White Light Red Fire

by Robert Reid

On the island of Andore, Oien, an old alchemist, knows how to harness the hidden power of a red stone called othium to create weapons of terrible destruction. In the Second Age the stone had fuelled brutal conquest, energised the industrialisation of the world and powered great craft to ravage the planets. Now in the Third Age Oien returns to fulfil his ambition – world domination. He forges an alliance with the tyrant King Dewar to conquer the peaceful land of Bala in order to mine its othium, the first stage in his deadly plan. Only the brave dare resist the might of the Dewar’s forces, and only a power for good, gifted to one man, can hold back the red fire.White Light, Red Fire is a tale of a strong aggressor looking to conquer a smaller nation.

Genres: Contemporary, Book Club, Drama, Novels

484 pages, Paperback

Published March 29, 2019

About the author

Robert (Bob) Reid grew up in Scotland’s beautiful border country. Hawick was home until it was time to go to university in Edinburgh. A degree and a PhD in Chemistry followed. It was in Edinburgh that Bob met and married Phyllis. Work opportunities took them south, and their son Simon was born in Cheshire and their daughter Charis some years later in Swindon. Highworth, near Swindon, became home in 1982. It still is home and has become a special place to Bob and Phyllis.
Bob’s career of forty years was initially in technical management, then general management and business consulting. Work generally took priority over creativity. Semi-retirement in early 2018 created the time, family and friends the encouragement, for Bob to develop his writing. His first novel “White Light Red Fire” was published in April 2019 and is a historical fantasy loosely based on the Scottish wars of independence of the early 14th Century. ‘The Emperor’ was the first of a trilogy based in the same lands as “White Light Red Fire” but placed two hundred years later, in the early 16th century. The Son continued Audun’s story and the story of the red fire.
The third book, ‘The Thief’, was published 27th February 2022 and brought to a close the story of Raimund, Audun and the red fire.

The Empress tells Sylva and her son's story after their banishment by Audun. Sylva and the Princes will become engaged in a struggle for the rights of thrones.

Follow Bob on Facebook-https://www.facebook.com/robertreidau...

Reviews

[Adrian · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the most engaging novels that I have read in a very long time. The author has created a world that draws you in from the very early stages and keeps you hooked, and caring about the outcome, until the thrilling climax. The battle scenes are realistic, very well constructed, and don’t fall into the same trap as many with a magical twist that use the magic as a short cut. The multitude of characters and dominions, each with their own ambitions, lends the book an often overlooked degree of plausibility, and is helpfully supported by maps and a character summary. You are left with a great feeling of a journey travelled, as well as an eagerness to delve further. I was given this book as a gift, but will certainly buy the sequel.

[Lisa May · Rating 5 out of 5]

“The skies were filled with unreal fire; blue, burnt with amber, red, orange and yellow. This fire was no natural thing. It clawed across the sky, and below it all life shivered and retreated. The land lay scorched, the mountains and glens trembling.”

And so, with vivid description and fervent prose, begins Robert Reid’s debut novel White Light Red Fire. The story, set within the third age on the island of Andore, begins with the ambition of Oien, an ancient alchemist, who forges an alliance with the tyrant King Dewar to overpower the northern land of Bala to harvest its othium. The power to resist is gifted to one man, Alastair Munro, a farmer from humble beginnings. The only man who can supress the red fire.

White Light Red Fire, fifteen years in the making, is inspired by the Scottish Wars of Independence in the 1300s and heralding from the border town of Hawick, Reid’s vibrant love of history shines within his fictional world of Andore.

The main character, Alastair Munro, could be well be described as a warrior poet with dialogue that’s both heartfelt and succinct and you can’t help but appreciate the meditative intent of Reid within its delivery. Battle scenes are well researched and authentic with a detailed approach to historical research undertaken by Reid to the point where scenes play out easily in your head. Within this story you yearn for what is to come.

Featuring a cast of intriguing and interesting characters to support Munro in his defence of Bala. The inclusion of the character of land is featured in the story hinted by the richness of the map at the beginning of the book. Each individual community within Andore is marked by distinct character and you feel like you’re met another person as they are introduced. Within the imagination of the reader, the story is bright, visual and vivacious and I’m curious as to how this would manifest on screen or if the whole geography of the map will be featured in further stories.

If you’re looking for another world to occupy the gap left by the Seven Kingdoms of Game of Thrones I can’t recommend a better place to visit than the island of Andore. White Light Red Fire is a heady, consuming and inspiring blend of history, fantasy and folklore and is homage to the dedication and inspired storytelling of Robert Reid. Pick up a copy and prepare to commence battle.

[Chase Blackwood · Rating 4 out of 5]

White Light Red Fire is clearly a work of passion by author Robert Reid. It is rare that a book is beautifully written, as there are multiple elements that constitute a beautiful book. Reid has a few of these elements in White Light Red Fire. Namely, elegant prose and descriptors that set a scene and paint a vivid picture. Dialogue that flows and propels the narrative, and a captivating story.

Reid has studied medieval battle strategy and it comes through in his writing (for example the battle at Amina).

If I were to ascribe a weakness in Reid’s writing, it would be a lack of captivation for some of the scenes. Where Reid does an excellent job in depicting and setting a scene, the follow-through of maintaining that attention through character and personal interest seem to, at times, whither.

As for the book, it was a fun read, complex, filled with characters and places, a truly detailed world. It reads a bit like a fantastical historical text, lost and recently found and published.

Note: I was approached by the author's publisher and given a free copy for an honest review.

[Edward Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

A captivating read of a splendid fantasy story about a small nation’s battle to defend itself against an oppressive enemy. It is very well written - I was hooked in the first chapter and kept engaged for the rest of the book. Excellent to have the detailed maps and list of characters which proved to be very helpful.
Robert Reid’s first book and I’ll certainly be looking out for the next one.
If you are a Game of Thrones fan you'll like this book.

[Cris Nix · Rating 4 out of 5]

An Eternal Battle Between Good and Evil

This book was quite an experience. First of all, it is a read with a whole bunch of elements, mainly on the battlefield. There is a mixture of historical fiction and fantasy in the storyline. The battle is between the good (those who possess purity and the white light) and the forces of evil (those who are surrounded by wickedness and reliance on the red fire). The red fire is a fictional crimson rock called “othium” that grants its possessors magic and power of the diabolical kind. The main bad guy in here is Oien who wants to use othium for his selfish, universe-domineering desires.
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I enjoyed this book for its mixture of science, history, and fantasy themes. I fancied its near similarity to the 80s animated classic: Fire and Ice and famous works like Game of Thrones and The Fellowship of the Ring. One of the factors about this story that fascinated me as I was reading it was how it says that humans and dinosaurs co-existed and that the meteor showers wiped out all traces of the giant lizards and that some humans made it through. My annoyance with it was its great number of characters and how each of them got in the way of my concentration on its brilliant, interesting plot. Still a gem, though!

[Jeana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay so I did not expect to be emotionally invested in a fictional red rock but here we are. White Light Red Fire is basically what happens when an old alchemist with a god complex remembers where the bodies are buried and by bodies I mean othium under Bala and decides that world domination sounds like a fun retirement project. Oien strolls in with his red fire party trick, hooks up with tyrant King Dewar, and suddenly the peaceful clans of Bala are about to be steamrolled for mineral rights.
The set up is slow in that classic epic fantasy way, with ages of history, meteorite storms from God, and the rise and fall of tech obsessed civilisation, but it actually works. Once we get to Alastair Munro and Angus trudging around Banora with their bows and being reluctantly drafted into defending the Pass of Ing, the book clicks. The mountain battle stuff is tense, muddy, and satisfyingly tactical. You can feel how tiny this little nation is compared to the machine bearing down on it.
Gender wise it is very much men talking strategy, men swinging swords, men arguing about honour, while women are mostly in the background. The real romance here is between power and exploitation, not people, which honestly I respect more than shoving in a random love story and calling it a day. It is a straight faced, earnest, old school war for freedom story and I liked it far more than my snarky little heart expected. Solid four stars, possibly four and a bit if you catch me after a wine.

[Chapterr · Rating 4 out of 5]

White Light Red Fire starts out like a legend being told around a fire, then quietly turns into a full scale war story about stubborn farmers, arrogant kings, and a very old mistake coming back to life. I did not expect to care this much about Banora, which is basically wind and sheep and hard soil, but I did. Alastair Munro and Angus Ferguson feel like people you might actually know, the sort of friends who will tease you and also stand between you and a charging cavalry line without thinking too hard about it.
What I loved most was the sense of history pressing in on every scene. The Third Age carries the scars of the Second, when othium and the Council of Five nearly broke the world. You can feel that weight in the way the people of Bala cling to their land and in the way King Dewar and the alchemist Oien treat it as just another resource to strip. The white power that wakes up inside Alastair in the Pass of Ing is not just a flashy trick. It is tied to faith and choice and fear, and the lessons with Ala Moire in Tala are some of my favorite parts, slow in a good way, like watching someone learn to handle fire without burning their own hands.
The plot keeps widening. We move from farm kitchens to mountain passes, to the Hidden Lands and finally to the siege at Erbea, and somehow the book never loses track of the small moments. A look between friends before a battle. The bone deep exhaustion of a winter campaign. A glimpse of the Coelete gliding through snow like it is nothing at all. There were times I wanted a bit more from the inside of people’s heads, especially the women, since most of the story belongs to men shouting over maps, but the sheer scope mostly made up for that.
I also kind of loved how messy the politics are. Not everyone in Bala is noble and not all the southern commanders twirl imaginary moustaches. Deals are made, Elders argue, people freeze or hesitate at exactly the wrong moment. There is real cost here. When Ala Moire falls, it hurts in a way I was not ready for, and Alastair’s grief spills into the final clashes of white light and red fire in a very satisfying way.
It is not a quick read and the cast list at the back is there for a reason, but I never felt cheated of my time. The world feels solid, the battles are tense without wallowing in gore, and the theme of a small country standing up to a brutal empire hits harder than I expected. This is a strong four star read for me, the sort of book that leaves you sitting in the quiet for a minute before you remember you are not actually standing on a frozen plain with a storm coming.

[VanessaA · Rating 4 out of 5]

An absorbing, old-school historical fantasy about power, faith, and a small nation that refuses to be crushed
White Light Red Fire drops us onto the island of Andore, where Oien, an ancient alchemist, courts a brutal king with the promise of world domination powered by a volatile red stone, othium. Their ambitions run straight into Bala and its northern province of Banora, where two farmers, Alastair Munro and Angus Ferguson, are dragged into a war they never wanted, alongside the mythic Coelete and the enigmatic Ala Moire.
Reid is very good at scope. The book feels big: long marches through snow, careful military planning, mines and forges grinding away in the Inger Mountains, a sense that history stretches back through multiple Ages. Battles are plentiful but strikingly clean of gore; the emphasis is on tactics, geography, and the terrible efficiency of othium rather than hacked limbs. It reads like someone who loves maps and logistics but also wants the violence to register more as moral weight than spectacle.
Alastair is the heart of the novel, a farmer unexpectedly gifted a white power that heals as well as destroys, and those chapters are the most compelling. Watching him melt snow, accidentally shatter a boy’s leg, then heal it in the same breath, or quietly transform copper betrothal rings into white gold, gives the magic real emotional stakes and a clear spiritual dimension. The contrast between Oien’s extracted, industrial red fire and Alastair’s inward, God-given white light is simple, effective, and morally resonant.
The prose is earnest and often vivid—those skies of unreal fire, the heather, the mountains trembling—but Reid has a strong “telling” instinct. We are frequently briefed on plans and meanings before we see them unfold, and characters’ inner lives are thinner than I wanted, especially in the first half. The cast is also overwhelmingly male; women appear mainly as daughters, lovers, or symbols, which feels like a missed opportunity in a story so concerned with power and community.
Still, the book is generous with worldbuilding, sincere in its faith, and genuinely rousing in its depiction of a small nation pushing back against imperial hunger and resource extraction. Layered. Old-fashioned. Intoxicating in stretches. I’d happily spend more time in Bala, especially if future stories let the world’s women step fully onto the battlefield and into the light.

[Grady · Rating 5 out of 5]

A superb fantasy, particularly pertinent at this time….

UK author Robert Reid earned his PhD in Chemistry and retired from a career in management and business consulting to enter his second, very successful career as an author. His initial novel WHITE LIGHT RED FIRE, published in 2019, opened the gates for his ongoing historical fantasy series.

Rich in creative prose and concepts that embrace supernatural powers, the power of Reid’s prose is evident in the opening lines of the Prologue: ‘The skies were filled with an unreal fire; blue, burnt with amber, red, orange and yellow. This fire was no natural thing. It clawed across the sky, and below it all life shivered and retreated. The land lay scorched, the mountains and glens trembling.’ With that poetic setting he offers maps of the countries depicted in this story – an invitation to enter a historical fantasy, distilled by the author as follows: ‘On the island of Andore, Oien, an old alchemist, knows how to harness the hidden power of a red stone called othium to create weapons of terrible destruction. In the Second Age the stone had fuelled brutal conquest, energised the industrialisation of the world and powered great craft to ravage the planets. Now in the Third Age Oien returns to fulfil his ambition – world domination. He forges an alliance with the tyrant King Dewar to conquer the peaceful land of Bala in order to mine its othium, the first stage in his deadly plan. Only the brave dare resist the might of the Dewar’s forces, and only a power for good, gifted to one man, can hold back the red fire. White Light, Red Fire is a tale of a strong aggressor looking to conquer a smaller nation.’

Parallels to contemporary times evolve as the action unfolds, a factor that makes this novel even mor enticing. Terrific writing and a fine exploration of commitment and duty. Highly recommended.

[J. Else · Rating 3 out of 5]

On the island of Andore in the Third Age, a mysterious alchemist offers a powerful king the means to conquer the known world. All he needs is a special red stone with magical properties. The king’s armies ride north, taking control of the lands where the red stones are found. But the people of the north won’t relinquish their lands quietly. Two farmers find themselves at the forefront of the confrontation, one with an inner magic that manifests during his first battle. With the help of a mythical race and a magician from the Second Age, the men will strike back against a tyrannical king and an evil alchemist bent on total domination.

Reid has crafted a lush, detailed world. During battles, the book is refreshingly clean of gore, pillaging, and wanton cruelty. Unfortunately, everything is told to readers. Events are plotted out and thoroughly explained prior to any action. Absent from the narrative are internal emotions and personal thoughts. For example, in the first half of the book, the character learning magic doesn’t often know why or how his powers manifest, he just does things. That’s not as interesting as a character who is physically and emotionally challenged learning a new skill.

Another issue I had was the cast being almost all male. Women are either a mention or a side character and only as a past or present love interest. This choice will limit the book’s audience. Epic adventures such as this require a more diverse cast and multidimensional characters; however, there’s a grand scope, lots of action, and a rich history (although not an earth history) for readers to get swept up in.

Review originally posted via the Historical Novel Society at: https://historicalnovelsociety.org/re...

[Julie Barrett · Rating 4 out of 5]

White Light Red Fire – Robert Reid (4 stars)
I felt this book in my chest. Not because it is gentle, because it is not, but because it is so clear about what conquest does to ordinary people who just want to farm, raise families, and watch the sun go down in peace.
White Light Red Fire drops us onto the island of Andore where Oien, an old alchemist with a terrifying relationship to a red stone called othium, forges an alliance with King Dewar to invade Bala and strip it for power. The plot moves from rumors to invasion to hard choices, and I liked that the resistance is not romanticized. Villages burn. People flee. The cost is real.
What held me, though, was the emotional spine: Alastair Munro and Angus Ferguson, two Banoran farmers who feel like brothers, trying to stay human while war demands they become something else. I appreciated the way their bond stays central even as the story expands into councils, campaigns, and ancient forces. The mentorship and spiritual weight around Ala Moire hit me especially hard, and the grief that follows does not get smoothed over.
As someone who is always paying attention to power, I enjoyed how the book contrasts Bala’s clan based democracy with Dewar’s rule by fear, and how othium becomes a metaphor for extraction and ambition that never knows when to stop. And the ending, with love and celebration interrupted by old evil, felt earned.
This is a big story with a lot of moving parts, but its heart is simple: freedom is not abstract when it is your home.

[Pegboard · Rating 5 out of 5]

White Light Red Fire opens in the 13th century of the Third Age, following the destruction of much of the earth by God as a consequence of Oien’s greed and wickedness. Oien, an aged alchemist, initially sought world domination before aspiring to reach the stars, ambitions that ultimately led to the downfall of the Second Age. To achieve his goals, Oien allied with the tyrant King Dewar, whose soldiers enabled access to the othium stone, a source of hidden power. Through careful experimentation, Oien learned to harness and exploit the energy contained within this red stone. Meanwhile, concealed in the mountains during the meteor rains that ended the Second Age, was Ala Moire. His magic originated from a higher power dedicated to peace. Ala Moire prepared the people and trained the individual destined to oppose both the tyrant and Oien.

Robert Reid demonstrates exceptional skill in crafting White Light Red Fire. The novel’s polished prose belies the fifteen years it took to complete. Dialogue flows seamlessly as characters engage in successive battles against an obsessive dictator and a malevolent alchemist. The narrative evokes the atmosphere of 13th-century European conflicts. Characters are vividly portrayed, the battle strategies are intricate, and elements of romance provide moments of hope amid the prevailing darkness. I highly recommend this captivating novel.

[Bryony · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love the concept of the book, it's a simple storyline but woven throughout is a complicated journey to reach the conclusion. This isn't so much about magic, even though the main characters have magic, it's more men defending their land from an invading king.

I would have liked to see more magic and more explanation, but that is the fantasy reader in me coming out. Part of the synopsis mentioned how the white light is the only thing that can hold back the red light, but I'm only a few cases did this happen, I would have liked to see this more as the description offers this to be the main part of the story. In reality it was down to good positioning, well trained sliders and solid tactics that won the battles.

The battles were epic, and there was a lot of explanation to them. I did find that the author over explained some of it, the story would tell you what was about to happen and then tell you again when it did happen. I would have liked to ride the journey along with the characters and not already be thinking I knows what's going to happen here.

It's very well written which is always nice to see when it comes to indie books that don't have as much, if any, supper from a traditional publisher.

[Soochi Sandhiya · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book "White Light Red Fire' by Robert Reid is a well-written fantasy novel set in the ancient land of Andore. The story is set in a different era and revolves around Oien, an old alchemist who creates powerful weapons using a rare red stone called Othium. Fascinating start!
He later joins forces with a ruthless King Dewar, a ruthless ruler, to conquer land called Bala and fetch its valuable resources, with their ultimate goal being world domination. Our hero is "Alastair Munro", a simple farmer with magnificent capabilities who has the power to fight with them. As the battle between good and bad proceeds, the story would take interesting twists and turns to engross the readers with each subplot.
The author's writing style vividly creates a new world of Andore and grabs more attention with impeccable storytelling. The book depicts a rich history, intricate details, and the author's avid experience writing.
The book is engaging due to its plot and well-developed characters in every subplot. The roles of the hero and anti-hero are very well defined, and you would easily align with them. The central plot is unique, depicting a fantasy built with imagination. Overall, it's a good read if you want a gripping and challenging-to-put-down book.

[Soniaa · Rating 5 out of 5]

White Light Red Fire is a well-written, highly detailed, and passionate work by Robert Reid, blending elegant prose with elaborate descriptions and fluid dialogue. The book sets scenes, particularly in battles like Amina, reflecting Reid’s knowledge of medieval strategy. Overall, the novel remains engaging and is rich with intricate settings and world-building. It is filled with vivid detail and well-wrought characters, mixing fantasy with history. With a sequel trilogy on the way, this book is a compelling introduction to an expansive, war-torn world. A solid read and recommended.

[Swati Tanu · Rating 4 out of 5]

“So I can help you, but what do you offer in return?” he said. “The chance to rule all of mankind.”

Some books pull you in with a slow burn, while others grab you by the collar from page one, White Light Red Fire by Robert Reid is definitely the latter. Right from the start, the tension builds like a storm on the horizon, making it impossible to put down.

White Light Red Fire shows deep personal struggles while navigating a world filled with danger and tough choices. As the story unfolds, we see them evolve, challenged by events that push them to their limits.

The title White Light Red Fire isn’t just eye-catching, it reflects the heart of the novel. Light and fire represent the constant pull between hope and destruction, shaping the journey in unexpected ways. Reid’s writing is vivid and immersive, making every scene feel alive, whether it’s the chaos of a city or the eerie quiet of an abandoned place.

The book keeps a perfect balance of fast-paced action and slower, more thoughtful moments. Just when you think you can catch your breath, another twist hits, keeping the suspense alive without ever feeling forced. The world Reid creates isn’t just a backdrop, it’s an active part of the story, adding to the overall intensity.

You might like to wander through a few artistic journals — they’re full of sparks and surprises.