Fridge Brilliance: Davis has a pretty good knack for foreshadowing. For example, one or two throw away comments from the first book on Billy's drawing style being similar to somebody else's were forgotten by the majority of fans until it was revealed that the other artist is Billy's grandfather. Six or seven books later.
Spiritual Adaptation: Of the Breath of Fire video game series. Billy is effectively (the second) Ryu, having hidden half-dragon powers until maturity and following a prophecy because of it. Bonnie is Nina from the second game, especially with her fear of her cursed wings and her Damsel out of Distress moments with Billy. Walter is Rei, a happy-go-lucky type with the protagonist until very bad things happen (especially with both protagonists' houses burnt down). Even Ashley is like Momo from the third game, a scientist studying dragon crystals and having somewhat of a tsundere attitude towards Walter/Rei. As a bonus, in The Candlestone, Walter mentioned he would like to meet "bazooka bunnies with top hats" as a lighthearted joke. While Ashley is none of the sort, Momo wears a nice hat, is sometimes mistaken for a rabbit thanks to her furry ears, and has a bazooka as a weapon.
