Welcome to the Final stage of SPFBO 10! As you know, the 10 blogs all picked their champion who advanced into the finals, including ourselves. Check out our SPFBO 10 page for more info! SPFBO 10 ends on April 30th, and so we’ll post our finalist reviews every two weeks or so until then.
Our 7th SPFBO 10 finalist review is for Runelight by JA Andrews. The order of the reviews within a post will be in alphabetical order.
A quick reminder about how we are proceeding in the Finals: our judges had the freedom to opt out of reading any of the books due to personal interest, time restrictions, unforeseen life events, etc. Our aim is to have at least 4 reviews/scores for each finalist.
Both in the Semi-Final and Final stages we have a DNF rule in place: if a judge reads a book (either semi-finalist or finalist if they didn’t opt out beforehand), they have to read at least 25% of it. If they decide to DNF between 25%-50% they’ll have to give a score but can opt out of writing a review, and if they DNF after 50% (or not) then also have to score AND write a review.
For Runelight we have 5 reviews and 5 scores for your reading pleasures.
So, without further ado, let’s take a closer look at our seventh finalist!
Table of Contents
| Series: | The Aenigma Lights #1 |
| Genre: | Fantasy |
| Publisher: | self-published |
| Date of Publishing: | July 29, 2023 |
| Pages: | 736 |
Kate thought finding the puzzle box would give her all the answers.
But it only holds far more desperate questions.
Kate is a Keeper—a storyteller, magic-wielder, and researcher—but a single mystery has evaded her all her life: What happened on the tragic day when two strangers stole not only the puzzle box that hummed with magic, but so much more?
She and her brother Bo have searched for twenty years with no luck. Until Venn, a surly elf, shows up on the hidden doorstep of the Keepers’ Stronghold, with that same aenigma box—and a message that Bo has disappeared.
Kate needs a guide back to Venn’s homeland to search for him, and Venn needs to find him for reasons of her own. Reasons she refuses to explain.
Despite their mutual distrust, Kate and Venn form a grudging alliance.
Somewhere in the midst of infiltrating dwarven tunnels, discovering the secrets of the aenigma box, and stumbling onto shocking ancient relics, the alliance shifts to friendship.
But as the search for Bo grows increasingly dangerous, they uncover a complex plot woven through centuries, devastating not just individuals, but entire empires.
And even working together, the inexplicable forces standing against them may be too much.
Half treasure hunt and half rescue mission, this epic fantasy adventure is a tale of puzzles, mysteries, and the kinds of friendships—both old and new—that shape the soul.
Arina
Read: 100%
The world of Runelight is one filled with interesting worldbuilding, fabled and undiscovered magic and strong familial bonds. In the first chapters of JA Andrews‘ epic fantasy novel, the narrative draws you in with its mystery, making you curious to explore this world.
The protagonist, Kate, possesses a fascinating ability to perceive this sort of lifeforce through scent and color, an intriguing gift that sets the stage for an immersive and unique magic system. When Kate and her two brothers encounter a couple of mysterious men bearing the symbol of a fallen empire, they spark an adventure that promises to delve into ancient secrets, hidden powers, and untold mysteries.
The dynamics between Kate and her brothers also create a sense of connection, establishing hope that this will build into something more as the plot progresses.
While it begins with this intriguing premise, Runelight soon delves into a more classic travel adventure story as Kate meets new characters and discovers new locations in this vast world.
By the time the final chapter arrives—where the climax should provide catharsis or at least some form of resolution—the central mystery, which sets the characters on their journey, is pushed aside to be addressed in a later installment in the series. The final chapters are instead reserved for a flashback retelling of one of the (main) character’s backstory, slightly shattering an already mismatched pacing.
While I had my “ah-ah!” moments at the many nods to Tolkien, the worldbuilding is mainly shared between characters through dialogue, which is never my favorite type of worldbuilding when it becomes the most prevalent. I find it much more engaging when the narrative immerses readers through descriptions or actions that build the world organically.
Ultimately, Runelight constructs the foundations for an engaging fantasy epic, but the unanswered questions and missed opportunities for depth pushed it down from what could have been my favorite book in this SPFBO.
For those looking for a travel adventure fantasy with a ragtag group coming together along the journey, fleshed-out main female characters, and who don’t much mind leaving some central mysteries for further in the trilogy, definitely give this one a try.
Drew
Read: 100%
Runelight is a solid fantasy novel, with a well-told story centering around the character of Kate. The entire novel is told from her perspective and she makes for a generally relatable and engaging protagonist.
While the first few chapters detail a child Kate’s discovery of the mysterious aenigma box, and the loss of her younger brother, Evan; the plot skips forward approximately twenty years. In that intervening time Kate has joined the group of magic users called The Keepers and her older brother Bo has become what seems like the fantasy equivalent of Indiana Jones, part-historian, part-treasure hunter. Both of them remain hopeful they might discover some way of finding out what happened to Evan. Kate’s life of quiet research is interrupted by the arrival of Venn, a stand-offish Elf-woman, bearing the news that Bo has disappeared.
The developing friendship between Kate and Venn is one of my favourite parts of the book. Originally mistrustful and belligerent towards each other, they gradually come to an understanding and eventually a solid camaraderie. This is facilitated by one of Kate’s discoveries, a potion that allows them to share memories back and forth. This particular plot device is used multiple times, and between multiple people, throughout the remainder of the novel.
I found there were three small drawbacks with this novel. The first is that it is occasionally difficult to feel any sense of jeopardy for Kate, since the sections the main story is broken into are interspersed with a future Kate’s reminiscences. Obviously, this only means she will survive, not any of the other characters that join her in her search.
The second issue is that, aside from those first chapters set during Kate’s childhood, the first third or so does take its time. Things eventually pick up with the introduction of some supplemental characters and the last quarter, where things come together, does move at a pretty decent clip but some patience will be required to make it there.
Finally, while it is evident that a great deal of thought has gone into building this world, there were several elements I found myself wishing that had been explored more. This might not be the same for someone who has greater familiarity with the author’s work, since Runelight is the first volume of the third series set in this same world. Unfortunately, while I was aware of those other books, I haven’t read any as yet, and it often felt like a knowledge of those prior works was being taken for granted. Having said that, it didn’t prevent me from following everything that was happening. Or from picking up the next installment.
Liis
Read: 100%
Runelight by JA Andrews is undeniably impressive—not just due to its hefty page count but also in the inescapable mystery that drives the story. Once the narrative hooks you, you’re in for an adventure that is, without exaggeration, adventure-adventure. There are elves, dwarves, tunnels, taverns, wilderness, and an abundance of exploration, all wrapped tightly in more questions than answers.
The introduction of a grumpy elf and cheeky dwarves adds lightness and fun to the story. However, the plot follows Kate’s journey, moving from one obstacle to the next by reaaaalllllyyy taking its sweet time. Although the plot is moving forward, it’s doing so in small, meticulous steps at a time — which can feel somewhat frustrating to those who get impatient with their stories.
Personally, I found myself getting antsy, yearning for the pace to pick up. I felt I was held up when all I wanted was to move ahead, full-speed. But this is not this kind of story. It savours itself to the full. And that’s not a bad thing, it’s confident in itself in terms of what it wants to be and deliver.
Andrews has crafted something wholly immersive in terms of world-building, characters, and the overarching mystery. For those who will connect with the story, reap some really good reading experience with this title. Runelight is a solid fantasy, filled with all you could expect from fantasy.
Timy
Read: 50%
Going into the finals, I was curious about Runelight, because I hadn’t read any of JA Andrews’ books before, but I heard good things about them. Not gonna lie, the length of Runelight was daunting, but that’s not why I eventually DNFd it at the 50% mark. Not that it couldn’t use cutting a good 200 pages or so, but…you know.
Runelight starts out good. I got invested in the story of the three siblings and their adventure in the mine, with the mystery of the box. But then, I have a thing for sibling bonds, as I don’t have any with my own. I got through part 1 during the week reading in my lunch breaks and I thought to myself, that this isn’t going to be such a slog as I feared. And then came part 2 and Runelight almost completely lost me.
The problem wasn’t the 20-year jump in itself. I prefer adult characters anyway. My problem was that Kate made it look obvious she ended up with the Keepers, while I, the reader had no idea why, or who the Keepers are anyway. I feel like some background knowledge of Andrews’ previous series (which I believe also features the Keepers) might have helped me here. Eventually, things cleared up a bit and we got some explanations, but for a while, I felt confused. And bored. The pace slowed to the likeness of a glacier as we meet the Keepers and follow Kate around in the Stronghold, and a whole lot of nothing happens, but at least we get told REPEATEDLY that she works on some serum to help bringing back memories from objects.
And I would forgive for this section to be a bit slower, if the book would pick the pace up, but nope. There comes the parts that really makes me not like epic fantasy in any capacity – the journeying. And it’s not like Kate wants to go on an adventure, particularly, but she is forced to because of the circumstances, and I think that’s one of the reasons I couldn’t connect with her. She comes across as a passive character to whom the plot happens. At least other characters – the elven lady or the dwarf brothers brings some fun into the mix, but everything is a bit drawn out and even they lost their entertainment.
I did intend to pick up the book, but I just never felt enthusiastic about the prospect so I eventually accepted defeat. I honestly think Runelight isn’t a bad book. A bit bloated, yes, but I think it’s a much better fit for readers who like a slower paced epic journeys with classical fantasy elements. For me, it was a bit too surface level with everything – especially the mystery of the box and what happened to Kate’s family (even though I only read half the book, so there might have been more answers along the way, plus this is only book one) – and way out of my general comfort zone.
Andrews’ prose is nice and readable and so there really isn’t a lot of things I could objectively pick on. Unfortunately though, I can’t change my tastes much, so please take my words with a grain of salt, and make sure to check out other reviews to see if Runelight might be a better fit for you.
.
Tru
Read: 100%
Runelight feels like a classic fantasy adventure, though describes itself as part treasure hunt, part rescue mission. The classic part comes from the worldbuilding, which features elves and dwarves, and taverns with mouth-watering food, as you’d expect. The story begins with our main character Kate, who along with her brothers, discovers a mystery puzzle box in an abandoned mine when she was a child. But when mysterious strangers take the box – and one of her brothers – this triggers a mystery that leads into Kate’s adulthood where she becomes a Keeper, a sort of magical researcher and story-teller, and her older remaining brother travels the world in search of their missing sibling and puzzle box. This all changes again when a grumpy elf lady appears with the same puzzle box one day, and news that the other brother is now also missing!
Cue adventure time as Kate teams up with the reluctant and aloof elf on a journey to find her other missing brother and figure out the puzzle box, armed with a journal and plenty of clues to help track him down. As the story goes on, more mysteries around the world come to light, with more questions to unravel, and Kate makes friends with a lively pair of dwarves along the way.
Runelight is a large story at over six hundred pages and it takes its time to introduce aspects of the world, and build a relationship with the elf and dwarven characters, while also exploring aspects of their culture and past. I’ve naturally made some comparisons to Oathsworn Legacy, another finalist in the competition, because they both feature classic fantasy worlds with elves and dwarves, but where Oathsworn Legacy was a self-contained story with a satisfying ending, Runelight is the first in a series and so many of the questions throughout this book don’t get answered in any meaningful way – in fact, by the end I had MORE questions! The story meanders at places, and I feel you could probably cut the book in half and not lose much significance from the story.
That said, Runelight is wonderfully written, and I appreciated the characters and their growing relationship with each other as they slowly began to find trust in each other. If you don’t mind slower paced fantasy that takes its time to put together the pieces, then I think you’d enjoy this. It feels like the book equivalent of a good, hearty stew by the fire, and sometimes that’s all you need.
Our score for Runelight by JA Andrews:
For more SPFBO content, please visit our SPFBO 10 page!
If you don’t want to miss any of our posts, please consider signing up to our monthly newsletter or follow us on social media:
Leave a Comment