By S. F. Williamson (author) Part of the A Language of Dragons series
"Epic alternative history fused with fantasy adventure and excellent dragons!"
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January 2025 Debut of the Month
This remarkable debut and series opener is set in an alternate 1923 where dragons and humans coexist after a Peace Agreement ended their war, but the human regime is authoritarian, with strict class divisions and a rebellion is brewing.
Vivien Featherswallow, our narrator fluent in “three human languages and six dragon tongues”, plans to follow the rules, secure an internship as a Draconic Translator and make sure her sister never has to risk growing up third class. However, everything changes when her parents get arrested for being in the resistance and with her sister missing, she is forcibly recruited to Bletchley Park to join a bunch of misfits working as codebreakers deciphering the rebel dragon’s secret language. If she succeeds, her family goes home; if she fails, they die.
This is a wonderfully immersive fantasy with vivid detail about the history, cultural, and political background of this world and a credible imperfect heroine who grows and develops as she realises her faith in the status quo is misguided. Viv finds redemption, a tantalising hint of romance and uncovers the fascinating truth about dragons, who are as intriguing and multifaceted as the human characters, with similarly engaging rivalries, secrets and friendships.
Genuinely thrilling and original, I have no doubt at all that there will be many readers, like me, waiting for the next instalment and learning more about this fascinating world and what happens to the characters we are now thoroughly invested in.
An incredible fantasy Dark Academia debut, perfect for fans of Babel, Fourth Wing, and the Scholomance trilogy
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An incredible fantasy Dark Academia debut, perfect for fans of Babel , Fourth Wing , and the Scholomance trilogy
EVERY FIRE STARTS WITH A SINGLE SPARK.
Welcome to Bletchley Park… with dragons.
London, 1923. Dragons soar through the skies and protests erupt on the streets, but Vivien Featherswallow isn't worried. She's going to follow the rules, get an internship studying dragon languages, and make sure her little sister never has to risk growing up Third Class. By midnight, Viv has started a civil war.
With her parents arrested and her sister missing, all the safety Viv has worked for is collapsing around her. So when a lifeline is offered in the form of a mysterious 'job', she grabs it. Arriving at Bletchley Park, Viv discovers that she has been recruited as a codebreaker helping the war effort - if she succeeds, she and her family can all go home again. If she doesn't, they'll all die.
At first Viv believes that her challenge, of discovering the secrets of a hidden dragon language, is doable. But the more she learns, the more she realises that the bubble she's grown up in isn't as safe as she thought, and eventually Viv must decide: What war is she really fighting?
An epic, sweeping fantasy with an incredible Dark Academia setting, a clandestine, slow-burn enemies-to-lovers romance, and an unputdownable story, filled with twists and turns, betrayals and secret identities, A Language of Dragons is the unmissable debut of 2025, from an extraordinary new voice.
S. F. Williamson is fascinated by the way languages are born and was surrounded by them long before she undertook a degree in French and Italian. She has always known that languages are creatures that live and move and breathe, and as a child she learned that speaking them meant accessing ideas, traditions and people she would only otherwise know from a distance. A graduate of Bath Spa University, Steph now lives in France with her husband and two cats.
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An incredible fantasy Dark Academia debut, perfect for fans of Babel, Fourth Wing, and the Scholomance trilogy EVERY FIRE STARTS WITH A SINGLE SPARK. Welcome to Bletchley Park… with dragons.
The LoveReading4Kids Editorial Team have read and reviewed A Language of Dragons and determined it is suitable for children aged 13-18 years old
A Language of Dragons features in the following genres: Featured Books for 13+ readers, Featured Books for Young Adults, Recommendations, Star Books, Adventure Stories, Fantasy / Magical, School Stories, Mystery / Mythology, Children’s / Teenage fiction: Fantasy romance, Children’s / Teenage general interest: Dragons, Children’s / Teenage fiction: Dark fantasy, Children’s / Teenage fiction: Military and war fiction, Children’s / Teenage fiction: Historical fantasy, Children's and Young Adult Fiction, Children’s, Teenage and Educational, Children’s / Teenage general interest: Supernatural and mythological creatures, Children’s / Teenage: General interest
Paperback, Hardback. £8.99, down from the £9.99 cover price. In Stock.
A Language of Dragons was written by S. F. Williamson and published by Harper Fire an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers
A Language of Dragons has 469 pages
Yes it is part of A Language of Dragons series
£8.99, reduced from £9.99. In Stock.
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