Who Is The Author Of 'Dealing With Dragons'?

The brilliant mind behind 'Dealing with Dragons' is Patricia C. Wrede. She's crafted this gem from the Enchanted Forest Chronicles, blending humor and subverted fairy-tale tropes masterfully. Wrede's writing style makes dragons feel fresh—smart, sarcastic, and anti-damsel-in-distress. If you enjoy her work, check out 'Sorcery and Cecelia' co-written with Caroline Stevermer—it nails witty historical fantasy with letters.

Her world-building stands out by flipping expectations: princesses volunteer as dragon captives to escape etiquette, and dragons hoard librarians instead of gold. It’s this twisty creativity that cemented Wrede as a fantasy heavyweight for me.

Patricia C. Wrede authored 'Dealing with Dragons', launching one of the most original dragon-centric series in fantasy. What fascinates me about Wrede isn’t just her storytelling but how she reinvents tropes. The Enchanted Forest Chronicles doesn’t just feature dragons—it gives them personalities sharper than their claws. Kazul isn’t some mindless beast; she’s a politically savvy monarch who prefers contracts over kidnapping.

Wrede’s background in chemistry might explain her systematic magic systems. Spells follow logical rules, and magic items behave predictably—no deus ex machina here. Her attention to detail makes the absurd feel plausible. Princess Cimorene’s dragon-deal isn’t a last resort; it’s a calculated rebellion against boring royal life. The secondary characters shine too: Morwen the witch with her killer garden, and the stone prince who communicates via rhyming couplets.

For readers craving similar vibes, 'The Hero and the Crown' by Robin McKinley offers another no-nonsense heroine, while Diana Wynne Jones’s 'Howl’s Moving Castle' delivers comparable wit. Wrede’s influence is clear in later works like T. Kingfisher’s 'A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking', where practicality meets magic hilariously.

Patricia C. Wrede wrote 'Dealing with Dragons', but she didn’t just write it—she weaponized whimsy. Her dragons are CEOs with scales, running organized kingdoms where humans are (willing) employees. The protagonist Cimorene isn’t rescued; she fires her prince and negotiates a better gig. Wrede’s genius lies in treating fantasy like a corporate ladder: dragons have HR departments, and witches file paperwork for curses.

What hooks me is how Wrede targets kid logic. Why wouldn’t a princess prefer lava moat parties over needlepoint? Why shouldn’t dragons collect Latin dictionaries? Her world feels lived-in because she answers questions most writers ignore. The sequel 'Searching for Dragons' expands this further, with maps that update in real-time and invisible giants who hate poetry.

If you dig unconventional fantasy, try 'The Girl Who Drank the Moon' by Kelly Barnhill—it’s got the same 'rules are suggestions' energy. Wrede’s work stays timeless because she respects young readers’ intelligence while delivering pure fun.