The Mage Destinies

Path of the Daydreamer

Young Adult - Fantasy - Urban
252 Pages
Reviewed on 10/27/2022
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Author Biography

Brett Galen is the originator of the "March Into May Writing Challenge," a Spring-time effort to encourage writing for young and old alike.

He is a former middle school teacher and has a Master's degree in Education. He has an incredible wife and three fascinating teenage children. He likes to write because it is an outlet for his untamed imagination.

He prefers to write stories that help young readers transition from kid books to chapter books. His "Clean Teen" format allows early teen readers to fall in love with stories and reading without being subjected to some of the "adult" content found in many youth and young adult fiction titles today. He doesn't want his books hidden on the top shelf but left on the lower shelves for all to enjoy.

"I have a Mission as a writer. I don’t want to become a novelist. Novels are stories that, on the surface, are interesting enough but are filled with underlying symbolism and political and social rhetoric. I don’t know about you, but I go to books because I’m tired of the constant bombardment of political and social noise. So, I want to be a writer of stories, whether they be straightforward or even a little twisted, that take my readers on a journey that they will remember."

    Book Review

Reviewed by K.C. Finn for Readers' Favorite

The Mage Destinies: Path of the Daydreamer is a work of fiction in the fantasy and adventure subgenres. It is suitable for the general reading audience from young adults upwards and was penned by author Brett Galen. The story follows protagonist Tessa, who has dreams for her future that definitely don’t involve the magical arts. But when Tessa discovers that she has innate powers as a Mage and that the fate of the world may be at stake, juggling her senior year at high school seems more difficult than ever. Can she keep the two lives separate, or will her destiny as a Mage change her life beyond recognition?

Author Brett Galen really knows how to tell a story, and this is a magical fantasy tale that starts with a brilliant premise and keeps up the momentum all the way through to its epic conclusion. I really enjoyed the development of Tessa as a central protagonist, whose development arc spans from a somewhat naïve teen into a capable young woman with the fate of the world resting on her shoulders. The close narrative style around her and the dialogue deliver a superb emotional connection direct to the audience, which is ideal for the YA target market and really helps you to root for Tessa through the unexpected and exciting twists of the plot. Overall, The Mage Destinies: Path of the Daydreamer is a superb fantasy tale that ticks all the boxes for YA fantasy fans, and showcases the descriptive and emotive writing talents of a very promising author indeed.

Pikasho Deka

The Mage Destinies: Path of the Daydreamer is a young adult urban fantasy novel by Brett Galen. Tessa Colvin is a typical high school student whose biggest worry is completing her Creative Writing assignment and crushing on the new student Gabriel Davis. But her life turns upside down when the future version of herself, Petunia, arrives to warn her of a terrible upcoming event that means disaster for all. Tessa learns she comes from a long lineage of Mages who are in a neverending war with the Faye -- energy vampires who absorb the power of Mages. With her classmate Ash Williams, Tessa takes a scientific approach to her growing powers and learns karate lessons to prepare herself for future battles. But when her brother sets out into a dangerous trap, can Tessa use her newfound powers and prevent the inevitable from happening?

With a seamless blend of fantasy and superhero elements, author Brett Galen crafts an absorbing tale young adults are bound to enjoy. Action-packed and filled with humor and romance, The Mage Destinies: Path of the Daydreamer is an entertaining ride from start to finish. The teenage characters act and talk like actual high school students with the same problems and worries of navigating high school life. Tessa has the added responsibility of preventing a terrible catastrophe while she learns about her powers. This brings plenty of drama and conflict to the narrative and makes her very intriguing to read. If you're a fan of teen superhero stories, this is a book you will love to read.

Maria Victoria Beltran

The Mage Destinies: Path of the Daydreamer by Brett Galen is an entertaining young adult fantasy novel. The story focuses on Tessa and her brother Bradley. In her senior year in high school, Tessa daydreams most of the time. Visited by a future version of herself, she soon discovers that she is a mage and has unusual abilities, but there is an upcoming battle in her future. Tessa begins to learn how to manipulate energy on the atomic level and use it with the help of her future self. On top of her struggles dealing with teenage issues like school work and feelings for the opposite sex, she also has to keep her discovery a secret from Bradley, who is behaving strangely. She tries to master her powers for good and fend off malicious entities, but time is running out.

Brett Galen’s The Mage Destinies: Path of the Daydreamer is a beautifully written original story. It is magic, adventure, and romance rolled into one. Young adults can easily relate to Tessa, an ordinary teenage girl trying to pass her Creative Writing class, dealing with an irritable younger brother, and hanging out with her best friend Megan. The literary writing style is casual and the language is intimate. Set in the present and future time, this imaginative novel should grab the reader’s undivided attention. Medium-paced with a series of twists and turns, Path of the Daydreamer is an amusing and fascinating read with an unexpected ending. I highly recommend this novel to readers of all ages.

Cecelia Hopkins

The Mage Destinies: Path of the Daydreamer by Brett Galen sees Tessa Colvin surprised by the voice of her future self suddenly speaking during a multiple choice test. Future Tessa, known as “Petunia,” warns present Tessa that her twin brother Bradley will explode at Thanksgiving. Petunia offers to train Tessa and help her save Bradley. Tessa experiments with energy manipulation, and asks her autistic lab partner, Ash, for technical advice. She also learns to defend herself using martial arts and begins to date her long-time crush, Gabriel Davis. One month is not very long to prepare for battle. Can Tessa make the right moves to prevent Bradley from being killed like their father?

The Mage Destinies by Brett Galen is a character-driven, young adult, school-based fantasy. I enjoyed reading about Tessa discovering her powers, while all the time completing Creative Writing class, avoiding the bullies, and interacting with her best friend Megan. I liked the way Tessa was empowered and emboldened by her future self to break out of her comfort zone and try different things. Both present Tessa and future Petunia had interesting personalities and I was amused by the conversations between them. The one-month deadline created a sense of urgency, and I longed for Tessa and Bradley to survive. The prowling Faye are well presented as villains, and I shivered at the thought of one consuming the Magi. I began to suspect some of the supporting characters, but was completely surprised by the others! The ending was dramatic and posed questions that can only be answered in another volume. I recommend this book to all lovers of urban fantasy.

Amy Powers

Tessa had always been a daydreamer, with her mind miles away from whatever was right in front of her, so it shouldn't have been strange to suddenly hear a new voice in her head. Though it's her voice, this one isn't reflecting her current conscious thoughts. It's not even a daydream. It's herself from the future, sent back to prevent her from taking the same path that will ultimately lead to the death of her brother and herself. The Mage Destinies: Path of the Daydreamer by Brett Galen presents Tessa's journey to discover the truth about who she is, what magical powers she has, and how to prevent her tragic ending. Real life suddenly makes her daydreams look like reality.

Brett Galen has put together a fast-paced tale full of adventure, magic, and superhero-style fight scenes held together by a fantastic plot that is both humorous and suspenseful. I loved The Mage Destinies' different characters and the way their relationships are portrayed. Tessa's relationships with her mom and her brother, for example, are unique and play an important role in the story's development. It's also strange to think of Tessa forming a relationship with herself through the voice in her head from the future. This naturally brings to mind classic time travel movies and the paradoxes that are often formed as a result of time travel. With a satisfying ending leaving only a few unanswered questions, I imagine that Tessa will be back with more adventures, and I can't wait to see what happens next.