In The Buried Symbol (The Runes of Issalia, Book 1) by Jeffrey L. Kohanek, having no rune mark on his forehead makes 17-year-old Brock one of the ‘Unchosen,’ doomed to an existence below the lowest rung of the social ladder. After losing his beloved aunt, he’s unwilling to accept his fate and risks his life to obtain a fake rune that marks him as a member of the Empire's ruling class. He then embarks on a quest to join an institution where the Empire’s future leaders are trained. As a student of the Academy, he soon uncovers a chain of secrets kept hidden for centuries, secrets that expose cracks in the foundation of Empire society. Among his discoveries is a powerful magic, long buried and forgotten.

I like the illustrations and the way they are sporadically placed at the beginning of some chapters. It certainly makes Kohanek’s created world more imaginable. The world building concept is interesting, where a rune mark determines the social standing of a person. As a protagonist, Brock has enough depth to make readers relate to his plight and root for his desire to change his fate. His days at the Academy are absorbing to read. I even felt like I was Brock himself, learning and discovering some shocking truths about the Empire. Although there are some slow parts in the narrative, overall the plot is well-paced and adequate for Book 1 of the series. The Buried Symbol is an easy read, and has all the necessary prerequisites for a fantasy novel with thrilling action, magic and ethereal creatures. It’s solidly well-written for its intended YA readers, but adults can enjoy it as well.

Brock isn't the only one on a quest, the reader also joins for the magical journey. Brock is a strong character, and is never willing to run and hide. He discovers many secrets, including something powerful and magical. I enjoyed this story and look forward to the next story. Never settling for what seems to be fate or destiny keeps the reader engaged with this story. Kohanek is a remarkable writer and tells a great tale.

The Buried Symbol is the debut novel of Jeffrey L. Kohanek. It is a Young Adult high fantasy novel. Jeffrey Kohanek creates a world of wonder and magic in his new novel. The Buried Symbol is the first of three books in his new series The Runes of Issalia. The first book made its debut today in print version and will officially become available on ebook May 19!
The Buried Symbol is about a young man as he struggles to live as an Unchosen, the lowest class of society. The hero of the story is Brock. He is a young thief who strives to help others. Despite being an outcast he remains kind and brave. Brock unlike those around him never received a rune to determine his role in society. Due to this Brock is incapable of getting a job and is looked down upon by others.
I have come to really enjoy books that don’t rely purely on romance or magic to engage the reader. The Buried Symbols perfectly incorporates friendship, magic and a hint of romance. Readers will find themselves entranced in a world of fantasy and mystery. The majority of this book has a very light fun theme that revolves around self-discovery as well as bravery and triumph. Older reader will appreciate the darker elements to this story. Elements such as death, disease, drugs, and pain are things that everyone has experienced. Readers will find that they can easily relate to some of the challenges Brock faces. I was very impressed with the world building throughout this novel. It is creative and vivid. Fans of the high fantasy genre will love the first book in the The Runes of Issalia series.

I really enjoyed this book, it was fast paced and well written, with a cast of fun, charming characters. The main character, Brock, was likeable and his motivations were easily understandable, however, my favourite character was definitely Cam, there was just something about him which I though was really sweet despite his size and I hope we see more of him in the next book. This book has echoes of Harry Potter, in the fact that for the most part it's set in a school and it follows a group of friends trying to uncover a mystery. I was intrigued by 'Chaos' and the 'Wailing War' and was a little disappointed not to find the answers at the end of the book, but I suppose that's being save for the next instalment!

Also, I just want to add that I liked the pictures at the beginning of each section and the map at the front! I think little touches like this make books far more enjoyable!

My only really problem with this book was the so called romance. Personally, I didn't think it was very romantic... Brock is constantly being infatuated by women, first Meg, then Amber, so when he got to Ashland I was pretty much shrugged and went 'here we go again.' Though he actually stuck with Ashland, I felt it was almost like an after-thought, or had just been added in. I didn't find her confession that she liked him all that believable and it was kind of out of the blue. Also, her secret at the end... It was a shock, I'll give the author that, but I was disappointed by it, but I guess I'll just have to wait and see how he develops it in the next book.

All in all though, this book is a great start to The Runes of Issalia series and I look forward to learning more about Brock's world!


My favourite quotes from 'The Buried Symbol':

' "... Now I know why Hank always said that you gotta count your ales. You lose count, and it all goes sideways." '

'I miss the idea of her.'

'Be a good person, Brock, but be your own person.'

'The killing that paladins do should be done by those who wish they didn't have to kill.'

'The hall sped past Brock as he ran, racing the clock but clearly losing.'

'To not have a care, you first had to have nothing to care about.'

' "Okay. So he hates me in a special way," Brock replied. "I'm touched." '

' "For such a nice guy, you sure know how to get under people's skin." '

'Evil does not exist in power itself.'

'I will be famous, of course. You two will be famous for helping me be famous.'

I found The Buried Symbol to be a real page turner! The pacing was wonderful and straight from page one the author does a great job of "world-building." While some of the setting might feel like a trope that has been done before, some of us really like that. As an old RPG gamer I immediately felt at home and saw the beginnings of the party develop when Brock picks up his buddy and saw interesting traits that my mind categorized as "rogue" characterizations. Not enough stories come from that point of view--everyone ins consumed by the glory of a fighter or the mysticism of a wizard, so I appreciated the difference in nature. They are not one-sided characters, though, and you can see/feel the emotional impetus and gold-hearted, heroic aspects that motivate even those acts that cross the law. Pick this one up--just be careful...you might not be able to put it down!