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Storm-Mage Chronicles #1
Apprentice Storm Mage
Teaser Text:
Fire and Ashes! The city is burning!
Young mage’s apprentice Thomena is gifted in the elements of wind and water, but she yearns to learn the secrets of fire. When she discovers another mage is the one starting fires around her city of Orlaun, her resolve is tested by tragedy and roaring infernos. She needs to win the trust of the toughest heroes around, the fire-fighting vigiles, but they are hard to impress. Can she save Orlaun before the fires consume all Thomena cares about?
Pick up this coming-of-age adventure which opens up a new chapter in the fantasy realm of Dhea Loral.
Back cover text:
Thirteen-year-old Thomena is proving to be a talented storm-mage, though she doesn’t like the title. Her mastery of wind and water elements allow her to pursue hobbies like foot-tall snowflakes and snowball fights in the oppressive summer heat. Yet, she yearns to study the element of fire at an age younger than guild rules allow.
Her master decides to test her responsibility alongside the tough, vigile fire-fighters of Orlaun. Thomena is tasked to protect these heroes from a safe distance, though they are an intimidating crowd for a young girl to impress.
But no one planned for her to get as close to the fire as events force. No one expected her to be a nearby witness as tragedy strikes. No one thought she would discover evidence that another mage is starting the fires.
Can a coming-of-age girl find the resolve and magical talent to seek justice when facing pressure from every direction to quit?
Book 1 of the Storm-Mage Chronicles opens up a new chapter in the fantasy world of Dhea Loral.
Fire and Ashes! The city is burning!
Young mage’s apprentice Thomena is gifted in the elements of wind and water, but she yearns to learn the secrets of fire. When she discovers another mage is the one starting fires around her city of Orlaun, her resolve is tested by tragedy and roaring infernos. She needs to win the trust of the toughest heroes around, the fire-fighting vigiles, but they are hard to impress. Can she save Orlaun before the fires consume all Thomena cares about?
Pick up this coming-of-age adventure which opens up a new chapter in the fantasy realm of Dhea Loral.
Back cover text:
Thirteen-year-old Thomena is proving to be a talented storm-mage, though she doesn’t like the title. Her mastery of wind and water elements allow her to pursue hobbies like foot-tall snowflakes and snowball fights in the oppressive summer heat. Yet, she yearns to study the element of fire at an age younger than guild rules allow.
Her master decides to test her responsibility alongside the tough, vigile fire-fighters of Orlaun. Thomena is tasked to protect these heroes from a safe distance, though they are an intimidating crowd for a young girl to impress.
But no one planned for her to get as close to the fire as events force. No one expected her to be a nearby witness as tragedy strikes. No one thought she would discover evidence that another mage is starting the fires.
Can a coming-of-age girl find the resolve and magical talent to seek justice when facing pressure from every direction to quit?
Book 1 of the Storm-Mage Chronicles opens up a new chapter in the fantasy world of Dhea Loral.
124 pages, Paperback
Published January 25, 2020
1 person is currently reading
7 people want to read
About the author
Douglas Van Dyke Jr.
21 books48 followersBorn in 1971, Douglas Van Dyke Jr is an award-winning author that mostly writes fantasy tales in the realm called Dhea Loral. It is a world in which readers are rewarded by characters and events making appearances across different book series. Many of his characters evolved in RPG and MMORPG games, further developing their own personalities.
His epic trilogy intro, "The Earthrin Stones,” sold a surprising amount and received some blushing praise. Both "The Widow Brigade" and "Apprentice Storm Mage" won BRAG honors in 2023.
He’s taught schoolchildren about writing, tours several Midwest conventions during the year, sends out at least one newsletter/month, and works in medical imaging.
Website: DheaLoral.com
His epic trilogy intro, "The Earthrin Stones,” sold a surprising amount and received some blushing praise. Both "The Widow Brigade" and "Apprentice Storm Mage" won BRAG honors in 2023.
He’s taught schoolchildren about writing, tours several Midwest conventions during the year, sends out at least one newsletter/month, and works in medical imaging.
Website: DheaLoral.com
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
October 15, 2022
Picked this up at a comic con. Set in a well developed world. Look forward to more books from this author set in this world.
November 9, 2021
Thomena's Chance to Excel . . .
Thomena, a 13-year-old mage’s apprentice, is talented as a storm-mage wielding elements of wind and water. But she longs to master fire as well, although guild rules do not allow it at her age. Her master decides to give her an opportunity to show her abilities and sense of responsibility by supporting the fire-fighters of Orlaun from a safe distance but with enough skill to impress them. To do so, she must have faith in herself, and faith in those around her.
Thomena is determined to do well. When forced closer to the fire than planned, she becomes a nearby witness as tragedy strikes. She also discovers evidence of another mage deliberately starting the fires. Can she stop the fire mage before he destroys Orlaun? Can she perfect her magical talent enough to do what needs to be done? Or will the pressures from others for her to quit dampen her faith in herself?
You will love this exciting story line. Once Thomena finds the fire mage, she sends her water elemental on a long chase after him. He is setting fires to the building while she relentlessly follows across the rooftops, battling him every step of the way. You will not want to miss this!
Thomena, a 13-year-old mage’s apprentice, is talented as a storm-mage wielding elements of wind and water. But she longs to master fire as well, although guild rules do not allow it at her age. Her master decides to give her an opportunity to show her abilities and sense of responsibility by supporting the fire-fighters of Orlaun from a safe distance but with enough skill to impress them. To do so, she must have faith in herself, and faith in those around her.
Thomena is determined to do well. When forced closer to the fire than planned, she becomes a nearby witness as tragedy strikes. She also discovers evidence of another mage deliberately starting the fires. Can she stop the fire mage before he destroys Orlaun? Can she perfect her magical talent enough to do what needs to be done? Or will the pressures from others for her to quit dampen her faith in herself?
You will love this exciting story line. Once Thomena finds the fire mage, she sends her water elemental on a long chase after him. He is setting fires to the building while she relentlessly follows across the rooftops, battling him every step of the way. You will not want to miss this!
October 29, 2021
This was a fun, quick read. This is apparently a stand alone book, but could easily be the start of a new series. I hope it is. The main character is delightful, but leaves open questions still to be answered. I had a hard time stopping reading for the night. A fun read for anyone; no gratuitous sex, unnecessary language, or random scenes having nothing to do with the story. Should be on every fantasy reader’s list!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
February 12, 2021
Extreme Book Nerd Challenge 2021 - Category #9
Challenge Topic: A book you hadn't planned on reading.
Picked up on a whim while looking for something else. Never heard of this Author before. This was a really good little intro to a new fantasy world. Can't wait to find and read more.
Challenge Topic: A book you hadn't planned on reading.
Picked up on a whim while looking for something else. Never heard of this Author before. This was a really good little intro to a new fantasy world. Can't wait to find and read more.
September 12, 2023
good story
Mixing excitement and danger, duty and obligation, a 13 year old girl learns about fire the hard way as your learns to use her water magic to protect the city's fire fighters and stop the fires.
The writing was pretty good, and ehile there were a few things that didn't quite work, it followed a very natural arc with a well-depicted heroine and a few good side characters, plus a surprise or two.
I'll look forward to the next book.
Mixing excitement and danger, duty and obligation, a 13 year old girl learns about fire the hard way as your learns to use her water magic to protect the city's fire fighters and stop the fires.
The writing was pretty good, and ehile there were a few things that didn't quite work, it followed a very natural arc with a well-depicted heroine and a few good side characters, plus a surprise or two.
I'll look forward to the next book.
August 2, 2023
Exciting Story
This is an exciting story from another world and time. The characters are great and the action runs to the end. I enjoyed the entire book.
This is an exciting story from another world and time. The characters are great and the action runs to the end. I enjoyed the entire book.
April 23, 2024
Disclaimer: I received this book in an author giveaway for the purposes of this review. No other compensation was requested or received.
Thomena is thirteen, an apprentice mage at the Brotherhood of the Circles Mages Guild. She’s very gifted, and is doing well with water and wind spells. Her primary teacher, Master Jonah, thinks she has the potential to be a weather-warping storm mage. Thomena’s not so sure about that. She wants to move on to the exciting fire spells, but is a year too young for the Guild to allow that.
However, her masters think Thomena is ready for a work-study assignment that will show if she has what it takes for an accelerated program. She’s to assist the city’s firefighting vigiles, casting protective spells on their rescue workers. As it happens, Orlaun is having a particularly hot and dry summer, with a higher than usual number of fires. It’s gotten to the point where the vigiles are willing to try something new.
Company Kay goes into action the moment Thomena arrives, and she acquits herself well for a rookie, though it’s obvious to her that she has much to learn. She also spots a clue that suggests this fire was no accident, but deliberately set.
Thomena throws herself into training to become a proper support mage for the brave smoke-eaters, learning the skills and acquiring the tools to be better at her temporary job. And she’s going to need every ounce of her skill and courage as the fires get larger and deadlier. And what of the arsonist? Will that person or creature need to be personally confronted? Of course they will.
This book takes place on the fantasy world of Dhea Loral, some six years before the previously-reviewed Pilgrims with Blades. (There’s no direct connection in this story.) It’s a short novel, aimed at the middle-school audience.
Thomena is a very responsible person for her age, always trying to do better, and leaning heavily on the precepts of her good-aligned religious faith. (It’s a plot point that she’s not a priest and can’t access clerical magic.) She’s stubborn and sometimes lets her honesty be a fault even though it’s usually her strongest point. About halfway through, Thomena has to face serious loss and failure for the first time. Oh, and though it’s not really important in this first volume, she’s from another country where they have slightly different customs than Orlaun, and has a bit of an accent (saying “nay” for “no.”)
The supporting characters are less developed: teachers, her friend group, and the vigiles she gets to know best. This makes the mystery easy to guess for experienced readers.
There’s an explanation of the calendar and major religions of Dhea Loral in the back. The setting started as the author’s homebrew fantasy gaming world and that’s pretty obvious.
The exposition is smoother than in Pilgrims; it helps to have a rookie protagonist.
Content note: The firefighters can’t save everyone, and several citizens (probably including children) die, and one of the important supporting characters is also killed. This takes place off-stage so should be okay for the target age group. Parents and guardians of younger readers may want to talk to them about fire safety.
This is a readable story with a likable protagonist and a bit of suspense. Recommended primarily for tweens who enjoy fantasy stories.
Thomena is thirteen, an apprentice mage at the Brotherhood of the Circles Mages Guild. She’s very gifted, and is doing well with water and wind spells. Her primary teacher, Master Jonah, thinks she has the potential to be a weather-warping storm mage. Thomena’s not so sure about that. She wants to move on to the exciting fire spells, but is a year too young for the Guild to allow that.
However, her masters think Thomena is ready for a work-study assignment that will show if she has what it takes for an accelerated program. She’s to assist the city’s firefighting vigiles, casting protective spells on their rescue workers. As it happens, Orlaun is having a particularly hot and dry summer, with a higher than usual number of fires. It’s gotten to the point where the vigiles are willing to try something new.
Company Kay goes into action the moment Thomena arrives, and she acquits herself well for a rookie, though it’s obvious to her that she has much to learn. She also spots a clue that suggests this fire was no accident, but deliberately set.
Thomena throws herself into training to become a proper support mage for the brave smoke-eaters, learning the skills and acquiring the tools to be better at her temporary job. And she’s going to need every ounce of her skill and courage as the fires get larger and deadlier. And what of the arsonist? Will that person or creature need to be personally confronted? Of course they will.
This book takes place on the fantasy world of Dhea Loral, some six years before the previously-reviewed Pilgrims with Blades. (There’s no direct connection in this story.) It’s a short novel, aimed at the middle-school audience.
Thomena is a very responsible person for her age, always trying to do better, and leaning heavily on the precepts of her good-aligned religious faith. (It’s a plot point that she’s not a priest and can’t access clerical magic.) She’s stubborn and sometimes lets her honesty be a fault even though it’s usually her strongest point. About halfway through, Thomena has to face serious loss and failure for the first time. Oh, and though it’s not really important in this first volume, she’s from another country where they have slightly different customs than Orlaun, and has a bit of an accent (saying “nay” for “no.”)
The supporting characters are less developed: teachers, her friend group, and the vigiles she gets to know best. This makes the mystery easy to guess for experienced readers.
There’s an explanation of the calendar and major religions of Dhea Loral in the back. The setting started as the author’s homebrew fantasy gaming world and that’s pretty obvious.
The exposition is smoother than in Pilgrims; it helps to have a rookie protagonist.
Content note: The firefighters can’t save everyone, and several citizens (probably including children) die, and one of the important supporting characters is also killed. This takes place off-stage so should be okay for the target age group. Parents and guardians of younger readers may want to talk to them about fire safety.
This is a readable story with a likable protagonist and a bit of suspense. Recommended primarily for tweens who enjoy fantasy stories.
April 10, 2025
A nice easy read. Author clearly wants to share more about his setting so there is some info-dumping, but if you get past that the story is good.
I personally would have liked more exploration of the MC's relationships with her friends. It felt like she only interacted with them when she needed something from them. Probably just to keep the length down?
I personally would have liked more exploration of the MC's relationships with her friends. It felt like she only interacted with them when she needed something from them. Probably just to keep the length down?
October 3, 2023
We are proud to announce that APPRENTICE STORM MAGE (Storm-Mage Chronicles #1) by Douglas Van Dyke Jr. has been honored with the B.R.A.G.Medallion (Book Readers Appreciation Group). It now joins the very select award-winning, reader-recommended books at indieBRAG.
March 28, 2025
I really liked this one. It was (or is) a fun, quick, book and the protagonist, she's neat. This book might be a decent back story for Thomena (protagonist) in another book.
October 5, 2024
Another series by Douglas to look forward to! I always look for this author at local conventions and follow his Amazon page so I don’t miss a thing. There always seems to be plenty of action, danger, and wonder to keep you from putting the books down. In this one we meet a young apprentice that must rise to meet the challenges of her new assignment. I can’t wait to see where she goes from here.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews