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Aether's Revival #1
Aether's Blessing
Every year, the empire administers the rite of passage into adulthood. That rite serves to identify those blessed by Aether to become magi. The new magi are shipped to the academy to learn the arts of magic.
The academy is a dangerous place; the tournaments held twice each year can cripple or kill the students, and the clans of the empire will go to great lengths to recruit the students they want.
Gregory had one dream: to become a magi like the legends of old. Though he was ridiculed by the residents of the village and his unsupportive father, he never wavered from his dream. Would his age day bring the fruition of his dreams, or would reality come crashing down on him?
(This book contains some adult themes.)
The academy is a dangerous place; the tournaments held twice each year can cripple or kill the students, and the clans of the empire will go to great lengths to recruit the students they want.
Gregory had one dream: to become a magi like the legends of old. Though he was ridiculed by the residents of the village and his unsupportive father, he never wavered from his dream. Would his age day bring the fruition of his dreams, or would reality come crashing down on him?
(This book contains some adult themes.)
484 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 28, 2020
1799 people are currently reading
1458 people want to read
About the author
Daniel Schinhofen
66 books1,310 followersDaniel James Schinhofen is a self-published author in the burgeoning genre of LitRPG/Gamelit. He published his first book, Last Horizon: Beta, in October of 2016, and has recently published his fifteenth book. A best-selling author on Amazon multiple times, his four series have achieved name recognition in the genre. When not slavishly typing away at the next book, Daniel tries to unwind with video games, playing with his dog Sugar, or going for walks around his neighborhood. His books can be found easily via his website http://schinhofenbooks.com/. Daniel can be found via Twitter using the handle @DJSchinhofen.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 376 reviews
March 3, 2020
This is a bit biased, but I think it's a really good story.
April 20, 2020
My God. This is just terrible.
June 5, 2020
Content Warning: A bit of explicit sex.
I've been putting this off for a bit due to the horrendous cover art despite good ratings. I mean a cover which looks like a bad screenshot of minecraft with neon blue headers shouldn't really be taken seriously, right? Anyway, just finished the book and I can safely say that the cover art is the worst part of the book.
It was decent Japanese/anime influenced academy/training type story which follows usual tropes i.e. hero from backwater village with unknown powers becoming a big player type story. There are no surprises in the plot and/or characters.
We get a hero with unknown powers coming to the academy which obviously has a tournament mid-year. We get a backstory about a war where a hybrid race called of half human/half animals (e.g. human type character with a bit of fox and has tails. If you're thinking Japanese anime then you're on right track) who are treated as slaves in current society, which the hero doesn't like. The story is on how these dynamics play out as hero discovers himself.
What I really liked is the worldbuilding/macro plot. The clan/recruitment angle is interesting, as it trying to figure out hero's magical powers. But unfortunately these take a backseat to some cringeworthy ("my dearest heart" type) slow burn romance which just bloats the story and drags the pace down.
The author really has a way with words and flair for storytelling....but his focus is on wrong place. He needs to get away from making his books read like "C" rated direct to DVD potboiler.
If the next book is also on Kindle Unlimited, I'd give it a go.
I've been putting this off for a bit due to the horrendous cover art despite good ratings. I mean a cover which looks like a bad screenshot of minecraft with neon blue headers shouldn't really be taken seriously, right? Anyway, just finished the book and I can safely say that the cover art is the worst part of the book.
It was decent Japanese/anime influenced academy/training type story which follows usual tropes i.e. hero from backwater village with unknown powers becoming a big player type story. There are no surprises in the plot and/or characters.
We get a hero with unknown powers coming to the academy which obviously has a tournament mid-year. We get a backstory about a war where a hybrid race called of half human/half animals (e.g. human type character with a bit of fox and has tails. If you're thinking Japanese anime then you're on right track) who are treated as slaves in current society, which the hero doesn't like. The story is on how these dynamics play out as hero discovers himself.
What I really liked is the worldbuilding/macro plot. The clan/recruitment angle is interesting, as it trying to figure out hero's magical powers. But unfortunately these take a backseat to some cringeworthy ("my dearest heart" type) slow burn romance which just bloats the story and drags the pace down.
The author really has a way with words and flair for storytelling....but his focus is on wrong place. He needs to get away from making his books read like "C" rated direct to DVD potboiler.
If the next book is also on Kindle Unlimited, I'd give it a go.
December 25, 2020
I was enjoying the story for a good stretch. It's more of a Slice of Life type flow happening, than the usual hectic rush that happens in cultivation stories...
What I didn't like was when the relationship was both ways. I don't know how, but this author always makes me cringe when it comes to relationships. "Dear Heart", "My Heart", "Dear one" and many other epithets of love just come across as overly cringe inducing. I have a physical reaction in real life anytime I have to read these corny spoutings of love.
The author overdoes it I think. He is trying too hard to show just how in love these people are. It happens in all his books. Just have them hold hands while sitting quietly and leaning on each other. I can't take the cringe words any longer.
This book could have been cut by a quarter. The last third of this book was torture to read.
I'm not sure if I will read the sequel. It depends on how much I can stand reading about this relationship.
3/5 Stars
What I didn't like was when the relationship was both ways. I don't know how, but this author always makes me cringe when it comes to relationships. "Dear Heart", "My Heart", "Dear one" and many other epithets of love just come across as overly cringe inducing. I have a physical reaction in real life anytime I have to read these corny spoutings of love.
The author overdoes it I think. He is trying too hard to show just how in love these people are. It happens in all his books. Just have them hold hands while sitting quietly and leaning on each other. I can't take the cringe words any longer.
This book could have been cut by a quarter. The last third of this book was torture to read.
I'm not sure if I will read the sequel. It depends on how much I can stand reading about this relationship.
3/5 Stars
April 6, 2020
Rating 4.0 stars
Enjoyable read. Something of a slow burn. Pretty straight forward story without any real surprises. The best aspect of the book was the characters. The story follows Gregory. He is just coming up on his naming day in which he will become a man. He lives in the fringes of the kingdom. When a person is to become an adult a Proctor is sent to the village to test each person to see if they can handle ether and become a mage. This is an impossible dream, especially for someone who comes from the fringes. It hasn't happened in 20 years but Greg just knows it will happen for him....and it does. The rest of the story follows his trip as a novice mage in the first 6 months of school. Most of it is spent on training and with relationship development. The magic system doesn't appear to be that complex and it isn't explained in great detail. As I mentioned before the author focused more on the relationships. It did have a standard troupe with Greg. He is something special but no one can quite figure out what that is. He has a magic type that no one can identify. Some people have physical magic in which they can strengthen their bodies, others can use fire, air water, etc. Another character uses shadow magic. But no one can figure out what type of magic Greg has. Despite not being able to really use the magic he has, he is able to excel. Overall a good book I am looking forward to the next one.
Enjoyable read. Something of a slow burn. Pretty straight forward story without any real surprises. The best aspect of the book was the characters. The story follows Gregory. He is just coming up on his naming day in which he will become a man. He lives in the fringes of the kingdom. When a person is to become an adult a Proctor is sent to the village to test each person to see if they can handle ether and become a mage. This is an impossible dream, especially for someone who comes from the fringes. It hasn't happened in 20 years but Greg just knows it will happen for him....and it does. The rest of the story follows his trip as a novice mage in the first 6 months of school. Most of it is spent on training and with relationship development. The magic system doesn't appear to be that complex and it isn't explained in great detail. As I mentioned before the author focused more on the relationships. It did have a standard troupe with Greg. He is something special but no one can quite figure out what that is. He has a magic type that no one can identify. Some people have physical magic in which they can strengthen their bodies, others can use fire, air water, etc. Another character uses shadow magic. But no one can figure out what type of magic Greg has. Despite not being able to really use the magic he has, he is able to excel. Overall a good book I am looking forward to the next one.
January 7, 2021
Freak wants to save the cat women race from disgrace. Seriously take a look at all the 5 star reviews any that aren't fake review bots are the occasional freak that polite society pretends doesn't exist. This book is only about a pathetic mc just walking around having women throwing themselves at him and a curiously intricate detailed description of all meals.... Look at author profile pic and you realise why
April 23, 2020
Not Bad -Not Great
Gave this book a 3 and, for me, the reason I didn't give it a 4 was at times I thought it got too close to a juvenile read and then at times got too close to a romance novel - but I read the whole thing, was entertained and when I finished I tried to figure out why I liked the book. So, I decided the reason was the book read, in some ways, like a Modessitt novel with good descriptions, action, characters with strengths, foibles, flaws, evil intent and commendable traits. So I'd recommend the book but not praise it.
Gave this book a 3 and, for me, the reason I didn't give it a 4 was at times I thought it got too close to a juvenile read and then at times got too close to a romance novel - but I read the whole thing, was entertained and when I finished I tried to figure out why I liked the book. So, I decided the reason was the book read, in some ways, like a Modessitt novel with good descriptions, action, characters with strengths, foibles, flaws, evil intent and commendable traits. So I'd recommend the book but not praise it.
July 16, 2022
I am so excited for this series! The main character in Greg is one to admire and having him find an equal in Yuki was a sweet touch. Diggin' this for sure.
December 23, 2020
EDITED REVIEW: Had to switch from 3.5 stars to 1 star. Book 2 makes it clear this series is going to go down the Harem/porn format path so I won't be reading any more of it. The nonsensical sex scenes in the first book should have tipped me off, but after reading book two it's obvious the direction the author is taking the series.
If you are into sex scenes that read like a 1985 Playboy article, and you like LITRPG, the first book is a 3.5 and the second was about the same (writing was actually better quality but the depth of the characters and story was worse). If you like romance, or a well written story with depth, I can't recommend this series.
If you are into sex scenes that read like a 1985 Playboy article, and you like LITRPG, the first book is a 3.5 and the second was about the same (writing was actually better quality but the depth of the characters and story was worse). If you like romance, or a well written story with depth, I can't recommend this series.
March 19, 2020
Trope-y but above average "magic school" fiction with a bit of light Wuxia/Xianxia mixed in. Four stars within that genre. Main negatives are mostly predictable things like having a weakly defined and confusing magic system, relying on Wuxia/Xianxia-style classism and racism to drive the plot without much of an attempt at nuance, and letting everything come just a little bit too easy to our main character.
The last point is where I was truly disappointed. I realize that's not really what the author is going for here (maybe inappropriate for the target audience and isn't really in keeping with the genre) but it feels like a shame to let all of the good setup here go to waste.
There's a bit of a large meta-story foreshadowed throughout this first installment. I hope that this series has a good endgame in place, and isn't just one of these serial stories that keeps expanding and goes on forever.
The last point is where I was truly disappointed. I realize that's not really what the author is going for here (maybe inappropriate for the target audience and isn't really in keeping with the genre) but it feels like a shame to let all of the good setup here go to waste.
There's a bit of a large meta-story foreshadowed throughout this first installment. I hope that this series has a good endgame in place, and isn't just one of these serial stories that keeps expanding and goes on forever.
June 23, 2022
If you read the summary of the book you will find it lacking.
The entire series is wholly devoted to creating a Harem for the protagonist. There are very few males in the story that aren’t essentially empty husks of characters. The strong female characters loose that strength when they become subservient to the protagonist.
The story is slow and very predictable. The romance is flat and repetitive. Culminating in quite a few chapters where they profess their love to each other redundantly. Also throw in a voyeur ghost that likes to watch the protagonist get it on with his other women. You have the makings for a D&D playing, anime watching, basement dwelling fantasy writer’s wet dream.
The author doesn’t elaborate why the protagonist rebirth is actually important through out the series. The cultivation is really boring and not explained well. Though you will have to bare through that because the voyeur ghost can make anyone progress.
Avoid the series unless you want to read a Harem story that’s poorly written. I didn’t really read the second and third book besides skimming. That’s how much fluff the author put in. I’ll give you an example, it’s like watching days of our lives. You can miss a week or a month and still not have missed anything important.
The entire series is wholly devoted to creating a Harem for the protagonist. There are very few males in the story that aren’t essentially empty husks of characters. The strong female characters loose that strength when they become subservient to the protagonist.
The story is slow and very predictable. The romance is flat and repetitive. Culminating in quite a few chapters where they profess their love to each other redundantly. Also throw in a voyeur ghost that likes to watch the protagonist get it on with his other women. You have the makings for a D&D playing, anime watching, basement dwelling fantasy writer’s wet dream.
The author doesn’t elaborate why the protagonist rebirth is actually important through out the series. The cultivation is really boring and not explained well. Though you will have to bare through that because the voyeur ghost can make anyone progress.
Avoid the series unless you want to read a Harem story that’s poorly written. I didn’t really read the second and third book besides skimming. That’s how much fluff the author put in. I’ll give you an example, it’s like watching days of our lives. You can miss a week or a month and still not have missed anything important.
May 8, 2025
I love LitRPGs and AVNs, so this was fun to read. I kept imagining how well this story would work in an AVN. This first book was a wonderful read, and like always, I flew through the pages and am definitely going to read the next books in the series. I liked Greg and Yuki, and it was fun to read about their growth and the I am excited to read further so let's go on and Keep on Reading.
People who don't read generally ask me my reasons for reading. Simply put, I love reading, so I have made it my motto to Forever Keep on Reading. I love reading everything except for self-help books, even occasionally. I read almost all the genres, but YA, Fantasy, and Biographies are the most read. My favorite series is Harry Potter, but then there are many more books I adore. I have bookcases filled with books that are waiting to be read so I can't stay and spend more time on this review, so remember I loved reading this and love reading more, you should also read what you love and then just Keep on Reading.
People who don't read generally ask me my reasons for reading. Simply put, I love reading, so I have made it my motto to Forever Keep on Reading. I love reading everything except for self-help books, even occasionally. I read almost all the genres, but YA, Fantasy, and Biographies are the most read. My favorite series is Harry Potter, but then there are many more books I adore. I have bookcases filled with books that are waiting to be read so I can't stay and spend more time on this review, so remember I loved reading this and love reading more, you should also read what you love and then just Keep on Reading.
June 23, 2021
This was an enjoyable slow burn.
The characters are fun and the story focuses more on romance than I was expecting but I thought it was done very well.
It doesn’t feel like a lot happened however, and a lot of the information is basically told to us through books. The progression could use a boost but enough happens outside that to make up for it.
The characters are fun and the story focuses more on romance than I was expecting but I thought it was done very well.
It doesn’t feel like a lot happened however, and a lot of the information is basically told to us through books. The progression could use a boost but enough happens outside that to make up for it.
March 4, 2020
Best book I have read in ages
The story started off similar to a Chinese anime I watched called Soul Land - MC is the first to be selected capable of cultivation from a small outlying village in decades, and travels far to the Academy to begin training. But I suppose many cultivation style books start this way. The characters are defined and described well and as usual with Daniel’s books he pulls you along with the emotions of the characters, loss, heartache, sex, love, anger and desperation. The limited sex scenes are fade to black which is a bit unlike many of his books. The story was so well described it had my imagination producing the scenes in my head as they played out like Game of Thrones episodes. I found it really hard to put down once I started as the pacing was excellent and the action scenes described well enough that you can picture the fight as it happens. So you might want to start this book with plenty of time to read, as you may not put it down. I will be waiting impatiently for the next in the series, This is close to Daniels best book, in my opinion, which is saying something as I loved both his Alpha World and Morrigan’s Bindings series. Just to show I’m not a one eyed fan of this author - I really didn’t like his Greenways Goblins book.
The story started off similar to a Chinese anime I watched called Soul Land - MC is the first to be selected capable of cultivation from a small outlying village in decades, and travels far to the Academy to begin training. But I suppose many cultivation style books start this way. The characters are defined and described well and as usual with Daniel’s books he pulls you along with the emotions of the characters, loss, heartache, sex, love, anger and desperation. The limited sex scenes are fade to black which is a bit unlike many of his books. The story was so well described it had my imagination producing the scenes in my head as they played out like Game of Thrones episodes. I found it really hard to put down once I started as the pacing was excellent and the action scenes described well enough that you can picture the fight as it happens. So you might want to start this book with plenty of time to read, as you may not put it down. I will be waiting impatiently for the next in the series, This is close to Daniels best book, in my opinion, which is saying something as I loved both his Alpha World and Morrigan’s Bindings series. Just to show I’m not a one eyed fan of this author - I really didn’t like his Greenways Goblins book.
July 27, 2021
This author really likes to slide in that harem stuff.
Tried reading a bunch of his books/series, but it's always the same. Decent premise and we usually get of to a reasonable start, and then it comes... Like an unasked-for story told by a lewd uncle, it slowly creeps its way into the narrative until it's the only thing really happening.
I'll leave it here since I'm just getting more and more abstract in trying to convey how uncomfortable this kind of writing makes me.
Maybe I'm just built different, but it's certainly not for me. If you're the same then I would avoid this author entirely.
Tried reading a bunch of his books/series, but it's always the same. Decent premise and we usually get of to a reasonable start, and then it comes... Like an unasked-for story told by a lewd uncle, it slowly creeps its way into the narrative until it's the only thing really happening.
I'll leave it here since I'm just getting more and more abstract in trying to convey how uncomfortable this kind of writing makes me.
Maybe I'm just built different, but it's certainly not for me. If you're the same then I would avoid this author entirely.
April 24, 2020
A very cool start at a new series by Daniel Schinhofen. A little bit different than his other ones, with a lot more focus on the magic side of things.
Good overall system mechanics and while nothing earth-shattering when it comes to development of new ideas, it was a very fulfilling plot that should be enjoyable to most.
Will definitely keep my eye out for this series.
Good overall system mechanics and while nothing earth-shattering when it comes to development of new ideas, it was a very fulfilling plot that should be enjoyable to most.
Will definitely keep my eye out for this series.
August 26, 2021
Aether's Blessing (Aether's Revival book 1) is a great start to a new series. You've got magic. You've got cultivation. You've got an academy setting. I would say the pace is closer to the author's Binding Words series than others.
March 14, 2020
Good book, and the author has (imo) better managed the relationship aspects of his books over the last few titles I've read. I'm not the biggest fan of cultivation-type stories so that probably cost this book that 5th star, but overall well-written.
September 2, 2020
I'm on my third run though of this book and I don't know why but I love it . The second book just came out today and I want to make a little prediction ... I predict Greg and Yukiko will join Bishop clan and it will be Aether's Guard.
May 16, 2020
Excellent read wonderful ride and a lovely fantastic world I've avoided Daniels' books so far since I'm not into harems and themes in that vain, but I'm glad I've taken a chance on this book the sexual content was limited and didn't come at the cost of plot.
Can't wait for the next installment.
Can't wait for the next installment.
February 1, 2021
artist's blessing
I enjoy this book for the way it was written the amount of suspense and character building and the storyline was well done. If someone likes litrpg story's this book is for you.
Review written by my husband Michael Graves. I did not read this book.
I enjoy this book for the way it was written the amount of suspense and character building and the storyline was well done. If someone likes litrpg story's this book is for you.
Review written by my husband Michael Graves. I did not read this book.
March 23, 2020
Fascinating
I really enjoyed this book. Yuki and Greg are very interesting. Their magical education is so much fun to read about!
I really enjoyed this book. Yuki and Greg are very interesting. Their magical education is so much fun to read about!
May 26, 2020
Great book
Not many books hold my attention like this book. It was hard to put down. I am going to read it to my wife next. I know she will like it too.
Not many books hold my attention like this book. It was hard to put down. I am going to read it to my wife next. I know she will like it too.
August 2, 2021
Flawed but charming
This is mostly a Magic academy YA coming of age book. This book definitely has the feel of a young adult book, and a Daniel Schinhofen book at the same time and that can be an odd combination.
This book is cutesy, schmaltzy, and boilerplate chosen one at the magical academy. right down the obligatory snobbish bully villain.
There aren't any sex scenes (fade to black), but sex happens and is ever present in the subtext and is teased at constantly. There is a sort of disclaimer on page one stating that everyone is a legal adult, but never defines what age that is.
If you like Morrigan's Bidding & the more domestic moments of Alpha World and aren't sick to death of the magical academy genre Than this is a fine book.
I enjoyed it, but found several aspects to be clunky and ham handed.
This is mostly a Magic academy YA coming of age book. This book definitely has the feel of a young adult book, and a Daniel Schinhofen book at the same time and that can be an odd combination.
This book is cutesy, schmaltzy, and boilerplate chosen one at the magical academy. right down the obligatory snobbish bully villain.
There aren't any sex scenes (fade to black), but sex happens and is ever present in the subtext and is teased at constantly. There is a sort of disclaimer on page one stating that everyone is a legal adult, but never defines what age that is.
If you like Morrigan's Bidding & the more domestic moments of Alpha World and aren't sick to death of the magical academy genre Than this is a fine book.
I enjoyed it, but found several aspects to be clunky and ham handed.
August 14, 2021
This was a disappointing book for me, not just because the book wasn't more than mediocre, but also because of a lack of growth by the author. I try to stick to the story rather than talk about an author, but it's hard to avoid here. I've read a few books by Daniel Schinhofen (Alpha World 1 and 2, Greenways Goblins) and he has written a few dozen books at this point. So it's apparent his writing weaknesses from years ago are still present, he's gained some additional ones, and the genre has been improving meanwhile so these weaknesses are more noticeable.
On a micro level, the prose is clean regarding typos and basic subject-verb agreement. But rather than an achievement, this should be part of the baseline. Stepping up to the macro level of things, now we've got problems.
The dialogue is a mess. Speaker tags and action beats are only used to show who's speaking rather than contributing any motivation or reaction to the scene. The dialogue itself isn't realistic as characters will launch into prepared speeches on a moment's notice that feel more like the author typing words from a characters mouth rather than something the character would actually say. If this was a movie, the acting would be wooden and awkward.
Speaking of awkward, so much of the dialogue is cringe and embarrassing, which is standard for the author. The nicknames and the extreme overuse of them wears me down over the course of the story. Nobody calls the person they're talking to by name or nickname every single time they talk to them.
It's also pretty obvious which parts of the book the author actually cares about and which parts are just "driving to the next scene". The author often fails to set the scene with basic info such as who the hell is in the room before dialogue starts in what's often called "floating head syndrome" in writing.
That I managed to finish the book speaks to the almost cheat-code strength of progressive fantasy and an academy arc. Pretty much everyone has attended school, so maybe it's the relatability and the angst of wishing you could redo certain moments that make people love academy settings so much. Hard to say.
I would recommend people check out Iron Prince by Bryce O'Connor and Luke Chmilenko for more of a sci-fi/fantasy mashup of an academy story.
If you would rather stick purely to fantasy and also to the Asian flavor, then go out on a limb and check out The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang. Don't be intimidated by its mainstream success, it will hit the notes that progressive fantasy readers with an academy arc itch can't get enough of.
On a micro level, the prose is clean regarding typos and basic subject-verb agreement. But rather than an achievement, this should be part of the baseline. Stepping up to the macro level of things, now we've got problems.
The dialogue is a mess. Speaker tags and action beats are only used to show who's speaking rather than contributing any motivation or reaction to the scene. The dialogue itself isn't realistic as characters will launch into prepared speeches on a moment's notice that feel more like the author typing words from a characters mouth rather than something the character would actually say. If this was a movie, the acting would be wooden and awkward.
Speaking of awkward, so much of the dialogue is cringe and embarrassing, which is standard for the author. The nicknames and the extreme overuse of them wears me down over the course of the story. Nobody calls the person they're talking to by name or nickname every single time they talk to them.
It's also pretty obvious which parts of the book the author actually cares about and which parts are just "driving to the next scene". The author often fails to set the scene with basic info such as who the hell is in the room before dialogue starts in what's often called "floating head syndrome" in writing.
That I managed to finish the book speaks to the almost cheat-code strength of progressive fantasy and an academy arc. Pretty much everyone has attended school, so maybe it's the relatability and the angst of wishing you could redo certain moments that make people love academy settings so much. Hard to say.
I would recommend people check out Iron Prince by Bryce O'Connor and Luke Chmilenko for more of a sci-fi/fantasy mashup of an academy story.
If you would rather stick purely to fantasy and also to the Asian flavor, then go out on a limb and check out The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang. Don't be intimidated by its mainstream success, it will hit the notes that progressive fantasy readers with an academy arc itch can't get enough of.
August 21, 2022
This book seemed like a promising start to a fun cultivation series, despite the pronounced overuse of cringe inducing "pet names" or terms of affection like "dear one" and "my heart" and a needlessly detailed sex scene. I pushed on all the way up to the fourth book, where I finally had to stop halfway through. Amazingly enough the author manages to work in even more of this type of cringe inducing dialogue, which I did not believe would be possible.
The worst of it, though, is that the books really just become about sex and how all women (including the women with physical characteristics of animals, i.e., furries) are super into MC and want to sleep with him rather than about cultivation (that which is central to most cultivation novels). Not only does this read as a sort of softcore porn, but the women are very flat, shallow characters that are desperate to sleep with MC, only care about his happiness, and have no real substantive growth potential. The main female characters "growth" is realizing she just wants MC to be happy and likes dominating other women for this purpose, while the second main female character (who is also MC's second wife) experiences an equally meaningful level of growth in realizing she likes being dominated.
Honestly disappointed, because the cultivation side of things, and the premise of the series, while not precisely novel, really had the potential for a good series. Perhaps this accounts for the high reviews the book has; in truth, I'd give it three stars in and of itself, but because the sequels seem to prioritize the worst aspects of this book while neglecting the best, I thought a lower rating was merited.
Tl;dr: despite a promising start, the series becomes entirely about sex instead of cultivation (sexual cultivation, perhaps? 🤔). This book is ok, the sequels are progressively worse.
The worst of it, though, is that the books really just become about sex and how all women (including the women with physical characteristics of animals, i.e., furries) are super into MC and want to sleep with him rather than about cultivation (that which is central to most cultivation novels). Not only does this read as a sort of softcore porn, but the women are very flat, shallow characters that are desperate to sleep with MC, only care about his happiness, and have no real substantive growth potential. The main female characters "growth" is realizing she just wants MC to be happy and likes dominating other women for this purpose, while the second main female character (who is also MC's second wife) experiences an equally meaningful level of growth in realizing she likes being dominated.
Honestly disappointed, because the cultivation side of things, and the premise of the series, while not precisely novel, really had the potential for a good series. Perhaps this accounts for the high reviews the book has; in truth, I'd give it three stars in and of itself, but because the sequels seem to prioritize the worst aspects of this book while neglecting the best, I thought a lower rating was merited.
Tl;dr: despite a promising start, the series becomes entirely about sex instead of cultivation (sexual cultivation, perhaps? 🤔). This book is ok, the sequels are progressively worse.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 2, 2020
Nah
This book feels like stuff is just happening, because. MC isn’t likeable, in fact, I dislike him greatly. A man asks the MC not to have sex with his daughter and take her virginity before he leaves town forever, because it will screw up her life. The MC is offended that the man thinks he would do something like that! The MC promises that would never happen! Then almost immediately has sex with her. What a scum bag. This is the hero? Get out of here with that amoral drivel.
This book feels like stuff is just happening, because. MC isn’t likeable, in fact, I dislike him greatly. A man asks the MC not to have sex with his daughter and take her virginity before he leaves town forever, because it will screw up her life. The MC is offended that the man thinks he would do something like that! The MC promises that would never happen! Then almost immediately has sex with her. What a scum bag. This is the hero? Get out of here with that amoral drivel.
August 12, 2022
This is for the whole series (up to book 5) not just this book, kind of.
Honestly, I WANT TO like these books. And in some ways I really do, I'll probably read the sixth one when it comes out too. I've not read other works by the author and I probably won't, largely because of these books.
The world presented in the series is compelling, lived in and fascinating. I want to know more of Aethers legend, more of the conflicts between the nations, the politics of the Empire... That said, the author gives us almost none of that, even though by and large he has ample opportunity to do so. For context - the main characters spend a huge amount of time in the library LEARNING THOSE THINGS. And yet we don't get anything but the most perfunctory of mentions. As in the MC is reading the different legends of Aether and we don't even get a glimpse, just "huh, they're all over the place, takes forever to piece what's what". So despite it being 5 books in, and as the title would suggest Aethers legends being centrepiece of the story... nope, I still know nothing. Which makes no sense considering the characters DO KNOW, even if it's just speculation. This goes for everything, really - there's a massive amount of dialogue and worldbuilding that's just not being done, even though it clearly should have been.
Now for the true offence and, largely, the reason why I even bothered to write this.
This is a harem book. NOW... I honestly have no problem with those, Jan Stryvant's "Valens Legacy" and "Valens Heritage" are some of my favourite series, hell I'm currently going through Benjamin Medrano's works (lesbian fiction) and while they're smut-free 3 of the 4 series I read are harem(ish). I don't even have a problem with the teeth rotting language the characters use (my love, my heart, dearest...), one expects a level of rainbow vomit when seeing people (probably teenagers though it's never actually mentioned how old the characters are, for all I know they're actual children) deeply in love.
The problem is the male MC. 3 books, no joke, 3 books worth of internal monologue which all boils down to him feeling bad for wanting more women in his harem. Even though, and this is why it INFURIATES ME SO... ALL his partners tell him it's OK, they know it's part of the plot (as it were), and accept it. The primary female MC even tells him SHE has certain desires regarding the others...
And yet we get chapter, after chapter, after chapter of self doubt. Now, I'm not expecting Greg to just do a 180 degree turn and become a player/horndog but there is a point where you either trust your partners and believe what they tell you (that it's OK and they want it too) or you're just an insecure twit who doesn't deserve the women in his life if you can't trust what they tell you and can't accept your own wants. And frankly it's tiring to read the same internal drama over and over again. And make no mistake, that is what's happening here, the same issue being re-hashed ad nauseum. In fact, considering accepting ones desires is a pretty significant plot point at some point I still struggle to see how he manages to pass that test, because it's (story-wise) a pretty big milestone for the characters personal development... But Greg doesn't really change. I know the MC is a country bumpkin and has no experience but still...
So, yeah. 2 stars because honestly the world is great, the characters are largely interesting and the adventure itself has great potential. But the glaring laziness of the author in actually building the world for us and the infuriating self-doubt of the main character loose those 3 stars. Especially the MC.
I'll still read the next, goddamn, book because for a Kindle Unlimited series it's kinda-sorta-OK.
Honestly, I WANT TO like these books. And in some ways I really do, I'll probably read the sixth one when it comes out too. I've not read other works by the author and I probably won't, largely because of these books.
The world presented in the series is compelling, lived in and fascinating. I want to know more of Aethers legend, more of the conflicts between the nations, the politics of the Empire... That said, the author gives us almost none of that, even though by and large he has ample opportunity to do so. For context - the main characters spend a huge amount of time in the library LEARNING THOSE THINGS. And yet we don't get anything but the most perfunctory of mentions. As in the MC is reading the different legends of Aether and we don't even get a glimpse, just "huh, they're all over the place, takes forever to piece what's what". So despite it being 5 books in, and as the title would suggest Aethers legends being centrepiece of the story... nope, I still know nothing. Which makes no sense considering the characters DO KNOW, even if it's just speculation. This goes for everything, really - there's a massive amount of dialogue and worldbuilding that's just not being done, even though it clearly should have been.
Now for the true offence and, largely, the reason why I even bothered to write this.
This is a harem book. NOW... I honestly have no problem with those, Jan Stryvant's "Valens Legacy" and "Valens Heritage" are some of my favourite series, hell I'm currently going through Benjamin Medrano's works (lesbian fiction) and while they're smut-free 3 of the 4 series I read are harem(ish). I don't even have a problem with the teeth rotting language the characters use (my love, my heart, dearest...), one expects a level of rainbow vomit when seeing people (probably teenagers though it's never actually mentioned how old the characters are, for all I know they're actual children) deeply in love.
The problem is the male MC. 3 books, no joke, 3 books worth of internal monologue which all boils down to him feeling bad for wanting more women in his harem. Even though, and this is why it INFURIATES ME SO... ALL his partners tell him it's OK, they know it's part of the plot (as it were), and accept it. The primary female MC even tells him SHE has certain desires regarding the others...
And yet we get chapter, after chapter, after chapter of self doubt. Now, I'm not expecting Greg to just do a 180 degree turn and become a player/horndog but there is a point where you either trust your partners and believe what they tell you (that it's OK and they want it too) or you're just an insecure twit who doesn't deserve the women in his life if you can't trust what they tell you and can't accept your own wants. And frankly it's tiring to read the same internal drama over and over again. And make no mistake, that is what's happening here, the same issue being re-hashed ad nauseum. In fact, considering accepting ones desires is a pretty significant plot point at some point I still struggle to see how he manages to pass that test, because it's (story-wise) a pretty big milestone for the characters personal development... But Greg doesn't really change. I know the MC is a country bumpkin and has no experience but still...
So, yeah. 2 stars because honestly the world is great, the characters are largely interesting and the adventure itself has great potential. But the glaring laziness of the author in actually building the world for us and the infuriating self-doubt of the main character loose those 3 stars. Especially the MC.
I'll still read the next, goddamn, book because for a Kindle Unlimited series it's kinda-sorta-OK.
March 12, 2020
Alert
I hate trying to write reviews because there are really only pass/fail results for me. Did I make it all the way through? Yes? 5 stars. No? There would be nothing here to read. In all fairness, if an author holds my attention from page one to the end, they’ve done their job. Anything less than 5 stars is petty criticism from someone incapable of even doing the job let alone doing a better one.
So in respect for the author and their work, I am going to start pasting this along with a generic review I found somewhere. “This was a fun book. I am glad that I read it. You should try it too.”
Now, since I have to keep explaining myself to people who don't like my reviews, I guess some clarification is in order.
1. I am 100% against criticism for works of art. Art is subjective, meaning reviews are irrelevant. The observer's opinion is only relevant to the observer. It is my belief that regardless of what others might say, I have to experience the art for myself.
2. I read upwards of 20 books a month. The $10/month I spend on K U, feels like I am cheating the authors. But since I can't afford 20 books a month if I were to purchase them directly, all I can offer is a positive review. That leads us to the final point.
3. If I get to the end of a book, then it was worth my time. I give those books 5 stars because it helps the author get exposure. That is the only reason I write reviews at all.
I understand that people are people and they are going to do what they do regardless of my stance. I know the way that I review books upsets some people. I am sorry they feel that way but as many have said, they will just ignore my review going forward. In fact, if you made it this far through my review, you should definitely read the book and completely ignore all of the reviews here. You are a much better judge of what you will like than anyone here.
Cheers
I hate trying to write reviews because there are really only pass/fail results for me. Did I make it all the way through? Yes? 5 stars. No? There would be nothing here to read. In all fairness, if an author holds my attention from page one to the end, they’ve done their job. Anything less than 5 stars is petty criticism from someone incapable of even doing the job let alone doing a better one.
So in respect for the author and their work, I am going to start pasting this along with a generic review I found somewhere. “This was a fun book. I am glad that I read it. You should try it too.”
Now, since I have to keep explaining myself to people who don't like my reviews, I guess some clarification is in order.
1. I am 100% against criticism for works of art. Art is subjective, meaning reviews are irrelevant. The observer's opinion is only relevant to the observer. It is my belief that regardless of what others might say, I have to experience the art for myself.
2. I read upwards of 20 books a month. The $10/month I spend on K U, feels like I am cheating the authors. But since I can't afford 20 books a month if I were to purchase them directly, all I can offer is a positive review. That leads us to the final point.
3. If I get to the end of a book, then it was worth my time. I give those books 5 stars because it helps the author get exposure. That is the only reason I write reviews at all.
I understand that people are people and they are going to do what they do regardless of my stance. I know the way that I review books upsets some people. I am sorry they feel that way but as many have said, they will just ignore my review going forward. In fact, if you made it this far through my review, you should definitely read the book and completely ignore all of the reviews here. You are a much better judge of what you will like than anyone here.
Cheers
October 1, 2021
A great book, and generally speaking, I always enjoy a good Cultivation novel. One thing I notice about most Cultivation novels, is that they do not include much - if any - romance. As someone who considers himself somewhat of a romantic, this can prove somewhat frustrating - especially when I can see some really good (often nearly perfect) opportunities!
This book however, was excellent in that regard.
The development of the characters, the social (and mercantile) intricacies, the mechanism of the Cultivation system, they all fit almost surprisingly well.
The only thing I found truly lacking was the physical descriptions of the characters.
I began reading this book as of the night of the 28th and finished it as of the night of the 29th (or maybe the extremely early morning of the 30th), the present time being the day of the 31st).
That being said, I can't honestly remember what Gregory (Primary Protagonist) was supposed to look like (or if he was even fully described at any point) aside from being of a similar lean body type to Yukiko (Secondary Protagonist), which was also never really described.
I remember that Yukiko was described, but only once (somewhat vaguely too. No one else had as much physical details, just a general description, their age group, and general attitude.
To give some perspective, I usually have a fairly accurate mental image of the main characters (height, build, facial features, etc.), especially those of a story I've just read.
Considering that everything else in the book is great, I don't see this as a major issue and not something worthy of docking a star over.
Though it would still be great if the author went back and decided to add those details, or at least added them in book 2.
My Overall Opinion:
This is currently my favorite Book by the Author. When the next book comes out, I can almost guarantee that it will my favorite Series of his as well.
This book however, was excellent in that regard.
The development of the characters, the social (and mercantile) intricacies, the mechanism of the Cultivation system, they all fit almost surprisingly well.
The only thing I found truly lacking was the physical descriptions of the characters.
I began reading this book as of the night of the 28th and finished it as of the night of the 29th (or maybe the extremely early morning of the 30th), the present time being the day of the 31st).
That being said, I can't honestly remember what Gregory (Primary Protagonist) was supposed to look like (or if he was even fully described at any point) aside from being of a similar lean body type to Yukiko (Secondary Protagonist), which was also never really described.
I remember that Yukiko was described, but only once (somewhat vaguely too. No one else had as much physical details, just a general description, their age group, and general attitude.
To give some perspective, I usually have a fairly accurate mental image of the main characters (height, build, facial features, etc.), especially those of a story I've just read.
Considering that everything else in the book is great, I don't see this as a major issue and not something worthy of docking a star over.
Though it would still be great if the author went back and decided to add those details, or at least added them in book 2.
My Overall Opinion:
This is currently my favorite Book by the Author. When the next book comes out, I can almost guarantee that it will my favorite Series of his as well.
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