This first book in the Wings of Fire: Legends series presents us with a collection of extremely (dangerously) powerful dragons and asks us to consider what makes someone a "bad guy." Is it the nature of the power they possess? Were they just born that way? Or perhaps it is more complicated than that.

Once again, the narrative sticks true to the through line of the series: while absolute power corrupts absolutely, it is ultimately the choices one makes with it - how they choose to help or hurt the world - that determines who they are and how they will be remembered. Some "bad guys" do bad things for what they think are good reasons or because they're hurting. That doesn't make their actions right, but it's important to always remember that everyone is human - even if they stand in your way, even if you don't like them - because the moment you start to think yourself above anyone else or that any one type of person is all bad and deserving of death/punishment/suffering is the instant you have lost your humanity and become the very thing you claim to despise. Evil begins when you start seeing people as objects and Darkstalker shows us how easy it can be to fall into that self-righteous mindset... and how much of a conscious effort it takes to make responsible choices!