Wings of Fire (novel series)

Wings of Fire is a series of high fantasy novels about dragons, written by Tui T. Sutherland and published by Scholastic Inc. The series has been translated into over ten languages, has sold over 27 million copies, and has been on the New York Times bestseller list for over 200 weeks.
Wings of Fire is set on an unnamed planet orbited by three moons which features two known major continents, Pyrrhia and Pantala. The two continents are predominantly inhabited by intelligent dragons that are grouped into ten tribes, seven of which inhabit Pyrrhia (MudWings, SeaWings, RainWings, SandWings, SkyWings, IceWings, NightWings) and three that inhabit Pantala (SilkWings, HiveWings, LeafWings). Dragons tend to live in their tribe's suited habitat (ex. RainWings reside in the Rainforest Kingdom; IceWings prefer the Ice Kingdom; etc.) and most regularly live among their own kind. Also, rare intertribal relationships allow hybrids to exist.
Each tribe lives in a habitat suited to its biological needs and abilities; most tribes have unique adaptations fitting for their respective habitats such as resistance to cold, the ability to breathe underwater, or camouflage scales. Each tribe is ruled by a dynasty of queens. Both continents are also sparsely inhabited by humans (sometimes referred to as "scavengers" or "reading monkeys" by dragons, mostly the former term), who are (or previously were) viewed by most dragons as an inferior species or simply just another prey animal. However, human-dragon interactions are explored several times throughout the course of the series.
Some dragons are capable of wielding animus magic, a rare ability to cast enchantments with almost limitless capabilities. It is passed genetically from parent to child, though it is not guaranteed that one might inherit it. Animus magic is thought to loosely come at the cost of a dragon's soul, however, when enchantments are of an evil nature.
The series currently consists of three arcs of five books apiece, which focus on young dragons including Clay, Glory, Starflight, Sunny, and Tsunami, fulfilling or subverting prophecies to save their world. Each arc consists of five books, and each book centers on its own protagonist, whose story is told through a third person limited perspective. Fifteen books in the main series have been released, as well as four novellas (known as Winglets), two extended-length standalone novels (known as Legends), multiple companion books and a presently-releasing series of graphic novel adaptations of titles from the main series. The series has been edited by Amanda Maciel and features covers drawn by Joy Ang; many of the titles have been recorded as audiobooks by Shannon McManus.
Each Wings of Fire novel has been released in hardcover and paperback format (in addition to ongoing graphic novel adaptations). A fourth arc has been confirmed by Sutherland to be in the works.
The first arc consists of five books: The Dragonet Prophecy (2012), The Lost Heir (2013), The Hidden Kingdom (2013), The Dark Secret (2013), and The Brightest Night (2014), respectively starring Clay, Tsunami, Glory, Starflight and Sunny as the protagonists. It takes place roughly twenty years into the War of SandWing Succession, a continent-wide war across most of Pyrrhia which originated when the three daughters of Queen Oasis of the SandWings - Blaze, Blister, and Burn - each sought the throne for herself after Oasis was killed by three treasure hunting humans. Clay, Tsunami, Glory, Starflight, and Sunny (collectively referred to as the Dragonets of Destiny) are tasked by a prophecy ("The Dragonet Prophecy") to choose who should ascend to the throne and bring an end to the twenty-year war.
The second arc consists of five books: Moon Rising (2014), Winter Turning (2015), Escaping Peril (2015), Talons of Power (2016), and Darkness of Dragons (2017), respectively starring Moonwatcher, Winter, Peril, Turtle and Qibli as the protagonists. It takes place six months after the Dragonets of Destiny successfully end the War of SandWing Succession, beginning at the newly-founded intertribal school, Jade Mountain Academy, and eventually expanding elsewhere within Pyrrhia. The books follow the aforementioned five students as they face off against threats both old and new and try to prevent the catastrophic destruction foretold in the "Jade Mountain Prophecy" from coming true.
The third arc consists of five books: The Lost Continent (2018), The Hive Queen (2018), The Poison Jungle (2019), The Dangerous Gift (2021), and The Flames of Hope (2022), respectively starring Blue, Cricket, Sundew, Snowfall, and Luna as the protagonists. It introduces a second continent, Pantala (the "Lost Continent"), located far west of Pyrrhia, ruled by the tyrannical and dictatorial HiveWing Queen Wasp. Neither continent is fully aware of the other's existence, aside from some ancient legends. The books focus on five dragons and their efforts to discover the truth behind the lies told by Queen Wasp, as well as stop the existential threat of a mind-controlling entity with the potential to destroy all of the dragon tribes.
Two standalone "special edition" titles separate from the main arcs, subtitled Legends, have been published: Darkstalker (2016) and Dragonslayer (2020). Each book seeks to add additional context and/or provide a new perspective on major events referred to in the series, and, in contrast to main entries in the Wings of Fire series, Legends books follow several characters' perspectives in alternating chapters. Darkstalker alternates between the perspectives of Fathom, Clearsight, and the titular Darkstalker, providing an unobscured-by-legend trio of accounts of the origin story of Darkstalker within the larger context of the dragon world. Dragonslayer alternates between the perspectives of three humans - Leaf, Ivy, and Wren - and features retellings of major events from the first arc from their perspectives.
Four short stories called "Winglets" have been published. They seek to add additional context to events that were mentioned offhandedly in the main series or Legends, and are told from the perspectives of secondary characters from the main series. Originally published exclusively as e-book titles, the four stories - Prisoner (2015), Assassin (2015), Deserter (2016), and Runaway (2016) - have since appeared several times in print. They respectively star Fierceteeth, Deathbringer, Six-Claws, and alternatively Foeslayer, Arctic and Snowflake. Three titles appeared in the limited edition A Winglets Collection: The First Three Stories (2016), two in the also-limited Winglets Flip Book (2019), and all four in The Winglets Quartet: The First Four Stories (2020) .
Collectively adapted by both Barry Deutsch and Tui T. Sutherland, and respectively drawn and colored by Mike Holmes and Maarta Laiho, the Wings of Fire series has undergone an adaptation into graphic novel form since 2018.
Five companion books and one limited edition re-release have been released. Forge Your Dragon World (2022) is an interactive activity book with advice on worldbuilding and developing characters in the style of Wings of Fire, and is aimed at fans who want to write their own stories. The Official Coloring Book (2022), created in collaboration with artist Brianna C. Walsh, is a coloring book featuring blank lineart of many characters from the series. A Guide to the Dragon World (2023) is a collection of stories and art intended to add some additional context and history to the ten tribes and the world they live in. How to Draw (2023) is a drawing tutorial book and reference book illustrated by Walsh. The Official Wings of Fire Stained Glass Art Book (2024), created in collaboration with Klutz Press, features crafts in the form of vellum paper to look like stained glass. Additionally, The Dragonet Prophecy: Limited Edition (2024), a re-release of the full first book with unique cover art, an interview with the author, and an early omitted chapter, was released for a limited time.
Wings of Fire has been noted for its thematic undertakings. It was written as an anti-war series, and series protagonists often try to put an end to major conflicts by pacifistic means while trying to prevent as many dragons from dying as possible. Despite generally being targeted toward younger audiences, the books are also noted for dealing with heavy and dark subject matter, though the series also continually works toward the idea of hope. Sutherland intentionally revolves each arc individually around its characters and sets of leading questions, such as free will versus destiny/fate, nature versus nurture, the implications of different styles of parenting, the various aspects of expectations (both that which one projects outwards and which one receives from others), what it means to be gifted (not only referring to intellectual giftedness but to supernatural abilities as well), and the many facets of duty and responsibility.
The phrase "wings of fire" was chosen to both immediately invoke the imagery of dragons to readers, and to represent an individual's ability to overcome destiny and uncover one's full potential. Sutherland additionally explores the philosophical and moral implications of mind-reading, prophecy, and extrasensory perception through moon-bestowed NightWing powers. Darkstalker and the second arc, in particular, expand upon the role of magic in fantasy literature through the concept of "animus magic", a rare form of all-powerful magic that comes at the cost of affecting one's soul (both psychologically and literally). Additionally, Sutherland's personal philosophy and upbringing have been cited as an important influence, as have her unusual religious and multicultural upbringing.
A large influence (or influences) on Sutherland's process of developing the setting of the world of Wings of Fire were nature documentaries (such as Planet Earth and Life in the Undergrowth).
When pitching the series to Scholastic, she noted that one of the series' primary selling points and draws was that it featured dragons as the heroes of the stories, contrasted with the supporting or antagonistic roles typically allotted to dragons.
Wings of Fire has generally received positive reviews and sold over 27 million copies to date. It has developed a substantial following over the years, and Sutherland has hosted numerous public events where she interacts with fans and answers questions.
In March 2020, an animated television series was announced to be in development with ARRAY and Warner Bros. Animation for Netflix, with production commencing in April 2021. Ava DuVernay was to helm the project, which would initially include ten 40-minute episodes. In May 2022, Netflix scrapped the series for unspecified reasons.
In February 2024, it was announced that the books were picked up for production by Amazon Prime Video, and the animated series will be produced by Amazon MGM Studios with an entirely different creative team attached to the production. Although "[n]o writer is currently attached" to the project, the announcement revealed that Jack Tar Productions, under executive producer Marc Resteghini, was assigned to the adaptation.