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The Lost Sect #1
Blade of Ghosts
The Hollow is dying.
Beset by nightmarish creatures from the caverns below, Jason’s tribe is slowly being whittled away. Only a brave few still stand against the darkness.
Jason dreams of joining the glorious Shadowfront and battling the enemy known only as the Void. But as a lowly Pastfinder, he is denied that path and forced to serve as little more than a glorified scavenger.
It is only when he chances upon the ruins of a long dead civilization that his fortunes change. Jason discovers a forgotten form of cultivation, one fueled by the ghosts of centuries-lost history and powerful, forbidden knowledge.
For the first time in his life, Jason has the strength to join the fight against the shadows.
But if his fellow tribesmen learn of his new power's cursed origins, the Void will be the least of his concerns...
Inspired by the worlds of Xianxia and Wuxia, Julian Gyll brings a fresh, western fantasy take on the burgeoning cultivation genre.
Beset by nightmarish creatures from the caverns below, Jason’s tribe is slowly being whittled away. Only a brave few still stand against the darkness.
Jason dreams of joining the glorious Shadowfront and battling the enemy known only as the Void. But as a lowly Pastfinder, he is denied that path and forced to serve as little more than a glorified scavenger.
It is only when he chances upon the ruins of a long dead civilization that his fortunes change. Jason discovers a forgotten form of cultivation, one fueled by the ghosts of centuries-lost history and powerful, forbidden knowledge.
For the first time in his life, Jason has the strength to join the fight against the shadows.
But if his fellow tribesmen learn of his new power's cursed origins, the Void will be the least of his concerns...
Inspired by the worlds of Xianxia and Wuxia, Julian Gyll brings a fresh, western fantasy take on the burgeoning cultivation genre.
608 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 10, 2022
239 people are currently reading
233 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews
January 27, 2022
Sheltered community lives in the dark, lives under iron fist rule of their rarely seen leader, Echo.
Living in terror of shadow demons, released by the old civilization Erebus.
MC is a nobody, finds some power in the old ways of cultivation.
Gets himself exiled, runs into another community.
World shatters, echo is erebus, everything under the thumb of a crazy tirant.
It's very predictable.
Living in terror of shadow demons, released by the old civilization Erebus.
MC is a nobody, finds some power in the old ways of cultivation.
Gets himself exiled, runs into another community.
World shatters, echo is erebus, everything under the thumb of a crazy tirant.
It's very predictable.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 1, 2022
A really long book for a prolog, over religius cult! you can figure out the real villian right away, then it become how long before the MC figure it out, answer the whole book.
January 31, 2022
Honestly if it wasn't Travis Bladre that narrated the book I don't think I could have forced my self to continue the book. It's not a bad book and it's well written. But I found that it had very little real progression at all. The MC is pretty boring and uninteresting he doesn't make you care much about what happens. Add to this the fact that it takes around 4-6 hours before the book actually goes anywhere. There is just too much meaningless dialogue that could have been skipped. I give 3 stars because I think this is just my opinion and I don't want too punish the author because it was well written. It was just not what I was hoping for. I gave up when there where 3 hours left on the audiobook because I just didn't care about what happened.
February 22, 2022
Boring
Sorry, took to long to get started and ended in an unsatisfing way seven more words is very hard going
Sorry, took to long to get started and ended in an unsatisfing way seven more words is very hard going
February 14, 2022
I feel like the author is talented, but picked a fairly boring storyline and needed an editor. The text is very very very repetitive and the words and ideas loop over and over again about the same thing. What could have been said in 1 paragraph takes up 3 pages and is interspersed with endless recaps. How he feels, what he wants….it is just painful to read and I kept wanting to quit the book and then I did. We geeetttttt iiiitttt he wants to fight in the shadow front. He talks about this and thinks about it snd doesn’t really consider anyone else’s feelings over and over again.
23% in I gave up…he must have fixated and repeated his goals to fight in the text like….200 times in 150 pages. Seriously he can’t think of reflect or describe anything without a repetition of his goals. The book could have been cut from 600 pages to 250 easily without loosing anything, it is like the author thought up 10 ways to say the same thing and decided to leave them all in, every single time. It took 150 plus pages for him to watch a parade, run away from monsters, and go to work the next day…so like maybe 10 or even 30 pages of content could have done the same thing.
The general concept and overall quality of individual sentences is good, the author is good at description and may do well in another series with a bette concept snd more experience down the road, but this is simply too looping and self referenced. Truly it is worse than those shonen anime recaps like DBZ or whatever where half the episode is a recap of the prior episodes and then each scene that does happen is immediately recapped in the next scene as though you need a flashback of what happened 30 seconds ago.
23% in I gave up…he must have fixated and repeated his goals to fight in the text like….200 times in 150 pages. Seriously he can’t think of reflect or describe anything without a repetition of his goals. The book could have been cut from 600 pages to 250 easily without loosing anything, it is like the author thought up 10 ways to say the same thing and decided to leave them all in, every single time. It took 150 plus pages for him to watch a parade, run away from monsters, and go to work the next day…so like maybe 10 or even 30 pages of content could have done the same thing.
The general concept and overall quality of individual sentences is good, the author is good at description and may do well in another series with a bette concept snd more experience down the road, but this is simply too looping and self referenced. Truly it is worse than those shonen anime recaps like DBZ or whatever where half the episode is a recap of the prior episodes and then each scene that does happen is immediately recapped in the next scene as though you need a flashback of what happened 30 seconds ago.
February 6, 2022
3.25 stars
First of all the setting and the magic system was unique, the magic system is a mixture of elemental magic and absorbing the essence if the past in a sense. The world building and the creatures were good too.
Now for the reason i gave it 3 stars is that the action scenes were good at some places but at other times makes us wanna skim over it, the battles were good especially the one about in the middle of the book, but the last battle was intense at first but the intensity and adrenaline seemed to ebb out after the initial rush.
Now for the characters well among these type of novels you get your standard likeable bloke and other supporting characters here. But the ending revelations and the journey that is intended for our protagonist to undertake really peaked my interest to read the sequel when it comes out.
Overall it was an average read for me but thus time I'll give the sequels a try too
First of all the setting and the magic system was unique, the magic system is a mixture of elemental magic and absorbing the essence if the past in a sense. The world building and the creatures were good too.
Now for the reason i gave it 3 stars is that the action scenes were good at some places but at other times makes us wanna skim over it, the battles were good especially the one about in the middle of the book, but the last battle was intense at first but the intensity and adrenaline seemed to ebb out after the initial rush.
Now for the characters well among these type of novels you get your standard likeable bloke and other supporting characters here. But the ending revelations and the journey that is intended for our protagonist to undertake really peaked my interest to read the sequel when it comes out.
Overall it was an average read for me but thus time I'll give the sequels a try too
December 21, 2023
Wow this book was way better then I was expecting. I’m always shocked when I find a book thats not talked about a lot in the progression fantasy space but is actually really good. It makes me think either I’m not paying close enough attention or that people just enjoy vastly different things about the genre.
This book was very entertaining and engaging the whole way through, just based on its pacing and plot alone. The book opened up a tad slow and there were defiantly parts in the beginning that could have been cut but once it got started it never let up. It has a fun way of throwing our MC from one crisis to another with enough connective tissue and character moments to make everything impactful. I loved Jason’s journey in broad struck as well as the page by page minutia. Jason’s journey from a sensor, to thinking he was going crazy, to being exiled and thrown into the darkness, joining a big battle to save his fellow man who don’t like him, to meeting new people, to coming back to save his home to discovering the real reason behind everything. I think the author did a very good job at thinking through where he wanted Jason to go and end up. It didn’t feel like he was making it up as he went along like so many other stories.
This book does a few things on a structural level that I really enjoyed. I like when characters are thrown into the thick of things with no instruction manual or hand holding. All they have is their wit and determination. I like it when it’s the MC vs the world and he has to go against what everyone thinks and does to walk his own path for ultimately the betterment of himself and the world around him. These things create tension and a sense of excitement for what’s to come.
The action. The moments of chaos from void attacks or when Jason is forced to think of a solution to a problem on the fly is so fun. The author really has a good sense of timing and vernacular to bring these tense moments to life. The magic system itself was fun. Normally I don’t like elemental magic systems but this book is one of the few that manages to pull it off for me(along with The Umbral Storm). I think the reason is because instead of having characters just throw around generic fire balls and wind blades, the author actually spends time on each individual aspect of the magic enough to create a sense of individuality for the characters and Sects of magic. I do have some concerns about the magic but it was still a fun way to delve into its unique aspects
I think the progression elements itself is more well done then most book I’ve read in the genre. In the magic system and in Jason’s journey to power. The magic system was introduced in a way that oozed potential. Even when characters didn’t know much, you always got the sense there was more to learn and discover. Shadow weaving is something I’ve seen before but never to this extent. When it came out that you can weave it to virtually anything my mind soared with the potential. Jason’s journey was also fascinating to see unfold. He went from knowing nothing to being the strongest of his people by the end. It amazingly did it in a completely believable and well paced out way. The ghost weaves was an ingenious way to push him along while setting it up for cool revelations and potential for further growth down the line. He ends with a lot of tools in his arsenal without it feeling contrived or ridiculous.
The world building did something that I think a lot of people enjoy(I definitely do). It dropped us into a world and way of life for the characters that feels off in a way that you can’t put your finger on, before slowly unraveling the mystery behind why things are the way they are, while setting us up for further development and exploration later. I’s always fun to get those “Ohhhh that makes sense” moments in the plot and worldbuilding.
I also want to mention that, believe or not, I have never read a book where the characters fight a dragon before now. I find it completely unbelievable that’s even possible but its true. I enjoyed that fight scene immensely and I will forever be grateful that this book gave me that.
Cons:
Sometimes the book was a little too wordy. The inner monologues by the MC went on too long without adding much sometimes. Also the worldbuilding descriptions went on too long to describe relatively simple ideas and places. I think the book could have been a decent amount shorter without loosing anything if some things were cut out.
I mentioned this above but I am a tad bit concerned about the magic system. Basically after meeting water and light magic users It began to seem like everyone just does the same thing with the magic. Basically just using their elements to form physical items. That can get old really quickly if the characters don’t start doing more unique things with each element
I never really bought the whole shadow flames thing. It was cool to see our MC use it but I don’t understand how moving the shadow like flames allows for it to burn and set things on fire. I know I shouldn’t think too hard about it but it just felt a tad bit cheap, like shadow can basically do whatever the aurthor decides it can. What’s to stop it from freezing or electrocuting things as well? I hope the author explains that more in the future.
This book was very entertaining and engaging the whole way through, just based on its pacing and plot alone. The book opened up a tad slow and there were defiantly parts in the beginning that could have been cut but once it got started it never let up. It has a fun way of throwing our MC from one crisis to another with enough connective tissue and character moments to make everything impactful. I loved Jason’s journey in broad struck as well as the page by page minutia. Jason’s journey from a sensor, to thinking he was going crazy, to being exiled and thrown into the darkness, joining a big battle to save his fellow man who don’t like him, to meeting new people, to coming back to save his home to discovering the real reason behind everything. I think the author did a very good job at thinking through where he wanted Jason to go and end up. It didn’t feel like he was making it up as he went along like so many other stories.
This book does a few things on a structural level that I really enjoyed. I like when characters are thrown into the thick of things with no instruction manual or hand holding. All they have is their wit and determination. I like it when it’s the MC vs the world and he has to go against what everyone thinks and does to walk his own path for ultimately the betterment of himself and the world around him. These things create tension and a sense of excitement for what’s to come.
The action. The moments of chaos from void attacks or when Jason is forced to think of a solution to a problem on the fly is so fun. The author really has a good sense of timing and vernacular to bring these tense moments to life. The magic system itself was fun. Normally I don’t like elemental magic systems but this book is one of the few that manages to pull it off for me(along with The Umbral Storm). I think the reason is because instead of having characters just throw around generic fire balls and wind blades, the author actually spends time on each individual aspect of the magic enough to create a sense of individuality for the characters and Sects of magic. I do have some concerns about the magic but it was still a fun way to delve into its unique aspects
I think the progression elements itself is more well done then most book I’ve read in the genre. In the magic system and in Jason’s journey to power. The magic system was introduced in a way that oozed potential. Even when characters didn’t know much, you always got the sense there was more to learn and discover. Shadow weaving is something I’ve seen before but never to this extent. When it came out that you can weave it to virtually anything my mind soared with the potential. Jason’s journey was also fascinating to see unfold. He went from knowing nothing to being the strongest of his people by the end. It amazingly did it in a completely believable and well paced out way. The ghost weaves was an ingenious way to push him along while setting it up for cool revelations and potential for further growth down the line. He ends with a lot of tools in his arsenal without it feeling contrived or ridiculous.
The world building did something that I think a lot of people enjoy(I definitely do). It dropped us into a world and way of life for the characters that feels off in a way that you can’t put your finger on, before slowly unraveling the mystery behind why things are the way they are, while setting us up for further development and exploration later. I’s always fun to get those “Ohhhh that makes sense” moments in the plot and worldbuilding.
I also want to mention that, believe or not, I have never read a book where the characters fight a dragon before now. I find it completely unbelievable that’s even possible but its true. I enjoyed that fight scene immensely and I will forever be grateful that this book gave me that.
Cons:
Sometimes the book was a little too wordy. The inner monologues by the MC went on too long without adding much sometimes. Also the worldbuilding descriptions went on too long to describe relatively simple ideas and places. I think the book could have been a decent amount shorter without loosing anything if some things were cut out.
I mentioned this above but I am a tad bit concerned about the magic system. Basically after meeting water and light magic users It began to seem like everyone just does the same thing with the magic. Basically just using their elements to form physical items. That can get old really quickly if the characters don’t start doing more unique things with each element
I never really bought the whole shadow flames thing. It was cool to see our MC use it but I don’t understand how moving the shadow like flames allows for it to burn and set things on fire. I know I shouldn’t think too hard about it but it just felt a tad bit cheap, like shadow can basically do whatever the aurthor decides it can. What’s to stop it from freezing or electrocuting things as well? I hope the author explains that more in the future.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 4, 2022
This was far from fine. Feels like the book was written by a very boring 12 year old.
March 9, 2022
La trama comenzo interesante, pero el mc la arruino totalmente con una personalidad muy mal desarrollada.
Potencial desperdiciado :/
Potencial desperdiciado :/
June 19, 2022
This book really isn't for me.
I don't like how the book started with unrequited love. I don't like the protagonist, I don't like how the author had me wade through so much drudgery to get to the "interesting" bits. I understand you need a solid foundation for your story, but this was horrible.
It took me SO long to see what was said on the blurb to happen, then it's like the entire world conspires to get the protagonist into as much trouble as possible.
While I like how the protagonist has grown at the end of the book, has come into his abilities, looks like he can enhance them further AND learn new things. The journey to get here was an absolute slog. The protagonist came off as an utter idiot so many times, I don't think it was intentional, but it was there.
I had to force myself to get through this (and this took four days, I should have done this book in two).
I know see why my friend dropped this book a few chapters in.
I won't be reading the sequel, even though it looks like things will get more interesting.
2/5 Stars
I don't like how the book started with unrequited love. I don't like the protagonist, I don't like how the author had me wade through so much drudgery to get to the "interesting" bits. I understand you need a solid foundation for your story, but this was horrible.
It took me SO long to see what was said on the blurb to happen, then it's like the entire world conspires to get the protagonist into as much trouble as possible.
While I like how the protagonist has grown at the end of the book, has come into his abilities, looks like he can enhance them further AND learn new things. The journey to get here was an absolute slog. The protagonist came off as an utter idiot so many times, I don't think it was intentional, but it was there.
I had to force myself to get through this (and this took four days, I should have done this book in two).
I know see why my friend dropped this book a few chapters in.
I won't be reading the sequel, even though it looks like things will get more interesting.
2/5 Stars
April 27, 2024
Story solid, but pacing issues kept me from finishing.
It started out well, with a good premise. By midpoint, however, I realized that I was no longer engaged with the story, and it’s due to pacing more than anything else. I’m sorry I won’t be finishing the book as I’d like to know how it ends. I just can’t imagine myself sitting through the slow pace of the book as the author figures out different ways to tell us how the MC is ‘recalling’ various things from a history only he envisions. There’s also only so many times a character (unfortunately, the MC) can be reviled before a reader picks up on that vibe as well, even if it’s unjust.
I’m sorry Mr. Gyll. I think your story was good, the plot likely good, the character redeemable. If you got rid of the pacing issue, I’m betting this would be a five-star. At another time, I may have had the patience, but right now, I’m wanting a can’t-put-it-down story that holds me in thrall from start to finish.
It started out well, with a good premise. By midpoint, however, I realized that I was no longer engaged with the story, and it’s due to pacing more than anything else. I’m sorry I won’t be finishing the book as I’d like to know how it ends. I just can’t imagine myself sitting through the slow pace of the book as the author figures out different ways to tell us how the MC is ‘recalling’ various things from a history only he envisions. There’s also only so many times a character (unfortunately, the MC) can be reviled before a reader picks up on that vibe as well, even if it’s unjust.
I’m sorry Mr. Gyll. I think your story was good, the plot likely good, the character redeemable. If you got rid of the pacing issue, I’m betting this would be a five-star. At another time, I may have had the patience, but right now, I’m wanting a can’t-put-it-down story that holds me in thrall from start to finish.
October 3, 2023
Blade of Ghosts
Jason is a past finder for the people of the valley. This civilization was built upon the ruins of previous civilizations that have fallen. The past finders get their armor, weapons, and most of the other equipment from these ruins. The shadow front trains in using their shadow magic to protect the valley from the void creatures that lurk in the dark underground. Those who can’t utilize the shadows past find or craft. The problem is that the void creatures are getting stronger.
This story has cultivation elements, but doesn’t get too deep into it. Jason is a complex character that longs to rise above his station. Everything that happens and his response to them are understandable. It’s fascinating to watch his mindset. Travis Baldree is amazing as always.
Content Warning: none
Jason is a past finder for the people of the valley. This civilization was built upon the ruins of previous civilizations that have fallen. The past finders get their armor, weapons, and most of the other equipment from these ruins. The shadow front trains in using their shadow magic to protect the valley from the void creatures that lurk in the dark underground. Those who can’t utilize the shadows past find or craft. The problem is that the void creatures are getting stronger.
This story has cultivation elements, but doesn’t get too deep into it. Jason is a complex character that longs to rise above his station. Everything that happens and his response to them are understandable. It’s fascinating to watch his mindset. Travis Baldree is amazing as always.
Content Warning: none
December 26, 2023
Despite commendable world-building and a promising premise, the book suffers from a painfully slow plot development that hampers engagement. From the outset, the revelation of the villain's identity and the community's brainwashing dampens the suspense, leaving little mystery for the protagonist to uncover. Unfortunately, the poorly written main character disrupts immersion, lacking depth and relatability. This disconnect made it challenging to maintain interest, leading to the decision to discontinue reading. While the book excels in creating an immersive world, its sluggish pace, predictable elements, and underdeveloped protagonist ultimately detract from an otherwise potentially captivating story.
January 15, 2022
I received a free copy of this book from Portal Book.
Blade of Ghosts, by Julian Gyll-Murray, is an out standing cultivation novel. Jason, the MC, is an under powered young man who desperately wants to be a warrior risking his life for the tribe. Instead, he's digging up remnants of older civilizations for his tribe to use, a job that's not considered very important. This book is about how Jason improves his role in life as well as the circumstances for his people. I found the worldview in this first book to be quite interesting and there's an incredible potential for growth in the sequels. Gyll-Murray shows a lot of imagination here and I look forward to the sequels.
Blade of Ghosts, by Julian Gyll-Murray, is an out standing cultivation novel. Jason, the MC, is an under powered young man who desperately wants to be a warrior risking his life for the tribe. Instead, he's digging up remnants of older civilizations for his tribe to use, a job that's not considered very important. This book is about how Jason improves his role in life as well as the circumstances for his people. I found the worldview in this first book to be quite interesting and there's an incredible potential for growth in the sequels. Gyll-Murray shows a lot of imagination here and I look forward to the sequels.
February 5, 2022
Definitely recommend
Well written and compelling. I liked all of the character development and I find the main character intriguing. The action is well written and plentiful!
The biggest negative I found was the timeline. The main character's largest developments seemed to happen over weeks... But then suddenly it's only been 10 days. Weeks seems more likely given the amount of development. 10 days just doesn't seem long enough. There were also a few typos though much fewer than I've encountered in other progression fantasy novels.
I can't wait for the second in this series. Consider me a fan.
Well written and compelling. I liked all of the character development and I find the main character intriguing. The action is well written and plentiful!
The biggest negative I found was the timeline. The main character's largest developments seemed to happen over weeks... But then suddenly it's only been 10 days. Weeks seems more likely given the amount of development. 10 days just doesn't seem long enough. There were also a few typos though much fewer than I've encountered in other progression fantasy novels.
I can't wait for the second in this series. Consider me a fan.
April 8, 2022
After reading through some other reviews and contemplating what they said, I think that 4 stars is appropriate for this book, despite me enjoying it a lot.
The repetitiveness and singular focus of the MC's goals is a large contributor to the length of the book. I've read a few cultivation/progression series and all of them seem to have main characters who are focused on reaching lofty goals, so this didn't bother me as much as it seemed to have bothered others.
While the pace, especially early, is slow the book picks up over time, and hopefully subsequent novels keep a similar pace as the last third of this book.
I have high hopes for this series!
The repetitiveness and singular focus of the MC's goals is a large contributor to the length of the book. I've read a few cultivation/progression series and all of them seem to have main characters who are focused on reaching lofty goals, so this didn't bother me as much as it seemed to have bothered others.
While the pace, especially early, is slow the book picks up over time, and hopefully subsequent novels keep a similar pace as the last third of this book.
I have high hopes for this series!
April 10, 2022
I have a love/hate view of the MC...
the story is AWESOME. Its fresh and interesting and the world is vast and i'm ALL in!!
But there's just SOMETHING about this MC that BUGs me....i can't put my finger on it.....
There's room for him to grow, and i like that VERY much. I have NO IDEA WHY HE BUGS ME! I just want him to get the snot beaten out of him for some reason and i have no idea why!!! I feel like someone needs to give him a good shake and a slap! I don't know why!!!!
WHY!!!
WHY DOES HE BUG ME!!!!
I have hopes for the second book.....because i NEED to know where this story freaking goes man....
the story is AWESOME. Its fresh and interesting and the world is vast and i'm ALL in!!
But there's just SOMETHING about this MC that BUGs me....i can't put my finger on it.....
There's room for him to grow, and i like that VERY much. I have NO IDEA WHY HE BUGS ME! I just want him to get the snot beaten out of him for some reason and i have no idea why!!! I feel like someone needs to give him a good shake and a slap! I don't know why!!!!
WHY!!!
WHY DOES HE BUG ME!!!!
I have hopes for the second book.....because i NEED to know where this story freaking goes man....
March 11, 2022
This book gives me mixed feelings. I liked parts of the book? And it has endless room for growth. I also liked the magic / cultivation system, but I absolutely hated pretty much every decision the MC made. The MC acts like a small child the entire book and is punished repeatedly because of it. I almost stopped reading several times.
I rated this as a 4 stars instead of 5 because I think the next books may be better. I hope we see some intellectual growth from the MC. I hope the author is going to have the MC go from a child to an adult over the course of the series.
I rated this as a 4 stars instead of 5 because I think the next books may be better. I hope we see some intellectual growth from the MC. I hope the author is going to have the MC go from a child to an adult over the course of the series.
January 23, 2022
slow to develop
It’s well written. Clean prose, and a deeply constructed world.
It just takes so long to get going. And I wasn’t liking the MC. Nothing overt, just…not engaging. I kept doing other things instead of reading.
And that’s pretty much when I decide to choose a different book. The good ones I have a hard time putting down.
This is more a matter of taste than bad prose. So 4 stars to not punish, cause it’s not *bad*.
DNF
It’s well written. Clean prose, and a deeply constructed world.
It just takes so long to get going. And I wasn’t liking the MC. Nothing overt, just…not engaging. I kept doing other things instead of reading.
And that’s pretty much when I decide to choose a different book. The good ones I have a hard time putting down.
This is more a matter of taste than bad prose. So 4 stars to not punish, cause it’s not *bad*.
DNF
January 16, 2022
Great opening to a series
The pacing of this book was quite enjoyable, having me reading nearly non stop!
Character development feels quite natural, with the world building touching on any subjects that are quite unique.
With how the book ends, I'm quite intrigued to see how this story progresses and can't wait for the second instalment of this series!
The pacing of this book was quite enjoyable, having me reading nearly non stop!
Character development feels quite natural, with the world building touching on any subjects that are quite unique.
With how the book ends, I'm quite intrigued to see how this story progresses and can't wait for the second instalment of this series!
January 18, 2022
Book one
Mistakes: I found one sentence that was repeated. I posted it on Goodreads.
Plot: Most of this book is dedicated to world building. However if you pay attention you can figure out all the answers before you get halfway through the book.
Characters: Decent enough characters.
7/10 I'm interested in seeing how the author improves and where the story will go.
Mistakes: I found one sentence that was repeated. I posted it on Goodreads.
Plot: Most of this book is dedicated to world building. However if you pay attention you can figure out all the answers before you get halfway through the book.
Characters: Decent enough characters.
7/10 I'm interested in seeing how the author improves and where the story will go.
February 5, 2022
Rather bland and uninspired. Could not care for the very unlikeable main character, the progression part is not really worked out well.
His 'best friend' / love interest / girl in the fridge does not work as a hook, the standard cliche bully trope is used in the most worn out boring way, so no.
DNF
His 'best friend' / love interest / girl in the fridge does not work as a hook, the standard cliche bully trope is used in the most worn out boring way, so no.
DNF
February 23, 2022
A different but fun take on advancement
I enjoyed the character development and the mostly action packed story. Jason is a pretty likeable main character and he has some crazy obstacles in his way. To advance he has to learn some hard truths and face a dangerous journey. I hope the second book is just as good.
I enjoyed the character development and the mostly action packed story. Jason is a pretty likeable main character and he has some crazy obstacles in his way. To advance he has to learn some hard truths and face a dangerous journey. I hope the second book is just as good.
October 6, 2022
not my cup of tea
Very YA. Very predictable. It’s infuriating that I knew who the main antagonist was about a third through the book, and could piece together what happened to the MC’s mother. Otherwise it was well written, just very predictable if you’re an adult who has read your fair share of fantasy novels.
Very YA. Very predictable. It’s infuriating that I knew who the main antagonist was about a third through the book, and could piece together what happened to the MC’s mother. Otherwise it was well written, just very predictable if you’re an adult who has read your fair share of fantasy novels.
April 16, 2023
Loved this book. I don't read a huge amount of fantasy, but found this absolutely gripping. The thriller type pacing of it kept me gripped. I really enjoyed the balance of plot twists I had successfully guessed at and then those that were genuine surprised me, it made it rewarding and exhilarating in equal measure. Cannot wait for the sequal.
December 30, 2023
Interesting
Not what i was expecting a bit long winded but bear with it as it is a good read, at the end more questions to be answered.
If you like a good read then crack on with this book it has fighting cultivation as it is and a very excellent story if a tad convoluted and winding to get to a satisfactory semi conclusion lets hope book 2 will expand on this.
Not what i was expecting a bit long winded but bear with it as it is a good read, at the end more questions to be answered.
If you like a good read then crack on with this book it has fighting cultivation as it is and a very excellent story if a tad convoluted and winding to get to a satisfactory semi conclusion lets hope book 2 will expand on this.
February 11, 2022
Surprisingly good
I really enjoyed this book, no terrible romance subplot or overpowering main character. The cultivation was unique and had me thinking of avatar the last Airbender with its types of aspects. Very fun read and I look forward to book 2.
I really enjoyed this book, no terrible romance subplot or overpowering main character. The cultivation was unique and had me thinking of avatar the last Airbender with its types of aspects. Very fun read and I look forward to book 2.
March 16, 2022
Slow to start but when it goes, it goes hard
I enjoyed it, judging from the title and cover i thought I'd be getting an action pack, fighting cultivation story. What we got was a fantastic mystery that that really picked up the pace half way through the book.
I enjoyed it, judging from the title and cover i thought I'd be getting an action pack, fighting cultivation story. What we got was a fantastic mystery that that really picked up the pace half way through the book.
March 22, 2022
Original, gripping, entertaining, extremely well written. Good against evil on the surface, but much more subtle in magnifying the ultimate empowerment that only knowledge can give. Brilliant . Looking forward to episode two
April 6, 2022
Needs Editing
The plot was interesting. However, the book is cluttered with unnecessary descriptions that render it hard to read. I think that the author would benefit from professional editing.
The plot was interesting. However, the book is cluttered with unnecessary descriptions that render it hard to read. I think that the author would benefit from professional editing.
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