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Unintended Cultivator #4
Unintended Cultivator: Volume 4
Time is a cultivator’s greatest ally, until it isn’t…Emerging from the deep wilds, Sen is now aware of the dangers of his body cultivation method. A method he doesn’t know how to progress. With time running out until his body turns against him, Sen travels to one of the only places he might find the manual that could save him. A place he never wanted to go. The capital.
Of course, the heart of the kingdom holds dangers of its own. Sen is inexorably drawn into the convoluted web of power that controls the vast city. He must navigate court politics, ambitious sects, and the unwanted attention of a criminal cultivator organization.
As he races toward a lethal showdown with cultivator and mortal powers alike, dangerous secrets will be revealed, Sen’s resolve will be tested, and the name Judgment’s Gale will finally be earned.
Of course, the heart of the kingdom holds dangers of its own. Sen is inexorably drawn into the convoluted web of power that controls the vast city. He must navigate court politics, ambitious sects, and the unwanted attention of a criminal cultivator organization.
As he races toward a lethal showdown with cultivator and mortal powers alike, dangerous secrets will be revealed, Sen’s resolve will be tested, and the name Judgment’s Gale will finally be earned.
531 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 12, 2024
1182 people are currently reading
219 people want to read
About the author
Eric Dontigney
28 books180 followersRaised in Western New York, Eric Dontigney has lived in New Mexico, Florida, Wisconsin, Virginia, Pennsylvania and Tennessee. He currently resides near Dayton, OH. He is a fan of photo-realism paintings, coffee and well-made food. He has a Bachelor's degree in Philosophy.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 74 reviews
December 14, 2025
Sen can't seem to escape the title Judgment's Gale. Sen has set out to find a manual he needs to complete his body cultivation before his body cultivation kills him, but he once again finds himself pulled into conflict that forces him to pass judgment. He's heading to the capital where politics and posturing can't be avoided. There are dangerous sects and nobility who are looking for his intervention. However when the winds of judgment blow through, no one can fully anticipate what may happen.
Unintended Cultivator Volume 4 is what I have come to expect from the series. Absurd feats from Sen that leave everyone astonished, while he is forced to deal with injustices that others can't or won't. The series truly encompasses the wandering aspects of a noble wandering cultivator as I imagine it.
At the beginning of the tale I thought the book would center around Sen getting the manual for the Five-Fold Body Transformation or assisting Chan Yu Ming in escaping her unwanted betrothal. While that does happen it is more business as usual for Sen...he runs into trouble with sects. None of which was distinctly his fault this time, but when the young man decides to act you have to hope he's with you rather than against you.
The characterization in the series has been severely lacking and that continues with this volume. I'm surprised that I'm willing to continue considering that's typically the main thing I look for in books. There is something about this series that keeps me reading though.
I'm looking forward to the next volume about Judgment's Gale and his exploits.
Unintended Cultivator Volume 4 is what I have come to expect from the series. Absurd feats from Sen that leave everyone astonished, while he is forced to deal with injustices that others can't or won't. The series truly encompasses the wandering aspects of a noble wandering cultivator as I imagine it.
At the beginning of the tale I thought the book would center around Sen getting the manual for the Five-Fold Body Transformation or assisting Chan Yu Ming in escaping her unwanted betrothal. While that does happen it is more business as usual for Sen...he runs into trouble with sects. None of which was distinctly his fault this time, but when the young man decides to act you have to hope he's with you rather than against you.
The characterization in the series has been severely lacking and that continues with this volume. I'm surprised that I'm willing to continue considering that's typically the main thing I look for in books. There is something about this series that keeps me reading though.
I'm looking forward to the next volume about Judgment's Gale and his exploits.
December 12, 2024
I've really enjoyed the series thus far, but I found Volume Four disappointing. Much of the book is the author writing dialog upon dialog about how amazing and special Sen is. Despite liking Sen, I became tired of it rather quickly. Though not awful, the plot was rather unsatisfying this time around. Spoilers ahead:
**********
The first half of book is about Sen attempting to remedy his maddening anger, but then the resolution to the conflict is done "off-screen" and poorly explained to the reader. We're told that it was a "heart demon", but the author doesn't tell us any more than that. There is no explanation as to what an heart demon actually is (an actual demon, an overabundance of negative energy, etc). It's inferred that Sen expells it when he unleashes a last stand attack, but we can't really be sure. It's one of the most important parts of the book, but is overcome in a manner so vague that you'd think it trivial.
Chan Yu Ming was introduced near the end of Volume Three as a sensible warrior with a lot of chemistry as Sen. That sensibility and chemistry seems to have evaporated in between volumes, along with her purpose in the plot. Sen seems to care very little about her from the beginning, contradicting how he behaved at the end of Volume 3, which was the start of a long string of disappointments with the handling of Chan Yu Ming as a character. She is effectively reduced to a plot device for introducing Sen to the royal family of the capital city, which ends up being completely irrelevant since the prince seeks Sen out on his own following a divination. Otherwise, she's just an excuse the author uses both to keep Sen in the city after discovering that the tome isn't there (despite Sen saying several times that he'd leave immediately if he finds the tome unattainable), and to reduce Sen's party to just himself and Falling Leaf. In the end, all of her potential is flushed away and her character becomes more of disappointment than even Lifen.
All in all, the bulk of Volume Four's story seems to have been Sen wasting his time with issues that won't matter beyond shortening the time he has to save himself. The parts that do seem to matter were mysteriously glossed over. Regardless, I look forward to the next book in the series and hope that Eric Dontigney will focus more on character and plot development going forward.
**********
The first half of book is about Sen attempting to remedy his maddening anger, but then the resolution to the conflict is done "off-screen" and poorly explained to the reader. We're told that it was a "heart demon", but the author doesn't tell us any more than that. There is no explanation as to what an heart demon actually is (an actual demon, an overabundance of negative energy, etc). It's inferred that Sen expells it when he unleashes a last stand attack, but we can't really be sure. It's one of the most important parts of the book, but is overcome in a manner so vague that you'd think it trivial.
Chan Yu Ming was introduced near the end of Volume Three as a sensible warrior with a lot of chemistry as Sen. That sensibility and chemistry seems to have evaporated in between volumes, along with her purpose in the plot. Sen seems to care very little about her from the beginning, contradicting how he behaved at the end of Volume 3, which was the start of a long string of disappointments with the handling of Chan Yu Ming as a character. She is effectively reduced to a plot device for introducing Sen to the royal family of the capital city, which ends up being completely irrelevant since the prince seeks Sen out on his own following a divination. Otherwise, she's just an excuse the author uses both to keep Sen in the city after discovering that the tome isn't there (despite Sen saying several times that he'd leave immediately if he finds the tome unattainable), and to reduce Sen's party to just himself and Falling Leaf. In the end, all of her potential is flushed away and her character becomes more of disappointment than even Lifen.
All in all, the bulk of Volume Four's story seems to have been Sen wasting his time with issues that won't matter beyond shortening the time he has to save himself. The parts that do seem to matter were mysteriously glossed over. Regardless, I look forward to the next book in the series and hope that Eric Dontigney will focus more on character and plot development going forward.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 8, 2024
Karma karma karma!
I got so exhausted with Sen constantly going on about karma in this book. It was pointless and annoying. Honestly though, I think I’m done with this series. I loved it at first; however, Sen has become such a ln arrogant and pompous douche that I can’t stand him. He is so caught up in his own self righteous bs. He constantly claims he hates the title Judgements Gale, but constantly reinforces it and has obviously bought into his own press that it’s obnoxious.
Im not saying that some of what he did isn’t right, but the problem stems from the fact that he’s a kid with a gun and acts like it. He waves this gun around and forces people to his way of mind, and the plot armor on him is so thick that he gets away with it! Now even worse since he “isn’t supposed to be here” and basically thinks he’s cultivator Jesus or something. Seriously, the character has become loathsome.
I got so exhausted with Sen constantly going on about karma in this book. It was pointless and annoying. Honestly though, I think I’m done with this series. I loved it at first; however, Sen has become such a ln arrogant and pompous douche that I can’t stand him. He is so caught up in his own self righteous bs. He constantly claims he hates the title Judgements Gale, but constantly reinforces it and has obviously bought into his own press that it’s obnoxious.
Im not saying that some of what he did isn’t right, but the problem stems from the fact that he’s a kid with a gun and acts like it. He waves this gun around and forces people to his way of mind, and the plot armor on him is so thick that he gets away with it! Now even worse since he “isn’t supposed to be here” and basically thinks he’s cultivator Jesus or something. Seriously, the character has become loathsome.
November 12, 2024
well that ended badly
He really can’t simply visit. Absurd things happen, evil can’t resist striking out, and he ends up changing everything. Because people can’t just leave him alone.
Just enough humor to keep it from being too earnest.
Pre-ordering book 5. Excellent series.
He really can’t simply visit. Absurd things happen, evil can’t resist striking out, and he ends up changing everything. Because people can’t just leave him alone.
Just enough humor to keep it from being too earnest.
Pre-ordering book 5. Excellent series.
November 14, 2024
Good book
A very good book,the series just keeps getting better. I can't wait to see how he deals with the next threat,on his way to get his manual. Till the next book keep it real
A very good book,the series just keeps getting better. I can't wait to see how he deals with the next threat,on his way to get his manual. Till the next book keep it real
September 24, 2024
Read this on Royal Road. Continues to be a great series that would be even better with just a bit more copy editing. Still, well worth the read.
December 25, 2025
Long on page stuffing, short on fun.
This is by far the worst book in the series yet. And that’s saying a lot because the first book was super boring. This author has fallen into many of the traps of amateur writers.
Despite everything this series had going for it, mainly it’s interesting progression system and world building, the issues with this series have become some blatant that I found myself skim reading to the little action there is here and there.
My biggest problem is the tendency another reviewer used a term for I found apt, “page stuffing”. That’s what the vast majority of this book is. Not action, just self-dialogue about mostly moral issues, decision making, theorizing, and just a dash of cultivation. If this was limited to cultivation, that would be bearable if not the best way to tell this kind of story. But EVERY SINGLE THING in this book is both analyzed to the nth degree by internal monologue then rehashed with characters to the point there is zero subtext.
There’s no putting it together ourselves, no the author needs you to know every single thing that’s happening and exactly why with an essay attached. Besides the fact this is spoon-feeding and doesn’t trust the audience, it doesn’t even make sense half the time. The logic the MC goes through isn’t always valid or sound, but because this is a fictional story, the author can make the MC right anyway. Just a total exercise in frustration. Every decision the MC makes is correct. Every deduction he makes is correct, even if it’s totally out of left field and obviously a weak assumption at best. There’s no character growth here, just an OP MC who’s always right, so he can’t ever be wrong. And if you think he’s wrong, you’re wrong, just let the author explain this to you in page after page of inner monologuing on the topic…
The worst effect of this amateur tendency of the author is that it breaks not only the pace of the story, by interspersing these monologues during plot important conversations making us forget what’s going on in the first place, but it breaks the pace of the little action there is. The combat is dragged down to Boring Town with the rest of the story.
The author even undermines one of the stronger aspects of this series, its cultivation system, by having the MC level at a ridiculous pace. He’s been out of training for a little over a year and he’s already knocking on the highest tier of cultivation, in book 4. Listen, I actually don’t mind a series where the pace of progression is rapid, but it first must be logically consistent within the story, and second, it must fit the pace of the story itself.
On the first point, cultivation in this series takes centuries and millennia because of how long it takes to cultivate Qi and convert and store into into one’s core, and it’s never explained how the MC is doing centuries and millennia of cultivation in months. So that’s strike one undermining the cultivation system.
Strike two is the contradictory pace. The pacing of this story could not be worse with the endless monologuing and rehashing conversations, but the cultivation is one of the fastest in the dozens of series I’ve read? That makes no sense. In Path of the Berserker, the best fast-paced cultivation series there is, the pace of the story rivals the pace of progression, and… it’s logically consistent with that MC’s path too. That’s great writing, this series is bad.
But what finally made me decide I just can’t with this series anymore, was the absolutely ridiculous scene between MC and some ancient highest level cultivator sect leader who’s the “most beautiful person ever” who was introduced as a character and described that way only the chapter or two before. MC meets this woman while wiping out some criminal syndicate that crossed him, and immediately makes a move on her. And it’s the most ham-fisted, ridiculous come on lines you could ever read. I mean this read like what a bullied middle schooler imagines hook ups go. Nowhere near reality. I question this author’s experience with the fairer sex, that’s how bad this is. Edit: Okay I’ve seen pictures of this guy, theory tracks. Plus Ayn Rand is an influence? That’s not something any actual writer would admit to. Now I see where the idealized MC who’s always right because you can write it that way comes from. But the worst thing about this ridiculous episode… is that it works! And he spends three full days bedding her!
This is the idealized MC to its highest degree. He’s not only the most powerful cultivator ever apparently (being just OP isn’t enough), he’s not only right about everything, he’s not only so crazy handsome all the girls swoon and blush over him, no he’s so OP he can bed an ancient highest tier cultivator at the peak of power who’s also the most beautiful woman on the continent with some juvenile pick up lines.
Being OP is not always a bad thing in a series, but this is a series demonstrating exactly how it can be. It’s clear this author is using this MC as an idealized version of himself to play out his insecurity-related fantasies. Many authors in this genre do this to one degree or another, but the juvenile-level of it in this series might as well be a primer for his therapist. I could tell you exactly what this author is personally insecure about (his appearance and masculinity), and what he sees as his best traits (his intelligence, self-awarded). It’s that obvious what’s going on here.
In summary, this series has quickly devolved into one of the worst I’ve read. The fault is the author’s amateurish writing style, clearly ignorant of how to navigate tropes of the genre, basic writing structures like pace, and why people read progression in the first place. It’s supposed to be fun. This ain’t.
This is by far the worst book in the series yet. And that’s saying a lot because the first book was super boring. This author has fallen into many of the traps of amateur writers.
Despite everything this series had going for it, mainly it’s interesting progression system and world building, the issues with this series have become some blatant that I found myself skim reading to the little action there is here and there.
My biggest problem is the tendency another reviewer used a term for I found apt, “page stuffing”. That’s what the vast majority of this book is. Not action, just self-dialogue about mostly moral issues, decision making, theorizing, and just a dash of cultivation. If this was limited to cultivation, that would be bearable if not the best way to tell this kind of story. But EVERY SINGLE THING in this book is both analyzed to the nth degree by internal monologue then rehashed with characters to the point there is zero subtext.
There’s no putting it together ourselves, no the author needs you to know every single thing that’s happening and exactly why with an essay attached. Besides the fact this is spoon-feeding and doesn’t trust the audience, it doesn’t even make sense half the time. The logic the MC goes through isn’t always valid or sound, but because this is a fictional story, the author can make the MC right anyway. Just a total exercise in frustration. Every decision the MC makes is correct. Every deduction he makes is correct, even if it’s totally out of left field and obviously a weak assumption at best. There’s no character growth here, just an OP MC who’s always right, so he can’t ever be wrong. And if you think he’s wrong, you’re wrong, just let the author explain this to you in page after page of inner monologuing on the topic…
The worst effect of this amateur tendency of the author is that it breaks not only the pace of the story, by interspersing these monologues during plot important conversations making us forget what’s going on in the first place, but it breaks the pace of the little action there is. The combat is dragged down to Boring Town with the rest of the story.
The author even undermines one of the stronger aspects of this series, its cultivation system, by having the MC level at a ridiculous pace. He’s been out of training for a little over a year and he’s already knocking on the highest tier of cultivation, in book 4. Listen, I actually don’t mind a series where the pace of progression is rapid, but it first must be logically consistent within the story, and second, it must fit the pace of the story itself.
On the first point, cultivation in this series takes centuries and millennia because of how long it takes to cultivate Qi and convert and store into into one’s core, and it’s never explained how the MC is doing centuries and millennia of cultivation in months. So that’s strike one undermining the cultivation system.
Strike two is the contradictory pace. The pacing of this story could not be worse with the endless monologuing and rehashing conversations, but the cultivation is one of the fastest in the dozens of series I’ve read? That makes no sense. In Path of the Berserker, the best fast-paced cultivation series there is, the pace of the story rivals the pace of progression, and… it’s logically consistent with that MC’s path too. That’s great writing, this series is bad.
But what finally made me decide I just can’t with this series anymore, was the absolutely ridiculous scene between MC and some ancient highest level cultivator sect leader who’s the “most beautiful person ever” who was introduced as a character and described that way only the chapter or two before. MC meets this woman while wiping out some criminal syndicate that crossed him, and immediately makes a move on her. And it’s the most ham-fisted, ridiculous come on lines you could ever read. I mean this read like what a bullied middle schooler imagines hook ups go. Nowhere near reality. I question this author’s experience with the fairer sex, that’s how bad this is. Edit: Okay I’ve seen pictures of this guy, theory tracks. Plus Ayn Rand is an influence? That’s not something any actual writer would admit to. Now I see where the idealized MC who’s always right because you can write it that way comes from. But the worst thing about this ridiculous episode… is that it works! And he spends three full days bedding her!
This is the idealized MC to its highest degree. He’s not only the most powerful cultivator ever apparently (being just OP isn’t enough), he’s not only right about everything, he’s not only so crazy handsome all the girls swoon and blush over him, no he’s so OP he can bed an ancient highest tier cultivator at the peak of power who’s also the most beautiful woman on the continent with some juvenile pick up lines.
Being OP is not always a bad thing in a series, but this is a series demonstrating exactly how it can be. It’s clear this author is using this MC as an idealized version of himself to play out his insecurity-related fantasies. Many authors in this genre do this to one degree or another, but the juvenile-level of it in this series might as well be a primer for his therapist. I could tell you exactly what this author is personally insecure about (his appearance and masculinity), and what he sees as his best traits (his intelligence, self-awarded). It’s that obvious what’s going on here.
In summary, this series has quickly devolved into one of the worst I’ve read. The fault is the author’s amateurish writing style, clearly ignorant of how to navigate tropes of the genre, basic writing structures like pace, and why people read progression in the first place. It’s supposed to be fun. This ain’t.
November 19, 2024
Most of this is story follows the OP protagonist as he stumbles into situations where he can exert his power and judgement. The one break from this format was his trek to deal with his heart-worm (anger parasite?), which seemed to come out of nowhere. The author was unwilling to allow the MC to do anything unforgivable, so this malady rang hollow.
November 21, 2024
Worth a wait
This was worth the wait as Sen goes up another crazy power level and, of course, even better gets to unleash some humorous situations as he discovers politics. This was well written and a great series for cultivation. Looking forward to the next.
This was worth the wait as Sen goes up another crazy power level and, of course, even better gets to unleash some humorous situations as he discovers politics. This was well written and a great series for cultivation. Looking forward to the next.
March 25, 2025
Rating 4.0 stars
I still like the series but there are some issues. The biggest thing for me is the plot. The MC has a goal in mind. He needs to get the body cultivation manual, or he will die. He needs to go to the capital to see if he can buy/borrow/beg for it from the sect who has it. Okay that all makes sense. Along the way he has these other things that happen. At most SOME of those things are tangentially there and could help with his main goal, but not everything. Overall, I still enjoy the series, but I liked the first book the best.
I still like the series but there are some issues. The biggest thing for me is the plot. The MC has a goal in mind. He needs to get the body cultivation manual, or he will die. He needs to go to the capital to see if he can buy/borrow/beg for it from the sect who has it. Okay that all makes sense. Along the way he has these other things that happen. At most SOME of those things are tangentially there and could help with his main goal, but not everything. Overall, I still enjoy the series, but I liked the first book the best.
November 2, 2024
I think this series is getting better and more powerful with every book we read and this, book 4 really captured me from the start, leaving me craving book 5 due to its exciting ending. Sen is leaving the wilds behind him, he is travelling in the company of Lo Meifeng, Shi Peng and his beloved spirit animal companion Falling leaf who has now taken human form. He is very angry at everyone, and knows that this problem of uncontrolled anger needed to be tackled. He was also in search of a manual, as his life was on a time limit now that he had been set on a cultivation path which he had no idea how to go about advancing in. The only problem was that the manual was supposedly to be found in the capital, and he hated even the idea of travelling to this place. Once he arrived there he soon became embroiled in the political power games, hunted by the sects who saw him as a threat since he was not bound or affiliated to any sect, so answered to no one, and the name given to him, that of Judgement's Gale was one to be feared. Falling Leaf hated the city and all it's dangers even more than he did, whilst Lo Meifeng still needed to re-gain his trust after betraying him and Shi Peng needed to get his act together as all his whining and grumbling were getting on Sen's nerves big time and it was never a good idea to get on his nerves! He had come to the capital hoping to find his salvation yet he'd failed totally in that pursuit. He'd ended up causing trouble and chaos in the city, for the Royal family, the sects and the criminal underworld, through the rivers of blood which flowed whereever he went. Trouble seems never too far from Sen even though he prefers to be left alone and seeks only peace! Cannot wait for book 5.
December 18, 2024
well, worth the five stars have read the series twice, that’s how good I think it is.
I love this story and I love this book as well. The MC is a likable character who is traveling along life. And learning the ins and outs as he goes. He didn’t intend to be a cultivator, but he has turned out to be one. The main story is about the MC‘s growth as a person as well as a cultivator. I guess you could call it a coming-of-age story with plenty of world building Plenty of side. Characters that are written well excellence fight scenes. And lessons for us all. I hope the author. does not change the group dynamic that much. The MC has his best friend and as well as his assassin minder as well as a character for comic relief. they should always be in the books and I think personally there will be something missing if they are not included in the next.book this book is my favorite series. It is at the front of the line. As far as the books I read behind it or defiance of the fall, he who fights with monsters, system change, the path of ascension as well as others. if you have not read this book, I urge you to do so if you’ve not read the series I also urge you to do so. You will fall in love with this character. If this book was on Patreon, I would sponsor it to review and read the following next chapters. That’s how good I think this series is read it, you won’t be disappointed.
I love this story and I love this book as well. The MC is a likable character who is traveling along life. And learning the ins and outs as he goes. He didn’t intend to be a cultivator, but he has turned out to be one. The main story is about the MC‘s growth as a person as well as a cultivator. I guess you could call it a coming-of-age story with plenty of world building Plenty of side. Characters that are written well excellence fight scenes. And lessons for us all. I hope the author. does not change the group dynamic that much. The MC has his best friend and as well as his assassin minder as well as a character for comic relief. they should always be in the books and I think personally there will be something missing if they are not included in the next.book this book is my favorite series. It is at the front of the line. As far as the books I read behind it or defiance of the fall, he who fights with monsters, system change, the path of ascension as well as others. if you have not read this book, I urge you to do so if you’ve not read the series I also urge you to do so. You will fall in love with this character. If this book was on Patreon, I would sponsor it to review and read the following next chapters. That’s how good I think this series is read it, you won’t be disappointed.
November 15, 2024
Unsatisfying. I love this series, and the book got off to an alright start for me. The way the anger issue was resolved felt unplanned; it was more like the author got tired of it than that it was a well-considered plot arc. However, that was more a niggle than a real complaint.
The story really got muddled for me with Sen's arrival at the capital. Sen arrived with a clear objective, a reluctantly accepted secondary objective, and quickly established a foothold to resolve both. Then the author apparently suffered head trauma and started to tell a whole new story with a flimsy premise and the most boring and unimaginative of all antagonists, the massively overpowered moron. The resolution of the central conflicts of this book felt like an afterthought.
Summary of Quest of the Manual:
I desperately wanted to like this book more and the four stars are a generous reflection of that. It feels like the author is writing by the seat of their pants and gets distracted? I hope more planning goes into the next book.
The story really got muddled for me with Sen's arrival at the capital. Sen arrived with a clear objective, a reluctantly accepted secondary objective, and quickly established a foothold to resolve both. Then the author apparently suffered head trauma and started to tell a whole new story with a flimsy premise and the most boring and unimaginative of all antagonists, the massively overpowered moron. The resolution of the central conflicts of this book felt like an afterthought.
Summary of Quest of the Manual:
I desperately wanted to like this book more and the four stars are a generous reflection of that. It feels like the author is writing by the seat of their pants and gets distracted? I hope more planning goes into the next book.
November 26, 2024
I made it 63% of the way through before being disappointed enough to drop it. This is a rough draft at best. It's a stream of consciousness that lacks structure, message, or basic descriptions. The book doesn't fall apart at the seams because it never made it that far into production.
To avoid spoilers I'll simply point out how the 'major conflict' for the first half of the book is resolved off-screen. And not only that, but that off-screen time involves training on new techniques which are pulled out of nowhere when convenient. You'll spend full pages dedicated to the main character considering his choices but the author isn't bothered to write the interesting moments of his own story nor the basic descriptions of the people in them. Picture books have more written descriptions. It gets worse as the book goes on until characters have nothing said about them; places have nothing said about them. All so the author can jump between points of 'look at how interesting my main character is'.
I have never felt more cheated by a story I was looking forward to. Instead of the fun fantasy I was expecting I got what amounts to a narcissist's diary extolling their virtues.
To avoid spoilers I'll simply point out how the 'major conflict' for the first half of the book is resolved off-screen. And not only that, but that off-screen time involves training on new techniques which are pulled out of nowhere when convenient. You'll spend full pages dedicated to the main character considering his choices but the author isn't bothered to write the interesting moments of his own story nor the basic descriptions of the people in them. Picture books have more written descriptions. It gets worse as the book goes on until characters have nothing said about them; places have nothing said about them. All so the author can jump between points of 'look at how interesting my main character is'.
I have never felt more cheated by a story I was looking forward to. Instead of the fun fantasy I was expecting I got what amounts to a narcissist's diary extolling their virtues.
November 19, 2024
I recommend this series to anybody reading the review
When it comes to a sequel I'm basically looking for everything that made the last book worth reading and then some. I did very much enjoy this entry into the series. There were quite a few points throughout the majority of the book where I found myself laughing out loud. Unfortunately this entry ends on a bittersweet note that at least for me left me feeling kind of bummed out. Moving on to a different topic Some of the story arcs are brought up and concluded within the same book and others tend to spend multiple. The major one that our main character was facing in the last book apparently it's not going to get resolved until the next book which has a March 2025 release date. At least I hope the author doesn't drag it on pass the sequel to this book.
When it comes to a sequel I'm basically looking for everything that made the last book worth reading and then some. I did very much enjoy this entry into the series. There were quite a few points throughout the majority of the book where I found myself laughing out loud. Unfortunately this entry ends on a bittersweet note that at least for me left me feeling kind of bummed out. Moving on to a different topic Some of the story arcs are brought up and concluded within the same book and others tend to spend multiple. The major one that our main character was facing in the last book apparently it's not going to get resolved until the next book which has a March 2025 release date. At least I hope the author doesn't drag it on pass the sequel to this book.
December 5, 2024
Still loving this story and the Xanthan world of arrogant cultivators.
The MC visits a sect, gets kidnapped by a cult and finally visits the mortal capital, seeking a rare cultivation guide. They run afoul of avaricious sects, nobles with despicable secrets and a criminal organization that accepted a hit contract on Sen, the MC.
What I love is the Xanthan world, with old monsters, arrogant young masters and mortals who live in fear of cultivators, but at the same time, cultivators need mortals to support their living conditions. The storyline makes sense as the MC navigates this difficult world where he has to fight to survive, but is willing to avoid fighting and killing, but only if prudent. I look forward to the next installment.
The MC visits a sect, gets kidnapped by a cult and finally visits the mortal capital, seeking a rare cultivation guide. They run afoul of avaricious sects, nobles with despicable secrets and a criminal organization that accepted a hit contract on Sen, the MC.
What I love is the Xanthan world, with old monsters, arrogant young masters and mortals who live in fear of cultivators, but at the same time, cultivators need mortals to support their living conditions. The storyline makes sense as the MC navigates this difficult world where he has to fight to survive, but is willing to avoid fighting and killing, but only if prudent. I look forward to the next installment.
February 28, 2025
A disappointment
This book saw a large decrease in the story and character writing:
Our MC repeatedly makes the same mistakes, even after acknowledging them and stating he won't do it again.
80% of all these books is MC's introspection, yet we don't hear anything about him pondering belonging in another realm until he tells a dying man that he's been thinking about it.
The whole issue and driver of conflict could have been resolved by going back to the turtle. The turtle that literally told him to come back once he reached core formation.
The side characters have become tagalongs that don't matter and just sit, waiting around for MC to do things.
I could go on and on. What a shame, the beginning of the story was really good
This book saw a large decrease in the story and character writing:
Our MC repeatedly makes the same mistakes, even after acknowledging them and stating he won't do it again.
80% of all these books is MC's introspection, yet we don't hear anything about him pondering belonging in another realm until he tells a dying man that he's been thinking about it.
The whole issue and driver of conflict could have been resolved by going back to the turtle. The turtle that literally told him to come back once he reached core formation.
The side characters have become tagalongs that don't matter and just sit, waiting around for MC to do things.
I could go on and on. What a shame, the beginning of the story was really good
November 13, 2024
Sen In The Capital
Should an absurdly fast growing cultivator, raised by no one and specifically powerful someones, whose views of nobility are shaped by his direct experience as a child (and unchanged by further experience as a young adult), with a ticking time bomb of a body thanks to a meddlesome turtle, go to the kingdom's capital? If you instinctively responded "NO", you'd be right. But, circumstances, a lovely young lady, and need send him there. What happens? I guarantee you, you won't have thought of it. Why would you? Stuff like that doesn't happen to normal people. Sen though, is a magnet for the ridiculous. Read on and enjoy!!
Should an absurdly fast growing cultivator, raised by no one and specifically powerful someones, whose views of nobility are shaped by his direct experience as a child (and unchanged by further experience as a young adult), with a ticking time bomb of a body thanks to a meddlesome turtle, go to the kingdom's capital? If you instinctively responded "NO", you'd be right. But, circumstances, a lovely young lady, and need send him there. What happens? I guarantee you, you won't have thought of it. Why would you? Stuff like that doesn't happen to normal people. Sen though, is a magnet for the ridiculous. Read on and enjoy!!
December 19, 2024
Will any of this book matter going forward?
1. The heart demon was a huge deal in book three and the start of this story. It's resolved off screen with no explanation.
2. Chan Yu Ming is forgotten. She was introduced in the last book and had great chemistry with the MC. Now he seems to not care at all for no reason.
3. The entire plot in the capital (i.e 2/3 of the book) could have been removed. It adds nothing to the greater narrative other that to show that the MC is even more OP and arrogant now.
I hope the author puts some more thought into the next installment because this series started great and I want it to finish that way too.
1. The heart demon was a huge deal in book three and the start of this story. It's resolved off screen with no explanation.
2. Chan Yu Ming is forgotten. She was introduced in the last book and had great chemistry with the MC. Now he seems to not care at all for no reason.
3. The entire plot in the capital (i.e 2/3 of the book) could have been removed. It adds nothing to the greater narrative other that to show that the MC is even more OP and arrogant now.
I hope the author puts some more thought into the next installment because this series started great and I want it to finish that way too.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 23, 2024
Shi Ping was right about Lu Sen
He really is a righteous prick and he's steadily become more unlikable over the course of the books until I feel like he's become pretty much everything he hates about sects and nobility self righteous, petty, and quick to anger. I'm kinda baffled by the direction this series has gone and explaining part of it away with like the heart demon and things, but the main character just really sucks and he's not even an exception the whole world is just unlikable characters I don't know why it turned so grim dark when it doesn't really add anything. Maybe I'm the exception here but I'm confused.
He really is a righteous prick and he's steadily become more unlikable over the course of the books until I feel like he's become pretty much everything he hates about sects and nobility self righteous, petty, and quick to anger. I'm kinda baffled by the direction this series has gone and explaining part of it away with like the heart demon and things, but the main character just really sucks and he's not even an exception the whole world is just unlikable characters I don't know why it turned so grim dark when it doesn't really add anything. Maybe I'm the exception here but I'm confused.
November 18, 2024
Game Changing
Something is different with this book than the previous ones in regards to Sen's personality. I can't quite put my finger on it except maybe his innocence is gone?
In general this book was a little tougher to read due the politics involved. Although strangely enough, it is indirect political manipulation that causes problems. A lot of blood and a lot of anger is going on.
I am disappointed in the introduction of a new character that seems absolutely intriguing but is only in the book for like five minutes.
Have fun!!
Something is different with this book than the previous ones in regards to Sen's personality. I can't quite put my finger on it except maybe his innocence is gone?
In general this book was a little tougher to read due the politics involved. Although strangely enough, it is indirect political manipulation that causes problems. A lot of blood and a lot of anger is going on.
I am disappointed in the introduction of a new character that seems absolutely intriguing but is only in the book for like five minutes.
Have fun!!
November 30, 2024
A darker road
I haven't read other reviews and i was tempted to give 3.5 or 4 stars but on reflection, this is still a brilliant book. The biggest difference is that Sen is not particularly likable for most of his actions at every part of the story. The are a lot of personal challenges for Sen and he makes decisions that match his legend name but in ways that are very dark. Rather than enjoying Sen's developments, he is on a path to becoming a cautionary tale rather than a heroic tale and that is a big adjustment for Sen and us readers.
I haven't read other reviews and i was tempted to give 3.5 or 4 stars but on reflection, this is still a brilliant book. The biggest difference is that Sen is not particularly likable for most of his actions at every part of the story. The are a lot of personal challenges for Sen and he makes decisions that match his legend name but in ways that are very dark. Rather than enjoying Sen's developments, he is on a path to becoming a cautionary tale rather than a heroic tale and that is a big adjustment for Sen and us readers.
January 6, 2025
Aside from my interest in Asian culture and mythology, I keep asking myself "why do I love these stories so darned much?". The author does a lot of telling versus showing, but in such a way I just want to buckle up and go along for the ride to see what challenge is over the next hill. The level of snark keeps me amused, the the ongoing depth of self-evaluation and relationship development makes me care and the creative ongoing reveal of a unique and complex magical world is intriguing. As a practitioner of Tai Chi (on the most basic level!) I enjoy the incorporation of the philosophy and terminology of the Tai Chi/ Chi Gong practices in the magical system.
June 19, 2025
Two Thirds of the Novel Fail
Two thirds of the book are wasted because of over explaining the descriptions of choices and situations. When the protagonist thinks about a subject, then overkills the flow of the style of writing by what he thinks about it over and over again, the author is stuffing the book with pages and pages of monotonous dribble that is not fit for human consumption. It's better to take more time on writing worth reading than going with a style the fast, cheap, unnecessary, and very annoying. 😑
Two thirds of the book are wasted because of over explaining the descriptions of choices and situations. When the protagonist thinks about a subject, then overkills the flow of the style of writing by what he thinks about it over and over again, the author is stuffing the book with pages and pages of monotonous dribble that is not fit for human consumption. It's better to take more time on writing worth reading than going with a style the fast, cheap, unnecessary, and very annoying. 😑
November 19, 2024
great continuation of the series. already have book 5 marked on my calendar
My biggest part of if I enjoy a cultivation series is when it’s about the story and the cultivation is a minor part not the other way around. I have stopped reading so many books where the entire storyline was about advancing only with barely a story to support it. Also make sure and read the bloopers section at the very end. Absolutely hilarious.
My biggest part of if I enjoy a cultivation series is when it’s about the story and the cultivation is a minor part not the other way around. I have stopped reading so many books where the entire storyline was about advancing only with barely a story to support it. Also make sure and read the bloopers section at the very end. Absolutely hilarious.
December 10, 2024
A very mixed bag..
It is absolutely ridiculous how op the protagonist is supposed to be at his young age. He is supposedly a genius swordman, double cultivator, a master alchemist, a a master formation specialist, not to forgetbeing super lucky plus of course super handsome and a genius at cultivation who is able to defeat even 😀 multiple cultivators with higher cultivation at once... On the other hand he is rather autistic when it comes to relationships and how to act..
Therefore, it is no wonder that he is constantly full of himself and harsh with others.. A lot of the story the story reads like a mix of fairy tale and power fantasy..
It is absolutely ridiculous how op the protagonist is supposed to be at his young age. He is supposedly a genius swordman, double cultivator, a master alchemist, a a master formation specialist, not to forgetbeing super lucky plus of course super handsome and a genius at cultivation who is able to defeat even 😀 multiple cultivators with higher cultivation at once... On the other hand he is rather autistic when it comes to relationships and how to act..
Therefore, it is no wonder that he is constantly full of himself and harsh with others.. A lot of the story the story reads like a mix of fairy tale and power fantasy..
December 26, 2024
Surprising Depths
Most cultivation novels follow set formulae that use phrases like,"You Dare!" and "On your unworthy knees!" They tend to exemplify the privileged over the hoi poloi and about how all but the protagonist must know their place. Truthfully, this book has some of that too, but, their is quite a bit of character development and growth as well. It's an enjoyable read with grace notes of humor liberally strewn throughout it.
Most cultivation novels follow set formulae that use phrases like,"You Dare!" and "On your unworthy knees!" They tend to exemplify the privileged over the hoi poloi and about how all but the protagonist must know their place. Truthfully, this book has some of that too, but, their is quite a bit of character development and growth as well. It's an enjoyable read with grace notes of humor liberally strewn throughout it.
October 4, 2025
Relatable on some levels
Another good installment of the series. Whilst anger is never a good thing I'm sure there are a lot of us than can and possibly would be able to relate to Sen's anger at times. Obviously violence is not acceptable in our real lives but in our fantasy lives we we could relate.
Sen had a lot going on in this book and how it ended showed a good growth in his understanding and wanting to leave some peace behind him.
I look forward to book 5.
Another good installment of the series. Whilst anger is never a good thing I'm sure there are a lot of us than can and possibly would be able to relate to Sen's anger at times. Obviously violence is not acceptable in our real lives but in our fantasy lives we we could relate.
Sen had a lot going on in this book and how it ended showed a good growth in his understanding and wanting to leave some peace behind him.
I look forward to book 5.
October 15, 2025
Stopped Caring Half-Way
I read through to the end, but it was a slog. It seems that in every cultivation series there comes a point where the protagonist has become such a high-handed jerk that I can't really be invested any more, even if the author makes it part of a deliberate character arc. Half-hearted apologies are not the same as making effort to atone. I might pick this up again someday when I've forgotten how tired I am of Sen.
I read through to the end, but it was a slog. It seems that in every cultivation series there comes a point where the protagonist has become such a high-handed jerk that I can't really be invested any more, even if the author makes it part of a deliberate character arc. Half-hearted apologies are not the same as making effort to atone. I might pick this up again someday when I've forgotten how tired I am of Sen.
November 19, 2024
The capitol! A place where millions and millions of people live. What could go wrong? There were so many political toes that Sen stepped on that chaos is the only true event. Sen now has friends and some of those friends may not like how he does things. I cannot wait to read the next in the series.
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