Review: Renia by Karl Forshaw
Blurb:
The Halls of Venn are the seat of both knowledge and power in the great continent of Luna Ruinam. Renia, a scribe with a tragic past, spends her days expertly copying books that do little to satiate her desire for knowledge.
When a fateful commission lands on her desk, she finds herself tasked with transcribing a book coveted by assassins from the southern continent. Its theft throws the scribing halls into chaos and threatens to destroy the fragile peace that exists between their nations.
Haunted by dreams of her past, Renia must learn to master her impulses and awaken her long dormant magical abilities if she is to prevent war.
Fate, it would seem, is eager to grant her wishes. Yet she must risk everything to pursue it, and pay the bloody price it demands.
Content Warning: This book contains dark themes that some readers may find unsettling.
Review:
Be prepared to have your world turned upside down with this epic debut novel from Karl Forshaw. Renia is a jaw dropping dark academia fantasy novel with nail biting scenarios and twists at every turn. I do not speak lightly when I say that Renia is so far my top book of 2024. The characters and plot flow together seamlessly as you navigate through the world of Luna Ruinam. This book is perfect for those who love Skyrim, especially if you enjoyed the College of Winterhold and Dark Brotherhood questlines.
The story follows Renia, our main protagonist, as she is finding her place in life as a scribe after a traumatic event in her childhood. What starts out as a cozy academia atmosphere, quickly turns dark as a powerful book goes missing from the scribes Hall. Renia is quickly thrust into a violent race against time as multiple factions are scrambling to claim the sacred tome.
The POV’s throughout the story jump between a few key people who all are tied to the missing book. You get to know many of these characters very intimately as Karl’s character building is well thought out and perfectly integrates with the story. There is also a variety of ages represented in the cast. Some of the characters are older (approximately 40-70), which gives the story an extra breath of fresh air. Many times, we only read about young heroes but in this book, heroes come from many ages and backgrounds and often make themselves known in the most unexpected of times. Additionally, if you are into twisted fantasy creatures, Karl has you covered as he has created something truly stomach turning.
The plot and world building of the book are gripping, and the prose is fast paced from start to finish. There are dark themes in the plotline, but they are extremely well written and add to many aspects of the story. As a lover of the dark fantasy genre, the darker scenes in the book gave me a genuine sense of dread. There are times that your stomach will tense and your heart rate will spike.
“ ‘This will be far less painful if you submit to it willingly, Mister Svelt.’ The truthseer’s grin gave no hint of the compassion in his words. ‘This is going to happen. Resistance is futile.’ “
We also experience time jumps from past to present that let you experience pieces of Renia’s childhood. These jumps have exceptional plot buildup and provide you with just enough information to keep you guessing. As soon as the book from the scribe Hall is reported missing, the author has a wonderful way of dropping very subtle hints throughout the story that all come together beautifully in the end. You will find yourself flipping back some pages and then wondering to yourself how you didn’t piece together the puzzle sooner.
Overall, I deeply enjoyed this book. I highly encourage everyone who enjoys dark fantasy to give this a read. It is currently sitting in my top five most favorite Indie books, and Karl Forshaw is sitting in my top ten favorite authors of all time. I can't wait to see what else he has in store for us in the future!
