About the Series
The Soul Purpose is a series of captivating novels blending fantasy with steampunk, set in an intricate world exploring the clash between progress, tradition, and the riddles of the human soul.
A person's soul contains two parts — the sliver you are born with, and the kai — an entity that joins with the body eight days after birth. At least, that was how it used to be, until the sinister truth of the kai was discovered. In the Ennian empire, dedicated hunters are trained to catch the kai before it manages to contaminate its host.
Caeles was bred to become a Venethori, an elite kai hunter tasked with keeping people safe from dangerous kai, draconids, and other creatures. To aid him, he has his crossbow and his kai, bound to him from birth, but blocked from entering his body.
As a loyal servant of the empire he never questioned the imperial way of life, until the day he ends up in a situation where he is forced to ask himself; is everything really as simple as it seems?
Follow the path of the Venethori and their journey across both the empire and beyond, in search of the true purpose and intentions of the kai. A story where there are two sides to everything, and nothing is as black or white as it appears.
The pace of the story is measured, and allows the characters to have agency of their lives, and not simply get thrown into situation after situation just for the sake of it – everyone should get reprieve, even if they are characters in a book.
Book 1: Hunting Light
ISBN: 9789189981881
The first installment in The Soul Purpose series, Hunting Light, introduces the readers to the Ennian empire and the Venethori. In particular, the reader gets to know Caeles, a Venethori apprentice, and his mentor Attilio. Tasked with capturing and disposing the various types of kai and navigating the machinations of the empire, the pair is confronted with events that may upend their view of the world.
Book 2: Chasing Shadows
The second installment in The Soul Purpose series is currently in the editing phase. The story picks up in the Anshe Coalition, where sinister entities are working towards an unknown goal. In this different culture, Caeles and Attilio encounter new allies, dangerous foes, and revelations that bring them closer to uncovering the true nature of the kai. But as past events resurface, will the bonds between apprentice and mentor be tested beyond repair?
About the Author
Helen Bornhall Lange is a Swedish author, whose works are rooted in fantasy and steampunk, where she brings vibrant worlds and compelling characters to life. She has put down her roots in the historic countryside of Västra Götaland in Sweden. Here, in a peaceful corner with origins dating back to the pre-Roman Iron Age, she lives with her family.
After many years working as a graphic designer and illustrator, she decided to go back to school and get a degree in mechanical engineering — swapping paper for steel. For as long as she can remember, she has enjoyed building worlds and spinning stories. Even before she could write, her mother would write it down for her, while she drew the pictures. Throughout her life, the written word has been a constant companion; whether for others, or for herself.
Beginning with a fascination for the world of Greek mythology, her reading led to fantasy, and through Tolkien, back to its origins in Beowulf and Old Norse texts, from which she draws inspiration — not least for the world-building.
Some may wonder why she writes in English, when it isn't her native tongue. But her view on this is that in most fantasy and science fiction, there is a 'common tongue' – used to bridge the gap of language barriers and cultural differences. And with that in mind, you can easily surmise that the English language is the 'common tongue' (in many parts of the world) for the fellow nerds of the author – those of us who read fantasy, sci-fi, and/or play video games.
Contact
You can reach the author directly at helen@thesoulpurpo.se.
You can also find more information about the author on Goodreads via this link.
Public relations
For inquiries, contact Storify Publishing or the Storify Literary Agency
Social media
Follow the author on various social media via the links below:
Reviews
As reviews of the books come in, excerpts will be added here. Hopefully it will help you determine if The Soul Purpose is for you. Have you read the book? Feel free to submit a review and tag the author on social media.
A Solid Foundation for an Intriguing World
This book introduces us to the Ennian Empire, a fascinating land of advanced kai-powered technology and strict social order. Caeles, our main protagonist is a young and promising Venethori in training whose mission in life is to keep people safe from kai and other dangerous creatures. We join him on his journey through his apprenticeship, through the hardships, suffering, deadly political games and his growing doubts about the very system he’s sworn to uphold.
Caeles’ character development is well-written. He has gone through a lot, and he’s not come out of it unscathed, but he’s always had his mentor, Attilio, to fall back on. The supporting cast also feels authentic and adds depth to the story.
While the pacing might feel a bit slow at times, the world-building is intricate and captivating as the author sets the stage for the series, introducing the key players and the political intrigue of the Empire. The book is 346 pages long and spread over 22 chapters (with an extra short epilogue showing a new point of view that I’m very excited about, it’s a game-changer, promising exciting developments in the next book!).
The story primarily follows Caeles’ perspective, but the author occasionally interjects thoughts from other characters, like Attilio. I found these glimpses into the others incredibly enriching, adding layers of depth to the characters. While the shifts in perspective are subtle, they’re generally pretty clear and once I recognized it, I had no trouble following along.
Overall, this is a solid start to what promises to be an intriguing series for fans of steampunk fantasy.
★★★★☆
Victoria Gryson
Nem's Reviews »
Where to buy
Below you will find a selection of online book stores that lists the The Soul Purpose: Hunting Light. For the time being, these are stores based in Sweden, but some of them, like Bokus, ship internationally – check each store for delivery options, but for international readers we recommend you check out Bokus.
If you are looking for a signed copy (while stocks last), get in touch via social media (see above).
Publisher / Agency
The Soul Purpose is published by Storify Publishing AB in Sweden. Helen Bornhall Lange is represented by Storify Agency for all rights regarding The Soul Purpose series.
Storify Publishing was founded in 2022 by four authors with the goal of being the indie author's best friend. Around 40 authors have so far joined the publishing branch of the Storify family, and another 40 authors have joined the agency. They have published 30+ novels in genres such as fantasy, crime, thriller, romance, feel-good, and children & young adult, as well as around 100 audiobook novellas.
Through Storify Literary Agency, several authors have secured international contracts. They work with some of the industry's sharpest translators for those aiming to publish internationally.
Storify - the indie author's best friend. Click the links below to find out more.
Book covers
The covers to The Soul Purpose will be available to download here (click for a high resolution image):
