Drifting Dragons

A Great Graphic Novels for Teens selection by the Young Adult Library Services Association! Take to the skies with the scrappy crew of the airship Quin Zaza, as they hunt the fantastical giants that rule their world... DRAGONS! LIFE IN THE CLOUDS Mika is a draker on the airship Quin Zaza. He earns his livelihood hunting the whales of the sky--dragons! The beautiful beasts are flying treasure troves, providing food and materials, and the Quin Zaza is among the last draking vessels. Mika's not just a talented hunter; he's also a gourmand with a refined palette and a taste for the exotic. Between his duties aboard the ship, his ambitions as an eater, and his new job training the rookie dragon hunter Takita, Mika's days are never boring. But even with the lively crew of the Quin Zaza as his family, the nomadic life of a draker can be lonely and dangerous...

Continuing her journey through the skies, the Quin Zaza soon collides with a luxury airliner, leaving her grounded. Needless to say, the crew can barely afford to stay aloft, let alone pay for repairs. Just when it looks like the Quin Zaza might have to close up shop, they hear a rumor about a "shipeater" that's been gobbling up ships left and right...as well as the generous bounty on its head. Well? What are we waiting for?!

The draking vessel Quin Zaza soars through the skies, hunting dragons that hide in the clouds. A single big catch means full coffers and all the meat they can eat, while failure means an empty wallet and an even emptier stomach. Join us as we log the crew’s grand adventures, chasing dreams of the sky, dragons, and gourmet cooking!

During their stay at the bustling trade town of Majuro, the crew of the Quin Zaza catches wind about an elusive dragon dwelling within the Tian Shan Maze whose meat is said to deliver the diner directly to paradise. Meanwhile, Captain Kurga of the slayer vessel, the Plana Grava, has been contracted by the city to fell the very same dragon in the effort of air route reclamation. To catch and savor, or to kill and let rot. When the two ships clash over the head of one dragon, a dogfight ensues so intense, it shakes the very heavens!

In an effort to rebuild their wrecked ship, the crew of the Quin Zaza beseech the aid of Brno, heir to a major trading company, and his fiancée, Liriope. In exchange for the crew’s help in solving a recent string of dragon fallings, they are invited to a party to celebrate the launching of Brno’s newly renovated ship. Everything is going great…until Vannie sees a peculiar sight at the party and does something that baffles everyone! In the wake of her actions, the Quin Zaza is faced with yet another dilemma!

In a dramatic joint struggle, Mika and Vannie slay the Mistmaker, putting a long overdue end to the civil war between Arena’s royalist faction and the Parliamentary Army! But just as the dust begins to settle, Vannie is asked to remain in Arena and succeed the throne in order to lead the people towards a brighter future. When the day the crew must say goodbye to Vannie nears, Mika visits her hospital room and asks her to make the same terrine she prepared once before. What words do the two exchange after their many journeys together, and what answer does Vannie arrive at at the end of her long journey? The Vannie arc finally reaches its tearful conclusion!

Mika and his crewmates of the Quin Zaza have followed their missing companion, Vannie, to her hometown of Arena. As a civil war rages on, Mika and the others learn of a dragon, the "mistmaker", that is plaguing Arena, as well of the shocking truth that Vannie is actually a royal princess! Having stuck the mistmaker first, the anti-royalist forces prepare to lay claim to the dragon first! Meanwhile, Vannie agrees to assist the royal army in taking down the very same dragon in order to save her long lost friend and benefactor, Tzita, who has been left comatose from the dragon's mists. Mika and co. with the parliamentary army, Vannie with the royal army, and their shared prize, the mistmaker. At last, the three-way conflict reaches its dramatic conclusion!

HOW TO SAVE A LIFE The deadly battle with Typhon is over, but the skirmish left Gibbs mortally wounded. While the rest of the Quin Zaza crew heads out to find a rare kind of dragon oil needed to save him, Gibbs reflects on his life and what drove him to be a draker. Will the crew return with the oil in time? Or are Gibbs's days aboard airships coming to a close?