5 Comparisons Between Dragonflight and Fourth Wing
SEPTEMBER 9TH, 2026
Two of my favourite books are Fourth Wing, which almost everyone has heard of, and Dragonflight, which I’m guessing not many people know (unless you like reading books from the last century). Both are stories about girls and their dragons.
If you like Fourth Wing, you might like to take a look at Dragonflight.
Anne McCaffrey is the author of Dragonflight (1968), and to me she is the “Mother of all dragons”. She’s considered the first author to create a telepathic bond between rider and dragon. When I first read this book, it blew my socks off! … But there wasn’t anything like it.
Rebecca Yarros is the author of Fourth Wing (2023). I think she brought Romantasy onto our bookshelves. But without the Dragon Riders of Pern, there wouldn’t be any dragon riders flying over the sky of Navarre. When I first read this book – well, it grabbed my attention …
So let’s meet the protagonists:
Lessa is the heroine of Dragonflight. When we first meet her, she’s a drudge working in the kitchens. Stripped of her birthright and fuelled by a burning need for justice.
Violet Sorrengail is the heroine from Fourth Wing. She’s been told her whole life that she’s too fragile for the world of dragon riders. But she’s thrust into the deadly Riders Quadrant, where her survival isn’t expected.
Here are five ways these two unforgettable girls mirror each other.
1. Outsiders
Lessa’s birthright has been stripped away, and she survives as a kitchen drudge.
If Violet makes it to the Riders Quadrant, she’s expected to die.
Neither girl is an outsider, but it allows them to see what others miss. They adapt faster. Fight smarter and turn being underestimated into a power.
2. Strength
Neither girl is the strongest. But strength isn’t just about physical force; it’s about endurance, courage, and refusing to give up even when the odds are piled against them.
Lessa’s strength lies in her ability to play the long game.
Violet gravitates to strategy.
3. Bonds
When Lessa bonds with the gold dragon Ramoth, it’s not a partnership – it’s destiny.
Violet’s bond with Tairneanach (Tairn) and Andarna (Andarnaurram) occurs after shielding Andarna from death.
For both girls, the connections reshape their identities, their futures and their worlds.
4. Trauma
Both Lessa and Violet have suffered loss, betrayal and fear.
Lessa channels her pain into purpose to reclaim what was stolen from her.
Violet pushes forward when every step hurts.
5. Defiance
What starts as defiance turns into choices that become mutiny. Lessa’s actions change the fate of her entire world, while Violet challenges the brutal system she lives in.
Both girls don’t just survive in their worlds – they change them.
Final thoughts
We can’t forget the dragons! They aren’t just creatures. They are the catalysts who choose Lessa and Violet. They are the companions for life and are bonded by an unswerving connection – maybe even love?
- Jane
Fiction Rebellion Heroine