A Language of Dragons: The #1 Sunday Times bestselling dark academia historical fantasy by S. F. Williamson

The most exciting debut of 2025 – an incredible fantasy Dark Academia, perfect for fans of Babel, Fourth Wing, and the Scholomance trilogy

EVERY FIRE STARTS WITH A SINGLE SPARK.

Welcome to Bletchley Park… with dragons.

London, 1923. Dragons soar through the skies and protests erupt on the streets, but Vivien Featherswallow isn’t worried. She’s going to follow the rules, get an internship studying dragon languages, and make sure her little sister never has to risk growing up Third Class. By midnight, Viv has started a civil war.

With her parents arrested and her sister missing, all the safety Viv has worked for is collapsing around her. So when a lifeline is offered in the form of a mysterious ‘job’, she grabs it. Arriving at Bletchley Park, Viv discovers that she has been recruited as a codebreaker helping the war effort – if she succeeds, she and her family can all go home again. If she doesn’t, they’ll all die.

At first Viv believes that her challenge, of discovering the secrets of a hidden dragon language, is doable. But the more she learns, the more she realises that the bubble she’s grown up in isn’t as safe as she thought, and eventually Viv must decide: What war is she really fighting?

An epic, sweeping fantasy with an incredible Dark Academia setting, a clandestine, slow-burn enemies-to-lovers romance, and an unputdownable story, filled with twists and turns, betrayals and secret identities, A Language of Dragons is the unmissable debut of 2025, from an extraordinary new voice.

Review

"A smart and original young adult riff on the dark academia aesthetic' 'SF Williamson’s book is a glorious mix of dragons, rebellion, language and romance, and the world-building is a joy." – The Observer, 'Best Children's Books of 2025'

“Burning with dragon fire and the flames of revolution, A Language of Dragons is compulsive and brimming with intelligence. This is dark academia with a thrilling twist … A historical YA fantasy that is uniquely compelling.” – Rachel Greenlaw, author of Compass and Blade

"A smart and original young adult riff on the dark academia aesthetic, SF Williamson’s book is a glorious mix of dragons, rebellion, language and romance, and the world-building is a joy." – Observer, best children’s books of 2025

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Harper Fire

Publication date ‏ : ‎ 2 Jan. 2025

Edition ‏ : ‎ 1st

Language ‏ : ‎ English

Print length ‏ : ‎ 480 pages

ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0008756619

ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 9780008756611

Item weight ‏ : ‎ 294 g

Reading age ‏ : ‎ 14 years and up

Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 15.9 x 4.6 x 24 cm