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Trace: A Force of Magic Novella
Before the uprising. Before the legends. Before the magic truly awakened.
Delve into the shadowed origins of Trace, a pivotal figure in Hunter Chadwick's acclaimed Force of Magic trilogy, in this gripping prequel novella.
Forced into the Dominion's relentless army as a conscripted soldier, Trace knows only the iron fist of their rule. He's just another cog in their war machine, witnessing firsthand the brutal efficiency and unyielding ambition of a regime that crushes all opposition. Every day is a fight for survival, a constant struggle against the despair of a world seemingly lost to tyranny.
But even in the darkest corners of the Dominion's ranks, seeds of something extraordinary can take root. As Trace endures the unforgiving grind of military life and confronts the moral ambiguities of his forced service, glimpses of the man he is destined to become begin to emerge. What hidden strengths lie dormant within him? What price will he pay for a fleeting chance at freedom?
Discover the untold story of Trace's brutal indoctrination, the sacrifices he made, and the first sparks of defiance that would ultimately shape the fate of Cairn. A must-read for fans of The Force of Magic trilogy, this novella offers a deeper understanding of the heroes and villains you thought you knew, revealing the harrowing path that led one conscripted soldier to the precipice of destiny.
Delve into the shadowed origins of Trace, a pivotal figure in Hunter Chadwick's acclaimed Force of Magic trilogy, in this gripping prequel novella.
Forced into the Dominion's relentless army as a conscripted soldier, Trace knows only the iron fist of their rule. He's just another cog in their war machine, witnessing firsthand the brutal efficiency and unyielding ambition of a regime that crushes all opposition. Every day is a fight for survival, a constant struggle against the despair of a world seemingly lost to tyranny.
But even in the darkest corners of the Dominion's ranks, seeds of something extraordinary can take root. As Trace endures the unforgiving grind of military life and confronts the moral ambiguities of his forced service, glimpses of the man he is destined to become begin to emerge. What hidden strengths lie dormant within him? What price will he pay for a fleeting chance at freedom?
Discover the untold story of Trace's brutal indoctrination, the sacrifices he made, and the first sparks of defiance that would ultimately shape the fate of Cairn. A must-read for fans of The Force of Magic trilogy, this novella offers a deeper understanding of the heroes and villains you thought you knew, revealing the harrowing path that led one conscripted soldier to the precipice of destiny.
- GenresFantasy
75 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 22, 2025
About the author
Hunter Chadwick
12 books27 followersAs a lifelong lover of books, I’ve always had a great appreciation for writers and their craft. Over the course of my 50+ years living in different places around the world, I’ve written a few things, but never took the time to sit and try to write down any of the books I’ve dreamed up. In 2021 that changed. A new opportunity to share stories, one episode at a time, prompted me to try my hand at it.
I never could have imagined the positive response my writing received and now I’m happy to expand those stories to a wider audience to build upon what I’ve already written. Nothing would make me happier than to know that you enjoy my stories. Please find me on social media @HunterCAuthor to send me your feedback.
About me: I grew up in the Midwest and went to a big state school known as much for their football team as anything else. I studied English Literature and History. It was there that I met my wife and we fell in love. We were married when I was in graduate school and during our first few years working after graduation, God showed us the opportunities to be involved in His work around the world.
Since 2000, we’ve lived outside of the United States, having many amazing experiences and meeting people from around the globe. My experiences traveling and my background in counseling are highly influential in my writing.
I never could have imagined the positive response my writing received and now I’m happy to expand those stories to a wider audience to build upon what I’ve already written. Nothing would make me happier than to know that you enjoy my stories. Please find me on social media @HunterCAuthor to send me your feedback.
About me: I grew up in the Midwest and went to a big state school known as much for their football team as anything else. I studied English Literature and History. It was there that I met my wife and we fell in love. We were married when I was in graduate school and during our first few years working after graduation, God showed us the opportunities to be involved in His work around the world.
Since 2000, we’ve lived outside of the United States, having many amazing experiences and meeting people from around the globe. My experiences traveling and my background in counseling are highly influential in my writing.
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
March 22, 2026
Only an excellent writer can take the usual tropes of military service (harsh training, brutal sergeant, forced service to an unjust regime, war is hell, etc) and make them feel real. Changing the setting by putting military service in space (Heinlein's Starship Troopers, and the movies loosely based on it; the Aliens movie with its space marines; Trace, with its fantastic elements) is not what freshens the tired tropes. Talent is what freshens them. If the author is good enough, then the cliches do not feel like cliches.
Hunter Chadwick has amazing talent.
It didn't take me too long to start caring deeply for Trace and his fellow conscripts. Trace is entirely believable as a draft-dodger who didn't want to pressed into service, had no grudges to hold or reason to see anyone as the enemy prior to being captured, and only wants to survive.
The chemical warfare, abuse of civilians, and a few other details of battle only served to make things darker.
And then, on page 45, came the offer Trace couldn't refuse: volunteer yourself as a guinea pig for magical experiments, and end your service early, at which point things got REALLY dark. (And we wandered into more cliches, including "How are superheroes made?" that in the hands of a lesser author would not have worked. I'm truly surprised that I loved reading this story as much as I did, given the sheer number of stock elements).
This is the first book I've read in the Force of Magic series, and I already hate the Dominion...
Hunter Chadwick has amazing talent.
It didn't take me too long to start caring deeply for Trace and his fellow conscripts. Trace is entirely believable as a draft-dodger who didn't want to pressed into service, had no grudges to hold or reason to see anyone as the enemy prior to being captured, and only wants to survive.
The chemical warfare, abuse of civilians, and a few other details of battle only served to make things darker.
And then, on page 45, came the offer Trace couldn't refuse: volunteer yourself as a guinea pig for magical experiments, and end your service early, at which point things got REALLY dark. (And we wandered into more cliches, including "How are superheroes made?" that in the hands of a lesser author would not have worked. I'm truly surprised that I loved reading this story as much as I did, given the sheer number of stock elements).
This is the first book I've read in the Force of Magic series, and I already hate the Dominion...
Displaying 1 of 1 review