An Accident of Dragons

Tales of Summer #1

by Cheri Radke

An unlikely lord finally meets a problem he can’t flirt his way out of in this adventurous and light-hearted queer cozy fantasy featuring pirates, dragons, kidnapping, tea, and other high-fantasy delights for readers of Rebecca Thorne, TJ Klune, Sarah Beth Durst, and Travis Baldree.

In theory, the dragoness of Summer can make any resident on her island the ruler, if the previous Lord Summer is so careless as to die without an heir. In practice, absolutely no one expected her to choose Teddy, the last lord’s middle-aged fancy man. With his quick wit, heaps of charisma, and excellent dress sense, Teddy brings plenty of virtues to his new role, but statecraft, pedigree, and decorum are not among them. That’s all he’s done his duty to the island, and his five-year-old daughter, Zinnia, will make a brilliant Lady Summer when her time comes.

Except when a ship of desperate mainlander thieves arrives, Zinnia’s caught in the fracas and taken hostage. Teddy jumps into the rescue mission without delay, even though his days of adventures on the mainland are long buried with his lover. But his sailors have never seen their destination, and worse, the hard-liner admiral who leads them thinks Teddy’s a worthless dandy. Against a conniving robber baron, a sorceress who’s tamed her own dragon, and ordinary people with everything to lose, the crew faces terrible odds. But with all he loves in danger, Teddy must prove there’s more to him than he’d ever intended to show.

Genres: Fantasy, Dragons, LGBT, Cozy, Queer, Cozy Fantasy, Fiction

304 pages, Hardcover

First published April 28, 2026

About the author

Cheri Radke is a science fiction and fantasy writer. She has also been a librarian, a bookseller, and an academic coordinator. She studied Linguistics at New York University and went on to earn a Masters in Library and Information Science from Kent State University. She lives in Woodland, California.

Find her on Instagram @cheriradke
Name pronunciation: [ʃɛri radkiː] “sherry rad-key”

Reviews

[Niky · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay, so first of all: I genuinely had a nice time with this book. The setting of Summer was super charming, and the whole island–dragon–contractor thing? I’ve never read anything quite like that before, which was really refreshing. I only wish we’d gotten a bit more description of what Summer actually looks like, because the vibes were there, but I kept wanting just a little more to latch onto.

The characters had a lot of potential, and I really liked Zinnia and Brook. Both of them stood out in a good way, and Brook especially felt incredibly real and grounded. I do think the cast could’ve used a bit more depth, but what was there was already engaging.

Writing-wise, it was mostly smooth and easy to get into, but sometimes it felt like certain sentences had been run through a thesaurus for no real reason. It made a few lines feel oddly fancy compared to the overall casual vibe, and those moments kind of pulled me out of the story.

My main point of confusion was the target audience. It’s marketed as Adult Fantasy, but most of the time it read much younger - closer to Middle Grade or Young Adult. Then there were scenes that clearly didn’t fit those categories, and the shift between tones disrupted the flow for me. It made the book feel unsure of what it wanted to be.

But overall? It was fun. I read it in three sittings, and I genuinely enjoyed spending time in the whimsical world of Summer. I just can’t help thinking it would’ve worked even better if it had been marketed as YA, with a few scenes adjusted to fit the genre more smoothly. As it is now, it felt a little “aimless” at points - but if you want a unique twist to dragons in fantasy then this is still absolutely worth the read.

Thanks to the publisher and to NetGalley for the opportunity to read a digital ARC in advance of publication in exchange for my honest review.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you’re sick of overpowered, beautiful but they don’t know it, teenage “chosen ones” in your fantasy novels, can I recommend checking out Lord Summer’s story?

Teddy is our 40 year old MC, who by his own admittance, has made a bit of a hash of his life. He finds himself chosen as Lord Summer, a sort of king to the island of Summer, and contractor to Summer the dragon. It’s safe to say that he doesn’t take the responsibility as seriously as he should.

I really enjoyed the progression of Teddy’s story, and his willingness to examine his own faults. It’s refreshing to read about an adult who doesn’t have it all together, but wants to do better, for himself and his people. He discovers himself, and his self worth, along the way. But he doesn’t suddenly become a perfect person. Teddy’s character arc is very true to life and relatable, and something not often seen in fantasy stories.

The dragon lore is like nothing I’ve ever read before. A very novel approach to the bond between human and dragon. We learn so much about Teddy, yet Summer remains a mysterious enigma.

It was the actual adventure part of the book that was the weakest for me. The initial drama is resolved pretty quickly, and then things become convoluted and start to drag on, which shouldn’t happen in the back third of a story. It was Teddy’s interactions with the other characters that kept me going. And there are a lot of side characters here to love.

Come for the promise of dragons. Stay for the queer middle-aged MC, the character growth, the quirky world building, the cats, whores, and found family vibes.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for providing the ARC of this book. This review is my honest and voluntary opinion.

[Anna Makowska]

I was intrigued by the premise of a flamboyant gay man being portrayed not as a sexy love interest in a romantasy, but as a struggling father and somewhat of a disappointment in a cozy non-romance. I followed the author's journey to publication on reddit and when I heard it's a quest to save mc's kidnapped daughter, that sounded very much up my alley: I love quests, journeys and adventures in fantasy.

English isn't my native language, but this book reminded me the meaning of foreign language. This was incomprehensible. I kept reading and re-reading the same sentence or paragraph over and again, and still couldn't absorb what am I reading about.

There are books I couldn't get into because of infodumping, or too much worldbuilding up front, or the humour didn't agree with me, or it was simply poorly written. This is neither of those. The language was very pretentious, verbose and opaque. I was plodding through the pages and struggling to decipher what am I supposed to imagine and feel. There was some information, some description, some character work, but it was all buried under the very rambly narrator speaking with the voice of your most boring uncle boasting at a party about his super riveting life (only to him). This is probably intentional, but it's also a chore to read.

You know what, I'm team Sanderson - give me the windowpane prose, so I can plunge into the story instead of trying to piece it together like an intricate puzzle. Especially since the story underneath wasn't especially complex, so this felt like form over function to the extreme. I'm not the one to sit and admire pretty prose for the sake it. To me, literature is communication, and if I can't understand the message, I can't be impacted by it. So, that was a miss.

No rating because I'm at a loss of words.

Thank you Netgalley, Kensington Publishing & Erewhon Books for the ARC.

[Evan Bullock · Rating 1 out of 5]

I won this book through a Goodreads Giveaway, and on paper it sounded like a good comfort read with its billing of cozy fantasy, dragons, pirates, and a lighthearted adventure vibe. Unfortunately, the actual content was so far from “cozy” that I ended up DNF’ing within the first few chapters.

Very early on, the main character casually cheats on his wife, and brags about having done it multiple times before. That alone was jarring, but then the story immediately follows it with an attempted abortion performed on a dragon. I’m honestly baffled how this was marketed as cozy fantasy. The tone felt wildly mismatched with the genre label, and instead of charm or whimsy, I got discomfort and disbelief.

I’m sure this book will work for readers who don’t mind those elements, but it was an absolute mismatch for what I was expecting or wanting. Definitely not for me.

[Books_the_Magical_Fruit · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very unique take on dragons and humans not only coexisting but needing a special bond with each other. I really enjoyed Lord Summer’s character. He’s *hilarious*, and there are lots of laugh out loud moments when his wit and sarcasm inadvertently spill out. His daughter Zinnia is precious, and I loved seeing the sweet relationship she has with her daddy. The book also gives a fresh, relatable take on how awkward it can be to step-parent, and Summer’s interactions with Brook are good examples of how complex such a relationship can be.

While I recommend the book, I am a little confused as to why this is marketed towards adults. Yes, there are sexual situations, but Radke doesn’t get explicit. This tale has such a YA vibe; I think that with a few tweaks, this could be very successful as a young adult novel. The addition of the scenes I just mentioned, plus having Summer be forty years old—the story ended up perplexing me a bit, in terms of how to categorize it. I mention it because I believe I won’t be the only one to feel this way.

However, if you cast all that aside and just let the story lead you into an adventure, it’s a tale well worth reading. I’ll be keeping an eye out for Radke’s next book!

My thanks to NetGalley and Erewhon Books for an eARC in exchange for my honest feedback.

[Izzy⁷♡•° · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you so much to NetGalley and RBmedia for providing an ALC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

An accident of dragons provided an incredibly unique and intriguing magical world which I hope we get to explore in future books.
I know it says cozy and the tone is really light hearted but a lot of this book was really depressing, still I always enjoy a more coming of age story and I really liked that this one followed a way older character.

The plot was really predictable, however the great character work made up for it

[Shilo Quetchenbach · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was not at all what I was expecting. I went in expecting a cozy queer romance, and it wasn't particularly cozy nor really a romance. At 30% in there's still no sign of a romance.

It's dull and flat and consists mainly of Teddy telling the reader things, thinking about things, and then telling the reader about more things.

The characters are all very flat without any depth and even Teddy feels pretty flat. We are told what he thinks about other characters but not really shown why he thinks it.

There is some clear racism / xenophobia (though Teddy insists there isn't) that isn't examined.

The audiobook narrator contributes a flat performance that doesn't really distinguish the characters or convey any emotion.

*Thanks to NetGalley, Erewhon Books, and Recorded Books for providing an early copy for review.

[Colleen Logan · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was an DNF for me. The storyline had potential. But I had to quit after 25%. This book has a lot of spice in it and that is okay HOWEVER his daughter gets kidnapped and he's thinking about who he's going to hook up with or possibly hook up with or just thinking about hooking up.

[Lee Fr · Rating 4 out of 5]

it's a tough one for me cuz i really liked MC almost immediately- exactly my type of sassy gay ass mess- but there was just smth that prevented me from fully connecting to the story which was to its credit very dynamic and evenly paced but still missing THAT smth idk if it was the writing or the fact that the author seemed to convey some outdated notions of a certain things thro their writing (and before you say it's supposed to be old-timey medieval-ish? plus isolated world fantasy i'm not talking about how it was presented rather bout how MC's own thoughts/understanding was presented and how it clearly alluded to ever-present nowaday issues and still managed to misrepresent what it had wanted to in some cases- also it's fantasy so why do we even need that tiresome bigoted shit in the first place? but i digress). also flashbacks were sometimes more endearing than what was happening in real time but still enjoyed it enough to finish so 3.5 stars with a little bonus for some originality regarding whole dragon-contract ordeal

[Trio · Rating 3 out of 5]

I usually enjoy tales about dragons, but I found Cheri Radke's An Accident of Dragons just a three star read for me. The plot was a good one, and the premise promises loads of exciting moments, but I got a bit lost in all the details and the pace was too slow.

Sadly I also found the narrator's accent a bit hard to understand. Damian Lynch has a beautiful voice, and I would look for him again.

an audiobook copy of An Accident of Dragons was provided by RBmedia | Recorded Books, via NetGalley, for the purpose of my honest review, all opinions are my own

[T.A. Burke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, this was a very unusual tale in that I truly could not predict events -- they occurred more as they do in Real Life. I guess I mean the prediction of story patterns did not precisely apply. The story deflected from a standard path again and again. I was reading rapidly as the end approached, wondering what would happen next. For a section or two, I skimmed, just to find out -- I knew I was missing details but I was impatient so I decided I'd get the details the next read-through. Most unusual.

And, I would say this carries a certain lightheartedness that deserves its moniker "cozy", but I rarely like cozy books, they're usually too cute for me. But this had enough realness and adventure to pierce through.

[Sheri · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is pitched as a queer cozy fantasy, so in theory it should check all of my boxes and wind up on my “highly recommended” list.

Unfortunately, it really fell short of what I was expecting. It was definitely a queer fantasy (yay!), but it was NOT what I’d consider cozy. Child kidnapping, animal abuse, eye-gouging? Just because you handle it with humor doesn’t make it cozy.

The Summer-people, Summer-country, Summer-dragon thing wasn’t truly confusing, but it was annoying. And speaking of Lord Summer (Teddy), the navel-gazing was so overdone and overwrought. All Teddy does is think about himself and reminisce. And since we spend so much time in Teddy’s head, it’s every other scene.

I was pleasantly surprised to find representation of an effeminate, racialized gay man as our MC, but somehow he came across to me as a stereotype.

The combination of stilted, formal writing, telling-not-showing, and the very monotone audio narration caused me to feel very disconnected from the story as a whole, along with the characters and relationships.

I realize this review probably sounds like this book has no redeeming qualities - that’s not true. It’s queer, there’s dragons (could be more dragons tbh), and the plot itself was interesting enough.

Thank you to Recorded Books and NetGalley for an ALC of this book so that I may leave an honest review.

[Courtney · Rating 2 out of 5]

My review is based on an ARC I received through the Net Galley platform. It also contains SPOILERS.

Hmm… I’m not entirely sure what to say about this one. There were elements I genuinely loved, and yet just as many that didn’t land for me. I really wanted to love this book. At its core, it’s a sometimes-sweet story about a gay man coming into true self-acceptance in middle age. I love that concept, especially for a character who’s still so underrepresented, but something about the execution just felt… off.

The language at the beginning didn’t do much to endear me to our narrator. Maybe that was intentional, given his role as a perpetual student and self-styled gentleman, but it came across as overly floral and bordering on pretentious. From the start, his relationship with Brook felt odd—especially when placed in stark contrast to his relationship with Zinny. It read as more than simple disinterest in his stepson, even though Brook never rebuffs him or shows any real resistance to a connection. Again, maybe that was the point, but it left me feeling uneasy about our narrator right out of the gate.

I also struggled with how information was revealed throughout the book. At times it felt confusing and jarring. The narrator would drop a fact as if we were already supposed to know it, only to circle back paragraphs later with a sort of “peek behind the curtain.” I found myself constantly questioning things: Is Summer the island and the dragon and himself? Am I supposed to know who Alice is yet? That sense of disorientation pulled me out of the story more than once.

Some of the character development felt thin as well. We never really get to know Brook or even Canna. While they aren’t the central characters, their relationship to Lord Summer—and more interaction with them—would have added depth and helped ground our understanding of him. We get just the tip of the iceberg with Canna right after the prelude, and a bit more as the mysteries of the Otherland unfold through Brook’s interest, but I would have loved to see this explored further.

While I did develop empathy for Lord Summer as more of his backstory was revealed, I never formed a strong connection to him. Ultimately, he was likable but not lovable to me. I found his gullibility frustrating—Sally’s trap felt obvious from a mile away—and he could be unnecessarily cold to those around him. He frequently frames the Admiral as a prick, yet I never felt we were shown clear evidence of this. There’s mention of the Admiral’s rigid belief in traditional family values (which won’t earn him any points with me), but because nothing overt is depicted, it felt more like assumption or bias on Summer’s part than established fact. And yet… Summer still chooses to have an affair with him? I understand this is meant to highlight how little he values himself at that point, but we’re also shown moments that don’t paint the Admiral as entirely awful. Once again, I found myself conflicted and questioning the reliability of our narrator.

And for a book that’s supposed to be about dragons, I was surprised by how little actual dragon time we got—at least until Little Brother emerges from the egg. He was, hands down, the best character in the whole book.

All in all, I didn’t hate it. I didn’t love it. Some parts felt like a slog, while others made me wish we’d gone deeper into the world and its lore. I’d give this one a 2.5 out of 5 stars.

[Mariah Boyle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book as an ARC and I am actually really glad I did because I don’t know that I normally would have picked it!

I enjoyed this book overall. The older male perspective was something new and I liked the idea of them being in a contract basically with the dragons! Sometimes I was definitely feeling like I wanted more backstory about the dragons and their history. I felt this way about a few of the characters as well although we would sometimes get bits and pieces throughout the book. Overall it was a new take on a dragon story that I hadn’t quite read before! I do feel like this book gives the author a chance to really build on this world if they would like!
I would recommend this book!

[LeeAnn · Rating 5 out of 5]

What's not to love?

Dragons
40+ year old MC
Disability rep
Found Family
Arranged Marriage
Queer MC
Magical World Building
Cats

Perfect for fans of Our Flag Means Death, but in a gentle, cozy fantasy

Teddy says, "of course/not" to his anxiety, in a very self-deprecating but humorous way

Teddy grapples with depression and grief

Teddy loves big, Jack and Zinny and Alice

"Don't you ever want to change it? Change your fate?" (90)

"That I'd ever risen so far was but an accident of dragons, not known for the extravagant sanity of their schemes." (252)

[Bookly_Day · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this early and providing me with an audioARC


I had such a good time with this one!! All the credit goes to my fellow reader friend who recommended I request it and apparently knows my tastes to a T!!

Personally I’d categorize this in one of my favorite (made up) genres of cozy epic/high fantasy, right next to Goblin Emperor, Penric & Desdemona but mixed with dragons ✨

A reluctant lord of a prosperous heavenly land guarded by a dragon with terms and conditions. It got excitement, it got queerness, it got magic, family and dragons (not mutually exclusive)

The writing is beautiful and the narrator Damien Lynch embodied Teddy so well, I really felt sucked into his story.


I’d love to read a sequel or another book in this universe! I really really loved it!

[kristen · Rating 4 out of 5]

i didn't know that there was no romance going into this, nor that the protagonist was a forty year old man, so i was wadding a tad far out of my usual waters. i'm glad i did, because i quite enjoyed this story. the narration style was engaging and enjoyable character wise, plot wise i wasn't as invested. there was just something so calm in the way teddy approached his problems, i felt like the stakes were never all that high when they were, in fact, quite high. it was one of those stories where i felt all the characters, dead or alive, were given their roles in society specifically to impact the main character and create a very specific arc, which feels very intentional and well thought out.

[Ilona · Rating 2 out of 5]

This... was not it.

I was fooled by the promise of dragons and the pretty edition, but it was not worth it. At first it was mainly my own irritations with the pretentious writing, the fact that 90% of this book is just inner monologue and the set up of the book and the world, but then came the "plot twist" which makes no sense with how the book is written and now I feel no guilt in my 2 star rating.

There's also no feelings whatsoever. Not when it comes to romance, not when it comes to grief, not even when it comes to the kidnapping of his own daughter. I didn't like anyone in this book and whoever said this has humour must've meant it literally, as in yes there are approximately three humorous phrases in here.

The audiobook and immersive reading saved this from a DNF, but know that I'm generous with the 2 stars here.

[Dr susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent fantasy adventure

The story was more violent than I expected, but it is very well-written and engrossing. The worldbuilding is fascinating and quite complicated, especially since Teddy isn't a totally trustworthy narrator; he doles out facts like discovered treasure. The supporting characters are likeable and believable; Canna is definitely interesting and loveable. Zinnia and the cats are fun. I hope there are more tales of Summer.

[Maddi Harwood · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5⭐️ This was good…definite cozy fantasy vibes, with fantastic characters and a solid plot. The pacing felt a bit choppy at times, which pulled me out of the story here and there, but overall it didn’t ruin the experience. If you’re a fan of Sarah Beth Durst or TJ Klune, this is absolutely worth picking up. I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for whatever this author does next.

[Erin Marshall · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 decent story. When pirates and dragons collide. Enjoyable characters. Certainly a cozy fantasy. Feel like it was missing something, just don't know what.

[The Page Ladies Book Club · Rating 5 out of 5]

Vampires, dragons, dangerous magic, and one very swoon-worthy rogue? My reading list has officially become chaotic, and I’m obsessed. 🖤🐉✨

I’ve been bouncing between fantasy romance and historical romance lately, and honestly, these books were such a fun mix of adventure, tension, humor, and pure escapism. Love at First Bite was flirty, funny, and unexpectedly adorable with its grumpy vampire bad boy and lovable good girl energy. An Accident of Dragons completely won me over with dragons, high-stakes adventure, and a refreshingly unconventional hero I couldn’t stop rooting for. A Kiss of Crimson Ash delivered lush worldbuilding, dangerous magic, and layered characters wrapped in political intrigue and longing. And Game of Rogues gave me sharp banter, sizzling chemistry, and one of those romances where you can feel the tension crackling off the page. Every book brought something different, but together, they made the perfect binge for romance readers who love a little danger with their happily ever afters.

✨️Thank you, Erewhon Books, Orbit, Avon, One More Chapter, and the wonderful authors for sharing these books with us!

[Lizardley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

This was a very sweet novel. I really liked Teddy, and his arc, while relatively simple, was very effective. His relationship with his daughter was very sweet, and I particularly liked his relationship with his wife. The world-building was really cool, and I liked that the novel engaged with the psychological horror of a dragon ever-so-slightly influencing you. However, I think the pacing needed some work. This isn't overly long, but I did feel like I was dragging myself through it towards much of the middle. The lead-up to the climax feels a bit abrupt as well.

Despite its flaws, I am still invested in the characters and world, and I'm excited to see where this story goes next!

[Katie katiek-is-booked · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easily 4.5 stars. This was an excellent cozy book that was ultimately about love and self acceptance.

We start with Teddy, as he performs his duties as Lord Summer, and are introduced to his dragoness Summer, on the island of, you got it! Summer! (Honestly the naming and conventions of the entire book are so fun.) You also meet his wife, stepson, and daughter. As his daughter ends up kidnapped, Teddy discovers there are no lengths he won’t go to for Zinny.

I absolutely loved the characters and their development, Teddy’s reflections, and the few twists along the way!

I did see a review that a reader felt this was closer to YA, and I disagree with that - it falls in line with all cozy fantasy that I’ve read (some listed below).

I’d recommend this for readers looking for a cozy fun adventure fantasy. I’d also recommend this for fans of “Running with the Wind” by Alexandra Rowland, “Legends and Lattes” by Travis Baldtree, “The Very Secret Society for Irregular Witches,” by Sangu Mandanna, and “The Enchanted Greenhouse,” by Sarah Beth Durst.

I will absolutely be reading more from this author in the future!

Thank you, Kensington and BTC, for the ARC!

[Samantha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for allowing me to read this as an ARC.

Absolutely masterful. This book was mystery and thrill wrapped in enchantment (and dragons!) I was immediately swept away by the narration and the world building. Teddy's voice and thoughts as someone in his forties was a breath of fresh air even though it took me about half the book before I realised I couldn't trust everything he was saying which made me even more intrigued. I love little Zinnia! I immediately need more. More stories of Summer, more dragons, more mysteries to unravel. Failing which I might just have to re-read this book again, this time with more annotations to see what I missed in my first reading.

[Zuzanna · Rating 3 out of 5]

yeah, I still don't like cozy fantasy

[Filipa Roque | Dev. Editor · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5
An Accident of Dragons by Cheri Radke quietly drew me into Teddy’s life, a middle-aged lord with a dragon companion, just as everything around him began to shift. I found myself noticing the small changes in his body, the unexpected discoveries that stirred up old family troubles again, and the gentle pressure inching in from beyond his island. The story keeps close to Teddy and those around him; every moment and each conversation feels quietly significant. There is always a gentle tension, a sense that something larger is waiting, just out of sight.

Reading it put me in mind of those long evenings spent alone, thinking about past choices, with only the soft hush of the house for company. The book never hurries or shouts. It carries a gentle restlessness, and I kept turning pages, curious about what might change next. I wandered with Teddy through palace corridors, watched the slow rhythms of daily life, and joined him on quiet trips away from the island. The drama always stays just beneath the surface, and the smallest details begin to matter more. The pace is slow, thoughtful, and each scene is given room to breathe.

Most of the time, that sense of warmth and reflection holds steady, thanks to Teddy’s voice. He has a dry humour, but there is a certain heaviness too, as though he bears more than he will ever say. At times, the story feels as if it strays too far along side paths and loses some of its focus; it seems more interested in wandering about than in driving straight ahead.

It is cosy fantasy at heart, with warmth and a touch of magic woven into the everyday, which I have always liked. What sets it apart, though, is the way it lingers over Teddy’s worries as he grows older. It is not all light and whimsy; it is about changing roles, shifting expectations, and that quiet confusion that comes as the years pass, while adventure waits close by.

Teddy starts out caught up in his old habits, but slowly, he comes to understand himself better, making choices that show how much he cares for those around him. His bond with the dragon is not just a bit of magic added for charm; it shapes him, and gives him a sense of belonging. Family and connection are at the centre of it all.

What stayed with me most is the honest way the book looks at relationships as they change. The politics of the story, though, seem to drift around without quite tying into Teddy’s own journey, which can leave the main thread feeling a little unsteady.

The world takes its time to unfold, which gives the magic a sense of being lived-in. Sometimes the details about mind-bonding are a bit tangled, and I found myself waiting for the story to settle them, which could break the flow for a while.

Whenever I reached a chapter title, I felt it revealed a little too much. It would pull me out of the world the story had taken such care to build. Instead of being surprised, the titles gave away the little turns ahead, and I wanted to find things out alongside the characters, to share their uncertainty rather than having the way marked out. Even a single word in a heading could give away what was coming, and I would catch myself trying to guess the next step instead of sinking into the story. I wished for a lighter hand, one that allowed me to discover things for myself.

By the end, I found myself thinking about how tightly we hold on to our old roles, and whether that helps us to change or keeps us stuck, just as family shapes us in ways we do not always see. The book feels much like reading someone’s private journal, with a little adventure, and a gentle, introspective sort of magic.

If you want a dragon story that looks at the people behind the scales, or enjoy gentle, cosy fantasy that explores the quiet changes of growing older, this one is a comfort. If you are looking for quick action or great drama, though, you may need to look elsewhere.

I'd like to thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for providing a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

[Rem · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review of advance copy received from NetGalley.

This novel was thoroughly charming. Right from the first chapter, the characterizations and world-building were so engrossing that I could hardly put it down. To me it had the energy of a Dragonriders of Pern book meets The Wizard of Earthsea, with a dash of dry humor sprinkled on top. This is the kind of cozy fantasy story that I can get behind, a tale with (somewhat) low stakes but a clear plot progression and cohesive narrative structure, it really hits the spot.

I can't say how much I appreciated Teddy as our queer, middle-aged protagonist. There is something so incredibly relatable and real about his insecurities and his attempts to reconcile with old grief. And I love that this is an undeniably queer book, with Teddy's identity and experiences at the heart of it, where the focus is not inherently romantic. To be totally clear: I adore those stories as well, I'm just not always in the mood for romantasy as a genre but I was absolutely in the mood for An Accident of Dragons.

The characters all felt fleshed out and fully realized, even those who were meant to be antagonists or villains. Especially in a fantasy story set in a magical world, this really helps to keep the setting grounded in reality, and to make the stakes feel real. I loved the glimpses we got into Teddy's interpersonal relationships, his struggles with self image and how he imagines people think of him. The entire story is driven by his disconnect from the people in his life and the way he has pushed his loved ones away to protect himself in his grief, and this comes through very strongly in the writing.

If there is one thing I wish we got more of, it would be the dragon Summer (forgive me the taboo of clarifying that I refer to the dragon specifically). I understand that this is necessary, with the novel mostly taking place outside of Summer it means the dragon can't follow and isn't more a part of the story. It works well thematically, given some later plot reveals, but I still feel like it's a missed opportunity to not see more of the dragon when her presence looms so large over the narrative. This is a minor quibble for me however, and didn't impede my enjoyment of the book.

I was appropriately surprised by the little twists and reveals, and the resolution to the main plot points felt immensely satisfying. An Accident of Dragons has a very strong structure to it, in which we gradually learn more about the characters and setting over the course of the novel, and flashbacks are utilized at exactly the right moment to provoke the most profound emotional response. Considering I often find narrative structure and cohesion can be a weak point in a lot of "cozy" stories, this really stood out to me as a strength of Cheri Radke's writing. Her prose style is also sophisticated and creates a lush descriptive landscape without feeling weighed down by unwieldy verbosity.

Regarding the audiobook, I immensely enjoyed Damian Lynch as a reader. He has such a lovely cadence that makes the story feel engrossing, as well as a gravitas and weight to his voice that makes everything feel incredibly real. I thought he did an excellent job creating subtle but identifiable character voices, none that were silly or strange enough to break immersion, but still distinct enough from the main POV character voice that I could tell them apart. Lynch also felt like an ideal choice for Teddy as a character and I love the balance he strikes between wry humor and poignant sincerity in all the right moments.

Overall this novel was an absolute joy to read and I would certainly recommend it to friends and fellow fantasy enthusiasts. Eagerly anticipating further entries in this series or tales taking place in this setting!

[Magdalene · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found out about this book when looking at new releases of the month, and with the premise of it being a fantasy about a middle-aged gay dad who feels out of place in his place of power, I thought it sounded really fun.

I've seen some reviews complain about Teddy being unlikable, but I liked him from the start. This is told in the first person, very much as if Teddy is telling the story of what happened to him, so that means we get information when Teddy wants to give it to us. I wouldn't call him an unreliable narrator, just one who is controlling the narrative. He doesn't necessarily lie to the reader, just hides things until he wants to talk about them, just like he hid things from himself. I found this quite effective, as at first we see Teddy as a bit of an airheaded dandy, but he slowly reveals layers to himself. I felt for him right away, as he clearly feels insecure in his position as the lord of Summer that nobody would've chosen themselves, but they had to accept him since he was chosen by the dragon Summer. He had to marry a woman despite them both knowing he's gay, and he doesn't know what to do with that. His lack of security makes him keep everyone at arm's length, and his way of doing that is by being silly and flirting with everyone.

I will note that there is talk of his past relationship and a sexual relationship he has during the book, but it's all minor and there's almost no romance in this book, which was also refreshing.

I also saw some complaints that this was described as cozy fantasy, and it wasn't cozy enough for some people. I see where they're coming from, but that wasn't the case for me, since I find cozy fantasy often doesn't have enough substance. This still had a pretty cozy feel, with the island setting and dragons and a little girl making trouble and Teddy swanning around the place and criticizing people's clothing. But I liked that it also had a pretty serious core, with Teddy dealing with lingering unhappiness about feeling like an outsider, not feeling sure of his lover's feelings, and never wanting the role or title he's stuck with. Things happen and are mentioned in this book (mental health struggles, abuse, sexual abuse) that would be an unpleasant surprise for people who wanted a purely cozy read. I thought these things had their place in the book and they never felt like they were coming out of nowhere to me, but again, I can see why it could go against some readers' expectations.
For the most part I just had fun reading this book, and I grew to appreciate it more and more as a I read. Teddy has some work to do to accept different parts of himself and his past, and ultimately become a better version of himself. I loved that lesson, and that it showed that it could also happen to someone in his 40s.

[Keturah Sergeant · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun, fast-paced and family-focused story of dragons and duty and rescue. It's engaging, it's action-packed, it's full of character development, twists and turns, highs and lows. The MC is brilliantly complex, fun and flirtatious and fashionable but complicated and hurt. A family man that never expected to have children, in a marriage of duty, meant to provide an heir, his whole life and duty haunted by the loss of his love, the previous Lord Summer, the soul bonded partner of the island's (Summer) dragon (also called Summer, a recurring humorous element which somehow does not get confusing). He is unique among the people of the island, in his appearance, his position, his background, he feels apart, even his connection to the dragon is unlike what is expected of the bond. When his daughter is kidnapped by a group of mercenaries seeking his dragon's egg, he is forced into tougher and tougher decisions, the dragon in his head increasingly distant as he travels across the sea to reclaim her.

It is emotional, it is hopeful, it is action-packed, there is political intrigue, there are strange cults, there is underlying commentary on race, gender and lgbtqia+ rights. It is all cleverly parcelled in an engaging, fast-paced story. I loved the focus on family, not a traditional arrangement by any means, a family formed by necessity, an openly gay man who sought marriage out of a duty for heirs, a woman married once before but never for love, an older step-son distant and seeking his own way in life, a young daughter already sworn to bond with the dragon on her father's death, and of course the dragons, intricately wrapped up in it all through mental bonds with father and daughter. They care deeply, even as they lack communication, even as they put up walls, even as they force distance, and at the end of everything, they will risk it all to save on another.

I loved every second of this tale, every twist, every realisation, every clever escape, every deep conversation, every desperate realisation, every poignant character moment. Amazing!