Just finished a reread of 'The Priory of the Orange Tree', and that's the first thing my brain jumps to. It's this massive standalone epic with two distinct types of dragons—the fire-breathing western drakes that are seen as enemies, and the revered eastern water dragons that are practically deities. The magical battles aren't constant, flick-of-the-wrist duels; they're huge, continent-shaping conflicts involving ancient rituals, dragonriders, and a looming primordial threat.
The real tension often comes from the political machinations in the royal courts, where the threat of heresy is as dangerous as any flame. It makes the actual eruption of magic feel monumental when it happens. Samantha Shannon builds the world so thoroughly that the climax feels earned, not just a flashy spectacle. Still thinking about the image of a queen standing against a tidal wave of fire.