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Aether's Revival #2
Aether's Guard
Gregory’s life changed when his aether sparked to life during the Age Day ritual. He left his old friends and his old life behind, and was taken to the Magi Academy to start training to serve the Vela Empire. Suddenly alone and out of place, he prepared for the worst.
When the beautiful novice, Yukiko Warlin, asked if they could be friends, his life changed again. After six months of duplicity from the people who they had thought of as friends, Gregory and Yukiko isolated themselves from all the other novices.
Gregory chose a path considered impossible for his training, and Yukiko followed, pushing each other to strive ever harder. When Yukiko’s betrothal was annulled, the two friends were free to express the deeper feelings that had developed between them.
The first tournament for the novices was brutal on the two young lovers. Both of them were pushed to the absolute limit, but they endured. When they took the top two spots, their fellow novices dropped the pretense of friendship, when neither would bow to the machinations of their peers.
Now, the rest of their first year stands before them. It’s become clear that they should join a clan, but where can they find one that would treat them both fairly and equally?
(This book contains some adult themes.)
When the beautiful novice, Yukiko Warlin, asked if they could be friends, his life changed again. After six months of duplicity from the people who they had thought of as friends, Gregory and Yukiko isolated themselves from all the other novices.
Gregory chose a path considered impossible for his training, and Yukiko followed, pushing each other to strive ever harder. When Yukiko’s betrothal was annulled, the two friends were free to express the deeper feelings that had developed between them.
The first tournament for the novices was brutal on the two young lovers. Both of them were pushed to the absolute limit, but they endured. When they took the top two spots, their fellow novices dropped the pretense of friendship, when neither would bow to the machinations of their peers.
Now, the rest of their first year stands before them. It’s become clear that they should join a clan, but where can they find one that would treat them both fairly and equally?
(This book contains some adult themes.)
662 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 31, 2020
1055 people are currently reading
364 people want to read
About the author
Daniel Schinhofen
70 books1,309 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 247 reviews
September 5, 2020
First book was great, but devolves into tacky romance and endless repetition
I've struggled with this authors penchant for awful romance in the past, but the first book in the series was great.
Book 2 however is full of the same crap. 90% tween repressed romance + monotonous details and power grinding - with all the focus on the structure of the day and little on the actual learning, progress made, magic system, lore, or anything tangible.
Very disappointed.
I've struggled with this authors penchant for awful romance in the past, but the first book in the series was great.
Book 2 however is full of the same crap. 90% tween repressed romance + monotonous details and power grinding - with all the focus on the structure of the day and little on the actual learning, progress made, magic system, lore, or anything tangible.
Very disappointed.
September 29, 2020
Enjoyable, but angry and conflicted
I very much liked the first book in this series. It was fairly straightforward, the protagonist had an acceptable twist that led to a fun increase in power. Protagonist is very moral and "defender of the downtrodden", which can be set up to look dumb but in this series is good, and entertaining enough. Best and most surprising of all, the protagonist finds a love interest who checks all the meta-boxes: she's not an empty-headed placeholder. She's similarly strong as him. She has strengths he doesn't. They communicate and work as a team to grow. They trust and depend on each other. There's nothing to indicate the author will kill her for a cheap thrill. There's no annoying plot device keeping them apart (station in life, disapproving parents, etc.)
Almost everything I liked about the first book was also present in the second. But there was one glaring flaw, one obvious "twist" waiting to happen that as soon as I saw it, and when I saw it hinted at again and again in the book, really grinded my gears. SPOILERS.
For almost the entire book, Yukiko (his fiancee) and Jenn (AND Darkness, the implied past-life-wife who lives in his spirit?) are clearly plotting to add Jenn to their marriage as a secondary wife. Fine, whatever. I really didn't think this would become a harem story but that's a risk you run with progression fantasy. I guess there were warning signs, what with the past-life-wife. Sometimes harem stories are ok, as long as everyone's given their knowing consent...
But Greg hasn't! They're deliberately keeping it from him, for months. I'm not gonna harp on about why this is bad, but I hate this. Yukiko and Greg have such a good relationship. They trust each other implicitly. Why would she think it's a good idea to keep this from him and plot, instead of just TALKING TO HIM.
To play Devil's Advocate to my own complaint- there could be fair reasons to keep this from Greg. There are many variations of "they didn't want to distract him/risk the group cohesion". They are teens- maybe they didn't know how to go about it at first (except that is not at all the impression they give off. They are always mature and thoughtful). If it's very important to Yukiko (and Jenn, obviously) then maybe they want to simply act to maximize the chances of Jenn joining the marriage.
BUT- they were just so incredibly shady about it.
At one point Darkness says
EFFING
DUMB
She’s cautioning him the he can accept people into the harem without hurting her and Yukiko- good communication.
She’s implying that if he refuses to accept people into the harem that they chose, he will hurt them- bad communication. Does he even get a choice?
And again, they're not just talking to him about what’s actually going on. He doesn't even know what she's talking about in this scene. Later on in the book she suppresses his ability to see the future to actually prevent him from finding out what's going on.
Greg has never shown any romantic interest in Jenn, and only once a slight sexual interest. If the genders in this situation were reversed, people would be livid. "Guy plans for months to bring another guy into relationship with his unwitting fiancee".
The rest of the book is fine, I just HATE the trope of “women maneuvering around the oblivious guy”. It’s insulting to the guy, makes the women look devious, and is a bad sign for the relationship. And it kills me that all of HaremLit seems to fall into two categories- the one mentioned above, or the ultraconfident frat bro who goes after every woman he sees.
The payoff to the big twist doesn't actually happen in this book, so I guess we'll see how it's handled in book 3.
I very much liked the first book in this series. It was fairly straightforward, the protagonist had an acceptable twist that led to a fun increase in power. Protagonist is very moral and "defender of the downtrodden", which can be set up to look dumb but in this series is good, and entertaining enough. Best and most surprising of all, the protagonist finds a love interest who checks all the meta-boxes: she's not an empty-headed placeholder. She's similarly strong as him. She has strengths he doesn't. They communicate and work as a team to grow. They trust and depend on each other. There's nothing to indicate the author will kill her for a cheap thrill. There's no annoying plot device keeping them apart (station in life, disapproving parents, etc.)
Almost everything I liked about the first book was also present in the second. But there was one glaring flaw, one obvious "twist" waiting to happen that as soon as I saw it, and when I saw it hinted at again and again in the book, really grinded my gears. SPOILERS.
For almost the entire book, Yukiko (his fiancee) and Jenn (AND Darkness, the implied past-life-wife who lives in his spirit?) are clearly plotting to add Jenn to their marriage as a secondary wife. Fine, whatever. I really didn't think this would become a harem story but that's a risk you run with progression fantasy. I guess there were warning signs, what with the past-life-wife. Sometimes harem stories are ok, as long as everyone's given their knowing consent...
But Greg hasn't! They're deliberately keeping it from him, for months. I'm not gonna harp on about why this is bad, but I hate this. Yukiko and Greg have such a good relationship. They trust each other implicitly. Why would she think it's a good idea to keep this from him and plot, instead of just TALKING TO HIM.
To play Devil's Advocate to my own complaint- there could be fair reasons to keep this from Greg. There are many variations of "they didn't want to distract him/risk the group cohesion". They are teens- maybe they didn't know how to go about it at first (except that is not at all the impression they give off. They are always mature and thoughtful). If it's very important to Yukiko (and Jenn, obviously) then maybe they want to simply act to maximize the chances of Jenn joining the marriage.
BUT- they were just so incredibly shady about it.
At one point Darkness says
"Try to remember that if we have agreed, you can’t hurt us by accepting our wishes, but you can by rejecting them.”SO
EFFING
DUMB
She’s cautioning him the he can accept people into the harem without hurting her and Yukiko- good communication.
She’s implying that if he refuses to accept people into the harem that they chose, he will hurt them- bad communication. Does he even get a choice?
And again, they're not just talking to him about what’s actually going on. He doesn't even know what she's talking about in this scene. Later on in the book she suppresses his ability to see the future to actually prevent him from finding out what's going on.
Greg has never shown any romantic interest in Jenn, and only once a slight sexual interest. If the genders in this situation were reversed, people would be livid. "Guy plans for months to bring another guy into relationship with his unwitting fiancee".
The rest of the book is fine, I just HATE the trope of “women maneuvering around the oblivious guy”. It’s insulting to the guy, makes the women look devious, and is a bad sign for the relationship. And it kills me that all of HaremLit seems to fall into two categories- the one mentioned above, or the ultraconfident frat bro who goes after every woman he sees.
The payoff to the big twist doesn't actually happen in this book, so I guess we'll see how it's handled in book 3.
September 14, 2020
No progression
There was just no substance to this book. It was a 600 page training montage with no change to the training in any way. Just reading months of them doing the same routine that they set in the first book. There was potential to have some real drama and action in this book with a decent villain and the challenge system that the author has in place but instead the main characters just actively avoid any conflict and continue their exact same training routine over and over.
The method that they track growth of the in characters with Aether levels has almost no meaning as the reader can’t tell if anything has changed. The characters are able to do the exact same things they did in the start of the book as in the end even though they supposedly grew in power. The characters will skip through power levels in chapters with hardly any mention or effort. It’s used more as a place marker to show the reader that they are improving with their endless training instead of giving us conflict or trials for the characters to actually show any growth at all.
The authors just goes through a long draw out “day in the life of” style of writing that doesn’t do anything for the story. It was hard to finish and I found myself putting it down often and even skipping sections.
There was just no substance to this book. It was a 600 page training montage with no change to the training in any way. Just reading months of them doing the same routine that they set in the first book. There was potential to have some real drama and action in this book with a decent villain and the challenge system that the author has in place but instead the main characters just actively avoid any conflict and continue their exact same training routine over and over.
The method that they track growth of the in characters with Aether levels has almost no meaning as the reader can’t tell if anything has changed. The characters are able to do the exact same things they did in the start of the book as in the end even though they supposedly grew in power. The characters will skip through power levels in chapters with hardly any mention or effort. It’s used more as a place marker to show the reader that they are improving with their endless training instead of giving us conflict or trials for the characters to actually show any growth at all.
The authors just goes through a long draw out “day in the life of” style of writing that doesn’t do anything for the story. It was hard to finish and I found myself putting it down often and even skipping sections.
September 10, 2020
I might maybe be a bit biased here, but I think the book is amazing.
Some feel its too slow, some dislike the romance angles.
Ah well, I enjoyed it all.
Some feel its too slow, some dislike the romance angles.
Ah well, I enjoyed it all.
September 6, 2020
Its sad that a series that had promise, ended as another typical Schinhofen novel.
The plot was decent, the characters repetitive but likable , the system a little bare but workable.
It could be a solid 3.5-4 star book, but then it ended as another OP character collecting rejected female companions and starting what looks like another harem.
I just hope that the author could show a little more creativity and start differentiating his work.
The plot was decent, the characters repetitive but likable , the system a little bare but workable.
It could be a solid 3.5-4 star book, but then it ended as another OP character collecting rejected female companions and starting what looks like another harem.
I just hope that the author could show a little more creativity and start differentiating his work.
August 4, 2021
Engrossing, but occasionally annoying
I'm not sure where this is going, but I'm enjoying the ride.
Even more than book one, This is more like every other Schinhofen book than it is like itself.
I'm totally into the anti-racist, power is preserved by subjugating an under class, fight the system message that underlays the story. It's the repetitive use of the same terms of endearment "Dear one" that is giving me a twitchy eye.
I like the main character. I like his morality.
I don't like that this is shaping up to be another harem. I don't like the after school special sentimentality that an abusive father can be forgiven by crashing his son's wedding and saying "Gee, I'm sorry I brutally beat you all those years, Lets start over" -everyone cries with joy (gag!)
...Still despite the flaws that are none too subtle, I did lay up way past my bedtime reading this into the wee hours on a work night. And that's pretty high praise.
I'm not sure where this is going, but I'm enjoying the ride.
Even more than book one, This is more like every other Schinhofen book than it is like itself.
I'm totally into the anti-racist, power is preserved by subjugating an under class, fight the system message that underlays the story. It's the repetitive use of the same terms of endearment "Dear one" that is giving me a twitchy eye.
I like the main character. I like his morality.
I don't like that this is shaping up to be another harem. I don't like the after school special sentimentality that an abusive father can be forgiven by crashing his son's wedding and saying "Gee, I'm sorry I brutally beat you all those years, Lets start over" -everyone cries with joy (gag!)
...Still despite the flaws that are none too subtle, I did lay up way past my bedtime reading this into the wee hours on a work night. And that's pretty high praise.
May 10, 2025
Well, some books are not for everyone, and that's alright. Some might hate romance, or sex scenes, or harem routes, but I didn't. I loved it all and couldn't stop reading. Yes, I enjoyed this, and I even loved it. I also read/play a lot of AVNs, and harem route is one of my favorites, so maybe I am a little biased, but then again, harem tag is right there under the book on Amazon. If someone has that many issues with the content, then don't read it, don't unnecessarily downvote it just because you might disagree with a few pages out of 660. I enjoyed reading it fully and finished this again in a little under 3 days, so yay for me. Let's go, as I have already started book 3, and I like Daniel's writing a lot. So, let's go and then let's 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.
March 23, 2021
Ew
Why did this take such a terrible turn. Why isn't one girl enough for this author? This hamfisted set up by his fiance to add a girl after their marriage without the mc's permission or even interest in this other chick is frustrating as heck. It's more frustrating because the author gets to make it the girl and darkness' decision and didn't need logic or raining behind it. I've read ahead and the next book is exactly the same except with less fighting! I've dropped and am massively disappointed as I thought I'd found a great series at book one. Skip it
Why did this take such a terrible turn. Why isn't one girl enough for this author? This hamfisted set up by his fiance to add a girl after their marriage without the mc's permission or even interest in this other chick is frustrating as heck. It's more frustrating because the author gets to make it the girl and darkness' decision and didn't need logic or raining behind it. I've read ahead and the next book is exactly the same except with less fighting! I've dropped and am massively disappointed as I thought I'd found a great series at book one. Skip it
April 10, 2021
The author seriously thinks he can write romance but he can't for shit. With his weird sex dream fantasy and from the lack of any other male friends, it's obviously going to be a gag inducing harem. We spend more time in massages, idle chats and overly descriptive sex dreams than fleshing out the world and the MC's magic. 2.5.
September 17, 2020
Series started ok. Writing a bit awkward at parts. But it was quite clear in this book the author is trying to set up a completely absurd harem premise that doesn't add to the story. Will not be continuing with this series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 6, 2020
Rating 4.0 stars
I really enjoyed this book but I have a hard to describing exactly why. When I try to use my analytical brain I have a hard time coming up with a reason. The character were good but not great. There was a lot of repetition in the dialogue. There wasn't much action. The magic system while interesting wasn't that complex. There weren't any grand events that happened in this story. I do enjoy the slice of life stories as I feel I am a "journey is more important than the destination" kind of person. There is just something about the way this author writes that sucks me in. I just can't describe my reason. If someone asked me if I liked this book I would say yes. If they asked me why I would say "err. Because?"
I hope this review has been enlightening for you in your decision to read this book.
I really enjoyed this book but I have a hard to describing exactly why. When I try to use my analytical brain I have a hard time coming up with a reason. The character were good but not great. There was a lot of repetition in the dialogue. There wasn't much action. The magic system while interesting wasn't that complex. There weren't any grand events that happened in this story. I do enjoy the slice of life stories as I feel I am a "journey is more important than the destination" kind of person. There is just something about the way this author writes that sucks me in. I just can't describe my reason. If someone asked me if I liked this book I would say yes. If they asked me why I would say "err. Because?"
I hope this review has been enlightening for you in your decision to read this book.
May 25, 2021
Not my cup of tea
The author spends more time on the romance and sex in this book than anything else.
The romance is what you would expect from a dorky basement dwelling male. Very one sided. Then he even ups the ante by setting up a full blown harem situation. So the book is every male’s D&D wet fantasy. 😂
Besides that the book is predictable and boring.
Update - the next book is all about the harem. The romance boils down to the main protagonist and the 1st wife telling each other how much they love each other. Not much in the way of story telling from this point onward. You do find out he will solve the worlds beastality issues by getting more girls for his harem that are part animal. Somehow this will prove that people shouldn’t look down in beast people. 🤗
The author spends more time on the romance and sex in this book than anything else.
The romance is what you would expect from a dorky basement dwelling male. Very one sided. Then he even ups the ante by setting up a full blown harem situation. So the book is every male’s D&D wet fantasy. 😂
Besides that the book is predictable and boring.
Update - the next book is all about the harem. The romance boils down to the main protagonist and the 1st wife telling each other how much they love each other. Not much in the way of story telling from this point onward. You do find out he will solve the worlds beastality issues by getting more girls for his harem that are part animal. Somehow this will prove that people shouldn’t look down in beast people. 🤗
February 19, 2021
Void of content
Story did not progress, at all. The book is void of stories or content. 90 percent of the book is written in long dialogues about food, made up board games, and relationships with non integral characters. The characters are 'too goodhearted' and not belivable. In summary, a long story about unrealistic characters just going about their day.
I found myself scrolling at the end to see if anything would actually happen. It didn't.
Story did not progress, at all. The book is void of stories or content. 90 percent of the book is written in long dialogues about food, made up board games, and relationships with non integral characters. The characters are 'too goodhearted' and not belivable. In summary, a long story about unrealistic characters just going about their day.
I found myself scrolling at the end to see if anything would actually happen. It didn't.
May 9, 2021
No longer a cultivation novel
Author ended up making it into another harem novel with no real plot or lore or magic system to speak of, repeating the exact same plot from the first book with another tournament. From what I’ve read the next book is exactly the same. If you want a cultivation novel look elsewhere.
Author ended up making it into another harem novel with no real plot or lore or magic system to speak of, repeating the exact same plot from the first book with another tournament. From what I’ve read the next book is exactly the same. If you want a cultivation novel look elsewhere.
October 5, 2020
The second book..meh
I enjoyed the first book. Hoping the second would equal it. However, I have my issues. I will read the next, but if what I think is going to happen will, doesn't matter where I am in the book I will not continue to read and be done with this series.
I enjoyed the first book. Hoping the second would equal it. However, I have my issues. I will read the next, but if what I think is going to happen will, doesn't matter where I am in the book I will not continue to read and be done with this series.
July 17, 2022
The story slows down a tad because our mains get back to their studies, but it's bearable 'cause I adore them. The action towards the end gets exciting. Oh, and I totally love love love little Elsa. I want them to adopt her.
December 23, 2020
Meh
I was gonna give this 4 stars because several things were better in this book than the last book, but I just can't. The author is clearly leading this into a porn/harem arrangement and can't stand that garbage.
As a side note, I don't understand why authors do this three books into a series (he's been foreshadowing this heavily all this book and a little even in the first book--but no actual harem in this book, just extremely detailed sex scenes that don't add to the book at all, or even make sense really). If they would just add a warning label to the description, they could auto-skip getting 1 star reviews from customers who don't want to read that crap. "Some adult content included" makes me think, "oh ok, maybe some swearing or mild sex scenes, so like PG-13". But instead we get to read about how salty the MC's "seed" is...which is just *eye roll* bad unless you are writing for Playboy or an audience who has never had sex.
If you want to write about harems, no problem, just mention it in the description and I won't read the book--and you won't get 1 star reviews. Otherwise, I'm gonna have to rate it 1 star, and go back and change my reviews for the other books in the series so that anyone else who reads it doesn't waste their time reading about stuff they really don't want to read about. And "thanks" to others that do this, you've saved me wasted time and money on other series like this where they go downhill as the series progresses.
I was gonna give this 4 stars because several things were better in this book than the last book, but I just can't. The author is clearly leading this into a porn/harem arrangement and can't stand that garbage.
As a side note, I don't understand why authors do this three books into a series (he's been foreshadowing this heavily all this book and a little even in the first book--but no actual harem in this book, just extremely detailed sex scenes that don't add to the book at all, or even make sense really). If they would just add a warning label to the description, they could auto-skip getting 1 star reviews from customers who don't want to read that crap. "Some adult content included" makes me think, "oh ok, maybe some swearing or mild sex scenes, so like PG-13". But instead we get to read about how salty the MC's "seed" is...which is just *eye roll* bad unless you are writing for Playboy or an audience who has never had sex.
If you want to write about harems, no problem, just mention it in the description and I won't read the book--and you won't get 1 star reviews. Otherwise, I'm gonna have to rate it 1 star, and go back and change my reviews for the other books in the series so that anyone else who reads it doesn't waste their time reading about stuff they really don't want to read about. And "thanks" to others that do this, you've saved me wasted time and money on other series like this where they go downhill as the series progresses.
September 12, 2020
I don't know what happened from book 1 to 2
This was a huge disappointment. I was so ready for this book. To find out 90% of this book is filler. There is nothing pushing the story along. The author literally does this pattern through the entire book......train, library, speak to uninteresting teachers. Repeat, repeat repeat! The cannON doesn't get anywhere with his un interesting power........ooooooooh cool I can see branches in time....sucks that he can't at least lob a full fragging fireball. Congrats Schinoffen on ruining a possibly great book 2
This was a huge disappointment. I was so ready for this book. To find out 90% of this book is filler. There is nothing pushing the story along. The author literally does this pattern through the entire book......train, library, speak to uninteresting teachers. Repeat, repeat repeat! The cannON doesn't get anywhere with his un interesting power........ooooooooh cool I can see branches in time....sucks that he can't at least lob a full fragging fireball. Congrats Schinoffen on ruining a possibly great book 2
September 4, 2020
Good, and well-written as always, but for a book of 662 pages (according to my Kindle) I didn't feel that it moved the story forward as much as it should have.
Others like the slice-of-life stuff more than I do, which would explain why I think there was too much of that vs. plot advancement. That's really why it gets a 4 from me instead of a 5. I can see from the parade of 5-star reviews that I am an outlier, but there's no point in writing these reviews if I'm just trying to conform.
Others like the slice-of-life stuff more than I do, which would explain why I think there was too much of that vs. plot advancement. That's really why it gets a 4 from me instead of a 5. I can see from the parade of 5-star reviews that I am an outlier, but there's no point in writing these reviews if I'm just trying to conform.
September 12, 2020
I loved the first book. It was something new and had a story to tell. There is a lot of meaningless repetition and repetetive boring dialogue in the second book with almost no progress in the story. I skimmed entire pages to look for the next relevant point in the story (same feeling I had when reading the later books of the honor harrington series). I would rather that the author would cut down on the repetetive dialogue and focus on the story and the cool world setting.
November 1, 2020
Good book, but won't continue reading the series!
The books is really good, great characters, great story building & love the magic system. It's starting to go into a being a Harem book though by the looks of it. All new characters are nearly female they all love the MC. The book was brilliant just being a fantasy book but It just isn't my type of book now, so will not be continuing.
The books is really good, great characters, great story building & love the magic system. It's starting to go into a being a Harem book though by the looks of it. All new characters are nearly female they all love the MC. The book was brilliant just being a fantasy book but It just isn't my type of book now, so will not be continuing.
March 27, 2021
I really should have been clued in by the first books weird sex scene, that this was going to turn into a weird/tacky romance harem series. I kept reading because the concept of the magic and world was really neat, but instead of focusing on that too much is spent on nonsense sweet talk between the main characters and repetitive behavior. Dropping the series here as I can't stand harem stories especially where all the characters around the MC are women who want to be with him.
October 20, 2020
Fine
I enjoyed the fighting and learning about Aether, but the impending harem seems really boring and I'm not interested in that. The prose got very repetitive. I won't be continuing this series.
I enjoyed the fighting and learning about Aether, but the impending harem seems really boring and I'm not interested in that. The prose got very repetitive. I won't be continuing this series.
November 1, 2020
Lack of imagination and inavation
Really enjoyed the first book in this series. This one become increasingly dull. There was no new ideas, a change of scene nor much character development. I am disappointed as I thought the first book was a solid start but this was shoddy work.
Really enjoyed the first book in this series. This one become increasingly dull. There was no new ideas, a change of scene nor much character development. I am disappointed as I thought the first book was a solid start but this was shoddy work.
January 28, 2021
Dropped at 63% (half a star)
This started out as a promising story. My main gripe is the way the tedious repetition of activities was handled. I got serious progression fantasy vibes from the first book but book 2 seemed so bent on communicating how boring studying and getting stronger could be by boring the reader, while the characters who are supposedly subjected to the tiresome monotony don't even seem the least bit fatigued. Instead they find it interesting and fun or brain-wracking. The and constant training and commitment to growing stronger is only driven by a need to... what? Have friends and be strong? Have someone that accepts them? Their motivations just seem implausible to me. Greg is the only exception, but he was already a flat character to begin with. Yukiko was so promising at first but just ended being the stereotype that I thought this author has avoided making her into in book 1.
What finally put me off was the "sneak attack harem". I should have seen the signs of a harem coming along. There was the whole thing about the MC's aether manifesting in a female personality that might possibly be his past-life wife, who doesn't mind sharing the MC with his love interest in the book. As weird as it is, that I could bear, honestly. But then the duo find a friend in one of their classmates, Jenn. She seems to have eyes for the MC, Greg, but it's clear at that point that he's in love with deuteragonist, Yukiko, and even Yukiko herself admits to not being worried by the fact that Jenn has feelings for Greg because everyone knows he loves Yukiko. I actually thought it'd be something that would pass, a little drama scare among teenage friends, but no. In fact the romantic relationship between Greg and Yuki is wholesome and more than bearable. Yet somehow the story degenerates into Yukiko being okay with not just a third but a fourth wheel in their relationship. Weirder still is the fact that Yukiko, the strange past-life wife and Jenn are keeping the fact that they want to build harem secret from Greg.
Furthermore, male characters introduced are either centuries aged masters or bullies. Every character of significant importance is female and is either there to be saved by the MC or is strong enough to stand as his equal and maybe join his harem someday (who's to say with these things).
This might be someone else's cup of tea, but me? I'm done with this series.
This started out as a promising story. My main gripe is the way the tedious repetition of activities was handled. I got serious progression fantasy vibes from the first book but book 2 seemed so bent on communicating how boring studying and getting stronger could be by boring the reader, while the characters who are supposedly subjected to the tiresome monotony don't even seem the least bit fatigued. Instead they find it interesting and fun or brain-wracking. The and constant training and commitment to growing stronger is only driven by a need to... what? Have friends and be strong? Have someone that accepts them? Their motivations just seem implausible to me. Greg is the only exception, but he was already a flat character to begin with. Yukiko was so promising at first but just ended being the stereotype that I thought this author has avoided making her into in book 1.
What finally put me off was the "sneak attack harem". I should have seen the signs of a harem coming along. There was the whole thing about the MC's aether manifesting in a female personality that might possibly be his past-life wife, who doesn't mind sharing the MC with his love interest in the book. As weird as it is, that I could bear, honestly. But then the duo find a friend in one of their classmates, Jenn. She seems to have eyes for the MC, Greg, but it's clear at that point that he's in love with deuteragonist, Yukiko, and even Yukiko herself admits to not being worried by the fact that Jenn has feelings for Greg because everyone knows he loves Yukiko. I actually thought it'd be something that would pass, a little drama scare among teenage friends, but no. In fact the romantic relationship between Greg and Yuki is wholesome and more than bearable. Yet somehow the story degenerates into Yukiko being okay with not just a third but a fourth wheel in their relationship. Weirder still is the fact that Yukiko, the strange past-life wife and Jenn are keeping the fact that they want to build harem secret from Greg.
Furthermore, male characters introduced are either centuries aged masters or bullies. Every character of significant importance is female and is either there to be saved by the MC or is strong enough to stand as his equal and maybe join his harem someday (who's to say with these things).
This might be someone else's cup of tea, but me? I'm done with this series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 5, 2020
Understated Delight
This series doesn’t use fast highly-charged action: it’s more a steady slow-burning drama with brief moments of action. Likewise the magic system is detailed, and growth is slow. Even with some advantages, our MC has to fight for every gain. Further, all of the relationships in the story are slower paced as well, so each change therein is noticeable.
I enjoy how much detail the author uses in his books, and how the pacing (and content!) changes in each one. This series is like a slow dinner with good friends: the delight is in all the detail, and in the careful plot exposure. Each book’s content is another dinner course being served, with attention paid to everything, in order for all the nuances to be appreciated. The characters grow, their abilities and relationships grow, and new characters and understanding, are brought in to enhance the setting. It all makes for some powerful investment in the story. Readers will not just understand or accept where everyone will be in a few books’ time - they’ll have lived those experiences with the characters, walking with them to get there. The characters are richer and deeper for it.
There’s some sex in here too, but it’s definitely not the main part of the story. It appears appropriately due to the relationships. It’s also done tastefully, with some detail, and some “fade to black”.
Altogether this is a great series, and a welcome change from rapid-fire action. It’s not boring at all for that though, and the plot is a fun journey of discovery.
Definitely recommended (16+) and I can’t wait for the next book.
This series doesn’t use fast highly-charged action: it’s more a steady slow-burning drama with brief moments of action. Likewise the magic system is detailed, and growth is slow. Even with some advantages, our MC has to fight for every gain. Further, all of the relationships in the story are slower paced as well, so each change therein is noticeable.
I enjoy how much detail the author uses in his books, and how the pacing (and content!) changes in each one. This series is like a slow dinner with good friends: the delight is in all the detail, and in the careful plot exposure. Each book’s content is another dinner course being served, with attention paid to everything, in order for all the nuances to be appreciated. The characters grow, their abilities and relationships grow, and new characters and understanding, are brought in to enhance the setting. It all makes for some powerful investment in the story. Readers will not just understand or accept where everyone will be in a few books’ time - they’ll have lived those experiences with the characters, walking with them to get there. The characters are richer and deeper for it.
There’s some sex in here too, but it’s definitely not the main part of the story. It appears appropriately due to the relationships. It’s also done tastefully, with some detail, and some “fade to black”.
Altogether this is a great series, and a welcome change from rapid-fire action. It’s not boring at all for that though, and the plot is a fun journey of discovery.
Definitely recommended (16+) and I can’t wait for the next book.
July 17, 2023
A good book with two minor downsides for me. The first is how often the author uses the sentence "a week has passed" in this book. I understand the need for it, but it's a bit overused. One option would be to alternate the sentence it self with something like "the next saturday"; this would feel a bit more natural. And a result of using these "weekly blocks" is that the story is a bit fragmented to me since everything is very evenly spaced in these blocks.
The second downside is for people who've read more by Daniel; the interaction between a couple of the characters in this book is very similar to the interaction in, for instance, Alpha World. Is this bad? Not per se, but it takes a bit of the surprise out of the start of the next book for me (cliffhanger-ish at the end of this book).
The second downside is for people who've read more by Daniel; the interaction between a couple of the characters in this book is very similar to the interaction in, for instance, Alpha World. Is this bad? Not per se, but it takes a bit of the surprise out of the start of the next book for me (cliffhanger-ish at the end of this book).
December 3, 2021
I guess it's that time again, to experience the cringe of a forced "loving relationship", Schinhofen style.
This book was a slog. I think he (the author) is trying for a cultivation mixed with a "slice of life" type novel, but it's entirely boring. There are so many parts that I want no knowledge of, but it keeps getting pushed at me.
If this book is any indicator, book three will follow suit or get worse. I had book two in my possession for so long and put it off. Now I realised why I was subconsciously doing it.
I thought the author was trying something new with the monogamy, but it seems he is hiding his harem ambitions deep.
Well, I'm not doing this again. This story has nothing more to offer me.
This will be the last book.
2/5 Stars
This book was a slog. I think he (the author) is trying for a cultivation mixed with a "slice of life" type novel, but it's entirely boring. There are so many parts that I want no knowledge of, but it keeps getting pushed at me.
If this book is any indicator, book three will follow suit or get worse. I had book two in my possession for so long and put it off. Now I realised why I was subconsciously doing it.
I thought the author was trying something new with the monogamy, but it seems he is hiding his harem ambitions deep.
Well, I'm not doing this again. This story has nothing more to offer me.
This will be the last book.
2/5 Stars
February 2, 2021
Liked the first book in this series until ending horror that is and this one follows and makes worse the ending of last book part that ruined it.
Seems more like badly attempted romance novel porn with bits of action and cultivation in there occasionally.
This was just so disappointing just bad and could of been so dame good too but wasn't dont think ever seen novel drop so much from first book especially when 1st was good mainly.
This so bad dont know if can or will bother with book 3, make worse this book was long and repetitive.
(Not that author listen but can hope he will.)
Seems more like badly attempted romance novel porn with bits of action and cultivation in there occasionally.
This was just so disappointing just bad and could of been so dame good too but wasn't dont think ever seen novel drop so much from first book especially when 1st was good mainly.
This so bad dont know if can or will bother with book 3, make worse this book was long and repetitive.
(Not that author listen but can hope he will.)
October 25, 2023
First reading: "2.5 Stars rounded up. This volume is filled with bonhomie, cultural details, Manny & Mary Sue twue wuv, and little plot."
Second reading: 2 Stars, DNF 60%. The antagonists are comic book-level OTT nasty and they all keep coming back for more beat-downs by the MCs. They're supposed to be motivated by revenge for being bested, but have zero hesitation to further clashes which they initiate and are then bested again.
Don't play a drinking game for each time you read "As my heart wishes"-- you'll be dead drunk and nauseated at the cloying relationship.
Second reading: 2 Stars, DNF 60%. The antagonists are comic book-level OTT nasty and they all keep coming back for more beat-downs by the MCs. They're supposed to be motivated by revenge for being bested, but have zero hesitation to further clashes which they initiate and are then bested again.
Don't play a drinking game for each time you read "As my heart wishes"-- you'll be dead drunk and nauseated at the cloying relationship.
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