Fire Mage

Blacklight Chronicles #1

by John Forrester

For centuries, mages perfected magic at the Order of the Dawn. Mastery over fire, wind, and storm. They live in the last free city in a world plagued by dark sorcerers.

Talis Storm and friend Mara discover a terrible secret. The Jiserian Empire has targeted their city for attack. An army of undead soldiers. Flying necromancers. None have ever survived.

When a surprise aerial invasion hits the Order's temple, Talis casts fire magic for the first time. But his spell is wild and does more harm than good. Sorcerers try to capture Talis and Mara. They flee into the temple crypts. Awoken from an ancient rest, a fallen champion slays the sorcerers and gives Talis a legendary map. The map leads them on a quest to discover the lost temple of the sun.

To save his city, Talis must discover the power of magic locked away inside the ancient temple. And become a true fire mage.




"Fire Mage is a fast paced, action packed... I devoured it very quickly and was glued to the pages... My favourite character has to be Mara, she is fearless, speaks her mind, and would would fight to the death for her best friend Talis and vice versa. I cannot wait to read to read what is coming up next in the amazing Blacklight Chronicles." --Fiction Fascination

"I really enjoyed this book. It was a fast paced fantasy adventure, great for young readers. It was an easy and entertaining read. I really liked the chemistry between Talis and Mara... a really great read for pre-teens and teens." --Great Minds Literary Community

Genres: Fantasy, Magic, Young Adult, Paranormal, Fiction, Witches, Amazon

178 pages, Paperback

First published November 11, 2011

About the author

John Forrester is the author of Reins of Power, in the Shandian Chronicles epic fantasy series. He is also the author of Fire Mage, Sun Mage, Shadow Mage, Dragon Mage, and Death Mage from the Blacklight Chronicles fantasy series.

Reviews

[Inigo Montoya · Rating 1 out of 5]

Did a 10yr old write this?

Dear potential reader,

Please allow me save you some time and let you know that this story is horrid and has absolutely NO redeeming qualities. Please move onto the next book on your list and spare yourself the agony of trying to read this worthless piece of literature (using the term literature loosely as I have read more intriguing plots in truck stop bathrooms). If you wish to know specifically why this book was so bad, please feel free to continue reading, but stopping now and moving on to something more worth your time is advisable.
You're still here? Okay, let's begin then. First, let me state that despite my headline I know that a grown man wrote this. I had to make sure since it sounds like the ramblings of a 6th grade boy, so I did some research and found out that he is in fact a grown man. That being said, he should be ashamed of himself for putting this out there and actually charging money for it. It's obvious that he has decided to self-publish because he couldn't get any self-respecting agent to represent it, then went off to a review shop and paid for a bunch of positive reviews in order to sucker poor readers into purchasing this trash. Shameful!
I purchased this book on my kindle after reading a lot of really great reviews for this. There were a lot of references saying this was a great book for those that liked Hunger Games or Harry Potter and how it was a good, fun read. Those people are either liars, fools, or were paid massive amounts of money.
After downloading it I was eager to start reading. It started slow with hunting a wild boar in the jungle, which confuses me since we later find out that the city in which they live is in the desert. Then again, the writer seems to think that it's okay to have a city in the desert but have vines growing everywhere. I used to live near a desert and never saw a vine (or a boar for that matter) anywhere near there.
I tried to not let these `little details' interfere with my `suspension of disbelief' and continued on with the story. So we go from a mediocre hunting trip to Mara getting hurt. Mara, as it turns out, is thirteen (just like our hero Talis) and the granddaughter of the king. She is allowed to go hunting boars with another thirteen year old without any guards, or anything. I find this unlikely, but sure, why not. Inevitably she gets injured and nearly killed and when her mother finds out she's furious. She blames Talis and tells him to never come back.
Skip ahead and we're at the town market place where Talis meets another kid that he is supposed to fight for the "Blood Dagger" (a really important championship fight that is the very next day). This "waddling fat kid" he meets is one of the champions of the arena and a master swordsman. They exchange a few words and the fat kid pulls down his pants and blows a "smokey fart" at Talis (which is gross...who writes that sort of thing???). I don't know about anyone else, but if someone did that to me I would have given them a `steel enema' with my sword. Talis, being the helpless wimp that he is, breathes it in, laughs it off and happily goes home where he meets Mara who is now miraculously healed and ready for the tournament tomorrow.
Mara tells him that she has just found out that her parents are going to make her marry some thirty year old, fat, baron next year (you remember she's only thirteen, right?). Talis doesn't seem to care but she drags him with her to pray to the god of losers for help. They make a pinky swear to win the tournament the next day so Mara doesn't have to get hitched to fat thirty year old baron.
Then we come to the Big Event, the fight for the Blood Dagger (ooo, aahhhh, gasp). We need to back up real quick and emphasize how important this apparently is. Holding the Blood Dagger brings a lot of honor to the families that hold it. The competition is held once a year and while there is no magic allowed (too bad since child mages are the ones fighting in it), weapons are allowed and people can be killed (as demonstrated as how it was said three times that in previous matches Rikar cut off some kids head). If Talis/Mara wins then Talis' daddy will finally love him more than his dead older brother and Mara won't have to be the victim of pedophilia at the hands of some old baron.
Their rivals (also thirteen year olds as far as I can tell) are master magicians (neither Mara or Talis can so much as pick their noses with magic) but this is a melee battle so they are on equal ground in this respect. Well, equal except for the fact that the other two kids are apparently master swordsmen in addition to mages(even the fat kid...but let's not point that out).
So, they have this `Epic' battle between children, to the possible death and while all the contenders arrive there are no spectators mentioned. There don't seem to be any fans to watch the fight, no parents to root for their kids, not even the people that organize the matches. The only ones there are the kids, a single healer who only seems to be interested in eating his nachos or something and one referee.
Not only that, but the only ones in this competition are the champions and Talis/Mara. There are no other kids trying to compete for the dagger? I guess the parents of those kids have more sense than to let their children fight to the death over a silly dagger that really doesn't get you anything. I would have at least expected some discussion about spectators. People love to watch a good fight. Even if it's between kids if a fight breaks out people will flock to it like moths to a flame.
Let's forget all logic as it pertains to huge important competitive events (think Superbowl) and focus on what actually happens. The fight spans a couple pages and consists of some awkward attacks made by our heroes that get easily deflected by the bad kids. Mara gets knocked down and injured again but is able to keep fighting and then Talis basically stumbles on Rikar and cuts him on the hip. The wound sounds trivial but Rikar is somehow unable to fight anymore so Talis/Mara win! Yay! Let's also forget the fact that they have one more opponent that is still standing and can fight just fine (the waddling fat kid). Rikar is down and they get the blood dagger. Everyone can go home happy. At this point I just had to put this book down.
Everything in this book up to this point is ludicrous. Scenes change instantly without any transition. You go from outside the city, to inside, then to a temple, and then to some weird restaurant where the waitress hates Mara for no apparent reason. People's actions make no sense whatsoever except as filler and a convenient way to move the story (or lack thereof) along.
I attempted to read this book 5-6 times over the last month, thinking that I could trudge my way through it but by the end of chapter six I gave up. The story is difficult (at best) to follow and is impossible to believe in. The main character Talis is shallow and cowardly. The infrastructure of the civilization, culture, gods and magic make no sense and there isn't enough detail in this story to fill a hat.
I'm done with this author and fully intend to do my best to warn others of his under-handed tactics in trying to market this crap. Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against self-published books. There are a LOT of really great ones out there...this just isn't one of them.
However, I expect that a self-published book be put through at least some rigorous editing and test reading before it's thrown out into the public. There is a reason why traditionally published books sell so well and that's because of the stringent level of proof-reading they go through before they see the light of day. This book hasn't benefited from any of that.
I do hope this helps other readers keep from wasting time on this nonsense. If you do decide to read it, I wish you the best of luck.

[Thom Watson · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'm a little conflicted about how to rate this book.

If I were to rate it solely on how much I enjoyed the action, the world-building and the character development, I'd probably give it a solid four stars.

But I honestly can't recommend this book -- on its own -- to anyone, without at least warning them that the book is in no way complete. When I got to the end of the final chapter of this book to discover that it was not a full novel but rather just stopped somewhere in the middle of the plot line that had been laid out for us, I actually found myself angry, disappointed and, to be honest, as though I'd been defrauded. This book, while quite enjoyable, was actually little more than what I would normally consider to constitute the first few chapters of any comparable fantasy fiction. Moreover, it cannot be considered truly even the first part of a series (e.g., a trilogy), because it is in fact not independently complete; it is, rather, the first part of a story that ends just as the characters reach a mid-point in their journey with no independent denouement. There's not even the emotional charge of a cliff-hanger. Rather, the characters have some adventures along the way as they journey to an inn, purchase passage on a ship, and board the ship... and then the book ends. It would be like purchasing The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, and having the book conclude with Edmund walking through the wardrobe, or starting The Wizard of Oz only to have the final chapter end with Dorothy setting out on the yellow brick road.

I'm grateful, at least, that I paid very little for the book, but the fact that it was written and/or published in such a way that one essentially would have to buy the next in order to progress the storyline laid out in the first chapter makes me reluctant to throw good money after bad. How am I to know, for example, whether that next book might not also end just a little further along in the middle of the story, requiring me to then purchase a third, a fourth or a fifth before reaching any kind of conclusion? I'm distrustful enough of this author and his tactics now to decide, no matter how much I enjoyed the story and the protagonists, that I won't be spending any more money on this series. And that's a shame, because up until the last page and the resulting sense that I'd just been cheated, I had been very thoroughly engrossed. I wonder if that's why I'm so harsh and so unforgiving about the resulting disappointment, that it was so good that it felt like some kind of actual betrayal to have it end (or not end, in this case) so distressingly poorly, amateurishly or, perhaps even worse, seemingly so blatantly for purely commercial rather than literary reasons.

[J. · Rating 2 out of 5]

This early-teens epic fantasy novel has no ending. Maybe I'm just old school here, but I still believe each book in a series should have its own arc (beginning, middle, and ending) within the bigger arc that covers the series itself. Not every question must or should be answered in the first book, nor every loose end tied up, but enough should be to give the book a proper conclusion. This one doesn't do that, leaving me without that satisfied feeling after turning the last page. Or as some reviewers put it, feeling cheated.

[Sheri · Rating 1 out of 5]

I gave up after the 5th chapter. Too many things just don't make sense. The character development is terrible. For more info on why, see Inigo Montoya's detailed comments which I totally agree with. It feels like it was written by a kid or someone with no writing experience at all.

[Dennis Fahey · Rating 1 out of 5]

Childish, simplistic

Childish, simplistic

no real redeeming features. I had to skim to finish it...always hoping it would improve...but it didn't. avoid this one.

[Carly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fire Mage is a fast paced, action packed light read. I devoured it very quickly and was glued to the pages. I thoroughly enjoyed reading Fire Mage, I only wished it was longer.

The story follows Talis Storm and his best friend Mara. Their parents aren't on the greatest of terms and it has an impact on their friendship. When the pair go hunting together and Mara is seriously hurt, her parents put a ban on them seeing each other.

Mara finally recovers from her injury. One night the city of Naru becomes under attack by the Jiserian Empire. With their dark sorcery, they nearly destroy the city. Talis and Mara stumble upon a secret map in the crypts of the temple.

They bring the map to the elders of the city, they think it is The Gods way of trying to save them. They pack Talis off with a small army, to find out Where the map leads. They set out on horseback, Talis soon discovers that Mara is with them in disguise. Rikar and Nikulo are also with them, they don't get along with Talis, they seem to look down on him all the time. Talis still can't do magic, he has been training, like the others.. When he eventually does magic for the first time, it is so dangerously powerful it's scary.

On their travels they are attacked by the Jiserian dead, controlled by necromancers. Talis,Mara, Rikar and Nikulo survive the attack, but that's all there is left of their army.

They meet two sisters and their father and agree to travel with them a short distance. They stop for a while in a little village to get out of a raging storm. Very strange things happen that night. Talis discovers that someone travelling with them is not all they seem.

The ending of the book, I was not expecting. It left me dying to know what is going to happen to this brave little group, who are in terrible danger.

This book is very well written and to the point. Some of the characters are dark and mysterious and some are brave and courageous, a perfect mix. I cannot wait to read what is coming up next in the amazing Blacklight Chronicles.

A special thanks to John Forrester for sending me over a review copy.

My favourite character has to be Mara, she is fearless, speaks her mind, and would would fight to the death for her best friend Talis and vice versa.

[M.J. · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was lack-luster. I just couldn't care about any of the characters. The world building was just a bunch of name dropping that had no interesting stories behind it. If they do, they may come later in the series, but I won't be finding out.

It seemed like the plot was only to get to the fighting, which I found a bit boring. Something about it reminded of a role playing game. As if someone wanted to run a game but had no players.

I understand wanting to try to keep the reader's interest with action, but with no character development and weak world building, there's no depth and little to hold my interest.

And ending the book as if the whole book had been cut in half just seemed cheap. It's like the author was trying too hard to make the reader want to continue with the series. I was a bit relieved that it was over so quickly.

[Donna Huber · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think is might be the first full on fantasy book I've read. I usually read fantasy that still has a foot in the real world. Action packed. Descriptive. Sophisticated writing. See my full review: http://www.girl-who-reads.com/2012/04....

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

What do you get when you combine Harry Potter Series with Song of Fire & Ice Series... a fresh new fantasy tale called Fire Mage.

[Maki ⌒☆ · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was very fast-paced. And not really in a good way - it was too fast. The plot jumps from one scene to a next with no transitions or connection to the next scene. One second, the characters are hunting a boar, and Mara gets hurt. The next, she's fine, and they're winning a tournament. And for some reason, it's wrong for Mara to try to hunt a boar, but perfectly fine for her to compete in a contest known for regularly killing children. I'm sorry. I'll try not to harp on every inconsistency. But small things like that really took me out of the story.

Talis and Mara were...okay as characters. They had some decent characterization, and I will admit that Mara's reactions to anything even remotely resembling proper ladies behavior were amusing. The other two kids are just obnoxious. And they're main characters, for some reason, despite being incredibly unlikable.

I liked the descriptions in the book. The detail put into each scene was nicely done. I especially liked the landscapes. I just wish more attention had been put into the characters and the transitions.

The ending - I had been warned about the ending before I started reading the book. I figured it couldn't be as bad as everyone was making it out to be. It was.

The problem is, again, the lack of transitions. Nothing about the last two paragraphs feels like the book is being brought to a close. It just...stops. That's it.

[Daniel Brandon · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disclaimer-- This was a free Kindle book.

As a YA-targeted fantasy adventure, it's not too bad. Forrester's created a reasonably complex world with a lot of consistent detail. The plot moves along well, with plenty of action and dialog to fill out a good story, or at least the first part of one-- this is the start of a series and does not really work as a stand-alone story.

On the other hand, the characters and characterization are awfully uneven. The protagonists are 13 years old, and too young to go boar hunting (established in the first 5 pages or so), but apparently no-one thinks twice about them going off to fight to the possible death in gladiatorial games against other children, or quests to save the kingdom. Later on in the book there are also some references to sexuality that don't quite match with their ostensible age. Similarly, there are antagonists/rivals introduced at the start of the book that keep wavering unevenly between "mortal enemy" and "vaguely disliked travelling companion," and each shift keeps ruining the immersion for me.

If you like fantasy YA, it's probably worth the 99 cents that Amazon is currently charging for the Kindle version. I wouldn't pay more than that, though.

[Rose · Rating 1 out of 5]

Meh

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

review to come

[Denise · Rating 2 out of 5]

Couldn't get into this. Feels a lot more like middle grade than YA, and worldbuilding, plot and character development were all entirely too flimsy for my liking.

[Peter Last · Rating 2 out of 5]

When his city is attacked by invading forces, a thirteen-year-old mage-in-training must go on a quest to find help for the troubled times. Accompanied by his friends, he treks across thirsty deserts, through dangerous forests, and amidst constant danger searching for what they can only hope is a powerful help for their people. Fire Mage, the self-proclaimed epic fantasy adventure by John Forrester, is the first installment of the six volume Blacklight Chronicles.

The plot of the book is extremely event driven, a style which has its benefits and detriments. At the beginning, there is no time wasted diving straight into the story, and the pace is maintained throughout the book which helps keep the reader engaged. On the other hand, distinct events litter the novel, almost at the expense of continuity and logical thought flow. For example, an encounter with giant spiders arrives without warning and is concluded just as suddenly, despite a character almost losing their life. It feels like the event was included to check a box on the plot timeline than to progress the story.

The writing mechanics of the book are largely solid with no mistakes egregious enough to pull me out of the story. This is especially important early on as a reader is trying to become immersed in the writing. The few mistakes which exist can be found in the latter two-thirds of the book after the foundation has been established. The style choices of the writing are what most hinders this novel, almost as if the writer couldn’t decide what audience he was targeting. Though written in language better suited for children and with young lead characters undoubtedly intended to attract young people, mature content including somewhat graphic sequences and a few instances of foul language toe the line of what is appropriate for the intended readership.

The characters in Fire Mage are without a doubt the weakest part of the novel. Due to the extreme event driven nature of the plot, little time is spent developing the characters. While reading, I often had the thought that people were acting contrary to their characters, yet upon further examination discovered it was actually a matter of no one having a well-developed or wholly consistent character. The adults are peripheral to the story with all of them either being left behind as the characters start on their quest or killed in the intervening time. This puts the protagonists in situations in which they would perish for real; however, due to a friendly writer, they manage to behave as skillfully as adults and survive each encounter.

In the end, Fire Mage is a reasonably entertaining book for children but has nothing to offer older readers. The plot starts quickly and maintains pace, but the events don’t always flow logically or receive the care deserved, netting 2 of 5 in this category. The writing mechanics are solid; however, a disparity occurs as the writing is very child-like while some of the content is mature in nature, earning 3 of 5 points. The characters are underdeveloped and, due to a lack of adult influence, are forced to act outside what is realistic, netting 2 of 5 points. In aggregate, the novel earns just 2 of 5 points, down a point due to some mature content not being suitable for the targeted readership. Fire Mage seems like an interesting enough storyline for young readers, but it does not have the transcendence of age to make it a novel a child remembers into adulthood.

[Melanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

*Book courtesy of the author in exchange for an honest review.*


One night the city of Naru is under attack. While hiding from the dark sorcerers of the Jiserian Empire and running for their lives, Talis and his best friend Mara uncover a secret map. The Elders of Naru send Talis and a few other guys who Talis doesn't get along with to find out where this maps leads to in order to save the city. Their journey turns out to be quite adventurous and dangerous meeting friend and enemies along the way...

Talis and Mara have been friends for a long time even though their families don't get along very well. After a hunting incident leaves Mara hurt, Talis is forbidden to see Mara again. That doesn't stop the two and Mara joins the boys on their quest in disguise. Talis doesn't get the recognition he would like from his father and hopes the quest will change that. He's also having trouble doing magic despite his training.

Fire Mage is a fast-paced, action-packed and an adventurous book perfect for young readers. My only regret is that it wasn't long enough. The writing is excellent! I couldn't put it down and read it (twice!) in one sitting. I love the friendship between Talis and Mara. When the two of them are together they seem to be unstoppable. They both seem very mature for their age. Not only will young readers love this book but adults too. I love the variety of characters some are mysterious while others are very courageous. I definitely want to read more about them and what's next on their journey. From the way Fire Mage ended, I'm sure Sun Mage (book #2) will be just as amazing.

Fire Mage is an entertaining fantasy novel that will keep you turning the pages for more. You don't want to miss it!



5 out of 5 stars!

[Susan M (MomBlogger) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fire Mage is written by John Forrester and is the first book in the Blacklight Chronicles. Fire Mage is about the attack on Naru, the city in which Talis Storm and his best friend Mara Lei; and their journey to find a way to save their city from destruction. When attacked and chased into the tombs of the dead, Talis comes face to face with one of the dead Champions of Naru- who gives him a powerful, sacred map that will show him where to go to help save his beloved city.
Set out on their quest, along with soldiers, friends and anatgonistic peers; Talis and Maral face dangers, near death and so much more.


I found Fire Mage by John Forrester to be an exciting and fast-paced fantasy adventure. The author gives great details of each event as it happens, and made it easy for me to imagine what was occurring in the story as I was reading along. I definitely think younger readers, ages 12 and up, will really enjoy this book as much as older teens and young adults.
The characters are amazing, and quite well-developed. The two main characters are 13 years of age, and their friends and antagonists are similar in age; yet they all perform tasks and magic usually reserved for adults in most books. The ending leaves the reader wondering what will happen next, which is a great way to keep the reader coming back for more. I did enjoy this book, though there were a few parts that I had to reread to fully understand all that was going on with the story.
I look forward to reading book 2 in this series: Sun Mage, to continue the journey with Talis, Mara, and their companions. Fire Mage is a great book for middle grade to young adults.


See more of my reviews at http://lovez2read.blogspot.com

[Haley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fire Mage

Talis and Mara were only thirteen years old, yet they were as brave as an army of warriors! They were the best of friends, and they were inseperable, they were always together and fought side by side. While hunting, Mara had a accident, and was badly injured. They weren’t sure whether she would live or not, they prayed to the goddess of healing, while the nurse with healing powers tried to help her. In this story there are many Gods and Goddesses, but not the same Gods and Goddesses the Greeks worshipped. They lived in the city of Naru. Mara was a Royal Princess and of Royal blood. While Talis is a son of an Elder. Mara lived in The House Of Lei, and Talis lived in The House Of Storm. Talis’s older brother Xhan Died in battle and Talis has done his best to please his father, yet he doesn’t. They are attacked the night after Mara has healed. Talis and Mara wonder into a sacred building seeking shelter from the attackers, but two of them follow them. Mara calls upon a God to save them. Then Master Baribariso shows up and send the attackers away. He then gives Talis The Ancient Surineda Map and tells him to use the map and leave to follow his destiny. Talis goes to the Elders and shows them and tells them what Master Baribariso said. They then decide for him to leave with an army. In this story four teens Journey to their destiny!

Heres the link at amazon Enjoy!

http://www.amazon.com/Fantasy-Adventu...

[Kayla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fire Mage was a great short novel. The plot was wonderful and kept me on the edge of my seat. I finished the book in a little less than twenty four hours. The setting was very detailed. I thought the concept of The Blood Dagger was interesting and original. The Blood Dagger is where you fight until you're hurt enough that a healer has to be called in. You don't find a lot of things like that in YA books. The characters were well written. Mara was my favorite character. I liked her spunk. She was locked in a room so she wouldn't be around Talis, but she escaped and went with him on the journey anyways. She also wasn't going to accept things that she didn't like, such as becoming engaged. This was an incredible book. I will definitely be reading the rest of the Blacklight Chronicles series in the future.

[Gale · Rating 5 out of 5]

Talis Storm is a 13 year old boy who has been wielding a blade since he was 6 years old. His best friend Mara Lei is also 13 and they have been sparring partners for 7 years.
Ever since Talis's brother Xhan was poisoned and killed from fighting with desert marauders he has been trying to win the approval of his Dad.
This story is full of magic, healers, demons, wizards, sorcerers and necromancers. It is action packed and will keep you wanting more.
Talis and Mara go on a quest along with their arch enemies from their school where they study magic. Their city of Naru is attacked by the Jiserianand and it is up to Talis to save their beloved city.
This is a great book and it would make a wonderful movie. I am looking forward to reading the second book in this series. I give this book 5 stars.

[Skrunch · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book that I skipped over several times not sure if I wanted to read it or not. The book description sounded ok, but did not really catch my attention. I read so many books I am always looking for something, but I still kept overlooking this one. I am unable to put my finger on why.

Eventually my wife saw it and decided I would like it and sent it to my kindle. I started to read it thinking I would put it down and look for another book after a few pages. Alas, I was hooked. I am not sure what in the description kept me from thinking the book was going to be one that I liked, but regardless the book was excellent.

Within the first few pages I found I liked the main characters and the way the interacted. I could not put it down. My only complaint is that I did not stop reading until it was done.

[Unsolved ☕︎ Mystery · Rating 4 out of 5]

- My Description -
Talis and Mara are 13 year old friends.
Trouble follows them everywhere.
It follows them in the form of undead soliders, necromancers and acid filled spiders.
They also have to contend with friends/enemies Riker and Nikulo.

- My Review -
This is the first fantasy book I've ever read. I don't usually read fantasy.

This book wasn't bad at all, especially for a newbie. It was easy to understand and didn't stray off course.

I really liked the adventure in this book.

The cliffhanger at the end left me with my mouth open and me thinking "What?? Noooo, I want to know what happens!"

Anyway, a nice too short fantasy read!

[sharing · Rating 5 out of 5]

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[Bill Tillman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Talis Storm must become a Fire Mage or his city will be destroyed by the Jiserian Empire. The action is fast paced and full of twists and turns a true page turner for YA's and above. I enjoyed it so much I finished it in one day.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book. Its a nice light fantasy with strong characters. I will be reading the next in the series.

[Michael Conway · Rating 1 out of 5]

Vapid fantasy novel for children.

Picked this up on Amazon when they were giving it away free. I didn't realize it was a YA book.

Short, cliched, unrealistic.

[Allison]

loved it cant wait to read the next one when amozon lets me in october and then the 3rd when it is finished

[Paul Allard · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fantasy novel for a YA readership? Reasonable but nothing special.


I’ve had this book on my Kindle for a long time and have just got round to reading it and I’m disappointed. It deals with Talis, a 13-year Old, struggling to learn magic and his best friend, Mara, of royal birth. They embark on an adventure when their city is attacked which takes them to foreign lands where they encounter a variety of unsavoury characters.

The main characters are well-developed but the plot includes some odd moments and repetition. There are several more books in the series but I don’t see myself hunting them out. If you’re a fan of fantasy fiction, you could probably give this a miss.

[IdRatherBeReading · Rating 5 out of 5]

Breath of fresh air

The characters are young, 13, as they set out to uncover the mystery of saving their city involving magic. They are on a journey with challenges, lost lives, and magic. The author wasn’t afraid to show betrayals or by killing of characters for the sake of the book. It was honest and entertaining.

[Rokkan · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.75 out of 5 stars

I'm not the target audience for this series, but I never the less found it to be somewhat rushed and there seemed to be rather a lot of telling rather than showing going on. I appreciate a certain need to keep a younger audience entertained, but the pacing didn't suit me at all.