propel the action forward and the world is filled with positive accepting characters. The whole book is from Centerheads POV. Such a fun character to spend time with! I disliked how drawn out the final battle was & how much time it took to help the dragon goddess. There was lots of random action thrown in that felt like filler.

A bit of a random noodle. I keep thinking about how Oleksiy a trans male character, was introduced. Wiswell tells the audience that Oleksiy is trans immediately. It was done simply/to the point in the same way an author might say so and so had brown hair. I do appreciate Wiswells directness. Although I wish that Oleksiy was introduced in the same way every other character was & use of pronouns tells us what gender he is. We weren’t given additional labels for other characters like nonbinary or queer.

At multiple points, Rania, Garrodighs rider, talks about her childhood growing up with Oleksiy. We learn about how her sexuality was something to be hidden & she was sold off to be a child bride before she ran away. We also learn about Oleksiys struggles to transition/ be accepted as male before he ran away. It’s important we know about both Oleksiys & Rania past but Rania wasn’t labeled queer or child bride upon introduction…

I guess I feel if a person identifies as/is a man we should treat them the way we treat all the other male characters. If that man’s history is important to their story then we should learn they were AFAB in the same way we learn any characters backstory.

Big caveat while I’m demi gendered I am not trans. I’ve had feelings of gender incongruence but it is not even close to the same experience Trans people go through. If Trans readers are happy with or prefer the way Wiswell introduces Oleksiy then that’s what I support.

[Kat · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a free copy from DAW via Netgalley in exchange for a fair review. Release date July 14th, 2026.

I liked Wiswell's previous two novels and was excited to get a copy of his latest book about a dragon infiltrating a dragon rider stable. In The Dragon Has Some Complaints, three-headed dragon Garrodigh is old, injured, and desperate. In a last bid for survival, he tricks his way onto the dragon stable on the floating city of Kardosa where he's nursed back to health—and also inevitably gets invested in Kardosa's endless losing war.

I liked both Someone You Can Build a Nest In and Wearing the Lion, but for me, The Dragon Has Some Complaints edges over the cute line and is just a bit too life-affirming. Wiswell's strength is his alien character voices, and I liked Garrodigh's tendency to occasionally eat people and the heads' three distinct personalities: one of them keeps putting things in its mouth, one of them thinks it's secretly a human hallucinating the whole "dragon" thing, and poor Centerhead is left to steer the body. But ultimately, the plot was just a bit too cute. I was expecting a ruthlessly ambitious twelve-year old in dragon school, and instead I got a dragon stable and a very soggy twenty-something who's into auras and affirming emotions. I wish the story had leaned a bit harder into the comedy and tension of Garrodigh's reckless fraud, like the very funny detail that all tame dragons can talk but they're just too lazy to bother. But instead the story centers Garrodigh finding love and acceptance and learning that humans aren't all that bad.

Aside from my issues with the plot, I found the worldbuilding to be simplistic. It's one of those setups where there are only three countries. In this case, one of them is the mostly perfect floating queer utopia and the other two are the cruel homophobic aggressor countries attacking it. It's a character-focused story and I don't think Wiswell is particularly interested in the complexities of the political situation. Unfortunately, the neglect of the larger stakes in favor of the smaller stakes didn't work well for me. I didn't care about Rania's romantic dramas, especially through the remove of Garrodigh's perspective. Even Rania's beloved bonded dragon Garrodigh has limited patience for the melodrama...

The concept of a multi-headed dragon with three very conflicting personalities was great, but I think that The Dragon Has Some Complaints slid into the sort of cozy-branded fantasy I don't enjoy. But don't listen to me, I'm a hater who loves gore and angst. I know lots of people will enjoy a sweet and affirming fantasy novel about being healed of your wounds and finding your place in the world. However! Not me.

[Mike · Rating 2 out of 5]

I also have some complaints.

tl;dr: This book was not for me. I mean that both in the sense that I didn't like it much, and also in the sense that it wasn't intended for the kind of person I am.

If you're the kind of person who will love this book, or have already read it and loved it, reading this review may only annoy you, and you may be better off skipping it and reading one that will reinforce your views instead. I always implicitly write my reviews for people who value the things I value (writing craft, especially) and enjoy the things I enjoy. I write positive reviews to direct them towards books I think they would like, and negative reviews to direct them away from books that are probably not going to be to their taste. If you have different priorities and enjoy different things, what I have to say will not be of much interest to you.

This review is going to be as much an expression of concerns I have about the current cozy fantasy genre in general as it is about this book in particular, though starting from thoughts I had while reading this specific book.

The first thing that bothered me about this book is that it feels like one long point-of-view violation. The viewpoint character is the relatively sane and sensible central head of a three-headed dragon; the other two heads have issues. Upperhead has the delusion that he's human, and Lowerhead has become almost animalistic. All three, including Centerhead, have lost memories because of the trauma of the loss of Lefty, the fourth head, who was favourable towards humans and worked with them. That obscured backstory may partially explain why this supposedly wild dragon not only understands but freely uses so many human concepts, including trans men and women (who he identifies instantly as such), cathedrals, apothecaries and vacations -this last itself being an anachronistic concept for the setting. However, while he recognizes ink and paper, he doesn't understand what writing is - but uses the verb "read" in a metaphorical sense multiple times.

How this came across to me is that the author wasn't putting in the effort, or maybe didn't even think about the need, to characterize someone based on what that sort of character is familiar with and would know and value. Reading some of the reviews of one of his other books reinforces this idea; multiple reviewers mentioned how a solitary swamp monster who had previously had limited and brief interactions with humans seemed to have a complete and instant grasp of how abusive human relationships work, as seen through a this-worldly current-state-of-psychology lens. To me, this is a basic craft issue.

And this is a problem I have with the cozy genre in general. Not only is the worldbuilding often thin, little more than generic sword & sorcery scenery flats, but those scenery flats stand behind people who are, in their attitudes and ways of thinking, completely indistinguishable from mid-2020s US people of a particular type (to which the authors belong). My suspicion is that they are so embedded in a filter bubble that emphasizes doctrinal purity that they are almost unable to conceive of people who might think differently from them, except as othered and villainized; that they have no functional sense of history; and that they believe implicitly that everything they think, and the way they behave, cannot be improved upon and therefore should be universalized. As a young person, I was in a community like this myself, and even though the content of the beliefs could hardly have been more different, I recognize the patterns. And to me, exploring other perspectives and ways of thought is part of the point of speculative fiction.

In the typical cozy book, basically every single character (who isn't a villain or at least an opponent) is queer in some way, and most of them are at least one of neurodivergent, disabled, or struggling with anxiety or depression. In these days of self-selecting groups ("found family"), this may be the lived experience of the author; everyone they know is like this. But it's like the famous example of the journalist who, when a political candidate won an election, protested that nobody he knew had voted for him. It says more about the narrowness of the person's experience than the actual constitution of the world at large. I should note that I don't have a problem with people being queer, neurodivergent and etc. These are ways that real people are, and I respect them as fellow humans. But it isn't how everyone is, and universalizing it places me and people like me, who don't have those characteristics (except that I am arguably slightly disabled and occasionally anxious), in an outgroup, just as much as earlier literature placed people who did have them in an outgroup. It's not true inclusiveness if there's still an outgroup, even if that is the people who were traditionally the ingroup. It's still not fully honouring our shared humanity.

In this particular book, the pervasiveness of these types of characters is more or less its only claim to belong to the cozy genre, since it's about a war between diverse refugees from a lightly sketched fascist-imperialist country and that country's military. Nobody here is living the equivalent of a Japanese "slow life." It's more like the demimonde of the Weimar Republic left Germany (though the names are mostly Eastern European), found an uninhabited island, tamed some dragons, created a flying city using the antigravity magic of the dragons, and held out against a much-less-efficient Nazi regime, with Britain pretending to help, but actually out to take half their land and half their dragons in return for minimal assistance. (That is, at least, slightly more worldbuilding than cozy authors often bother with.)

The other thing that annoyed me about this book, and the main reason I gave it up in the middle, is the character Raina, who becomes the rider of the dragon central character. She is the complete opposite of the kind of character I like to read about. She's outwardly naive and optimistic to the point of getting on people's nerves, while on the inside she's a complete emotional bombsite who uses alcohol and casual sex as forms of maladaptive coping. And what escalated her from "annoying character" to "reason to put the book down and not pick it up again" was that the dragon declares to Raina that she is everything a human should want to be, which is a statement I couldn't disagree with more strongly. To me, that's not unconditional acceptance; it's enabling.

If you don't care about the POV issues and can cope with Raina, this is a competently written book with the right emotional beats to appeal to plenty of readers. In the author's afterword, he mentions that the copy editor remarked on how clean it was, and I agree that it has fewer issues than average, but there are some words used in odd senses, and a few small words like "to" and "the" dropped out of the occasional sentence in the pre-publication version I had from Netgalley. (Missing words are a hard thing to spot unless you have the knack of it.)

It's not a terrible book. It just very much is not for me.

[rachel x]

"In this heartfelt and humorous fantasy, a dragon whose three heads bear rather…different personalities finds family in the most unexpected of places."

and it's a "cozy fantasy that intertwines epic battles with loving friendships, sharing an utterly unique perspective on what it means to be a ‘monster." sold!

[Eva_812 · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC!

This is a story about a threeheaded, injured dragon who just wants to survive and sneaks into a dragon rider academy, so he can rest up, eat and heal. Due to a traumatic event that led to losing his fourth head, the three remaining heads remain with a very distinct coping mechanism: Bottomhead becomes more animalistic and simplistic by nature, Upperhead is convinced he is not a dragon but a human experiencing a psychotic event and Centerhead who is just desperately trying to keep them alive. Reading from the dragon POV is a first time for me, but reading from the POV of a dysfunctional threeheaded dragon was funny. And I liked that Garrodigh just kept eating/wanting to eat people while being 'domesticated'. The other dragons were a let down though. They didn't want to speak because they were convinced 'they had tamed the humans into caring for them' and thus language wasn't necessary. As a result, it seemed as if the author didn't think it was necessary to develop any of their personalities. It also feels a bit delusional and weird to make the tamed dragons think they are the ones who tamed the humans. Is it not the dragons who are being ridden and used in a war?

The POV being from Centerhead is not really thought through. It feels as if the author is just writing from their POV and substituted everything as if it was Centerhead. Because this dragon is like 'humans? I don't know anything about humans. Except that they're food' but also sees a man and instantly recognises him as a trans man (this is beside the point how you can even know someone is a trans person, dragon or not). This dude is actually introduced twice as a 'trans man'. This mostly felt like something that was added for diversity points, because introducing him like that was not relevant to the story at all. I did like his backstory with Raina, in which being trans was relevant, and thus his transness could've been discussed as context to the backstory instead of it being his apparent main feature. On the topic of representation I will say that I enjoyed that most of the characters were women and mostly queer, after reading a fantasy series in which women are mostly an afterthought.

The politics are simplistic and stereotypical. There are 3 countries in total: 1 too good to be true, 2 really really bad.
1) a floating island, where everyone is welcome, despite it being completely unclear how many people it can house and where their resources come from to sustain a growing population.
2) the homophobic, racist, fascist FFR (with a lot of Russian sounding names (also, does FFR remind anyone else of the USSR?))
3) the country with the saviour complex, but who just wants to colonise and feel morally superior doing it. Also doesn't feel bad about a few bombings, blackmail, more homophobia (because our special island is the only one where you can really be yourself) and who is just very objectively also a bad choice.
The solution is also simplistic: just have someone overpowered kill literally everyone in their army/armada.

The plot is quite entertaining, with a lot happening and an interesting plot twist. A part of the reason I requested this ARC is because it is a cosy fantasy and I love a cosy fantasy. However, this is not really a cosy book. There is a lot of action, fights and cannonballs, political problems and issues, and quests. Maybe a little bit in the beginning is cosy, but mostly it is just a fantasy. I do wish there had been a bigger focus on Garrodigh's fraud, how he is trying to adjust to a situation unfamiliar to him but is supposed to be his home, and how he is keeping up appearances towards other dragons. Unfortunately, Raina just claims him and everything is fine about it. And Garrodigh, who is supposed to not like humans and their wars, changes his mind insanely quickly and adopts an 'I have to defend these people/land' mindset, and I'm not even really sure why. It is supposed to be because of Raina, of course, but she is just not really a likeable character for me. She is naive, goes on and on about aura's, doesn't know who she really loves, but that was obvious from the start even for a clueless dragon who calls having sex "rubbing meat". She is also a bit too perfect: an immigrant who will lay down her life for her new country, while training (but mostly just doing it, there is not a lot of training happening at this academy) to be a dragon rider and also doing voluntary work for at least 3 different companies.

The ARC I received is an uncorrected file, which asks me not to quote from the book. I won't, so I don't have any specific examples, but I will comment on the writing as there were quite a few instances of clunky sentences that I had to reread in order to understand what was meant. This did cause me to lose my reading flow a couple of times.

All in all, this book was okay but I had such high hopes. The title alone is amazing and I do love the cover art. I give this book 2,5 stars.

[Anodyne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Garrodigh, the Great Terror, a formerly four-headed dragon, is distinctly down on his luck. Outcast from other dragons for his apparent care for humanity – which Centerhead certainly doesn’t recall – he is very much vulnerable to the fallout of warring humans above. Out of desperation, Garrodigh feigns being an injured mount to infiltrate the floating city of Kardoša, a tiny would-be utopia using its alliance with dragons to oppose the technologically advanced, warmongering FFR.

Take mentions of an ‘elite dragon rider academy’ with a pinch of salt – there’s little in the way of training, and apparently anyone can secure a dragon if one is available, providing they have the right paperwork. Rania, Garrodigh’s would-be rider, is less a down-on-her-luck trainee and more of an optimistic (if opportunistic) civilian desperate to contribute to her home. While Kardoša is ostensibly welcoming to refugees from across the continent, Reina’s origins in the oppressive FFR still earn her distrust and an exile of her own from the community she desperately wants to be part of. As such, she’ll do anything to help and gain acceptance as a dragon rider – including charming the (mostly) uncooperative injured infiltrator. Garrodigh, meanwhile, is doomed to suffer the indignities of her care in exchange for food and shelter and, inevitably, starts to accept Kardoša as his home.

This is a third person limited perspective – not just to Garrodigh, but specifically to Centerhead, who deems himself the only sane and rational part of Garrodigh remaining.

The tone throughout is relatively irreverent, and a lot, particularly early in the book, plays up the ridiculousness of the cast and their actions; the pace accelerates in the second half, with the driving plot becoming apparent. There are relatively few characters of significance, and most are introduced quite early on; likewise the political scenario is not particularly deeply delved into, but is covered sufficiently to give a good idea of where things stand.

Alongside the actual plot, the heart of the book is a clear and powerful disability narrative. Injured and unable to fly since the accident that destroyed Lefty, Garrodigh deals with significant pain and emotional fallout; it’s only under Rania’s ministrations, encompassing medical care, physical therapy and reinforcing belief in his ability to recover that he can recover his ability to fly. Even after major rehabilitation, Garrodigh deals with chronic pain, reinjury and limitations, in a very affecting and poignant depiction.

Alongside this, Garrodigh’s development as a character is likely the most moving part of the novel. Our point of view is limited specifically to Centerhead who is the true, calculating brains of the operation; his disdain for the simplistic Bottomhead and delusional Upperhead are pretty biting early on; the three heads are very much separate and more frequently at odds than working in tandem early in the novel. However, with the disability narrative and his increasing reliance on others, we also see his hate of his own weakness and his own failings that ultimately push him towards forming better bonds both with himself and others. Ultimately he becomes a very apt foil for Rania for the main bulk of the book, remaining outcast but sufficiently self-possessed that it is of little significance.

There’s queer and trans rep, though trans rep particularly is just stated as character description rather than anything that feels more natural. I love seeing this kind of representation, but I always feel a little wary when these things are instantly pegged, and it did take me out of the narrative a bit to have this done as it was by a dragon that claims minimal knowledge of humans. There’s a non-zero amount of casual sex that’s at least character relevant, though given it’s spectated by a being with zero interest and mild distain for the whole thing, it’s not likely to trip any spice sensors.

Admittedly, given fairly ridiculous early portrayals, I was personally not particularly invested in the human cast. In addition, most of the broad story beats felt a little predictable, so there’s a certain amount of the plot narrative that felt more obligatory to me. Despite this, the prose is buoyant and easy to read; while I fully acknowledge that I’m not likely the target audience, I still found it overall an enjoyable read.

[Gali · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is often said that children and animals steal the show. It is certainly the case here. Our dragon is the hero of this piece! "The Dragon Has Some" Complaints by John Wiswell is a charming fantasy following a disabled three-headed dragon’s life-changing journey, told from the third-person POV of the middle head. The story throws us straight into the action and quickly pulls the reader into the tale.

Garrodigh was once a four-headed dragon, the most powerful in Kardoša. After losing his fourth head in battle, he now has three heads, a busted leg, and a broken wing. The three heads are at odds with each other. Upperhead is shy and convinced he is human, Bottomhead just wants food, and Centerhead? He wants revenge on the humans who did it to him while still trying to hold everything together. He has big holes in his memory as a result of losing the fourth head and is now an outcast among the wild dragons, who see him as a human sympathizer.

Garrodigh decides to enter the winged city and wreak havoc on its citizens. Pretending to be injured, he manages to sneak into the city, where he bonds with the rider Rania Charvátová. To his surprise, he grows to care for her and starts shifting away from thoughts of eating humans toward protecting them instead. Oh, and his three heads talk to each other all the time. He also talks with his rider, which makes him the odd one. The tame dragons don't talk, at least not to him or the other humans, and he is not sure why that is. Like the wild dragons, they also reject him, deeming him too humanlike.

What follows is a fast-moving adventure full of friendship, courage, and difficult choices. The pacing stays strong most of the book, although at times it was a bit erratic. Not that I minded. I really enjoyed the book. The dragon’s multiple personalities, quirks, and internal bickering worked especially well for me, and I liked how much growth they each go through. I also appreciated the wit and humor. The scenes where he becomes aware of human sexuality were amusing, although that plot line didn’t need to be emphasized as much.

Overall, the story balances humor with emotional weight in a way that feels natural. Rania is a well-rounded character, struggling with doubt and low self-esteem while also being an outsider, much like her dragon. I liked their bond and how they gradually help each other heal. The supporting cast is well drawn, even if not all of it is deeply developed. At its core, the story explores what it means to be seen as a “monster,” and flips that idea into something more emotional and human.

The only blip was the dragon’s quick recognition of a trans character. Since dragons, or other animals for that matter, don’t share human social concepts, I found it a bit hard to believe he would recognize that at first sight. I did like the inclusion, though.

Aside from a few minor editing mistakes that are hardly noticeable, the writing in this book is excellent. I hope to read more books in this world. To sum up, I thoroughly enjoyed the book and urge you to read it. Fans of fantasy and dragons will surely enjoy it. Dragons rule!

* Thank you NetGalley and (publisher) for the opportunity to read this arc. All opinions are my own.
* Review on my blog: https://galibookish.blogspot.com/2026...

[Cass · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's rare that a book takes me by the lapels and insists I ignore my bedtime to finish the last arc of the story in one go before I sleep, but that's definitely what happened here. I'll do my best to keep my review as spoiler-free as possible, which will be a challenge because John Wiswell has written such a damn fine story, and it's going to be a story you'll want to talk about with other people.


We experience the world through the eyes of Garrodigh, a three headed (once four headed) dragon. Each of his heads has its own personality, experience, and view of the world. Bottomhead is simpler and less conflicted, with food-based priorities. Centerhead views himself as the brains of this operation, with a cynical view of humanity and an equally cynical view of other dragons. And Upperhead...well, he's got a lot going on, too.


The story deftly weaves and subverts fantasy tropes- a missing almost mythical leader, who will surely return in a time of need. A dashing champion rider, and an upstart getting her first chance. They're warm and familiar and written by the hand of someone who loves them enough to playfully spin them around and set them in a new direction.


Overall, this feels like a story about identity. What does it mean to be yourself, and what does it mean to be seen by others, and the messy places where those intersect. It asks, what can you learn about yourself through the eyes of those that see you? How do we remain ourselves when the world wants or us to be a version that doesn't feel comfortable or true? It explores how we come into our own when we accept all the things we can be and choose to step into what we want to be, with the support of those we decide to listen to, who tell us who we are. Garrodigh's internal and external interactions as he decides what being a dragon should mean are at turns poignant, bittersweet, hilarious, and painful.


When I think of John's writing, I think of Geena Davis' quoted approach to create gender balanced movies- add into your screenwriting instructions when a crowd gathers, "half of them are women." It's always a delight to see transgender characters on the page and in the background of a story, and the representation feels fluent and right at home within the world of the story. The winged city of Kardoša is diverse in many different ways, and the text tells us that through easy glimpses of crowds, background characters, and main characters of different races, genders, and disabilities. For a story with the bulk of it set in the air, the descriptions and sense of place and culture are grounded. Kardoša is somewhere I want to spend hours of time outside of the text- exploring its streets, experiencing its culture, making friends with its people.


My favorite types of movies, music, books- any media really- are those where you can see how much those involved enjoyed their craft. "The Dragon Has Some Complaints" clearly was written with a deep enjoyment and excitement for the story the author wanted to tell, and it shines with it. Without spoiling the story for you, this book is an incredible amount of fun. There are so many incredible surprises- you'll want to read it along with a friend so you can turn to each other and yell at each other about them.

[Kayla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a nuisance she was. Perhaps Centerhead's favorite nuisance.

I managed to nab an ARC of this off NetGalley, and I had so much fun reading it. I love dragon books and grab all the ones I can, but never thought I'd have the opportunity to read from the point of view of a multi-headed dragon. Wiswell has crafted truly lovable characters here; each of the dragon's heads have their own, stand-out personality that helps them worm their way into your heart and stay there. Sometimes, I'll find that characters in books are all blending together in their personalities and voices, but not so here! Besides the three dragon heads, each character was unique and stood out as individuals.

Wiswell's humor had me laughing out loud at several different points; if you were a fan of Someone to Build a Nest In, I think you will find a lot to love here, too, both in the character work and the familiar style of humor. Also, if you are a fan of a sort of down-on-their-luck monster, you are bound to like this! Additionally, I think the book had some truly brilliant chapters that I loved reading. Truthfully, one of my favorite chapters was Garrodigh having to repeat the same toils over and over again, highlighting his healing struggles.

I found The Dragon Has Some Complaints to be a story with a lot of themes, but what really stood out to me were its themes of chronic pain. The book is narrated by Centerhead, just one head on the great and mighty dragon Garrodigh. But Garrodigh starts the book as a dragon who cannot fly and is limping around the wilderness. As I mentioned above, one of my favorite chapters was Garrodigh having to just do it again in regards to his healing; stretching his wings, forcing his bad leg to walk. And then, after he is able to use those parts of his body again, he still makes references to how he will never not have pain, it will always be there. And then, at the end, he gets injured again, in a similar way as he was injured in the beginning. It felt to me as though the book was highlighting how you can never completely get away from some health struggles.

I spent this whole book waiting for the big twist to come, and when it did, it was not what I had expected at all, but I thought it was great. Learning that the villainous FFR had been building on the body of the dragon's goddess perfectly tied the conflict between humans with the dragons, who had been particularly uncaring about the conflict before other than how it directly affected them. I do wish we had gotten more from other dragons sooner, but Garrodigh comments on having always felt outcast amongst other dragons at several points, so it is enjoyable to really feel what he was feeling.

Overall, I loved this book! I would give it a 4/5 stars. I think there were minor details I wish had been expanded on more, such as world building, and I think some more build-up to the eventual conflict and plot points could have been warranted. There were a few spots where I felt the story dragged just a little. Ultimately, what really matters is that I enjoyed the book, and enjoy it I did, quite a lot!

[Raj · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's weird to think of this as a found-family story, and yet, it sort of is, albeit as well as an external family, the main family that three-headed dragon Garrodigh finds is himself. Garrodigh didn't always have three heads, but his fourth was blown away by a cannonball, in the same fight that damaged his leg and wings. Since then, he's not quite been himself, with his Upperhead thinking that it's human, Centerhead that hates all humans and wants to destroy them, while Bottomhead is just a bit dozy. And yet, by the end of the story, all three personalities of Garrodigh are much more comfortable with, and supportive of, each other, than at the start.

This all happens when Garrodigh opportunistically sneaks into a human city and into the dragonrider academy where he pretends to be an injured, tame dragon to get food. But he doesn't expect Rania, someone who's been waiting for the opportunity to bond with a dragon. Heck, nobody could expect Rania, who keeps garlands of flowers in her satchel just so she has something to fling around, and "can see" auras and thinks that Garrodigh (or Mr Slithers, as she names him) is just the bestest dragon ever. And slowly, as well as healing physically, Garrodigh begins to heal within his soul(s), and to care deeply for Rania.

This was just a delight from start to finish. Each of Garrodigh's three heads has a distinct voice as well as personality. Our PoV is from Centerhead, being the head that's most lucid at the start, despite his hatred of humans. They all miss Lefty, and having lost him, have lost so many memories and parts of themselves. It's never clear if all dragons with multiple heads have distinct personalities, or if that's just part of Garrodigh's trauma, as the only other dragons that talk to Garrodigh in the book have just one head.

The city-state of Kardoša itself is almost my platonic ideal of a state. Formed of immigrants and refugees, they still welcome anyone who is need of help to their borders. Not everyone believes wholeheartedly in this mission, as Rania, who is a refugee from the nation currently at war with Kardoša, finds out, to her sorrow, but even this bullying is more bluster and boredom than hatred.

There are aerial battles between airships and dragons, lots of (human) sex (although all off-page, other than the annoyance the noises cause Garrodigh) and a huge amount of love. Both between Garrodigh and Rania, between the different parts of Garrodigh and between the people and the nation that sheltered them, creating something worth protecting and fighting for. There is a certain amount of eating of people (they all deserved it) but this still a really cosy book where everyone just wants to take care of each other.

Thanks to the publisher for a free ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Sasha Grojean · Rating 3 out of 5]

First off, thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the eARC in exchange for a fair review.

This was my first John Wiswell novel, and while I can see this being fantastic for a lot of people, it was a bit of a mixed bag for me.

I really loved Garrodigh, a dragon with three heads, a stump and memory loss where a fourth used to be, and an attitude to match his size. The book is told from Centerhead’s POV, who is seemingly the most normal of the heads (at least that’s what he tells himself). We’ve also got Upperhead, convinced he is actually a human, and Bottomhead, who has very little tact, zero self-control, will eat anything and is surprisingly heartwarming.

The concept is so unique and executed so well, I really adored the interactions of the heads with another. Another massive highlight was Garrodigh’s development throughout the book, as he infiltrates the human city and is matched with wanna-be Dragon Rider Rania. The story told from a dragon’s perspective is fascinating, and it definitely turned the whole dragon rider academy trope on its head (or in this case, three heads).

The relationship between Rania and Garrodigh is also done well.

Now on to the issues I had. I didn’t really care for the side characters at all, as they felt over the top and almost caricature-like. They felt quite one-dimensional to me, with little nuance or growth (with the exception of Cosmos!). Aside from Garrodigh and the heads, the other characters were either unbelievably good and innocent, or fell into the stereotype of a bully.

I also have to say I did not care for the romantic subplot in this book at all. I’m not a fan of the miscommunication trope in general, but it felt overdone to me here. In general, the human relationships and interactions all felt a little childlike and flat to me, with extreme reactions all around.

Given that the worldbuilding and lore focus mainly on the dragon’s goddess, as well as a very superficial overview of the war, the world didn’t feel particularly deeply developed to me either. So all in all, the plot and story were enjoyable, if a little unimaginative, and the interactions, most characters, and world-building all felt a little flat and unrealistic to me. Having said that, I really really loved Garrodigh, and the dynamics between Centerhead, Upperhead and Bottomhead completely carry the book.

Definitely worth a read, particularly for folks who prioritize an engaging main character and fun story over in-depth world building.

[Lyra (Cardan's tail's version) · Rating 3 out of 5]

—3.5 stars—

The Dragon Has Some Complaints is the story about a dragon with three heads—Bottomhead, whose motivation lies almost entirely in food, Upperhead, who is convinced he’s actually a human, and Centerhead, who’s desperately trying to keep them all alive and together—and the unlikely bond he forms with his rider. It’s sweet and heartwarming at times, but also has more than enough invasion and conflict happening in the background to keep things interesting.

First of all, I don’t often read books with non-human (okay, non-bipedal) protagonists, so this was a new venture for me! Seeing the human characters through Garrodigh’s (Centerhead’s) eyes was such a fun writing choice, and how he described their interactions was hilariously cynical at times. Each of the separate heads has their own journey to finding themselves, and i really appreciated how Centerhead’s plan changed from infiltrating the human forces and destroying them to helping them in their own battles. Such a good depiction of character growth!

Another character arc i really enjoyed was Raina, possibly the most cheerful dragon rider of all time, though i (like Centerhead) was initially a little dubious of her unrelenting optimism. One large facet of this book is identity and finding yourself, and seeing Raina grow into her bravery and courage was so endearing to see. She’s most assuredly a sunshine character, and it got to the point where i would smile every time she was on page. The little background hints of her relationships did make me wish we had her pov too, but i think the book worked remarkably well without it!

While The Dragon Has Some Complaints has a large focus on the war with the FFR, i do think it also could have benefited from some more expansive world building. It worked well enough, and i really enjoyed the world John Wiswell created, especially the welcoming nature of Kardoša, but there were points when i would have appreciated some more in-depth information on how the dragons became tamed, or even how the war started in the first place.
I would also say it definitely took some time for me to truly get into the story, though i was very invested for the last third of the book! The earlier parts could have been condensed or shortened a little for me, but it ended up working out overall.

(many thanks to John Wiswell, DAW, and Netgalley for this digital ARC! all thoughts and opinions are my own.)

[Bountiful_Fiction- Shay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read on Netgalley

The Dragon Has Some Complaints is a hilarious yet heartfelt story about a three headed dragon named Garrodigh who takes refuge at a dragon riding academy for food and shelter after he’s wounded. Only for a cheery and eccentric rider named Raina to claim him as her own and tend to his health, all while he plays along to appear as a tame dragon. With war surrounding Garrodigh’s new home and new rider, the three heads, with three different personalities, began to work together to protect Raina and all she cares about.

This was my most anticipated read of 2026, and I was very pleased that it met my expectations. Garrodigh is our main character that we follow, specifically his Centerhead who is the leader among the other heads, Upperhead (who thinks he’s human) and Bottomhead (who is basically a feral cat that likes food and scritches). Centerhead is a grumpy and harsh head who wants to rain death and destruction upon the world like any good dragon should. Because of his wounds however, he can’t do much anymore. So he pretends to be a tame dragon to be rescued and brought to a dragon-rider academy, with plans to recover then continue his plans of destruction. But his plans and patience are put to the test when he is claimed by Raina, the most cheerful human he has ever seen. Raina helps him get better and stronger all while the three heads begin to fall to her charm and kind heartness. During all of this the city they live in is at war with a strong enemy who was originally responsible for Garrodigh’s injuries and moves to take over the academy and city.

This is one of the funniest books I’ve ever read. The dialogue specifically between the three heads is what steals the show in my opinion. I actually laughed out loud more than several times. Despite all the humor there is also a great amount of heartwarming moments between Garrodigh and Raina as they help one another grow and being a shoulder for each to lean on especially when the war gets fiercer. Centerhead coming to trust Raina felt believable with how wary and untrustful he originally was at the beginning. The world building was detailed and rich for a single novel. We learn enough at the beginning from Garrodigh about how the world works but we learn more alongside him when he reaches the academy.

I loved every second of this and I would take even more books following Raina and Garrodigh. But if this is the only one, then it was a delight to read about them. 5/5 stars. Thank you DAW and Netgalley for the digital copy of The Dragon Has Some Complaints

[Jen · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Dragon Has Some Complaints is a borderline cozy fantasy where we follow the POV of Garrodigh, a three-headed dragon. I must admit that I haven't read many works where we get a dragon's view of the story and I quite liked that angle. The world building was well done, I appreciated a different view of how dragons fly, and including a dragon goddess will always win over my heart. The action scenes and dragon battles were well written, and there were some really great stand-up-and-cheer moments that I loved. There is some effortless LGBTQ+ representation here as well, and I did think that our MC Raina had some decent growth by the end of the book.

There were some parts of the novel that didn't quite click with me. The overall tone of the book was a bit confusing. Most of the novel was cozy, to the point where it actually read more like a middle grade or teen novel. The themes of overcoming adversity, the descriptions of dragons, the lack of substantial plot movement in the first 75%, and the simpler prose all pointed to a novel for younger audiences. However, there were several door-is-cracked intimate scenes and suggestive language that took me out of the story quickly. Some of the character voices also felt off. Our human MC Raina felt too emotionally immature to be more than 12, but she is apparently in her 20s (?) and in a majority of said intimate scenes. And while I loved the dragon's Centerhead POV, I did feel that Centerhead sounded so...human. Bottomhead sounded different enough to be dragon-like and Upperhead's delusion of humanity (which also provided some humor) made his voice make sense. I wish Centerhead also had a voice that set him apart from humans.

If you can make it through the slow plotting and borderline cuteness of the story, the ending really did pick up. There is lots of action, the plot finally rolls around, and there are some fantastic scenes that showcase a dragon's might. But overall, I kind of wished the author had embraced a story for a younger audience, as the themes really would have made for a great young adult or middle grade novel.

I haven't read other works by this author, so I can't really compare. But I would say if you are a fan of cozy fantasy, dragons, and don't mind a more "cute" look at those things, then this is still worth picking up and giving it a try. Thanks to NetGalley and DAW for the opportunity to read and review an eARC of this book.

[Alissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to Netgalley and DAW for an ARC of this book. What follows is my honest review.

This book is described as a heartfelt and humorous fantasy which i think perfectly encapsulates what you can expect from this book. There is a war, the characters are outcasts for various reasons and we start the book with Garradigh the dragon so mad at his situation that he plots to infiltrate the floating city known as Winged City and burn it to the ground. But even with those elements it maintains a heartfelt and humorous tone.

Reading a whole book from the POV of a single head on a three headed dragon where all three heads have separate personalities promised to be fun but it also sounded like a challenge. I will say this leaned more on the heartfelt than it did on the fun. I would’ve liked a little more fun and maybe a little more banter/animosity between the three heads at the beginning. That said I didnt find myself wishing to read from any other POV’s. I did wonder at how Upperhead seemed so knowledgeable of human customs when the other heads seemed confused by human behaviour but that’s a minor nitpick. I mostly enjoyed Centrehead’s observations of humans and his insights into the motivations of the humans and dragons around him and having Rania’s POV would’ve taken from that.

Speaking of Rania - she was pure sunshine. I shared Centrehead’s initial skepticism but she really grew on me and I loved seeing Garradigh’s affection for her sneak up on him. I loved that pretty much all of these characters are outcasts in some form or another and it’s interesting seeing a dragon character having to do physical therapy and cope with chronic pain. It’s mentioned in the acknowledgments that the author was unwell around the writing of this book and i think that shows in how prominently illness, pain and recovery features in the story.

I really like Wiswell’s writing style and it’s similarly lovely here (although i did prefer Someone you can build a nest in). It did take me a bit to get into this story - it had a slow start and i think adding more banter or contrast between the three heads may have helped with this. I also found myself curious to know more about how the city came to be floating, how the dragons were tamed and the general history of these people and Garradigh himself.

3.5 stars ✨

[Leigh · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Reader Has Some Complaints.

I wish it weren't true, but alas. For the first 25%ish of this book (up through meeting Rania), I was on board. I was interested in the world and characters, the narration hit its stride early and was consistently funny, and I wanted to know more about our dragon protagonist. Even when Garrodigh first gets retrieved, I was interested in the humans we were meeting along the way (though I can't claim I'm going to remember their names well enough to spell them right - Olek and Esme?)

But Rania ... I think it can be a real challenge for authors to write a "sunshine" type of character without them coming off as childish or naïve. With Rania's past, she should not have come 0ff as either of those things, but I really struggled to see deeper into her character. There were scenes where it was clear she was supposed to be coming off as more mature/determined/brave/etc, but those parts consistently fell short for me. We're supposed to believe Garrodigh has this intimate connection with her and wants to protect her and keep her safe, but I didn't feel that same connection as a reader. Instead, I mostly found myself wishing Olek was in Rania's place. And the summary ... false advertising - "Rania is desperate enough for a dragon that she overlooks his eccentricities" - bish, she nose dived off the cliff into instant love and immediately accepted everything that was thrown at her without question. As for the end/twist, I started picking up hints almost immediately after Kadros was first mentioned and Garrodigh reflected on having a hazy memory of his missing fourth head.

I can't really say I didn't enjoy this due to writing style, because I liked Wiswell's Someone You Can Build A Nest In, and his style doesn't feel any different in this one. Unfortunately, there's just something missing here for me.

[Raymond Thompson · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Dragon Has Some Complaints by John Wiswell
When we first meet Garridogh he is in bad shape: he is alone and hungry, suffering from multiple injuries which seriously impair his mobility, and desperately seeking refuge from an aerial battle taking place overhead. By the end of the book, he has found good friends and played a vital role in protecting others from cruel and oppressive invaders.
In other words, an epic hero has arisen in time to save a peaceful people from those who would deprive them of their rights and freedoms to enhance their own power and status.
What makes the story so deeply ironic, however, is that Garridogh is a dragon, usually the foe of the heroes like Beowulf and Siegfried in the epic tradition. The roles of predator and defender are reversed.
Garridogh’s journey is arduous, as one might expect, not only enduring psychological trauma and the physical pain of injuries both old and new, but, more importantly, learning to trust others, forgive them for offences, and risk his own life to save them. Fortunately, it is lightened by humour as Garridogh’s three heads wrangle among themselves on the one hand and comment upon the idiosyncrasies of human behaviour on the other.
The climax does grow rather prolonged, but the lesson of mistreated peoples putting aside their differences and uniting to defeat their aggressors is one that particularly resonates amidst the current conflicts which are spreading throughout our world. As Rania explains to the refugees they come to rescue, ‘The whole rest of the world wishes it understood dragons like we do. But the secret . . . is that we just treat them with love, and in return, they help us.’
Surely a better policy?
Definitely recommended.

[Beverly Fox · Rating 5 out of 5]

John established himself as my favorite author a long time ago so I had high expectations going into this. I am happy to report that he did not disappoint!
The hysterical observations, profound insights, beautiful prose, and surprising perspectives were all on full display here. As were his consummate themes of found family, belonging, healing, and nourishing the relationships within oneself. What's new here is a new set of beloved characters (this may be a controversial opinion, but Bottomhead is my favorite), a new world for all of this to take place in (and new worldbuilding!), and new villain (one that bears a striking resemblance to a current empire ahem ahem). The systemic, large-scale devaluing of human life and the resilient strength of those who do not silence themselves but speak up to fight that oppression was overpowering in this story. And, without spoiling anything, incredibly cathartic right now. We desperately need stories of hope and this is big-time one of those.
We also need stories of resilience in the face of bloated, hateful empires. Stories of refugees creating communities out of lost souls and rejects of conformity. Stories of animals souls just as deep and any humans (if you can call a dragon an animal). Stories of the rainbow of colors love come in. And this world is check full of those, too.
As always, I lost count of the number of dialogue lines, descriptions, and situational observations that made me either laugh hysterically or tear up. I have a text document where I copied all my favorite lines until I'm able to get the book and fill it with highlighted passages. It is several pages long.
In short, I adored this story. I can't wait to get my hands on a physical book when it is released in July. For now, I will carry the characters (scaled and skinned alike), the world of dragons, and the tenacious hope with me in my heart.

[S46354595 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can see why not everyone would love this, but I simply do not care. The only thing that might bug other people that bothered me was the action at the end. There was no goal established. I had no idea when or how it would end, so it was a complete mystery to me if the action was going to keep going after each action beat happened and was over. It's like opening a Russian nesting doll. How many smaller dolls are inside? You won't know until you reach the last one. That does not make for a great action scene, because you don't know what the overarching goal is. Are there 3 dolls? 4? 5? No one knows. I wish each beat of the action had been weighted better so we know which one was the home stretch.

But aside from that, most of the other criticisms of this that people seem to be having didn't bother me. Was the world building a little vague? Sure. But that made it fun to figure out as we went. Were the characters 100% consistent all the time? No, but that's life. People aren't always predictable. I do disagree with the criticism that the main character knew too much about humans, especially considering what we found out at the end. If you did not DNF the book and had that criticism, how? It's literally explained at the end. And it's clear throughout the book that was one of the major mysteries.

I think this book leaves enough room for more exploration if the author wants to write another book in this world. And I would appreciate that to flesh out the world building, but also if we didn't get that, I'm cool with that as well.

Overall I had fun and still would continue to read this author's books cause I like them.

[Erik Grove · Rating 5 out of 5]

I expected I would probably like this book. I have really liked Wiswell's prior work and I know him somewhat socially and professionally. Also, DRAGONS. C'mon. I was an easy mark for this. The short version of this review is, if you want a fantasy story bursting with heart, likable characters, and yes, DRAGONS, you are probably going to find a lot to like in THE DRAGON HAS SOME COMPLAINTS.

Garrodigh is the multi-headed dragon inside all of us that needs to work out some internal disagreements and accept a little help so he can soar again. I am here for it. 4/4 Dragon Heads (for Lefty).

The slightly longer review:

What makes the Wiswell Magic for me is how he surrounds the tender hurt at the the center of his stories with humor and a humanity that is simultaneously terribly bruised and achingly optimistic. There's no naiveté in Wiswell's faith in the capacity of his characters - and all of us, really - to be better versions of ourselves. It comes across to me as the grizzled determination of someone that's seen the Bad Stuff but isn't willing to surrender to it rather than someone who looks at the world with rose colored glasses. In this book, Wiswell earned the laughs and kept me eagerly turning the page not only for the next bit of pulse-pounding dragon action but also because I cared immediately for Centerhead and his human, Rania. I cared about all of these oddball, flawed but relatable people, and if I was having a party where all of them could attend I would invite them all with no hesitation. These are characters you want to hang with, relate to, and swap jokes with. That feels incredibly valuable in these Interesting Times.

[Alicia · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story has some of the delightful weirdness I've come to expect from John Wiswell after reading Someone You Can Build A Nest In. The story centers a three-headed dragon named Garrodigh, but each of the three heads has their own, often clashing, personality. The story starts with Garrodigh being injured, taken in by humans, and rehabilitated by Raina, a girl desperate to prove herself worthy of being a dragon-riding soldier.

The main problem I had with this book is that it seems to have a bit of an identity crisis. Is it a cozy story? Is it a war epic? It tries to do both, and therefore, does neither very well. Similarly, the writing is very YA, but some of the topics are definitively adult, and I found this to be jarring.

The pacing was very slow in the first half, even for a cozy fantasy. I really would have enjoyed seeing more of the rehabilitation process and seeing the bond form naturally between Raina and Garrodigh over time. After Garrodigh recovers enough, he is thrown into the war. The rest of the book is spent trying to stop the opposing nation from destroying their city. This was better paced than the first half, though I wish we had gotten more world building.

I liked Garrodigh as a character. The bickering between the heads was quite funny, and I liked how he went from hating humans, to confused about liking humans, to unapologetically liking humans. Overall, this was a really fun concept that fell a bit flat for me.

Thank you NetGalley and DAW Books for this ARC!

[Hannah Deverall · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Dragon Has Some Complaints by John Wiswell is one of the cosiest novel (with awesome character development and high stakes) that I've read in a long time, and it pulls it off really well. Honestly, Wiswell writes so well in this genre, and his voice is so refreshing -- a true delight to read.

Wiswell weaves an enchanting tale about Garrodigh, a three- (previously four-) headed dragon, who pretends to be tame in order to recieve food and medical treatment from humans. Centrehead (our viewpoint character) vehemently hates humans, and plans to rain fire down upon them (once he's well enough to do so). However, a spanner is thrown into the works when he becomes to care about Rania, the rider rehabilitating him, and wants to help her fight against the invading forces (who hate all queer people, and are horribly organised. Sound familiar?)
Garrodigh and Rania are the perfect balance of emotional vulnerability and comedic relief, and are heavily supported by a wide array of (hilarious) side characters. This novel is heavily character based, which is something that I love in a book, but I would not recommend it for those that are more plot-driven.
If you've read and liked any cosy fantasy/Wiswell's books before, I strongly recommend that you give this a go! Overall, I give The Dragon Has Some Complaints by John Wiswell five stars. Thank you to DAW for providing The Dragon Has Some Complaints for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

[Sissi and the Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Dragon Has Some Complaints by John Wiswell is a whimsical, cosy fantasy about a three-headed dragon, where each head has its own distinct personality. It has a very classic, almost old-school fantasy feel — but softened into something much more cosy.

The story unfolds through the dragon’s perspective, letting us get to know each head individually. As their personalities develop, you start to realize they’re carrying their own burdens - hints of amnesia, grief, PTSD, and physical trauma. It adds a surprising emotional depth beneath the cosy surface. The vibe is almost contradictory in a good way: a gentle, warm story set against the backdrop of a raging war - like a Norman Rockwell painting, but in a fantasy world.

The world-building is introduced gradually, especially once the human characters come into play. I really liked the twist that, in this world, humans are essentially seen as pets to dragons. Garrodigh being labeled a “bad dragon” and then forming a genuine friendship with a human was one of the most heartwarming parts of the story.

Wiswell’s writing is clever and genuinely funny, with a light touch that keeps the story engaging even when it touches on heavier themes. There’s also inclusivity with trans and disability rep. And the cover is just so gorgeous!

This was my first time reading this author, and I’d definitely like to pick up more of his work after this.

Thank you Netgalley and DAW for the arc!

[Booksblabbering || Cait❣️ · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was so ready to adore this after falling love with Wiswell’s previous two charming books.

A three-headed dragon tricks a giddy and chatty human to rescue and ‘tame’ him to exact revenge on humans. However, Garrodigh, the Great Terror re-evaluates his circumstance and his self when Rania makes him feel.

“He asked questions I didn’t know we were allowed to ask. The whole world can make you question yourself. He got me to answer myself.”

My main complaint was that this was too sappy. The power of friendship and self-acceptance is the crux of this story which I found repetitive and, unfortunately, dull.

There’s this big plot about standing up against this forceful country that was attacking. There’s also interesting hints of magic through the presence of dragons.
However, most of this book is Centrehead (the dragon head narrating) contemplating or telling his other two heads to shut up or not do something and then do it himself.

I appreciated the normative queer world. I liked how people were introduced naturally in descriptions without making a big deal about it with back pats: ‘a trans man’ etc.

Overall, another quirky, cosy fantasy from Wiswell that didn’t land (wink wink) for me.

Arc gifted by DAW books.

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[Sarah Sjodahl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to DAW and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC!

3.5 stars rounded up. 

This was such an enjoyable read. A story told from a dragon's POV is definitely something I'd like to read more of. 

One dragon, Garrodigh, has three heads (originally four, but not anymore): Upperhead, Centerhead, and Bottomhead. The story is told from Centerhead's POV. He's the more "sensible" one. Upperhead believes himself to be a human, and Bottomhead can't refrain from chewing on anything he can get in his mouth. 
The main human in this is Raina, the rider for Galladigh/Mr. Slithers. 

This was overall a really fun read. It did take me a bit to get into the groove of it, but once there, I didn't want to put it down. 

One complaint I do have is that for a dragon who says he knows nothing about humans, once he saw some, he knew a lot about them. More is revealed about Garrodigh later on, but this just felt a little clunky. 

I won't suggest this book to you if you're someone who likes/needs intense and complete worldbuilding or fully fleshed-out politics. If you aren't that person (no issue if you are), you'll love this. It handles trauma really well and shines a light on how odd humans tend to be. 

Overall, a fun fantastical cozy read. Would definitely recommend for fans of How to Train Your Dragon.

[Vanna Book-Mage · Rating 4 out of 5]

Have dragons everybody!

Wiswell delivers on humour, emotion and the human experience all through the eyes of Garrodigh, a three (previously 4) headed dragon who basically infiltrates the dragon rider academy to get food and shelter by pretending to be tame; eventually Garrodigh forms connections with the humans around, especially Rania, and with itself.

Overall, the book’s vibe is character-driven and unique in that the character is a 3-headed dragon with each of its heads having a distinct personality, fostering banter, emotion and eventual unified healing. The fantasy presented is cozy in some aspects, while still having some stakes for characters and plot development. The worldbuilding was apt without being overbearing, the pacing could have been sharper in the middle but the second half of the story really keeps you in the thick of it.

Wiswell weaves found family, trauma, war, chronic pain/disability, what is monstrous versus human and queer themes alongside big humorous and heartfelt moments. If you like bizarre low-key dragon fantasy with LOL moments and big weird main character energy then give Garrodigh a try, and maybe Bottomhead, Upperhead and Centerhead will charm you too.

Thanks NetGalley and DAW, for this free arc/copy of The Dragon Has Some Complaints by John Wiswell; all opinions are my own and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[El Fish | libro.vermo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another banger from John Wiswell. Will he ever write a book I don't love?

This time, Garrodigh, a three-headed dragon, suffers from PTSD after his fourth head was blown off by a cannon ball during a human war. Each head has it's own personality, so they manage their trauma very different ways: Upperhead believes he's a human and this is all some kind of dream or delusion, Centerhead wants to destroy the humans, and Bottomhead... well, he's a feral doofus (and my favorite one). Their separate ways of dealing with their shared pain provide a lot of comic relief but also serve as a reminder that there's no right way to handle grief, and it's okay that healing is hard.

Rania also has her share of trauma as an immigrant from the very place Kardosa is at war with. She loves and is fiercely loyal to Kardosa, yet the people of Kardosa don't trust her, and some even refuse to be seen with her. She's the kindest and gentlest of all Wiswell's characters, and I was right there with Garrodigh in his quest to see her happy (because yeah, of course she gets even Centerhead to love her).

The world in this book is super engrossing. There's a war raging between two lands, Kardosa and the FFR, and a third offers to help Kardosa only if it bends the knee. There's a lot of tension and a ton of action, especially in the second half, and it was always exciting. But in the midst of this high-stakes war, we also witness the personal relationships and between Rania, Cosmos, Esme, and Oleksiy. It's smaller stakes but still feels so important, not like fluffy filler between action scenes.

If you loved Someone You Can Build A Nest In and/or Wearing the Lion, there's no reason you won't love The Dragon Has Some Complaints. It's got all the humor, heart, and fabulous queer rep I've come to expect from John Wiswell and I want you to read it!

Thank you so much to DAW for the ARC!

[eliza_s_diary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and DAW for the opportunity to read this book.

Have you ever wondered what riding dragons into battle and war is like for the dragon? Well, this book is your whimsical answer! Wiswell masterfully writes three dragon heads with three distinct personalities, motivations, and desires in which you root for all three of the heads, but for different reasons. You also root for the humans you meet a long the way. Raina, Cosmos, and Oleks are all dragon riders who all have their own baggage but will fiercely defend their found home of Kardosa which is a safe have from anyone opposing the restrictive FFR.
There are lots of great elements throughout the book including found family, knowing it's okay to ask for help, chronic pain rep, and fighting for what you believe in or more importantly who you believe in. Overall, I gave this book a 4.75 stars because while it all came together for me in the end I did feel there were moments where the story dragged and could have done with a little tightening up. But I loved the latter 60% of it where I felt we really took off into the story with lots of action, twists, love for both dragons and humans.