This is the only gryphon series on the list, currently, but it's so good that I made a new category just for it.

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On the Silver Isles, tensions have existed for years between the Vanir and Aesir gryphons. The Vanir were a native tribe living in relative harmony with the other animals on the isles, until the Aesir conquerors swooped in from a different continent and took over all the tribes. Now, years after Sverin, son of Per, declared himself to be king, whispers in the wind speak of a new ruler, a so-called Summer King who will bring peace back to the isles.

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Summer King is a series that does several things very well, and foremost among these are its themes on regret and redemption. This is an extremely well-intentioned book series: the kind that wants to believe people can change, and that they can make the world a better place by doing so. It's not a series that's concerned with war so much as it is with peace, and the degree of respect that it gives to its characters (with some in particular standing out more than others, who I won't name here due to spoilers) is something to be admired. In this regard, it reminds me of MCA Hogarth's writing.

 

I believe this series improved with each book release, to the point where I can call book 4, By the Silver Wind, one of my favorite things I've ever read. The only criticism I have is that this book could have used a couple extra chapters to flesh out the ending better. Aside from that, By the Silver Wind had me invested every single page. It hit me on an emotional level that's comparable to Golden Treasure, or the best parts of Serpentia, and that's some high praise coming from me. Great pacing, characters, worldbuilding: the whole nine yards.

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Summer King has many lovable characters, with the most obvious being the main one, Rashard (aka Shard). Alongside gryphons, this series includes several other animals such as wolves, eagles, lions, and even dragons. I do wish some of these other animals had been given more time to shine, especially a certain wolf we met during the first book, but I never felt like this was a major concern. Book 5, The Starward Light and Other Tales, is a collection of 3 short stories that does expand on some of the events following the main plot, and I found this to be a welcome addition. I would love to see more short stories like this in the future, if the author is interested.

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Overall, I give Summer King one of the highest recommendations I can give. It's a fantasy series that's worth reading whether you care about gryphons or not.

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Length: 247 pages (Song of the Summer King), 398 pages (Skyfire), 384 pages (A Shard of Sun), 477 pages (By the Silver Wind), 188 pages (The Starward Light and Other Tales).