Yes, this is middle grade, but no, I will not be calm about it. It’s a book I would have adored at that age, and one I still had a fabulous time reading now in my late twenties.

I received a digital advance reader’s copy (ARC) of The Last Dragon on Mars by Scott Reintgen. Since this version is just a proof and not the final version, I won’t quote directly and will keep my comments general.

So in The Last Dragon On Mars, Lunar Jones has grown up barely scraping by on the human colony on Mars. So when one of his missions to the wastes goes wrong, it’s not entirely unexpected. What is unexpected, though, is his encounter with a dragon, who’s been hiding away for a decade. But the dragon-king of Mars was killed ages ago, so how can this be? Lunar soon is swept up in a secret training program, to protect the dragon and to, perhaps, save the entire planet.

The dragons power spaceships in this one, and it’s awesome. What more do you need to know? The review can be over now, right? No? Okay, I’ll go on, then. But to reiterate—

THE DRAGONS POWER SPACESHIPS!

I definitely embarrassed myself in front of the author the other day, so Scott, if you’re reading this (which would be INSANE), sorry for being a giddy fangirl and thanks for being so gracious about it! 😅 But also, I’m ready for book two!

Anyway, this book is delightful. Lunar is a fun character, a scrappy and snarky kid who gets to discover just how powerful he can be, after a lifetime of barely getting by. I also quite liked the side characters, especially Little Will and Proctor. There wasn’t quite enough development of the two of them, but knowing this is the start of a series, I’m okay with it, and I liked what was here.

But the best character (you guessed it) was the dragon, Dread. I mean, he’s a big, powerful, black-and-red dragon whose magic can power spaceships, and he is descended from one of the moon dragons. Speaking of, it’s a very fun bit of worldbuilding, how the dragons’ hierarchy works. Basically, every star, planet, and moon has a different dragon avatar with abilities and characteristics that match the planet/star/moon. It’s so cool!

Okay, I won’t harp on the dragon any longer. On another note, the setting is so clever. The idea of a Martian colony for humans has been done, but this version weaves a scenario where the colony isn’t proving lucrative, so Earth is on the brink of cutting off contact. It adds to the stakes of the story, as does the lore about the Mars dragon dying, resulting in all other wildlife on this terraformed planet turning on the humans. Putting the characters on a dying planet that’s also actively trying to kill them makes for an intense, thrilling read.

I do wish that the pacing had been a little slower, though, so that we could have spent more time with Lunar as he learned about dragons and piloting ships and everything else. However, the action more than makes up for it, and there are some good twists that will keep readers guessing. And the way it ends! The plot of this story is nicely wrapped up, but with such a tantalizing tease for what’s to come. (Again, sorry to Scott for being a little on the unhinged side when sharing my feedback. But also, not sorry. I’m just excited to recommend this to readers when it is published.)

So, in the end, obviously I had a fabulous time with The Last Dragon on Mars. Excellent characters, story, and setting. There’s humor and action and danger and fun. I can already tell that kids—even reluctant readers—will be drawn to this. I also can’t wait for someone I know to read this so I can talk about it, because if you can’t tell, I recommend this!

The Last Dragon on Mars will be published on October 1st, 2024 (but is, of course, available for preorder now)!