The Summer Dragon (Evertide)

I'd been looking forward to reading this, being a fan of Todd Lockwood, and I was not disappointed. Really excellent story, well written and paced, with a wonderful main character. Can't wait for more!

I thoroughly enjoyed The Summer Dragon. Rich with characters, full of emotions, exciting to read! I stayed up too late many nights to find out what happened next. The dragons are an integral part of the story, and are characters themselves. I found myself laughing out loud at some of the young dragons’ antics, had tears streaming down my cheeks when horribleness happened, and held my breath during the all-too-vivid battle scenes.

Lockwood’s use of language is engaging, intelligent and easily draws the reader in, creating vivid pictures of the world he has created, as beautifully written as his art is painted.

I am very much looking forward to the next one.

Wish I could be more positive. I managed to finish this one but won't buy the next in the series. The dragons were interesting, the story was engaging, but I found myself flipping thru pages describing the gruesome Horrors, and the fights with them that went on for pages and pages and pages. Small quibble- the family has been raising dragons for many many generations, but somehow the main character's dragon is the first ever to gain clearly articulated speech...

Readable YA Novel with some interesting concepts (dragons...) and a forced political relevancy (investors ...) that falls flat due to being rather unrealistic. The evil guys - Horrors - are a bit too cookie cutter type, seemingly taken from a recent video game release.

I truly don't understand the good reviews for this book. I read a lot of sci-fi/fantasy and had high hopes for this tale because of the reviews. Unfortunately my hopes were unrealized. I found the characters underdeveloped and irritating (including the heroine, Maia), the plot formulaic, and the writing poor. For example, Maia's first struggle/battle against evil forces spanned almost 100 pages. It went on and on and on and..... I began to skim the text until it was over and didn't miss any important information or plot points. That's not good writing in my opinion. I regret buying this book and wish I had gotten it from the library instead. It was a waste of money. I love dragons, but even their prominence in this story couldn't salvage it.

The overall story is very entertaining and will keep you page turning. The author creates a beautiful world and a developed main character. The other characters need to be more developed. The dragon descriptions and mythology are well presented and had me hooked. I will look forward to the next book as I think this author will only get better.

The descriptions of the dragon's flights were well done. Too religious for my tastes and preachy. Too many unrealistic motivations for the young heroin. I often found myself saying really why would she do that.

Let me start off by saying that "The Summer Dragon" is now one of my favorite fantasies. It has an ever lasting quality, and will probably stick with you long after you've read the book. I was pleasantly surprised by the twists and turns that the novel had to offer, and I fell in love with most of the characters. Every character feels like they're breathing off the page— and even this story's villains may find a place in your heart. Such is the power of Lockwood's writing, where he manages to make even the minor characters shine. Character relationships are realistic and touching. And the dragons? The dragons, which are the heart of this epic fantasy, are written just as intricately as any human character.

The dragons are probably the best starting point. It's rare to find a fantasy book that depicts them as something other than a vague plot point, and its even rarer to find them written in a way that makes them just as likable as the main characters. This book's dragons are fantastic in every sense of the word, but they also make incredible characters because they all have their own quirks and personalities. And just to reiterate my thoughts on the characters: they're all incredibly well-rounded. There's a lot of inner struggles happening at the same time here, but it never bogs down the narrative in a way that makes us feel like we're ingesting too much angst at once. (Though, be forewarned, the book does take several dark turns, thus all of the very effective, emotionally wrecking twists)

Though the characters are the highlight of this tale for me, the story and setting are just as wonderfully fleshed out. We never get too much setting, as is common with high fantasy, but we always get enough to be satisfied. Questions that you have at the novel's inception are answered later, at more appropriate, relevant times. The book's pacing is perfect, slipping back and forth in between moments of tranquility and chaos. We have just enough downtime to observe and appreciate the relationships between the characters before we are thrown into a chaos that tells a very telling, powerful story.

Lockwood is very talented at inserting subtleties into his writing. There are hidden foreshadows everywhere, and lovely little world details that make the story feel less like a physical book and more of an adventure unraveling around you. It is engrossing in the best possible way, and is one heck of a roller coaster ride of feelings. I was laughing aloud in some scenes and outright sobbing in others. Lockwood's writing is just that good. And in addition, we get his lovely artwork as well. Illustrations will pop up at different sections of the book, adding life to an already riveting story.

"The Summer Dragon" is the type of book I recommend incessantly because I want so badly to share my feelings with other people. It is the type of book you treasure months after you've finished it; the type of book that contains so many moral dilemmas and intricate relationships that you can't help but think on them long after you've turned the last page of the book. I can't put into words all of the feelings I have for this book other than to say that it is a must-read for any fantasy reader! (Though I would also suggest it to readers of other genres as well)

It is a masterfully written epic that will have you feeling everything from elation to deep sorrow, and is the kind of book that will stay rooted in your mind long after you have read the novel's final words. I can't recommend it enough!

When I finished The Summer Dragon, I said, “Wow!” This is easily the best new sf-fantasy novel I have read in a long time. The characters have strengths and weaknesses that make them very believable and definitely develop during the course of the story, taking on lives of their own. The plot takes some unexpected twists and turns, but at no time becomes dull. Although I grew infuriated at the Rasaal and the Juza, they power the religious/philosophical/political debate that drives much of the plot. The scenes are painted with words as effectively as Mr. Lockwood’s illustrations are drawn. I found myself holding my breath at times during the battle scenes; they are intense and exciting as any! The novel ended on just the right note and I very much look forward to the second volume to see what comes next.

Todd Lockwood is one of my favorite fantasy/science-fiction illustrators, and I especially love the covers that he did for the Memoirs of Lady Trent series (which are all about dragons!) When I found out that he was writing a new fantasy series featuring dragons, I was pretty excited to read it.

Growing up on a dragon aerie, Maia has long looked forward to having a dragon of her own, and this might be the year. She’s old enough to start training a dragon, and there are more dragons qits than are needed to fill the usual government quota – even if they are at war. The routine yearly visit from the Dragonry to pick up their qits gets complicated when Maia sees the Summer Dragon, a symbol of an ancient faith suppressed by the empire. And to make things worse, the empire’s enemies are targeting aeries, so Maia’s home has suddenly become a dangerous place to be.

It took me a while to get into this book (as with most books written from a first-person perspective), but I ended up liking it quite a bit. Maia is a terrific protagonist, she’s smart, stubborn, and brave. Her stubbornness drives much of the story, and sometimes it makes her a little bit insufferable, but that’s okay because most people are. We see all the other characters from her perspective so they’re not as developed as her, but they’re still fairly nuanced. Some characters seem like standard archetypes at first but end up surprising you later.

I enjoyed the worldbuilding, there are layers of history that all interact with each other in a realistic way, and that makes the world feel lived in, rather than just being there to support the story. There’s a lot of political intrigue, which I love in fantasy, and I thought it was well done here. The plot is mostly predictable, but there are a couple of interesting turns that I didn’t see coming. One of the things I appreciated was that even though the book featured a teenage protagonist growing up in an isolated area of the world, Maia didn’t actually have to leave home or go on a long journey to find adventure, she did it while having her home and family nearby. Oh, and of course I have to mention the illustrations, there are several of them and they’re by the author, so they’re fantastic.

I’m looking forward to reading further books in the series. I hope the next book comes out soon!

The Summer Dragon is the first foray into novel writing by acclaimed illustrator/artist Todd Lockwood. You may have seen his work gracing the covers of Marie Brennan’s Lady Trent series as well as Magic: The Gathering cards and even art for World of Warcraft to name just a few things. With The Summer Dragon you not only get to enjoy Todd’s beautiful cover art, but illustrations scattered throughout the interior AND his fantastic storytelling and world building skills.

I missed out on The Summer Dragon when it was released in 2016, but the paperback release came around this year and I jumped at the chance to check it out. I’m VERY glad I did because this was an awesome book. Maia is the daughter of Broodmaster Magha, the man responsible for breeding their province’s dragon pairs each year to provide qits for the military (Dragonry). This year is more important than most because of a continuing war with the Harodhi- a pale people that use dark arts to create arcane horrors that ravage and devour everything in sight. The Harodhi have just destroyed the Cuuloda aerie and the Dragonry has suffered losses. This utterly dashes Maia’s hopes for receiving a dragon qit of her own this year and possibly for many years to follow… until she catches sight of the harbinger of change - Getig, the Summer Dragon who hasn’t been seen for countless years.

Maia’s sighting of Getig sets off a cascade of events that takes things far out of her control. I won’t go into great detail, but needless to say, Getig brought about much change. Maia proves her bravery and worth time and again, but religious interpretation, politics, and the lingering ‘curse’ from her mother continue to weigh her down and cause strife both internal and external. The exploration of her relationship with her family, several townspeople, and the visitors from the Dragonry is well done and believable. Maia is a solid character and her singular perspective in the narrative was adequate, though I think a second POV would have made the Dragonry/religious group’s motives somewhat clearer to the reader. I thought the reason behind their defamation of Maia made sense in a superficial way, but things were vague and didn’t get explained until the end.

Overall, I thought this book was great – my few quibbles were minor and probably just me. A sequel is in the works, though I haven’t been able to find a set release date as of yet. Here’s to hoping that I don’t have to wait as long for this sequel as I have for a few other favorite fantasy series! The Summer Dragon is something I would highly recommend to fans of dragon-centric fantasy like Marie Brennan’s Lady Trent series and Naomi Novik’s Temeraire series. Todd Lockwood is a fantasy author that I’ll be keeping my eye on in years to come thanks to this memorable novel.

*I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This is a wonderfully complex story, with layers of emotion, powerful imagery, memorable characters and rich world building. You quickly feel like you are part of this world and by the end you are just as much invested in its fate as the main characters are. This is no happy-go-lucky adventure tale. Maia struggles to adapt to events as they unfold and that struggle is heartfelt, simultaneously tragic and heroic.

But at its heart, this is a dragon story and Lockwood knows dragons like no other. These aren't just fantastical creatures we encounter along the journey; they are central characters in that journey. And it's a journey I didn't want to end, even though it seems likely there are some dark times ahead for Maia and her aerie.

I can't wait for the sequel.

Writing a novel that relies heavily on dragons as part of the plot can be a daunting task. The few authors that can pull it off with any modicum of wit, depth, and reader interest are the shining stars of the fantasy night sky. Todd Lockwood has made a good start to join the ranks of dragon writers such as Jane Yolen, Anne McCaffrey, Naomi Novik, and Ursula K. LeGuin. The first book of Evertide weaves a tale that has all the attributes that dragon lovers look for in a novel: strong characters that the reader can sympathize with, a world setting that is viable and rational, a plotline that holds the reader’s interest while moving from one crisis to another, and – most of all – dragons that are essential as well as believable. Todd Lockwood does a solid job of pacing the story from beginning to end without any muddle in the middle or an ending that fizzles out. The Summer Dragon is a great first book in a series that, hopefully, will produce novel after novel with the same standards of excellent, fascinating, and colorful writing.

A master at bringing fantasy book covers to life for luminaries like R.A. Salvatore and C.J. Cherryh, artist Todd Lockwood has turned his pen over to another noble pursuit: writing. In his debut novel, THE SUMMER DRAGON --- the pages of which are peppered with the sketchmaster’s own drawings --- Lockwood shows that he has learned from the best in the genre. He manages to reinvent that ever-popular character, the European dragon, in a fresh and inventive way, creating a thoroughly entertaining adventure.

Meet Maia, the only daughter of famed dragon breeder Magha. In her world, the majestic beasts are produced en masse for an imperial war machine, but the dragons are wonderfully animated animals, ones who form bonds with human lifemates. More than anything, Maia longs for a baby qit of her own, but circumstances beyond the control of her father or her aerie soon intervene. While she and her brother, Darian, are out on a routine sweep of the family grounds, they spy the legendary Summer Dragon, a semi-mythical beast whose presence heralds great change. What could his appearance portend for our heroine?

According to each authority in the land --- political, religious and draconic --- the Summer Dragon’s brief manifestation has a different meaning. But it’s clear The Powers That Be have no intention of fulfilling Maia’s dreams of bonding with and training her own dragon, though it appears the Summer Dragon has marked the young woman for an unknown destiny. Determined to evade being ensnared in the empire’s war machine or swept up in priests’ machinations, Maia ventures forth from the aerie. In the process, she encounters Horrors --- legitimately terrifying creatures that are zombie hodgepodges of dead animals and people --- and uncovers secrets galore while seeking her own place in the world.

While Lockwood can allow the story’s pace to lag, weighing the narrative down with the minutia of dragon life, he still crafts a story that will keep fantasy readers engaged. Taking influences from many fantasy series, ranging from Naomi Novik’s Temeraire to Anne McCaffrey’s Dragonriders of Pern, Lockwood creates a world that’s wholly his own and delivers a story sure to please all dragon fans.

Reviewed by Carly Silver

I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

I loved the details about how dragons were raised, how they bonded to their riders, and all the little things. Like cutting small holes in a baby dragons wings, so that when they are adults, straps can be passed through the holes to help their rider stay in place.

The world was rich with tidbits and details, everything coming together to make a world I was happy to be lost in. I enjoyed the characters as well, especially Maia and Darian, Keirr and her father. I especially loved the drawings that headed each chapter. They were really well-done, and helped show the characters as well as the dragons.

This was mostly a fast read, but in between the two major action plots, some of the book was super slow. It almost felt like this book should have been two books instead of cramming everything into this one. There was a lot of what felt to me like filler in the middle. Some was interesting and I liked reading about it, but other bits made me want to skim through to see if anything else interesting was going to happen.

You will totally get invested in the characters. Some you will hate, and others will make you cry. I loved how Maia and Keirr interacted, from the first moments they meet to the last ones as the book ended. I also liked Maia and Darian’s relationship. As much as I wanted to smack him at one point, it totally fit his character at the same time. All the characters were written really well, they had strengths as well as flaws. And each one of them was distinct.

I can hardly wait to see what happens in the next book. If you love dragons, you need to read this book!

(cross-posted to my blog)

Dragons!

This weekend was my second MisCon, which is basically four days of nonstop panels with authors talking about writing. In other words, paradise.

But there are drawbacks. Like when you picked up a book because you have met the author at last year's MisCon. And it is so good you want to hide in the closet and forget all the panels you want to attend and all the autographs you want to get and just read.

So instead, we came home a day early and I spent it in bed...

With Todd Lockwood...

And his debut novel.

I was aware of The Summer Dragon via Shawn Speakman and his posts about the book. If Shawn and Terry Brooks endorse the book, it has to be at least ok. And I will admit, Mr. Lockwood is not only a nice looking gentleman, he also has this great voice and a wonderful sense of humor. I loved hearing him speak on the panels in 2015. So I plunked down my money and trotted off to have him autograph the book.

I rarely get so caught up in a book I don't put it down and read a bit on something else and then come back to the book. I could count on one hand the number of authors I will devour their books in one sitting. This was definitely a case of "Go away! I'm reading."

It seems the hope Maia has of getting her own baby dragon, or qit, out of the current broods her father has raised, is slipping away. All the hatchlings are needed by the Emperor, especially after another aerie of dragons was recently destroyed by Horrors. However, fate, or the appearance of the Summer Dragon, spins the wheel of fortune and Maia is thrown into the deep end.

It was a good thing I could read this book in bed. I was exhausted by the time I got halfway through. And I thought about setting it down and getting an early night's sleep, but I had to know what happened next. I couldn't sleep with things still up in the air.

Another good thing about this book is Todd Lockwood has illustrated not only the cover and the end plates, but also there are illustrations throughout the book. So it's really a two-for-one deal -- fantastic story and equally fantastic artwork.

The only drawback? I need the next book!

I haven't read much into dragon fantasy myself and picked this book up through an audible suggestion and I loved it. I loved how strongly written his female characters where. There where times where I needed to go to bed but the part was so good that I ended up staying up an hour or so more just to have to shut off the reading in disappointment because I had to go to bed at that point. Now I wait for the next book in the series.
I love how Maia is written. She stands up for what is right even if there is great personal cost. Her brother I want to slap across the back of the head but that is the point. I love how though her being female matters at points in the story it doesn't matter overall to what's going on. I don't know how to explain that more but a lot of stories I've read with a main female lead fall into a bad trap in writing that I role my eyes at. Todd didn't fall into that trap with Maia. This being his first book it's amazing and I hope you guys give it a shot.

I apologize, I'm not the best at formulating reviews, but I want to write something for this great book and qit of a series. I feel like it deserves a lot more attention than I've seen it get.

The story is wonderful, and is - I think - a different take on certain ideas of religions in fantasy worlds, the battle of belief, faith, religion, theocracy, and philosophy and where they all intersect. Great thought was also put into the daily life of running an aerie - breeding dragons for a war effort. The dragons themselves were fairly unique and well-written.

I can't wait for book two, and to learn more about this rich world, and how Riat might differ from other cities in the world. I want to learn more about the history before the ancient city, about Dahak and the White Dragon, more about graving and the constructs and war machines. . .

I do also enjoy how romance wasn't really a part of the series, it was never a focus beyond passing thoughts that people have (particularly growing people) and what romance we see is in small gestures of already established couples. The book gives great focus to the relationships between people and that makes the story all the more real.

All in all, I highly recommend it!

And thank you for the wonderful adventure, Todd. :3

The Summer Dragon (Evertide)

Todd is one of the top illustrators in our field. It's been my privilege to work with him on book covers in the past, and I know firsthand that he is also a tremendous guy. But just because someone excels in one field or is a nice person doesn't mean they are necessarily going to be great at something else.

t was fortunate enough to be able to read The Summer Dragon in manuscript form last year, and I am happy to say that Todd is also a tremendous writer. This is a great book. The world is richly conceived, with a complex history as well as a confident grasp of the ins-and-outs of the daily life of a dragon breeder. At the same time, the world building is never heavy handed--no info dumping here--but a smooth passage through a fully realized environment. The characters are great--I hope my own daughter will read about Maia's adventures when she is old enough--and the plot exciting.

The whole book is beautifully executed, and if that weren't incentive enough, it's also copiously illustrated by Lockwood himself. You're going to want a hardcover of this because the book itself is an objet d'art. Not to be missed.

Todd Lockwood's debut novel marks a fantastic start in what I hope is a long and fruitful career in fantasy writing. The Summer Dragon captivated me immediately; rarely have I devoured a book so quickly. It features characters who are complex, strong and very relatable; resulting in each twist and turn in the story being very moving. Love, loss, honor, betrayal- all are depicted wonderfully. I especially connected deeply with the main character. She is a heroine I've longed to see in fantasy novels.

Todd does an excellent job describing his world. I could see the environments easily in my head. His enemy characters were described in such ghoulish detail that my fingers itched to draw them. Every dragon was painted beautifully with words. Not to mention Todd's beautiful ink drawings included in the book!

This book is the start of a series I've always hoped the likes of which would come along and I eagerly await the next one. Fans of fantasy novels (especially if you love Pern, Dragonlance and Shannara) will definitely find this to be a worthy book.

I gave this four rather than five stars only because I got tired of reading the fighting scenes. The world of this novel was beautifully described, the dragon/human relationships were great, character development (human and dragon) was nicely done, the choreography of the fight scenes was super BUT...

A novel is not a game script, where your avatar fights and goes on to the next fight. While this book did have a plot that grabbed me and held my interest, I ended up just skimming over and sometimes even skipping whole sections of fighting after a while.

Lockwood's The Summer Dragon gave me the most enjoyable reading experience of any fantasy novel I have read in years. It is everything a good work of popular fiction should be--interesting, engaging with believable characters, a good story told in a straight forward manner. The story takes place in a many centuries post industrial world, where there be dragons. I loved that the protagonists are not lords or princesses, but a family of dragon keepers. I loved the descriptions of dragon care. Into the life of this peaceful and hardworking family of middling rank come the emissaries of the far distant empire. Internal evidence suggests that the series might have three more books, and I eagerly await their publication.

Okay, first things first, this book looks absolutely stunning! The artwork is detailed and beautiful, and the paperback version of it just genuinely felt good to hold. But, moving on to the content.

This is, by far, my favorite book that I read in 2017, and definitely sits in my top 5 favorite books. The world building here is really great, in that you are told that which an average person would be expected to know, and any more is told through dialogue between characters that flows well and doesn't seem unnatural like some books have an unfortunate tendency to do. A lot of what you learn is through the eyes and experiences of the main character, Maia.

This world is beautifully constructed, with dueling belief systems that add character and depth to the history and to the people affected by it. The people actually read like real people, with emotions that make sense, and reactions that match. Not ever person is good or evil. Not every person who has a redemption arc finds forgiveness. There are layers to everyone and everything.

The dragons are very interesting and perhaps one of my favorite ways that dragons are written about. They're believable, not overpowered, and left me really REALLY wanting a dragon afterwards, lol.

For a debut into the world of fiction writing, Todd Lockwood kicked the door down and presented a true gem. I would highly recommend this book to anyone fond of fantasy!

I had the great pleasure of meeting Mr. Lockwood and purchasing his book a few weeks ago at a convention and have just completed reading The Summer Dragon. It is an incredible work, expertly paced and wonderfully written, descriptive but not overwrought.I grew up reading and loving fantasy novels but over the years I have become disenfranchised with the genre as whole. Mr. Lockwood has crafted a tale with a voice all his own and a world that is both intriguing and engaging, and Maia is very relatable and sympathetic. I very much look forward to the future installments in the series, this is a wonderful beginning and my only lament is that I must wait for more books in the series. Mr. Lockwood is also a phenomenal artist and provides a few wonderful illustrations through the book. Please do yourself a favor and get yourself a copy of The Summer Dragon, read it and love it.

Summer Dragon review

Initial Skepticism
I've followed Todd as an artist for many season. Being an aspiring amateur fantasy/sci-fi painter, I've definitely drawn influence from Todd's amazing body of work. He's truly a paragon of his craft. However, my immediate reaction to learning he had written a book conjured skepticism. I'm not a person who believes lightning strikes the same place twice and I just wasn't expecting Todd to be as skilled in crafting a written story as he is in building his amazing artistic compositions. This opinion would quickly reverse itself.

A Summer Dragon's Autumn Reading
My first introduction to the book and it's author was at a reading held amidst the warm lighting and hoppy odors of the Lucky Lab Brewery on SE Hawthorn in Portland, Oregon. I attended with the hope of even the briefest engagement with the master himself. To meet Todd is another recommended experience altogether. He has a sagely and wise appearance, and during the reading his deep, gravely voice limned images in your mind of the engaging characters and fantastical landscapes featured in Summer Dragon. At that point I had to admit my error. Todd is a renaissance man, capable of crafting images through color or words.

Illustrations
The cover is graced with a beautiful image featuring an engraving of two battling dragons amidst an ancient ruins. The image conjures a sense of history behind the world Todd has built with the dusky pink, blue, and grey color palette portending a realm in uncertain transition.
Inside we are treated with crafted inked plates illustrating characters in sometimes dramatic situations. While skillfully done, I had a sense the publisher missed an opportunity by asking Todd to create fully rendered images in a style similarly seen in other fantasy publications, like the plates generated for early editions of Terry Brook's "Sword of Shannara" by The Brothers Hildebrandt. I suspect the almighty dollar had some influence in that decision since it would have cost the publisher more for the alternative printing process and special paper which would have to interleave the existing pages. Still, the inked images have their own charm and remind me a bit of John Tenniel's illustrations for Alice in Wonderland but with a more realistic flair.

The Story
It's worth mentioning again Todd's ability to paint a landscape in your mind. His descriptions create an emotional connection to the world and the characters (including dragons!) living in it. But the narrative constantly keeps you on your toes while the hero, Maia, vacillates between periods of familial calm that become shattered by stunning and terrifying scenes where she must face fierce and almost unstoppable enemies. A layered onion of mystery is slowly unpeeled as we understand motivations behind our protagonist's obvious enemies and the ones who conceal themselves as allies. As if growing up isn't hard enough, Maia has to face and balance external, political, family, and dragon-husbandry challenges all the while discovering her place in the world.
Regarding the relationship with Maia, who is from a family of dragon breeders, and the beasts themselves, the writing drew out of me emotions I haven't felt since owning a pet myself. Interestingly, I started having dreams about my childhood dog between moments of insomnia-fuelled reading spells where I met some blissful rest.
Also, a happy coincidence occurred after reading about the intricately described celebration of Menog's Day, the dragon rearers' observance of the year's shortest day. The following morning I was greeted by one of Todd's facebook posts wishing all a happy Winter Solstice, on which I promptly replied with a "Happy Menog's Day" and relayed this experience. Todd seemed pleased with this Jungian synchronicity.

It's Not You, It's Me.
If I have one nitpick it would be about battles scenes. Not that Todd's aren't written well. Nor do I generally find described violence offensive. It is simply they typically have a hard time holding my interest, no matter who writes them. The outline of any battle scene could be deconstructed by Daffy Duck's dialogue in his Robin Hood parody: "Ho! Haha! Guard, turn, parry, dodge, spin, ha, thrust". Following this someone dies, the next enemy advances, then it's rinse and repeat. With Summer Dragon being an exception, I often tend to skip over battle scenes and advance a few paragraphs until the victor is revealed. These scenes are very hard to make interesting. Despite his amazing skill, even Salvatore doesn't do it for me. From what I can tell, Asimov doesn't even try. I found myself even skipping over Tolkien's mass battle narratives just to escape the tedium. In fact, I think the only writer who ever really engaged me in this arena is Michael Moorcock with his Elric series. But Elric had the benefit of possessing a devilish sword, a character unto itself, that drank the souls of it's victims. That little device made his conflicts compelling. So I don't fault Todd for my hampered attention span when it comes to dictated melee. He writes them as well as one could and I'm sure there is an audience out there for this kind of action. But what really had me pinned to the pages are the relationships and tensions between the characters, human and dragon. Todd leaves no stone unturned as Maia must try and traverse the minefield of personalities and motivations around her.

Vocabulary
Finally, I like a book where I can learn a few words or are reminded of some forgotten ones. It makes me feel a bit smarter and can sometimes even improve my scrabble game. Here are but a few:
limned
redolent
escarpment
paddock
rivulet
I'd share more of these but I seem to have lost the bookmark I've written them on. Dammit! So much for feeling smarter.

The Summer Dragon is a not your average dragon novel. The world that Todd Lockwood has created captivates you from the very 1st page! The story of Maia and her family, dragon breeders, is of such depth that is rarely seen in today's literature. This book grabs you by the collar and only lets you go to witness the mystic marvels of the old world hidden from man and surrendered to the wild of the deep forest. This book will forever be in my library of must have books and I would recommend this book to anyone wanting a grand adventure.

I have just finished reading The Summer Dragon and I approached the last page with much sadness knowing I had to leave Maia's world and wait for the next instalment. This story was one of those special ones where I wish I could re-read it all again for the first time.

I am an avid book reader, adore all stories about dragons, especially Anne McCaffrey’s dragons of Pern, and this book was such a stand out for me. One of the very best books I have ever read. It made me cry a no. of times. I felt I knew the characters. Their grief was so tangible and real. Exquisitely phrased. Characters resonated with such humanity, whilst some lacked so much humanity…so relatable to the times we currently live in.

Having seen Todd's drawings I honestly feel that part of his magic as an author is his ability to also paint pictures with his words. And I am now awaiting everything else Todd chooses to write.

This book is amazingly detailed and thought out. Lockwood breathes life into his characters, in ways other authors have yet to master. I’m personally always on the hunt for books about/involving dragons. This first installment has satisfied everything, and more, when it comes to my love for this genre. I became emotionally invested in these characters after the first two chapters, and it’s hard not to. I’m telling EVERYONE about this series, and so far? They love it too. This book is thick with lore and politics and is a riveting read. Don’t hesitate to pick it up. Just do it. You won’t regret it.

This book is definitely one of my new favorites in the fantasy genre. The prose is smooth and delightful to read while unfolding a tale of a world with dragons who are deeply connected to the rich multidimensional characters who live there and it is nice to read a book that feels like a classic fantasy with a modern dynamic rather than the current tropes of anti-hero modern fantasy. My favorite thing about this book may be the strong female protagonist. I eagerly await the next installment of the Evertide series.

I just finished reading Todd Lockwood's debut novel The Summer Dragon, and wow was it fun! Previously known for his fantasy paintings, Lockwood shows that he excells as an author, too.

The Summer Dragon tells the story of Maia, the youngest in a family that raises dragons for the armies of the empire. Her life is upended by the threat of war and an encounter with a legendary dragon that portents great change. Whether it's for good or ill... well, that's the question Maia faces, and her actions could determine the fate of kingdoms.

Lockwood's story is fast paced, exciting, and full of strong characters. There's action aplenty and just enough political intrigue to keep the characters -- and readers -- on their toes. Lockwood's world isn't one of high sorcery, elves, and other Tolkien tropes. Instead it employs practical, low-key magic. The Summer Dragon is grounded without being prosaic, fantastic without being absurd. And throughout it all, Lockwood avoids cliché like the plague.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, given Lockwood's history with dragon art, the book really shines when it digs into the world of dragon breeding and ecology. He makes dragons feel real; it's easy to forget that you won't see one when you step outside for a walk. From their care and breeding to their relationship with humans to the creatures' more fantastic elements like flying and speech, Lockwood doesn't skimp on the kind of details that bring dragons to life. It's immersive and wonderful.

Despite my love of Dungeons & Dragons, I'm not always the biggest fan of fantasy novels. But Todd Lockwood's The Summer Dragon won me over, and now I'm itching to read the next installments in the series.

Todd Lockwood has moved from fantasy cover art to painting even richer and more astounding worlds with his words. Lockwood’s Summer Dragon is an instant classic, delving directly into a subject he knows better than most, dragons.

The book follows the exploits of a young dragon rider from an ancient family as she ties to defend her own birthright, her family, and her nation from a dark invading force. The detail with which this tale plays out speaks volumes about Lockwood’s ability to use prose. His scenes drip with detail, and his characters come alive just like the mighty winged beasts they ride.

I’m aware Todd has done several accomplished short stories (a couple set in this Summer Dragon universe), but he proves he has ‘leveled up’ in taking the next step to novelist. I truly enjoyed this novel and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys epic fantasy, mystical beasts and their relationship to characters, and finally a Tolkienesque eye for detail in setting.

I struggle reading fantasy. After years of reading it I feel most stories now are like bad karaoke of the greats. One reminds me of LoTR, another a little too much Pern...I feared all good fantasy authors, like Hollywood, had run out of original ideas. I grabbed this book months ago but it wasn't until I was stuck in a hospital waiting room for hours that I finally opened it... I couldn't put it down!
I am no writer to explain all that is right in this book using technical jargon. All I can say that I was transported out of that hospital waiting room, into a land of people, dragons, battle, conflict, families and hope. I eagerly await the second book and anything else Mr Lockwood wants to write. Thank you.

This is a fantastic fantasy novel with a well-written and well-designed strong female lead. A large bonus, at least to me, is that this is a rare novel that includes bits of interior art to go along with the story. Both the interior art and cover art done by the author, and they are gorgeous. If nothing else, the Summer Dragon is worth picking up for the art alone. The novel is about a young woman who wants a dragon, and the rest is spoilers so I'm going to just let that tidbit hang. I made the mistake of starting this book after dinner on a weeknight, which resulted in being forcibly dragged to bed at 1 am so that I would actually sleep instead of just reading the entire night, haha! Once you start you will not want to put it down.

The Summer Dragon is a fantastic premiere novel, and I am highly anticipating Maia's next adventures.

When I see incredible artwork from masters like Todd Lockwood, I know that what I'm looking at is a representation of what the artist saw in that frozen moment. Exactly as it should be (one would hope). The more detailed the piece, the deeper the story. A highly detailed piece of work becomes more mysterious as you wonder what the world is that could have created that place, that thing, or that moment in time. Now I can see the art on the cover and read in detail more of what that frozen part in time means. A great first book in a serious I can't wait to read more from. From the cover, to the interior illustrations that punctuate the book, to the detailed world and characters I love and hate (yes that happens in well written books), I have been hooked. Did I mention dragons? When it comes to Lockwood's ideal dragons; Oil and Brush, or keyboard and screen, Dragons become a scientific need to know. I can't imagine it any other way. ;)

Mr. Lockwood's pioneer work in novels stands just as magnificently as his paintings- which isn't surprising giving his long history in the world of fantasy. Each character is unique and roundly-written in a way that is often elusive with this genre. Even the dragons, which could just as easily be tools of war and simple plot devices, serve as our driven compliments into this new world. In this way, Lockwood's story branches out so that anyone can find a connection within it.
Don't get me wrong, though, this is Maia's story at it's heart. The Summer Dragon follows a young woman as she leaves the relative safety of childhood and is swept into the intrigue and complications of growing up in an autocratic society. Danger, dragons, mystery, and magic surround every turn she takes out of the gates. What's not to like?
Without giving away any plot points, you could say that we follow on Maia's heels as she learns to fly her own way, riding a rollercoaster of winds that will leave you both happily exhausted and wanting more.

The Summer Dragon is an absolute must read. Todd brings his amazing eye from artwork into a vivid world of Dragons, Evil Horrors, and Female Heroines. From the first chapter, I was brought into a world I could easily see and yet feel as vastly different from my own. I could not put it down and read late into the night on the day I purchased it. I am very eagerly awaiting the second, and third, of the promised trilogy. I will personally be recommending to anyone who asks that they should be reading Todd Lockwood.

Todd Lockwood is already Father of Dragons given how long he has influenced the Dungeons and Dragon's scene with his fantastic illustrations of the great beast and in The Summer Dragon he picks up a very different tool to illustrate them once again. The writing style was easy to read, while not making me feel like it was written to cater to any particular age group as an audience.

Also there are baby dragons mimicking chicken noises and I'd recommend the whole book solely on that scene alone and how much laughter it instilled.

Todd Lockwood’s “The Summer Dragon” is everything I’d hoped it would be. I’m generally skeptical of artists-turned-author, but I’m happy to report that Todd is as wonderful an author as he is an artist. (In the interest of full disclosure, I met Todd several months ago while interviewing him for a documentary project, and he offered an advance copy for review and comment.)

The story is appealing to both mature and adolescent audiences. It chronicles the adventures of a young woman named Maia, and her coming of age amidst intense political machinations in a world where dragons are mundane. It is fast-paced, engaging, and takes the reader on a whirlwind tour of Lockwood’s world.

I couldn’t put the book down, and I wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone!

Full disclosure: I am a dragon junkie. Having been open about that, I still recommend the book to anyone who likes a story that compels you to read til 2 am and name your newly adopted dog after a book character. Lockwood successfully weaves a new world together with its own religion, people, power struggles and demons. I cut my Sci-Fi teeth on Pern, so it was great to fall headlong into another realm with dragons.

I loved The Summer Dragon! The story and world of Maia completely captivated me from the first few pages. Even after I finished it did the first time (and I have re-read it many times!) the plot stayed with me. The world was so perfectly crafted that it felt like it could be a real civilisation. I appreciated how Maia was able to act as a heroine without being perfect or having a romance take over the plot entirely. The mixing of political, historical and religious influences were so interesting and I loved the scenes in the old city.
I can’t wait for news of the second book and hope it’s out soon!

I loved this book, i really enjoyed reading it and cant wait for the next one. I loved the characters, the descriptions of the dragons, all of the mystery, it kept me wanting more. I also really enjoyed the drawings interspersed throughout the book.