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Dragon Mage Chronicles #3
Firedrake
It's a race against time as Andrei and Jander head deep into the volcanic warrens of the inner mountains to stop Kirin from completing the dark magic spell that will awaken the power of the dragons. There they find new allies in unlikely places, but also face betrayal in unanticipated forms. Can Jander overcome his fear of the power he still does not entirely understand in order to save himself and the master he has grown to love?
(Book III in the Dragon Mage Chronicles)
(Book III in the Dragon Mage Chronicles)
- GenresHistoricalFantasy
156 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 12, 2020
6 people are currently reading
23 people want to read
About the author
J.A. Jaken
31 books105 followersJ.A. Jaken has been writing homoerotic fiction for more than ten years. She got her start in the profession writing slash fanfiction, where she has published numerous stories under the pen-name Rushlight. Over the years she has written erotic short stories and novels in genres ranging from science fiction/fantasy to gothic horror to modern detective mysteries.
She realized at a young age that she was attracted to the darker side of life in the fictional stories she felt compelled to write. She feels there is something enormously satisfying about putting a character through intense physical and emotional hardship, and then carrying him or her through out the other side. She believes that is the main reason why she tends to write stories with a darker edge to them. Characters are the most interesting when they've had all of the baggage, all of their many masks, stripped away from them and they're left with nothing but the purest core of who and what they are.
Outside of writing, her interests include studying foreign languages, riding horses, practicing martial arts, and collecting medieval weaponry. She speaks a little bit of French, a little bit of American Sign Language, a little bit of Japanese, but she's not really fluent in any of them (although she's trying!). She's endlessly fascinated by just about everything she sees around her and is constantly looking for new ways to learn and improve her knowledge of the world.
She realized at a young age that she was attracted to the darker side of life in the fictional stories she felt compelled to write. She feels there is something enormously satisfying about putting a character through intense physical and emotional hardship, and then carrying him or her through out the other side. She believes that is the main reason why she tends to write stories with a darker edge to them. Characters are the most interesting when they've had all of the baggage, all of their many masks, stripped away from them and they're left with nothing but the purest core of who and what they are.
Outside of writing, her interests include studying foreign languages, riding horses, practicing martial arts, and collecting medieval weaponry. She speaks a little bit of French, a little bit of American Sign Language, a little bit of Japanese, but she's not really fluent in any of them (although she's trying!). She's endlessly fascinated by just about everything she sees around her and is constantly looking for new ways to learn and improve her knowledge of the world.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
June 12, 2020
Things are definitely ramping up here in the third book of this series! Jander, Andrei, Boaen and Tanith have definitely jumped out of the frying pan and into the fire—literally (sorry, couldn’t resist!). After the lighter action of Seadrake, Firedrake puts our heroes right in the middle of a ton of tension, shifts the action into a higher gear, and tests everyone on the team to new limits.
Everything is most definitely on edge through this entire story. After learning so much about the dragons and his own place in the world as a dragon mage, Jander gets a chance to truly test himself when it’s suddenly him making the decisions and directing their path. He shines here, showing that even as he cares for his friends and Andrei, he is wholly capable of choosing the best course of action for the greater good.
He’s not the only one who stands out. Boaen also shows his determination and bravery, and even Tanith—as timid and concerned as she is—continues to stay the course even in the face of ever-growing danger.
This book was a lot more edge-of-my-seat than the previous one, and I was fully engaged for the entire read. I’m also positive my eyes must have lit up like a thousand watt bulb with the introduction of Ty, and his inclusion in the group. You can feel everything building towards the final showdown in the last book as the author did an excellent job at escalating the tension at every turn.
I can’t wait for the final book of the series to see how everything turns out. Until then, Firedrake is getting a full 5-star rating from me!
Everything is most definitely on edge through this entire story. After learning so much about the dragons and his own place in the world as a dragon mage, Jander gets a chance to truly test himself when it’s suddenly him making the decisions and directing their path. He shines here, showing that even as he cares for his friends and Andrei, he is wholly capable of choosing the best course of action for the greater good.
He’s not the only one who stands out. Boaen also shows his determination and bravery, and even Tanith—as timid and concerned as she is—continues to stay the course even in the face of ever-growing danger.
This book was a lot more edge-of-my-seat than the previous one, and I was fully engaged for the entire read. I’m also positive my eyes must have lit up like a thousand watt bulb with the introduction of Ty, and his inclusion in the group. You can feel everything building towards the final showdown in the last book as the author did an excellent job at escalating the tension at every turn.
I can’t wait for the final book of the series to see how everything turns out. Until then, Firedrake is getting a full 5-star rating from me!
September 24, 2021
Rating (All ratings use a Scale of 1-5) = A solid 4 stars for this one. The Prequel I rounded down to a 4. (It is definitely not a story for everyone due to violence +) The 1st in the series I rounded up to a 4. I skipped the 2nd.
Blurb = 3
My Genre Scale = 5
Odds if not your genre = 3
Development of: =
*World = 4 (but have read back to back)
*Plot = 4
*Characters = 3, Not a lot of growth but solid.
What stood out = How Andrei pushed Kiri emotionally based on realizations from his past. The dragon egg status.
Mood Type / Appeal to those looking for = Little to no sex. More fast paced adventure than relationship building. Dragons are more prominent in some ways.
Warnings = None
HFN/HEA = Relationships are solid but lives are still in danger.
Series Notes = 4th of 5 with Prequel.
*Reading on? Yes
*Reading back to back? Yes, except for skipping the 3rd.
*Can be easily read without the previous? I was fine skipping the 3rd, and the more relaxed reader would probably not feel lost starting with this one.
Rating Notes = (SubPlots, thoughts, etc... )
This moved much faster with intensity, so I was much more engaged. The plot moved forward in preparation for the final book / showdown. The extra explanations and descriptors were toned down enough to not snag at the flow as much. This book did not have the violence of the Prequel, but still had more action than the 1st. Each of the ones I have read were different in tone and action which helps them feel fresh unless one is very rigid in what they like to read.
I am looking forward to seeing how this series will wrap up.
***************
I am way off my usual rate of reading over the last 11+ years. Real life has hit hard this year. Most recently with the death of my mother, and I had just been getting back into the swing of things. More upheaval appears to be on the horizon, but it has as much potential to be good as bad. I have no idea what that means for the rate of my reading and reviewing, but we will see...
***************
Below is my philosophy on reviewing!
***************
1. I try to take into account and note common pet peeves often bemoaned by others.
2. "Brain candy' does not necessarily carry a negative connotation. (What is brain candy? Publishing industry 's version of pop music - Typically: formulaic, from a prolific author published often and quickly (like monthly), things escalate fast, and are often solved easily etc..) It has its uses: to pass time when tired, on the beach, etc... The problem comes when "brain candy" is unexpected or even disguised.
3. Blurb rating purpose:
Like many readers, I do not like to think I'm reading one kind of story; just to end up with another. But...I also don't think a book should be docked stars for being as stated. If I don't like stories about "_________", and I choose to read it; I shouldn't give it 2 stars based JUST on my preferences. Unless... it wasn't clear in the blurb.
4. Other Factors that effect my perspective when reviewing:
Since 2009, I have exclusively read m/m. My 1st was in 2007. I am a Kindle diehard, and I never do audio for m/m. I read at least 100+ books a year - with an average length of 220± pages; but the total number of books is usually much higher. My Goodreads lifetime rating (at the start of 2021) was a 3.64 average for 1527 books. Which considering, one should be better at picking out books the more one reads, I feel is an accurate average. I have over 795 reviews within the m/m genre here on Goodreads.
May 10, 2025
Firedrake (Dragon Mage 3)
BY J.A. Jaken
White Owl Publishers, 2020
Four stars
There is a kind of inevitability in this series—as there was in its two great culturaprogenitors (Lord of the Rings and Star Wars)—as J.A. Jaken continues to draw us deeper into the story of Andrei, Jander, Boaen, and Tanith. As the penultimate book in the series, you know that it can’t be the final battle, but must be a half-triumph/half-defeat that sets both the characters and the reader for the last episode.
The dragons are, of course, the signature of this richly-imagined saga. Each dragon has been very different, as Jander discovers the extent of his untrained dragon-mage powers. The central dragon here—a fire dragon who lives in a volcano—is more fully fleshed out as a personality than those in previous books. The purpose there is for the reader to more fully comprehend the relationship between dragons and dragon mages (who are, after all, far more rare than dragons); as well as to witness Jander’s evolution as a mage.
Beyond this, and for the first time in any depth, we delve into the dark mage Kirin’s psyche. By the time the drama has played out (temporarily), we have a much stronger sense of the fateful dynamics of the situation. Kirin is not just an evil entity; there is a deeply tragic background there, which complicates Andrei's emotional ties to him. He is, ultimately, Jander's opposite.
Tanith and Boaen are interesting (and important) adjuncts to the band of heroes, thrown into something more profound and dangerous than they ever imagined, realizing bit by bit that the future of their world rests on their shoulders. Tanith represents the oppressed and abused pawns in the larger story—but she herself has power and wisdom that have not been fully tapped. Boaen is a more subtle character, as a courtesan and intimate friend of the king (and, as it happens, of both Jander and Andrei). He is not a fighter, or a political creature, and yet he has been drawn into this violent political story. I suspect that both he and Tanith will become dramatically more important in the final installment.
Which I have already started reading.
BY J.A. Jaken
White Owl Publishers, 2020
Four stars
There is a kind of inevitability in this series—as there was in its two great culturaprogenitors (Lord of the Rings and Star Wars)—as J.A. Jaken continues to draw us deeper into the story of Andrei, Jander, Boaen, and Tanith. As the penultimate book in the series, you know that it can’t be the final battle, but must be a half-triumph/half-defeat that sets both the characters and the reader for the last episode.
The dragons are, of course, the signature of this richly-imagined saga. Each dragon has been very different, as Jander discovers the extent of his untrained dragon-mage powers. The central dragon here—a fire dragon who lives in a volcano—is more fully fleshed out as a personality than those in previous books. The purpose there is for the reader to more fully comprehend the relationship between dragons and dragon mages (who are, after all, far more rare than dragons); as well as to witness Jander’s evolution as a mage.
Beyond this, and for the first time in any depth, we delve into the dark mage Kirin’s psyche. By the time the drama has played out (temporarily), we have a much stronger sense of the fateful dynamics of the situation. Kirin is not just an evil entity; there is a deeply tragic background there, which complicates Andrei's emotional ties to him. He is, ultimately, Jander's opposite.
Tanith and Boaen are interesting (and important) adjuncts to the band of heroes, thrown into something more profound and dangerous than they ever imagined, realizing bit by bit that the future of their world rests on their shoulders. Tanith represents the oppressed and abused pawns in the larger story—but she herself has power and wisdom that have not been fully tapped. Boaen is a more subtle character, as a courtesan and intimate friend of the king (and, as it happens, of both Jander and Andrei). He is not a fighter, or a political creature, and yet he has been drawn into this violent political story. I suspect that both he and Tanith will become dramatically more important in the final installment.
Which I have already started reading.
August 24, 2020
Love this series
I love this series and look forward to each new book. Saying that, this book was not my favorite. The story was too short and there was not a lot in the way of plot other than Jander, Andrie and friends still trying to stop Kirin. This felt like it was simply a continuation of the second book. It might have been better to have them published together. I still look forward to more of Jander, Andrei and Boaen. Also I am glad that Bowen is becoming a stronger character.
I love this series and look forward to each new book. Saying that, this book was not my favorite. The story was too short and there was not a lot in the way of plot other than Jander, Andrie and friends still trying to stop Kirin. This felt like it was simply a continuation of the second book. It might have been better to have them published together. I still look forward to more of Jander, Andrei and Boaen. Also I am glad that Bowen is becoming a stronger character.
September 17, 2020
This has been an amazing series. There is one book left to complete the story. The heroes do not always win but they stay true to their ideals and do not stop. The books are very exciting, fast paced with that touch of romance, and caring. I cannot wait to read the last one. It looks grim.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews