Defiance of the Fall 12

Defiance of the Fall #12

by TheFirstDefier, J.F. Brink

Only the strong will survive when fate gathers.

The war against the Kan'Tanu is drawing closer, and Zac can't wait any longer. Only by stepping into D-grade does he have a chance to keep Earth safe.

Fusing life and death is thought impossible, but Zac has no choice but to achieve a miracle. And if there's one place where he might succeed, it's the Perennial Vastness.

The mysterious realm holds unique opportunities and resources. A final opportunity to power up. However, the fifth pillar of the System is emerging, and an Eternal Heritage is up for grabs. The ancient factions are willing to go to any length to claim the prize.

Zac's ascent to Hegemony is bound to be a bumpy one.

Genres: Fantasy, Audiobook, Science Fiction Fantasy, Fiction, Science Fiction, Magic, Action

704 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 28, 2024

Reviews

[Mason · Rating 2 out of 5]

Totally boring

This was not an interesting book. It wasn't even much of a book. Just a constant and unrelenting force of filler by which the author makes no attempts to convince you of its importance. Just recycled cultivation lunacy. This author took a 50 page plot and stretched and disfigured it into a whopping 700 pages of literally nothing. The book's only saving grace is when other characters make appearances. I'm done wasting my time on this series.

[Steve Naylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating 3.5 stars

This one follows the same pattern as all the previous books in the series. There are things that I like and things I can do without. The funny thing about the series is that the character interactions are the things I like the most, but it is also the smallest part of the books. I love the interactions with Zack and Agros. Zack does something crazy and Agros is incredulous about it making hilarious comments. This whole book was one big side quest. Zack is off to get his core and move into the D grade. He goes to the perennial vastness which Agros. He has one fight after another. The fighting is actually my least favorite part of these books. Especially when it turns into a grand battle. The world building is great but sometimes the descriptions are so detailed it is really hard to conceptualize. The last 3 hours of book is Zack forming his core. He went through so many challenges in the first part of the book to make it easier to form his core and it was still almost an impossible feat. Overall, I still like the series but there were large parts of this book I could have done without.

[Branden · Rating 3 out of 5]

My least favorite book in the series by a pretty wide margin. The last 300+ pages can be summed up with "Zac forms a core and achieves hegemony." I understand that the entire series as been foreshowing this as his big bottleneck, but 300+ pages full of almost nothing beyond the hypertechnical specifics of core formation was way WAY more than I cared about.

[GaiusPrimus · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm honestly getting tired of the story. There are a lot of enjoyable pieces, but as a whole, there's just way to make things to keep lined up in your head. There are whole swaths of the story that I couldn't tell you what happened, which is weird for me.

[M · Rating 1 out of 5]

When Instagram and YouTube keep distracting you from a book and you have to keep going to the previous chapter it's time to burry the book/series.

You can skip this one all together.

It's same old cultivation story. Rinse and repeat. Absolutely NOTHING I mean N O T H I N G of note happens in this book. He spends 10 years fighting everyone and well you, he's the MC so obviously he is OP like Fuck and I mean NO ONE, NOOOOBODY, can beat him. And of course he lucks out and finds every treasure there's to be had. Reminds of that one guy who went to this pocket realm and beat out everyone and got all the big ticket rewards. No wait that was him in book 6 7 8 9 10 11. It's a basic script, instead of reboot Brink is just churning sequals coz it's a cash cow. BILK the readers while you can.

I'll give 1 more book a try and if it's rinse and reapt then well.. DNF Bye-bee

[Setia · Rating 2 out of 5]

This series is going absolutely nowhere, and I’m upset I’ve invested as much into it as I have

[Robert J Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

Think this might be my last of the series. The story doesn't flow. It's more like reading a D&D manual. There are so many pages of thoughts, and Dao... this and skill that and no story progression. Even in fights....pages of skill progression then you skip 3 years and more pages about skills. I have never skipped so many pages to get to the story in a book before. At this rate, this could be a 300 book series. I really liked the first ones and the way they were written, but sorry, it's lost its way for me.

[William · Rating 1 out of 5]

ugh

Just finish the story already. Have to skip and scan just to tolerate; you won’t miss anything relevant. Repetitive to the extreme

[John B · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great addition!

Twelve books in, and they keep getting better. It feels like this book is setting the MC up for major power-ups moving forward. Looking forward to see where the author takes the next book.

[mikeharrold90 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing!!!!

What an amazing tale to continue the epic adventure Zac continues on! I love this series and can't wait for more!

[Luke · Rating 5 out of 5]

wow

A gripping tale of courage, sacrifice, and determination in the face of impending war. Zac is forced to make difficult choices and embark on a perilous journey to protect Earth. The fusion of life and death adds an intriguing twist to the narrative, while the Perennial Vastness provides a richly detailed backdrop for Zac's quest. With the emergence of the fifth pillar of the System and the coveted Eternal Heritage, the stakes are raised even higher, drawing readers deeper into the intrigue of this captivating story. Zac's tumultuous journey towards Hegemony promises thrills and surprises at every turn. Overall, "Only the strong will survive when fate gathers" is a thrilling read that will leave readers eagerly awaiting the next installment.

[Zebulon Griggs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story continues. If you already made it to book 11, just know that book 12 does not disappoint. I read all these chapters on Patreon, but thoroughly enjoyed Pavi Proczko's performance as narrator. Well done!

[Mr. J · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finally! A book full of progression and that next step in his path. Excited to see where this takes him next.

[William Howe · Rating 5 out of 5]

one task

All building to the completion of his core. Everything along the way focused on *finally* crossing this threshold.

Good to see others learning from Orgras. Just try to keep pace and grab the bits that fall loose as the monster rampages forward.

Until next time.

[Amardeep · Rating 1 out of 5]

Boring monologing

I found this the most boring book of the series 26hr of bordem. The last half hour will get u some closer but even there the author leaves u hanging.

[Wayne DeCarr · Rating 1 out of 5]

Too much fluff

I love the characters and the plot line but get bogged down in the fluff of Zaks cultivating and developing.

[Sean · Rating 1 out of 5]

I feel like I'm being Punk'd.

Does anyone actually enjoy the endless infodumps of cultivation, "solidifying gains," endowing his axe with the dao, unleashing his skills and domains, etc? I get that Zac has moved past simply swinging his axe really hard at stuff, but I find absolutely zero enjoyment from reading laborious descriptions of every single little cultivation thing that happens. If you removed all of the core forming and dao braiding and skill upgrading and solidifying gains from this book, there would be about 14 total pages of interesting stuff. Unfortunately, those parts are there, and they are an endless slog to get through. I can't imagine how listening to this in audio version would be. I suppose it would help put me to sleep if nothing else.

I feel like the author is just sniffing his own farts, reveling in the endless descriptions like he's some anime superhero growing in power with every obscure power description and cultivation session that no one but he cares about. Or maybe I'm just an outlier and people actually like this stuff. I'm nearing the point where I can't bear to pick up the next book, but I keep going because each one seems like it will be more exciting like the first few were. I thought entering the Perennial Vastness would be one huge adventure like Abyssal Shores, but it was absolutely horrible and I hated almost every word of it. Now I'm still hoping that the next book will involve more adventure with the Ultom thing, but if it turns into yet another cultivation-fest, I think that will be it.

Give me a full book of Ogras and Catheya and Iz and LITERALLY ANYONE THAT ISN'T ZAC. Except the author would ruin that too and make their stories nothing but endless cultivation too, so I guess don't ruin those characters for me.

Someone that has read the chapters ahead, please give me hope that it gets better! I can't take more books like this one, I just can't!

[Jameson · Rating 3 out of 5]

author is really really stretching this out

Spoiler Warning: This review contains spoilers.




The pacing and plot development of the series are once again up for discussion as we traverse another 700 pages with protagonist Zac, still navigating the E-grade level until a last-minute transition to D-grade. The addition of new companions and the exploration of new worlds offer some highlights, yet there's a noticeable lack of forward momentum in both the story and character development, stretching the E- to D-grade progression over several volumes with little plot advancement.

The conclusion, rather than leaving readers eager for the next installment, is abruptly reached, halting the narrative at its climax without resolution. This ending contributes to a feeling of stagnation that has permeated the series' plot across the last few entries, marked by a decrease in action and significant plot movements.

On the brighter side, improvements in the author's writing are acknowledged, including a decrease in repetition and a more polished narrative approach. However, the critique points out that further editorial input could benefit the pacing and structure of the story. The book needs for a better balance between the rich world-building and the progression of plot and character arcs, even within the expansive scope of 700-1000 page novels, there's room for more meaningful development.

Despite these criticisms, the series maintains its charm through its exploration and character interactions. There's a hopeful anticipation that future volumes will address these pacing and narrative concerns, offering readers the depth and advancement they crave in the saga's continuation.

[Kat · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 stars. I found this entry in the series difficult to complete. The MC experienced multiple breakthroughs, which I found long and painful to read.

[Jim · Rating 5 out of 5]

For many creating your core is a succeed or die event.

As Zac continues to grow and improve his cultivation so to speak, he plans for the challenges mortals face in the quest for Hegemony. Using his ridiculous luck and an almost cheat level book from an acquaintance from his past, Zac will push himself to the breaking point and beyond as he has no guide or knowledgeable master to watch over his growth. He has to figure it out himself with all the disadvantages of a mortal both no affinities.
Abusing his luck and hidden secrets he arrives at the perennial vastness like an avalanche of Death…

[Richard Turner · Rating 4 out of 5]

good series

Been enjoying this series, and this book was a good addition to the story line. Can’t wait for boom 13 to drop.

[Michael Handlin · Rating 1 out of 5]

Very weak attempt

This was a weak pretty boring collection of words that mainly appeared to be attempting to reach a word count total. They gave been mailing it in recently as it took me 2 hours to read as so much fluff is skip-able. I am starting to wonder if using AI now in an attempt to put books out quicker.

[Christine Martin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Word vomit.

Probably flipped past 2/3 of endless repetitive chapters of Zack just sitting. Almost no effort to closing or revisiting plot lines. Not one scene on the Atwood Empire's development, no closer to his sister or mother, still years away from Ultom after the entire book. I think I'm done.

[Jacob Swenson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was extremely excited for this volume, however I can’t help but feel let down. I experienced a slog of filler with an unnecessary amount of exposition interspersed with occasional moments here and there that carried me through. I was most appreciative of the various POVs that moved us away from Zachary.

On a more positive note, I shall look forward to the next installment of Zac’s adventures in the multiverse; now that the necessary and tedious step of creating a cosmic core has been accomplished, his path may continue unabated. War approaches the Zecia Sector, along with the challenge of the Left Imperial Palace. What does the future hold for Zac and his friends?

Lastly, as an audiobook listener, I must give narrator Pavi Proczko props for giving a performance that is incredible as ever! His voices have brought this story to life, and I couldn’t imagine anyone else taking up the role!

[NOMAD · Rating 3 out of 5]

conflicted

The action parts are great, but as the series progresses the author is getting less and less succinct and diving way into the minutiae of every little part of Zac’s progress. I found myself skipping over 15-20 plus pages of just exhausting detail of every little facet to get to the heart of things. Hopefully with the end of this book we can get back to the action and adventure that drew me to the series vs the instruction manual on every part of cultivation with a little action and adventure

[Dennis Murphy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Defiance of the Fall 12 by JF Brink is a bit of a weird one. Early on it felt like there was a lot of effort put into making the vastness unique, but about halfway through the narrative appears to be increasingly bored with the unique characteristics of the setting. Indeed, it only comes back at the very, very end. A major source of conflict was just sort of dropped in the middle as well, while a new threat was introduced. The new threat was good, and a lot of the unique settings within the vastness were also relatively unique. The character interactions are always top notch. The romance subplot was actually pretty good, and Zac's ability to show her the volcano setting was actually, genuinely touching. But time seems to be a little off here. We're given a decade, but most of it is skipped. Zac gets a new quest with a lot of components, but they are mostly dealt with off screen. Zac's ability to switch forms is discovered at some point, but that has almost no ramifications we know of. The big world plot remains compelling, but while we get glimpses of that here and there, we get multiple whole chapters dedicated to technical details. When it feels like a fifth of the chapters are about a technique, cultivation, or breakthrough, it just feels stretched out.

The good still far outweighs the bad or the boring, but this could have been shortened to trim some fat, or dramatically expanded to revel in the unique setting. As it is, what could have been great is just "fine."

[Alexander Leichner]

First book of the year!

[Jeremy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another one down. This one takes place mostly in the Perennial Vastness, a quasi mystic zone that's supposed to be really good for building your core. It's interesting... I've been finding these books less enjoyable as they go on and I'm trying to figure out why. A part might just be that they keep getting more complicated and when I first started them, I was able to read like 5 in a row, but now I'm waiting a few months between books and just forgetting stuff... But I think it's that there's not as much struggle. Zac has just become too powerful. Now don't get me wrong, I love a power fantasy. It's just that I guess it doesn't feel like there's really been stakes for a while. Like, I just know Zac will always do it. And he understands the system so much better that he's not just figuring things out and making the same kinds of mistakes as he used to be. Idk... I still really enjoy it as popcorn fiction, but I think I miss the sense of struggle and stakes that were in the earlier books.

[Audiobook Cabbage · Rating 1 out of 5]

Up until this book, I thought book 9 was the poorest in every way. However, this book is decidedly the worst. In case you're considering buying, I would say dont waste your money. This is just a huge set up for whatever comes next. The format of a webnovel is simply not worth the money. Mainly because of the fluff in the book with no real substance/plot or storytelling. The worst thing for me is the changing the POV so often. Sometimes you get the story from characters you dont know/care about nor you get to see again.

[vijay ck · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm telling y'all this story goes nowhere even after reading 11 books.
.... there are few things I'd like to talk about.
1. MC is dumb and paranoid asf. and to make it worse the author always makes it look okay by making things go other way, and has ZERO character development. Even after 10 years.

2. Ogras, I liked this character his jokes and timing were good. but at some point he kinda looked like a parasite who struck with Mc for his benifits, he doesn't change, he always does the same thing. Like Mc does something then this guy makes jokes on it and gets jealousy of it then praise mc for his luck and affinity to cause trouble so that he can get something out of it. now I get annoyed just by seeing him

3. ohh god, I have never skipped so many pages in any other book I have read. all bullshitt about dao and other things that we already seen before. All these unnecessary things fit in the book it almost looks like author trying to drag it rather then telling story. It all the same thing over and over again, Mc gets to chase trouble and everyone in the multiverse will gossip about him all while he's trying to himself less popular. It's laughable.

4. The only smart and strong character I have seen this Book is Twilight king. Rest of the smart people and strong people will become dumb and hands tied as soon as they met Mc. Because he has luck 💀😂What a joke.

5. Almost 12 books and I have enjoyed only Two arcs. Technocrat base and twilight arc. They are incredibly good. but yeh that's all.

there are few other good things but they alone aren't enough to read this. I'll read book 13 if anything changes, I'll update this review. if it's the same old shitt, I'll drop this Book and consider this series as as somewhat time passable. ciao