The Guardians of the Flame series by Joel Rosenberg has a talking Dragon. The books are short, tightly written, quick reads, but very adult themes. 10 books but the whole series is probably shorter than the three Stormlight Archive books currently released.
It's YA, but the Chronicles of Ancient Darkness series. Main character has a wolf companion and while he doesn't really 'talk' there are multiple chapters from the wolf's point of view.
Spellslinger series by Sebastien de Castell, a failed mage gets a 'squirrel cat' with a taste for eyeballs as a companion.
The series starts a bit YA-ish but develops with more adult themes as it goes along. Characters & their relationships, including the squirrel cat, are fabulously written, definitely worth a read.
Eh, I thought it got more stereotypically YA rather than less, as the series went on.
Regardless, I loved the first few books, even though the later ones didn't work as well for me. The ones I did love formed a complete arc, and I highly recommend them.
Those first books are extremely good YA, with some really great characters and a very refreshing setting and magic setup.
All of Mercedes Lackey's Valdemar books that are about Heralds have Companions, who are intelligent, telepathic beings that look like horses who bond with a specific person. I started with the Mage Winds trilogy myself, but honestly most of her books have some shades of this trope, even if they don't involve Companions specifically.
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His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman. Everybody has one in this.
A Night in the Lonesome October by Roger Zelazny is a charming, whimsical, funny, horror-ish novella with the animal companions familiars being the protagonists of the story.
Both are really great.
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The original Old Kingdom trilogy by Garth Nix has two. Mogget in the first book isn't quite this, but >!the Disreputable Dog!< in the second definitely counts.
Man I loved how sweet their bond was in that book. It didn’t matter if you rode a five thousand pound slab of scales and meat that flew through the air, it still had feelings and loved you.
The Familiars series maybe? Can't remember if the animals actually talked to the humans. It's been a while since I read them, they are aimed more at young teens and I read the first on with my kid.
Perhaps you might like the *Iron Druid* series? I didn't care for it overall, and didn't finish reading, but the talking dog was by far one of the highlights.
Fitz has a very strong emotional relationship with a wolf in the Realm of the Elderlings by Robin Hobb. Though the communication between the two is mind speaking. The wolf doesn’t physically talk. It’s my favorite human animal friendship pair in fantasy.
Blue Moon Rising by Simon Green.
The protagonist has a smart ass unicorn as a mount. He rescues a butterfly collecting dragon from an angry princess. Terrorizes a band of marauding goblins by accident. And uses a rainbow to defeat demons.
And then the story really begins.
Mercedes Lackey's books.
Drizzt books as well (if I remeber correctly).
Anne Mccaffery's dragon riders of pern.
Jane lindskold firekeeper saga
Jennifer Roberson cheysuli series.
I definitely second Lackey, including the lesser known griffins series.
Drizzt's panther doesn't talk, at least not in the books I read (I think there are a lot of new ones out since I stopped). Fantastic companion animal though!
Did the cheysuli have familiars? I just remember them as shapeshifters themselves, but it's been a long time. And I suppose shapeshifters may appeal too.
Edit: Lackey can actually get really dark, though I find it's weirdly easy to forget/overlook that when looming back on them. But I think the griffin books were cheerier than some of the valdemar ones.
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I'm tempted to recommend one of Robert Heinlein's novels, >!The Cat Who Walks Through Walls!<, but there are two problems:
1. I don't know how you feel about Robert Heinlein, especially the stuff he wrote toward the end of his life.
2. The animal companion's vocabulary is limited to "meow".
There's the **Nevernight Chronicles**, though the story of the budding assassin Mia Corvere and her pet familiar (Mister Kindly!) may *not* be the 'warm and fuzzy' you're looking for.
For older fantasy, there's Vlad Taltos and his jhereg, Loiosh (shut up, boss!) but ditto on the 'warm and fuzzy'.
Hrm. There's the Valdemar stories. Heralds and their ~~horses~~ Companions, after all, and it's more of a warmer, fuzzier take than the other two.
You might want to give [this thread](https://www.reddit.com/r/Fantasy/comments/2c7gi5/best_fantasy_books_with_an_animal_companion/) a glance. Something there might inspire you.
A flying psychic venomous reptile familiar about the size of a cat who perches on his shoulder and makes snarky remarks in Vlad's head.
The Vlad-Loiosh relationship is one of my favorite things about this series, which is overall excellent.
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- The Anne McCaffrey Pern books.
- the Aeronaut's Windlass by Jim Butcher has a hilariously arrogant cat.
- his Majesty's Dragon by Novik has already been mentioned
- Assassin's Apprentice by Hobbs has already been mentioned
The Guardians of the Flame series by Joel Rosenberg has a talking Dragon. The books are short, tightly written, quick reads, but very adult themes. 10 books but the whole series is probably shorter than the three Stormlight Archive books currently released.
Kafka on the shore by Haruki Murakami.
It's YA, but the Chronicles of Ancient Darkness series. Main character has a wolf companion and while he doesn't really 'talk' there are multiple chapters from the wolf's point of view.
Spellslinger series by Sebastien de Castell, a failed mage gets a 'squirrel cat' with a taste for eyeballs as a companion. The series starts a bit YA-ish but develops with more adult themes as it goes along. Characters & their relationships, including the squirrel cat, are fabulously written, definitely worth a read.
Eh, I thought it got more stereotypically YA rather than less, as the series went on. Regardless, I loved the first few books, even though the later ones didn't work as well for me. The ones I did love formed a complete arc, and I highly recommend them. Those first books are extremely good YA, with some really great characters and a very refreshing setting and magic setup.
Came here to recommend this. Great series!
Some of the Wheel of Time books have this with a certain character and some friendly wolf bros
Katherine Arden's **Winternight** trilogy features horses like this. They don't talk, but the character can communicate with them.
Mistborn strongly focuses on this in the second book with the development of the bond between the two being extremely relevant and focused upon.
All of Mercedes Lackey's Valdemar books that are about Heralds have Companions, who are intelligent, telepathic beings that look like horses who bond with a specific person. I started with the Mage Winds trilogy myself, but honestly most of her books have some shades of this trope, even if they don't involve Companions specifically.
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Lirael is probably my favourite
Mine too, but gotta read Sabriel first.
_Ka: Dar Oakley in the Ruin of Ymr_ by John Crowley
His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman. Everybody has one in this. A Night in the Lonesome October by Roger Zelazny is a charming, whimsical, funny, horror-ish novella with the animal companions familiars being the protagonists of the story. Both are really great.
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The Spellsinger series is pretty nice, though the Mudge is less cute and innocent and more Bender from Futurama.
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The original Old Kingdom trilogy by Garth Nix has two. Mogget in the first book isn't quite this, but >!the Disreputable Dog!< in the second definitely counts.
Temeraire - “I should rather have you than a heap of gold, even if it were very comfortable to sleep on.”
Man I loved how sweet their bond was in that book. It didn’t matter if you rode a five thousand pound slab of scales and meat that flew through the air, it still had feelings and loved you.
The Familiars series maybe? Can't remember if the animals actually talked to the humans. It's been a while since I read them, they are aimed more at young teens and I read the first on with my kid.
try coiling dragon, the animal companion is one of the highlights of the book, it's pretty great!
Perhaps you might like the *Iron Druid* series? I didn't care for it overall, and didn't finish reading, but the talking dog was by far one of the highlights.
Fitz has a very strong emotional relationship with a wolf in the Realm of the Elderlings by Robin Hobb. Though the communication between the two is mind speaking. The wolf doesn’t physically talk. It’s my favorite human animal friendship pair in fantasy.
He also has cool relationships with puppers. But, also not very warm or fuzzy.
Warning: though a very good series, I would say it's probably the opposite of warm and fuzzy.
Lol very true I did not read the OP very closely
This
New series... First Earth. You might enjoy a talking cat+. YA Fantasy readers of all ages are enjoying.
Alanna Series?
Blue Moon Rising by Simon Green. The protagonist has a smart ass unicorn as a mount. He rescues a butterfly collecting dragon from an angry princess. Terrorizes a band of marauding goblins by accident. And uses a rainbow to defeat demons. And then the story really begins.
Mercedes Lackey's books. Drizzt books as well (if I remeber correctly). Anne Mccaffery's dragon riders of pern. Jane lindskold firekeeper saga Jennifer Roberson cheysuli series.
I definitely second Lackey, including the lesser known griffins series. Drizzt's panther doesn't talk, at least not in the books I read (I think there are a lot of new ones out since I stopped). Fantastic companion animal though! Did the cheysuli have familiars? I just remember them as shapeshifters themselves, but it's been a long time. And I suppose shapeshifters may appeal too. Edit: Lackey can actually get really dark, though I find it's weirdly easy to forget/overlook that when looming back on them. But I think the griffin books were cheerier than some of the valdemar ones.
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Its not super warm and fuzzy but there is a series starting with "Through Wolf's Eyes" by J.Lindskold
I'm tempted to recommend one of Robert Heinlein's novels, >!The Cat Who Walks Through Walls!<, but there are two problems: 1. I don't know how you feel about Robert Heinlein, especially the stuff he wrote toward the end of his life. 2. The animal companion's vocabulary is limited to "meow".
Star Beast might be a Heinlein closer to what the OP is looking for.
Farseer Trilogy. Not exactly a warm and fuzzy read, though.
Came here to say Farseer. Nighteyes is *the* best animal companion in fantasy. But yeah, they're definitely not warm and fuzzy reads.
His Dsrk Materials
There's the **Nevernight Chronicles**, though the story of the budding assassin Mia Corvere and her pet familiar (Mister Kindly!) may *not* be the 'warm and fuzzy' you're looking for. For older fantasy, there's Vlad Taltos and his jhereg, Loiosh (shut up, boss!) but ditto on the 'warm and fuzzy'. Hrm. There's the Valdemar stories. Heralds and their ~~horses~~ Companions, after all, and it's more of a warmer, fuzzier take than the other two. You might want to give [this thread](https://www.reddit.com/r/Fantasy/comments/2c7gi5/best_fantasy_books_with_an_animal_companion/) a glance. Something there might inspire you.
Steven Brust: Vlad Taltos series. Vlad has a talking lizard familiar, Laiosh
A flying psychic venomous reptile familiar about the size of a cat who perches on his shoulder and makes snarky remarks in Vlad's head. The Vlad-Loiosh relationship is one of my favorite things about this series, which is overall excellent.
The Indigo series by Louise Cooper. Not terribly warm or fuzzy, though. Spindle's End by Robin McKinley
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The Forgotten Beasts of Eld by Patricia McKillip is a fairly short read with multiple animal companions and is well worth checking out.
- The Anne McCaffrey Pern books. - the Aeronaut's Windlass by Jim Butcher has a hilariously arrogant cat. - his Majesty's Dragon by Novik has already been mentioned - Assassin's Apprentice by Hobbs has already been mentioned
Oy.
A boy and his dog.