Here are excerpts from early reader reviews of Emissary, my epic fantasy novel that releases January 6, 2015.

Tracie Heskett, on her blog:

5 stars – excellent

Thomas Locke gives readers the ingredients for great fiction in his new epic fantasy, Emissary: characters we care about, an inward and outward quest for the hero, and meaningful relationships between characters.

The author’s signature writing style, in which every word counts, carrying action and emotion, only adds to the story. I especially love the character development of the three main characters and would read more about these three.

There is one thread left unresolved regarding the main character, although there are hints. This reading experience left me wanting to reread the other Thomas Locke books.

Mary Siversten, via Facebook:

Thomas Locke has become one of my favorite authors with his new book EMISSARY. I took this book along with me on a recent trip and found myself wanting to stay in the hotel room and finish reading. I was captivated from the very first page!

Thomas Locke creates characters and a world with amazing detail and utterly believable without being overly wordy. If you want a great book that’s totally clean and worthy of a spot on your bookshelf, this book is for you!

Linda Pusey, commenting on my blog:

Tolkien baffled me 40 years ago as a high schooler so I stuck to inspirational fiction. But when I came onto your books, I was absorbed both with the intrigue and richness in your writing. Now, almost halfway through Emissary, I am captivated. Every word paints another stroke; the hero remains pure while taunted by evil; supporting characters are bold and noble or threatening and unimaginably frightening.

I am thrilled to read your Q&A about your reasons for entering the sci-fi market! As a grandmother of 6 and school volunteer, I will champion your efforts to restore gallantry and integrity, and you are doing it very, VERY well.

Danny Douglas, commenting on my blog:

The story is written in the way only a few authors can accomplish In this day and age. The characters are well defined and you had me from the beginning. I had trouble with the book aspect, since I only read on my Kindle, I actually ask my wife how to “use one of these” referring to the book.

I am happy to say this is the only problem I had. Fiction fantasy is a favorite of mine and I now consider Thomas Locke my favorite fantasy writer. As Hyman continues his adventure, I know that the creator of his character is guided by the creator of the universe. This makes it easy to look forward to further adventures.

Edward Arrington, via Goodreads

Thomas Locke has set out to write an epic fantasy similar in nature to “Lord of the Rings.” I don’t typically read fantasies but I am familiar with this author’s other works. I was not disappointed in the least. I found this book so well-written and riveting that I expect to be reading more fantasy fiction in the future. A real strength of this book is that it proves that an author can weave a story of such magnitude without using vulgarity in words or actions as so many authors seem to think is necessary now in order to sell books. As a grandfather, I do not want books in my home that I would be embarrassed for any of my family to pick up and read.

…There are a lot of amazing and unexpected twists throughout. Whenever I thought I was starting to figure things out, a new wrinkle would get added that took things in a different direction. The characters continued developing as the story progressed. When they think they have gone as far as they can, they find they have just a little more in reserve…I strongly recommend Emissary to anyone who enjoys fantasy in particular as well as anyone who simply loves a good story of good versus evil.

Janelle Faulk, via Facebook

5 stars

Thomas Locke hit a home run with Emissary! …The characters are well written, and Locke keeps his scenes somewhat fast paced, but not so bogged down in description that you lose interest.

If you have ever felt like you never belonged, just for a moment, and you like fantasy, I recommend this book! If you are a fan of J.R.R. Tolkien or C.S. Lewis, I recommend this book!

I’d like to share three reader reviews of Emissary from Emmanuel James Boston, Dave Milbrandt and Steve Hilton. I suspect you’ll enjoy each reviewer’s unique style as much as I did!

Mystery embedded in mystery

By Emmanuel James Boston, originally published on his blog

Thomas Locke delivers something to his readers that, by all measures, is really quite good. Mystery embedded in mystery. Adventure in fantasy. Love in trust. Story in words.

Instead of giving you a book summary like many of the other reviews, I’ll give you a more analytical/critical review to help you gauge (not whether it will be a riveting story, but) whether you want to read this philosophy over-against competing philosophies.

Book Philosophy:

Greater good can be had in denying myself, even being willing to sacrifice everything, and pursuing the cause of the outcast and the downtrodden; in pursuing good for goodness’ sake.

Main Point:

Sacrifice self, pursue good

Supporting Points:

•  There are greater things at stake
  People follow whom they can trust
•  Every individual needs others
• There are mysterious, guiding forces at work

Genre: Fantasy Adventure

Setting: Medieval world, undefined universe

Plot Flow: Ascending, monochronic; Rags-to-riches; quick-paced

Additional literary elements:

• Self-discovery, community building, battle
• The primary characters presented offer the antitype Hero-Leader, Chaos-Villain, comforter, and sage

Cultural Target: youth, young adults, fantasy

A few mechanical corrections need to be made—there were several times in the first 50 pages that a sentence felt cumbersome or lacking in a word. But after these first few, the writing style and sentence structure was flawless. So perhaps it was simply that I needed to get accustomed to the way Locke was writing, but nonetheless: there were a few times I had to reread a sentence because I couldn’t distinguish subject from object or distinction of antecedents.

Along a similar vein, there were several times in the book that I thought the plot developed too quickly—almost like there were gaps in the plot development (not to be confused with plot holes!). It occasionally thought: “There wasn’t enough time for Hyam & Co. to determine that course of action. He didn’t even have a chance to think through the events.”

Hyam seemed to respond too quickly and adeptly—he’s not done these things before, but he is somehow the perfect leader in every situation and knows how to react to things that are coming his way. If it were intended in Hyam’s characterization, he would appear haughty and presumptuous, but the characterization of Hyam was humble and compassionate (albeit holding grudges).

And occasionally it seemed like Locke didn’t spend enough time staging and describing the scene—this critique I know will be dismissed by most because many people want to ‘get to the story/action’ and find description overbearing, but I sometimes found myself rushed from one area to another without ever getting a chance to ‘look around’ as it were, and experience. Now this was not always the case, but I think more often than not the pace of the story was too quick for enjoying the world… and to be honest it was never quite clear in the story why there was such a rush. It seemed like Hyam ‘just knew’ that everything had to be done as expeditiously as possible without a clear plot element that gave cause.

And yet! All these critiques being leveled, the story was so good that all was quickly forgiven. The problems didn’t really even matter because the whole package was so enjoyable the whole time. In fact, all you have to do is read other reviews to understand the things that are so excellent.

I give this book 4/5 stars and recommend it to any fantasy readers as young as age 10.

Visiting new lands

By Dave Milbrandt, author of Chasing Deception, originally published on his blog

One thing I have learned as an author is that once you have drawn readers into your type of storytelling, they are hungry for more. There is a reason John Grisham uses the same structure in most of his novels: it sells really, really well.

But sometimes as a writer you want to explore a new type of story or different genre altogether. The fear, of course, is that people won’t join you on this journey. I have a manuscript in the works that is a significant departure from my first book and I am pondering how to market the project. I even briefly thought of using a nom de plume to separate it from the sequel I also am planning to Chasing Deception.

Speaking of assumed identities, one of my favorite authors who I had a chance to meet at a writers conference a decade ago, has written a new mythic fiction book under a pen name. While I normally don’t write book reviews on my blog, I thought I would make an exception here because I admire how this award-winning author bravely is striking out in a new direction with this work, thus encouraging me to do the same.

Locke was wise to publish this title under a different name, as it is a departure from what people expect from him. His other works are distinctly Christian in nature and Emissary, while not anti-Christian, stays true to the mythic fiction genre in a way that might make his regular readers uncomfortable. In particular, there are mages who use spells to battle evil forces. While this might upset some in his traditional audience, he would not be true to the body of literature he is joining if he ignored such elements.

Having said that, I must note Emissary is quite well structured, blending character development and conflict to engage the reader throughout the tale. The work is reminiscent of Stephen Lawhead’s Pendragon series in that it embraces the mythic fiction genre but avoids some of its darker elements. You may have the use of magic, but the force is more of a weapon against evil than a blueprint for the reader channeling such powers for his or her own use. There are battle sequences and a romantic subplot, but Locke refrains from the graphic narrative techniques so popular today. Game of Thrones, it is not.

In Emissary, Locke reinvents himself, writing in a grand style evocative of his earlier work. He takes us to a new land resplendent in rich detail and introduces us to flawed heroes driven to impact the world around them in a powerful and dynamic fashion. Locke dives deep into the world of mythic storytelling, creating compelling characters readers would follow on a grand quest to fight the forces of evil.

Sign me up for the next adventure!

There’s more to Hyam than meets the eye

By Steve Hilton, on ChristianBook.com

The e-mail I received inviting me to review THE EMISSARY by Thomas Locke informed me:

This is a new kind of story that focuses on the positive aspects that come from our life walk: courage in the face of hardship, growth, and change.

Every one of us must wrestle with these issues as we make the break between choosing to live our lives according to principles of the kingdom of hell, or by the principles of the kingdom of heaven. The Lord Jehovah, through his servant Moses, declared: I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you today that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Choose life so that you and your descendants may live, (Deuteronomy 30:19, HCSB)

Life is not about choices, life is a series of choices, and living ones life in light of the ramifications of the choices that we make. And that message is declared on every page of Scripture.

Enough preaching. On to the story itself.

Hyam, the hero of our story, is much like the crops that he grows; the fruit on the surface is abundant, rich, and varied . . . and yet there is more to him than meets the eye. The roots run deep; deeper than even Hyam knows. His mothers dying request is for Hyam to return to Long Hall, where he spent five years as an apprentice . . . and where his extraordinary capacity for mastering languages came to light. It was also a place that holds bitter memories for Hyam, and the one place to which he had vowed never to return. But how can one deny his own mother? When Hyam dares to seek out the Mistress of the Sorceries, her revelations rock his world to its very core. An encounter with an enchanting stranger reminds him that he is part hero and part captive. As Hyam struggles to interpret the omens and symbols, he is swept up by a great current of possibilities–and dangers.

Thomas Locke writes with an attention to detail that doesn’t bog one down with the details. The action varies as the scenes change, but is intentionally directed to the final resolution. The characters are complex, and yet one doesn’t really see them as characters at all. From the opening pages, one is swept off ones feet and taken where the stories, and dreams, and aspirations . . . and the dangers, and the heartaches, and the losses . . . take one.

I’m reminded of the preface to HUCKLEBERRY FINN:

Persons attempting to find a motive in this narrative will be prosecuted; persons attempting to find a moral in it will be banished; persons attempting to find a plot in it will be shot.

Because Mark Twain desired the reader to join in the adventure not psychoanalyse the author, or subject the story to the typical literary critique. As Thomas Locke desires in EMISSARY.

My publisher generously provided Advanced Reading Copies (ARCs) of Emissary to a number of volunteer reviewers. As these reviewers receive their books, they’ve been emailing me their first impressions. I thought you might enjoy their comments:

“I already read it! Incredibly compelling speculative fiction! It warrants great reviews!”

-LaVonne Svenhard

“I received my copy of Emissary and LOVED it!  I will be writing my review over the Thanksgiving holiday. On my blog I’m going to gush because I really did enjoy this book and can’t wait for the sequels.”

-Cindy Anderson

I finished reading “Emissary” early this morning. Even though it does not fit with what I normally read, I found it very interesting. I’m looking forward to seeing what happens next.

-Edward Arrington

“I received my copy of Emissary and I finished reading it this morning. Wow!

I have never read much fantasy but I decided to give this a try because I’ve never been disappointed by anything written this author. Emissary was no exception. The story cast a spell on me and I couldn’t put it down. And I can’t wait for more.”

-Tina M. Hunt

Official Reviews

Here are excerpts the first “official” reviews from readers. Click the links to read the full review.

Sherry Arni on Goodreads:

Emissary takes place in a world that is often frightening and dangerous. Ominous forces threaten the realm, and most of those who have the wisdom and power to stop these forces have been hidden away, their powers forbidden.

Hyam, a young man with a mysterious lineage, turns his back on all that is familiar to become the reluctant leader of a brave, loyal group of mages, soldiers, and a beautiful, equally mysterious young woman, all of whom are dedicated to freeing the realm from the terror that threatens to destroy the realm.

Characters are well-drawn, action moves quickly and urgently, and the writing transports the reader to the realm. It has been awhile since I last read fantasy; this novel was a good journey back to that genre.

Kathleen Smith on Goodreads:

…The character development was very well written and with each chapter I could see the characters forming in my imagination! Some of the writing could be better written with explaining how Hyam got from one town to another as in the beginning. It skips a bit without much detail on how the main character gets from one place to another.

Hyam, Joelle, Bryna as well as a flock of other interesting characters fill the pages with a deep sense of sorrow, wanting, and a lust to be free. The main characters could each have a separate book written about them and their races that would be just as fascinating as this book was. I will leave that to the author…

I rate this book a 5 out of 5 stars and would recommend anyone who loves mythical, magical science fiction and fantasy! I can’t wait for the sequel and once again this author has found a true treasure in this book lover’s heart!

Jan Jonaitis on Facebook:

…In the beginning I was a bit confused with all the descriptive text, but it did not take too long for this old lady to figure out what was going on.

Emissary centers around a young man who is raised on a farm. When he accepts the wish of his dying mother his life changes drastically. He makes numerous discoveries regarding his heritage. In the first few chapters your head is spinning trying to figure it out.

But as Hyman (hero) cannot figure out his heritage you just decide to fall into the story and allow Hyman to grow. The story involves a number of wizards who are: young, old, crafty, honest, gossipers, witty, proud and learned.

All the soldiers are shown in their true colors of either honest or untrustworthy. The other characters flow through the story and at times I felt a bit overwhelmed with the descriptions, idiosyncrasies and personalities of the characters.

The nemesis is unnamed throughout the story. This I enjoyed. There are only so many names of characters in a story to keep remembering who and where they fall in to the plot. Knowing the nemesis had no name actually made it a better story for it allows the imagination to kick in.

You will not be disappointed with your choice of reading “Emissary” by Thomas Locke.

Sue Stevens on Facebook:

… I was very interested to see what my favorite author would do in the fantasy realm – and I wasn’t disappointed. As hoped for, the pacing keeps the heart pumping… even when we are just meeting and getting to know Hyman, Joelle, Trace and others whom we come to care about quickly.

New races of Ashanta and Milantian are introduced and in the early stages of the novel, it takes a bit of time to get adjusted to who they are, their history and characteristics. But it’s a fascinating journey.

The descriptions of this world and the magic once again at work in it are cinematographic and spectacular… sweeping you along. Fans of great fantasy like J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Stephen Lawhead and others will be eager to jump into this realm and join the fight against Evil.