History Literature / AgeOfFire

** Can be subverted due to the fact his parents pretty much left him to die.

* ADateWithRosiePalms: When Rethothanna is berating the Copper's appearance, she asks if his thrall has been doing the one armed hominid pastime.

* AmbiguousEnding: In [[spoiler:''Dragon Fate''.]] Did [[spoiler: [=RuGaard=] and/or Nilrasha live? If so, did they have hatchlings together? There are only rumors...]]

* NoPronunciationGuide: The pronunciation of [=AuRon=] is known, thanks to a note at the beginning of ''Dragon Champion'', which also tells us that adult male dragons have their name's emphasis on the second syllable, and Natasatch sounds like "not as such" as shown in the scene where [=AuRon=] meets her. However, there is no pronunciation given for anything else, and this in a series that contains names like Aethleethia, [=OuThroth=], and [=NoFhyriticus=], and words like "tchatlassat", "foua", and "haspadalanesh".

* ADateWithRosiePalms: When Rethothanna is berating The Copper's appearance she asks if his thrall has been doing the one armed hominid pastime.
* ADayInTheLimelight: Several in ''Dragon Fate'': [=NiVom=], Scabia, [=NaStirath=], [=AuSurath=], and Varatheela.
* ADeathInTheLimelight: Just one in ''Dragon Fate'': [[spoiler: [=NiVom=]]].

* AllTrollsAreDifferent: They walk with their hands, and eat and excrete from the same orifice. Troll, my ass-mouth.
** And that's not including the hybrid creatures from the last book created by [[spoiler: Rayg and Infamnia]] breeding and raising generations of them on dragon blood and flesh, giving them dragon attributes like wings and horns.

* [[DoomedHometown Doomed Home Cave]]: The 3 (originally 4) siblings grew up in a cozy cave, although the Copper got the worst part of the deal. Of course, that home gets invaded and destroyed.

* DragonHoard: An atypical variant: dragons hoard because they need metal to make scales. As such, [=AuRon=] has no appetite or need for them.

* OurDragonsAreDifferent: In many ways they are the standard Western variety: they're big, don't like hominids, like treasure, etc. But they have no wings until they're about fifteen to twenty years old, can only breathe a limited amount of fire at a time, eat their hoards because it strengthens their scales, and are generally treated as something more like actual living creatures, rather than impossibly strong magical constructs.
* OurDemonsAreDifferent: Called "demans" they're not supernatural in origin or particularly evil, just another humanoid race, with horns and spines down their back who live underground.
* OurDwarvesAreAllTheSame: And how. With both the [[ProudMerchantRace gold-digging]] and [[ProudWarriorRace war-mongering]] breeds.
* OurElvesAreDifferent: Aside from maybe the demans, the elves are possibly the least explored of the races, but the ones seen seem to primarily fall into the "wood elf" category. The biggest difference between them and other races is that they seem to have some form of plant life that gathers on their heads.
* OurOrcsAreDifferent: Called blighters, according to dragon legend they were the fist sentient race. In fact, dragons were supposedly created to keep them from overrunning the world. Once they had a high level civilization, but are now just squabbling tribes who often fill the Mook slot.

* RashomonStyle: The opening chapters of the first three books all relate the lives of the main characters from hatching onward, which means that the time the three spent in the egg cave is covered separately by all three characters. Young Auron is seen in a less and less sympathetic light each time, and Jizara's character is expanded more. [=AuRel=] and Irelia also almost seem like different dragons depending on the narrator.
** The Dragonblade's personality also seem different in each of the siblings' stories. When Auron encounters him, he's your basic one-dimensional dragon slayer character; in Wistala's story he's somewhat of a NobleDemon; and in the Copper's story is strictly a KnightTemplar.

* RescueRomance: [=AuRon=] and Natasatch.
* TheRightOfASuperiorSpecies: This seems to be the overarching perspective dragons have on the other races, seeing themselves superior in every way, and are thus allowed to do whatever they please with them. It also gets deconstructed somewhat, as the story generally portrays the dragons as actually superior to the other races (not only are they physically stronger, but are just as, if not more intelligent), something none of the protagonists contest. However, its indicated that even if they are, it does not give the dragons the right to do whatever they want to the "lesser" races. Wistala is the only one of the leads who doesn't share this view, with [=AuRon=] mostly dismissive of the others with occasional exceptions, and [=RuGaard=] fully subscribing to this belief.

** [[spoiler: AngstySurvivingTwin: Regalia, after [=SiHazathant=] is killed in Dragon Fate.]]

* TakeOverTheWorld: Wyrmmaster and [[spoiler:Tyr [=RuGaard=]. ]]
** [[spoiler: Also Infamia and Rayg.]]

* TheMistress: [=RuGaard=]'s LoveInterest Nilrasha wanted to be his "jade" after his ArrangedMarriage to Halaflora. Apparently he was the only one who took his Mating Flight seriously; ''everyone'' else (''including'' Halaflora) assumed they were secretly together.
* ThePowerOfBlood: Dragon blood has valuable alchemical properties, able to invigorate drinkers while also fetching a pretty coin. Sustained drinking cause biological shifts resulting in more draconic features.
* TheStarscream:
** [[spoiler: Starlight]] but he got killed before he could put his plot into action.
** [[spoiler: Infamnia and Rayg]], enough that they end up betraying each other after both betraying [=NiVom=].
* TheUnfavourite: Male, living losers of the egg shelf fight, or 'outcasts'. Most notably the Copper.

* TooDumbToLive: Balazeh

* IllGirl: Halaflora was born with several developmental disorders. Her skin is a little too tight, her complexion is a little too thin, and her hearts are a little too weak. Because of her... undesirability, she was married off to [=RuGaard=] and [[ReassignedToAntarctica sent to live in some backwater Protectorate]] to keep them both out of political affairs, but they come to care for each other anyway. [[spoiler: And then she dies ([[UnreliableNarrator or so Nilrasha claims]]) by choking on a haunch of meat.]]

'''Age of Fire''' is a fantasy series by E. E. Knight that follows the lives of three dragon siblings. The three dragons separate shortly after their parents and fourth sibling are killed by dwarves. The first book follows [[TheHero Auron]] as he [[WalkingTheEarth travels the world]] having adventures, making friends, and learning about dragons and why they are disappearing from the world. The second book follows Wistala, the only surviving female of the clutch, who is determined to avenge her parents' and sister's murder. [[NoNameGiven The Copper]] is the main character of the third book who, after [[spoiler: betraying his family]], is betrayed in turn by the dwarves. He finds his way eventually to an underground society of dragons. The fourth, fifth, and sixth books rotate through the three siblings' perspectives after they reunite, and deal with the characters working to determine the role dragons will play in the world.

* AirVentPassageway: Wistala and Auron's escape from the egg cave.

* StuffedIntoTheFridge: Some time after the attack on their home cave by dwarves, Wistala returns inside and finds [[spoiler: the bodies of her mother and sister; sans heads, skin and limbs, which have been removed to be resold]]. Towards the end of the same book, Wistala meets the same dwarves and finds that they build war machines [[spoiler: that launch fire through a dragon head mounted on the front; Wistala quickly recognises the heads of her father, mother and sister amongst them]].

* EpicFail: While secretly visiting his daughter Istach in Old Udaam, a trespassing [=AuRon=] is intercepted by the amazingly incompetent Protector, [=FuPozat=] (or [[UnfortunateNames Fusspot]], as Isatch calls him). [=AuRon=] wasn't even interested in fighting the younger dragon, and merely outspeeds him until [=FuPozat=] unleashes a gout of flame after him which predictably flies straight into his own eyes, [[TooDumbToLive blinding and sending him crashing down to the ground]]. [=AuRon=] stops to help him purely out of pity, then enlists Isatch to take care of his foolish hide, to her great annoyance.

* TalkingAnimals: Sort of. It's indicated that just about all the animals in this world are in someway sapient, and have their own spoken languages and cultures. It's also indicated only dragons can understand the languages of both the animals and hominids.

* EpicFail: While secretly visiting his daughter Istach in Old Udaam, a trespassing [=AuRon=] is intercepted by the amazingly incompetent Protector, [=FuPozat=] (or [[UnfortunateNames Fusspot]], as Isatch calls him). [=AuRon=] wasn't even interested in fighting the younger dragon, and merely outspeeds him until [=FuPozat=] unleashes a gout of flame after him [[RealityEnsues which predictably flies straight into his own eyes]], [[TooDumbToLive blinding and sending him crashing down to the ground]]. [=AuRon=] stops to help him purely out of pity, then enlists Isatch to take care of his foolish hide, to her great annoyance.

%%* PowerTrio: The siblings.

** ''Dragon Champion'': Wrimere the Wrymmaster
** ''Dragon Avenger'': Thane Hammar [[BigBadEnsemble and]] King Fangbreaker

** ''Dragon Strike'': The Red Queen
** ''Dragon Rule'': [[spoiler: [=NiVom=] and Infamnia (who's possessed by the Red Queen at the time)]]
** ''Dragon Fate'': [[spoiler: Infamnia/Red Queen [[BigBadDuumvirate and]] Rayg]]

* BrideAndSwitch: [=NaStirath=] switches with [=DharSii=]
* BrotherSisterIncest: Imfamnia and Tyr [=SiMevolant=].

*** [[spoiler: Infamnia and Rayg's tendency toward this is {{Exploited}} by [=AuRon=], as they both prepare to execute them. He points out that after betraying so many, it's only logical that the both are now on the other's hit list. One [[{{Beat}} pregnant pause]] later, they weakly affirm that they wouldn't betray one another, but all [=AuRon=] has to do is say "Watch out!" for them to attack each other]].

* ClockPunk: Extensively used by the dwarves.
* CloningGambit: [[spoiler: Through use of magic, the Red Queen was able to grow herself [[BodyBackupDrive new bodies]] for her spirit to inhabit whenever her body was destroyed. [=AuRon=] destroys her method of doing this in Dragon Strike, which forces her to resort to possessing Imfamnia instead.]]

* CoolSword: The Dragonblade's sword and spear.
* CrossingTheDesert: [=AuRon's=] search for [=NooMoahk=]

* DeadGuyJunior: [=AuRon=] names one of his sons after [=NooMoahk=].
* DeathFromAbove: [[spoiler: Wistala drops a longpoon on Fangbreaker's escape boat, either crushing him or causing him to drown subsequently.]]

* EyeScream: Wistala slashes the Dragonblade's son Eliam in the face, destroying one of his eyes. By the time [=AuRon=] encounters him serving the Wrymmaster, he's installed a jewel in its place.
** She earlier slashed the Copper in the eye when first confronting him over the egg cave slaughter. While he doesn't lose the eye altogether, it's left nearly useless.

* TheFaceless: The Red Queen.

* GuileHero: [=RuGaard=] has always been this, but his Crowning Moment comes when he smooth-talks his way out of his dwarven kidnappers (who mistrust all dragons, since it was Wistala herself who decimated their clan), hires them later, and relies on them in the final battle.

* [[HalfHumanHybrids Half-Dragon Hybrids]]: Consumption of dragon blood will give the drinkers dragon's power, and eventually dragon-like characteristics such as obvious scales, bony ridges, and higher intelligence in the case of animals like bats and mice. The Dragons exploit this heavily, as selling bottled blood is a major source of income for their Empire.
** [[spoiler: Taken even further in the last book, since the Red Queen (in Infamnia's body) has been secretly killing and harvesting dragons for ''decades'' to create an army of hybridized de-men and trolls to conquer the Dragon's Empire]].
* HeadInTheSandManagement: [=AuRon=] goes through periods of this, where he wants to isolate himself and his family from the rest of the world.

* HowTheMightyHaveFallen: Djer describes the Chartered Company as being more powerful than some nations, but after the war with the Wrymmaster's forces, it's reduced to a shadow of its former self.

* HumansAreSpecial: Humans obviously aren't the focus of the series, but they've created many game-changing inventions and new, powerful empires in a matter of years, while the other species seem to be stuck in MedievalStasis. One dwarf had this to say:
--> '''Dwarf''': ''[Dragonkind], elven, and dwarven kind are alike. Since the dawn of time, we've stood on pillars, looking down into the humans laboring in the dirt. But the humans, they've just been laying the foundations of a pyramid, and each generation adds a little more until one day, they will look down at us.''
* [[IllGirl Ill Dragonelle]]: Halaflora was born with several developmental disorders. Her skin is a little too tight, her complexion is a little too thin, and her hearts are a little too weak. Because of her... undesirability, she was married off to [=RuGaard=] and [[ReassignedToAntarctica sent to live in some backwater Protectorate]] to keep them both out of political affairs, but they come to care for each other anyway. [[spoiler: And then she dies ([[UnreliableNarrator or so Nilrasha claims]]) by choking on a haunch of meat.]]

* [[LikesOlderWomen Likes Older Dragons]]: At the end of the fifth book, Wistala falls for [[spoiler:[=DharSii=], who is at least 150 years her senior.]]

* MadDoctor: [[spoiler: Rayg, briefly, after his FaceHeelTurn. His practice consisted of permanently crippling and lobotomizing several dragons.]]

* MercyKill: In the first book, after many long years of travel, [=AuRon=] finally returns to the dwarven Delvings, as he promised his good friend Djer he would. Sadly, the Delvings have been ravaged by dragon attacks, and Djer got a faceful of dragon-flame while saving another dwarf. [=AuRon=] finds him lying in a cave with all the other soldiers injured in battle, only that Djer's burns literally cover his entire face, even burning his lungs. He asks [=AuRon=] to end his life, to spare him the agonized death of wound infection. [=AuRon=] is hesitant at first, but goes through with it, crushing Djer's skull, and then demanding a proper burial for his lost friend.

* OurElvesAreDifferent: Aside from maybe the demans, the elves are possibly the least explored of the races, but the ones seen seem to primarily fall into the "wood elf" category. The biggest difference between them and other races is that they seem to have some form of plant life that gathers on their heads

* PowerTrio: The siblings.
* ProtagonistCenteredMorality: Justified in that [=AuRon=] is a dragon and to him a human child is just a protein source.
** A lot of Dragons hold this view, sometimes gobbling up thralls who've displeased them and attacking nations who refuse to pay ungodly amounts of tribute. Other characters call them out for this, but only Wistala, being raised with hominids on her heart, seems to care.

* ReallyGetsAround: Imfamnia. First she's betrothed to [=NiVom=] - although this arrangement ends when [[spoiler: she and Tighlia frame [=NiVom=] for assault]] - then she becomes the mate of [=SiDrakkon=] - her great-uncle by marriage - and after his death she becomes the mate of [=SiMevolant=] - her ''brother''. After [[spoiler: [=SiMevolant=]'s fall from power forces her to flee the Lavadome, the other dragons begin calling her "the Jade Queen" - "Jade" being the draconic slang term for "mistress". Then she ends up mated to [=NiVom=] again, though by that time she's probably the Red Queen.]]

* TheRightOfASuperiorSpecies: This seems to be the overarching perspective dragons have on the other races, seeing themselves superior in every way, and are thus allowed to do whatever they please with them. It also gets deconstructed somewhat, as the story generally portrays the dragons as actually superior to the other races (not only are they physically stronger, but are just as, if not more intelligent), something none of the protagonists contest. However, its indicated that even if they are, it does not give the dragons the right to do whatever they want to the "lesser" races.
** Wistala is the only one of the leads who doesn't share this view, with [=AuRon=] mostly dismissive of the others with occasional exceptions, and [=RuGaard=] fully subscribing to this belief.

* RousingSpeech: The Copper gives one to his forces before the attack on the Red Queen's capital.
* RoyalBrat: [=SiMevolant=].

* TheStarscream: [[spoiler: Starlight]] but he got killed before he could put his plot into action.
** [[spoiler: Infamnia and Rayg, enough that they end up betraying each other after both betraying [=NiVom=].]]

* UndyingLoyalty: Shadowcatch believes strongly in keeping to one's oaths (those who willingly break them are a bit of a BerserkButton to him), so when he pledges himself as [=RuGaard's=] bodyguard, he stays loyal, no matter what. [[spoiler: Even after the Copper is ousted as Tyr, Shadowcatch follows him, saying he'll always be Tyr to him.]]
** Similarly, the Copper's bats. They might be swayed by meals of blood from other dragons, but they are always ultimately loyal to their original benefactor. [[spoiler: This is best shown at the end of ''Dragon Fate'', where they swarm Rayg and Infamnia in mass, with shouts of "Revenge for our Tyr!"]] [=AuRon=] remarks on, and seems impressed by, the devotion the Copper inspires in them.

* NeverFoundTheBody:
** [[spoiler: Nilrasha and [=RuGaard=] go missing at the end of ''Dragon Fate'' and are thought to have died, but a group of blighters later claim to have helped a dragon pair resembling them [[PetTheDog escape to a safe location]].]]

* OurElvesAreBetter: Aside from maybe the demans, the elves are possibly the least explored of the races, but the ones seen seem to primarily fall into the "Wood Elf" category. The biggest difference between them and other races is that they ll seem to have some form of plant life that gathers on their heads

* ParentalAbandonment: The Copper

* CycleOfRevenge: A theme throughout the series, but especially highlighted in Dragon Avenger- [[spoiler: Wistala eventually tries to end this as regards the Dragonblade line by making peace with the current one and his family, rather than take revenge on him for killing her father.]]