The Mage War Chronicles: A Status Update
I’ve been working through The Mage War Chronicles again, but this is the first time I’ve looked at more than one book in succession. I think I mentioned earlier in the year (January maybe?) that I was planning to work through this in-process series while I have the time to spare.
It’s a big project. Right now, I have 7 books drafted and plans for more (details on that below.)
Some background on The Mage War Chronicles
The earliest books in the series were written 5 to 6 years ago, while the most recent was completed last summer.
It’s weird how time makes me forget things in books I’ve written, but it has been fun to revisit them. Based on the timestamps on my save files when I started, the last time I looked at book 1 was in 2022, and that was for a revision pass. The book was drafted in 2020, and there were definitely scenes and elements I forgot over time.
This series doesn’t move linearly from one book to the next, but rather, some books follow events in parallel with each other. Each book features a different main character, highlighting their individual role in the Mage War. Most of the books can also be read as standalones.
It sounds more complicated than it actually is, but I can’t help but feel like this meme when I try to explain it more in depth:
(I have a tendency to get excited when talking about my books, and I usually don’t do a great job of simplifying my explanations.)
This year’s project
I went into 2026 with the goal of revisiting this series and drafting the final planned books. I knew going in that I needed to rewrite book 6 from a different character’s perspective (this was based on feedback from beta readers, and as much as it sucks to know something needs a complete rewrite, it will make the series better overall.)
What I wasn’t expecting was to open up the first 2 books and realize that, stylistically, they don’t match the rest of the series. The stories were good, the characters were solid, but the writing itself didn’t match. I spent the first 4 ½ months of this year rewriting both. It’s amazing what I can accomplish when I don’t have to worry about work 40 hours a week.
When I got to book 3, I was happy to see that it only needed revisions. And book 4 was even more polished when I opened it up at the end of May. The revisions for book 4 will probably be done before this post goes live on my blog.
Seeing my growth over time
What has been really cool about this project is that I’ve been able to see my growth as a writer over time.
When I started writing book 1 of this series, I still wasn’t considering publishing seriously. Writing was just a hobby, albeit one that I loved, but I didn’t have any plans beyond that. By the time I was writing book 4 (which was in 2023), I was firmly committed to publishing my stories.
Between the decision to publish and write seriously, and the practice of rewriting both The Relics of War and The Caein Legacy between 2020 and 2023, it was really obvious how much I’ve progressed as a writer over time. That book I wrote in 2020 was in terrible shape compared to the one I wrote in 2023 (hence why I ended up rewriting it earlier this year.)
The future of The Mage War Chronicles
I’m firmly committed to publishing this series one day, but I will not make any official plans to do so until I have the entire series drafted, revised, and finished with beta feedback. That being said, I don’t know when book 1 will release, only that it will at some point. (In the meantime, I’ll be releasing The Fontayne Company duology starting in 2027.)
I’m much, much happier with books 1 and 2 after rewriting them, and I became re-energized with this series as I was revising book 3.
When I finally do start publishing these books, it’s going to be almost impossible to contain my excitement.
I have spoken with someone regarding cover artwork when I’m ready to pursue it, and they’re on board. I have a vision for the covers, and I think they’ll look pretty cool. Now I just need to finish writing the series…
The series so far
Note: clicking on the links below will take you to the pages on my website where you can read the official book synopsis for each.
Book 1: The Triad Murders. It features Tynan Locke, a mage with an ability like a lie detector. He’s a gambler and doesn’t have a great history with the Citadel guard, but he’s “persuaded” to help them solve a series of murders. It’s set just prior to the onset of the war.
Book 2: Oracle. It features Helene Macen, a mage with the ability to see other peoples’ memories (and some memories that haven’t yet occurred.) She’s the first Oracle in this world. Her book is also set just prior to the onset of the war, and runs mostly parallel to book 1.
Book 3: Magic in the Deeps. This one features Seren do’Vox, a Sevanni (the aquatic race in this world), and his journey to becoming a mage. Time-wise, most of this book occurs prior to the first two, but runs parallel to parts of Oracle toward the end. I’d share what sort of magic Seren has, but that’s a detail best left for readers to uncover when they get there. 😉
Book 4: Cursed Blades. It features Liari Kho, a mage-warrior and friend of Helene’s. This book begins at the war’s onset and is full of battles (needless to say, I had a ton of fun writing it.)
Book 5: Catalyst of the Storm. It features Drake Keller, another mage-warrior, who finds himself on the opposite side of the war from Liari. This book runs almost completely parallel to book 4, but is more political than it is battle-driven.
Book 6: Wrath of the Dragon-kind. This is the book I need to rewrite. Originally, it was told from Dantellion Fohn’s perspective. He’s a skin-changer and a friend of Tynan’s (from book 1.) Based on feedback, I’m going to be rewriting it from Ikessalion Tanzarist’s perspective. He’s a full-blooded dragon-mage, something of a renegade, and is mentioned in books 2, 3, and 4. It will follow a very similar storyline to the original draft, and is set several months after the onset of the Mage War.
Book 7: Until the End (working title that will be changed later.) This one features Daggerborn, the only non-mage main character of the series so far. He’s an assassin first introduced in book 4, and because of that, there’s a fair bit of stabbing and sneaking around. Daggerborn’s a complicated character, but I loved writing him. This book is set after books 4/5, and runs partially in parallel with book 6.
Book 8: Title TBD. It’s outlined and will feature the final battles of the Mage War. That’s all I’m prepared to say about it now.