top of page

WELCOME

to Traces of Magic

by

Rev. Patrick Dolan

Traces of Magic
Books by Rev. Patrick Dolan
(Available in audiobook, paperback and e-book)

Rustic characters use good magic and prayers to help unicorns and other creatures stop an assassin's guild from inserting a weather control spell into a pre-colonial Kentucky valley.

A spell book from an assassin sorcerer causes fear in the city and its destruction lets in a major devil whose very touch kills by fear.  Plans to heal the rupture begin.

Trapping that devil requires all members of the community (clerics, magic users, holy knights, druids, barbarians and rangers) to trick the devil back into hell and reweave the protection net.

After the devil is gone, the Assassins still hold the weather control spell and the characters seek to remove it from their power without damaging the valley.  

Click on any book to find out more information and see a sample of each on Amazon.

Traces of Magic - 1 minute Video Trailer

​Excerpt from the Kirkus review, where they mislabeled these "folklore literature" stories as fantasy:  "This first book in Dolan’s fantasy series has an intriguing premise, which the author discusses in some detail in the foreword; in it, he intriguingly notes that the inspiration for this novel came from his own speculation on what a Celtic-Norse community might have been like if, in the 12th century, it had settled in an uninhabited region of what’s now Kentucky."

​​​

"Each book in the Traces of Magic series is a riveting magical adventure story so blended with reality that it will make you wonder if it really could have happened."   

--Dr. David Overley, MD, Louisville Kentucky

 About the author

 

Father Patrick Dolan is a retired US Army Brigadier General chaplain who served more than 25 years (including 4 times in Iraq)--concluding his duties with the National Guard, where he mentored all the state chaplains in the Nation, and also gave spiritual guidance to all National Guard Generals.  His experience there, as well as a PhD chemist and as a Catholic priest, flavors all the characters.

Contact info: 

Our Mother of Sorrows parish

747 Harrison Ave

Louisville, KY 40217  or

MUCL@hotmail.com

From an Educator: “Traces of Magic” is a truly epic, ingenious, imaginary journey not only across the clearly identifiable landscape of Kentucky, but across another landscape that reveals the profound impact our choices have to promote good or evil, fear or courage, love or hate. As a Catholic school principal, it is refreshing to read a book for young readers that is both adventurous and suspenseful while highlighting the importance of knowing and living the truths of our faith in a way that is transferable to real world experiences. To get the full impact, however, you must read the entire series; it is a landscape you will not easily forget!

Kathy Fehder, 

Corpus Christi Catholic School Headmaster,

Simpsonville, KY

Book of Poems: 'Vigil Light Echoes'
now available for free download
​
​

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Folks have asked for the book of poems and prayers that has just been completed. We are uploading it for free, and it can be shared with anyone interested.

​

Click each to download for it, or a hard copy can be purchased from the printer, New Hope Publications, which has added it to their catalogue.

 

Blessings!

 

Fr. Pat

Colors of Spirituality

Spirituality for Beginners

Today's Blog:

This past weekend I had the privilege of offering masses at St. Theresa of Calcutta parish, where I had served as pastor from 2013 to 2019.  It was delightful to see many of the familiar faces (and to try to remember the names of all those wonderful faithful).  Having officially served in 4 other parishes since then, and substituted at masses in many others, it has become a struggle to remember anything—and it gets harder with each passing year.

 

The characters in the Traces of Magic stories did not have that trouble, for the books’ story line only encompasses just a bit over a year.  However, there was a lot more action in that year than happens is the usual parish in that same time frame. Yet, there are similarities:  they had an Assassins’ Guild and we have organized crime; they had magic and we have pharmaceuticals and technology; but we both have the same faith in Christ and the same sacraments.

 

Sadly, there were some in the 14th century here in the bluegrass in those stories who did not appreciate that faith.  The presence of a visible and tangible major devil “encouraged” many to come back to church.  Today that incarnate evil is more subtle—but perhaps even more real.  May you take the chance to acquire the tools you need to resist today’s evil and  live your lives well, making those lives the gift back to God you want to give.  Mid-January Blessings!

bottom of page