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RuneScape: The Gift of Guthix
A thrilling epic of betrayal and magic set during the founding of Falador and the doomed Fremennik Great Invasion. Sure to delight RuneScape fans old and new, this stunning tale shows how the gift of magic changed the course of Gielinor forever.
Asgarnia’s fate hangs in the balance. Disparate tribes unite under the banner of Lord Raddalin, and his enemies look on in fear and hatred. Raddalin’s advisors – an uneasy alliance of Black and White knights – whisper of a discovery in the North that will give them the power to change everything.
Caught in the midst of history, a lowly scribe and the son of a Jarl hold the fate of Raddalin’s new kingdom in their hands.
From the glorious inauguration of King Raddalin’s reign to the disgraceful expulsion of the Zamorakians from Asgarnia, The Gift of Guthix tells an epic tale of the origin of magic, the plight of civil war, and the crushing defeat of the Fremennik Great Invasion. Amongst plots and betrayals, a penitent turncoat waits for her moment to leap into the unknown.
Asgarnia’s fate hangs in the balance. Disparate tribes unite under the banner of Lord Raddalin, and his enemies look on in fear and hatred. Raddalin’s advisors – an uneasy alliance of Black and White knights – whisper of a discovery in the North that will give them the power to change everything.
Caught in the midst of history, a lowly scribe and the son of a Jarl hold the fate of Raddalin’s new kingdom in their hands.
From the glorious inauguration of King Raddalin’s reign to the disgraceful expulsion of the Zamorakians from Asgarnia, The Gift of Guthix tells an epic tale of the origin of magic, the plight of civil war, and the crushing defeat of the Fremennik Great Invasion. Amongst plots and betrayals, a penitent turncoat waits for her moment to leap into the unknown.
- GenresFantasy
368 pages, Paperback
First published May 14, 2024
65 people are currently reading
273 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
January 7, 2025
As someone who has been playing Runescape since I was 11, I just had to read this book. 🙈
I usually don’t read high fantasy books but I was pleasantly surprised by this book, I enjoyed it quite a lot. It's second age lore so it doesn't matter if you play OSRS or RS3.
I love how the book doesn’t feel like it’s based off a game, It was such an easy and enjoyable read and you do not need prior Runescape experience to be able to understand the book. Would recommend 🥰
I usually don’t read high fantasy books but I was pleasantly surprised by this book, I enjoyed it quite a lot. It's second age lore so it doesn't matter if you play OSRS or RS3.
I love how the book doesn’t feel like it’s based off a game, It was such an easy and enjoyable read and you do not need prior Runescape experience to be able to understand the book. Would recommend 🥰
February 2, 2025
I went into this book with low expectations because of the fact that it's a book adaptation of an MMORPG. However what I read was even worse than I feared. At first I chalked the simplistic writing style down to "maybe this is a book for kids". But then, the player base of the RuneScape games, which I imagine are the target demographic for this book, skew older. Then it became clear that the ideas and story beats were just as simplistic and highly predictable and tropey. Characters are one-dimensional, and the author takes great pains to explain everything to the reader mid conversation. If a character says one line, the author dedicates a paragraph to explain that line to you. Despite the excess of exposition and explanation, the events of the actual story feel nonsensical and the world itself is not clear unless you already know the world of RuneScape. And I think this is what happens when you try to write a book that adheres to the lore of an idle clicker video game that's old enough to drink.
To be clear, I think there is potential for some interesting stories to be written using the RuneScape lore. I don't think trying to tick all the nostalgia boxes (Saradomin, Zamorak, Guthix, white knights, black knights, etc) is the way to pique peoples' interest. Rather, future writers should consider the world and the lore as a canvas to create interesting character dramas that interact with the world in compelling ways. There are so many possibilities in a world where the gods have been banished and people are left to their own devices, spiritually leaderless.
To be clear, I think there is potential for some interesting stories to be written using the RuneScape lore. I don't think trying to tick all the nostalgia boxes (Saradomin, Zamorak, Guthix, white knights, black knights, etc) is the way to pique peoples' interest. Rather, future writers should consider the world and the lore as a canvas to create interesting character dramas that interact with the world in compelling ways. There are so many possibilities in a world where the gods have been banished and people are left to their own devices, spiritually leaderless.
July 30, 2024
As a life-long RuneScape player (and RuneScape novel reader!), I knew I had to pick up a copy when this was announced. My apprehension grew as we approached release date, I started the question my own thoughts on previous RuneScape books. I became nervous that this would feel like an ill-fitting tale squeezed into a world I have spent far too long imagining.
It gives me great pleasure to admit I was wrong.
The characters were engaging, dynamic, and well moulded for the world presented in the book. Evans' world building was seamlessly intertwined with pre-established game lore, rewarding lore-savvy readers a moment of personal triumph and excitement when recognizing particular aspects of the world.
Conflict, and chaos, are forever brewing. The world is changing, it is always changing. And the greatest of blades, or tools, bare responsibility for those who wield them.
It gives me great pleasure to admit I was wrong.
The characters were engaging, dynamic, and well moulded for the world presented in the book. Evans' world building was seamlessly intertwined with pre-established game lore, rewarding lore-savvy readers a moment of personal triumph and excitement when recognizing particular aspects of the world.
Conflict, and chaos, are forever brewing. The world is changing, it is always changing. And the greatest of blades, or tools, bare responsibility for those who wield them.
May 18, 2024
A great read, no prior RuneScape experience required
A delightful gem of a novel.
The characters feel like real people with real relationships. Even when you disagree with their choices, their motivations are clear, and the conflict arises organically out of their competing beliefs.
There is an impressively complicated snarl of politics, including questions of succession, rival magic schools, and competing religious philosophies. If you enjoy this, I highly recommend Empire of Exiles by the same author.
Finally, I came into this with zero familiarity with the RuneScape franchise, and had no issues understanding what was happening (which isn't always a given in existing IPs). The lore and worldbuilding comes out in the story naturally, without any obvious exposition dumps.
Highly recommend.
A delightful gem of a novel.
The characters feel like real people with real relationships. Even when you disagree with their choices, their motivations are clear, and the conflict arises organically out of their competing beliefs.
There is an impressively complicated snarl of politics, including questions of succession, rival magic schools, and competing religious philosophies. If you enjoy this, I highly recommend Empire of Exiles by the same author.
Finally, I came into this with zero familiarity with the RuneScape franchise, and had no issues understanding what was happening (which isn't always a given in existing IPs). The lore and worldbuilding comes out in the story naturally, without any obvious exposition dumps.
Highly recommend.
December 8, 2024
3.5Stars!
I went into this book not expecting much, but as a sometimes RS Player, this helps fill in lore that had not been completely touched upon in the games. You don't NEED to have been a Runescape player to begin reading, but that said, I would likely not recommend this to those who have never played either iteration of the game. This is partly due to the innate need of knowledge of some of the systems and the connections to characters otherwise. As a non-player, this would definitely be harder to grasp but not impossible, I suppose.
The book is divided into three parts, with in-depth retellings of the history of Runes, Wars and Destruction that we hear about in the game through quests. While we mostly follow one character, Ilme, throughout the entirety of the book, I really enjoyed when we were able to see within other characters as well and found some resolve in doing so. She can sometimes not be the most interesting character...
I enjoyed my time reading this book overall but again, I probably wouldn't have as much if I didn't play the game at any point in my life (+ my boyfriend is a massive fan who bought the book for me!).
I went into this book not expecting much, but as a sometimes RS Player, this helps fill in lore that had not been completely touched upon in the games. You don't NEED to have been a Runescape player to begin reading, but that said, I would likely not recommend this to those who have never played either iteration of the game. This is partly due to the innate need of knowledge of some of the systems and the connections to characters otherwise. As a non-player, this would definitely be harder to grasp but not impossible, I suppose.
The book is divided into three parts, with in-depth retellings of the history of Runes, Wars and Destruction that we hear about in the game through quests. While we mostly follow one character, Ilme, throughout the entirety of the book, I really enjoyed when we were able to see within other characters as well and found some resolve in doing so. She can sometimes not be the most interesting character...
I enjoyed my time reading this book overall but again, I probably wouldn't have as much if I didn't play the game at any point in my life (+ my boyfriend is a massive fan who bought the book for me!).
January 19, 2025
For a longtime player of RuneScape this was a very enjoyable read with lots of surprises. Could be me but I found it quite unpredictable, in a good way.
Prior knowledge of the world's lore probably made the read a lot easier, not having to learn new names of Gods and how certain ties between peoples play out.
The time scale and sudden jumps in time didn't benefit the immersion though.
Definitely getting the second book.
Prior knowledge of the world's lore probably made the read a lot easier, not having to learn new names of Gods and how certain ties between peoples play out.
The time scale and sudden jumps in time didn't benefit the immersion though.
Definitely getting the second book.
August 31, 2024
Enjoyable read set long ago in a game and world I absolutely love.
June 22, 2024
Great book about exploration, war, and betrayal.
Divided into three parts, each with a distinct feel. It's a great backstory for RuneScape, but it is not necessary to have played the game.
Definitely worth a read."
Divided into three parts, each with a distinct feel. It's a great backstory for RuneScape, but it is not necessary to have played the game.
Definitely worth a read."
December 23, 2025
Lord Raddalin leads different tribes in an uneasy alliance. A discovery in the north could give him even more power, and he's determined to have it. A scribe and jarl's son now hold the future of the kingdom in their hands.
Starting with Ilme the scribe who is also an unwilling spy for her aunt, we see the power of rune magic. Using the elements in different combinations, anyone who understands runes can use them. It can enhance building things, battles, or assist the people around them. Up in the north, Gunnar found the runic essence mine and its guardian; having a mine means its essence doesn't have to be scrounged for, but taken at predictable intervals to create new runes for use. It's a find that ultimately helps Lord Raddalin create the kingdom he hoped for, while in the north, there are still tribes that exist and rule through force. Gunnar's father Valjin despises magic and only believes in his own might, which over time puts him into a difficult position as he weakens and refuses to see it. War had broken out in the past, and there's the looming threat of future wars.
The book goes through lore from the Runescape game, which I hadn't played. Without the game knowledge, I still enjoyed the world-building. It's a fantasy tale that spans decades and borrows a lot from our history: what happens when technology begins to outstrip those who control it, and how will that affect those people without it? Here, the technology is magic done through runes, making it more egalitarian than the style relying on innate ability or ritual. We know how each of the main characters feels about war, the lies told to gain access to the mine, and the losses that hurt them and make it harder to discuss anything calmly.
This book is less obvious court politics and intrigue than the source of magic, religious belief, and interpersonal tensions. We see Ilme and the other wizards, and the edges of court that she's aware of as a scribe and then as a wizard. Gunnar's people are considered barbarians, but the hurt he holds is easily understood. The friendship they had lasted for years until it didn't, and the fallout of the original lie had far-reaching consequences. Each section of the book covers a different period of time, and it all comes down to the same question posed in the beginning: Will Ilme be used by others around her, or will she be strong enough to choose a direction for herself? It's especially true in the final section when she's aware of the very real risks to the wizards and the country. Overall, it's a story that kept me hooked to see how it ended.
Starting with Ilme the scribe who is also an unwilling spy for her aunt, we see the power of rune magic. Using the elements in different combinations, anyone who understands runes can use them. It can enhance building things, battles, or assist the people around them. Up in the north, Gunnar found the runic essence mine and its guardian; having a mine means its essence doesn't have to be scrounged for, but taken at predictable intervals to create new runes for use. It's a find that ultimately helps Lord Raddalin create the kingdom he hoped for, while in the north, there are still tribes that exist and rule through force. Gunnar's father Valjin despises magic and only believes in his own might, which over time puts him into a difficult position as he weakens and refuses to see it. War had broken out in the past, and there's the looming threat of future wars.
The book goes through lore from the Runescape game, which I hadn't played. Without the game knowledge, I still enjoyed the world-building. It's a fantasy tale that spans decades and borrows a lot from our history: what happens when technology begins to outstrip those who control it, and how will that affect those people without it? Here, the technology is magic done through runes, making it more egalitarian than the style relying on innate ability or ritual. We know how each of the main characters feels about war, the lies told to gain access to the mine, and the losses that hurt them and make it harder to discuss anything calmly.
This book is less obvious court politics and intrigue than the source of magic, religious belief, and interpersonal tensions. We see Ilme and the other wizards, and the edges of court that she's aware of as a scribe and then as a wizard. Gunnar's people are considered barbarians, but the hurt he holds is easily understood. The friendship they had lasted for years until it didn't, and the fallout of the original lie had far-reaching consequences. Each section of the book covers a different period of time, and it all comes down to the same question posed in the beginning: Will Ilme be used by others around her, or will she be strong enough to choose a direction for herself? It's especially true in the final section when she's aware of the very real risks to the wizards and the country. Overall, it's a story that kept me hooked to see how it ended.
November 3, 2024
I enjoyed this book! It's great to have more lore condensed into a book format and I do not think we know the story of the main character, Ilm. She's an interesting enough character. Certainly not my favorite character of all time but I particularly like what I read as... **spoilers ahead** aroace!
She feels super aroace to me. I don't remember her expressing romantic/sexual interest in anyone? Iirc, she doesn't describe people in terms of how attractive they are? Other people in the RS world like Gunnar's wife express no qualms about Gunnar and Ilm going off and doing their own thing. There's no jealousy bc Ilm just doesn't experience that kind of attraction. Everybody gets booed up in this except her and it's never a sore spot for her. She never expresses loneliness or sadness about being single. Just a nice dose of representation, I just wish she was a little more interesting herself.
I REALLY wish we spent more time with the guardian. His role in that aspect of the story was wrapped up waaaaay too quickly.
She feels super aroace to me. I don't remember her expressing romantic/sexual interest in anyone? Iirc, she doesn't describe people in terms of how attractive they are? Other people in the RS world like Gunnar's wife express no qualms about Gunnar and Ilm going off and doing their own thing. There's no jealousy bc Ilm just doesn't experience that kind of attraction. Everybody gets booed up in this except her and it's never a sore spot for her. She never expresses loneliness or sadness about being single. Just a nice dose of representation, I just wish she was a little more interesting herself.
I REALLY wish we spent more time with the guardian. His role in that aspect of the story was wrapped up waaaaay too quickly.
January 16, 2025
It’s a cute book with an intense plot that spans many years. But it has a lot to it.
I thoroughly enjoyed this first runescape novel, not just because I am a massive runescape fan and reading a story inside the mystical world of Gielinor. But the fact that it had an intense plot with twists you didn’t necessarily see coming.
Maybe gritty is a good way to describe it, a cute gritty story. It gets down and it doesn’t relent. It has some moments that left me in deep thought.
It took me on a ride and I am sure it will take you on a ride. Maybe it will be hard to keep up with the names and places if you know nothing about runescape but you most certainly would enjoy this book without ever having to play the game.
“Battles are not lost and won; they simply remove the weak from the equation.” Zamorak’s book of chaos
I thoroughly enjoyed this first runescape novel, not just because I am a massive runescape fan and reading a story inside the mystical world of Gielinor. But the fact that it had an intense plot with twists you didn’t necessarily see coming.
Maybe gritty is a good way to describe it, a cute gritty story. It gets down and it doesn’t relent. It has some moments that left me in deep thought.
It took me on a ride and I am sure it will take you on a ride. Maybe it will be hard to keep up with the names and places if you know nothing about runescape but you most certainly would enjoy this book without ever having to play the game.
“Battles are not lost and won; they simply remove the weak from the equation.” Zamorak’s book of chaos
December 14, 2024
As a RuneScape fan, I was very excited for a book cannon to the lore of the game. However, I couldn't be more disappointed with this read. Not only was the writing nothing special, it felt rushed; trying to ram 150 years of lore into roughly 300 pages. Making it so many aspects of it felt hollow and undiscovered. On top of that it felt like the writer tried to convey another message, a message that would miss the majority of this books supposed audience; men between the ages of 20-35... the playerbase of the game, which I don't think it truly caters to. The lore in the book is very interesting and it being cannon with the game is a cool aspect, but would be lost to most non RuneScape players.
July 24, 2024
The book really picks up after the first 100 pages. This book takes place pre RuneScape the video game so if you enjoy high fantasy this is your book. Playing the game for so many years having sort of a prequel is nice. One thing that drives me crazy is the chapters are arranged chronologically by year, month, day however the calendar is fictitious with no reference to it. If a chapter picks up in the same year different month and different day then I have no idea what amount of time has lapsed. Otherwise the book is written well, just please make a calendar for reference.
January 3, 2025
A solid read, although I felt like it was lacking a bit due to the timeline moving too fast at times (some chapters fast forwarded ~10 years, which I thought was a bit too much and it ultimately only made me confused about what had happened in between?). Plus the ending wasn't really fulfilling IMO.
The story & world-building made sense for someone like me that has played the game throughout my entire childhood, but I could see this being confusing for non-rs players particularly due to the book lacking a map, which is usually found in most fantasy books.
The story & world-building made sense for someone like me that has played the game throughout my entire childhood, but I could see this being confusing for non-rs players particularly due to the book lacking a map, which is usually found in most fantasy books.
April 1, 2025
The first two parts felt slow to me. I understand that they were very important in telling the story, but as I was reading the final part, they almost seemed unimportant. The portion of the book regarding the Freminick is hardly mentioned in the last part. I think that If part three was expanded upon, that would be really interesting. I loved Valzin as a character and the political intrigue and dynamics between the mage orders is written really well. It's really the wars with the Freminick that took me out of it.
June 27, 2024
Erin M. Evans' "RuneScape: The Gift of Guthix" delves deep into the rich lore of RuneScape, weaving a compelling narrative through pivotal moments in the game's history. The characters are portrayed with human depth, each bearing distinct perspectives that pave the way for intricate relationships and conflicts. Fans of the franchise will find this book a thoroughly enjoyable read.
The book is structured into three parts, each offering a unique atmosphere that spans the early decades of the Fifth Age, a period familiar to players of both iterations of the game. It draws on major events such as the unification of Falador under King Raddallin, the Runecrafting Crusades, and the dramatic Burning of the first Wizards' Tower. These historical milestones serve as the foundation for a storytelling experience rich in power struggles, political intrigue, and philosophical conflicts rooted in the game's three primary gods: Guthix, Saradomin, and Zamorak.
"RuneScape: The Gift of Guthix" is highly recommended for anyone eager to delve deeper into the game's rich lore or for newcomers seeking a well-crafted fantasy novel in its own right.
The book is structured into three parts, each offering a unique atmosphere that spans the early decades of the Fifth Age, a period familiar to players of both iterations of the game. It draws on major events such as the unification of Falador under King Raddallin, the Runecrafting Crusades, and the dramatic Burning of the first Wizards' Tower. These historical milestones serve as the foundation for a storytelling experience rich in power struggles, political intrigue, and philosophical conflicts rooted in the game's three primary gods: Guthix, Saradomin, and Zamorak.
"RuneScape: The Gift of Guthix" is highly recommended for anyone eager to delve deeper into the game's rich lore or for newcomers seeking a well-crafted fantasy novel in its own right.
July 25, 2024
DNF. As a fan of RuneScape for over 20 years, I was eagerly anticipating this book, especially given its high rating. However, I found it didn’t meet my expectations. The story is narrated by a 16-year-old girl dealing with typical teenage issues like "the other girls are mean to me," which I found hard to relate to. I'm surprised by its high rating, but it seems it just wasn't for me.
July 20, 2025
Don't skip this if you're a RuneScape player!
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, especially since I'm a long-time RuneScape player. The lore integration and references were written with incredible accuracy.
But you don't even have to be a RuneScape player to enjoy it. The plot is written in such a way that supplies all necessary information as you unravel each page and chapter. I'd easily recommend this book for fantasy readers, RuneScape fan or otherwise.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, especially since I'm a long-time RuneScape player. The lore integration and references were written with incredible accuracy.
But you don't even have to be a RuneScape player to enjoy it. The plot is written in such a way that supplies all necessary information as you unravel each page and chapter. I'd easily recommend this book for fantasy readers, RuneScape fan or otherwise.
July 22, 2024
An excellent story with an excellent main character that provides rich background to existing Runescape lore. My only real complaint is there there seemed to be a few typos that really impacted the pacing of the book, causing me to reread a sentence multiple times to try and get the meaning.
March 8, 2025
I like the dialogue, most of the characters, the pace, most of the plot, and the descriptions in this novel. I don’t like that nine of the sentences in this novel aren’t grammatically correct. I rate this novel four out of five stars.
May 29, 2025
An enjoyable story, very much a Shakespearian tragedy of two friends forced apart. While I liked the book, it was rather predictable. A strong cast of characters and adorable sidekick made up for most of its shortcomings.
August 7, 2024
Eerste keer dat een game gerelateerd boek ook echt goed is
December 21, 2024
Pretty good
January 19, 2025
Great book but the ending felt a bit anti climactic.
February 6, 2025
I enjoyed it. Real nerd stuff, but good stuff.
August 17, 2025
Lore heavy, or at least it contains a bunch of lore that I was unaware of. I enjoyed the story and thought the characters were great.
August 24, 2025
I enjoyed the world and setting, however i found the hooks of the story a bit slow to set in.
December 2, 2024
I'm conflicted about this book. On the one hand, as a lifetime RuneScape player, it's very fun to see many aspects of the game come to life on the page. This is occasionally indulgent, but is mostly a natural part of the book. I enjoyed seeing the summons, the runecrafting, the magic.
However, I don't see much in the book beyond that. The book is written competently enough, and compared to the characters and theming in the game it's on a higher level, but the bar was low. I don't feel it stands on its own: the setting is fairly generic, the characters aren't horrible or one dimensional but also not exactly memorable for the most part, the drama is functional. The middle is taken up by an arc that drags on and fails to really say much, I almost gave up in there, the rest has decent pacing.
The third part also partly replicates established lore from RS3, the best I can say about is that it's over quick enough to not bore me. The additions don't add much.
It's not a terrible read by any stretch, and there is a bit for enjoyers of fantasy, especially those who like the game. The setting also feels super generic to me, but I might be biased on account of having played for over 15 years. I can't hate the book, but I definitely can't love it either. 2.5/5, rounded up because the frog on the cover is pretty cool.
Also I didn't have anywhere else to put it, but it uses in-world month names to note the passage of time, and it made it unnecessarily hard for me to keep track of time.
However, I don't see much in the book beyond that. The book is written competently enough, and compared to the characters and theming in the game it's on a higher level, but the bar was low. I don't feel it stands on its own: the setting is fairly generic, the characters aren't horrible or one dimensional but also not exactly memorable for the most part, the drama is functional. The middle is taken up by an arc that drags on and fails to really say much, I almost gave up in there, the rest has decent pacing.
The third part also partly replicates established lore from RS3, the best I can say about is that it's over quick enough to not bore me. The additions don't add much.
It's not a terrible read by any stretch, and there is a bit for enjoyers of fantasy, especially those who like the game. The setting also feels super generic to me, but I might be biased on account of having played for over 15 years. I can't hate the book, but I definitely can't love it either. 2.5/5, rounded up because the frog on the cover is pretty cool.
Also I didn't have anywhere else to put it, but it uses in-world month names to note the passage of time, and it made it unnecessarily hard for me to keep track of time.
January 10, 2025
Combining the lore of OSRS and RS3. It's a great book, and every Runescape player would enjoy a read.
October 23, 2025
Can we talk about the Elephant in the Room?
or should I say...
Can we talk about the Horses in Gielinor?
or should I say...
Can we talk about the Horses in Gielinor?
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews