Pathlighter by Rob Leigh
Blurb:
James is convinced that the gods have cursed him, left to fend for himself in a squalid city-state in the clutches of a corrupt theocracy. As a lamplighter, James serves the palace by illuminating the streets each night with a flame from the gods' temple. Despite his disdain for the gods, he feels a connection with the flame, and a surprising yet small amount of control over its brightness.
For him, a quiet life weathering the desert was all he had to look forward to. That is, until others appear. From distant corners of the world, each has connective power to the gods, and each a past of great consequence. A soldier, an idealist, a hero, and a monster.
Each squabbles according to their own desires, but cannot afford to exist alone any longer. Ancient devils and horrors beyond time have come to reclaim the world from the gods, but the forms they take and power they wield are anything but understood.
The debut epic fantasy novel of author Rob Leigh, Pathlighter depicts a world struggling to grapple with the consequences of an unknown past and uncaring gods, featuring nuanced characters and a story of self-realization, found family, betrayal, and hope.
Review:
Pathlighter marks the beginning of Rob Leigh’s epic fantasy debut.
One of the earliest fantasy films I remember watching as a child was the original Clash of the Titans. While that movie leaned on a more direct approach to gods, whether for or against our hero, shaping his destiny, what I found intriguing about Pathlighter is how it takes the familiar idea of god-given power and reshapes it into something harsher and more elemental. Since hearing the premise, I was curious to see how Rob would build a world where magic carries real weight rather than acting as a convenience.
In classical myth, divine or supernatural intervention often softens danger at critical moments. Heroes are saved, guided, or redirected before disaster strikes, and the stakes remain insulated. Pathlighter refuses that comfort. If anything, the absence of convenient intervention makes the world feel more perilous. Power does not protect characters from consequence; it forces them directly into it. It’s a choice that keeps tension intact and makes victories, when they arrive, feel earned.
The world of Pathlighter feels layered and lived-in. On a character level, the novel is driven by several flawed POV protagonists, each with their own motivations and past failures. We begin with James, as promised in the blurb, but soon meet four additional central characters. I always admire when an author embraces a multi-POV structure, even more so when a debut author attempts this. While some perspectives naturally take a little more center stage in this first installment, Rob balances them well, and I found something compelling in each viewpoint. None of these characters are larger-than-life heroes; they feel grounded by their trauma, ambitions, and attachments, which lends the story a grittier, “grimdark” edge. From this, the book gives the reader one of my favored tropes: found family, and does so through the tightly-connected group that is formed as the story progresses. There’s also a quiet pleasure in watching these perspectives slowly collide, sometimes in harmony, sometimes in tension, as each character’s goals begin to intersect.
Pacing-wise, Pathlighter turns pages easily. It’s an action-forward novel, yet still gives space for some moments of character introspection and decision-making, and I hope to have even more of those intimate moments as the series progresses. It also helps that the world isn’t static. There’s a sense of pressure beneath the surface, as if history is ready to break open again and the characters are merely the first to feel the tremors.
Pathlighter doesn’t attempt to be all things to all readers. Exposition beats are present, but they never weigh down the narrative. It chooses its lane as epic fantasy driven by character depth, high stakes, and tangible consequence, and commits to it with confidence. For a debut, that restraint is commendable, and it gives both the book and the series room to grow.
For readers who prefer epic fantasy that blends multi-POV character work with action, consequence, and the promise of escalation, Pathlighter makes a strong first impression. I’m looking forward to seeing where the series goes from here and how these characters continue to evolve.
