The Starward Light: And Other Tales

The Summer King Chronicles #4.5

by Jess E. Owen

These three tales take place after the events in the final volume of the Summer King Chronicles Quartet, "By the Silver Wind." It is highly recommended you read the Summer King Chronicles before embarking on these mini-adventures! A new queen struggles with the expectations of her mixed pride, on one of the most important celebrations of the year . . . A warrior unable to return to his home forges a new life and carves a place for himself in a foreign land . . . A young king continues to learn the value of trusting those loyal to him, and taking care to protect the histories of his pride--both the good, and the terrible . . . Enjoy a continuation of the world of the Silver Isles and the Winderost in these uplifting tales which highlight the everyday lives of some of your favorite gryfon heroes.

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction

202 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 5, 2018

About the author

Jess is a professional author and artist. For years she was an Equity Stage Manager in the theatre, but left that life to focus on writing. She is a member and past president of the Authors of the Flathead, an organization of “writers helping writers,” and is a proud member of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators.

Jess has been creating works of fantasy art and fiction for over a decade. She lives with her husband in the mountains of northwest Montana, which offer daily inspiration for creating worlds of wise, wild creatures, magic, and adventure. Jess can be contacted directly at, www.jessowen.com

Reviews

[GuineaPigFalconer · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun, fast jaunt back into the world of the Summer King Chronicles! These 3 short stories give a glimpse into the lives of beloved characters after the series ends, answering the question of "what're they up to now?"
I particularly enjoyed getting the perspectives of two characters who, though important, never had their own chapters in the books. It was nice to see the world from Brynja's and Stigr's eyes. And to revisit Shard, of course.
This book was just what I needed after finishing the full Summer King Chronicles series, and I hope to read more gryfon stories soon!

[J.F.R. Coates · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short, simple, and sweet. It was a delight to revisit characters from the Summer King Chronicles, providing a little more progression to their personal stories.

Not much more to say, other than if you liked the Summer King Chronicles, then this is a must-read conclusion to the series.

[Red · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed all of the short stories- I love this series and returning to the world felt like a big warm hug. I think I enjoyed the first story the most, however, as I really like Brynja and I enjoyed learning about the Vanir traditions! All were really good fun though, and I loved revisiting old characters and meeting new ones.

[Eddie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love getting to check in with characters from the first arc and see how they struggle and grow. The ripples of war bring change and Brynja, Stigr, and Shard each have their own insecurities they must face before they can really find their place in their new lives. Each short story was such a joy to read.

[Rebekah Blood]

My Review

THIS IS THE BEST!!!! I love all of the drama and action- it’s just amazing. Sometimes I get really emotional like when I found out Sverin died I couldn’t stop crying... I love this series.

[Annsley- A Bookmouse 🐁 📚 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved these short stories! It was so nice to see all of my favorite characters in their new roles. ☺️❤️

[ShingetsuMoon · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful and emotional return to the world of The Summer King Chronicles! It was wonderful to see old faces and new ones again. Each story had me eager to know more. A lot has changed in the time since the first book and this story collection shows that. Things have changed for the better in some ways and perhaps not for worse but definitely more challenging in others. Peace doesn't mean everything and everyone is peaceful. There's still a lot to do and to manage among the gryfons themselves and other tribes.

This was a wonderfully heartfelt return to familiar places and characters and I highly recommend it!

[cockatiel forger · Rating 4 out of 5]

God I love Stigr

[CypressFox · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Only by knowing all of the story, by knowing the dark, will they also know the light."

⭐⭐⭐⭐/5

Because of the format of this book, I figured I'd review each of them separately. Congratulations, you get four quotes today!

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"They were hers to protect and to lead. They might not have chosen her, but she had chosen them."

The Starward Light - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5

This story was by far my favorite of the three! I adore the new lore added in the form of a Vanir holiday, and I was thrilled to get some Brynja content that did not revolve around Shard. She was really given an opportunity to shine as an individual, and I appreciate her headstrong perspective. A great choice, too, for teaching us about a holiday we also knew nothing about.

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"Pain is a sign of life."

Beneath the Windward Sun - ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5

I am not the biggest fan of Stigr as a character and therefore had pretty low hopes for this story, but it was so endearing and I enjoyed it much more than I thought I would. Following this, seeing him overcome his struggles as a respected disabled lead while still showing that it is okay to know your limits was very refreshing to see. All-in-all, a great sixty pages.

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"We can't hide from our legacies, my lord, or we'll be ruined by them."

The Salmon Run - ⭐⭐⭐/5

This one gets the lowest rating only because I wasn't particularly interested in it. This was probably a mix of two reasons - one being that Shard is the protagonist (and we've had a ton of that already) and the other being that I know there is an arc where we see these characters appear again, so I am not as excited to see Embra or Eyvindr as I otherwise would be. Still very cute, though.

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Overall, I LOVE short stories and would love to see more (from this series and others)! I find them so sweet and enjoyable and easy to read. I would have loved to see a story about Ragna, Baldr, Sigrun, and Stigr as youths but I suppose I will have to keep campaigning for this from my soapbox in the corner.

Finally onto the Dragon Star Arc!

[Chase · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very lovely little compilation of short stories that revisits old characters from the Summer King Chronicles. It gives more details and insight about what happened to some characters after the ending of the series from different perspectives, and manages to be a very fun little read.

If you enjoyed the Summer King Chronicles, this is a must read.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Each of these stories was really fun to read and well-written. It was nice to see a little more from some of the characters and see them continuing to develop as time goes on.