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Shattered Gods #1
Shattered Gods
Fated to destroy the world. Determined to save it.
My name is Xal and I live in the dims, a walled prison where my people are kept by our cruel masters, until we are needed to fight once more. One member of every family must answer The Call, for our blood bears the magic of a demonic god, and all the terrible power that brings.
We march to war against the Fomori, an unstoppable army of giants, and their behemoths. If we do not, then our families are put to death. The Hasrans use us as cannon fodder, and worse. They used up my father, and he never came home. Die resisting. Die fighting. My choice isn’t if it happens, but rather how I sell my life.
If by some miracle I survive I will be granted entrance to the Imperial Academy, where every noble house will vie to architect my end. They cannot allow the void-blooded to live. They cannot allow us to thrive, or to gain more magic from the bodies of other dead gods. They cannot allow us to win. They fear the rise of another dreadlord. And they are right to fear. I will pull down an empire, and that is just the beginning.
My name is Xal and I live in the dims, a walled prison where my people are kept by our cruel masters, until we are needed to fight once more. One member of every family must answer The Call, for our blood bears the magic of a demonic god, and all the terrible power that brings.
We march to war against the Fomori, an unstoppable army of giants, and their behemoths. If we do not, then our families are put to death. The Hasrans use us as cannon fodder, and worse. They used up my father, and he never came home. Die resisting. Die fighting. My choice isn’t if it happens, but rather how I sell my life.
If by some miracle I survive I will be granted entrance to the Imperial Academy, where every noble house will vie to architect my end. They cannot allow the void-blooded to live. They cannot allow us to thrive, or to gain more magic from the bodies of other dead gods. They cannot allow us to win. They fear the rise of another dreadlord. And they are right to fear. I will pull down an empire, and that is just the beginning.
712 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 29, 2021
389 people are currently reading
276 people want to read
About the author
Chris Fox
87 books672 followersBy day I am an iPhone developer architecting the app used to scope Stephen Colbert’s ear. By night I am Batman. Ok maybe not. One can dream though, right?
I’ve been writing since I was six years old and started inflicting my work on others at age 18. By age 24 people stopped running away when I approached them with a new story and shortly thereafter I published my first one in the Rifter.
Wait you’re still reading?
Ok, the facts I’m supposed to list in a bio. As of this writing I’m 38 years old and live just north of the Golden Gate Bridge in the beautiful town of Mill Valley. If you’re unsure how to find it just follow the smell of self-entitlement. Once you see the teens driving Teslas you’ll know you’re in the right place.
I live in a tiny studio that I can cross in (literally) five steps and don’t own an oven. But you know what? It’s worth it. I love developing iPhone apps and if you want to work in San Francisco you accept that rent for a tiny place costs more than most people’s mortgage.
If you and about 2 million other people start buying my books I promise to move out of Marin to a house in the redwoods up in Guerneville. No pressure. Wait that’s a lie. Pressure.
I’ve been writing since I was six years old and started inflicting my work on others at age 18. By age 24 people stopped running away when I approached them with a new story and shortly thereafter I published my first one in the Rifter.
Wait you’re still reading?
Ok, the facts I’m supposed to list in a bio. As of this writing I’m 38 years old and live just north of the Golden Gate Bridge in the beautiful town of Mill Valley. If you’re unsure how to find it just follow the smell of self-entitlement. Once you see the teens driving Teslas you’ll know you’re in the right place.
I live in a tiny studio that I can cross in (literally) five steps and don’t own an oven. But you know what? It’s worth it. I love developing iPhone apps and if you want to work in San Francisco you accept that rent for a tiny place costs more than most people’s mortgage.
If you and about 2 million other people start buying my books I promise to move out of Marin to a house in the redwoods up in Guerneville. No pressure. Wait that’s a lie. Pressure.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
January 5, 2022
It was pretty good until about halfway through, when they get into a magic school.
All the characters turn annoying, some gradually, others suddenly, including the MC. Saghir is the exception, I guess, but he's barely a character, more like an extension of the protagonist.
The last straw was an interlude from one of the most unlikable characters in the book. In a bit of dialogue, she claims that she "wouldn't betray Xal"(the MC). I don't understand. How can you betray that which you have shown no loyalty to in the first place?
DNF 53%.
Perhaps if you can stomach the all the stupid that happens there it will be worth a read, but the lack of likeable characters (and worse, the focus on the unlikable ones), the lack of coherence on the setting (letting your students try to kill each other, and then not providing medical assistance, etc seem highly irrational for a military school that just lost a bunch of cadets in war) and the lack of attitude from the MC made me lose interest.
All the characters turn annoying, some gradually, others suddenly, including the MC. Saghir is the exception, I guess, but he's barely a character, more like an extension of the protagonist.
The last straw was an interlude from one of the most unlikable characters in the book. In a bit of dialogue, she claims that she "wouldn't betray Xal"(the MC). I don't understand. How can you betray that which you have shown no loyalty to in the first place?
DNF 53%.
Perhaps if you can stomach the all the stupid that happens there it will be worth a read, but the lack of likeable characters (and worse, the focus on the unlikable ones), the lack of coherence on the setting (letting your students try to kill each other, and then not providing medical assistance, etc seem highly irrational for a military school that just lost a bunch of cadets in war) and the lack of attitude from the MC made me lose interest.
August 2, 2021
I really enjoyed this book a lot. I will admit, I went in with pretty low expectations. I saw a post advertising the release with cheesy-looking, low budget cover art but since it was on kindle unlimited, I decided to give it a shot.
The setting is amazing. The world is deep and unique, I feel like I'm reading the story about characters within a pre-existing world rather than something crafted just for this story. You have the MC's home with pits that reach down to a lake with blood of a dead god, a man-made furnace containing a piece of a god's heart, spider-mountains(!), etc. The magic system ties itself well in the world, feeling like a cohesive part of the universe rather than something tacked on.
The characters were great as well, most were multi-layered and interesting. I particularly liked how the typical "school bully" characters (Erik and Darius) were actual complex characters rather than one-dimensional cardboard cut-outs. Erik starts the book actually receptive to the lower caste, without the prejudices of the previous generation but gets a geas placed on him by his mother, forcing him to have an irrational hate towards the MC. Darius is the son of a merchant family and while he is following the crown's orders to try to drive the MC out of the school, he also realizes the balance of power is shifting. Also the dynamic between him and the MC's love interest has me curious as it seems we still don't have the whole story. I'll admit I'm still hoping in the next book the geas on Eric will be broken and he'll be friendly again (I'm a sucker for that kinda stuff).
Even Darius's brother who starts the book seemingly as the "noble bully" character has more to him than that. Once in the school, he bands together his temple despite their differences. He offers rewards for their loyalty but when they initially turn him down he doesn't spurn them. He still seems to have darker intentions towards Tissa but there's enough left up in the air still that his plans might be entirely sincere.
The MC himself is great. He actually thinks for himself and solves problems on his own. While most MCs of other series are described by the authors as "smart", Xal actually feels smart. He figures out who his advisor is on his own. He puts asides his initial feelings regarding Caw and benefits from it. He has moral dilemmas but they don't bring him to a standstill. The only thing that irked me a bit is the whole Kem (the strategy game) bit. Everything else the MC still has to work for and earn his progression but when it comes to Kem he goes from losing to his mother at the start of the book to an instant master of the game. He wins the tournament while literally not paying attention to half his games. Even he was a bit introspective about it but it didn't make it feel any better. I would have liked to see some sort of progression or breakthroughs instead of zero to literally the best to play the game within one page.
For minor characters, I liked Caw a lot. He fills the "hardass instructor but secretly cares" role but actually feels like a hardass. When he killed the stragglers I was shocked but the more I read the more his bitterness shown through. I'm really looking forward to learning his backstory, why he was demoted.
There were a few minor things that I thought were a bit inconsistent or strange but with how complete the world seems to be it very well could be we just don't know the full details yet. For instance, the whole system of passive spells like the enhancement rings seems a bit broken in theory. What's to stop someone from literally wearing 50+ rings and hundreds/thousands of other passive enchantments on their body? With how much of an improvement just a single ring gave Xal (with no apparent downsides) it seems like it would be possible to have someone become completely unstoppable.
Rating: 4/5, this was a treat to read and I really look forward to future books in the series.
The setting is amazing. The world is deep and unique, I feel like I'm reading the story about characters within a pre-existing world rather than something crafted just for this story. You have the MC's home with pits that reach down to a lake with blood of a dead god, a man-made furnace containing a piece of a god's heart, spider-mountains(!), etc. The magic system ties itself well in the world, feeling like a cohesive part of the universe rather than something tacked on.
The characters were great as well, most were multi-layered and interesting. I particularly liked how the typical "school bully" characters (Erik and Darius) were actual complex characters rather than one-dimensional cardboard cut-outs. Erik starts the book actually receptive to the lower caste, without the prejudices of the previous generation but gets a geas placed on him by his mother, forcing him to have an irrational hate towards the MC. Darius is the son of a merchant family and while he is following the crown's orders to try to drive the MC out of the school, he also realizes the balance of power is shifting. Also the dynamic between him and the MC's love interest has me curious as it seems we still don't have the whole story. I'll admit I'm still hoping in the next book the geas on Eric will be broken and he'll be friendly again (I'm a sucker for that kinda stuff).
Even Darius's brother who starts the book seemingly as the "noble bully" character has more to him than that. Once in the school, he bands together his temple despite their differences. He offers rewards for their loyalty but when they initially turn him down he doesn't spurn them. He still seems to have darker intentions towards Tissa but there's enough left up in the air still that his plans might be entirely sincere.
The MC himself is great. He actually thinks for himself and solves problems on his own. While most MCs of other series are described by the authors as "smart", Xal actually feels smart. He figures out who his advisor is on his own. He puts asides his initial feelings regarding Caw and benefits from it. He has moral dilemmas but they don't bring him to a standstill. The only thing that irked me a bit is the whole Kem (the strategy game) bit. Everything else the MC still has to work for and earn his progression but when it comes to Kem he goes from losing to his mother at the start of the book to an instant master of the game. He wins the tournament while literally not paying attention to half his games. Even he was a bit introspective about it but it didn't make it feel any better. I would have liked to see some sort of progression or breakthroughs instead of zero to literally the best to play the game within one page.
For minor characters, I liked Caw a lot. He fills the "hardass instructor but secretly cares" role but actually feels like a hardass. When he killed the stragglers I was shocked but the more I read the more his bitterness shown through. I'm really looking forward to learning his backstory, why he was demoted.
There were a few minor things that I thought were a bit inconsistent or strange but with how complete the world seems to be it very well could be we just don't know the full details yet. For instance, the whole system of passive spells like the enhancement rings seems a bit broken in theory. What's to stop someone from literally wearing 50+ rings and hundreds/thousands of other passive enchantments on their body? With how much of an improvement just a single ring gave Xal (with no apparent downsides) it seems like it would be possible to have someone become completely unstoppable.
Rating: 4/5, this was a treat to read and I really look forward to future books in the series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 19, 2025
I disavow this review though I will not modify the score.
October 23, 2021
The setting was much darker than what I'd prefer to read. However, the plot kept me engaged enough to finish the book. It also helped that I liked the main character and some of the side characters.
The magic system and its history had multiple layers to it, some of which were revealed in this book. Multiple factions were in conflict against each other - some for revenge and some to gain power. The author did a good job of presenting POV characters from different sides and their motivations.
The writing was easy to follow. My major complaint was that the academy classes, teachers and exams did not make much sense at all, even after taking the events into consideration.
The magic system and its history had multiple layers to it, some of which were revealed in this book. Multiple factions were in conflict against each other - some for revenge and some to gain power. The author did a good job of presenting POV characters from different sides and their motivations.
The writing was easy to follow. My major complaint was that the academy classes, teachers and exams did not make much sense at all, even after taking the events into consideration.
November 6, 2022
My Thoughts:
Most fantasy formulaic route starts with a farm boy who went on to become great and saves the world. This story puts a little twist on that by starting with a prison community instead of a poor farm. So there is a tiny bit of originality in it at least.
The kindle ebook and the audible audiobook are whispersynced. However, there are parts where the two do not match. Like for example, in location 334 of 710 of the ebook, the line reads, "...but the one next to that was Zaro, I thought, a fierce warrior with a weapon in either hand." But the audiobook says, "...but the man next to that was Dalanthar, the very same steward emblazoned where I trained under Caw." No, some parts are not the same and some parts are inconsistent. The book sometimes call a god by different names, i.e., as Dalanthus and sometimes as Zaro, and/or used the names of two gods interchangeably. WTF!?! Consequently, the gods, temples, and characters are kinda confusing. On top of that there are clerical errors, i.e., "processor" instead of "professor" (loc 490 of 710 of the kindle ebook). Annoying! This kind of errors are peppered all throughout the book. The editor needs his/her pay docked.
Luiz, a GoodReads reviewer, said that the Academy ways do not make a lot of sense and I agree with him! That put a lot of holes in the plot/story building. In fact the story has so many plot holes in it that if it were a sheet, it would look like it had been striped with a machine gun!Circle of Eight
I like that the ebook has some art in it, like the sigil of the Circle of Eight and the Hasra City map. It substantiate the imagination. Adds a dimension to the reading experience that wouldn't be there if the images were not there.
I like Ryan Kennard Burke's voice. It is not aggravating to the ears. And I like the way he gives life to some characters!
Quantitative Evaluation:
Story telling quality = 3.5
Character development = 3.5
Story itself = 3
Writing Style = 4.5
Ending = 3
World building = 5
Cover art = 4
Pace = (19 hrs and 51 mins listening time)
Plot = 2.5
Narration = 4.5
Character development = 3.5
Story itself = 3
Writing Style = 4.5
Ending = 3
World building = 5
Cover art = 4
Pace = (19 hrs and 51 mins listening time)
Plot = 2.5
Narration = 4.5
Overall Rating: 4 out of 5
December 14, 2023
Ultimately a failure
It's a really cool story idea and a very rich world. The world building is great. The problem is the story is 1,000% inconsistent. The protagonist cast a dozen spells in one scene and then can manage to run and do a bunch of other stuff and then in the next thing he cast three and he's utterly worn out and can't do anything. There's also just gigantic inconsistencies in the politics which is supposed to be there because basically the main characters are all second class citizens but it affects more than them. Like there's a fighting tournament and there's only three teams which doesn't even begin to make sense for it being an empire. And two teams have to fight and then fight the The remaining team and it's a one round knockout it just makes no sense. Ultimately the end of the day. It just seems like lazy storytelling and the inconsistencies make it unreadable.
It's a really cool story idea and a very rich world. The world building is great. The problem is the story is 1,000% inconsistent. The protagonist cast a dozen spells in one scene and then can manage to run and do a bunch of other stuff and then in the next thing he cast three and he's utterly worn out and can't do anything. There's also just gigantic inconsistencies in the politics which is supposed to be there because basically the main characters are all second class citizens but it affects more than them. Like there's a fighting tournament and there's only three teams which doesn't even begin to make sense for it being an empire. And two teams have to fight and then fight the The remaining team and it's a one round knockout it just makes no sense. Ultimately the end of the day. It just seems like lazy storytelling and the inconsistencies make it unreadable.
January 24, 2023
It seems that like many others the book felt like it had direction and a decent narrative right up till they get to the academy. They make a big deal of how they'll be rushed into the 6th year which means it will be almost impossible to pass, then every class starts with the few new students doing introduction style information courses with these 6th years. Even then rather than attempt to explain the magic, maybe how it works, what is possible or how the system works it brushes over this completely and is just badly writen while also being boring.
The characters get worse, all seemingly undergoing massive changes in character from one moment to the next for no apparent reason.
Maybe it was heading for being a 3-4star review based on the first half, with how it drops off a cliff in quality it drops to a 2 star and a DNF.
The characters get worse, all seemingly undergoing massive changes in character from one moment to the next for no apparent reason.
Maybe it was heading for being a 3-4star review based on the first half, with how it drops off a cliff in quality it drops to a 2 star and a DNF.
January 5, 2023
The book started off promising, the world building and starting scenes were well written. However once the MC gets to the academy the story gets worse and worse. The MC and others constantly contradict themselves and make juvenile decisions with no substantive justifications.
The author really enjoys focusing on the MC's anger at the injustices he faces as a way to gain strength and perform better. This would not have bothered me if it had not been referenced EVERY single time the MC is in a tough position. It also helps him in situations where it really shouldn't, such as the chess like strategy game they play where you would expect calm thinking would help.
Every single side character is under developed and lacks depth. Saghir is the one character I liked throughout the book, but sadly he plays an almost inconsequential part in the story. The author tells us of many important decisions these side characters make, but without the immersive background to their situations that would make me care. I grew to resent many of the characters and the lack of maturity/critical thinking that ails all of them.
The magic system could have had a lot of depth, and I was interested to learn more about the world and how the MC could achieve more power. Unfortunately the implementation of the magic system, and crude way the characters interact with it turned me off to it by the end of the book. It was hard to understand the scope of the magic system and it often felt like the author wrote in new powers to achieve whatever narrative he needed in the moment.
The teaching/instructional moments in the novel were laughably bad. The MC's teachers focused on the most elementary topics that a child could have learned in a day, despite the students supposedly being in their sixth year. Instead of piecing the magic system together over time the author spoon-feeds the reader like they are a baby and it ruins the immersion.
All told this book had an interesting world and magic system. It is completely ruined by bland and unlikable characters who only get more bland and unlikable as the book progresses. A small note also goes to the cringeworthy way the author focused on the MC's attraction to some of the female characters in the novel. The MC behaves like a horny middle schooler who happens to also be fighting for his/families lives but just can't help himself get distracted.
The author really enjoys focusing on the MC's anger at the injustices he faces as a way to gain strength and perform better. This would not have bothered me if it had not been referenced EVERY single time the MC is in a tough position. It also helps him in situations where it really shouldn't, such as the chess like strategy game they play where you would expect calm thinking would help.
Every single side character is under developed and lacks depth. Saghir is the one character I liked throughout the book, but sadly he plays an almost inconsequential part in the story. The author tells us of many important decisions these side characters make, but without the immersive background to their situations that would make me care. I grew to resent many of the characters and the lack of maturity/critical thinking that ails all of them.
The magic system could have had a lot of depth, and I was interested to learn more about the world and how the MC could achieve more power. Unfortunately the implementation of the magic system, and crude way the characters interact with it turned me off to it by the end of the book. It was hard to understand the scope of the magic system and it often felt like the author wrote in new powers to achieve whatever narrative he needed in the moment.
The teaching/instructional moments in the novel were laughably bad. The MC's teachers focused on the most elementary topics that a child could have learned in a day, despite the students supposedly being in their sixth year. Instead of piecing the magic system together over time the author spoon-feeds the reader like they are a baby and it ruins the immersion.
All told this book had an interesting world and magic system. It is completely ruined by bland and unlikable characters who only get more bland and unlikable as the book progresses. A small note also goes to the cringeworthy way the author focused on the MC's attraction to some of the female characters in the novel. The MC behaves like a horny middle schooler who happens to also be fighting for his/families lives but just can't help himself get distracted.
Read
August 24, 2021Swords and Sorcery, magic and might
The epic tale begins with a Call, drafting fighters for their war. Each household expected to provide a member to the Legions. Xal left his home in the Dims to die for the Hasran host. He was thrown into the trash legion where he would be fodder for the fight against the Fomori, a race of druids, shape shifters and spell casters. Xal met some of his fellow trash, throw-aways, meat for the grinder. Saghir, a ratkin, Xal raised to his shoulder to keep him from being trampled in the mud. Armed with wooden staves, they would face the arrows and steel of the Fomori horde. They weren't supposed to fight, their job was to die, slowing the advance of the enemy as they slaughtered the trash legion. Xal had gained Void energy before joining the Call and as the drafted urchins around him faced certain death, Xal noticed a weakness in the mountainside above the Fomori lines. Xal found his magic and cast void bolts into the side of the mountain until the weakness gave way and the side of the mountain slid down, burying the Fomori under tons of rock. War over. Hasran wins. For their bravery and 'assistance' Xal and the survivors of the trash legion were given entrance to the Academy to learn magic and combat.
The characters are bold and beautiful, as all heroes should be, the Academy was stratified by right of birth. The haves had, the have nots wished for what was denied them. Xal excelled beyond expectations and earned the ire of the heaviest haves, the Prince and his quint - a four man fighting force. All were wearing the best armor, the best weaponry, and the cock-sure attitudes that said everyone else is less because they were more.
The storyline is intriguing, twists, turns, and enough action to keep the lines clear and my sleep was unable to get a start until the wee hours. A most excellent read!
The epic tale begins with a Call, drafting fighters for their war. Each household expected to provide a member to the Legions. Xal left his home in the Dims to die for the Hasran host. He was thrown into the trash legion where he would be fodder for the fight against the Fomori, a race of druids, shape shifters and spell casters. Xal met some of his fellow trash, throw-aways, meat for the grinder. Saghir, a ratkin, Xal raised to his shoulder to keep him from being trampled in the mud. Armed with wooden staves, they would face the arrows and steel of the Fomori horde. They weren't supposed to fight, their job was to die, slowing the advance of the enemy as they slaughtered the trash legion. Xal had gained Void energy before joining the Call and as the drafted urchins around him faced certain death, Xal noticed a weakness in the mountainside above the Fomori lines. Xal found his magic and cast void bolts into the side of the mountain until the weakness gave way and the side of the mountain slid down, burying the Fomori under tons of rock. War over. Hasran wins. For their bravery and 'assistance' Xal and the survivors of the trash legion were given entrance to the Academy to learn magic and combat.
The characters are bold and beautiful, as all heroes should be, the Academy was stratified by right of birth. The haves had, the have nots wished for what was denied them. Xal excelled beyond expectations and earned the ire of the heaviest haves, the Prince and his quint - a four man fighting force. All were wearing the best armor, the best weaponry, and the cock-sure attitudes that said everyone else is less because they were more.
The storyline is intriguing, twists, turns, and enough action to keep the lines clear and my sleep was unable to get a start until the wee hours. A most excellent read!
October 21, 2021
4 out of 5
Very Interesting conceps, easily accessible writing and dialogue, the story itself is great and the systems and lore are intriguing and seem quite deep, with the feeling of progression and growth done quite well. Questions are answered in a way that doesnt feel condescending which as a reader i very much appreciate.
Xal as a character is great, competent yet flawed. Saghir is a great supporting character for him and their relationship seems real, while the quint members seem to be rounding out as layered characters.
Id say the glaring weakness in this book is some of the support characters, a few of them we are supposed to care about like Tissa have very little redeeming qualities, i understand that some of that is to show a harsh upbringing but honestly her chapters could have involved a little bit more introspection to make her more likable. Also maybe dont make every girl hate each other on sight, its kinda tropey and catty.
Also the Antagonists dont seem to have much depth, with the current main antagonist having no real shades of gray whatsoever. Granted we didnt get to much time to know her and im hoping the next book will expand on that and we dont just get a female Galbatorix sorta thing going.
All that said i enjoyed this book a lot and eagerly await the next one. Found it on r/progressionfantasy
Very Interesting conceps, easily accessible writing and dialogue, the story itself is great and the systems and lore are intriguing and seem quite deep, with the feeling of progression and growth done quite well. Questions are answered in a way that doesnt feel condescending which as a reader i very much appreciate.
Xal as a character is great, competent yet flawed. Saghir is a great supporting character for him and their relationship seems real, while the quint members seem to be rounding out as layered characters.
Id say the glaring weakness in this book is some of the support characters, a few of them we are supposed to care about like Tissa have very little redeeming qualities, i understand that some of that is to show a harsh upbringing but honestly her chapters could have involved a little bit more introspection to make her more likable. Also maybe dont make every girl hate each other on sight, its kinda tropey and catty.
Also the Antagonists dont seem to have much depth, with the current main antagonist having no real shades of gray whatsoever. Granted we didnt get to much time to know her and im hoping the next book will expand on that and we dont just get a female Galbatorix sorta thing going.
All that said i enjoyed this book a lot and eagerly await the next one. Found it on r/progressionfantasy
September 30, 2024
Just Another Incompetent Lucky Hero
While I like a underdog triumphing, I don’t like it when it’s accomplished through sheer luck and coincidence. So many authors fall prey to using the lucky hero trope to make their stories work. It just so happens the arena challenges favored the MCs group when any other scenario he would have lost. It just so happens his enemies lost all sense and made thoughtless mistakes. It’s not plausible that these perfect storm situations keep arising that enable the MC. My other major gripe with this book is that the book discription was misleading. The MC didn’t squire a bunch of magic and literally never learned how to use his magic in a new capacity till the very very end. No new magic types and no new sigil formations. Just a short teleport and weak bolt the whole book. A interesting magic premise turned boring. The MC wasn’t competent enough to actually face his challenges and so the author provided plot armor for him to succeed. Genuinely not a bad book but the MC needs to be able to actually grow to be able to handle the challenges in his way.
While I like a underdog triumphing, I don’t like it when it’s accomplished through sheer luck and coincidence. So many authors fall prey to using the lucky hero trope to make their stories work. It just so happens the arena challenges favored the MCs group when any other scenario he would have lost. It just so happens his enemies lost all sense and made thoughtless mistakes. It’s not plausible that these perfect storm situations keep arising that enable the MC. My other major gripe with this book is that the book discription was misleading. The MC didn’t squire a bunch of magic and literally never learned how to use his magic in a new capacity till the very very end. No new magic types and no new sigil formations. Just a short teleport and weak bolt the whole book. A interesting magic premise turned boring. The MC wasn’t competent enough to actually face his challenges and so the author provided plot armor for him to succeed. Genuinely not a bad book but the MC needs to be able to actually grow to be able to handle the challenges in his way.
September 28, 2021
KU Review
“This was a fun book. I am glad that I read it. You should try it too.”
I am not going to share my reasoning, thoughts on the book, or any opinions that would influence your decision to read it. I am simply saying that I liked it. I would like you to read it and make your own decision. After all, you are a much better judge of what you will like than anyone here.
I will happily discuss the book with you on Goodreads if you are so inclined. As always, I am open to debates and arguments, but also vain enough to seek acknowledgement, so feel free to roast me or applaud my efforts. Either is acceptable, because if you are paying attention to me then you are at least considering the book. And THAT my friends is exactly why you see my comments here.
Cheers
“This was a fun book. I am glad that I read it. You should try it too.”
I am not going to share my reasoning, thoughts on the book, or any opinions that would influence your decision to read it. I am simply saying that I liked it. I would like you to read it and make your own decision. After all, you are a much better judge of what you will like than anyone here.
I will happily discuss the book with you on Goodreads if you are so inclined. As always, I am open to debates and arguments, but also vain enough to seek acknowledgement, so feel free to roast me or applaud my efforts. Either is acceptable, because if you are paying attention to me then you are at least considering the book. And THAT my friends is exactly why you see my comments here.
Cheers
October 9, 2024
It's pretty interesting 🤔. The plot is non the wiser, with the oppression genre being the inspiration for the MC.
Q
Cons.
The MC Is a pervert tho to dome readers it can be possible as a "character flaw" but hearing on hoe he objectifies women in the book is kinda an ICK in my pov, also the amount of time that shit is being nentioned is truly an unneeded thing to the progression of the story. Utterly meaningless
Otherwise, it's a compelling saga.
Q
Cons.
The MC Is a pervert tho to dome readers it can be possible as a "character flaw" but hearing on hoe he objectifies women in the book is kinda an ICK in my pov, also the amount of time that shit is being nentioned is truly an unneeded thing to the progression of the story. Utterly meaningless
Otherwise, it's a compelling saga.
October 3, 2021
Excellent. Read it in a flurry, and can’t wait for the next one. It was jam packed with excitement, cinematic scenes, believable world building, and interesting characters that I cared about and whom developed. Reminded me of the old greats I used to read as a teenager. Felt really good to read. Highly recommended.
November 11, 2021
Really Good Story
I truly enjoyed the story. I was taken aback by some of the violence, however. The story is dark, but very hopeful and light at the same time. That is a hard thing to pull off, but the author did. I enjoyed the MC and his companions. Very good read. I cannot wait to read the next book.
I truly enjoyed the story. I was taken aback by some of the violence, however. The story is dark, but very hopeful and light at the same time. That is a hard thing to pull off, but the author did. I enjoyed the MC and his companions. Very good read. I cannot wait to read the next book.
May 17, 2022
Engrossing
Someone mentioned this series on Reddit the other day and I decided to give it a try because I like academy settings and demon power tropes. The story strongly delivers on both. Couldn’t find a single typo/grammar issue and it felt very polished. The prose didn’t get in the way and the MC had a fun perspective. Onto the next!
Someone mentioned this series on Reddit the other day and I decided to give it a try because I like academy settings and demon power tropes. The story strongly delivers on both. Couldn’t find a single typo/grammar issue and it felt very polished. The prose didn’t get in the way and the MC had a fun perspective. Onto the next!
July 8, 2022
Fun read - shattered gods
Loved the characters and the way it all unfolds. Can’t wait to hear about next year of school and what trouble they get into next. Growing up is never easy and what would you do if the gods (lower case) were dead set against you? Where does hope come from?
Loved the characters and the way it all unfolds. Can’t wait to hear about next year of school and what trouble they get into next. Growing up is never easy and what would you do if the gods (lower case) were dead set against you? Where does hope come from?
August 9, 2021
First book by this author I have read and it was outstandingly good
Great fantasy with superb storytelling very enjoyable read can't wait to read the next one in the series that is for sure
Great fantasy with superb storytelling very enjoyable read can't wait to read the next one in the series that is for sure
December 12, 2021
Interesting story
An interesting story, if you like the RPG version of the story it would make a nice side story on a new world. However, it’s not for me. Yep, it was very well written and masterfully considered.
An interesting story, if you like the RPG version of the story it would make a nice side story on a new world. However, it’s not for me. Yep, it was very well written and masterfully considered.
June 21, 2022
surprising
This is a cracking read I took a chance as was promoted on Facebook when I saw it. A action packed book it moves at a nice pace an you care about what happens to the characters.
This is a cracking read I took a chance as was promoted on Facebook when I saw it. A action packed book it moves at a nice pace an you care about what happens to the characters.
September 12, 2022
interesting
I found this book interesting, not having read any magic tech books I found the magic system pretty good. But the timescale of the story I didn’t like, I mean from start to finish takes about 6 weeks. Still the plot, action and characters were good.
I found this book interesting, not having read any magic tech books I found the magic system pretty good. But the timescale of the story I didn’t like, I mean from start to finish takes about 6 weeks. Still the plot, action and characters were good.
August 23, 2023
A new series to enjoy
Innovative about creating new worlds of characters with familiar names from legends almost forgotten. Well thought out characters with a story bigger than Texas.
Innovative about creating new worlds of characters with familiar names from legends almost forgotten. Well thought out characters with a story bigger than Texas.
August 8, 2021
Fantastic
Fantastic story and I qm anticipating the how the saga plays out in future reads. I can not wait but I have to ughhhhhhh
Fantastic story and I qm anticipating the how the saga plays out in future reads. I can not wait but I have to ughhhhhhh
August 9, 2021
The story is so much fun and the pacing is amazing. I love void magic too - it is a really cool and fresh magic type to play with.
August 11, 2021
Very good read
I enjoyed reading this book very much and I recommend it to anyone who likes magic, character development and lots of action.
I enjoyed reading this book very much and I recommend it to anyone who likes magic, character development and lots of action.
August 30, 2021
Really good book
Right amount of grit without being too dark. Not sure how I feel about Tissa though. Really looking forward to the next one
Right amount of grit without being too dark. Not sure how I feel about Tissa though. Really looking forward to the next one
October 28, 2021
Really enjoyable read
Finally a book that has kept me up late at night. Was surprisingly good. Looking forward to the next one.
Finally a book that has kept me up late at night. Was surprisingly good. Looking forward to the next one.
December 30, 2021
Loved it.
Great book, I had trouble putting it down. A story of the underdog facing the oppressors. The poor called up to be used as cannon fodder.
Great book, I had trouble putting it down. A story of the underdog facing the oppressors. The poor called up to be used as cannon fodder.
February 14, 2022
Amazing !
This is a epic story in the making. It will be so fun to see Xal as he progresses and grows stronger, and more confident in his own powers.
This is a epic story in the making. It will be so fun to see Xal as he progresses and grows stronger, and more confident in his own powers.
March 17, 2022
fun read
If you enjoy progressive fantasy this is a good read. MC has to struggle for everything and no easy powerups
If you enjoy progressive fantasy this is a good read. MC has to struggle for everything and no easy powerups
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