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Runescape #1
Betrayal at Falador
First novel by T.S. Church based on the online computer game called Runescape and giving credit to Jagex for help. Hardcover with dustjacket.
402 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2008
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
August 31, 2011
Subtlety.
Subtlety is an important thing in a novel. It allows the reader to at least think he or she has figured something out, like a mystery or important plot point. It allows for concepts to sink in gradually and become convincing to the reader.
Subtlety is not a concept this novel is remotely familiar with.
RuneScape: Betrayal at Falador is based on the most popular free MMORPG (Massively-Multiplayer Online Roleplaying Game), RuneScape, which, as is becoming a redundant theme around here, I have never before played in my life.
According to the back of the book:
In the kingdom of Asgarnia, though the Knights of Falador defend the land a protect the people, they face threats that clamor from all sides-and from within. Enemies mass at borders, and a killer stalks the night killing innocents and slipping away unseen.
When a young woman appears in the teeth of the storm, her sudden arrival launches a chain of events that endangers the very fabric of magic. And unless the knights can solve the riddle of Kara-Meir, everything they hold close may be lost.
Their one hope may lie in the hands, not of a knight, but of an untested squire named Theodore...
In a very cliche version of epic fantasy, Betrayal at Falador ("Betrayal"), has all your necessary components. There's the good guys, the squire and the knights, plus the dwarfs, the wizards, the druids, etc. And then there's the bad guys, the ones from out of town who want to rule over everyone in sight...for no apparent reason than having power, the werewolves, the goblins, and even the chaos dwarfs (opposite of good guy dwarfs).
The bad guys want to conquer, the good guys want to prevent this, there's also a mystery of a possible traitor among the good guys...but that's what we get. Under impossible situation after impossible situation, I'm sure you can imagine who takes the cake at the end of the day.
Now, I'm sure I would have enjoyed this book more if I had actually played the game, but at the same time, I'm also quite sure that that amount would only be a pittance.
As I mentioned above, Betrayal is not a subtle novel. It kind of slaps you across the face with foreshadowing, almost SHOUTING at you that something is about to happen. Then, unsurprisingly, that event happens and it's really not all that great.
Maybe I've been involved in the legal profession too long already, but one of an author's main responsibilities is to convince the reader that a certain action taken by a character or a certain event is not only entirely plausible in the world that's been created, but that it's also perfectly rational. I want to be convinced that under the systems set up by this world, that it was a reasonable choice that a character made or that by some type of magic something was able to happen. This suspension of disbelief has to happen or I will remain unconvinced and you've lost me as a reader.
As you can imagine, this factor was not apparent in Betrayal. There were far too many moments in my reading experience where I thought, if only the author had just said, "and a spell came over them" to make the events happen in a certain way. That's all I needed and it would have been fine, and yet that never occurred.
The characters likewise lack a certain kind of subtlety. They are bland and boring and ... pretty much all the same. The lead character, Theodore, is considered a brown-noser at the beginning of the story and the problem is, who likes a brown-noser? Are we supposed to relate to that and feel bad for him that no one likes him? In law school, we call those people gunners and no one likes them. No one.
Why Read RuneScape: Betrayal at Falador?
I'm positive that if I read Betrayal when I was around 10-13 years old, I would have loved it. Characters from all walks of life band together to defeat the bad guy, yadda yadda yadda, but now it's just too obvious, too cheesy and over-the-top, and just plain poorly done.
2 out of 5 Stars (I'm probably being too generous)
Subtlety is an important thing in a novel. It allows the reader to at least think he or she has figured something out, like a mystery or important plot point. It allows for concepts to sink in gradually and become convincing to the reader.
Subtlety is not a concept this novel is remotely familiar with.
RuneScape: Betrayal at Falador is based on the most popular free MMORPG (Massively-Multiplayer Online Roleplaying Game), RuneScape, which, as is becoming a redundant theme around here, I have never before played in my life.
According to the back of the book:
In the kingdom of Asgarnia, though the Knights of Falador defend the land a protect the people, they face threats that clamor from all sides-and from within. Enemies mass at borders, and a killer stalks the night killing innocents and slipping away unseen.
When a young woman appears in the teeth of the storm, her sudden arrival launches a chain of events that endangers the very fabric of magic. And unless the knights can solve the riddle of Kara-Meir, everything they hold close may be lost.
Their one hope may lie in the hands, not of a knight, but of an untested squire named Theodore...
In a very cliche version of epic fantasy, Betrayal at Falador ("Betrayal"), has all your necessary components. There's the good guys, the squire and the knights, plus the dwarfs, the wizards, the druids, etc. And then there's the bad guys, the ones from out of town who want to rule over everyone in sight...for no apparent reason than having power, the werewolves, the goblins, and even the chaos dwarfs (opposite of good guy dwarfs).
The bad guys want to conquer, the good guys want to prevent this, there's also a mystery of a possible traitor among the good guys...but that's what we get. Under impossible situation after impossible situation, I'm sure you can imagine who takes the cake at the end of the day.
Now, I'm sure I would have enjoyed this book more if I had actually played the game, but at the same time, I'm also quite sure that that amount would only be a pittance.
As I mentioned above, Betrayal is not a subtle novel. It kind of slaps you across the face with foreshadowing, almost SHOUTING at you that something is about to happen. Then, unsurprisingly, that event happens and it's really not all that great.
Maybe I've been involved in the legal profession too long already, but one of an author's main responsibilities is to convince the reader that a certain action taken by a character or a certain event is not only entirely plausible in the world that's been created, but that it's also perfectly rational. I want to be convinced that under the systems set up by this world, that it was a reasonable choice that a character made or that by some type of magic something was able to happen. This suspension of disbelief has to happen or I will remain unconvinced and you've lost me as a reader.
As you can imagine, this factor was not apparent in Betrayal. There were far too many moments in my reading experience where I thought, if only the author had just said, "and a spell came over them" to make the events happen in a certain way. That's all I needed and it would have been fine, and yet that never occurred.
The characters likewise lack a certain kind of subtlety. They are bland and boring and ... pretty much all the same. The lead character, Theodore, is considered a brown-noser at the beginning of the story and the problem is, who likes a brown-noser? Are we supposed to relate to that and feel bad for him that no one likes him? In law school, we call those people gunners and no one likes them. No one.
Why Read RuneScape: Betrayal at Falador?
I'm positive that if I read Betrayal when I was around 10-13 years old, I would have loved it. Characters from all walks of life band together to defeat the bad guy, yadda yadda yadda, but now it's just too obvious, too cheesy and over-the-top, and just plain poorly done.
2 out of 5 Stars (I'm probably being too generous)
March 17, 2021
First to say that this is the authors first book and of course that shows. Don't expect a perfectly thought out fantasy novel here. The story will not make sense at times and there are more than a few logic errors. But there is potential here and the story was fun to read nonetheless. However if I was not a RuneScape player this book might have gotten only 2 stars.
The story centers around a girl that suddenly appears in the city Falador near death without any memory of what had happened to her. And then we follow her search to find out who she is. We meet a few characters that at some point meet each other to build our main cast.
There is an uprising of Zamorak followers in the North that seem to have a spy within the knights of Falador. Which is a pretty nice concept and adds a bit of detective-story to this.
The prose is very readable. It's nothing special and can get repetitive at times, but I found it to be very digestible overall.
The characters are 'a bit' one-dimensional. Most of them only have one character trait and don't change throughout the book. There are 3 characters that have somewhat of a character arc and one of them isn't really a main character. Especially with Theodor there were so many opportunities to do something really interesting, but I felt like he didn't change at all. Character changes are also always very sudden. Another character says something and then the other one completely changes his mind in like 5 seconds. With Kara this makes sense. Marius could've waited a bit longer for my taste.
Also there are a lot of characters and especially regarding the detective-part of this story made it hard to distinguish everyone to find out who it is. And I'm sure if you've read the book a couple of times and know the characters you could actually see some evidence pointing to the traitor, but I couldn't.
There is also not much comic relief which I found to be very weird. If you know RuneScape then you know the game has a particular very absurd humor. Like there are speaking cabbages in the game. And don't get me wrong, I love the cabbages, but this books takes itself so seriously that I couldn't really associate it with the game. After the first half some of the characters start to make jokes every 50 pages or so, but there's not enough room for them to breath between all that's happening. I feel for this game the book should've leaned more to absurdist fantasy. THAT could've been a great book and would get away with so many other things like the one-dimensional characters because they would then be parodies and so on.
The villains are great, very (un)likeable. There's actually some depth to at least one of them (yes, there's a few) and that was pretty great.
Despite all of this I still really enjoyed reading this. Like I said there is some potential (there were some twists that were good) and the story was actually pretty fun when you don't take everything seriously and turn your head off for a bit.
I'm looking forward to reading the next two installments to see how the author is progressing with his writing.
The story centers around a girl that suddenly appears in the city Falador near death without any memory of what had happened to her. And then we follow her search to find out who she is. We meet a few characters that at some point meet each other to build our main cast.
There is an uprising of Zamorak followers in the North that seem to have a spy within the knights of Falador. Which is a pretty nice concept and adds a bit of detective-story to this.
The prose is very readable. It's nothing special and can get repetitive at times, but I found it to be very digestible overall.
The characters are 'a bit' one-dimensional. Most of them only have one character trait and don't change throughout the book. There are 3 characters that have somewhat of a character arc and one of them isn't really a main character. Especially with Theodor there were so many opportunities to do something really interesting, but I felt like he didn't change at all. Character changes are also always very sudden. Another character says something and then the other one completely changes his mind in like 5 seconds. With Kara this makes sense. Marius could've waited a bit longer for my taste.
Also there are a lot of characters and especially regarding the detective-part of this story made it hard to distinguish everyone to find out who it is. And I'm sure if you've read the book a couple of times and know the characters you could actually see some evidence pointing to the traitor, but I couldn't.
There is also not much comic relief which I found to be very weird. If you know RuneScape then you know the game has a particular very absurd humor. Like there are speaking cabbages in the game. And don't get me wrong, I love the cabbages, but this books takes itself so seriously that I couldn't really associate it with the game. After the first half some of the characters start to make jokes every 50 pages or so, but there's not enough room for them to breath between all that's happening. I feel for this game the book should've leaned more to absurdist fantasy. THAT could've been a great book and would get away with so many other things like the one-dimensional characters because they would then be parodies and so on.
The villains are great, very (un)likeable. There's actually some depth to at least one of them (yes, there's a few) and that was pretty great.
Despite all of this I still really enjoyed reading this. Like I said there is some potential (there were some twists that were good) and the story was actually pretty fun when you don't take everything seriously and turn your head off for a bit.
I'm looking forward to reading the next two installments to see how the author is progressing with his writing.
August 27, 2012
I actually read the third book in this series first and even coming late to the party I was impressed at Mr. Church’s ability to get me up to speed thru the course of the story. This is the first in a series based on the world’s most popular free-to-play MMO. I am normally extremely frightened of books based on video games. Several series based on video games have actually surprised me and this series will be added to video game book adaptations done well.
I do not play Runescape, not because I’m not interested, but more because I know that it would ruin several aspects of my life including my marriage and my table-top gaming habit. In a way I think going into this series cold was a good thing. Granted I didn’t know the characters as well as Runescape players might know or know of them but my lack of knowledge acted as a good expectation management tool.
I will start by saying that this book will not change your life, it won’t cause you to stop doing something bad or cause you to start doing something good, what this book will do is entertain you. It reeks of classic fantasy adventure. There is a bit of mystery and intrigue, but I almost got the feeling that church didn’t expect you to solve the mystery; he just wanted you to watch other people solve it, and it worked.
The characters are interesting, not unique but interesting. I actually embraced the lack of uniqueness and really appreciated it. I am tired of dark knights and anti-heroes. I want my paladins to be knights in shining armor. I want my wizards to wear robes and love books. I want that tuff sexy female barbican. I want a gruff dwarf who loves wealth. For years authors have tried and often succeeded in breaking all of these genre foundations, it was pleasant to see an author go back to the days of yore.
This is a well paced interesting, meaty book. Weighing in at over 400 pages you really get your monies worth. I you enjoy books in this genre; I see no reason why you won’t enjoy this one as well. If you play Runescape I’m sure this book will feel like a good meal at the restaurant you always go to when you want a good meal, nothing fancy, just good quality. I am excited to read the second book and I will keep you posted.
I do not play Runescape, not because I’m not interested, but more because I know that it would ruin several aspects of my life including my marriage and my table-top gaming habit. In a way I think going into this series cold was a good thing. Granted I didn’t know the characters as well as Runescape players might know or know of them but my lack of knowledge acted as a good expectation management tool.
I will start by saying that this book will not change your life, it won’t cause you to stop doing something bad or cause you to start doing something good, what this book will do is entertain you. It reeks of classic fantasy adventure. There is a bit of mystery and intrigue, but I almost got the feeling that church didn’t expect you to solve the mystery; he just wanted you to watch other people solve it, and it worked.
The characters are interesting, not unique but interesting. I actually embraced the lack of uniqueness and really appreciated it. I am tired of dark knights and anti-heroes. I want my paladins to be knights in shining armor. I want my wizards to wear robes and love books. I want that tuff sexy female barbican. I want a gruff dwarf who loves wealth. For years authors have tried and often succeeded in breaking all of these genre foundations, it was pleasant to see an author go back to the days of yore.
This is a well paced interesting, meaty book. Weighing in at over 400 pages you really get your monies worth. I you enjoy books in this genre; I see no reason why you won’t enjoy this one as well. If you play Runescape I’m sure this book will feel like a good meal at the restaurant you always go to when you want a good meal, nothing fancy, just good quality. I am excited to read the second book and I will keep you posted.
December 31, 2020
Everyone has their hour.
I needed some trash fantasy in my life, and this one made me feel like a kid again. I spent so many days in the world of Gielinor as a chunky lad, and it has been a joy to jump back in to the game and indulge in some pleasurable, page-turning fiction in the meanwhile.
To be clear, this is not the pinnacle of fantasy storytelling. Does it need to be? Betrayal has good pacing and plot elements. Chapters are short and plot-motivated, so I often found myself saying “hmm, maybe just one more chapter before bed?”
Sadly, though, Betrayal is populated with predictability and flat, materially-motivated characters. The dialogue made me gasp for all its vacancy. This is counter to the game I know and love, with its characteristic British dryness, cheek, and sardonicism.
Worldbuilding continuity issues are enough to make me wince. For example, the book’s first chapter takes place during a raging winter storm. About two weeks later, as the events of the novel unfold many leagues to the north and halfway up a mountain, the main characters gather for lunch in a stone dining room that allows them to “escape the heat of the day.” Excuse me?
Betrayal feels like a decent companion to the game whose shadow it basks in. Readers who aren’t fans of RuneScape aren’t likely to find much worthwhile here—much better fantasy stories may be found without the work needed to contextualize this novel. I may not continue in this series, but it was a relaxing way to curl up and spend several hours.
I needed some trash fantasy in my life, and this one made me feel like a kid again. I spent so many days in the world of Gielinor as a chunky lad, and it has been a joy to jump back in to the game and indulge in some pleasurable, page-turning fiction in the meanwhile.
To be clear, this is not the pinnacle of fantasy storytelling. Does it need to be? Betrayal has good pacing and plot elements. Chapters are short and plot-motivated, so I often found myself saying “hmm, maybe just one more chapter before bed?”
Sadly, though, Betrayal is populated with predictability and flat, materially-motivated characters. The dialogue made me gasp for all its vacancy. This is counter to the game I know and love, with its characteristic British dryness, cheek, and sardonicism.
Worldbuilding continuity issues are enough to make me wince. For example, the book’s first chapter takes place during a raging winter storm. About two weeks later, as the events of the novel unfold many leagues to the north and halfway up a mountain, the main characters gather for lunch in a stone dining room that allows them to “escape the heat of the day.” Excuse me?
Betrayal feels like a decent companion to the game whose shadow it basks in. Readers who aren’t fans of RuneScape aren’t likely to find much worthwhile here—much better fantasy stories may be found without the work needed to contextualize this novel. I may not continue in this series, but it was a relaxing way to curl up and spend several hours.
January 26, 2020
A good book, it was nice to read an adventure set in the realm of the game! While not particularly amazing it was an enjoyable read and a solid all-round book.
April 12, 2020
As a big RuneScape fan, I was hoping for good things from Betrayal at Falador. I even remember when it was originally released. But it was disappointing. The pacing is all over the place, and I feel like in trying to appeal to a broad demographic of players, it ends up being a mediocre piece of fiction. Oh, well.
May 12, 2022
A long awaited reread. This was a favorite when I was still actively playing the game RuneScape, and it held a nostalgic spot in my heart. I will say it holds up in some places and maybe not so much in others. The writing is simple and good, and the story flows quickly and is well put together. A few of the characters aren’t that dynamic and get more growth out of the next books if I’m remembering correctly. As far as if you haven’t played the game, I’m not sure it’d be the greatest experience.
December 12, 2025
As a long-time Old School RuneScape player, I went into this already hopeful and it absolutely delivered. The fact that this story is canon to the game’s lore makes it an instant draw, but what truly impressed me was how vividly it captures the spirit of Gielinor. This is exactly what a fantasy novel should be: knights of valor, enigmatic wizards, gritty dwarves, and a wonderfully sinister antagonist pulling the strings. It has everything that makes RuneScape’s world so special; the clash of good and evil, and all the morally gray spaces in between.
The pacing hooked me from page one. The story moves fast in, making it incredibly easy to fall into. I especially enjoyed the subplot involving a spy hidden among their ranks. It added a layer of mystery AND STRESS that kept me guessing the entire time (though I’ll admit I’m here for the vibes, not to play detective ✌🏻).
As someone who’s always loved RuneScape’s detailed quests reading this felt like diving deeper into a world I already adore. It was immersive, and genuinely exciting. I was also very baffled how grand the world is; 2 days to Taverly from Falador, 2 days from the Barbarian Village to Varrock! Had my brain melting 😆
If you’re a fan of RuneScape, or just great fantasy, this book is an absolute must-read. I loved every moment.
The pacing hooked me from page one. The story moves fast in, making it incredibly easy to fall into. I especially enjoyed the subplot involving a spy hidden among their ranks. It added a layer of mystery AND STRESS that kept me guessing the entire time (though I’ll admit I’m here for the vibes, not to play detective ✌🏻).
As someone who’s always loved RuneScape’s detailed quests reading this felt like diving deeper into a world I already adore. It was immersive, and genuinely exciting. I was also very baffled how grand the world is; 2 days to Taverly from Falador, 2 days from the Barbarian Village to Varrock! Had my brain melting 😆
If you’re a fan of RuneScape, or just great fantasy, this book is an absolute must-read. I loved every moment.
May 6, 2025
Fantasy books can come with epic maps. Studying or looking at those gives more immersion. This is the first time I’ve read a book where I didn’t need to check a map because it’s rooted from a game that I spent thousands of hours playing. The immersion was way higher and because of that it was entertaining. The same can be said for the key elements and/or items pivotal to the story- I have a different appreciation for them.
It’s a rough read on kindle (maybe the physical copy is different). POV change is very sudden and feels somewhat random. Pronouns are used to begin paragraphs frequently, and many times I had not realized the POV had shifted so I was locked into a different area in my head and then would need to reread.
I am glad to have gotten through it. I think I will start book 2, and hopefully the flow isn’t so disrupted by jarring POV shifts.
It’s a rough read on kindle (maybe the physical copy is different). POV change is very sudden and feels somewhat random. Pronouns are used to begin paragraphs frequently, and many times I had not realized the POV had shifted so I was locked into a different area in my head and then would need to reread.
I am glad to have gotten through it. I think I will start book 2, and hopefully the flow isn’t so disrupted by jarring POV shifts.
August 1, 2025
Well, I loved this, I really thought it was fabulous, but I think one would have to have a special place in their heart for Gielinor in order to really appreciate it. Otherwise, it's still a pretty good, if basic, sword and sorcery adventure. If you like a dungeons and dragons book from time to time, you will probably earnestly enjoy this.
A host of familiar characters and a story that takes place in a fantasy world where some of us have actually spent many, long hours. Just hearing "Ice Mountain" and the image in your mind is instantly right there on those frozen peaks was a special treat.
I was planning to smash through these, but there are only five so far and now I'm thinking I'll spread them out to break up other big reads. Meanwhile, I'm heading back to Gielinor while I work on my first Archaeologist qualification in Kharid-et!
A host of familiar characters and a story that takes place in a fantasy world where some of us have actually spent many, long hours. Just hearing "Ice Mountain" and the image in your mind is instantly right there on those frozen peaks was a special treat.
I was planning to smash through these, but there are only five so far and now I'm thinking I'll spread them out to break up other big reads. Meanwhile, I'm heading back to Gielinor while I work on my first Archaeologist qualification in Kharid-et!
August 5, 2024
This is a hard book for me to recommend. As a big Runescape fan I was really excited to read this but the writing held back the story a lot.
With any lack of subtlety many of the reveals of the story fall flat due to them being glaringly obvious from a mile away. Combined with switches perspectives mid chapter for a paragraph or two just to restate what just happened from another characters perspective made it really hard to get absorbed by this book.
Still if you're a Runescape fan and think you might enjoy this book I'd say give it a try but if you're not you're safe to skip this. Currently even with the second book having better reviews I still don't find myself convinced to continue the series.
With any lack of subtlety many of the reveals of the story fall flat due to them being glaringly obvious from a mile away. Combined with switches perspectives mid chapter for a paragraph or two just to restate what just happened from another characters perspective made it really hard to get absorbed by this book.
Still if you're a Runescape fan and think you might enjoy this book I'd say give it a try but if you're not you're safe to skip this. Currently even with the second book having better reviews I still don't find myself convinced to continue the series.
December 2, 2024
This is the pulpiest of fantasy; and while one might scoff at the idea of reading a "video game book," this is one of the better game-based novels I've read. The pacing starts a bit slow, and Church's writing reads a bit like an author selling their works at the Ren Faire—but once he finds his footing and the action starts, it's undeniably engaging, and hard to put down. The tone is far more adult than one would expect, while also feeling entirely fitting for the world and lore the Gower brothers invented. If you're a fan of fantasy novels in general, you'll enjoy this trilogy—but if you're a fan of the game, you're especially going to love it. I had a blast with it!
June 13, 2019
This is a fun fantasy book. However while the plot does get more interesting later, the early portion suffers. Twists that are very easy to see coming, and most characters are not memorable aside from the main cast. However it does stick very true to the Runescape lore, and game. Very good world building, and the plot does pick up in the second half. Also the book gives some history regarding runescape lore.
February 21, 2025
There were a few writing quirks that I didn't love- switching pov too much and relying heavily on pronouns instead of names, but it was such a fun read. It was long and a little slow at some points but it stayed enjoyable. The last fourth of the book is so well done for being a battle and siege that maintained its fear and thrill the whole time. Good characters and comroderie.
April 21, 2023
It's a fun short read to tear through, if you enjoy Runescape. Honestly, feels like it could have just been a standalone fantasy novel, with locations and names replaced with Runescape terminology. But still, some cool moments.
July 7, 2024
I like most of the realistic characters, the dialogue, the descriptions, the pace, the setting, and most of the plot in this novel. I don’t like that two of the sentences in this novel aren’t grammatically correct. Four stars.
January 7, 2025
My husband finally convinced me to read this book. I’ve played OSRS for quite awhile because of him and it was fun learning more of the backstories of each place and the characters. I wasn’t that big of a fan of the perspective changes within each chapter but overall fun read.
December 18, 2019
Review to Come
September 15, 2024
The first half was really good, but then it just dragged on.
June 27, 2024
This book presents a fun introduction to a RuneScape expanded universe for players (or ex-players) of the different iterations of the game. Despite the plot's lack of subtlety in its unraveling and the large number of characters involved in the betrayal plot itself, the book makes up for it by making great use of the existing characters, places, items and accurate lore of the world of RuneScape, while still being highly readable for those familiar with the franchise, which may not be the case for those unfamiliar with the game universe.
The book is set in the year 164 of the Fifth Age, 5 years prior to the current time of OSRS* (as of this review) and 5 years prior to the time of RS3** as of the date the book was released. The RS3 iteration of the game has since then advanced a few years and has even entered into a new age. The book consists of 77 chapters, neatly dividing the plot and making it easier to read.
The main appeal of the novel is the setting itself, as it is richly populated with accurate pre-existing worldbuilding and lore, which shows the deep work done by the author and Jagex employees involved in the making of this publication. Each new place and new character introduced by the narrative brings joy to the reading experience, which may not be fully appreciated by non-players, since they can't grasp the importance and connections of what's being presented right away, nor connect with the ongoing events of the game, although it might spark curiosity to check the game itself afterwards.
The plot, however, evolving through a group of trope adventurers, is highly predictable. You can guess, most of the time correctly, the course of action taken by the main characters, since they lack complexity and show basically no development throughout the book. I must stress that these issues are mostly solved in the second (Return to Canifis) and third (Legacy of Blood) installments of the series, so bear that in mind when deciding whether to continue with the rest of the series. Another issue is the excess of characters involved in the betrayal plot, making it hard to keep up and downplaying the moment the traitor is revealed. This issue is also not present in the other books, by the way.
Don't expect the absurdist British humor of the game apart from the puns present in some characters names extracted from the game, i.e.: Sir Vyvvin - Surviving; Sir Amik Varze - Ceramic Vase (non-rhotic-accent). Its absence didn't bother me, as I am not quite sure that it would work in this case anyway. A very interesting addition made by the author are references to Patroclus (Greek mythology hero) through the character Bhuler and references to Marius and Sulla (Roman Republic generals and bitter rivals) through characters of the same name. Also, Gaius is the boyhood name of Julius Caesar.
It could be better, but I would still recommend it to people familiar with the game. And if you have made it until the end of this book, please make sure to carry on with the rest of the series, it is worth it.
OSRS*: Old School RuneScape, an old school iteration of the game launched in 2013 and the current most popular version of the game
RS3**: RuneScape 3, also known as simply RuneScape, the main version of the game launched in 2001 and the most popular version of the game up until around 2015~2016
See my review of Return to Canifis (Runescape #2)
See my review of Legacy of Blood (Runescape #3)
The book is set in the year 164 of the Fifth Age, 5 years prior to the current time of OSRS* (as of this review) and 5 years prior to the time of RS3** as of the date the book was released. The RS3 iteration of the game has since then advanced a few years and has even entered into a new age. The book consists of 77 chapters, neatly dividing the plot and making it easier to read.
The main appeal of the novel is the setting itself, as it is richly populated with accurate pre-existing worldbuilding and lore, which shows the deep work done by the author and Jagex employees involved in the making of this publication. Each new place and new character introduced by the narrative brings joy to the reading experience, which may not be fully appreciated by non-players, since they can't grasp the importance and connections of what's being presented right away, nor connect with the ongoing events of the game, although it might spark curiosity to check the game itself afterwards.
The plot, however, evolving through a group of trope adventurers, is highly predictable. You can guess, most of the time correctly, the course of action taken by the main characters, since they lack complexity and show basically no development throughout the book. I must stress that these issues are mostly solved in the second (Return to Canifis) and third (Legacy of Blood) installments of the series, so bear that in mind when deciding whether to continue with the rest of the series. Another issue is the excess of characters involved in the betrayal plot, making it hard to keep up and downplaying the moment the traitor is revealed. This issue is also not present in the other books, by the way.
Don't expect the absurdist British humor of the game apart from the puns present in some characters names extracted from the game, i.e.: Sir Vyvvin - Surviving; Sir Amik Varze - Ceramic Vase (non-rhotic-accent). Its absence didn't bother me, as I am not quite sure that it would work in this case anyway. A very interesting addition made by the author are references to Patroclus (Greek mythology hero) through the character Bhuler and references to Marius and Sulla (Roman Republic generals and bitter rivals) through characters of the same name. Also, Gaius is the boyhood name of Julius Caesar.
It could be better, but I would still recommend it to people familiar with the game. And if you have made it until the end of this book, please make sure to carry on with the rest of the series, it is worth it.
OSRS*: Old School RuneScape, an old school iteration of the game launched in 2013 and the current most popular version of the game
RS3**: RuneScape 3, also known as simply RuneScape, the main version of the game launched in 2001 and the most popular version of the game up until around 2015~2016
See my review of Return to Canifis (Runescape #2)
See my review of Legacy of Blood (Runescape #3)
March 10, 2024
Squire Theodore and Kara-Meir are facing dark times in Falador.
July 4, 2014
Betrayal at Falador is a novel based on the highly successful game, Runescape. As a person who played countless hours of Runescape, I was interested in seeing if the novel could expand the world of Runescape.
The novel begins in typical high fantasy style. A girl is found shivering in the rain and is taken in by a squire named Theodore. During a routine mission, Theodore is sent to the nearby city Taverly and is greeted by a powerful mage, Castimer, and a eccentric alchemist,Ebenezer. While Theodore, and his companions, fight off a nearby army of war mongers, a creature lurks in the shadow consuming innocent civilians in a quest to appease his dark master.
The story of Betrayal at Falador is a good introduction to those who have not previously played Runescape, and is filled with quite a few references from the game that many veterans (myself included) will enjoy. Overall the story does not add much to the fantasy genre, but it is enjoyable nonetheless.
The characters of Betrayal at Falador are pretty standard for a fantasy novel. The White Knight Theodore is the handsome warrior who is thrust into a world that runs counter to his beliefs. On the opposite end of the spectrum, Castimer is physically weak but his intellect allows him to get out of many situations. Where T.S Church takes a different turn from typical fantasy is with the characters Ebenezer and Kara Meir. At first glance Ebenezer’s musings about the world appear to be eccentric, but they provide the only intellectual aspects throughout the novel. I have quite a soft spot for strongly characterized female protagonists, and Kara Meir was quite the strong female character. Unlike the typical female protagonist, Kara is a masterful swordsman and is not afraid to be on the frontlines.
Since this was T.S Church’s debut novel, there were quite a few issues that come with being a new novelist. Like new novelists, Church hampers the progression of the story with too many battles. Though I do like a rousing battle scene as much as the next guy, many of Betrayal at Falador’s battles were forced and did not move the story along. Church also makes the mistake of cramming to much into his novel without heeding the amount of pages his has to tale his story. This leads to some parts of the story feeling rushed and not planned out.
Though the Betrayal at Falador did not add much to the fantasy genre, it should be read by those who enjoy/enjoyed playing Runescape. As for me, I feel a great urge to go dragon hunting in the actual Runescape game.
The novel begins in typical high fantasy style. A girl is found shivering in the rain and is taken in by a squire named Theodore. During a routine mission, Theodore is sent to the nearby city Taverly and is greeted by a powerful mage, Castimer, and a eccentric alchemist,Ebenezer. While Theodore, and his companions, fight off a nearby army of war mongers, a creature lurks in the shadow consuming innocent civilians in a quest to appease his dark master.
The story of Betrayal at Falador is a good introduction to those who have not previously played Runescape, and is filled with quite a few references from the game that many veterans (myself included) will enjoy. Overall the story does not add much to the fantasy genre, but it is enjoyable nonetheless.
The characters of Betrayal at Falador are pretty standard for a fantasy novel. The White Knight Theodore is the handsome warrior who is thrust into a world that runs counter to his beliefs. On the opposite end of the spectrum, Castimer is physically weak but his intellect allows him to get out of many situations. Where T.S Church takes a different turn from typical fantasy is with the characters Ebenezer and Kara Meir. At first glance Ebenezer’s musings about the world appear to be eccentric, but they provide the only intellectual aspects throughout the novel. I have quite a soft spot for strongly characterized female protagonists, and Kara Meir was quite the strong female character. Unlike the typical female protagonist, Kara is a masterful swordsman and is not afraid to be on the frontlines.
Since this was T.S Church’s debut novel, there were quite a few issues that come with being a new novelist. Like new novelists, Church hampers the progression of the story with too many battles. Though I do like a rousing battle scene as much as the next guy, many of Betrayal at Falador’s battles were forced and did not move the story along. Church also makes the mistake of cramming to much into his novel without heeding the amount of pages his has to tale his story. This leads to some parts of the story feeling rushed and not planned out.
Though the Betrayal at Falador did not add much to the fantasy genre, it should be read by those who enjoy/enjoyed playing Runescape. As for me, I feel a great urge to go dragon hunting in the actual Runescape game.
January 3, 2014
Betrayal at Falador is a fantasy book based on the popular browser game known as Runescape.
Although this book has strong elements from the game you can read it without having played it. That said, although it's easily readable without having played, you don't have AS strong of a relationship with characters or understandment of certain parts of the book than if you would have played the game.
Since I played the game, I found it very easy to follow and know a lot about characters and their stories before reading this book. Whilst reading I did my best to find things I would have no idea about or found confusing in the book if I had not played.
Some of which are:
- The gods; Saradomin (The God of Order), Guthix (The God of balance), and Zamarock (the God of chaos).
- Chaos Dwarfs and other races besides humans.
- Places in the story, ex. Falador, Varrock, and Taverly.
You get the general idea of them, but I feel they weren't explained thourghly. Especially the gods, they play such a big part in the driving forces behind the protagonists and antagonists, and the general world the book is set in.
The characters are all likeable and realistic. Though the heroine, Kara-Meir, may seem blunt and one layered at times. Church likes wars that go on page after page, which to me get boring but these were fairly bareable, and not as bad as some I have read.
Church did a good job of creating a world with magic that was still realistic. Magic was only able to be used if you had runes (ore type rock that each have a symbol relating to which type of rune it is) to cast the spell. And they're in limited resource.
Church also did a good job creating military plans and actions that seemed suitable for the time period the book is in. As well as good world building of Falador, but not so much the other cities.
The plot is a classic fantasy plot. Heroes overcome impossible odds at the last possible secound. But he also killed some characters (not main ones, but well liked ones, mind you). There was also a love triangle, but it wasn't the focus or a huge part in the book by any means. And they did have losses of a lot of men, loss buildings, etc. It's the first book in a trilogy, but I feel it ties up well enough to stand alone.
All in all, I think any fantasy reader would enjoy this. And even with the above issues, this was a very good book adaptation of a video game. As well, something I found interesting... having played the game made me understand more of the book, and having read the book made me understand more of the game.
Although this book has strong elements from the game you can read it without having played it. That said, although it's easily readable without having played, you don't have AS strong of a relationship with characters or understandment of certain parts of the book than if you would have played the game.
Since I played the game, I found it very easy to follow and know a lot about characters and their stories before reading this book. Whilst reading I did my best to find things I would have no idea about or found confusing in the book if I had not played.
Some of which are:
- The gods; Saradomin (The God of Order), Guthix (The God of balance), and Zamarock (the God of chaos).
- Chaos Dwarfs and other races besides humans.
- Places in the story, ex. Falador, Varrock, and Taverly.
You get the general idea of them, but I feel they weren't explained thourghly. Especially the gods, they play such a big part in the driving forces behind the protagonists and antagonists, and the general world the book is set in.
The characters are all likeable and realistic. Though the heroine, Kara-Meir, may seem blunt and one layered at times. Church likes wars that go on page after page, which to me get boring but these were fairly bareable, and not as bad as some I have read.
Church did a good job of creating a world with magic that was still realistic. Magic was only able to be used if you had runes (ore type rock that each have a symbol relating to which type of rune it is) to cast the spell. And they're in limited resource.
Church also did a good job creating military plans and actions that seemed suitable for the time period the book is in. As well as good world building of Falador, but not so much the other cities.
The plot is a classic fantasy plot. Heroes overcome impossible odds at the last possible secound. But he also killed some characters (not main ones, but well liked ones, mind you). There was also a love triangle, but it wasn't the focus or a huge part in the book by any means. And they did have losses of a lot of men, loss buildings, etc. It's the first book in a trilogy, but I feel it ties up well enough to stand alone.
All in all, I think any fantasy reader would enjoy this. And even with the above issues, this was a very good book adaptation of a video game. As well, something I found interesting... having played the game made me understand more of the book, and having read the book made me understand more of the game.
March 29, 2015
First off, I have given this book 3 stars because I had such a big reading slump during the reading of this book! I do not know if that was due to this book or not, but I just simply cannot give it a higher rating.
I have been a huge fan of the Runescape game for many years now, and originally purchased this book back when it was published in 2008! It has sat unread on my bookcase ever since, and I only started reading it because I pulled its name from my Random Mug of Books raffle.
Anyway, this book is actually pretty good! At times it feels slow and repetitive, but on the whole I enjoyed it. I definitely would have enjoyed it a lot more had I not had a huge reading slump midway through, but I did like this book!
There are plenty of action scenes, however at times they do feel samey. The final battle is probably my favourite though, for obvious reasons. The characters are likeable, but I didn't find myself particularly caring what happened to some of them. Although there was a certain death I wasn't happy about! The plot is good, though at points there are minor plot holes. But yeah, I liked it.
I would recommend this book to anyone who likes fantasy, whether you've ever played the Runescape game or not. This book can be read and enjoyed even if you've never played the game. I know that the author went on to write another two Runescape novels and I may read them some day, but for now, it's time to read something else.
Betrayal At Falador, 3/5 stars.
I have been a huge fan of the Runescape game for many years now, and originally purchased this book back when it was published in 2008! It has sat unread on my bookcase ever since, and I only started reading it because I pulled its name from my Random Mug of Books raffle.
Anyway, this book is actually pretty good! At times it feels slow and repetitive, but on the whole I enjoyed it. I definitely would have enjoyed it a lot more had I not had a huge reading slump midway through, but I did like this book!
There are plenty of action scenes, however at times they do feel samey. The final battle is probably my favourite though, for obvious reasons. The characters are likeable, but I didn't find myself particularly caring what happened to some of them. Although there was a certain death I wasn't happy about! The plot is good, though at points there are minor plot holes. But yeah, I liked it.
I would recommend this book to anyone who likes fantasy, whether you've ever played the Runescape game or not. This book can be read and enjoyed even if you've never played the game. I know that the author went on to write another two Runescape novels and I may read them some day, but for now, it's time to read something else.
Betrayal At Falador, 3/5 stars.
September 15, 2023
It took me a long time to finish this one, simply because the author takes it too seriously. The fight scenes were detailed, but overall it proved more tedious than anything.
I have no idea where the horses came from, since in-game it's canon that they were all eaten at some point. Perhaps it was after the events of this book, but their disappearance was attributed in part to their lack of numbers and the fact that few used them for anything but meat.
And then it all ends with a 'and she got the very thing she didn't know she was looking for. The End.' Terribly anticlimactic after the overly described battle tactics.
Edit: For anyone wanting to read the series, just go straight to the third one, don't bother with the first two. I promise you aren't missing out on anything important that isn't touched on as a reminder in the third.
I have no idea where the horses came from, since in-game it's canon that they were all eaten at some point. Perhaps it was after the events of this book, but their disappearance was attributed in part to their lack of numbers and the fact that few used them for anything but meat.
And then it all ends with a 'and she got the very thing she didn't know she was looking for. The End.' Terribly anticlimactic after the overly described battle tactics.
Edit: For anyone wanting to read the series, just go straight to the third one, don't bother with the first two. I promise you aren't missing out on anything important that isn't touched on as a reminder in the third.
July 5, 2016
As a kid, RuneScape was a game I always loved to play. Reading this book brought me back to those days. It stays true to the lore of the game while offering a unique story with a dark twist. While I liked the book; however, there were many points in the story where I found myself losing interest and had to skip some paragraphs in order to pass the fluff (Hence why it took me almost 6 months to finish). Overall, if you played RuneScape as a kid and liked the game, and you are looking for a good story. This is one you will like.
March 8, 2021
Unfortunately, even as a huge fan of RuneScape who has been playing it for 15 years now, this book was a major disappointment.
The pacing is all over the place, character growth (if you can call it that) happens in way too fast, and you can see the "twists" a mile around. It's a real shame because I've been wanting to read this book for a long time and was really excited about it.
Honestly, only read it if you're a big fan of RuneScape.
The pacing is all over the place, character growth (if you can call it that) happens in way too fast, and you can see the "twists" a mile around. It's a real shame because I've been wanting to read this book for a long time and was really excited about it.
Honestly, only read it if you're a big fan of RuneScape.
June 4, 2009
Whether you like the game or not, Betrayal at Falador is a truly amazing novel. Church really has come through for RuneScape and medieval fiction fans alike. Another best read, gripping from start to finish. This book may be targetted more towards a younger generation, but is guaranteed to have readers of all ages and interests flicking through the pages with excitement and intensity.
November 20, 2010
Based on the MMORPG, which I have played.
I spent a lot of time in the game fishing, chopping wood, mining, etc. That kind of grinding is absent from the book, for obvious reasons.
Features several interesting characters.
Impressive body count.
A few plot lines are left unresolved, preparing the way for numerous sequels.
I spent a lot of time in the game fishing, chopping wood, mining, etc. That kind of grinding is absent from the book, for obvious reasons.
Features several interesting characters.
Impressive body count.
A few plot lines are left unresolved, preparing the way for numerous sequels.
October 10, 2011
I loved this book. It made me see how much distance was between places in the world of Runescape. It also gave me an insight into some of the NPC characters, like Sir Tiffy and Sir Amik Varze. I gained a better understanding of some of the weapons used in the game and many of the races.
Can't wait to read the next one.
Can't wait to read the next one.
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