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Legends of the Realm #0.5
The Captive
One of the last of a disappearing race, Joelle spends her days as a prisoner of the Long Hall, sweeping corridors and dusting scrolls while young wizards learn to ply their trade. But in the dark of night, she practices the magical arts that are forbidden to one of her kind, hoping to soon break the spell that holds her captive.
But an evil is growing beyond the enchanted stone walls. Joelle will need much more than her own skills to escape it. Someone is coming for her. And when he arrives, he will change everything.
This short ebook excerpted from Emissary (Book 1 in the Legends of the Realm series by Thomas Locke) gives you a magical glimpse into the Realm—and the people who will stop at nothing to save it.
But an evil is growing beyond the enchanted stone walls. Joelle will need much more than her own skills to escape it. Someone is coming for her. And when he arrives, he will change everything.
This short ebook excerpted from Emissary (Book 1 in the Legends of the Realm series by Thomas Locke) gives you a magical glimpse into the Realm—and the people who will stop at nothing to save it.
400 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 4, 2014
39 people are currently reading
273 people want to read
About the author
Thomas Locke
29 books305 followersThomas Locke is an award-winning novelist with total worldwide sales of seven million copies.
His work has been published in twenty languages, and critical acclaim includes four Christy Awards for excellence in fiction and his 2014 induction into the Christy Hall of Fame.
Thomas divides his time between Florida and England, where he serves as Writer In Residence at Regent's Park College, Oxford University. He holds a lifelong passion for epic fantasy, science fiction and techno-thriller stories.
Thomas's screenplay adaption of EMISSARY is under development as a feature film with a British production company.
Contact Thomas at info@tlocke.com
His work has been published in twenty languages, and critical acclaim includes four Christy Awards for excellence in fiction and his 2014 induction into the Christy Hall of Fame.
Thomas divides his time between Florida and England, where he serves as Writer In Residence at Regent's Park College, Oxford University. He holds a lifelong passion for epic fantasy, science fiction and techno-thriller stories.
Thomas's screenplay adaption of EMISSARY is under development as a feature film with a British production company.
Contact Thomas at info@tlocke.com
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
February 8, 2016
The series that this short is an introduction to, may be very interesting - but I'll never know, as the short bothered me on a few levels. The concept seems promising, following a girl who has lived most of her life as a prisoner in an academy for wizards. Joelle dreams of escape, but the only way to do so is to covertly study magic, knowing that death may be the penalty.
However, I feel like this book falls short in a few very important ways.
1. The reader is given very little information about Joelle's personality, other than her desire to escape. It seems to be an all consuming obsession. There were plenty of passages that simply reiterated this desire, which I felt could have been used to flesh out the character a bit.
2. The author almost immediately contradicts himself. Joelle has the ability to go on what amounts to a spirit walk, though she has little control over it. When first faced with a tense situation, the author makes a point to mention that she doesn't ever feel fear until she returns to her body, at which point she seems to feel the physical affects. I really liked this idea, but the author immediately ruined it on a later spirit walk, by detailing the panic she feels as she's fleeing back to her body.
3. The world. It's very clear that this short isn't really meant to stand on its own. The world is barely sketched out. Granted, you don't need much in a short, but if you're trying to get new readers for a series, there needs to be more that is specific to this particular world.
As it stands now, it could be just about any generic fantasy world.
College of mages? Check.
Faraway land filled with an aggressive army and a foreboding mage? Check.
Child with innate magic who should never have been born? Check.
Forest that is almost certainly full of deadly peril? Check.
Kindly authority figure to stand in as a father figure? Check.
Okay, that all sounds great - so what are the details?
Practically non-existent.
I tend to give short stories a lot more leeway than novels, but everything about this felt bland and repetitive.
However, I feel like this book falls short in a few very important ways.
1. The reader is given very little information about Joelle's personality, other than her desire to escape. It seems to be an all consuming obsession. There were plenty of passages that simply reiterated this desire, which I felt could have been used to flesh out the character a bit.
2. The author almost immediately contradicts himself. Joelle has the ability to go on what amounts to a spirit walk, though she has little control over it. When first faced with a tense situation, the author makes a point to mention that she doesn't ever feel fear until she returns to her body, at which point she seems to feel the physical affects. I really liked this idea, but the author immediately ruined it on a later spirit walk, by detailing the panic she feels as she's fleeing back to her body.
3. The world. It's very clear that this short isn't really meant to stand on its own. The world is barely sketched out. Granted, you don't need much in a short, but if you're trying to get new readers for a series, there needs to be more that is specific to this particular world.
As it stands now, it could be just about any generic fantasy world.
College of mages? Check.
Faraway land filled with an aggressive army and a foreboding mage? Check.
Child with innate magic who should never have been born? Check.
Forest that is almost certainly full of deadly peril? Check.
Kindly authority figure to stand in as a father figure? Check.
Okay, that all sounds great - so what are the details?
Practically non-existent.
I tend to give short stories a lot more leeway than novels, but everything about this felt bland and repetitive.
July 2, 2016
This short ebook is not a prequel to Thomas Locke's novel Emissary. It is in fact an excerpt.
In Emissary a secondary POV character named Joelle is being held against her will by a community of magic users.
This short story is actually just a compilation of all of Joelle's POV scenes from the first half of Emissary.
So three stars because the publisher tricked me into reading something I already read.
But it was free on Google play so at least it was only a waste of time and not money.
In Emissary a secondary POV character named Joelle is being held against her will by a community of magic users.
This short story is actually just a compilation of all of Joelle's POV scenes from the first half of Emissary.
So three stars because the publisher tricked me into reading something I already read.
But it was free on Google play so at least it was only a waste of time and not money.
March 29, 2015
I found this short story today when I looked at reviews for Emmisary, an offering from Bookbub. I enjoyed The Captive, from The Legends of the Realm series, but am unsure if I want to continue on with Emmisary.
October 3, 2017
What a tease!!
Such a great author.....I need to read more of Mr. Locke’s work!!! Thanks for this brief look into this world again!
Such a great author.....I need to read more of Mr. Locke’s work!!! Thanks for this brief look into this world again!
June 1, 2023
Good book to get you interested in the series... well written and has the right ingredients to make you want more... recommended
August 26, 2025
flat characters, and zero character development, a lot of tell and no show.
April 7, 2015
3.5 Stars. The Long Hall serves as both Joelle's refuge and prison, for years earlier she was brought to the wizards and wizards-in-training who called the hall home, near death, one of the last of her kin. Though many wished her dead, a problem best avoided, Joelle found one ally -- Trace, the Master of the mages, her protector, friend, and mentor. A child of two worlds, Joelle may be an outcast, but she possesses the power to see beyond the physical realm. Though the full extent of her powers are untapped, even feared, Joelle resolves to leverage her relationship with Trace to gain the strength to leave the Long Hall forever. For she's seen the future - malevolent mage is gathering power, threatening the safety of her enforced refuge, leaving Joelle more determined than ever to escape and meet her fate as a free woman.
Thomas Locke is a pseudonym for Davis Bunn, a name that should be familiar to anyone who has followed Christian fiction in the last twenty years. I was thrilled to discover that The Captive and its follow-up marks his first foray into high fantasy in years, and as an avid fan of a genre that seems all too slim in faith-based circles I'm always on the lookout for a fresh voice. The Captive is a wildly promising introduction to Locke's Realm series, whetting readers' appetites for more information about Joelle's mysterious past and the role of magic in the Realm. However, I'm concerned that Joelle isn't the main focus of Emissary, so I'm a bit puzzled by the choice to introduce this world through her eyes only to shift perspective in the first novel. That concern aside, this is an engaging introduction to Locke's world, and I look forward to seeing the seeds of conflict planted here further developed in the follow-up. There is a delicious medieval sensibility to Locke's world-building, a blend suggestive of Middle Earth with a dash of Arthurian legends -- a satisfying, intriguing introduction!
Thomas Locke is a pseudonym for Davis Bunn, a name that should be familiar to anyone who has followed Christian fiction in the last twenty years. I was thrilled to discover that The Captive and its follow-up marks his first foray into high fantasy in years, and as an avid fan of a genre that seems all too slim in faith-based circles I'm always on the lookout for a fresh voice. The Captive is a wildly promising introduction to Locke's Realm series, whetting readers' appetites for more information about Joelle's mysterious past and the role of magic in the Realm. However, I'm concerned that Joelle isn't the main focus of Emissary, so I'm a bit puzzled by the choice to introduce this world through her eyes only to shift perspective in the first novel. That concern aside, this is an engaging introduction to Locke's world, and I look forward to seeing the seeds of conflict planted here further developed in the follow-up. There is a delicious medieval sensibility to Locke's world-building, a blend suggestive of Middle Earth with a dash of Arthurian legends -- a satisfying, intriguing introduction!
November 15, 2015
The Captive is my first book read by Thomas Locke. Knowing that Thomas Locke is a pseudonym for Davis Bunn I felt comfortable reading this e-short. I love fantasy but I do not love the modern trend in fantasy; it is beyond my ability to feel comfortable with as a believer in my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
As Davis Bunn is a believer, I was hopeful that I would find a book in my favorite genre that didn't follow the negative trends. All of my wishes were fulfilled and I'm very glad that I read it.
My reviews come from a Christian worldview but if you are not a believer don't hesitate to pick this book up. It is pure epic fantasy of the very best kind. The Captive is in no way touted as a Christian book, which I imagine is why it is written under a pseudonym.
I have no reservations allowing my children to read The Captive and highly recommend it to each and every epic fantasy lover of any age. You can post it on your social media news feeds without regret.
I have reviewed Emissary (Legends of the Realm, book 1) which follows this eShort. Please read my review at http://wp.me/p46yTS-3f.
For all of my reviews visit Blessed and Bewildered
As Davis Bunn is a believer, I was hopeful that I would find a book in my favorite genre that didn't follow the negative trends. All of my wishes were fulfilled and I'm very glad that I read it.
My reviews come from a Christian worldview but if you are not a believer don't hesitate to pick this book up. It is pure epic fantasy of the very best kind. The Captive is in no way touted as a Christian book, which I imagine is why it is written under a pseudonym.
I have no reservations allowing my children to read The Captive and highly recommend it to each and every epic fantasy lover of any age. You can post it on your social media news feeds without regret.
I have reviewed Emissary (Legends of the Realm, book 1) which follows this eShort. Please read my review at http://wp.me/p46yTS-3f.
For all of my reviews visit Blessed and Bewildered
January 15, 2016
This is an intriguing start to a new fantasy series.
This is an introductory short story for the Legends of the Realm series. As such it does a marvelous job of setting up the type of fantasy land the series takes place in. I don’t read a lot of fantasy novels but this has already caught my interest and I will be reading more in the series.
I was captivated by the story of how Joelle ended up being a prisoner of the Long Hall. I am really hoping that we learn more about her past in the first full book of the series. I was also very interested in the character of Trace and how he became her friend.
I was a little uncomfortable with the use of magic in it. But I know who the author is and I am willing to read a little more to see if it turns into a true “Good versus Evil” story. If that is the case I will definitely give the series more leeway in this area.
This is an introductory short story for the Legends of the Realm series. As such it does a marvelous job of setting up the type of fantasy land the series takes place in. I don’t read a lot of fantasy novels but this has already caught my interest and I will be reading more in the series.
I was captivated by the story of how Joelle ended up being a prisoner of the Long Hall. I am really hoping that we learn more about her past in the first full book of the series. I was also very interested in the character of Trace and how he became her friend.
I was a little uncomfortable with the use of magic in it. But I know who the author is and I am willing to read a little more to see if it turns into a true “Good versus Evil” story. If that is the case I will definitely give the series more leeway in this area.
December 10, 2014
This was a wonderful teaser to the book "The Emmisary". This is a most enjoyable beginning to a new fantasy series by Thomas Locke (a pseudonym for Davis Bunn.) Bunn is primarily known for his christian fiction and thrillers. He decide to explore his next love which is fantasy. In order to limit the confusion of his christian fiction fans he chose to write this fantasy series under a pen name. It in no way insinuates that the characters in his fantasies won't have christian values. They will have magic and mythological creature join them in their stories. This was an interesting start to a new series.
January 8, 2015
This is the perfect beginning to a new fantasy series that I can’t wait to get into. When I got the first book in the series in the mail, I also got an e-mail telling me that I could get this book for free on my amazon kindle app. So I headed on over and added it to my library, boy am I glad.
Joelle is a character I can’t wait to get to know better in Emissary.
Thomas Locke, better known as Davis Bunn, is an author I can’t wait to get more books from. Just by reading this short little book, I can already tell that I will immensely enjoy reading the rest of the series.
Joelle is a character I can’t wait to get to know better in Emissary.
Thomas Locke, better known as Davis Bunn, is an author I can’t wait to get more books from. Just by reading this short little book, I can already tell that I will immensely enjoy reading the rest of the series.
April 7, 2015
This is a short prequel to Emissary. I really enjoyed reading this and wish I had read it before reading Emissary, but I didn't find about about it until after. Even better it is free on Amazon (at the time of writing this). The Captive is well written and gives you a deeper view into the world that Locke has created.
February 10, 2015
If you haven't read Emissary this short work gives you an intriguing peek into this exciting fantasy world.
If you have read Emissary then I would suggest not reading this book since it only contains information and story line you've already read.
If you have read Emissary then I would suggest not reading this book since it only contains information and story line you've already read.
January 3, 2015
Not my favorite
Not what I expected. I enjoy reading about witches, werwolf's. Found this one it hard to follow. Definitely not my favorite book to read.
Not what I expected. I enjoy reading about witches, werwolf's. Found this one it hard to follow. Definitely not my favorite book to read.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews