A Collider feature argues that while Game of Thrones popularised dragons in modern fantasy, the creatures in George R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire are not the genre's best, as Martin deliberately made them more animal-like and realistic. The article instead champions the dragons of Emily Rodda's (Jennifer Rowe's) Deltora Quest series as a rival to more revered depictions, such as those in J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth or Ursula K. Le Guin's Earthsea, praising their design, intelligence and cultural depth.

Deltora, the setting of Rodda's book series, was once called the Land of Dragons and is home to seven dragon tribes—diamond, emerald, lapis lazuli, topaz, opal, ruby and amethyst—each tied to a magic gemstone and given distinct colouring by illustrator Marc McBride, inspired by marine life. Unlike Martin's dragons, these are fully sentient with tribe-specific personalities and diets, ranging from loyal, thoughtful Topaz dragons to aggressive, dutiful Diamond dragons, giving them a cultural richness the article says sets them apart from other fantasy franchises.