RuneScape: The Gift of Guthix

Paperback, 355 pages

English (UK) language

Published May 2024 by Titan Books.

ISBN:: 978-1-80336-521-3

(1 review)

Asgarnia's fate hangs in the balance.

Disparate tribes unite under the banner of Lord Raddallin, and his enemies look on in fear and hatred. Raddallin's advisors - an uneasy alliance of black and white knights - whisper of a discovery in the north that will give them the power to change everything.

Caught in the midst of history, a lowly scribe and the son of a Jarl hold the fate of Raddallin's new kingdom in their hands.

From the glorious inauguration of King Raddallin to the expulsion of the Zamorakians from Asgarnia, this is an epic tale of the origin of magic, the plight of the civil war, and the crushing defeat of the Fremennik Great Invasion.

And amongst plots and betrayals, a penitent turncoat waits for her moment to leap into the unknown.

1 edition

Matt reviewed RuneScape: The Gift of Guthix by Erin M. Evans (RuneScape 2nd Trilogy, #1)

A wonderful deep-dive of RuneScape lore

5 stars

Being a video-game tie-in, I wasn't really sure if this was going to be worth the time, but I can say for sure that it most certainly was.

The book is faithful to the game itself in terms of lore and consistency, writing characters referenced in ancient texts and dialogue, and does a good job explaining how the world of Gielinor is at it is today (i.e. what the game has).

The book makes use of various twists and turns, and always has you trying to figure out and think what's going to happen next, and who is up to what. Admittedly the subtlety of the "main villain" is perhaps as subtle as a brick, but it's still entertaining attempting to weave the web yourself before the book does it for you.

The characters are likeable and you feel for them as time goes on, and despite the different allegiances …

Being a video-game tie-in, I wasn't really sure if this was going to be worth the time, but I can say for sure that it most certainly was.

The book is faithful to the game itself in terms of lore and consistency, writing characters referenced in ancient texts and dialogue, and does a good job explaining how the world of Gielinor is at it is today (i.e. what the game has).

The book makes use of various twists and turns, and always has you trying to figure out and think what's going to happen next, and who is up to what. Admittedly the subtlety of the "main villain" is perhaps as subtle as a brick, but it's still entertaining attempting to weave the web yourself before the book does it for you.

The characters are likeable and you feel for them as time goes on, and despite the different allegiances and factions in the universe, the book does a good job to not paint any of them as 'the evil', and rather the story is kind of a tragedy of people not working together past their differences.

All in all, a worthwhile read if you're a fan of RuneScape and the lore of Gielinor.