Thus begins Book Two of The Fall of the Dragon Kingdom, continuing McFarlane Toys' line of Dragon figures, which is series seven since 2005, when McFarlane Toys began creating delightfully dangerous dragon action figures based on its own storyline.

In this series are four dragon figures and a deluxe box set that is not presented for review. (The box set contains the three-headed Hydra referred to in the story.) Each represents a different clan.

The Fire Dragon is a spiny beast, roaring in rage, with his red spikes looking deadly.

The Ice Dragon rears up, wings outstretched, covered in snow, with icicles dripping from his extremities.

The Warrior Dragon challenges all comers with his fists raised and his ramlike horns bared.

The Water Dragon perches, head low, in a stance of extreme watchfulness, his eel-like tail draping behind him.

Each figure comes with an appropriately designed stand to represent the dragon's environment. The dragons come with wings and tails that have to be attached, allowing for figures much larger than their 8-by-8-inch bubble packs, once assembled. Each dragon has some limited articulation.

They range in size but generally reach between 7 and 14 inches in length (with tail), with height varying due to the pose and the dragon's base.

In this series, each figure contains a portion of Book Two: War in the continuing story of McFarlane's Dragons.

Original, archetypal and pointy

The Fire Dragon this time around is a spiny beast. And you'll find out just how spiny when you try attaching his tail. Just at the points on the body and tail where you'd have to grip the beast to force the tail in are the sharpest, spikiest parts. It feels like you're trying to force-feed a porcupine, and I was left with several near-puncture wounds in my hands.

Angry red spikes stick up all over this dragon's back, legs and tail. His right arm has some rotation, but not much. The wings are angled up from the forearms, arching above his back for an attractive but menacing pose, helped by a ball joint that allows his head to rotate around a bit.

The Ice Dragon is stark blue with a red sigil tattooed on his wing. His mouth reveals teeth and a blue tongue as he snarls. His spinal spikes are clear plastic, helping him look the part of an ice dragon.

Not as spiky, his tail attaches a little easier, but his wings require some effort. Once in place, his long tail can be bent into just about any pose thanks to an internal wire, and his static wings stretch back and outward. Strangely, though, he has icicles hanging down from each protrusion, even his wings, meaning he must have been frozen in this position. Doesn't make a lot of sense, but he's impressive nonetheless, perched gripping his snow-covered cliff rock. His head rotates around his neck axis.

The Warrior Dragon's head is perched looking toward his wings (also difficult to attach). His armor-plated tail is jointed in two places for some posing ability, and both shoulders rotate some. His neck and head are swivel-jointed, allowing for some posability.

His green and gray wings are elaborately folded, and his armor plating gives him an appropriate look for a warrior dragon. Metal posts in his feet attach to his rocky base.

The Water Dragon is a repaint of the Water Dragon from the series' first release. This is, I believe, the first repaint I've seen in this line, and he is an attractive dragon, so McFarlane can be forgiven for this cost-cutting measure.

He's a gray-red version of the earlier blue-yellow one. His tail is a chore to attach, but his wings do nicely. Those are folded gracefully toward the back, while an eel-like tail waves nicely behind. His neck and head have some articulation as he sits on this, the most detailed and nicest base of the four—a coral reef at the floor of an ocean.