From the introduction: Welcome to the book world of How To Train Your Dragon. This world is a world of Vikings and dragons, of Romans and treachery. This place is not like the Dreamworks version. In here everything is slightly drearier, less idealised. The Vikings have long since domesticated dragons and now squabble among themselves or against the Romans. The story follows the adventures of Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III, who was an awesome sword fighter, a dragon whisperer, and the greatest Viking hero that ever lived. But that was later in his life.