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Torchlight
Isa is the most powerful alchemist in the monastery town of Aranjura. Despite her vital work maintaining the wards on the town’s walls, she could lose her position in an instant. Cursed with parasitic nature spirits, she will be cast out if they are discovered—just like her lover.
Hura is home to the same, snake-like spirits, but he chose his exile. The spirits are a gift. They keep him safe from the demons ravaging the isle. One day, they will keep Isa safe too. When the wards on Aranjura’s walls fail, Isa will be thankful for Hura’s “snakes.” He counts the days until she has nowhere to go but with him.
When a molting dragon appears, she learns its scales hold enough power to enchant Aranjura’s walls forever. Isa leads an expedition to retrieve what the dragon discarded.
Hura can’t let her find the scales—she wouldn’t need him anymore. His magic. His protection. He’d be a dog, chained outside, forever. Hura and Isa race to gain control of the dragon’s magic, and with it, control of each other.
Torchlight is a standalone novel.
Hura is home to the same, snake-like spirits, but he chose his exile. The spirits are a gift. They keep him safe from the demons ravaging the isle. One day, they will keep Isa safe too. When the wards on Aranjura’s walls fail, Isa will be thankful for Hura’s “snakes.” He counts the days until she has nowhere to go but with him.
When a molting dragon appears, she learns its scales hold enough power to enchant Aranjura’s walls forever. Isa leads an expedition to retrieve what the dragon discarded.
Hura can’t let her find the scales—she wouldn’t need him anymore. His magic. His protection. He’d be a dog, chained outside, forever. Hura and Isa race to gain control of the dragon’s magic, and with it, control of each other.
Torchlight is a standalone novel.
312 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 5, 2023
7 people are currently reading
9 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
December 10, 2023
"Torchlight" by Ryan Lance seems to epitomize the pitfalls of uninspired fantasy writing, offering a narrative that struggles to rise above tired clichés and formulaic storytelling. The fact that the book has garnered zero ratings and reviews might indicate a lack of reader interest or, perhaps more tellingly, a deliberate effort to shield the work from genuine critique.
The synopsis introduces High Alchemist Isa, a character seemingly plucked from the generic fantasy archetype handbook. Her task of fending off demons and meeting the whims of a distant king unfolds in a landscape riddled with overused fantasy jargon like "spheres of light" and "magic-eating nature spirits." Rather than immersing the reader in a unique and well-developed world, the synopsis regurgitates familiar elements that have been done to death in the genre.
The central conflict involving Isa's cursed relationship with the magic-eating spirits is a narrative device that has been exhausted in countless fantasy tales, contributing to the overall lack of originality. The dynamic between Isa and her lover, Hura, reeks of predictability, falling into the trope of a protective companion and doing little to carve out a distinctive identity for the characters.
The attempt to inject tension with Hura's betrayal and the appearance of a molting dragon feels forced and lacks the creativity needed to captivate readers. The notion of seeking magic through dragon scales is a hackneyed concept that fails to evoke any sense of intrigue or excitement.
The reader testimonial at the end, citing "great pacing and great prose," is devoid of specificity and reads more like a generic endorsement than a thoughtful critique. The absence of any critical reviews raises suspicions about the authenticity of the feedback, suggesting a potential effort to manipulate perceptions of the book.
In a genre that thrives on originality and inventive storytelling, "Torchlight" seems to fall woefully short, recycling tired fantasy tropes without offering any compelling reason for readers to invest their time. Without a more substantial and innovative approach to world-building and character development, the book risks being overshadowed by more imaginative entries in the fantasy genre.
The synopsis introduces High Alchemist Isa, a character seemingly plucked from the generic fantasy archetype handbook. Her task of fending off demons and meeting the whims of a distant king unfolds in a landscape riddled with overused fantasy jargon like "spheres of light" and "magic-eating nature spirits." Rather than immersing the reader in a unique and well-developed world, the synopsis regurgitates familiar elements that have been done to death in the genre.
The central conflict involving Isa's cursed relationship with the magic-eating spirits is a narrative device that has been exhausted in countless fantasy tales, contributing to the overall lack of originality. The dynamic between Isa and her lover, Hura, reeks of predictability, falling into the trope of a protective companion and doing little to carve out a distinctive identity for the characters.
The attempt to inject tension with Hura's betrayal and the appearance of a molting dragon feels forced and lacks the creativity needed to captivate readers. The notion of seeking magic through dragon scales is a hackneyed concept that fails to evoke any sense of intrigue or excitement.
The reader testimonial at the end, citing "great pacing and great prose," is devoid of specificity and reads more like a generic endorsement than a thoughtful critique. The absence of any critical reviews raises suspicions about the authenticity of the feedback, suggesting a potential effort to manipulate perceptions of the book.
In a genre that thrives on originality and inventive storytelling, "Torchlight" seems to fall woefully short, recycling tired fantasy tropes without offering any compelling reason for readers to invest their time. Without a more substantial and innovative approach to world-building and character development, the book risks being overshadowed by more imaginative entries in the fantasy genre.
October 21, 2024
A rare book where the hero is an underdog that you want to root for, but when he stumbles and falls yet again, my reaction is mostly "yeah, that makes sense...And he sorta had it coming". Lance does a good job of illustrating a character who never lets a teachable moment get in the way of his myopia, and the result is some very breezy reading.
Hura doesn't carry this burden alone, and Torchlight is at its best when we are watching he and the other perspective characters connive at cross-purposes, or internally wrestle with their worst impulses. Several characters seem quite smart, but no one is as clever as they think. Plans unravel in an instant and there's something darkly enjoyable watching this crew fall back to acting on instinct.
The world building is more of a mixed bag. The author falls victim to a "tell, don't show". As one vague example: long-forbidden and long-forgotten magic has its dangers clearly articulated. Still, some parties in the book are dabbling with these forces again...As a reader, I know why this is a bad idea, but I'd love to see what makes these powers alluring enough to ignore the clear dangers. This one of a few instances where some aspect of this world is very clearly explained by characters, but still felt like remote realities for me as a reader.
Hura doesn't carry this burden alone, and Torchlight is at its best when we are watching he and the other perspective characters connive at cross-purposes, or internally wrestle with their worst impulses. Several characters seem quite smart, but no one is as clever as they think. Plans unravel in an instant and there's something darkly enjoyable watching this crew fall back to acting on instinct.
The world building is more of a mixed bag. The author falls victim to a "tell, don't show". As one vague example: long-forbidden and long-forgotten magic has its dangers clearly articulated. Still, some parties in the book are dabbling with these forces again...As a reader, I know why this is a bad idea, but I'd love to see what makes these powers alluring enough to ignore the clear dangers. This one of a few instances where some aspect of this world is very clearly explained by characters, but still felt like remote realities for me as a reader.
April 24, 2024
This book definitely takes a different approach take on fantasy and magic! The world building is done well and I felt like I could "see it" easily! It also was the first book by a male author I've read in a long time (not that I have anything against them. But the books I had been reading just happened to be by females) and I enjoyed the differences! Magic. Disgruntled hero. Violence. Spice. Gore. Good story line!!!
October 3, 2024
Great sword and sorcery
This book is a roller coaster of good old fashion sword and sorcery adventure. Deeply flawed characters duke it out over how best to save their isle. The entire last half of the book flows so well and is a real page turner. Everyone gets what they want in the end, even if its a cruel joke of a wish granted. I'm very excited to read more by the author and can't wait to see more of the world and story.
This book is a roller coaster of good old fashion sword and sorcery adventure. Deeply flawed characters duke it out over how best to save their isle. The entire last half of the book flows so well and is a real page turner. Everyone gets what they want in the end, even if its a cruel joke of a wish granted. I'm very excited to read more by the author and can't wait to see more of the world and story.
January 6, 2024
Really enjoyed this fantasy adventure. Action, magic, love, a dragon, and more. A somewhat simple quest turns into a much more complicated one. This adventure went on a path I didn't quite expect. A happy ending that makes me want to laugh in a somewhat evil way.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews