Wings of Fire (novel series)

Wings of Fire is a series of epic dragon fantasy novels written by author Tui T. Sutherland and published by Scholastic Inc. Over 14 million copies of the books have been sold, and it has been on the New York Times bestseller list for more than 214 weeks. The series has been translated into over ten languages.

Setting and universe
Wings of Fire is set in a world made up of two known continents that are predominantly populated by dragons: Pyrrhia (the focus of books 1-10) and Pantala (the focus of books 11-15). While Pyrrhia is home to seven tribes (MudWings, SandWings, SkyWings, SeaWings, RainWings, IceWings, NightWings), Pantala houses only three tribes (HiveWings, SilkWings, LeafWings), and hybrid dragons also exist in the world on both continents. With a few exceptions to each rule, each tribe lives in a habitat suited to its biological needs and abilities, is ruled by a royal queen, and generally exists independently of the other tribes. Both continents are also inhabited by humans (called "scavengers" by Pyrrhian dragons and from Leafwing myth or "reading monkeys" by some Pantalan dragons), who are viewed by most dragons as inferior animals and are often eaten, although interactions between humans and dragons are explored throughout the series.

Synopsis
The series currently consists of three arcs of five books apiece, which focus on young dragons ("dragonets") fulfilling/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), two companion books and seven graphic novel adaptations of titles from the main series. The series is 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), and The Dragonet Prophecy (2012) is set for a 2024 limited special edition rerelease.

The Dragonet Prophecy
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 with roots in the mysterious death of Queen Oasis of the SandWings at the hands of three scavengers. Five young dragons known as the "Dragonets of Destiny" (the protagonists) are hailed as peace-bringers within an enigmatic prophecy (the "Dragonet Prophecy") and believed capable of ending the war by choosing which of Queen Oasis's three daughters - Blaze, Blister, or Burn - should ascend to the throne, and in turn bring peace to the continent of Pyrrhia.

The Jade Mountain Prophecy
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 have successfully ended the War of SandWing Succession, beginning at the newly-founded intertribal school, Jade Mountain Academy, and eventually expanding elsewhere within Pyrrhia. The books focus on the aforementioned five students, among others, as they are faced with a sinister new prophecy: the "Jade Mountain Prophecy" delivered by Moonwatcher, which forecasts untold destruction and the obliteration of the academy by unknown forces. It also features conflicts between the heroes and old and new enemies alike, chronicling the protagonists' efforts to maintain and preserve peace by preventing the foretold destruction before it is too late.

The Lost Continent Prophecy
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 to the far west of Pyrrhia, ruled by the tyrannical Queen Wasp; neither continent is fully aware of the others' existence. The books focus on five dragons in their efforts to subvert another prophecy foretold by Moonwatcher and bring down Wasp's dictatorship of mind control, which could threaten not just their native Pantala but Pyrrhia as well.

Legends
Two standalone "special edition" titles separate from the main arcs, known as Legends, have been published: Darkstalker (2016) and Dragonslayer (2020). Each features alternating perspectives surrounding a little-known major historical sequence as it actually happened. The former expands on the "true story" of legendary historical figures Darkstalker, Clearsight, and Fathom, while the latter details the conclusion of the War of SandWing Succession from the perspective of three humans (Ivy, Leaf, Wren).

Winglets
Four "Winglets" have been published, short stories which peer into the lives of Fierceteeth, Deathbringer, Six-Claws, Foeslayer, Arctic, and Snowflake, all of whom are featured as secondary characters in the main books or Legends. They expand upon untouched areas in the world of Wings of Fire and provide further character development. 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. 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).

Graphic novel adaptation
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. The second arc is currently being adapted.

Other titles
Four companion books have been released: Forge Your Dragon World (2022), an interactive storytelling book for aspiring writers; the Official Coloring Book (2022), created in collaboration with artist Brianna C. Walsh; A Guide to the Dragon World (2023), a collection of additional stories which expands upon the series' lore/history accompanied by illustrations; and a How to Draw (2023) tutorial reference book illustrated by Walsh.

Themes and reception
Wings of Fire has been noted for its thematic undertakings. It is written as an anti-war series, and the protagonists usually try to put an end to major conflicts by pacifistic means and while trying to prevent as many dragons from dying as possible. Despite generally being targeted toward younger audiences (ex. children), 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. Through the NightWing tribe, she additionally explores the philosophical and moral implications of mind-reading, prophecy, and extrasensory perception. Darkstalker and the second arc in particular innovatively expand upon the role of magic in fantasy literature through its concept of "animus magic", a rare form of magic which 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.

One of the biggest influences on Sutherland's process of developing the setting of the world of Wings of Fire was 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 antagonists roles typically allotted to dragons.

Wings of Fire has generally received positive critical reviews and sold over 14 million copies to date. It has developed a substantial following over the years, and Sutherland has hosted numerous public events over the years when she interacts with fans and answers questions.

Forthcoming television series adaptation
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.