The Hero and the Crown

Aerin, the daughter of the king of Damar, has always been an outsider because her mother was supposed to be a witch. As a result, she is insecure and doesn't fit in at court. The only friends she has are a young man, Tor, and her horse Talat. Since she is 'only' a daughter, she doesn't have any real power, and since she isn't a beauty or accepted at court, she doesn't even have the advantages and position she should have as a princess. So she turns to pursuits that are deemed unfit for a princess (or any girl, for that matter): She trains Talat and herself in fighting the small dragons that pester the country and develops a balm that protects both of them from the dragons' fire. But one day, a large dragon appears in Damar and Aerin is the only one with even the slightest chance of defeating the dangerous and intelligent beast. But the price she has to pay for fighting the dragon will be higher than she could have imagined... I first read this book as a teenager and have later read it several times as an adult, and I loved it either way. The characters and the whole world are wonderful, as is the plot of the girl / young woman, who doesn't fit into a restrictive society and finally makes her own way - fighting dragons! Robin McKinley is a truly great writer and while all her books are really good, I love the ones set in Damar the most. This book is definitely worth buying, especially if you like fantasy. I would also recommend 'The blue sword', which is set in Damar a long time after the events of 'The Hero and the Crown' and in which we meet some of the characters from 'Hero' again.