Mastery of Morality and Wings of Fire
The thematic essay the world never needed but deserved. Learn about Tui T. Sutherland's acclaimed epic dragon fantasy series unlike ever before, through the mysterious Cole S. Sieben himself.
"Aha. There you are."
There are some exceptionally odd kinds of masterpieces which turn up only once in an era - works of art that can stand the test of time, out of objective merit and their ability to transcend time itself. Established as unmistakable classics, these certain pieces are - perhaps naturally - the kinds of things that enrich the joys of life and open countless opportunities for those who are lucky enough to discover them.
It's... rather remarkable, one must admit, that such works often strive to stand apart from the time in which they are produced. In other instances, however, it can be seen how the creator went to great lengths to cement his or her creation in the age from which it came, whether it be as a kind of lamentation or rejoicing. There's a legacy everyone leaves behind, and while few have any control on how they are received, it's impossible to deny that such monumental masterpieces can - and very possibly will - outlive their creators.
In the midst of a rather odd worldly skirmish where beauty is thought to be in the eye of the beholder alone and classics no longer seem to be made - let alone easy to find - one might even be led to wonder about the very nature of art as it stands. What could possibly measure up to this or that? Is it even worth trying to find, let alone create, something that hasn't been done before? Or are all the classics already made?
Questions spring forth new questions, as they naturally do. Thoughts spiral down to those of a greater age. And at the very core - the essence - of this search? Wonder.
There has been a paradoxically relentless attack on the nature of wonder in the world - on the dignity of the spirit, at the same time - and with it, the proliferation of profanities and desacralization, which has become a trademark of the cultural zeitgeist in recent times. Beauty, it would seem, could be rendered irrelevant - or, worse, dangerously unnecessary - to the eyes of many, and as an overwhelmingly pragmatic mentality proceeds to sweep across the creative spheres and dominate nearly all of the artistic landscapes known to us, the rightful place of pure curiosity and even innocence has become endangered. Yet hope has persisted all the while, and wonder itself isn't willing to give up so easily.
Tui T. Sutherland's Wings of Fire series has captivated the hearts and minds of millions of readers, of all ages and from all walks of life. Celebrating its tenth anniversary on the day of this essay's publication, at its finest it has perhaps proven more misconceptions about wonder wrong than any other book series in recent years. As it soared onto shelves everywhere and climbed to unanticipated heights, an inexplicable phenomenon among its readers has evolved since its first spark of life; few can say just how far its flames have spread. What has been confirmed by critics and fans alike, however, is this: Tui's intensely imaginative epic dragon fantasy series, published by Scholastic Inc., is undoubtedly one of a kind.
But there's far more to it than meets the eye... far, far more.
Wings of Fire has been often written off - even by personal friends of Tui - as a subservient kind of "kid's books... about dragons" and failed to garner serious attention in some respects, in part out of preconceived notions about dragons, fantasy and children's books in general. On the other hand, with its intelligent writing, enormous fanbase across all ages and uniquely thoughtful worldview, the series begs for the chance to get the closer look it deserved in the first place.
Of course, literature and other artistic forms of expression have always been subjected to scrutiny. In ancient times stories were often ways to speak of highly philosophically complex concepts and ideas with free, understandable situations. Sometimes it would be through parables; other instances, an illustrative dilemma which could be solved in multiple ways. "Making believe" has always turned up at the right time and place, just as - when it comes down to it - fantasy has always remained the best genre for wonder, the genre for exploring the furthest reaches of the universe's greatest questions - the means by which hopes, dreams and aspirations can be lived when all other options seem to fade away. A breath of fresh air, really, and a way to wrestle with real-world questions in a freer form. With potential for nearly anything, and only limited by the imagination of the author and/or reader, the opportunities are endless yet seldom explored in full.
I, Cole S. Sieben, hope to give you that closer look - with all the truths, themes, ideas and details brought to light unlike ever before. With the magnitude of such an introduction attempted here, I hope that the world of wonder created by Tui T. Sutherland becomes that little bit more comprehendible - or at the very least, approachable where it may not have been before. It's all here - and kept largely spoiler-free - as the most comprehensively useful compilation introductory guide you never would've asked for. And so I humbly invite you to sit back, relax... and enjoy this journey through the world of Wings of Fire.
You may be wondering, of course, who Tui even is to begin with. Does the framework of her ideas have anything to do with her books? And what does her name even mean? Well, let me tell you a bit about her:
Named after the bird of the same name native to New Zealand, Tui Tamara Sutherland was born on July 31, 1978 in Caracas, Venezuela. Having primarily grown up in Asuncion, Paraguay - where she attended a Baptist missionary school - Tui was a frequent world mover (and traveler later on) alongside her family in a multicultural flurry of experiences. With brief residences in Miami and Santo Domingo, her family then moved to New Jersey where she would finish high school. From an early age, both Tui (and her younger sister Kari) dreamt of becoming "famous author(s)" who nobody recognized yet everyone knew of - yet even with an assortment of classic literary influences "which shaped [her] character" growing up, Tui hadn't actually expected her internalized hope to become reality.
Obtaining a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature with a dissertation on Hamlet's Ophelia at Williams College as well as a Master of Arts in Art History, Tui's lifelong love of reading was kindled once again as she partook in creative writing courses over six months in New Zealand, where her mother was from. Inspired to work within the publishing industry, she soon took up work in Brooklyn, New York as an editorial assistant. After achieving almost unprecedented success as a member of the Erin Hunter team responsible for the massively popular Warriors and Seekers series among others, the strong, reactively entertaining characterizations swiftly sparked creative ideas for future possible creations of her own. Writing in the middle of the night all the while - as someone with delayed sleep-phase disorder - after just under a decade of working as a high-profile children's book editor, Tui quit her job to write full-time.
Marrying Adam, the love of her life, in October 2007, then moving to Watertown, Massachusetts, raising two sons seemed to strike Tui, at first, as a whirlwind of indefinite adjustment - a complicated balancing act which originated from the two main passions in life: her family, and her writing. Concurrent to these arrangements, and in addition to her writing career, Tui notoriously became a Jeopardy! champion in 2009, winning two games by a fine margin and narrowly losing her third, earning $46,200 during her time on the show - as well as a yawn from Alex Trebek himself... or so the story goes.
Having written and published over sixty titles to date, many under pseudonyms and encompassing a wide variety of genres, Tui's literary career nevertheless repetitively lent itself time and time again to one particular genre: fantasy. Mostly aiming at children, teenagers and young adults, and citing those age groups as the ones which are especially open to new ideas, she once uniquely referred to her writing as an effort to achieve a certain rare quality: "Listen, my books are about dragons and vampires and puppies and bad-tempered unicorns, because I like all those things and I want to write funny, happy books. But one of the biggest reasons I write at all is to get inside someone else's head. I think everyone is at the center of their own story, and I always wonder about how other people see the world... how two people might experience the same event in completely different ways. [...] [I]t shouldn't be surprising that I put a lot of faith in the power of storytelling to shape our own real-life character."
And you're wondering by now, I'm certain, what Tui's approach to writing might be?
Where the days and nights of toddlers, deadlines and puppies - especially her beloved Sunshine - were begging for attention, inspiration would appear in the most unexpected of places, but with a life filled with friends, family, work and commitments on top of her writing, the "underground night owl" found quite a few effective - "but not perfect for everyone" - strategies that allowed her writing to flourish. A "big fan" of "[c]lassics where stuff happens", Tui consistently applies her proactive sense of "keeping things interesting" to every chapter, just as she tries to raise multiple storylines more of intellectual speculation than the immediate chapter can provide the answers to.
Tui has spoken at times about how she finds children the most interesting and affectable audience - her own worldview was shaped most by the books she read at that age, and as someone under the impression that the power to tell stories should be used for good, she once remarked that "...I'm interested in joyful and hopeful stories. There's a lot of dark, crazy things that happen in the dragon books, but the kind of thing I'm always trying to head toward is that idea of hope and agency, that no matter who you are you can control your own destiny. I want kids to feel that coming out of these books."
The basis of Wings of Fire itself - with a well-suited name intentionally chosen to make readers think of dragons - first began without a specific kind of reader in mind. The hope was to appeal to a widespread audience and reach different ages at different levels - and the books were largely successful in this regard, reaching male and female readers equally and garnering attention for its layers of readability.
Regarding her writing style, Tui's approach to writing has remained largely unchanged over the years. On top of countless hours of research - which, when it came to worldbuilding, was heavily inspired from nature documentaries such as Life in the Undergrowth and Planet Earth - a coherent balance of personal experience was woven in both through her settings and her characters. The pattern usually starts with an organized, planned-out setting and significant characters set up to start, whereas the plot comes last (as a loose outline of big scenes with the dialogue created on the spot). Elements are constantly isolated then put in as details to the bigger picture, with Tui's strategy being something very "tried and true to her".
The setting, for example, is often inspired by many places she's been to - such as the Waitomo Caves, the Taj Mahal and the Amber Palace - and each location is considered for its physical appearance and history. Tui regularly creates many of her fictional locations, such as the aforementioned destinations, based on real-life counterparts, striving to incorporate a balance of visual articulation despite considering herself "not the most visual" person, "so that even I [Tui] could imagine myself there." Oftentimes there are prominent setting tropes in the fantasy genre that are played with; Queen Scarlet's gladiator arena, for example, inverts the expectations of an arena's dungeon (as a cool, underground confined area) by elevating the isolated chained-platform "cells" high above the dueling arena each prisoner's platform encircles and surrounds. There's the same bold sense of creative spirit in Tui's rough map for the world of Wings of Fire as well (eventually illustrated professionally by Mike Schley, the biome-segmented landscape is tailored to each tribe of dragon's basic needs and abilities, and the continent itself is shaped like a dragon), and the geographical setting of these stories had been regularly referred to as a cornerstone in Tui's worldbuilding process.
On the other hand (or talon, in the case of the dragons), Tui believes that the characters are what readers will "stick around" for in a series, commenting that "you'll be [drawn to a story] by other things but stay for the characters that capture you[r]... heart". Her focus on backstory and personal history is initiated by asking an intricate set of questions to and about every character she comes up with; Tui considers it crucial to be able to get inside everyone's heads and understand the motivations, background and memories firsthand. The result "makes it feel more like a story than a snapshot," and Tui's character-centered focus for the series has definitely been one of the books' biggest draws. On many occasions she has recommended aspiring writers "get to know all their characters", figuring out how they need to change, how the way they grew up affected them, and to give each character 'something weird' (unique aspect) and 'something true' (relatable aspect). What Tui has done to make her characters stand out on a personal level, though, is incorporate a major aspect of her personality or something significantly different from one of her traits, and she's also spoken about the importance of keeping a writing journal when her brain is bustling with too many ideas. A writing journal - often overlooked for its deceptive simplicity - remains an essential opportunity to take characters and write a non-canonical scene, for example, or get to explore things from a different angle. Tui believes journalistic experimentation has another benefit, too: "[t]he more you write, the better you get at it!"
The naming patterns for Tui's many dragons are tailored to every character's personality within tribe-specific naming structures (ex. Tsunami, Fearless, Rattlesnake, Vigilance, Shark, etc.; sometimes played for irony as with characters such as Handsome and Prudence), and "startlingly long lists [of just] names" to match the personality perfectly. Attention to detail is key; keeping things in moderation remains the best approach in a tough balancing act: it can be tough to kill off a valued character, especially since a character's death will ideally open up as many narrative paths as it shuts down. And the story, for her, is a matter of going on a journey with a general goal in mind, instead of just thinking of the process as a laborious task: "Read a lot. Figure out what you love. Writing fanfiction, writing in other voices, is useful as an exercise. Anything that gets you writing is good practice. I like exploring questions about what motivates people."
It's a matter of writing what she enjoys, and figuring out a way to keep it fun for everyone: readers are often pleasantly surprised to discover how highly Tui thinks of conversations with her trusted readers, considering her audience above any sort of critical reaction. Critics, after all, aren't the same as an editor... and as a former editor herself, Tui considers her audience to be imperative in telling a story the best way it can possibly be told. After all, the biggest rule Tui has for herself is "...making sure to have fun, because when writers get bored with the story, that's when readers will get bored too - and if you get stuck, blow something up!"
So... what's it all about?
Wings of Fire focuses on a few big questions and ideas delved into overarching story arcs centered around a few core ideas. At the heart of all the books, though, the whole point of the series is to try to see the world through someone else's eyes. Everyone's at the center of an interesting and worthwhile story, and everyone is capable of being a hero in a unique way. The fully-fledged personalities of the series permits a versatile variety of showing these universal qualities. A note before I begin: despite my efforts to keep this spoiler-free, I do ask that you read on at your own risk.
In the first arc (Arc I), the continent of Pyrrhia finds itself dragged into a twenty-year-long war. The seven distinctive tribes of dragons - SandWings, SeaWings, SkyWings, RainWings, MudWings, IceWings, and NightWings - are divided amid one kingdom's sociopolitical succession controversy, where a mysterious prophecy has predicted that five dragonets - younger dragons - will somehow end the War of SandWing Succession by choosing the next SandWing queen. The Dragonets of Destiny, as they are known - Clay, Tsunami, Glory, Starflight and Sunny - had all been stolen as eggs from their kingdoms by an organization known as the Talons of Peace, who raise them away from the world they are supposed to save. But in choosing freedom over fate, and in an attempt to settle the prophecy on their own terms peacefully, the Dragonets of Destiny go on to see the war-torn world for themselves and figure out if there really is a way to bring about peace when the world has turned hope to fear and joy into pain.
Across five sweeping, majestic fantasy books of which each could be considered a classic in its own right, the main themes, Tui has explained, across the first arc happen to be the many effects of different styles of parenting (Tui had been a new mother at the start of the series), the many aspects of expectations (ex. where they align with others; what it means to fail others' expectations), the question of free will versus fate, and the question of nature versus nurture. How might you react if you were told you had some destiny or another? This happened to be the first "big" world-shaping question Tui tackled head-on; in the case of Clay, Tsunami, Glory, Starflight and Sunny, this had to do with the cryptic prophecy where they absolutely had to save the world, and how this shaped them significantly growing up (with polarized, conflicting thoughts and feelings about such a destiny). Overall, a strong argument is made that we are more shaped by how we grow up than who we are born as - that we can define for ourselves how we wish to live, so long as our worldview has the same shape that reality does. Even so, the villains demonstrate what evil can be boldly brought about by rejecting truth and defining one's reality without adhering to the natural order - a theme that would be heightened exponentially in the following five books.
In the second arc (Arc II), readers are given the opportunity to see the world of Pyrrhia in an entirely new light - from the viewpoint of five young dragons after the war has ended. Jade Mountain Academy, a school founded by the Dragonets of Destiny with the purpose of helping establish peace in the long run across the seven dragon tribes, is opening for the first time - and the books take off with a change of pace to match this new scenario. Learning alongside the experiences of Moonwatcher, Winter, Peril, Turtle, Qibli, and the countless other dragons introduced with eloquent intrigue, not everything is as good as it seems at the bustling new school. The whispers of change come in the form of a threatening, dangerous, very real prophecy which looms over the young heroes, just as very visible threats present themselves in the returning form of enemies both old and new… all of which are seemingly held in the balance by the unforeseen, enigmatic shadows cast by Moonwatcher's mystery friend. Throughout the passionate, sharp and grandiose series of adventures bravely undertaken by the unlikely group of heroes - unpredictable, well-matched and beyond the imagination of anyone - an iconic masterpiece of a quest begins and the darkness is brought into the light.
These five open world fantasy stories - argued by many fans to be the pinnacle of the main series' arcs - subvert expectations from the start. Tui expertly uses the second arc to pull off what she couldn't the first time around and do it better than anyone else could. While the themes from The Dragonet Prophecy, The Lost Heir, The Hidden Kingdom, The Dark Secret and The Brightest Night carry over under new guises, the formulaic structures are thrown out the window in favor of a more segmented, attuned storytelling style that perfectly fits Wings of Fire’s themes and its new leading characters. Flawless as it is intuitively, the main new themes of the arc are perplexingly all too simple on the surface while remaining filled to the brim with layers of complexity and carefully-woven threads tying together all the narratives. Among the greatest themes are the expanded question of free will versus magical control, the question of what it means to be gifted (ex. how to use said gifts; what the right way to use them might be), the nature of responsibility, and "what you can really know about someone until you've been inside their head". These questions are not only more expansive by nature, but purposefully explored in a more open-ended manner; the ability of these books to allow for highly complex fan interpretation allows for the richness to be carried over across both these and the preceding books with effortlessness. In addition to this, a certain character is introduced who takes all of these concepts and their surrounding ideas to the next metaphysical level - a character who can be explored separate from or concurrent to the arc's story at large. As the primary source of much of the series' critical acclaim, Moon Rising, Winter Turning, Escaping Peril, Talons of Power and Darkness of Dragons definitely do their best to get at the heart of their themes, build on an enchantingly original, unpredictably captivating storyline of an adventure… and come to a close in a way no one could have predicted.
In the third arc (Arc III) Tui went back to basics and delved into worldbuilding once again from scratch, forming the entirely new continent of Pantala, and three new tribes of dragons there with problems of their own under a tyrannical queen. Mind control is prominently featured once more, and - across a tight setting of political hierarchies and classist hostilities - the arc is centered around a "sliding scale of empathy versus resistance to evil". The books are generally considered a departure from earlier titles, and while they achieved popularity among a certain crowd of fans, the third arc has justifiably received criticism for its excessive fanservice, chaotic plot, frequent mishandling of characters both old and new, lack of thematic depth, controversial abundance of political metaphors and widely disparaged second half and conclusion. Some have taken to labeling it an unnecessary follow-up to the previous books - a sentiment which I support - and a respectable number of fans of the first ten books consider it ambiguous and inappropriate to younger readers. (As an ardent supporter of the first two Wings of Fire arcs myself, I tend to strongly recommend readers avoid these later books as the experience of the third arc can negatively taint one's appreciation of the first ten books and Darkstalker.)
With a comprehensive series lore guide, official coloring book (created with fan artist Brianna C. Walsh) and other companion titles, including the much-inferior graphic novel adaptations by Mike Holmes, Maarta Laiho and Barry Deutsch, Wings of Fire has - by this point - already developed into more of a franchise than a mere book series... one which may still be adapted to television or cinema, for worse or for better. Along the way, Tui also wrote and published several short stories (Winglets) examining side characters in the limelight; in late 2015, she held a public vote to decide which character would star in the second one (Deathbringer defeated Coral and Dune). Several other audience participation polls have popped up from time to time, such as a 2017 auction to feature a fan's original character in the tenth book.
Similarly, Tui delved into the series in a different way when she decided to launch Legends special editions - at first just one - to take a major look at significant events prior to the main books' present day stories take place - only these histories, having turned into legend and then into myth, are presented as they actually happen, from multiple perspectives and with the stakes not entirely clear until the very end. The first one of these - Wings of Fire: Legends ~ Darkstalker - happens to be on an entirely different level compared to the rest of Wings of Fire... but as this is the mysterious Cole S. Sieben making the introductions, you'll get to hear about that one all on its own a little later on.
Though it is seldom examined directly, the series as a whole stands as an ultimately attempt to highlight larger-than-life characters on a personal journey amid the trials and tribulations of life, specifically chronicling their unique attainment (or lack thereof in some cases) of what is identified as "the power of wings of fire" - a clever metaphor with an inspiring meaning.
Tui has stated that she finds children the most interesting and impressionable audience in a number of ways - citing the books she grew up with as the most influential things which shaped her worldview. When this is placed in the context of the "war against wonder" challenging the minds of the young far before discernment even becomes adequately possible, along with the ever-increasing demands of life, what does one find? An answer - through a world of fantasy - to cope with the struggles of the world, to learn in ways that previously seemed impossible, and to explore the mysteries of the universe with a heightened amount of belief in one's abilities to persist in the face of suffering.
And having the power to fulfill one's own destiny and choose one's fate is something worth believing in.
Knowing that we may not be able to control much save that what we do with our own hearts, instinctively, remains one of the most essential, humanizing notions one can learn; where dragons are a larger-than-life symbol of freedom, made accessible to readers who may often be weighed down by the cruelties of the world (but not shown as a form of escapism), the inspirational messages of encouragement, and, in turn, hope, are what Tui tries to work toward as best she can, and by using her methods of storytelling to show her own hope wherever she can.
Thus it could be understood that the metaphor of a "power of wings of fire" represents something even greater than the metaphor it seems to solely stand in for. Of course, it should be mentioned that in order to obtain this one must "bow to a fate that is stronger and higher"... but considering the especially theological nature of this question, a more thorough treatment of this notion must be given - a discussion which will be unpacked as it is revealed.
Now, how about the reader's reactions?
Well, I'm glad you asked, because - listen up - this is where things have gotten a little tricky. Tui's beloved epic dragon fantasy series has sold well over fifteen million copies, reached hundreds upon hundreds of thousands of readers of all ages across the world and been translated into a few dozen languages, and the versatile audience of readers are, at large, a divisive, complicated ensemble for which there isn't a single generalization that defines the entire fanbase. Whether the expressions are of love or disdain, the Wings of Fire fanbase has a poorly chronicled past that has hardly garnered any critical assessment, even though there's much to be learned about how readers have looked at ideas in these stories over time.
One of Tui's most notable aspects is her love of attending live events and getting to interact with many of her readers personally; the sheer magnitude of the ever-growing fanbase caught on to this at its core and developed around this appreciation from the books' creator from the very start. The development of a work's cult following is of a very different nature when the creator nurtures the passion. (As someone who's more or less been affiliated with the series since its inception, and as one of the series' recognized authorities and historians, I'd like to note that the complex history is abbreviated in this essay and raise attention to the fact that I have omitted several social developments for length's sake.)
When The Dragonet Prophecy was released ten years ago today in 2012, reception was positive although expectations were nevertheless low for the lasting legacy of the epic dragon fantasy series, even among the earliest batches of FanWings. Although initial publicity was generated through Tui's tenure with the Erin Hunter team (on the Warriors books, as previously mentioned), an initial influx of fans wouldn't arrive on the scene for nearly five years - the series' Wiki started out startlingly basic, and fan integration was enthusiastic yet spread out far and in between. With a Scholastic Forum that massively contributed to the serious discussion - and creative proliferation - of an abundance of fan-created works, both written and visual, the intensive rapidity of Wings of Fire becoming a kind of cult classic seemed inevitable in no time. However, serious thoughtfulness took the backseat amid the roleplaying, sketching and back-and-forth conversations. Scuffles and feuds have come and gone with each book - the Moonbli/Winterwatcher stands out as an especially popular "shipping war" particular note - and as the fanbase grew, the stability of such discussions became increasingly destabilized... though at some point along the way, the "ask Tui anything" forums became less productive, and the broader attention span of the readers became more hysterical as the discussions themselves became more sensationalized.
It's hard to say when things may have changed, or if the natural progression of events dictate that the passions of the creator will never be proportionate to the output of a fanbase, but few key milestones truly emerged, even though individual fan works achieved some name recognition in their own right. Classical crossover pianist Gretchen Ratke (also known as Music Mommy) creatively adapted the spirit of the series' prophecies and characters into resonant soundscapes. creating anthemic themes that resonated with hundreds of thousands of Wings of Fire fans. Fan artist Brianna C. Walsh (Peregrinecella) ascended to a series assistant after gaining the attention of Scholastic Inc., who recognized her visual style's resemblance to the official artist for the series, Joy Ang. And then there are fan groups such as the roleplaying entourage of the PPAU (Pyrrhia-Pantala Alliance-University), founded by Alaskanay and Biohazardia, which was recognized by Tui herself in the fourteenth book's dedication. Journals by fans (most notably Biohazardia) who met Tui at her live events reported positively on the experience, and the insights gathered through the Q&A sessions sparked the first public discussions in depth about the books' thematic undertakings.
Things weren't all for the best. Movements in the Fandom formed, many of which took the fanbase by storm, often of a strangely negative nature; once-courteous discussions morphed into shouting wars, and the third arc of the series brought with it a wave of new fans that undermined the previously underground tranquility of the series' early days. Things weren't shifting to become mainstream; the general market was filling in, though, and with it, the relativistic trendiness of the outside culture's unhealthy fixations shaped the environment of the fanbase for the worse. As time went on, it was the culture of Wings of Fire that suffered from the problems as well; the political punditry of the nihilistic public square sought to dominate the creative landscapes as had been overruled elsewhere. Extremist positions filtered in and corrupted, radicalized and consumed the minds of the generally quite young series audience, and the resulting realm of fan discussions became gradually defined by postmodernist, left-wing woke ideology. These subcultures became focused on ideological conformity, and socially giving in to group demands and peer pressure is nothing short of a fixation for many of these masses of "mainstream" fans.
All the while, individuals have popped up from relative obscurity who have entirely rejected these corrupt notions, focusing on serious thematic pondering and personal interpretations derived from reading the series as it was originally written. The third arc and its many political ambiguities haven't helped the cause, but there are those who reject the desire for cultural relevance that many have called for. Beyond the political pressures of the public square, in private there are those who are a rock in an ocean of change, unyielding to the foundationless opinions imposed by others, hoping to persist in pursuing good for the sake of what is good. In a world where everyone is talking and no one is listening, these readers - who are thought by the mainstream market to be merely left behind - are the only ones who are truly listening with an open mind and an open heart, neutral amid the extremes and giving everyone the benefit of the doubt all the while.
One does not need to be relevant to be meaningful, and one certainly does not need to adhere to the cultural zeitgeist in order to leave a legacy behind.
It's crucial to distinguish the fact that fans do not define or represent the quality of a work, and these people themselves are neither inherently good nor bad for the sake of a series, nor on their own. One must distinguish the figments of imagination from reality, resist the falseness of mere speculation and search for what lies beyond the interpretations of fans. Tui, and only Tui, can truly have the perfect sense of what was intended by the Wings of Fire books, and the interpretations of fans are not the final say in any matter. After all, the whims of spontaneity that make up a culture are always subject to change... though the facts of life will stand forever. Whether or not Tui herself has made sufficient efforts to break away from the possible negative influences of her readers (and the resulting consequences) is a question for another time... but all that can really be said is this: there is a great deal to be learned from others who have encountered the same work as oneself, but the reading process - and with it, the ability to analyze and contemplate a given work - is best learned from when examined on one's own as the creator originally intended.
The qualities of "culture" can disappear with the morning mist, and other factors may stubbornly persist for the most arbitrary of reasons. From my experience attending live events, and from my broader speculations, I do not think it wise to consider society and culture to be one and the same. Fortunately, neither aspect of the human condition is inherently ordered to bring about the worst possible scenarios and settings as I have made it sound - but the overall unhealthiness of the fanbase does not permit room for the mastery of the series' ideas, and this must not be underestimated.
...Wait, what about the "mastery of morality" part?
Ah, you remembered.
Yes.
Up until this point, I've refrained from revealing any personal details about my experiences with the Wings of Fire series. But at this point, well... let's just say that this may no longer be possible, as one of the series' leading experts, and as someone who’s spoken with Tui T. Sutherland directly on multiple occasions.
(August 2024 Revision Update: Several sections, this one in particular, have been thoroughly revised and corrected. I would also like to note that I happened to gain the splendid once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to speak with Tui on October 18-19, 2023, though my findings from that encounter did not inform any of the revisions to this piece.)
Tui's religious background remained a mystery for years, and while her tumultuous upbringing was moderately well-known within the fanbase, few things had been confirmed (or denied) by her, and of the apparent, intentional real-life connections were little more than speculation. And speculation was all there would be.
The key word there: "was".
When we first "met" at a by-chance event, I, the mysterious Cole S. Sieben, took on the world by storm, so to speak, by asking a question that no one could have predicted from an obscure enigma with no online presence such as myself - a question which captivated the minds of the hundreds of other fans in attendance: "Religion is very uniquely portrayed in Wings of Fire. Do you reflect faith systems metaphorically/philosophically (ex: Tolkien's LotR), do you write characters based on their set of beliefs, or do you do something different?"
Tui's reply, to my delight, was very revealing: "...Yeah, that is a really good question. Umm... I mean it's... I feel like for the real answer, I'd have to go a lot into depth about my religious background and, umm... like, I went to a Baptist Missionary School in Paraguay and I also studied Buddhism in college and I'm married to a wonderful Jewish man and we're raising our children Jewish, so there's a lot of pieces that kind of come together and, um, in my brain as I'm thinking about this, but I think that for me what it really comes down to - especially with a fantasy world like this - is more of a moral grounding, and I do think a lot about the dragons choosing right and wrong and choosing to help other dragons over themselves is a lot of elements of different religious beliefs or philosophies that hopefully come together. I feel like, you know, if you want a really good answer to this you gotta find a grad student who could write a really good essay on all of the different things that I tried to weave into the books - I'm not sure I could explain it quite as well, but it's definitely a big part of what I'm thinking about is just the, um... not necessarily like putting it in the framework of a religion, but thinking about what we owe to each other; all the stuff you'd find in the good place that they talk about, like all those questions of how to take care of each other and what it means to be a good dragon... so I hope that answers it enough! That was a good question."
Of course, little had she known I was that "grad student" who'd been researching that subject for eight years by that point. My hypothesis was confirmed, and now there was a more helpful framework to build upon. Tui, arguably more spiritual than religious, embedded and integrated her interreligious ideas and themes rather seamlessly into Wings of Fire... even though her sense of certainty in these ideas was anything but fixed.
There are elements from the books which are obvious "clues", such as characters who were inspired by literary classics. Samuel Taylor Coleridge's "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner" was a major inspiration for the character of Albatross, for one, multiple moral meanings intended all the while. (The albatross carries a burdensome weight, to be clear, comparable to the weight of animus magic and its psychological burdens, both in relation to the character of the same name and the whole work of Darkstalker.) The overwhelming sense of consequence from one's actions derived from Alexandre Dumas' The Count of Monte Cristo, and the majestic sense of dignity was derived from Dante Aligheri's The Divine Comedy and countless other plays, poems and prose works across the ages. The stellar magnitude of her books’ similarities to the Erin Hunter team's Warriors cats series bears a more superficial resemblance, though the humanization of the Wings of Fire dragons owe a great deal to this "predecessor" in fiction. And then there's her love for Shakespeare (and ice cream!), with the tragedian-and-comic-in-one subliminally developing Tui's intriguing abilities as a writer to emotionally "rip out [the reader's] heart and stomp on it".
On the other side of this, Tui has openly stated how much she enjoys seeing fans make the series their own and read all their different ideas and interpretations into it. Considerable headcanons have been handled with hesitant authority in most instances; in others, with a more firm answer. The popular character of Whiteout (known for her odd mannerisms and philosophical unconventionality), confirmed to have definite aspects of associative synesthesia and autistic savant conditions, has been compared to Pierre Teillhard de Chardin's concept of the Omega Point of mental consciousness and Carl Jung's experiential concept of the collective unconsciousness. The antagonist Queen Scarlet has been acclaimed as a representation of sadism, bloodthirstiness and drunk-with-unrestrained-power hysteria in the most thrilling sense. Numerous characters have highlights the ups and downs of extroversion, introversion, ambiversion and the expectations of each, from Queen Vigilance (the less one speaks, the more one is heard) to Squid (showing the limits of ridiculous whining and its consequences) as teaching points, no matter how desirable or undesirable a character may be in the end. The questions of manipulation and fabricated illusions have been brought up time and time again in the first ten books, especially concerning the prophecies each arc revolves around and the special powers of the NightWing tribe holistically. The endless manipulations of Peril as she grew up has been tied in with not only the first arc's theme of parenting but with the nature of gaining a solid foundation later on in life when there wasn't even the framework for one growing up. Character-wise, the list just goes on and on, and new features come to mind with each re-read.
Scientific considerations of her worldbuilding are by no means overlooked: the cosmological worldviews of each tribe concerning holidays and festivals, such as full moon festivals - and many other things related to the dragon planet's three moons - have been considered essential to the astronomical and scientific components of the fantasy world. The biological role of each tribe's own natural weapons, defenses and features has been brought into conversation with interdisciplinary fields of entirely different kinds. The distinctive culture of each tribe illustrated cross-cultural and interreligious dialogue, reflecting the impact of the globalized world in which we live in today. In a more fantastical sense, the place of humanity in the natural order at large is considered separately, with humans - mostly a tasty snack living in fear of dragons - portrayed very differently (and with nearly no visual references) in comparison to the real world. The dimensions of the notion of the "power of wings of fire", obtained once one is willing to "bow to a fate that is stronger and higher" reflects mystical writings and mirrors some of the ideas of St. John of the Cross' teachings on the dark night of the soul and the path toward union with God. And as far as realms of thought in other disciplines go, the list just goes on and on, with something always connecting to something else, and something new to discover under every nook and cranny.
Ontologically, apart from what the natural order has dictated, there are many aspects of the conditions of life that are left to be interpreted by each and every one of the series' characters, such as the way one finds meaning in suffering and how to cope with death. Tui has remained reluctant to confirm or deny the plausibility of the concept of reincarnation within her fictional worlds, noting her fascination with the idea while refraining from having a say in matters beyond her knowledge. As such, theological speculation is presented more implicitly, and ideas are grasped through the beliefs of Wings of Fire's characters, to be weighed against the readers' own moral compasses.
Other things of a more fantastical nature - such as the powers of the NightWings - are especially... beautifully handled, one could say. Believed to be bestowed on dragons from a divine source (the moon), the implications of how one might use any sort of power in the best possible way is freely explored. Fantastical scenarios which would have otherwise never been possible are made fresh, exciting, and ultimately new to many readers (and all readers in some respects).
There's mind readers, handled flawlessly and realistically; differentiated heavily from empaths (which are naturally occuring in reality, as the term was originally defined by Isabella Snow), the question of personal privacy and the individual sanctity of sanity are brought to the forefront. What it means in the end is fascinatingly interpretive to where it features; of course, sometimes the mere simplicity of the situation - and overdramatized fashion of the notion of mind-reading in general - has left it written off far to often, even though Tui gives it her own little spin for the better, as someone who's constantly wondered what it might be like to have the voices and opinions of others constantly inside our heads.
There's future seers, handled flawlessly and realistically; differentiated heavily from astrologers who seek the divine will by lending themselves freely to sin, only the ability to trace every possible outline of threads of the future - illustrated more perfectly through the character of Clearsight in Wings of Fire: Legends ~ Darkstalker than perhaps is possible within human thought anywhere else - is presented as a moral dilemma because the future is not meant for the eyes of most, nor can its fleetingness be truly trusted. Hence it ties in with the polarity of freedom versus fate Tui so commonly returns to.
And animus magic, used by animus dragons.
The concept, literally believed to be "soul" magic, is a concept completely original to Wings of Fire and handled unlike any of the other components of significance. With moral implications taken to a level of expertise, and with philosophical soundness logically standing alongside the framework of the series in which it is featured, animus magic is believed to both literally chip away at a soul and embed itself as a psychological effect (a la Albatross) - the soul is safe when the magic is used for entirely good things, and the destruction comes under the desire for bad, selfish things. Tui's genius has this paradox worked out perfectly, making absolute sense under deeper contemplation - the magic, used as a commanding action (and needing a legitimate moral choice for its status to take effect on the soul), is considered a substantial means by which an even greater amount of good - or evil - is possible. Whereas everywhere else in the series animus magic is ethically considered an unseen, ethereal effect on the souls of the dragons who are capable of it (except for how the enchantments themselves are visually brought about), in Darkstalker, the concept is explored in a different light with an animus-touched object that can measure the levels of good and evil in a soul - an hourglass. Philosophically and theologically imaginative to the highest degree, and fun beyond belief to contemplate, explore and wonder about, it's no surprise that with such a groundbreaking fictional construct of an idea it would seem remiss not to use it to the fullest extent possible.
...Yes, that's right, ladies and gentlemen. I've saved the best for last when it comes to this introductory thematic essay.
Darkstalker.
The magnus opus of Tui T. Sutherland, and arguably both among the finest characters ever written and the most outstanding creative works ever conceived.
Darkstalker (the dragon) happens to be one of the most iconic characters of Wings of Fire, and is rightfully considered by many to be one of the best written characters its readers have ever known. A whole character written to examine his moral status, who he is and the many perspectives he could be seen from, and a truly formidable dragon one can get to know and love over the course of the book he stars in. Charismatic, extremely emotionally and intellectually intelligent and with an introspective, enigmatically decisive personality and character, Darkstalker is far more than meets the eye... and remains one of the most complicated characters ever designed. Are there any ways to describe or compare Darkstalker to anything at all, or is his own moral status and unparalleled reflection of life and love, good and evil, truth and deception, and the battle between hope and despair?
I think not.
Darkstalker (the book) happens to be one of the most immersive, philosophically layered and theologically rich books ever written, not only for children but for anyone and everyone, and is rightfully considered by nearly all fans to be the best-written entry in Wings of Fire. (One could perhaps go even further, suggesting it to be one of the greatest books of all time, as I frequently have been known to.)
The book has everything. Stirring characters, vivid atmospheres, intricate plotting, intelligent themes. Questions, subplots, ideas, experiences, worldbuilding, romance, heartbreak, persistence. A sense that the reader really doesn't know what's going to happen next. And a spiritual tone to the entire work that's exceptionally different from anything that's ever been written - and is simply impossible to replicate. Fathom, Clearsight and Darkstalker, written in alternating perspectives, leave one wondering about the bigger picture endlessly as readers fall in love with all three exceptionally perfected protagonists, not quite defined by their inherent qualities or conditions in life, nor by the flaws of those around them but by their moral decisions. The narrative is perfectly designed as an experience for the soul, something readers will be unable to forget… something to remember as far as life extends, capable of stirring depths very few dare to approach.
It is driven by philosophy, guided by the heart's innermost secrets, built upon the deepest of reflections upon the state of the soul, and embedded with the very spirit that causes life to flourish; it is lovely in its darkest depths yet never so dark as to cause readers to lose hope. As it weaves its thoughtful memories and heartfelt intricacies with the greatest questions that have always haunted our souls, Darkstalker serves as a moral story and a demonstration of the potential for good and evil we all possess, and it is a story about something else as well… something which is not so easily discussed with those unfamiliar with it.
Contained within the pages of Darkstalker, one can find reflections of an age long lost to us, secrets which remain unspoken except to those who still seek light even in the darkest of times - to those who freely choose to learn from the mists of time. To those who are not afraid to walk through the dark.
Darkstalker is one of the most unusually compelling masterpieces in storytelling in nearly every regard, and while I could go on endlessly about it as one of the greatest works of world literature, I think... it might be a better idea to stop while I'm ahead. I ask you, most humbly, to read Wings of Fire: Legends ~ Darkstalker (and do it first, as a standalone), to go into it completely blind, and to let yourself become immersed by the story as it stands. As one of the greatest contemplations of morality, philosophy, theology, personal choice, free will and the ultimate meaning of life, and as an ineffable experience that can "possess" a reader, just as Tui noted "the story possessed [her]" writing it, I assure you... you'd be infinitely grateful if you gave it a chance.
...In a very unusual way, it saved my life. Maybe it'll change yours.
Tui T. Sutherland's Wings of Fire series has the potential to stand the bitter test of time. To stretch across the ages and touch the hearts of readers as only a classic could. It's not meant to be mainstream - it's weird, ingenious, and glad to be unlike anything else out there. Over the last ten years the books have led readers on a wild journey - a sweeping, larger-than-life, truly epic fantasy that ultimately hoped to inspire hope in its readers - in a world where uncertainty about the future, or even the proper place of reading fantasy itself, has been a pressing problem. Centuries from now, it might get the respect, love and attention it deserves - in all the right ways, and with the careful, considerately open hearts and minds of readers it deserves.
At the very least, I hope it might serve as a gateway to wonder.
And to hope.
"All the hurricanes and earthquakes and fires and storms cannot break you, if you remember a few things. We are here to love with our whole hearts. Lean into kindness and empathy in the face of evil - but do not let evil win. You can change the world with your joy and your hope." — Clearsight
Acknowledgement
Sieben, Cole S. "Mastery of Morality and Wings of Fire." Substack (1 July 2022).
This essay is published here with the exclusive permission of Cole S. Sieben. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any way or by any means without written permission of the author. All rights reserved.
About The Author
Cole S. Sieben (2002—Present) is a Canadian Catholic philosopher, introvert, retro gamer, empath, mystic, composer and interdisciplinary researcher. Acclaimed among experts of Tui T. Sutherland's Darkstalker, and often deemed "unlike anyone else his age", Cole happens to be an award-winning epic fantasy writer in his own right, and is working on his forthcoming literary masterpiece Shards of Seven Mystic Dreams.
Copyright © 2022 Cole S. Sieben
Wow!! Very detailed and well-written essay.
Incredible work Cole!