Jane Yolen: Dragon's Blood (2004, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company)
304 pages
English language
Published 2004 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
Jakkin was born into bond, in service in the great dragon barns of Master Sarkkhan. The key to his freedom was a fighting dragon of his own, a skilled and deadly beast that could triumph in the dragon pits which lay beneath the Rock. But that was a distant dream - until the day Jakkin stole a hatchling, and found himself the proud possessor of a dragon among dragons, a true fighting red, a terrifying beast – and Jakkin’s dearest friend. Dragon’s Blood – the opening saga of a richly detailed fantasy introducing the most spectacular denizens of all the wide galaxy: the fighting dragons of Austar IV.
This book had a huge impact on my reading habits, as a kid. I have no idea how many times I went through it, but it was many. The idea of starting life at a disadvantage and fighting your way free resonated. I always wished it was Akki rather than Jakkin who was the protagonist, though.
