What do you think?
Rate this book
Wings of Fire Graphic Novel #4
The Dark Secret
The #1 New York Times bestselling Wings of Fire series soars to new heights in the fourth graphic novel adaptation!
In the shadows, trouble is brewing...
The mysterious NightWings keep everything hidden, from their home and their queen to their allegiance in the war. Now they've kidnapped their own dragonet of destiny, and Starflight is finally meeting the rest of his tribe -- whether he wants to or not.
The NightWings have also kidnapped several innocent RainWings, now trapped in the dark, barren, miserable place that is the NightWing kingdom. Starflight wants to help the RainWings, but he's busy saving his own scales and trying to find a way back to his friends. The fate of two kingdoms rests in his talons, and with no one to save him, Starflight will have to find a way to be brave...before it's too late.
In the shadows, trouble is brewing...
The mysterious NightWings keep everything hidden, from their home and their queen to their allegiance in the war. Now they've kidnapped their own dragonet of destiny, and Starflight is finally meeting the rest of his tribe -- whether he wants to or not.
The NightWings have also kidnapped several innocent RainWings, now trapped in the dark, barren, miserable place that is the NightWing kingdom. Starflight wants to help the RainWings, but he's busy saving his own scales and trying to find a way back to his friends. The fate of two kingdoms rests in his talons, and with no one to save him, Starflight will have to find a way to be brave...before it's too late.
224 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2020
About the author
Tui T. Sutherland
144 books5,245 followersOkay, I know what you’re thinking. Tui? What kind of name is that? Is it short for something?
Nope. Among the many great things to come out of New Zealand (the Lord of the Rings movies, cats that paint, my mom) is a bird called the tui—not as well known as the kiwi, but a heck of a lot noisier!
I was born July 31 (same birthday as Harry Potter!) in Caracas, Venezuela, and lived in Asuncion, Paraguay; Miami, Florida; and Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, before moving to New Jersey in high school, where I started doing theatre—mostly backstage work, because (a) it was fun, and (b) you got to hang out in the dark with cute boys. (Er, I mean . . . because it was artistically fulfilling, yes.)
I graduated from Williams College in ’98 and I currently live in Boston with my husband, my perfect new baby, and my adorable yoodle Sunshine (what’s a yoodle? A puppy that’s three-quarters poodle and one-quarter Yorkshire terrier, of course!).
Much to my parents’ relief, I abandoned my theatrical aspirations after college for the far more stable and lucrative career of fiction writing.
My first two official books were beginning readers, part of Grosset & Dunlap’s “First Friends” series for kids learning to read. MEET MO AND ELLA is tough to find now, but FUN WITH MO AND ELLA should still be out there somewhere.
My first novel for teenagers was THIS MUST BE LOVE, which retells Shakespeare’s play A Midsummer Night’s Dream in a modern-day high school, from the POV of the two heroines, Hermia and Helena.
And now I'm writing in a new project called SEEKERS! It's a children's book series that I'm writing with Erin Hunter. Check out my blog to find out more!
Nope. Among the many great things to come out of New Zealand (the Lord of the Rings movies, cats that paint, my mom) is a bird called the tui—not as well known as the kiwi, but a heck of a lot noisier!
I was born July 31 (same birthday as Harry Potter!) in Caracas, Venezuela, and lived in Asuncion, Paraguay; Miami, Florida; and Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, before moving to New Jersey in high school, where I started doing theatre—mostly backstage work, because (a) it was fun, and (b) you got to hang out in the dark with cute boys. (Er, I mean . . . because it was artistically fulfilling, yes.)
I graduated from Williams College in ’98 and I currently live in Boston with my husband, my perfect new baby, and my adorable yoodle Sunshine (what’s a yoodle? A puppy that’s three-quarters poodle and one-quarter Yorkshire terrier, of course!).
Much to my parents’ relief, I abandoned my theatrical aspirations after college for the far more stable and lucrative career of fiction writing.
My first two official books were beginning readers, part of Grosset & Dunlap’s “First Friends” series for kids learning to read. MEET MO AND ELLA is tough to find now, but FUN WITH MO AND ELLA should still be out there somewhere.
My first novel for teenagers was THIS MUST BE LOVE, which retells Shakespeare’s play A Midsummer Night’s Dream in a modern-day high school, from the POV of the two heroines, Hermia and Helena.
And now I'm writing in a new project called SEEKERS! It's a children's book series that I'm writing with Erin Hunter. Check out my blog to find out more!
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 194 reviews
January 2, 2021
great book, I already knew what happened because i already read the non graphic novel version but the drawings were amazing
December 31, 2020
3.6 stars
I loved this adaption of the fourth book of Wings of Fire! That being said, the fourth book was one of my least favorite books in the series because of the lack of action.
The art continues to be beautiful throughout the series, and I feel like the spirit of these books are well communicated. Super entertaining, can't wait for the next one!
Have a wonderful afternoon 😎.
I loved this adaption of the fourth book of Wings of Fire! That being said, the fourth book was one of my least favorite books in the series because of the lack of action.
The art continues to be beautiful throughout the series, and I feel like the spirit of these books are well communicated. Super entertaining, can't wait for the next one!
Have a wonderful afternoon 😎.
August 3, 2021
If any character was ever like me, it is Starflight. Obsessed with scrolls, smart- but that also adds to their anxiety, hopelessly in love with a friend :)
Relate.
I don’t read a lot of graphic novels, but this one seemed to be formatted really well?
Even if it wasn’t, I love these characters and books with all my heart that it couldn’t ruin it for me!
Relate.
I don’t read a lot of graphic novels, but this one seemed to be formatted really well?
Even if it wasn’t, I love these characters and books with all my heart that it couldn’t ruin it for me!
January 1, 2021
This was an enjoyable and quick read. It was interesting seeing Nightwing Island in this art style. Speaking of the art style I rather like it. It gives all the dragons the scary edge that they have in the original designs but keeps a slightly cartoony vibe allowing them to express their range of emotions correctly. My only qualm with this book is that it didn't have proper transitions between scenes. If you haven't already read the original novel this would be very confusing to follow. I read the novel before I read this and I still found myself checking to see if I'd skipped a page. Conversation topics would change without warning and there were no breaks or proper endings to most scenes. Overall a wonderfully drawn book that sums up the fourth novel well, but hard to understand without reading the novel first.
December 7, 2020
i want to read this soooo bad also their are making a 5th one too its the ice wing
October 19, 2021
The artwork is top notch and it is loyal to the series. I hope the artist continues to create beautiful panels for this special series.
Read
November 8, 2021wings of fire lovers will love it!!
January 20, 2022
I think it was pretty good, I liked the alternates.
February 24, 2021
I was more than a little frustrated when back at it's initial release date I was told it was getting delayed two months but I am more than happy to wait the extra time for these graphic novel editions of these beloved novels.
The Dark Secret follows Starflight as he learns more about the Nightwing home and their plans surrounding the Dragonet Prophecy. Even in graphic novel form, I empathised with Starflight's anxiety and perserverance throughout his character-building journey.
A solid 5/5 stars, but I may be the slightest bit biased by my absolute love of these books.
The Dark Secret follows Starflight as he learns more about the Nightwing home and their plans surrounding the Dragonet Prophecy. Even in graphic novel form, I empathised with Starflight's anxiety and perserverance throughout his character-building journey.
A solid 5/5 stars, but I may be the slightest bit biased by my absolute love of these books.
February 18, 2021
I remember this being my least favorite of the Wings of Fire series (at least the first five books), but I found myself enjoying it more in graphic novel format. These are characters I’ve been reading about since middle school and it’s always nice to revisit them!
June 27, 2022
Yass my boy Starflight!!! 🥰😍😘
December 27, 2020
Hello, it's me again. I don't think I've given any of these comics a really good rating, and yet I keep buying them and reading them. That's on me. I do adore this series, but my gripe is with the comic books' format.
My biggest issue with this was the spliced scenes. If I hadn't read the original, I would have been pretty confused about some of the stuff going on. I get that for space, they can only make the book so big, but I always feel like important scenes or even just little offhand comments to help you know there'll be a scene change are always left out.
There were specific instances of Starflight having dreams where it's never mentioned he's going to bed, in bed, or dreaming and suddenly it's him chilling with his friends. And yes, it's obviously a dream once you start reading through the page, but it's more the fact that there's no explanation to some of these sudden changes.
The art, I feel, was better in this than it has been in the others. I felt the facial expressions may have been the most well-done in this book. That being said, Fatespeaker and Starflight looked almost identical. The only differences were the eye color and muzzle length/width, which, depending on an enormous variety of angles you're seeing them at, they looked the same. So be sure to figure out what eye color Starflight has, I guess, if you want to know which one he is.
And, again, this book is a lil bit violent. Which, yeah, the main ones are as well. It's just kinda weird to see dragons so casually murdered on page of a children's book, ya know?
So I guess take this all with a grain of salt. I do love the series and the dragons, but these comics feel...lackluster to be sure. Really the only reason I have been buying them is I wanted the main series for drawing references and for pictures of all the kingdoms. .-.
My biggest issue with this was the spliced scenes. If I hadn't read the original, I would have been pretty confused about some of the stuff going on. I get that for space, they can only make the book so big, but I always feel like important scenes or even just little offhand comments to help you know there'll be a scene change are always left out.
There were specific instances of Starflight having dreams where it's never mentioned he's going to bed, in bed, or dreaming and suddenly it's him chilling with his friends. And yes, it's obviously a dream once you start reading through the page, but it's more the fact that there's no explanation to some of these sudden changes.
The art, I feel, was better in this than it has been in the others. I felt the facial expressions may have been the most well-done in this book. That being said, Fatespeaker and Starflight looked almost identical. The only differences were the eye color and muzzle length/width, which, depending on an enormous variety of angles you're seeing them at, they looked the same. So be sure to figure out what eye color Starflight has, I guess, if you want to know which one he is.
And, again, this book is a lil bit violent. Which, yeah, the main ones are as well. It's just kinda weird to see dragons so casually murdered on page of a children's book, ya know?
So I guess take this all with a grain of salt. I do love the series and the dragons, but these comics feel...lackluster to be sure. Really the only reason I have been buying them is I wanted the main series for drawing references and for pictures of all the kingdoms. .-.
January 24, 2022
See my review of The Dragonet Prophecy. Most of my review of that applies to this book. Link to review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
~
I enjoyed this book about as much as the third book (The Hidden Kingdom). The plot seemed better than developed than the previous books. And I enjoyed seeing Starflight grow a little more confident. Looking forward to reading the last book. Hoping for an epic conclusion. XD Maybe I shouldn't set myself up for disappointment, though...
~
I enjoyed this book about as much as the third book (The Hidden Kingdom). The plot seemed better than developed than the previous books. And I enjoyed seeing Starflight grow a little more confident. Looking forward to reading the last book. Hoping for an epic conclusion. XD Maybe I shouldn't set myself up for disappointment, though...
February 14, 2024
Within the pages of The Dark Secret, we are transported into the depths of Starflight's mind as he unravels the mysterious secrets of the Nightwing home and their role in the Dragonet Prophecy. With vivid illustrations and powerful dialogue, I couldn't help but feel a strong connection to Starflight's inner struggles with anxiety and his unwavering determination to uncover the truth. Being a devoted fan of this series, I will always highly recommend it. It perfectly captures the essence of the story and leaves readers craving for more.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 29, 2023
I unfortunately read this book two years after it came out. Better late than never I suppose! The art continues to get better, seeing the Nightwing fortress in full-color is such a treat for the eyes, every single page never will cease to amaze me.
October 15, 2021
In person with Ryan. Loved it.
Read
June 2, 2022I think it cold have been better and that the other books are also better but you will need to read this book if you are reading the series.
October 7, 2023
6 stars. This was SUCH A GOOD COOL AND FUN BOOK TO READ! Literally in LUUVVVVV with Starflight, he's amazing. The plot twist got me at the endddd I cant wait to read the next book!!!
March 7, 2021
Another great book in the great series, but I have one problem with the drawings. The dragons look too much like people when they SIT. It just looks like PEOPLE sitting. I always imagined them sitting like dogs or something. Please tell me I’m not the only one a little disturbed.
January 8, 2022
ReedIII Quick Review: The story from Wings of Fire #1, #2 & #3 continues. We meet and spend time with different dragon types as always. The focus is on the mysterious NightWings and Starflight gets to be in the spotlight. An important secret is reviled as the story continues.
Read
November 27, 2020I want to read it please
November 30, 2021
Wings Of Fire: The book is about the destined heroes of phyria (the dragons world) trying to end the war
Yes I really think other readers would enjoy this book
Some of the dragons made some funny jokes in the books and I laughed because I thought it was funny`
I learned that the real world can be violent
I think it was very intriguing. And yes I would most definitely read it again.
From what I know, the only book series that Tui. Sutherland has written Wings Of Fire.
My favorite part of the book is when starflight finds the dreamvisitor, and takes it from the dead corpse of the dragon on the floor.
Yes I really think other readers would enjoy this book
Some of the dragons made some funny jokes in the books and I laughed because I thought it was funny`
I learned that the real world can be violent
I think it was very intriguing. And yes I would most definitely read it again.
From what I know, the only book series that Tui. Sutherland has written Wings Of Fire.
My favorite part of the book is when starflight finds the dreamvisitor, and takes it from the dead corpse of the dragon on the floor.
June 3, 2021
What's not to like about this graphic novel?
I really enjoy the graphic novel adaptations of this series. I get to see my visualizations of the characters depicted perfectly. So good that it made the part where they kill dragons very violent (I mean, since when was killing not violent?). Reading this graphic novel has brought up a question I had earlier in the series. "Isn't this a children's book?". They tell you that this is supposed a story meant for kids but then you see a dragon getting burned to death, dragons killing each other, dragon heads on spikes, etc. I honestly don't have a problem with it. I find it really amusing tbh 😆
Also, I really like is how the graphic novels adapted the novels so well.
I hope they continue adapting this series because I really enjoy it
Looking forward to more dead dragons 😆
I really enjoy the graphic novel adaptations of this series. I get to see my visualizations of the characters depicted perfectly. So good that it made the part where they kill dragons very violent (I mean, since when was killing not violent?). Reading this graphic novel has brought up a question I had earlier in the series. "Isn't this a children's book?". They tell you that this is supposed a story meant for kids but then you see a dragon getting burned to death, dragons killing each other, dragon heads on spikes, etc. I honestly don't have a problem with it. I find it really amusing tbh 😆
Also, I really like is how the graphic novels adapted the novels so well.
I hope they continue adapting this series because I really enjoy it
Looking forward to more dead dragons 😆
January 28, 2021
I like this series of graphic novels in part because I'm kind of familiar with the story or, more precisely, with the premise of the quest story that is the basis of the plot.
My issue with this one was that it was soooo dark so that all the dragons looked the same and I had a hard time figuring out who was who in any panel where there were multiple nightwings drawn.
At the same time, the story was good and flowed well. Definitely a great addition for anyone who has read the books or who is, like my kid, more interested in graphic novels than novels. Anything to keep him reading.
My issue with this one was that it was soooo dark so that all the dragons looked the same and I had a hard time figuring out who was who in any panel where there were multiple nightwings drawn.
At the same time, the story was good and flowed well. Definitely a great addition for anyone who has read the books or who is, like my kid, more interested in graphic novels than novels. Anything to keep him reading.
Read
January 26, 2021The Wings of Fire saga continues, this time focusing on Starflight and the NightWings. Starflight has been kidnapped and taken to the island of the NightWings where he discovers all kinds of secrets: the NightWings motive in the dragon war, why the NightWings are determined to destroy the RainWings, and even that there are other dragonets that threaten the lives of Starflight and his friends. Starflight has never been the bravest dragon, but it might just be up to him to save the day.
January 8, 2022
This is a pretty good rendition of the fourth Wings of Fire novel. Naturally, some things are left out. There’s some choppy transitions between when Starflight is awake and when he’s having dreams. Sometimes it takes a bit to realize that’s what’s happening. They left out the good part at the end about what happens to Morrowseer and left it to our thoughts about Starflight’s incident. I love the facial expressions.
July 28, 2021
Just like with the novel version of Wings of Fire, the 4th installment are when things really start to pick up and I got more invested in the story. The illustrations are decent. It's hard for me to tell some of the dragons apart (especially the nightwings in this one since everything is so dark) but luckily their personalities are so different that it's easy to tell who is who by what they are saying/thinking.
I'm excited to read more of the graphic novel installments of this series.
I'm excited to read more of the graphic novel installments of this series.
July 28, 2021
I liked The Dark Secret because it mentions stuff about family and I love family. Also, I liked it because Starflight is in love with Sunny and that is SUPER CUTE!!! Another way I liked it is because Mastermind is sort of in love with SCROLLS of all things and that is super cute too.
-Julia L.
-Julia L.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 12, 2021
I read the original book in elementary school and I just love it so much. I love the artwork in these graphic novels, and reading this made me stop hating Fatespeaker, who I hated after reading the original book. I guess I didn't understand that she wasn't making the futures up, and actually saw the future.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 17, 2021
3.5, rounded up. The plot moved slowly and some characters barely got any time at all in this book, but I still enjoy this series and am excited for more. The setting for this one was dark and depressing and I had more trouble than usual confusing dragons of the same color, but I was still impressed with the overall graphic effort. It really makes this series so engaging and exciting!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 194 reviews