The Runic Artist

Blank Canvas

By: Ellake

Narrated by: Adam Stubbs, Mia Fothergill

Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them… when they stumble haphazardly into a foreign realm.

In a world where runes hold unimaginable power, mere mortal and gifted artisan Nate must harness arcane magic to navigate treacherous paths, reveal the hidden truths of his own past, and discover the workings of the illusive ‘System’.

No big deal.

Emboldened by only his penknife and a weirdly profound understanding of runic sorcery, Nate must uncover if the path he has been thrust upon may spare his earthly existence. After all, why only leave your mark on one world… when you might leave it on two?

©2024 Ellake (P)2024 Royal Guard Publishing LLC

Well written

This story had me hooked from the outset. Well done, can’t wait for the adventure to continue.

Really fun

The book was really fun it's got a bit of everything in there for everyone crafting action dungeons comedy and I love the direction the books seem to be headed can't wait for the next book!

Pure Art

Epic story of Nate with great power thrust upon him. Runes are very powerful in the world he is in.

Very enjoyable

this book kept me engaged and on my toes. I can't wait till the next book. my favorite part was probably the system and how the main character loves art.

Awesome

Okay so it did take me a few chapters to really get into the story but it was worth it, I completely enjoyed the story and characters but I do have to say that the MC is somewhat of a coward but it makes sense because of his upbringing and his preference of art over violence. Can't wait for the next one

Don’t force comments

I’m being forced to type 15 words so will just say that I enjoyed the story and am looking forward to a second book.

Great book only problem is the second isn't out yet

amazing job so far can't wait for the second to come out. hopefully it's even longer than the first.

It’s okay. But nothing great.

I was initially drawn to the book by its intriguing premise of exploring a new world, but unfortunately, the execution left me disappointed. The story had potential and, at times, presented some captivating moments, but it was often weighed down by the main character’s constant feelings of inadequacy.

While character development is important, the way the MC's inner conflict was portrayed felt shallow and repetitive. Instead of adding depth to the protagonist, the endless self-doubt and homesickness became tedious, dragging the story down. It was frustrating to see the MC constantly longing for a past that wasn’t even portrayed as particularly great, rather than embracing the excitement of the new world.

For a character who is supposed to be an artist, he seemed surprisingly lacking in creativity. There was little innovation in how the MC viewed or interacted with the world around him, which made it hard to connect with or care about his journey. Additionally, in a world where violence is sometimes a necessity for survival, the MC’s complete aversion to it felt out of place. His reluctance to adapt to the new world’s harsh realities was frustrating, and it undermined the potential stakes of the story.

For a story that promised adventure and exploration, it spent too much time stuck in the MC’s personal issues without offering meaningful growth or resolution. If you're looking for an immersive exploration of a new world, this book might not it.

Great start to a new litRPG series

The Runic Artist: Blank Canvas is a great start to what promises to be an exciting new series in the litRPG genre. The story starts off in fairly standard way for the genre. Nate Weber, a young graffiti artist from down under, gets portalled (Isekai) to another universe where magic exists, were he gains a class and soon finds himself in a dungeon trying to figure out how this magic thing works. While the plot of the first book is pretty conventional for the genre, the execution is excellent. The pace is brisk and the progression through the first few levels is fast and exciting. The system itself is well constructed, diverging just enough from standard fare to be interesting while remaining familiar. For me, the biggest selling point of the book is Nathan himself and his characterization. He's very believable as a teen from earth, realistically out of his depth but still doing his best to adapt. I loved the fact that he's an artist, and how that affects his class selection and progression. It's so rare in this genre to get an MC who isn't a gamer living out his teenage fantasy. Nathan had goals and aspirations before finding himself in a new universe and he doesn't abandon his dreams or change his entire personality because he has magic now. Rather he adapts his magic and the system to work towards his artistic aspirations. The secondary characters are also great: distinct and vibrant.

Fun little story

I quite enjoyed this book. I loved how it started, though missed seeing the “god” come back into the story. I liked how things progressed and look forward to the next book!