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The Lightning Rod Saga #1
Shadow and Lightning
Two things Ranir Trysfal magic wasn't real beyond the bard tales, and nobody from his village ventured beyond the mountains. When he's attacked on a hunting tri[p by a shapeshifting creature of nightmares, his world is twisted inside out. Just as one fable is about to end his life, another steps in to save it. A fire mage. In a twisted turn of events, the mage dies, and another turns up—seeking answers.
Intrigued by the magic and old tales, Ranir vows to help find the murderous creature that he alone can identify. And when tragedy strikes again, he becomes endowed with the ancient power of lightning. There are only two problems; there is no other lightning mage to train him, and every other mage seeks to obtain his power. Ranir will begin his treacherous journey through the dangerous mountains, and beyond. Guided across the kingdom by the mage, he'll come to learn some stories are true, especially when it comes to The Necromancer, a shadow mage responsible for a decade of death across the kingdom—and who has now returned with his sights set on Ranir’s power. Will he become the hero the kingdom needs, or succumb to the darkness within, like the previous lightning elemental? “A thrilling ride!” -Penelope Dawn "A must read for fantasy lovers” - Stacy N. Hawks
"A truly spellbinding story." - Shaun Pinkham
Intrigued by the magic and old tales, Ranir vows to help find the murderous creature that he alone can identify. And when tragedy strikes again, he becomes endowed with the ancient power of lightning. There are only two problems; there is no other lightning mage to train him, and every other mage seeks to obtain his power. Ranir will begin his treacherous journey through the dangerous mountains, and beyond. Guided across the kingdom by the mage, he'll come to learn some stories are true, especially when it comes to The Necromancer, a shadow mage responsible for a decade of death across the kingdom—and who has now returned with his sights set on Ranir’s power. Will he become the hero the kingdom needs, or succumb to the darkness within, like the previous lightning elemental? “A thrilling ride!” -Penelope Dawn "A must read for fantasy lovers” - Stacy N. Hawks
"A truly spellbinding story." - Shaun Pinkham
- GenresFantasy
385 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 1, 2021
45 people are currently reading
93 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews
July 27, 2022
(Actual rating: 4.5 stars)
The Lightning Rod is a fantasy epic for the ages!
Featuring Ranir, a village youth who stumbles headfirst into the dangerous world of magic, this story instantly drew me in. Filled with battles, political intrigue, betrayal, and bravery, this is truly a masterpiece.
Ranir was a very likable main character. His curiosity and innocence coupled with his desire to help anyone and everyone endeared me to him quickly. The author told the story through his eyes, allowing us to learn about the complicated magic system as he did. Avoiding the info dump trap that many fantasy books fall into, I enjoyed how the author informed of us different levels and rules of mages and the like as Ranir discovered they instead of overwhelming us with all the details right off the bat.
Although at times I found the dialogue to be a bit awkward, I enjoyed all of the main characters. They all shared different relationships with Ranir and they each played an important role, even if it wasn’t the one I assumed they would.
The plot itself was fantastic. The author did an amazing job keeping the pacing and adding in the perfect amount of twists and turns. I never saw the ending coming either and now I’m eager to start book two.
My only small criticism would be the formatting of the ebook. There was a lot of awkward spacing. Some pages would only contain one paragraph while others would be properly formatted with a full page of text. But honestly I’m just nitpicking things.
Overall I loved every second of this book. It’s just the sort of novel I like to read and I’ll definitely be starting The Thunder King very soon!
The Lightning Rod is a fantasy epic for the ages!
Featuring Ranir, a village youth who stumbles headfirst into the dangerous world of magic, this story instantly drew me in. Filled with battles, political intrigue, betrayal, and bravery, this is truly a masterpiece.
Ranir was a very likable main character. His curiosity and innocence coupled with his desire to help anyone and everyone endeared me to him quickly. The author told the story through his eyes, allowing us to learn about the complicated magic system as he did. Avoiding the info dump trap that many fantasy books fall into, I enjoyed how the author informed of us different levels and rules of mages and the like as Ranir discovered they instead of overwhelming us with all the details right off the bat.
Although at times I found the dialogue to be a bit awkward, I enjoyed all of the main characters. They all shared different relationships with Ranir and they each played an important role, even if it wasn’t the one I assumed they would.
The plot itself was fantastic. The author did an amazing job keeping the pacing and adding in the perfect amount of twists and turns. I never saw the ending coming either and now I’m eager to start book two.
My only small criticism would be the formatting of the ebook. There was a lot of awkward spacing. Some pages would only contain one paragraph while others would be properly formatted with a full page of text. But honestly I’m just nitpicking things.
Overall I loved every second of this book. It’s just the sort of novel I like to read and I’ll definitely be starting The Thunder King very soon!
September 4, 2019
A powerful and gripping book. You will be captivated from the get go. If you love magic and fantasy this is a must read.
March 11, 2021
I received an free copy of "The Lightning Rod" - which did not influence my review in any way - in exchange for an honest review, which I will provide here. "The Lightning Rod" is the first book in a series known as "Gnariam's Fate", by the burgeoning young author, C.S. Ratliff.
Let's being with the areas for opportunity in this book. I still gave a four star-rating despite these issues. The still-lofty rating speaks to how much amazing potential this author, book, and series truly has - there is definitely a high ceiling there.
There were certainly some extensive editing challenges evident. Every book, even some of the best traditionally published books, have some measure of spelling, grammatical, even sometimes structural etc. errors. However I firmly believe that Indie/self-published books (rightly or wrongly) are judged at an even higher standard, and have much smaller margin for acceptable mistakes, lest it detract from the author's overall credibility. An extra couple of rounds of professional editing would mitigate what concerns of that kind I observed in "The Lightning Rod." In speaking to Ratliff, who I know takes his craft seriously, and is a professional, he is aware of this and is proactively taking measures to address this, which I firmly support.
Now, onto the positives, and there are many!!! After an impressive prologue that gets the reader very interested from the start, the story begins a bit more slowly, which I don't mind at all - I love a slow-burn type of read. But the story does not stay slow for long - it barrels along with plenty of excitement throughout, keeping the reader engaged.
The magic system was particularly well thought out, and plausible. Ratliff was careful to outline the cause / effect elements of the magic deployed in "The Lightning Rod". The fight scenes, which predominantly involved the wielding of said magic, were action-packed and fun to read! This is one area where I definitely found Ratliff excels: his fight scenes. If he keeps improving in this regard, he will likely become very heralded for this aspect among fantasy authors.
The world building was not as detailed as perhaps I would have preferred, but overall very well done. There are many moments where C.S. Ratliff's writing is very descriptive, and polished. The delineations between nations and factions are clear, and there was some very compelling royal intrigue that surfaced nearer the last third of the book that I found fascinating with court politics involving the Emphyre.
The main characters were easy to root for, with a few surprise twists and betrayals I highly enjoyed! The hero of the story, Ranir, is noble enough without becoming too trope, which is a must for such protagonists who may be facing the prospect of uncovering their true powers and responsibilities, after coming from humble circumstances. The auxiliary characters also were enjoyable, especially for me: the Necromancer and The Emphyre.
Overall, Ratliff is an author that shows a lot of promise, and "The Lightning Rod" is a good first entry for him into the epic fantasy genre. With future additional editing, this book would easily gain a half-star or more in my estimation, in terms of my rating. I look forward to reading the next book: "The Thunder King", "Gnariam's Fate" Book 2!
Let's being with the areas for opportunity in this book. I still gave a four star-rating despite these issues. The still-lofty rating speaks to how much amazing potential this author, book, and series truly has - there is definitely a high ceiling there.
There were certainly some extensive editing challenges evident. Every book, even some of the best traditionally published books, have some measure of spelling, grammatical, even sometimes structural etc. errors. However I firmly believe that Indie/self-published books (rightly or wrongly) are judged at an even higher standard, and have much smaller margin for acceptable mistakes, lest it detract from the author's overall credibility. An extra couple of rounds of professional editing would mitigate what concerns of that kind I observed in "The Lightning Rod." In speaking to Ratliff, who I know takes his craft seriously, and is a professional, he is aware of this and is proactively taking measures to address this, which I firmly support.
Now, onto the positives, and there are many!!! After an impressive prologue that gets the reader very interested from the start, the story begins a bit more slowly, which I don't mind at all - I love a slow-burn type of read. But the story does not stay slow for long - it barrels along with plenty of excitement throughout, keeping the reader engaged.
The magic system was particularly well thought out, and plausible. Ratliff was careful to outline the cause / effect elements of the magic deployed in "The Lightning Rod". The fight scenes, which predominantly involved the wielding of said magic, were action-packed and fun to read! This is one area where I definitely found Ratliff excels: his fight scenes. If he keeps improving in this regard, he will likely become very heralded for this aspect among fantasy authors.
The world building was not as detailed as perhaps I would have preferred, but overall very well done. There are many moments where C.S. Ratliff's writing is very descriptive, and polished. The delineations between nations and factions are clear, and there was some very compelling royal intrigue that surfaced nearer the last third of the book that I found fascinating with court politics involving the Emphyre.
The main characters were easy to root for, with a few surprise twists and betrayals I highly enjoyed! The hero of the story, Ranir, is noble enough without becoming too trope, which is a must for such protagonists who may be facing the prospect of uncovering their true powers and responsibilities, after coming from humble circumstances. The auxiliary characters also were enjoyable, especially for me: the Necromancer and The Emphyre.
Overall, Ratliff is an author that shows a lot of promise, and "The Lightning Rod" is a good first entry for him into the epic fantasy genre. With future additional editing, this book would easily gain a half-star or more in my estimation, in terms of my rating. I look forward to reading the next book: "The Thunder King", "Gnariam's Fate" Book 2!
June 24, 2021
Great beginning to an epic fantasy! This book was really good and fast paced. It was easy to like the main character. I really like how he develops from a teen farmer to being the “The Lightning Rod” and how much he has to learn to develop this power. Battle scenes were well written and epic. I highly recommend this book and look forward to reading book 2.
January 10, 2020
An epic tale magic. C.S. Ratliff leads a chase like unlike any other. Ranir takes up the fight against the fight against the enemy of the Emphyrius. But just who is this mysterious enemy. Follow Ranier in this first adventure as he tries to solve the mystery. Enjoy this adventure as I did. Wait with me as I eagerly await.... What happens next?????
December 5, 2021
Where magic is real & terrifying one young man will endow the ultimate power. The fate of Gnariam depends on whether he can harness the power of a god. Action packed & full of thrilling battles!
August 20, 2020
I received a free digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, all opinions expressed are my own.
***
The Lightning Rod is a fantasy action story set within the mythical world of Gnariam and follows our hero, Ranir as he is bestowed an ancient power and fights to defend his country and his people against a mysterious higher power.
The Lightning Rod is filled with magic and strange creatures, typical to any fantasy story, but also has a level of mystery and excitement. The magic system created and painted within the story is complex and compelling and well thought out. However there is a lot of explaining of how it works to the reader - and the main character - in ways that feel inauthentic. This is explained away later on that the magic community is kept hidden from normal humans but I felt this needed to be more established earlier on. The language system used for the magic feels too complex. Half the time I feel like I'm looking at a key smash with no discernible pronunciation, and I find myself glazing over. It was not a big problem at the start, but as the story progressed and more and more magic words were used, it started to detract from my ability to engage in the story.
My initial reaction when I started the book was confusion. The information provided within the prologue mentions the Old Gods, events that have happened before, and unfulfilled responsibilities, leaving me feeling as if there is a prequel that I have missed. By the time I finish the book I realise that it's the start of the final chapter and the whole story does a loop. This is a stylistic choice that I'm personally not a fan of, but that's just me.
As I dive into the rest of the book, I find myself embroiled in fast-paced action sequences and a hero that is as confused as I am at the speed of the action.
There are certain plot points that I wouldn't find myself jumping for joy over, but I do understand the choices. They just don't personally fit my tastes and what I would usually want in a story. Between these plot points and the constant, rather large time skips, I felt it difficult to personally connect with the story on a level that would probably be better.
As a personal note, the character that I felt I connected to, or enjoyed the most was Taryn. He played the role of both the mentor and the friend. I don't know what it was about Ranir that I personally could not connect with, but that is a matter of personal opinion as opposed to the book as a whole.
On the same tangent as Ranir, as I was reading I got the impression the character was young, but as a whole the interactions with other characters, overall behaviour, skill level, Ranir read as someone in his early to mid-twenties - someone with some experience in life, but was still relatively young. It wasn't until I was just over half way through the book that I find out that he was 16 at the start of the book. That gap in ages is quite significant and having the character be that young just felt wrong.
The various female characters that appear for brief periods of time throughout the story are walking a very fine line between well written and, well, not. I do see and feel their purpose as characters withing the story, but they seem to be no more than a romantic interest to another male character.
All in all there are some great concepts in the story, and there were moments of great execution, however overall the pacing and tone of the story was all over the place. This story has great potential but still feels as if it needs more refinement.
***
The Lightning Rod is a fantasy action story set within the mythical world of Gnariam and follows our hero, Ranir as he is bestowed an ancient power and fights to defend his country and his people against a mysterious higher power.
The Lightning Rod is filled with magic and strange creatures, typical to any fantasy story, but also has a level of mystery and excitement. The magic system created and painted within the story is complex and compelling and well thought out. However there is a lot of explaining of how it works to the reader - and the main character - in ways that feel inauthentic. This is explained away later on that the magic community is kept hidden from normal humans but I felt this needed to be more established earlier on. The language system used for the magic feels too complex. Half the time I feel like I'm looking at a key smash with no discernible pronunciation, and I find myself glazing over. It was not a big problem at the start, but as the story progressed and more and more magic words were used, it started to detract from my ability to engage in the story.
My initial reaction when I started the book was confusion. The information provided within the prologue mentions the Old Gods, events that have happened before, and unfulfilled responsibilities, leaving me feeling as if there is a prequel that I have missed. By the time I finish the book I realise that it's the start of the final chapter and the whole story does a loop. This is a stylistic choice that I'm personally not a fan of, but that's just me.
As I dive into the rest of the book, I find myself embroiled in fast-paced action sequences and a hero that is as confused as I am at the speed of the action.
There are certain plot points that I wouldn't find myself jumping for joy over, but I do understand the choices. They just don't personally fit my tastes and what I would usually want in a story. Between these plot points and the constant, rather large time skips, I felt it difficult to personally connect with the story on a level that would probably be better.
As a personal note, the character that I felt I connected to, or enjoyed the most was Taryn. He played the role of both the mentor and the friend. I don't know what it was about Ranir that I personally could not connect with, but that is a matter of personal opinion as opposed to the book as a whole.
On the same tangent as Ranir, as I was reading I got the impression the character was young, but as a whole the interactions with other characters, overall behaviour, skill level, Ranir read as someone in his early to mid-twenties - someone with some experience in life, but was still relatively young. It wasn't until I was just over half way through the book that I find out that he was 16 at the start of the book. That gap in ages is quite significant and having the character be that young just felt wrong.
The various female characters that appear for brief periods of time throughout the story are walking a very fine line between well written and, well, not. I do see and feel their purpose as characters withing the story, but they seem to be no more than a romantic interest to another male character.
All in all there are some great concepts in the story, and there were moments of great execution, however overall the pacing and tone of the story was all over the place. This story has great potential but still feels as if it needs more refinement.
December 27, 2021
Robin's Review: Ranir Trysfal is out hunting vräel by the Veörn Mountains when he comes upon Detmés Ontaga, pyro mage and bounty hunter capturing Felgrin Eldìr, shape-shifting murdering druid. A battle of magic ensues. Ranir is surprised with the knowledge that magic is real and is unprepared for the ambush that happens.
The mage uses a teleportation spell to save him and send him to safety. Upon awakening and starting for home he is found by his best friends Marnos and Selendt.
They all return to his home but are then confronted by Taryn Ontaga, brother to the mage that saved his life, where he is told he is dead and that he believes Ranir killed him. After much discussion Taryn is relieved to know Ranir is not responsible for his brother’s death. Not knowing what to do Ranir offers to go with the brother to hunt down the killer on a “magical quest for revenge.”
This was but a quick summarization of how the story begins but I didn’t want to spoil anyones first time reading of it.
I found the story to be fast paced and full of rich descriptions of the fantasy world. It had characters that grew throughout the telling of the story.
It had everything action, adventure, mystery suspense, vengeance, bravery, friendship, magic, and twisty turns. Oh, my it was a blast to read. I enjoyed it very much. I can see it turning into a classic. Wonderful just wonderful.
The mage uses a teleportation spell to save him and send him to safety. Upon awakening and starting for home he is found by his best friends Marnos and Selendt.
They all return to his home but are then confronted by Taryn Ontaga, brother to the mage that saved his life, where he is told he is dead and that he believes Ranir killed him. After much discussion Taryn is relieved to know Ranir is not responsible for his brother’s death. Not knowing what to do Ranir offers to go with the brother to hunt down the killer on a “magical quest for revenge.”
This was but a quick summarization of how the story begins but I didn’t want to spoil anyones first time reading of it.
I found the story to be fast paced and full of rich descriptions of the fantasy world. It had characters that grew throughout the telling of the story.
It had everything action, adventure, mystery suspense, vengeance, bravery, friendship, magic, and twisty turns. Oh, my it was a blast to read. I enjoyed it very much. I can see it turning into a classic. Wonderful just wonderful.
October 24, 2019
The Lightning Rod is the first novel in this series by author C. S. Ratliff. It follows the life of a young man, Ranir, who must quickly learn to navigate his new life filled with magic and secrecy. Fantasy is one of my favorite genres, so magic and epic battles will always grab my interest and there was plenty of that in this book. As other reviews mentioned, there are a few things that could be polished a bit, but there are also parts where the descriptions or world-building are done so well that you know more great things will be coming from this author. Once Ranir starts to find his path, the story picks up quite a bit. There's a lot of action. The author kept the magic fight scenes exciting with the elemental abilities. I really enjoyed the characters and how they developed as the story went on. And the twists that played out kept it interesting. We recommend this one to fantasy readers. Will definitely be picking up the next book in the series.
August 19, 2020
C.S. Ratliff brings you into a brand new world of epic fantasy.
This story starts out intriguing with a mix of action. You’re instantly drawn into this orphan’s tale as he unearths that the world he knows is not as it seems.
Ranir takes us through the twist and turns of his tale of becoming the lightning rod, where he is thrust into a world he doesn’t understand and we learn all about it as he does.
This is a beautifully crafted world of magic, sorcerers, shape shifters and a wonderfully mysterious enemy. You’re sucked in to the world building and the character relationships all throughout. Plus, who doesn’t love a good fantasy that is based on elemental magic?
This story starts out intriguing with a mix of action. You’re instantly drawn into this orphan’s tale as he unearths that the world he knows is not as it seems.
Ranir takes us through the twist and turns of his tale of becoming the lightning rod, where he is thrust into a world he doesn’t understand and we learn all about it as he does.
This is a beautifully crafted world of magic, sorcerers, shape shifters and a wonderfully mysterious enemy. You’re sucked in to the world building and the character relationships all throughout. Plus, who doesn’t love a good fantasy that is based on elemental magic?
October 18, 2020
In a world separated by magic, it will be a fight of survival. The Lightning Rod is a fast paced novel about the evolution of a teenage boy, into the holder of the most powerful magic in the land. The balance of good and evil rests in his hands.
The characters are well thought out. The script, action packed.
The rating reflects my desire to have further detail in the scenes. At times, they felt rushed to get to the next scene. There were also a few formatting and grammar issues.
I look forward to watching this author's growth. He has the makings of becoming highly sought after author. You'll want to keep an eye on his writings.
The characters are well thought out. The script, action packed.
The rating reflects my desire to have further detail in the scenes. At times, they felt rushed to get to the next scene. There were also a few formatting and grammar issues.
I look forward to watching this author's growth. He has the makings of becoming highly sought after author. You'll want to keep an eye on his writings.
February 24, 2020
I genuinely enjoying reading this book. It got me out of my reading slump.
Engaging well written. A book that blends the magic system into the world and story perfectly. There's a few author choice (that I've read) that the author creates the worlds own version of hell and heaven ( Hel and förnthis).
The story is gripping and enticing. Makes me want to read more. I cant wait to see what happens next. Love Gnariam world. Look forward to the other books. Keep up the good work C.S. Ratliff look forward to more of your work.
Engaging well written. A book that blends the magic system into the world and story perfectly. There's a few author choice (that I've read) that the author creates the worlds own version of hell and heaven ( Hel and förnthis).
The story is gripping and enticing. Makes me want to read more. I cant wait to see what happens next. Love Gnariam world. Look forward to the other books. Keep up the good work C.S. Ratliff look forward to more of your work.
February 4, 2022
This story is one that's been told time and again: young man from tiny country village is the chosen one. The magic system was fairly basic and similar to a lot of other chosen one stories.
While there was a somewhat interesting story in there, the writing was very choppy. We would get characters out of nowhere and yet they would basically instantly have a relationship with our main character. There was little to no relationship building at all. The writing was also a lot if telling rather than showing.
All in all it was an okay book but could be greatly improved.
While there was a somewhat interesting story in there, the writing was very choppy. We would get characters out of nowhere and yet they would basically instantly have a relationship with our main character. There was little to no relationship building at all. The writing was also a lot if telling rather than showing.
All in all it was an okay book but could be greatly improved.
October 2, 2019
This is a fantastic book from start to finish!!! It grips you right from the first couple of pages and even more as you get further. Every time I sat down to read this it made me feel like I was really entering this fantasy world and getting involved with these characters. If you want to read a great book definitely check this one out. There’s not a 10 star button but if I could rate it that I would.
October 5, 2019
Above fast read
This was a decent read. I liked the overall story and the plot of the book. The Fantasy world was decently made and had its own unique points that were interesting to figure out. I would have liked a little more detail, but the image that was created was still easy enough to understand. There were a few odd tense uses in the book and misspelled words that detracted a little from the story, but overall I enjoyed it.
This was a decent read. I liked the overall story and the plot of the book. The Fantasy world was decently made and had its own unique points that were interesting to figure out. I would have liked a little more detail, but the image that was created was still easy enough to understand. There were a few odd tense uses in the book and misspelled words that detracted a little from the story, but overall I enjoyed it.
February 27, 2020
Epic Fantasy for the Ages
This was a beautifully crafted world by the author. The combination of magic, elements, darkness, light really captivated me. The development of the characters was very well depicted, and the twists and turns in the book keep you engaged. The only (minor) downfall- which I forgave in my rating because the story was so beautifully crafted- was there were a few grammatical and word choice errors here and there. I’m already starting book 2!
This was a beautifully crafted world by the author. The combination of magic, elements, darkness, light really captivated me. The development of the characters was very well depicted, and the twists and turns in the book keep you engaged. The only (minor) downfall- which I forgave in my rating because the story was so beautifully crafted- was there were a few grammatical and word choice errors here and there. I’m already starting book 2!
March 19, 2022
Altogether this was a good read. It had all the elements of fantasy/adventure and is totally appropriate for the middle/high school reading population. The characters are relatable and most developed. There were some minor disconnects, and it lacked a touch of complexity that would have enriched this plot even more. The book does leave the reader expecting a continuation, but the storyline is wrapped up satisfactorily.
January 19, 2020
This was an excellent introduction to Ranir’s story and the rich fantasy world that CS Ratliff has created here. From the first chapter, the book grabs you and keeps you engaged with an excellent hook and choice world building. I’m a sucker for a good fantasy world and Ratliff has created a deeply immersive world that feels fully realized and his own. Book #2 should be a great read.
September 14, 2020
With Great Power Comes Great Expectation
When a farm boy strays far away while on a hunting trip he has no idea how his life will change. With great power comes great change. Ranir has been chosen for a great task, he is the Lightning Rod, the savior of Gnariam. If you like magical adventures, you’ll love The Lightening Rod.
When a farm boy strays far away while on a hunting trip he has no idea how his life will change. With great power comes great change. Ranir has been chosen for a great task, he is the Lightning Rod, the savior of Gnariam. If you like magical adventures, you’ll love The Lightening Rod.
October 30, 2019
Great story, world building is excellent! I bought the book before the author obtained a new editor and re-released it so I won’t say more on the subject. I really enjoyed the pace of the story and found it gripping. Great job and I look forward to more!
September 14, 2020
I loved the characters and journey they were taken on.
The magic system and tiers, and just the overall world building drew me in.
If you like fantasy, you'll like this story. The characters, the journey, the light, the dark, you'll love it.
The magic system and tiers, and just the overall world building drew me in.
If you like fantasy, you'll like this story. The characters, the journey, the light, the dark, you'll love it.
November 16, 2019
Talk about an epic fantasy - it's got it all. Dark magic, Light, Elemental powers. I particularly enjoyed how the magic system works in this world, and that it was consistent; the effect magic casting had on magic wielders.
I personally think the story was a little slow to start. Don't get me wrong, there were action and intrigue right from the start, but I found it a little lukewarm until suddenly bam- we're right in the middle of crazy awesome action, and a couple of the twists and turns in this book really caught me by surprise and upped my enjoyment of this book.
The characters were intriguing enough and managed to hold my interest. I got a bit attached to a few; liking their camaraderie.
If you are looking for an epic fantasy read, with high stakes between good and evil, seeking a balance, give the Lightning Rod a read.
I enjoyed this story's world-building and like I mentioned earlier, appreciated it didn't break itself through the length of the book. Would have loved even more of it to clarify some things, but on the other hand, we are learning simultaneous to Ranir so... in the future, I think.
The things keeping me from giving this five stars? Grammar and missing words and mixed up tenses. Now, I'm going to say I bought the book before the author had an editing upgrade, and I noticed the text got really better after that, so I don't think the grammar is so much of a problem anymore, even if I'm still noticing missing words here and there.
Also, this is something everyone feels different about, but I'm the type of reader to find it distracting if characters are always 'shouting, yelling, mumbling, interrupting, whispering, and even that one word I didn't even know what it meant (heh, sorry)'. I prefer things to just be "said" and to let actions do the talking of the type of talking is going on. But I know that is not everyone, and it is more the grammar issues and reading more than half the book with them that killed my perfect 5-enjoyment of the book.
But anyone else, coming fresh into this book, will likely not mind the little grammar issues that remain. The story is powerful enough to engage and I will definitely be interested in seeing how Ranir's story continues... Bring on the Thunder King! Wooo...
I personally think the story was a little slow to start. Don't get me wrong, there were action and intrigue right from the start, but I found it a little lukewarm until suddenly bam- we're right in the middle of crazy awesome action, and a couple of the twists and turns in this book really caught me by surprise and upped my enjoyment of this book.
The characters were intriguing enough and managed to hold my interest. I got a bit attached to a few; liking their camaraderie.
If you are looking for an epic fantasy read, with high stakes between good and evil, seeking a balance, give the Lightning Rod a read.
I enjoyed this story's world-building and like I mentioned earlier, appreciated it didn't break itself through the length of the book. Would have loved even more of it to clarify some things, but on the other hand, we are learning simultaneous to Ranir so... in the future, I think.
The things keeping me from giving this five stars? Grammar and missing words and mixed up tenses. Now, I'm going to say I bought the book before the author had an editing upgrade, and I noticed the text got really better after that, so I don't think the grammar is so much of a problem anymore, even if I'm still noticing missing words here and there.
Also, this is something everyone feels different about, but I'm the type of reader to find it distracting if characters are always 'shouting, yelling, mumbling, interrupting, whispering, and even that one word I didn't even know what it meant (heh, sorry)'. I prefer things to just be "said" and to let actions do the talking of the type of talking is going on. But I know that is not everyone, and it is more the grammar issues and reading more than half the book with them that killed my perfect 5-enjoyment of the book.
But anyone else, coming fresh into this book, will likely not mind the little grammar issues that remain. The story is powerful enough to engage and I will definitely be interested in seeing how Ranir's story continues... Bring on the Thunder King! Wooo...
January 1, 2021
I received a free digital copy in exchange for an honest review, so here's my impression after reading The Lightning Rod:
What I liked:
- The world. It's interesting, with loads of details and new words invented for the powerspells.
- Fast paced, which makes it really easy to progress and get into the story.
- Everything that happens is driving the plot forward. There isn't anything random, that won't have a point in the future. That's all I'm saying.
- The twist towards the end.
- The cliffhanger. Despite the fact that it felt a bit clisee
- Tanir didn't turn up to be a traitor and stab Ranair in the back. I am kinda disappointed, 'cause I was expecting it to happen. But I am glad for the surprise of not happening.
What I didn't liked
- I don't really care about any of the characters. The ones I started to care about disappear fast and I almost stopped reading the book because I was so annoyed that happen.
- I don't like Ranir. I'm sorry, I just don't. I ended up rooting for the bad guy at the end just because.
- There are very few subplots (that I picked up). Which is fine but I feel like they would have helped me to like or at least care about the characters more. How does Ranir drink his tea? Sugar? Milk? No tea at all? I have no clue, but I would have liked to know more about him, without it being connected to the main plot.
- Generally, the narrator is telling everything than trying to show it. For example, being told that Ranir made progress in his training, then throwing him in a fight to demonstrate it. I would have liked if the first part was skipped. If you show it well enough, you don't to reinforce the idea. In this case, I believe it was.
- Ranir's progress felt fast, which match the pace of the book, but it felt too fast for someone who had no clue this part of the world existed a few month prior. But hey, fantasy world, everything is possible.
In the end, if you are into great worlds with fast paced action, this is probably the book for you. Personally, I like it, but I would have liked it to be a bit more character driven at times, hence the 4 stars.
What I liked:
- The world. It's interesting, with loads of details and new words invented for the powerspells.
- Fast paced, which makes it really easy to progress and get into the story.
- Everything that happens is driving the plot forward. There isn't anything random, that won't have a point in the future. That's all I'm saying.
- The twist towards the end.
- The cliffhanger. Despite the fact that it felt a bit clisee
- Tanir didn't turn up to be a traitor and stab Ranair in the back. I am kinda disappointed, 'cause I was expecting it to happen. But I am glad for the surprise of not happening.
What I didn't liked
- I don't really care about any of the characters. The ones I started to care about disappear fast and I almost stopped reading the book because I was so annoyed that happen.
- I don't like Ranir. I'm sorry, I just don't. I ended up rooting for the bad guy at the end just because.
- There are very few subplots (that I picked up). Which is fine but I feel like they would have helped me to like or at least care about the characters more. How does Ranir drink his tea? Sugar? Milk? No tea at all? I have no clue, but I would have liked to know more about him, without it being connected to the main plot.
- Generally, the narrator is telling everything than trying to show it. For example, being told that Ranir made progress in his training, then throwing him in a fight to demonstrate it. I would have liked if the first part was skipped. If you show it well enough, you don't to reinforce the idea. In this case, I believe it was.
- Ranir's progress felt fast, which match the pace of the book, but it felt too fast for someone who had no clue this part of the world existed a few month prior. But hey, fantasy world, everything is possible.
In the end, if you are into great worlds with fast paced action, this is probably the book for you. Personally, I like it, but I would have liked it to be a bit more character driven at times, hence the 4 stars.
September 18, 2022
3.5 out of 5
This is a fantasy that skews toward DnD/gameplay style of storytelling. It's not my favorite type of fantasy, but I didn't dock any stars based on my preference. So, if you are a fan of this type of fantasy, you will love it.
What I liked:
The magic system is excellent. It focuses on elemental magics; fire, water, air, and earth. Then there is Ranir who channels lightning specifically. Then there is the whole realm of shadow magic which was well thought out. I really enjoyed the fight sequences. They were faced paced and well-organized. I do love a satisfying circle ending.
What I didn't like:
The formatting. I know from personal experience that getting things formatted is a nightmare. It is distracting, but I grew used to it the further I got in. It does need some additional editing. But mostly I could look past it. The story structure is not as tight as it could be. I think the first five chapters in particular could be tightened to one or two chapters and be more effective. The threads are all there, but they need to be woven more tightly. I wanted to connect with Ranir more, but something just wasn't clicking. I couldn't quite get there with him. I'm not sure if this is the DnD/gameplay aspect of this particular style of writing, or if there was something missing. I wanted more from Ranir so I could really root for him during his trials.
Overall:
It was a decent book. It could be an excellent book once all the editing and formatting issues are addressed. It was good enough for me to put the sequel on my TBR list. I'm curious where the author will take us next.
This is a fantasy that skews toward DnD/gameplay style of storytelling. It's not my favorite type of fantasy, but I didn't dock any stars based on my preference. So, if you are a fan of this type of fantasy, you will love it.
What I liked:
The magic system is excellent. It focuses on elemental magics; fire, water, air, and earth. Then there is Ranir who channels lightning specifically. Then there is the whole realm of shadow magic which was well thought out. I really enjoyed the fight sequences. They were faced paced and well-organized. I do love a satisfying circle ending.
What I didn't like:
The formatting. I know from personal experience that getting things formatted is a nightmare. It is distracting, but I grew used to it the further I got in. It does need some additional editing. But mostly I could look past it. The story structure is not as tight as it could be. I think the first five chapters in particular could be tightened to one or two chapters and be more effective. The threads are all there, but they need to be woven more tightly. I wanted to connect with Ranir more, but something just wasn't clicking. I couldn't quite get there with him. I'm not sure if this is the DnD/gameplay aspect of this particular style of writing, or if there was something missing. I wanted more from Ranir so I could really root for him during his trials.
Overall:
It was a decent book. It could be an excellent book once all the editing and formatting issues are addressed. It was good enough for me to put the sequel on my TBR list. I'm curious where the author will take us next.
January 10, 2020
3.5 Stars
The Lightning Rod is a relatively quick read that has an uniquely interesting concept and good execution but its narration has a tendency to over justify some lengthy explanations and a few pacing issues clutter the books falling action. I grew attached to the characters quickly and connected with their struggles, although at times I thought their actions (mostly Ranir's unpredictable mood swings) could be erratic and the dialogue left me wanting more, outside the heroic speeches.
I specifically read the book on my kindle so the formatting for me appeared haphazard and could be a headache. Was it meant to resemble a lightning bolt? The editing was acceptable but having a handful of beta readers would have been beneficial. Sythestine is a good world with great potential, but its population seems counter for a country where 90% of its citizens appear to live within two large cities or a handful of villages which repeatedly get attacked by a dark wizard and all citizens either killed and repurposed for his use, defect to his side, or fight back and often die.
The best aspect of this book by far is its magic system and battles which I thought were shockingly compelling, luminously well described, and thunderously well executed. Well done, keep striking!
When I got to the end I was left with a bunch of questions, although a some of them were from plot confusion I had related to the twists. Overall, I'm not sure yet if I'll be back for the sequel but this was an enjoyable read.
The Lightning Rod is a relatively quick read that has an uniquely interesting concept and good execution but its narration has a tendency to over justify some lengthy explanations and a few pacing issues clutter the books falling action. I grew attached to the characters quickly and connected with their struggles, although at times I thought their actions (mostly Ranir's unpredictable mood swings) could be erratic and the dialogue left me wanting more, outside the heroic speeches.
I specifically read the book on my kindle so the formatting for me appeared haphazard and could be a headache. Was it meant to resemble a lightning bolt? The editing was acceptable but having a handful of beta readers would have been beneficial. Sythestine is a good world with great potential, but its population seems counter for a country where 90% of its citizens appear to live within two large cities or a handful of villages which repeatedly get attacked by a dark wizard and all citizens either killed and repurposed for his use, defect to his side, or fight back and often die.
The best aspect of this book by far is its magic system and battles which I thought were shockingly compelling, luminously well described, and thunderously well executed. Well done, keep striking!
When I got to the end I was left with a bunch of questions, although a some of them were from plot confusion I had related to the twists. Overall, I'm not sure yet if I'll be back for the sequel but this was an enjoyable read.
May 30, 2020
It was apparent from the very beginning how thoroughly well-planned this story was; I found myself wondering about certain pieces of information (or lack thereof) early on in the story only to have my questions answered later, providing that moment of, "Oh! I get it now - that makes so much sense!" I'm not often surprised by twists and turns in the fiction I read, so that was a very pleasant surprise. While there are still some questions remaining, I have no doubt the author intended that to happen and that answers will be forthcoming at the appropriate time during a later book in the series.
From the very first page, I found most of the characters to be relatable in some respect and enjoyed getting to know them and the bits of their stories that were revealed as the story progressed. The author did a commendable job of describing Gnariam and the key characters so that I have a clear picture in my mind of the landscape during most of the scenes as well as the characters' features, clothing, and expressions.
Where I struggled a bit with this book was some formatting, editorial, and typographical issues; while issues like these here or there is to be expected in any book you read, there were enough to be distracting at times. However, overall, I really enjoyed this story and am looking forward to reading the rest of the series to discover the fate of Gnariam and the Lightning Rod.
From the very first page, I found most of the characters to be relatable in some respect and enjoyed getting to know them and the bits of their stories that were revealed as the story progressed. The author did a commendable job of describing Gnariam and the key characters so that I have a clear picture in my mind of the landscape during most of the scenes as well as the characters' features, clothing, and expressions.
Where I struggled a bit with this book was some formatting, editorial, and typographical issues; while issues like these here or there is to be expected in any book you read, there were enough to be distracting at times. However, overall, I really enjoyed this story and am looking forward to reading the rest of the series to discover the fate of Gnariam and the Lightning Rod.
March 3, 2020
dnf 22%
didn’t like:
wasn’t hooked to the character or the story. for me, it lacked depth in either (character or story) to get the hook deep enough in to stay for the duration.
points deducted for a prologue.
layout issues. some grammar issues. no section breaks between chapters. missing some periods, need to delete some spaces after quotation marks.
this needs to be edited again, both formatting on the kindle and for grammatical mistakes, repeated words, missing punctuation, extra spaces, etc.
liked: interesting idea.
didn’t like:
wasn’t hooked to the character or the story. for me, it lacked depth in either (character or story) to get the hook deep enough in to stay for the duration.
points deducted for a prologue.
layout issues. some grammar issues. no section breaks between chapters. missing some periods, need to delete some spaces after quotation marks.
this needs to be edited again, both formatting on the kindle and for grammatical mistakes, repeated words, missing punctuation, extra spaces, etc.
liked: interesting idea.
October 10, 2025
Dialogue and action packed!
I’ve had this book on my list for a while and was pleased with the rerelease!
There’s great world-building here and I’m excited to see how the story continues. Ratliff weaves his story and world through dialogue-driven scenes and lots of action sequences, which are fun to read!
Personally, I’d love to see more descriptions of the world and characters to help ease transitions between scenes and chapters. But overall, the book was a good read and I’d recommend it as is for high fantasy action readers!
I’ve had this book on my list for a while and was pleased with the rerelease!
There’s great world-building here and I’m excited to see how the story continues. Ratliff weaves his story and world through dialogue-driven scenes and lots of action sequences, which are fun to read!
Personally, I’d love to see more descriptions of the world and characters to help ease transitions between scenes and chapters. But overall, the book was a good read and I’d recommend it as is for high fantasy action readers!
June 25, 2020
I picked this book up and was excited to read it. However I struggled to get into it. I'll admit I only managed 10% and I'm sure if I persevered I may have gotten more from it. But after 3 days I was only 2 chapters in and half way through the third I put it down.
This isn't meant as a reflection of the content. Its well written and any fan of the genre should give this book the time it deserves but unfortunately it just wasn't the book for me
This isn't meant as a reflection of the content. Its well written and any fan of the genre should give this book the time it deserves but unfortunately it just wasn't the book for me
July 17, 2021
Great story
I really had trouble deciding how to rate this book because while it was a good solid epic fantasy story, it really needed another pass at editing before it was published. If you're a person who can't get past formatting issues, grammatical errors, and typos and just enjoy the story, this book probably isn't for you. Otherwise, It's a really great story and intriguing start to an epic saga.
I really had trouble deciding how to rate this book because while it was a good solid epic fantasy story, it really needed another pass at editing before it was published. If you're a person who can't get past formatting issues, grammatical errors, and typos and just enjoy the story, this book probably isn't for you. Otherwise, It's a really great story and intriguing start to an epic saga.
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