- Graphic Novels
- Ages 8–11
- Fantasy
Rune: The Tale of the Obsidian Maze
Book 2 of 2 in RuneView the full series
A darker, more trial-shaped follow-up that sends Chiri and Dai into the Obsidian Maze for their most frightening challenge yet. It keeps the cosy-fantasy charm of book one, but raises the adventure stakes.
- Best for8–11
- FormatGraphic
- Length144 pp
- Read aloud~1 hr10 min
The vibe
What it’s like.
Style
- Conversational
- Comedic
Tone
- Adventurous
- Suspenseful
- Funny
- Warm
- Whimsical
Themes
Experience meters
What’s it about?
The story.
After defeating the Shadow King, Chiri and Dai are settling into their new lives in the magical land of Puddin'. Their magic and sword-fighting skills are improving, their friendships are growing, and life finally seems a little more secure. But evil has not disappeared. When an invitation arrives calling them to the Obsidian Maze to face the sinister MidKnight, Chiri and Dai must enter a trial filled with the deepest darkness they have ever encountered. This second Rune graphic novel continues the series' appealing mix of pastel fantasy, action, humour and friendship, but gives the story a spookier, more perilous shape. The Obsidian Maze makes the sequel feel more focused and quest-like, while the Chiri-and-Dai partnership remains the emotional core. It is best read after the first book, especially for children invested in the magic system and found-family world.
Fit check
Right for your child?
Where it lands by age
- 1
- 3
- 5
- 7
- 9
- 11
- 13
- Best fit · 8–11
- Read aloud · 7–10
- Independent · 8–11
Prose load
Light
Visual support
Very high
Reluctant-reader friendly
Very
Read-aloud quality
Workable
Works well for
- Reluctant readers
Preview before sharing if a child is sensitive to: scary imagery.
Bedtime suitability
3 / 5 · Workable
Sensitive-child
2 / 5 · Use judgement
Graphic intensity
3 / 5 · Some
Best for
- Graphic novel fantasy
- Cosy fantasy
- Magical trials
- Friendship adventure
- Reluctant readers
Avoid if
- Has not read book one
- Needs no spooky elements
- Prefers real world stories
Particularly good for children who are…
- Reluctant reader
- Making friends
- Neurodiversity or learning differences
- Nightmares or fears
In the classroom
How it works in school.
A vibrant fantasy-adventure comic series — a reluctant-reader pick and classroom-library staple.
A book children love that happens to support school — never a stand-in for the texts a class is taught with. Reviewed for the classroom · June 2026.
Why it lands
Why they love it.
Why kids love it
The specific weight is MidKnight — Chiri and Dai settling into Puddin' life, the invitation to the Obsidian Maze arriving, the deepest darkness they've encountered yet waiting at the centre. The second Rune that gives the cosy fantasy a proper trial shape.
- Being understood finally
- Friendship and belonging
- Magic powers
- Proving yourself
- Secret skill
Why parents love it
The Rune sequel — darker more trial-focused than the opener, sword-fighting and magic-system improvements deepening the world, Chiri-and-Dai partnership the emotional core. Best after book one; spookier without losing the pastel charm.
- Beautiful illustrations
- Cultural representation
- Conversation starter
- Indie gem discovery
In the series
Rune.
2 books · open the series →
About the author & illustrator
Carlos Sánchez.
If you liked this
Three ways out of this book.
If you liked this, try…
Lateral matches. Same shelf, different texture.
Come into this from…
Easier or preparing reads — perfect lead-ins.
Where to go next…
Escalation reads — a step up in scale, silliness, or stakes.
Buy or borrow
Pick up a copy.
- Bookshop.org ↗
- Waterstones ↗
- Amazon UK ↗
- Hive ↗
When you buy through the links above, we may earn a small commission — it never costs you more, and it never changes the books we choose. How we’re funded →