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Being Relatable to Teens
The Tale of the Orphan Magician follows a gifted but emotionally scarred orphan, caught in the swirl of political chaos and ancient conflict across the magical continent of Amaratzim. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
In all of my Kingdom Quest series books, I’ve sought to address the societal, emotional, sexual, and theological struggles young adolescents face today. According to the CDC, 42% of adolescents report persistent feelings of sadness and hopelessness—a 50% increase since 2011. Additionally, 46% of teens aged 13–17 say social media makes them feel worse about their body image.
In The Tale of the Unlikely Prince, I explored themes of identity, the longing for approval, and the pain of failure. In The Storyteller’s Tale, we confronted identity confusion, abusive parenting, depression, and the challenge of forgiveness. The Garden Tale turned its focus to addiction—particularly the insidious effects of social media addiction. Each of these stories wrapped weighty, core-level emotional struggles in the trappings of fantasy—quests, dragons, the clash between good and evil—all grounded in hope.
I’ve long admired the fantasy philosophies of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien. They wrote their stories to offer hope to a generation of teens scarred by the trauma of World War II. Their tales drew clear distinctions between good and evil and hinted at a hidden, benevolent force guiding events toward a just and redemptive end. Consolation was key: in their worlds, good ultimately triumphed over evil. They believed such stories, absorbed into the hearts of young readers, could nurture hope, security, and joy.
I agree deeply. And I am troubled by how many modern fantasies seem to do the opposite—amplifying anxiety, loneliness, and insecurity rather than offering relief from them.
There was a lot of time spent crafting the character traits in this novel. What was the most important factor for you to get right in your characters?
I tried to make my characters very relatable to today’s teens. Teens can smell a fake. The characters in my book should be dealing with the very same issues today’s teens are. That makes it easier for teens to enter the sandals of my characters and walk with them as they find resolution, hope and consolation.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
All of us, and in particular teens, are subconsciously jonesing for that relationship, that embrace, that look, that hug and kiss that communicates to them that they are adored as they are. This is our core ‘search for father’ that we mention in the book. Per child psychologist Urie Bronfenbrenner, “Every child needs at least one adult who is irrationally crazy about him or her.” Adults too. Theologically, I believe that is the ultimate message of Christianity, which believes that there is a God who innately loves the unlovable, the unloved, and the unlovely, and that’s all of us on any given day, if we were just a little bit honest. Whether one believes that or not, it seems obvious that all of us are longing for such a relationship.
Here’s how I like to describe it to young teens. When you enter a room, there is part of you that longs for people to notice your presence and then stand and applaud you—not because of what you have done, but just because you are who you are and you deserve such an honor. On the other hand, there is another part of you that would be scared to death such a thing might happen.
Will there be a follow-up novel to this story? If so, what aspects of the story will the next book cover?
The Tale of the Orphan Magician is the fourth book in my Kingdom Quest Series. The next installment is Shadowbound. Reggie, the main character of The Tale of the Orphan Magician is caught up in a seven-part Job-like trial to test his faithfulness to the Great King—at least that is what is happening on the surface. Is he faithful to the King because of the King’s ongoing favor? Or is his faithfulness made of higher stuff. For readers, what do we do when all hell unjustly breaks loose in our lives? How do we process things when all is falling apart and there seems to be nothing we can do about it? Teens who have suffered great loss in their lives will be greatly encouraged.
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Book Four in the Kingdom Quest Series
An explosive mix of heart-pounding adventure, enchanting fantasy, unforgettable characters, and powerful life lessons, this book is a must-read for young teens and tweens.
War looms over the continent of Amaratzim, and no one knows who or what is pulling the strings. Is it the shadowy terrorist group known as the BLA? Or perhaps the newly united Dwarven kingdom of Gridaria, hungry for power, glory, and riches? Some whisper that the roots of the conflict go back centuries, to a bitter rift between two brothers—founders of the continent itself. Others point their fingers at the enigmatic King of Garden City, whose true motives are as shrouded in mystery as his identity.
In a world teetering on the edge of chaos, one unlikely orphaned street teen holds the spark of hope. But what can a single boy—alone, and underestimated—possibly do?
He may not be who you think he is. And neither is the King.
A thrilling tale of magic, mystery, and unexpected heroes.
“Chronicles of Narnia meets Jack Ryan!”
The Tale of the Orphan Magician
The Tale of the Orphan Magician is a richly imaginative and layered fantasy novel wrapped inside a parable of identity, shame, and the long journey toward restoration. Framed by a majestic Sakalon dragon narrator named Rahgornah, the story follows Raziel, a gifted but emotionally scarred orphan, caught in the swirl of political chaos and ancient conflict across the magical continent of Amaratzim. As we’re drawn into a world brimming with dwarves, trolls, talking pouches, mystical documents, and spectral history, what unfolds is a timeless search for “father,” not the person, but the deep, soul-level embrace of enoughness and belonging. It’s a quest that’s part action, part theology, and part myth, with equal parts dry wit and tender emotion.
The voice is whimsical, self-aware, and at times downright hilarious. Senyard’s writing has this oddball charm, like C.S. Lewis channeling Douglas Adams. It’s smart without being showy, deep without getting preachy. There were moments I laughed (dragon baseball leagues?) and others where I had to stop reading because something just hit me in the gut, especially those parts about shame, longing, and the human need to feel like we’re enough. The characters, especially Raziel and Rahgornah, felt real in a strange way, even with all the fantasy trappings. Their pain and hopes were familiar. The pacing sometimes meandered, and there were points where it leaned into exposition, but I didn’t mind. The story had so much heart, I was willing to be led wherever it wanted to go.
More personally, I found myself unexpectedly moved. I didn’t expect a fantasy book to leave me thinking about my own story, my own “search for father.” But it did. There’s a rawness in Raziel’s journey. A mix of trauma, rebellion, grit, and grace that resonated with me. I’ve felt like that kid on the bench before. Lost, a little bitter, hoping someone might still call me worthy. The idea that quests begin with distance from the King, but are designed to draw us back. The magic here isn’t just in the talking dragons or epic wars, it’s in the way the story gently calls you back to something truer than all the noise we carry around.
Fantasy fans will enjoy the world-building, but those who’ve struggled with shame, belonging, or feeling unseen? They’ll find something deeper here. I’d especially recommend it to readers of Lewis, Tolkien, or even those who like the soul-searching of Brené Brown but want it wrapped in a magical story. It’s a tale of dragons, yes, but also of healing.
Pages: 254 | ASIN : B0F94WCCDB
LITERARY TITAN 