Krazykiwi @ Kiwitopia

Firstly I have to say, I adore these covers, the entire series. Love them to bits.

A powerful book of spells has been taken, the scholars studying it slaughtered, and all clues point to someone planning to summon something horrific. To do that, they'll need a power source, a well of magic, but the locations of those have long been lost. 

A loner mage is sent to return a precious treasure to the Dragons who were the enemy a scant half generation ago, in hopes they can be persuaded to talk peace, in hope that with their long memories they can help locate the magic well, and prevent the summoning. Of course, nothing goes to plan.

For a first novel, particularly a self-published one, this is not bad, but it's not spectactular. There's a fairly unique take on magic in these books, but the rest feels a little like pastiche in places. There's the stern dragon riding sirens, bound for life to their sentient, telepathic dragons - Ok, these dragons are the ones in charge, and can talk, but I think we've seen this before, a time or ten. There's the mages who are more interested in political intrigue than being useful. There's Vampyres and Lycans and Dark Elves (ok we don't meet any, but they're mentioned plenty - they're the ones who made the magic wells everyone is looking for). 

A solid journeyman opening effort, but somehow, it just didn't take hold of me quite enough.