The Runesmith's Trials 5

The Secrets of Giantskarl Mountain, Book 5

By: Andrew Karevik

Narrated by: Eric Michael Summerer

The fifth and final book in the Secrets of Giantskarl Mountain series. Find out how it all ends!

I'm at the top of the world. My list of accomplishments over the last few years has grown to include: proprietor of New Valley; governor of Karlton; head of House Landon; owner of the Giantskarl and Opal Dungeons; wartime outfitter for the Draconic Resistance Army…

And on top of that, I'm about to marry a dragoness. What else could I ask for?

But when you have everything, you stand to lose the most.

The King has summoned my presence. As it turns out, his coffers are running empty, and he has decided to invade the Juniper Islands to seize their mines of sapphire. And I, as his strongest asset, am to lead the assault.

That goes against everything I stand for. I can't accept his order, though he leaves me no choice. It's either that or he'll lay siege to New Valley and destroy everything I care about!

What can I do? My dream was to build and run a Merchant Empire; it was to help people out, not become an oppressor. I'll have to make choices, impossible choices. But in my years of traveling the world to perfect my craft, I have made some powerful allies who might support my case should I decide to defy the King and declare my independence. Also, there's a new class advance waiting for me when I hit Level 10, one with combat-oriented skills that could give me a leg up in this brewing conflict…

One thing is certain: war is coming, and it will spell the end of Artemis' story. Who will emerge victorious, and at what cost?

©2024 LitRPG Freaks (P)2025 Podium Audio

Fantastic world building and expertly paced story

The Runesmith’s Trials was an absolute joy to listen to. The world building is rich and immersive, and the town building elements were some of my favorite parts. They gave the story a grounded, evolving sense of place that made me want to keep listening. The narration quality was excellent as well, bringing the characters and setting to life and making the whole experience feel cinematic.

The pacing was spot on. The story never lingered on unimportant details, and every chapter felt meaningful and engaging. My only small critique is that the main character’s rapid rise to prominence occasionally made me pause and wonder why others in the world had not achieved similar results. Still, his journey was compelling and believable enough to keep me fully invested.

Overall, this is an outstanding listen and one of the most enjoyable series I have picked up in a long time. Highly recommended to anyone who loves progression fantasy with depth, creativity, and great storytelling.

Merchant element

Is a decent work and I did enjoy the story.
Adult content given inter-species dragon fornication. Misses mark on character development outside main protagonist, but is a different angle to LITRPG.
Spoiler ---
it goes from peek win to just the end and he is dead, seems like 1-2 books fell by the waist side.
If you really don't love book 1 don't continue, if you enjoy book 1 then jump in.

An awsome series all the way through

This has been a fun series. I liked every bit of it. One of the best if not the best city/faction builder I've come across. Story remaimed entertaining all the way through.

Awesome series

Loved every book in this series and many other books from both this author and narrator, thank you for the enjoyment.