DRAGONS OF THE WORLD

Discover the Dragon's Global Legacy - From China's Benevolent Long to the Serpent of Eden
Dragons are not real. Yet every culture that has ever told stories has told stories about them. Why?
DRAGONS OF THE WORLD is the definitive cultural history of dragon mythology - a sweeping journey across five continents and ten thousand years of human imagination. From the rain-bringing dragons of ancient China to the fire-breathing beasts of medieval Europe, from the cosmic serpents of Mesopotamia to the rainbow-colored creator of Aboriginal Australia, this book reveals how different peoples have used the dragon to answer humanity's deepest questions: Where does chaos come from? How do we face what terrifies us? Can power be used for good?
Inside these pages, you will discover:

• China's Auspicious Long - The dragon as god, ancestor, and emperor
• India's Nāgas - Serpent beings who guard treasure and teach wisdom
• The Biblical Leviathan - The chaos monster tamed by the Creator
• Norse Wyrms - from Jörmungandr (the world-encircling serpent) to Fáfnir (the greed-cursed dragon)
• Japan's Ryujin - The dragon king of the sea and his magical tide jewels
• The Rainbow Serpent - Australia's Dreamtime creator who carved the rivers
• Quetzalcóatl - The feathered serpent god of the Aztecs and Maya
• Tolkien to Game of Thrones - How ancient dragons shaped modern fantasy

• Mythology enthusiasts and folklore lovers
• Fantasy writers, game designers, and world-builders
• Students of comparative religion and cultural history
• Anyone who has ever wondered why dragons appear everywhere