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Rune Seeker #1
Rune Seeker
Hiral is the Everfail, the weakest person on the flying island of Fallen Reach. He trains harder than any warrior. Studies longer than any scholar.
But all his people are born with magic powered by the sun, flowing through tattoos on their bodies. Despite having enormous energy within, Hiral is the only one who can’t channel it; his hard work is worth nothing.
Until it isn’t.
In a moment of danger, Hiral unlocks an achievement with a special Access a Dungeon to receive a Class-Specific Reward.
It’s his first—and maybe last—chance for real power. Just one all dungeons lay in the wilderness below the flying islands that humanity lives on, and there lay secrets and dangers that no one has survived.
New powers await, but so do new challenges. If he survives? He could forge his own path to power.
If he fails? Death will be the least of his problems.
Don't miss the next progression fantasy series from J.M Clarke, bestselling author of Mark of the Fool, along with C.J. Thompson. Unlock a weak-to-strong progression into power and a detailed litRPG system with unique classes, skills, dungeons, achievements, survival and evolution. Explore a mysterious world of fallen civilizations, strange monsters and deadly secrets.
But all his people are born with magic powered by the sun, flowing through tattoos on their bodies. Despite having enormous energy within, Hiral is the only one who can’t channel it; his hard work is worth nothing.
Until it isn’t.
In a moment of danger, Hiral unlocks an achievement with a special Access a Dungeon to receive a Class-Specific Reward.
It’s his first—and maybe last—chance for real power. Just one all dungeons lay in the wilderness below the flying islands that humanity lives on, and there lay secrets and dangers that no one has survived.
New powers await, but so do new challenges. If he survives? He could forge his own path to power.
If he fails? Death will be the least of his problems.
Don't miss the next progression fantasy series from J.M Clarke, bestselling author of Mark of the Fool, along with C.J. Thompson. Unlock a weak-to-strong progression into power and a detailed litRPG system with unique classes, skills, dungeons, achievements, survival and evolution. Explore a mysterious world of fallen civilizations, strange monsters and deadly secrets.
702 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 17, 2023
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 148 reviews
January 1, 2024
This is a system-style litRPG that bills itself as a progression fantasy. I'm not entirely sure what that means or why it's a distinction as pretty much every LitRPG includes "progression".
Anyway, this one starts extremely slowly. The first ten chapters are pretty much "Hiral is a losing loser who can't win". Oh, and he trains a lot to improve himself. For some reason. He has all the fanciest tattoos which should imbue him with lots of powers, but he just can't access them. Things pick up once he leaves the city he grows up in and starts interacting with a group of "Growers" who are kind of second-class to the "Makers" that are Hiral's people. He throws in with them to try to find a missing party in the world below and then things happen that strands them, giving them opportunity to build trust and even develop friendship. And, of course, Hiral's inner power gets unlocked, though in a weird and transformative way.
So we get some good worldbuilding and there is progression. And a plot that has a great pace as everybody learns to work together and overcome trials and dungeons. And I liked all the other things (character interactions and problem solving) better than the actual action. I mean, every single fight in this story is a boss fight with titanic creatures that everybody has to struggle and stretch to overcome. And behind everything is an "enemy" who is undetectable and unbeatable and I got tired of that bit of lore by the second time it came up. And it forms a good portion of the second half of the story.
And then the last quarter has . And I stopped caring any more and finished the story on inertia. And have zero desire to read the next in the series because grimdark just isn't my thing.
I was headed to a solid four-star rating until that last quarter. And I'll still give it three for the solid story and characters and the entertainment I had out of the book. I'm sad it took that late-story turn and I think this might be a thing with this author and a reason I should probably avoid more stories from them.
A note about Chaste: There is no time or space for romance. So there is zero steam and this is very chaste.
Anyway, this one starts extremely slowly. The first ten chapters are pretty much "Hiral is a losing loser who can't win". Oh, and he trains a lot to improve himself. For some reason. He has all the fanciest tattoos which should imbue him with lots of powers, but he just can't access them. Things pick up once he leaves the city he grows up in and starts interacting with a group of "Growers" who are kind of second-class to the "Makers" that are Hiral's people. He throws in with them to try to find a missing party in the world below and then things happen that strands them, giving them opportunity to build trust and even develop friendship. And, of course, Hiral's inner power gets unlocked, though in a weird and transformative way.
So we get some good worldbuilding and there is progression. And a plot that has a great pace as everybody learns to work together and overcome trials and dungeons. And I liked all the other things (character interactions and problem solving) better than the actual action. I mean, every single fight in this story is a boss fight with titanic creatures that everybody has to struggle and stretch to overcome. And behind everything is an "enemy" who is undetectable and unbeatable and I got tired of that bit of lore by the second time it came up. And it forms a good portion of the second half of the story.
And then the last quarter has . And I stopped caring any more and finished the story on inertia. And have zero desire to read the next in the series because grimdark just isn't my thing.
I was headed to a solid four-star rating until that last quarter. And I'll still give it three for the solid story and characters and the entertainment I had out of the book. I'm sad it took that late-story turn and I think this might be a thing with this author and a reason I should probably avoid more stories from them.
A note about Chaste: There is no time or space for romance. So there is zero steam and this is very chaste.
November 7, 2023
Flawed but enjoyable
Like many I came here from mark of the fool so thought I’d make it clear to others in that boat that this is very different.
Whereas that series is progression fantasy without a hint of crunch this is very firmly lit rpg. There are plenty of game like systems at play though relatively minimal crunch. The world is darker, the characterisation has echo’s of fool but the overall vibe feels much more in the camp of other lit RPG books and to be honest just much more… generic.
I’ll start with the positive. The characterisation is decent: not nearly as engaging as in fool (thought to be honest those characters are starting to become one note in the later books on RR) but still fairly engaging. There is an unexpected horror vibe to it that I really didn’t expect and sort of snuck up on me and I actually really liked. The fights are excellent and very well paced and described which is probably the books best strength. Also the world feels unexpectedly sci fi more than pure fantasy and I am intrigued by the history of the world.
But there are negatives too. It feels like all the tropes are being deployed here and some of them were just exhausting. The antagonist party member with an irrational dislike of the MC (even when it’s explained it doesn’t feel organic or developed enough for his perspective to be sympathetic or even understandable), massively overpowered MC (he’s 3 party members in one each one stronger individually than probably any of the others and he’s also of course a special snowflake with a race otherwise unheard of), tragic emo tinged back story (initially sympathetic but gets so mopey I got tired of it).
Some plot points are also poorly explained and developed. The rune he conveniently forgets about till it’s the scheduled time for his deus ex machina despite all his testing and scientific mindset. Yes a reason is given but it’s thin at best and doesn’t fit with his characterisation. The two mysterious empty bags that seem like they’re gonna be something then just get forgotten about. His accumulating stat points he’s not spending — you’d think at the end when he and his party need any advantage he might spend them but no it’s just ditched despite being mentioned occasionally earlier. Conveniently not utilising the tutorial in the last of the 3 dungeons — again it could be believable like many of these things but it’s done with a line and it just doesn’t fit his characterisation.
There was also a meandering to the plot. It felt like a low budget horror film. Just ambling about this forest doing dungeons but no real overall goal other than survival. Fool is slice of life but from the beginning there is still a more overall focus to the world because it’s actually developed first and then continued at the same time as all the studying.
Also small point but I’m so confused about this planet and the passage of time. They describe time a few ways the only one I can remember is ‘pass’. But though I don’t expect this world to follow earth logic I feel that should be explained. This slab of earth follows the sun and stays in perennial sunlight. It moves at a few miles per hour though when on our planet you’d have to move at well over 600 mph. The ground is in near perpetual darkness so the planet rotates really, really slowly? How long for a full rotation? A year? Is the planet just tiny then? These terms for time passage are thrown out and not explained at all. The fact that the planet is in constant darkness isn’t explained until your like oh wait this night isn’t ending. I don’t expect things to be spoon fed to me I’m all for it developing in story but it just feels like a total oversight here. I was so confused at points early on.
The beginning part of the book also feels so completely disconnected from the rest of it. I usually consider a shifting perspective my mortal enemy as I feel you end up getting stuck in perspectives you just don’t want to read but maybe a chapter or two from those on the giant slab of earth (can’t remember the name). Overall though despite flaws the world is interesting, the fights are great and the progression is pretty good. The characters are mostly so so, I found the ones other than the MC and his obvious eventual girlfriend just blended together in my mind but they may get more distinct later.
I’m gonna read the rest posted on RR, I did mostly tepidly enjoy but I don’t know if I’d really recommend.
Like many I came here from mark of the fool so thought I’d make it clear to others in that boat that this is very different.
Whereas that series is progression fantasy without a hint of crunch this is very firmly lit rpg. There are plenty of game like systems at play though relatively minimal crunch. The world is darker, the characterisation has echo’s of fool but the overall vibe feels much more in the camp of other lit RPG books and to be honest just much more… generic.
I’ll start with the positive. The characterisation is decent: not nearly as engaging as in fool (thought to be honest those characters are starting to become one note in the later books on RR) but still fairly engaging. There is an unexpected horror vibe to it that I really didn’t expect and sort of snuck up on me and I actually really liked. The fights are excellent and very well paced and described which is probably the books best strength. Also the world feels unexpectedly sci fi more than pure fantasy and I am intrigued by the history of the world.
But there are negatives too. It feels like all the tropes are being deployed here and some of them were just exhausting. The antagonist party member with an irrational dislike of the MC (even when it’s explained it doesn’t feel organic or developed enough for his perspective to be sympathetic or even understandable), massively overpowered MC (he’s 3 party members in one each one stronger individually than probably any of the others and he’s also of course a special snowflake with a race otherwise unheard of), tragic emo tinged back story (initially sympathetic but gets so mopey I got tired of it).
Some plot points are also poorly explained and developed. The rune he conveniently forgets about till it’s the scheduled time for his deus ex machina despite all his testing and scientific mindset. Yes a reason is given but it’s thin at best and doesn’t fit with his characterisation. The two mysterious empty bags that seem like they’re gonna be something then just get forgotten about. His accumulating stat points he’s not spending — you’d think at the end when he and his party need any advantage he might spend them but no it’s just ditched despite being mentioned occasionally earlier. Conveniently not utilising the tutorial in the last of the 3 dungeons — again it could be believable like many of these things but it’s done with a line and it just doesn’t fit his characterisation.
There was also a meandering to the plot. It felt like a low budget horror film. Just ambling about this forest doing dungeons but no real overall goal other than survival. Fool is slice of life but from the beginning there is still a more overall focus to the world because it’s actually developed first and then continued at the same time as all the studying.
Also small point but I’m so confused about this planet and the passage of time. They describe time a few ways the only one I can remember is ‘pass’. But though I don’t expect this world to follow earth logic I feel that should be explained. This slab of earth follows the sun and stays in perennial sunlight. It moves at a few miles per hour though when on our planet you’d have to move at well over 600 mph. The ground is in near perpetual darkness so the planet rotates really, really slowly? How long for a full rotation? A year? Is the planet just tiny then? These terms for time passage are thrown out and not explained at all. The fact that the planet is in constant darkness isn’t explained until your like oh wait this night isn’t ending. I don’t expect things to be spoon fed to me I’m all for it developing in story but it just feels like a total oversight here. I was so confused at points early on.
The beginning part of the book also feels so completely disconnected from the rest of it. I usually consider a shifting perspective my mortal enemy as I feel you end up getting stuck in perspectives you just don’t want to read but maybe a chapter or two from those on the giant slab of earth (can’t remember the name). Overall though despite flaws the world is interesting, the fights are great and the progression is pretty good. The characters are mostly so so, I found the ones other than the MC and his obvious eventual girlfriend just blended together in my mind but they may get more distinct later.
I’m gonna read the rest posted on RR, I did mostly tepidly enjoy but I don’t know if I’d really recommend.
October 30, 2023
Slightly bogged down by too many random battles. You can summarise them, you know! “He fought a bunch of guys.” Happy birthday!
April 16, 2026
Huge thanks to Aethon for the hardcover review copy and to Andy Peloquin for setting it up! I requested this one based on the cover, and the fact that I do believe in CJ supremacy, naturally.
So, I have definitely dabbled in progression or progression-y books before, but I believe this is a first in LitRPG for me. I absolutely loved this. Like a video game world inscribed right onto the page. Including all the leveling up, experience and achievement farming, and action your heart could desire.
The floating rock of Fallen Reach is ruled by power, success, and status. Sadly for Hiral, he has none of these things. His people, the Makers, are powered by the sun. Unlocking this strength allows them to craft items from the tattoos on their bodies. And while Hiral can feel this power, has some of the most powerful tattoos available thanks to his artist parents, he still can’t seem to access it. They call him Everfail, ten years of trying, ten fails and counting. But during what should be a routine day at work, Hiral is thrust into unimaginable perils as he joins a group of Growers (a second class of people that live on lower, following rocks) on their trip to save family members…all the way on the ground. Surprise attacks, a mysterious big bad, dungeons with spawned enemies, and no way home.
I didn’t expect to dislike this, of course, but I was surprised just how much I liked it. Right off the bat I got into the flow of the writing. The opening took its time, which I think in a book over 500 pages its earned the right to, and it is a good thing too, as the rest of the novel is off-the-rails fast paced. It also lent the story a real-world feel, grounding itself in a fantasy/scifi setting for the RPG aspects to build on. This really felt like playing/watching through a video game. Travel interrupted by random attacks, character developing dialogue scenes almost like a game’s cutscenes, and full on battles. Like many games, some of the fights felt random or repetitive, but I think that is part of what you’re signing up for. And I personally thought the achievements were fun and a kind of cheeky way to add humor. The holographic doctor teaching the team at the dungeons reminded me of scenes from Horizon Zero Dawn, which really enhanced the game feel.
One of the surprises for me, was how solid the cast of characters were. Hiral is multilayered, juggling both a supportive(ish!) family and a past peppered with failure. He should be a fantastic Maker (if he only knew) and his perseverance is definitely up there with some of the top reigning characters in fantasy. Seena is a capable leader, both caring and competent. Her team is filled with different personality types, all of which coalesce into a pretty well developed sort of found family for Hiral. As social anxiety, as well as being used and mistrusting, are focal points in terms of tension, it was nice to see Hiral finally settle in on some solid trust with his adoptive team, both allowing them in and also believing their friendship is real. It was a surprisingly well balanced novel.
The action, which of course included progression—sometimes even involuntarily—allowed for dangerous and seemingly insurmountable odds to become just one more surprising feat. The idea that each fight, and even each dungeon, was just the next step in prepping the team for the mysterious bad guy actually worked for me. Layered in as if it was simply another piece of the story, it was so video game/RPG coded that I loved it.
Not only has LitRPG now been put on my mental map, it may have even progressed to hold a place in my heart. This was a fast paced, exciting first in the series, and I for one cannot wait for more.
https://fanfiaddict.com/review-rune-s...
So, I have definitely dabbled in progression or progression-y books before, but I believe this is a first in LitRPG for me. I absolutely loved this. Like a video game world inscribed right onto the page. Including all the leveling up, experience and achievement farming, and action your heart could desire.
The floating rock of Fallen Reach is ruled by power, success, and status. Sadly for Hiral, he has none of these things. His people, the Makers, are powered by the sun. Unlocking this strength allows them to craft items from the tattoos on their bodies. And while Hiral can feel this power, has some of the most powerful tattoos available thanks to his artist parents, he still can’t seem to access it. They call him Everfail, ten years of trying, ten fails and counting. But during what should be a routine day at work, Hiral is thrust into unimaginable perils as he joins a group of Growers (a second class of people that live on lower, following rocks) on their trip to save family members…all the way on the ground. Surprise attacks, a mysterious big bad, dungeons with spawned enemies, and no way home.
I didn’t expect to dislike this, of course, but I was surprised just how much I liked it. Right off the bat I got into the flow of the writing. The opening took its time, which I think in a book over 500 pages its earned the right to, and it is a good thing too, as the rest of the novel is off-the-rails fast paced. It also lent the story a real-world feel, grounding itself in a fantasy/scifi setting for the RPG aspects to build on. This really felt like playing/watching through a video game. Travel interrupted by random attacks, character developing dialogue scenes almost like a game’s cutscenes, and full on battles. Like many games, some of the fights felt random or repetitive, but I think that is part of what you’re signing up for. And I personally thought the achievements were fun and a kind of cheeky way to add humor. The holographic doctor teaching the team at the dungeons reminded me of scenes from Horizon Zero Dawn, which really enhanced the game feel.
One of the surprises for me, was how solid the cast of characters were. Hiral is multilayered, juggling both a supportive(ish!) family and a past peppered with failure. He should be a fantastic Maker (if he only knew) and his perseverance is definitely up there with some of the top reigning characters in fantasy. Seena is a capable leader, both caring and competent. Her team is filled with different personality types, all of which coalesce into a pretty well developed sort of found family for Hiral. As social anxiety, as well as being used and mistrusting, are focal points in terms of tension, it was nice to see Hiral finally settle in on some solid trust with his adoptive team, both allowing them in and also believing their friendship is real. It was a surprisingly well balanced novel.
The action, which of course included progression—sometimes even involuntarily—allowed for dangerous and seemingly insurmountable odds to become just one more surprising feat. The idea that each fight, and even each dungeon, was just the next step in prepping the team for the mysterious bad guy actually worked for me. Layered in as if it was simply another piece of the story, it was so video game/RPG coded that I loved it.
Not only has LitRPG now been put on my mental map, it may have even progressed to hold a place in my heart. This was a fast paced, exciting first in the series, and I for one cannot wait for more.
https://fanfiaddict.com/review-rune-s...
Did Not Finish
May 25, 2026Unfortunately, I reached the 50% mark and I realised that this is not for me. I don’t think this genre (Lit RPG?) is for me in general and that’s ok. It’s still an intriguing story and I’m sure it’s a great series, but I’m not the public eye for it. Nonetheless, I think it’s a good start for reading this genre so you should give it a go if you’re interested!
I just found it too repetitive until the 50% mark and I couldn’t really be interested in what the characters were discussing. While it has action, it’s the same action. I know it’s the first book and maybe the others are better, but this is just a review based on the 50% I’ve read.
I just found it too repetitive until the 50% mark and I couldn’t really be interested in what the characters were discussing. While it has action, it’s the same action. I know it’s the first book and maybe the others are better, but this is just a review based on the 50% I’ve read.
February 18, 2026
I really enjoyed this one! It felt kind of like a less unhinged DCC vibe with the dungeons and leveling system but done in a fantasy world!
February 2, 2024
5 It Was Almost Poetic Stars
Rune Seeker is the first book in the LitRPG Adevnture series by C. J. Thompson and J. M. Clarke.
Now this? It's actually really interesting. I find myself stumped trying to compare it to anything I've read before ... While I have faced many literary apocalyptic worlds and new systems of power appearing in a races' time of need. Nothing remotely in this realm with the Enemies they face and different abilities between the Builders, Growers, and Makers.
For the majority of the book, while the enemy itself remained a true mystery, I stayed to enjoy the dungeon runs and the relationships building between cast members. Thought long about reducing this review by one 🌟 for the many spelling errors. Then came the mad dash to reach Asylum, and that unmissable shift in the tone of their journey.
Leaving the final shocking reveal at the end of this first to truly drive that final, fifth 🌟 home. Now, their ultimate goal isn't just surviving on the surface until the islands come around again....
Rune Seeker is the first book in the LitRPG Adevnture series by C. J. Thompson and J. M. Clarke.
Now this? It's actually really interesting. I find myself stumped trying to compare it to anything I've read before ... While I have faced many literary apocalyptic worlds and new systems of power appearing in a races' time of need. Nothing remotely in this realm with the Enemies they face and different abilities between the Builders, Growers, and Makers.
For the majority of the book, while the enemy itself remained a true mystery, I stayed to enjoy the dungeon runs and the relationships building between cast members. Thought long about reducing this review by one 🌟 for the many spelling errors. Then came the mad dash to reach Asylum, and that unmissable shift in the tone of their journey.
Leaving the final shocking reveal at the end of this first to truly drive that final, fifth 🌟 home. Now, their ultimate goal isn't just surviving on the surface until the islands come around again....
October 22, 2023
No Answers, Cliffhanger
The writing and plot are interesting but the lack of information and logic is why I give this book two stars. I hate the MCs ability to turn into three and it’s not explained on any level. It also stops him of abilities and has to be used. The different races is cool and the general set up but not getting any answers makes it an uninteresting beginning.
The writing and plot are interesting but the lack of information and logic is why I give this book two stars. I hate the MCs ability to turn into three and it’s not explained on any level. It also stops him of abilities and has to be used. The different races is cool and the general set up but not getting any answers makes it an uninteresting beginning.
March 28, 2026
5 🌟 Read on bookbeats.
August 21, 2025
There is a good book hidden somewhere inside here, but unfortunately it does not come to the surface. An interesting world and premise in Act 1 is buried completely by the longest, slowest, most repetitive Act 2 I have ever read. There is probably an extra ~150 pages of just combat grinding where nothing is progressed in character relationship or Hiral’s abilities. There are ten side character party members introduced that play set-dressing and never get any individual characterization outside of their one-liner, marvel movie style quips that always relate to their specific role in the DnD party. My hunt for a post Cradle, post Dungeon Crawler Carl kindle unlimited series continues!
November 13, 2023
I have never enjoyed a set up book quite so much.
While a bit slow to start, once it gets going, it does not stop. The setting is never fully explained but the hints are very enticing. This has a lot of promise.
While a bit slow to start, once it gets going, it does not stop. The setting is never fully explained but the hints are very enticing. This has a lot of promise.
May 21, 2026
What’s really working for me so far is how addictive the progression system is. This book absolutely understands the “just one more chapter” disease because every upgrade, achievement, or new discovery immediately triggers curiosity rot in my brain. The dungeon sections especially feel chaotic in the best way.. one second it’s tactical teamwork, the next it turns into survival horror with everyone running for their lives like the fantasy version of a disaster movie. I also like that Hiral still feels emotionally grounded despite the whole weak-to-strong setup. He’s reckless sometimes, but you can tell how badly he wants to prove he belongs. The pacing is VERY action-heavy though, like this series looked at the concept of “taking a break” and said absolutely not 😭 but honestly? Midway through, I’m locked in.
Thank you to @aethonbooks for sending me a copy! Have a lot of catching up to do 😂
☀️ Weak-to-strong progression fantasy
🗡️ Dungeon crawling chaos
🏝️ Floating island civilization
📜 Achievement and class system
👥 Team-based survival dynamics
👁️ Ancient mysteries beneath the world
Thank you to @aethonbooks for sending me a copy! Have a lot of catching up to do 😂
☀️ Weak-to-strong progression fantasy
🗡️ Dungeon crawling chaos
🏝️ Floating island civilization
📜 Achievement and class system
👥 Team-based survival dynamics
👁️ Ancient mysteries beneath the world
November 19, 2025
This was surprisingly good! Biggest complaint is this turns into over-describing every single detail about a battle when all of them are so samey. If you're going to describe in excruciating detail how everything happens, maybe don't do it the same way each time...
What pleasantly surprised me was the actual plot of the story. Later on we get introduced to this mysterious "enemy". It's been a while since a book has kept me on the edge of my seat like that, the perfect amount of stringing the reader and characters along with little information, making these "enemies" actually terrifying. The ending was really good, looking forward to the next book. Oh, and I was also surprised at how natural and funny some of the dialogue was? The camaraderie felt more real than most books.
What pleasantly surprised me was the actual plot of the story. Later on we get introduced to this mysterious "enemy". It's been a while since a book has kept me on the edge of my seat like that, the perfect amount of stringing the reader and characters along with little information, making these "enemies" actually terrifying. The ending was really good, looking forward to the next book. Oh, and I was also surprised at how natural and funny some of the dialogue was? The camaraderie felt more real than most books.
March 20, 2026
This was such a fun and heartfelt read. I loved the zero-to-hero journey and watching the main character grow into their power.
The tattoo-based magic system was easily my favorite part. The idea that abilities come from tattoos, with artists creating them and shapers activating them, was so unique and honestly just really cool.
It gave me similar vibes to Dungeon Crawler Carl but with a more YA tone, which made it a slower read for me personally. Still, I had a great time overall!
The tattoo-based magic system was easily my favorite part. The idea that abilities come from tattoos, with artists creating them and shapers activating them, was so unique and honestly just really cool.
It gave me similar vibes to Dungeon Crawler Carl but with a more YA tone, which made it a slower read for me personally. Still, I had a great time overall!
December 26, 2023
Not bad
An interesting take on the lit RPG genre. Overall was an enjoyable story, though it is mostly story driven, not as much character driven as I would have liked. The protagonist seems to not be fulfilling his potential, but the story is very manic and it's rushed pace, so that is most likely contributing to his lack of fulfillment. The story ends in a good spot. Hopefully they'll be a bit of a time jump for when book to starts and I protagonist will jump up to using his full abilities as they are. Plenty of room for growth across the board though. Some romance would be appreciated
An interesting take on the lit RPG genre. Overall was an enjoyable story, though it is mostly story driven, not as much character driven as I would have liked. The protagonist seems to not be fulfilling his potential, but the story is very manic and it's rushed pace, so that is most likely contributing to his lack of fulfillment. The story ends in a good spot. Hopefully they'll be a bit of a time jump for when book to starts and I protagonist will jump up to using his full abilities as they are. Plenty of room for growth across the board though. Some romance would be appreciated
July 30, 2025
Phenomenal world building
Not only giving us a whole new strange world, but a series of strange powers and skills? Amazing. The world built is bizarre, but love how pieces slowly fit together, and though our MC is powerful, he's not quite the OP no team needed type, and has teamwork built in. Lovely dynamic.
Not only giving us a whole new strange world, but a series of strange powers and skills? Amazing. The world built is bizarre, but love how pieces slowly fit together, and though our MC is powerful, he's not quite the OP no team needed type, and has teamwork built in. Lovely dynamic.
October 9, 2023
4.25 / 5.
June 10, 2024
"Rune Seeker: A Magic-Fueled Adventure with Mixed Results"
Rune Seeker (Rune Seeker #1) by J.M. Clarke is a debut that brims with potential but falls short of fully realizing it. This fantasy novel plunges readers into a world of ancient runes, mystical powers, and epic quests, yet it struggles to stand out in a crowded genre.
The story follows Aiden, a young and inexperienced rune seeker, on his journey to master the ancient art of rune magic. Clarke’s world-building is one of the book’s strengths. The intricate system of runes and their applications is well thought out and adds a unique flavor to the narrative. However, the pacing of the story often feels uneven, with slow, exposition-heavy sections interspersed with bursts of action. This inconsistency can make it difficult for readers to stay fully engaged.
"Clarke's imaginative world-building shines, but the uneven pacing and underdeveloped characters hold the story back."
Character development is another area where Rune Seeker falters. Aiden, while likable, often comes across as a stereotypical fantasy protagonist. His growth throughout the novel is predictable and lacks the depth seen in other recent fantasy works. Secondary characters, such as his mentor Elara and rival Kael, feel one-dimensional and do not receive enough attention to become truly compelling. In comparison, characters in series like Brandon Sanderson’s Mistborn or Patrick Rothfuss’s The Kingkiller Chronicle exhibit more complexity and growth, making them more memorable and engaging.
The plot of Rune Seeker is filled with familiar tropes, from the young hero’s quest to the ancient magical artifacts. While Clarke does manage to inject some originality through the rune magic system, the story often feels derivative. Readers well-versed in the fantasy genre might find themselves predicting many of the plot twists and outcomes.
Despite these criticisms, Rune Seeker is not without its merits. Clarke’s prose is clear and accessible, making for an easy read. The action scenes are well-executed and provide some of the book’s most thrilling moments. Additionally, the potential for future development in the series is evident, and with more focus on character depth and pacing, subsequent books could build on this foundation.
Overall, Rune Seeker is a promising debut that offers an intriguing magical system and a classic fantasy adventure. However, it falls short in terms of character development and originality. Fans of the genre may find enjoyment in its familiar elements, but those seeking a more innovative and nuanced story might be left wanting more.
September 2, 2024
The premise of the book is interesting, an undergod story, with notes of racism and elitism.
Meet Hero wrongly spelled his name, my bad. And he's the undergod here that can get a class tho he's overpowered from the beginning being S rank and all. Fast forward to one island hopping session later, he meets a bunch of people, and the story gets messier and messier from here.
Things I liked.
- Cute magic system the authors ain't in any way reinventing the wheel but the touch of solar energy was genius tho it doesn't really come ro play that much as far as I've read [currently in book 2]
Things I didn't like.
The MC is mid at best relying on the crossbows more than his actual set of runes. He was gassed when he used the absorption rune to redirect a whole ass fire ball, I was super excited to see what else he could do with that particular rune, then nothing he's basically a very OPed mid 🏹
- The focus on team work is hell shoved down our throats it takes away from the experiences of the MC maybe its the reason the MC doesn't use his abilities to the fullest since he doesn't want to show off idk.
The insane number of characters, yes, like half of them are killed off by the end of this book. It was still a struggle to follow the lives of like 12 people given how poorly paced the book was. Don't get me wrong, I love J.M Clark, but this one is a hit and miss for me.
Meet Hero wrongly spelled his name, my bad. And he's the undergod here that can get a class tho he's overpowered from the beginning being S rank and all. Fast forward to one island hopping session later, he meets a bunch of people, and the story gets messier and messier from here.
Things I liked.
- Cute magic system the authors ain't in any way reinventing the wheel but the touch of solar energy was genius tho it doesn't really come ro play that much as far as I've read [currently in book 2]
Things I didn't like.
The MC is mid at best relying on the crossbows more than his actual set of runes. He was gassed when he used the absorption rune to redirect a whole ass fire ball, I was super excited to see what else he could do with that particular rune, then nothing he's basically a very OPed mid 🏹
- The focus on team work is hell shoved down our throats it takes away from the experiences of the MC maybe its the reason the MC doesn't use his abilities to the fullest since he doesn't want to show off idk.
The insane number of characters, yes, like half of them are killed off by the end of this book. It was still a struggle to follow the lives of like 12 people given how poorly paced the book was. Don't get me wrong, I love J.M Clark, but this one is a hit and miss for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 13, 2023
Torn
So I struggled to finish this. Not because I hated it, but because I didn’t love it. It wasn’t a bad story. In fact the world-building was really well done.
It was Hiral and his whole class and setup that kinda ruined things for me. So many things just didn’t make sense. The author just waved his hand like a Jedi and pulled the equivalent of “these are not the droids you are looking for” and we are just supposed accept explanations that kinda suck.
The connections and explanations for key parts of the story were not well thought out and felt lazy. I will not be reading the next one.
So I struggled to finish this. Not because I hated it, but because I didn’t love it. It wasn’t a bad story. In fact the world-building was really well done.
It was Hiral and his whole class and setup that kinda ruined things for me. So many things just didn’t make sense. The author just waved his hand like a Jedi and pulled the equivalent of “these are not the droids you are looking for” and we are just supposed accept explanations that kinda suck.
The connections and explanations for key parts of the story were not well thought out and felt lazy. I will not be reading the next one.
March 4, 2024
I'm not completely sold just yet. Some of the characters seem two-dimensional and the world-building is yet to have its origins explained. An antagonist has appeared but is mostly faceless and mysterious... think the Xenomorph from Ridley Scott's "Alien." Thus, we are left with a kaleidoscope of partial images that make some sense.
What carries this story is the relatable and sympathetic protagonist. Hiral starts out as struggling youth who can't master the basics of magic, ostracised by most of his community but undaunted. As the book progresses, he gains power quickly and somewhat inexplicably. Due to luck, and the good graces of the author, the uber-powerful monster/s decide not to eat everyone immediately, and thus we have a novel.
I liked how this book ended and felt the urge to pick up the next book in this series, a good sign, but I think I'll come back to the series later.
What carries this story is the relatable and sympathetic protagonist. Hiral starts out as struggling youth who can't master the basics of magic, ostracised by most of his community but undaunted. As the book progresses, he gains power quickly and somewhat inexplicably. Due to luck, and the good graces of the author, the uber-powerful monster/s decide not to eat everyone immediately, and thus we have a novel.
I liked how this book ended and felt the urge to pick up the next book in this series, a good sign, but I think I'll come back to the series later.
April 27, 2024
So let me get this correct. Remnants of a post-apocalyptic humanity have survived, and they are divided into two groups. Our world has been devastated beyond oblivion by an enemy so advanced that it wiped out our entire civilization, yet our present day intrepid warriors roam carefree and have no inclination of a lingering threat that this ancient enemy even exists let alone what its capabilities are???? When their interface warned them that the enemy detected, they didn't take action right away; its not like Hiral wasn't told it was inside her and couldn't hear her bones being broken. Oh, and why bother using his gravity powers and emperor's (s rank weapon) on an enemy? It's better to keep it in reserve for dungeon bosses. EXTREMELY UNSATISFACTORY AND ANTICLIMACTIC ending.
July 6, 2024
If it takes you 3.5 hours (audiobook) to get to the “beginning” of the book, then you lost me.
I gave it an hour, saw no start in sight, and skipped ahead to look for it. And skipped. And skipped some more. By the time I found it, I was over how long it took me to get to it and have other things to get to.
Also, personal opinion, if the MC is young don’t pick a narrator that sounds like a 50+ year old, because I won’t buy they’re a 16 year old underdog. Insert Steve Buscemi meme here.
I gave it an hour, saw no start in sight, and skipped ahead to look for it. And skipped. And skipped some more. By the time I found it, I was over how long it took me to get to it and have other things to get to.
Also, personal opinion, if the MC is young don’t pick a narrator that sounds like a 50+ year old, because I won’t buy they’re a 16 year old underdog. Insert Steve Buscemi meme here.
February 6, 2024
The start is slow but perhaps covers a day? The next part doesn't stop except for a quick nap and a day feels like three days. And I know endings are hard. I get it. But this ending feels like the author was told to cut it short. I'm going to start #2 now.
November 8, 2023
Boring
Lame magic system, and the pacing is awful. I made it about 20% of the way through. Don't waste your time.
Lame magic system, and the pacing is awful. I made it about 20% of the way through. Don't waste your time.
January 7, 2024
Rating 3.o stars
This one started off pretty well. It was a little slow to start but I liked the world and the magic system that was presented in the beginning. I thought for sure this was going to be a 4 star book if not higher. Then it changed into something different.
The story starts with the MC who has immense magical powers but has zero capacity to use that power. His body is covered in tattoos "makers" use to summon their magic. Because of this guys magical potential, he has the most powerful tattoos on his body. While his magical regeneration and magical capacity are astronomical, his magical output is zero. For 10 years he has tried and failed the maker test. Children with zero talent are able to pass and he keeps failing. Children call him ever fail. He won't give up though.
He goes his security job dealing with another group called "growers". They use a different type of magic and are considered lesser. Through an act of heroism, the MC finds something that could lead him to his class. He uses what he did a leverage to join the growers mission to save another team. His hope is he finds something that will allow him to get a class and access his magic. He does get what he wants, just not in the way he expects. I already bought the second book before I knew how this ends so I go ahead and read it but I am not as excited about it as I thought I would be.
This one started off pretty well. It was a little slow to start but I liked the world and the magic system that was presented in the beginning. I thought for sure this was going to be a 4 star book if not higher. Then it changed into something different.
The story starts with the MC who has immense magical powers but has zero capacity to use that power. His body is covered in tattoos "makers" use to summon their magic. Because of this guys magical potential, he has the most powerful tattoos on his body. While his magical regeneration and magical capacity are astronomical, his magical output is zero. For 10 years he has tried and failed the maker test. Children with zero talent are able to pass and he keeps failing. Children call him ever fail. He won't give up though.
He goes his security job dealing with another group called "growers". They use a different type of magic and are considered lesser. Through an act of heroism, the MC finds something that could lead him to his class. He uses what he did a leverage to join the growers mission to save another team. His hope is he finds something that will allow him to get a class and access his magic. He does get what he wants, just not in the way he expects. I already bought the second book before I knew how this ends so I go ahead and read it but I am not as excited about it as I thought I would be.
March 30, 2026
Okey this story had some of the best fight scenes I've seen in a while! The author did an amazing job with the action scenes, making us visualize what all the characters were doing. One thing I loved from this story is the team work. MY GOD the team work was on point! I loved that the protagonist Hiral who just joined up with these group of people called the Growers does his best to help as much as possible even to the point of soloing some of the battles. The world is fascinating and the magic system is so cool. What I liked was that they had no idea why they had any of these abilities! they just said their ancestors pass down what little knowledge for their power up and skills. They didn't even know why they had teams. When interacting with the dungeon and we a cheeky scientist from the past explains the dungeon and then saying proceed to the other dungeons to get more information about the system, the enemy and the why of the world was the way it was, (floating islands) made me realize that someone huge happen and it would take a while to explain it and it wasn't gonna be in all in the first book.
When reading the story I looked at Hiral not as a front runner or a one man army but as a supporter and he does it so well especially with his ability to split and add two more of himself and Left and Right, who by the way are awesome. What's better to have as a side kick but with the best of yourself. Hiral is a thinker, curious and fascinated with the dungeons that no one knows much about not even the Growers, that it helps the team when they don't spot the one that may save them in the dungeon.
The group dynamic does start off rocky but as they progress through the dungeon Hiral starts to bond with them and with that bond the group comes together. Yanily and Seena are easily my favorites with Nivian and Wule coming in close. I love the different skills, the way they evolve and get stronger. I couldn't wait when they finished the dungeon to see what they got for rewards and skills.
Now that enemy! I actually got scared the first time Hiral got the warning and then kept getting it during the story at different resting points that was like wtf what the heck is it??? When it was revealed I was like oh hell no! Author watching way too much Alien movies!
I need to know more about what happens so my butt is getting book 2!
When reading the story I looked at Hiral not as a front runner or a one man army but as a supporter and he does it so well especially with his ability to split and add two more of himself and Left and Right, who by the way are awesome. What's better to have as a side kick but with the best of yourself. Hiral is a thinker, curious and fascinated with the dungeons that no one knows much about not even the Growers, that it helps the team when they don't spot the one that may save them in the dungeon.
The group dynamic does start off rocky but as they progress through the dungeon Hiral starts to bond with them and with that bond the group comes together. Yanily and Seena are easily my favorites with Nivian and Wule coming in close. I love the different skills, the way they evolve and get stronger. I couldn't wait when they finished the dungeon to see what they got for rewards and skills.
Now that enemy! I actually got scared the first time Hiral got the warning and then kept getting it during the story at different resting points that was like wtf what the heck is it??? When it was revealed I was like oh hell no! Author watching way too much Alien movies!
I need to know more about what happens so my butt is getting book 2!
October 21, 2023
4.5 stars
I start off by saying this is a great book and if you like LITRPG I recommend reading the book.
I think there’s one issue with the MC I don’t minor characters who’s over powered but I think when you put them in a party of characters and they are clearly able to access more abilities than everyone else it just doesn’t look right. I will not say whether the author explains why this is true, but I just don’t think it looks good in a book. Now, with that being said, it still was entertaining. Excellent fight sequences of mystery as to what’s going on in the world. Unique powers, and true potential for the story to go elsewhere. Overall I give the story of 4.5.
Message to the author.
I always write a note to an altar for a book I really like. This was a great book. I read it roughly from beginning to end in about a week. The MC I think you’re really going to have to explain why he is so overpowered. How come this character gets to access multiple abilities but others don’t or rather I’d like to know where is there over powering potential. Not only does he get access to the rooms but he gets access to the tattoos. Can other characters get access to the tattoos if they get them drawn on themselves somehow someway. I think it’s a great concept to split, but I don’t think it’s well explained why he gets access to the split. I loved when we finally got to see the enemy. I was expecting an alien versus predator theme, but I didn’t see it going that way. I do think more explanation is going to be needed about dungeons and how the war was lost apparently because it seems like they should’ve come close to winning. Also, the large crystal monster in the beginning, what happened to it? That’s not well explained. Or at the very least why would it help him and call him brother. Lastly, just one complaint, I found myself I thought the MC looked ugly on the cover. I was thinking he’d be a young man, but he looks old or older.
I start off by saying this is a great book and if you like LITRPG I recommend reading the book.
I think there’s one issue with the MC I don’t minor characters who’s over powered but I think when you put them in a party of characters and they are clearly able to access more abilities than everyone else it just doesn’t look right. I will not say whether the author explains why this is true, but I just don’t think it looks good in a book. Now, with that being said, it still was entertaining. Excellent fight sequences of mystery as to what’s going on in the world. Unique powers, and true potential for the story to go elsewhere. Overall I give the story of 4.5.
Message to the author.
I always write a note to an altar for a book I really like. This was a great book. I read it roughly from beginning to end in about a week. The MC I think you’re really going to have to explain why he is so overpowered. How come this character gets to access multiple abilities but others don’t or rather I’d like to know where is there over powering potential. Not only does he get access to the rooms but he gets access to the tattoos. Can other characters get access to the tattoos if they get them drawn on themselves somehow someway. I think it’s a great concept to split, but I don’t think it’s well explained why he gets access to the split. I loved when we finally got to see the enemy. I was expecting an alien versus predator theme, but I didn’t see it going that way. I do think more explanation is going to be needed about dungeons and how the war was lost apparently because it seems like they should’ve come close to winning. Also, the large crystal monster in the beginning, what happened to it? That’s not well explained. Or at the very least why would it help him and call him brother. Lastly, just one complaint, I found myself I thought the MC looked ugly on the cover. I was thinking he’d be a young man, but he looks old or older.
April 16, 2024
LitRPG is all about progression, characters getting tougher and better over the course of time. Let's hope this series is like Meta litRPg - in other words: let's hope the plot will progress over time, too.
The MC is Hiral, a guy known as the Everfail because he keeps failing at his magical test every year. This makes this story a kind of underdog story, at least at the start. He learns to trust a group of Nomads, and together they learn the truth about dungeons (at least a sliver of it). And of course, Hiral stops failing at everything.
Try harder!
I really liked the characters (most of them), but there were some repetitive descriptions that slowed everything a bit down. Which is the main critique point: the pace. A few plot holes, nothing too serious, but the pace sometimes slowed down to a crawl immediately after some action packed scenes. I think some rigorous trimming would have worked wonders here!
Let's trim this plot!
The progression system looks interesting, and seems to integrate well with the world building (at least what we know about the world). The world actually is, like the characters, well written, interesting and gripping. It's also kind of dark - don't be lured into a false sense of security by the slow start: There will be - minor spoiler alert - character deaths before you reach the conclusion of this book. The story turns darker and darker, after around the three quarter mark.
I give it 3.5 out of 5 stars, and hope for plot progression in the future!
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Read this review on the blog - the layout is better 😃.
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The MC is Hiral, a guy known as the Everfail because he keeps failing at his magical test every year. This makes this story a kind of underdog story, at least at the start. He learns to trust a group of Nomads, and together they learn the truth about dungeons (at least a sliver of it). And of course, Hiral stops failing at everything.
Try harder!
I really liked the characters (most of them), but there were some repetitive descriptions that slowed everything a bit down. Which is the main critique point: the pace. A few plot holes, nothing too serious, but the pace sometimes slowed down to a crawl immediately after some action packed scenes. I think some rigorous trimming would have worked wonders here!
Let's trim this plot!
The progression system looks interesting, and seems to integrate well with the world building (at least what we know about the world). The world actually is, like the characters, well written, interesting and gripping. It's also kind of dark - don't be lured into a false sense of security by the slow start: There will be - minor spoiler alert - character deaths before you reach the conclusion of this book. The story turns darker and darker, after around the three quarter mark.
I give it 3.5 out of 5 stars, and hope for plot progression in the future!
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Read this review on the blog - the layout is better 😃.
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May 23, 2024
A science fiction dystopian litrpg with stats, skills and levels and a unique solar powered magic system.
Hiral has spent ten years working towards gaining the Class, Shaper but no matter how much he studies or practices or tries he is unable to shape the solar powered energy running through his tattoos. But while visiting the Growers floating island, Hiral uncovers a secret to finally unlocking his skills and finding a way to progress further.
This was not bad. It was kind of slow in parts and repetitive in others. Particularly the dungeons. There was a lot of dungeon diving and the constant battles felt stale and predictable. I think some of the humour might have been lost on me too. I liked Left and Right but it was confusing and kind of ridiculous at points. On the other hand there were some amusing jokes about new fishing rods and sarcastic and snarky dungeon quests. There were game mechanics but they weren't excessive. I did really like the new definition of Dungeon though It was very creative.
I didn't love the whole Fitch storyline. And I was annoyed by the constant interruptions to learning anything. It felt like every time they got anywhere they took a giant leap backwards and it was frustrating. There always seemed to be a problem and I get it but the flow of it just didn't work for me. Plus I was depressed by That said I kept reading. I wanted to know more about the magic system and worldbuilding - I just wanted them to get there quicker.
3 stars.
Hiral has spent ten years working towards gaining the Class, Shaper but no matter how much he studies or practices or tries he is unable to shape the solar powered energy running through his tattoos. But while visiting the Growers floating island, Hiral uncovers a secret to finally unlocking his skills and finding a way to progress further.
This was not bad. It was kind of slow in parts and repetitive in others. Particularly the dungeons. There was a lot of dungeon diving and the constant battles felt stale and predictable. I think some of the humour might have been lost on me too. I liked Left and Right but it was confusing and kind of ridiculous at points. On the other hand there were some amusing jokes about new fishing rods and sarcastic and snarky dungeon quests. There were game mechanics but they weren't excessive. I did really like the new definition of Dungeon though It was very creative.
I didn't love the whole Fitch storyline. And I was annoyed by the constant interruptions to learning anything. It felt like every time they got anywhere they took a giant leap backwards and it was frustrating. There always seemed to be a problem and I get it but the flow of it just didn't work for me. Plus I was depressed by That said I kept reading. I wanted to know more about the magic system and worldbuilding - I just wanted them to get there quicker.
3 stars.
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