The Ice Dragon by George R. R. Martin

Book Description:

In the world of A Song of Ice and Fire the ice dragon was a creature of legend and fear, for no man had ever tamed one. When it flew overhead, it left in its wake desolate cold and frozen land. But Adara was not afraid. For Adara was a winter child, born during the worst freeze that anyone, even the Old Ones, could remember.

Adara could not remember the first time she had seen the ice dragon. It seemed that it had always been in her life, glimpsed from afar as she played in the frigid snow long after the other children had fled the cold. In her fourth year she touched it, and in her fifth year she rode upon its broad, chilled back for the first time. Then, in her seventh year, on a calm summer day, fiery dragons from the North swooped down upon the peaceful farm that was Adara’s home. And only a winter child—and the ice dragon who loved her—could save her world from utter destruction.

My Rating: 4/5

Beautifully done! There’s not much to say about this short story. The illustrations are gorgeous, the story is lightly impactful. I would have devoured this when I was younger. This is a great fast read for adults as well. I read this to break from my “series” binge before I dive into finishing off another and it was perfect for that. Definitely recommend it to children as well as adults who are either fans of George R. R. Martin (because there are definitely pieces of him in here that you may already know and love) or fans of fantasy!