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TFAOTTG #1
The Failed Assassination of the Thunder God: A Dark Cultivation Fantasy
"Every scar I bear reminds me of whom I became, what I had lost, and what others could still lose because of things outside of their control. They are not a burden to me, nor is the pain, for it reminds me every day of what I value."
"Which is?"
"The same thing that you value. Justice for the sake of it, and the safeguard of those who need it. Our methods may differ, but our hearts are the same."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chasing that oath through thirteen hundred years of longing, the star-crossed lovers become unstoppable dragons in their own right all while remaining cold-hearted and dispassionate.
...Because what is power without someone to share it with?
As if mocking the question, Divine fate entangles them in a treacherous plot against the Gods—beginning with The Immortal of Darkness. Wrongfully accused of treason, he is imprisoned to await trial. Distraught by the idea of losing his Zhiyin forever, the Immortal of Light declares he will save his fated one from certain death. Working together, they strive to locate and slay a deadly God Killer all while unraveling the secrets of their past.
Can devotion span eons and topple fate, or will it be swallowed whole?
Disclaimer—this is a slow-burn MM fantasy series with brutal themes. Reader discretion is advised.
"Which is?"
"The same thing that you value. Justice for the sake of it, and the safeguard of those who need it. Our methods may differ, but our hearts are the same."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chasing that oath through thirteen hundred years of longing, the star-crossed lovers become unstoppable dragons in their own right all while remaining cold-hearted and dispassionate.
...Because what is power without someone to share it with?
As if mocking the question, Divine fate entangles them in a treacherous plot against the Gods—beginning with The Immortal of Darkness. Wrongfully accused of treason, he is imprisoned to await trial. Distraught by the idea of losing his Zhiyin forever, the Immortal of Light declares he will save his fated one from certain death. Working together, they strive to locate and slay a deadly God Killer all while unraveling the secrets of their past.
Can devotion span eons and topple fate, or will it be swallowed whole?
Disclaimer—this is a slow-burn MM fantasy series with brutal themes. Reader discretion is advised.
351 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 30, 2022
22 people are currently reading
451 people want to read
About the author
K. Klein
3 books44 followersAn author of fantasy fiction and slow-burn BL/MM romance. Every story is chock full of arrogant cultivators, witty banter, magical creatures, demons, and elemental magic. Follow immortals with too much time on their hands as they set out on grand adventures riff with danger and political intrigue! Welcome to the world of Rasheia!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
December 9, 2022
imagine being white and writing something from a different culture while simultaneously not knowing damn shit abt said culture and just riding off the coattails of actual danmei novels being published. colonizer behavior methinks.
October 11, 2022
This was an excellent dark fantasy! We are immediately thrown into the action on page one – cultivator Qian Meng has been hired to assassinate the God of Thunder and Justice, Lei Gong. Yet when he goes to take the final blow, something holds him back. His soul recognizes Lei Gong’s and will not kill him.
The world-building in this story is extensive, with a well-developed soul-based magic system and a unique pantheon of gods and goddesses. The story is told in multiple timelines, covering over a thousand years, bridging the lives of Qian Meng and Lei Gong. It is a bit of a love story, but one that is sweet and tragic. Both men are troubled souls. Qian Meng, with his forgotten memories and dark past; Lei Gong, who was a bit broken by the past.
The Failed Assassination of the Thunder God was an engaging read that kept me enthralled. I loved getting embedded in the story and look forward to more books in this world.
The world-building in this story is extensive, with a well-developed soul-based magic system and a unique pantheon of gods and goddesses. The story is told in multiple timelines, covering over a thousand years, bridging the lives of Qian Meng and Lei Gong. It is a bit of a love story, but one that is sweet and tragic. Both men are troubled souls. Qian Meng, with his forgotten memories and dark past; Lei Gong, who was a bit broken by the past.
The Failed Assassination of the Thunder God was an engaging read that kept me enthralled. I loved getting embedded in the story and look forward to more books in this world.
September 28, 2022
I honestly loved this novel. I am a huge fan of cultivation novels and this one is a great blend of eastern and western styles. There is great character development and the writing style just pulls you in. There is also some great angst between the main character, the love interest, and the main characters familial situation. I will definitely be following this author in the future!
October 18, 2022
Absolutely loved the book. Worth the read of tou love MXTX or just dark fantasy romance in general. Can't wait for the next book!!!!
November 15, 2022
If you are hesitant or on the fence about reading this story please just hit add to cart. The time and care the author put into this story for not only a gut wrenching tale of lost love but also the cultural sensitivity used.
I’ll be honest, as a historian (and obsessive fan of mdzs/danmei) I was nervous to read a work written from someone outside of the culture they were depicting. It’s clear that K. Kline took their time to make sure the words used were accurate and never out of place. If you love wangxian pick this up immediately. The memories of what was lost that LG holds will give you such Lan Wangji or Hua Cheng vibes it’s ridiculous.
It’s so easy to fall in love with the story, setting, characters, and get lost and invested in the world building. I am excited for book 2 and any other works the author puts out. If you were on the fence go ahead and read, it’s worth it truly.
I’ll be honest, as a historian (and obsessive fan of mdzs/danmei) I was nervous to read a work written from someone outside of the culture they were depicting. It’s clear that K. Kline took their time to make sure the words used were accurate and never out of place. If you love wangxian pick this up immediately. The memories of what was lost that LG holds will give you such Lan Wangji or Hua Cheng vibes it’s ridiculous.
It’s so easy to fall in love with the story, setting, characters, and get lost and invested in the world building. I am excited for book 2 and any other works the author puts out. If you were on the fence go ahead and read, it’s worth it truly.
October 8, 2022
I loved all the characters, the author did an amazing job developing their personalities. The writing style, the story line, everything was all done well and the amount of world building the author has done is astonishing that it makes it hard to put the book down. I enjoyed the twist and turns of the story and interactions between the main couple especially the occasionally teasing on one another. Highly interested in what adventures and obstacles are in store for main characters in future installments of the story. Although I loved this book, I found the switch from past to present disorientating at times and made it hard to pick back up if you took a short break. This is my personal preference, however, if you look past the switch between past and present it adds to the intensity of the storyline! Definitely recommend.
October 9, 2022
I really enjoyed this novel and any cultivation novel. The characters were enticing and Lei Gong be my fav character and I’d like to know more about him as we Qian Meng, even the side characters were great except for Qian Meng’s father who is not to be named because he’s not worth the time nor Qian Meng’s brother tho I kinda understand where he comes from. But overall the whole story is great I can’t wait till book 2 because I need this continued and I forgot to say that I fuel on tragedies but some scenes I winced at and I somehow like that so please keep it up.
October 17, 2022
K. Klein is an epic genius. And this book is the proof. The Fialed Assassination of a Thunder God jumps right into the action from page one. The characters are so well written and easy to get invested in and the story grabs you and doesn't let you go right through out.
Great world building along with well paced story line makes it impossible to put down. I devoured this in practically one sitting. I must read. Seriously.
Great world building along with well paced story line makes it impossible to put down. I devoured this in practically one sitting. I must read. Seriously.
October 2, 2022
Really really good! I hope a second vol comes out soon! Very much a slow burn but I liked how sweetly both of them were developed!
December 10, 2022
Un MM Fantasy ❤️ j'ai adoré ce roman 🥰
Qiang Meng est sarcastique au possible, un être brisé et traumatisé par un passé très difficile 💔
Lei Gong est possessive au possible ❤️
Vivement la suite ! ❤️
Qiang Meng est sarcastique au possible, un être brisé et traumatisé par un passé très difficile 💔
Lei Gong est possessive au possible ❤️
Vivement la suite ! ❤️
October 28, 2022
Got a lot of good things to say about this book. Such a good read, and a good experience. I say, I kind of expected a lot from this novel, and it reached my expectations.
○ Characters: 4/5
A little bit generic but they're all fleshed out. Mc, ml, and major and minor characters are very well-written. I could totally tell them apart. A little bit of warning tho, DO NOT trust side characters!! I should've known this before reading.
○ World Building: 5/5
What can I say? Cultivation novels give great worlds, and this, by far, is one of the best Xianxia novels I've read. The scenes and very well-thought, like it had been planned with a spider diagram.
I love the overlapping of the events of the past an the present, and how its significance brought situations into happening. And the thing is that in this novel, every freakin situation has their reason for happening, and every character is not just for the mc and ml's beneficial use.
I love the thrill, the adventure, the conspiracies, all the effed up things happening in this novel. And I absolutely /adored/ how those effed up things just balanced the amount of sweetness and serenity in those few lovey-dovey scenes. Eitherway, both gave me fast heart beats.
○ Plot Twists: 5/5
Like excuse me?!?!?! If I had known that author dropped some few hints over here, some foreshadowing over there, I wouldn't be that surprised after finding out the plot twists. Such a good way to mess up my heart and my mind and my soul.
○ Writing:
The narration was so on point that it didn't miss one scene. The imagery is so vivid and beautiful as well. And I love how explicitly graphic it is.
Also, the first line?? It got me; it hooked me like a mouse trap. Srsly, I find first chapters boring most of the time, but this isn't one of them. Author did a good job of writing a good cliff hanger there, ngl.
○ Tl;dr:
This is a novel that had me on edge in every scene. And I paid several sleepless nights to freakin unfold all the conspiracies.
ALSO, do u want a novel that makes u want to read instead of studying for midterms? This is it. This is the novel u've been looking for.
○ Characters: 4/5
A little bit generic but they're all fleshed out. Mc, ml, and major and minor characters are very well-written. I could totally tell them apart. A little bit of warning tho, DO NOT trust side characters!! I should've known this before reading.
○ World Building: 5/5
What can I say? Cultivation novels give great worlds, and this, by far, is one of the best Xianxia novels I've read. The scenes and very well-thought, like it had been planned with a spider diagram.
I love the overlapping of the events of the past an the present, and how its significance brought situations into happening. And the thing is that in this novel, every freakin situation has their reason for happening, and every character is not just for the mc and ml's beneficial use.
I love the thrill, the adventure, the conspiracies, all the effed up things happening in this novel. And I absolutely /adored/ how those effed up things just balanced the amount of sweetness and serenity in those few lovey-dovey scenes. Eitherway, both gave me fast heart beats.
○ Plot Twists: 5/5
Like excuse me?!?!?! If I had known that author dropped some few hints over here, some foreshadowing over there, I wouldn't be that surprised after finding out the plot twists. Such a good way to mess up my heart and my mind and my soul.
○ Writing:
The narration was so on point that it didn't miss one scene. The imagery is so vivid and beautiful as well. And I love how explicitly graphic it is.
Also, the first line?? It got me; it hooked me like a mouse trap. Srsly, I find first chapters boring most of the time, but this isn't one of them. Author did a good job of writing a good cliff hanger there, ngl.
○ Tl;dr:
This is a novel that had me on edge in every scene. And I paid several sleepless nights to freakin unfold all the conspiracies.
ALSO, do u want a novel that makes u want to read instead of studying for midterms? This is it. This is the novel u've been looking for.
December 16, 2022
2 stars
I probably took way too long to finish this book - I finished it today and I barely remember how it even started.
I don't think the writing is particularly good, would benefit from extra editing.
The story itself - it's ok, nothing groundbreaking.
The main leads - meeeeeeeh, don't care about them, don't thinks there's a lot of chemistry between them.
In other words, I won't continue with the series. Unlikely I'll read more from this author either.
I probably took way too long to finish this book - I finished it today and I barely remember how it even started.
I don't think the writing is particularly good, would benefit from extra editing.
The story itself - it's ok, nothing groundbreaking.
The main leads - meeeeeeeh, don't care about them, don't thinks there's a lot of chemistry between them.
In other words, I won't continue with the series. Unlikely I'll read more from this author either.
March 28, 2023
Not a bad story but I didn't notice who the author was when I got it, then within 50 pages I was confused enough to look because things felt disjointed to me. While there are plenty of authors who write about other cultures extremely well, I just didn't feel like this was one of those experiences. The base story is good, though, and I definitely understand some of the positive reviews, I just can't give it 5 stars because of the jarring moments of "wait what?" that pulled me out of the story.
January 15, 2023
I LOVED THIS BOOK!! i was hooked from the first page, i was even late to work trying to read “just one more chapter” 😭 i loved the characters chemistry and the pining omg !! i can’t wait for the next book!!
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also the nsfw extras,,, *CHEF KISS* i haven’t read something so scrumptiously written in a long time omg
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also the nsfw extras,,, *CHEF KISS* i haven’t read something so scrumptiously written in a long time omg
November 19, 2022
Loved it.
If your a fan of slow bl danmei give this a shot.
I was addicted and binged it, upsetting myself as now i have to wait for the next instalment.
Can't wait to get to know these characters more.
If your a fan of slow bl danmei give this a shot.
I was addicted and binged it, upsetting myself as now i have to wait for the next instalment.
Can't wait to get to know these characters more.
November 24, 2022
Honestly, this book had the potential for five stars. It had a wonderful plot (depressing, but wonderful), and I'm definitely going to be reading the next book, but there were a multitude of gramatical errors. Other than that, it was a great read!
January 17, 2023
Controversy regarding the race of the author aside, the only good part of this book that I actually enjoyed was chapters 9-16.
Other then that the book kind of dragged on a bit. Not to mention at some points it felt like the author was dumbing stuff down more than she needed.
The book has gore and beheadings. I highly doubt a child will be reading this.
Other then that the book kind of dragged on a bit. Not to mention at some points it felt like the author was dumbing stuff down more than she needed.
The book has gore and beheadings. I highly doubt a child will be reading this.
March 10, 2023
Best work yet
IM OBSESSED
I need the next book stat. The chemistry is off the charts and the backstory is so bittersweet that it makes me cry. I can’t wait to see what happens next !
IM OBSESSED
I need the next book stat. The chemistry is off the charts and the backstory is so bittersweet that it makes me cry. I can’t wait to see what happens next !
September 3, 2024
Loved this book. The story was sweet. Characters were also well developed and mentally and physically strong. I don’t understand why there is so much hate on this book. I am dying to know what happens next and can’t wait for the next book.
November 10, 2022
Piece of Art
Depth of the characters +10
Story+10
Worth reading
Waiting for part 2
Depth of the characters +10
Story+10
Worth reading
Waiting for part 2
April 22, 2023
Good book. I enjoyed reading the whole thing. It's just sad that the author took it off the shelves and stopped writing. I would have loved to continue reading her books.
June 18, 2023
When I finished this book I thought, "No! Where's the rest of it?" This book had my full attention by page 10. Highly recommend it to fellow Chinese BL readers.
May 22, 2024
Started good but I got bored further into the story. Kept reading until 39% of the book and gave up in the end. Probably will try to pick this up later but not sure when.
December 7, 2022
I've being seeing this book in tiktok and so badly wanted to read it and I did and it did not fail me at all rather making me excited for the next part. And what's more to come
December 2, 2022
4.50
Amazing, loved it, can't wait to read the next one!
Amazing, loved it, can't wait to read the next one!
November 15, 2022
Loved the book. It was was the perfect balance of angst and comfort. Also I think the romance and mystery are well balanced and incorporated to keep the story going at a good pace
February 5, 2023
This book was truly incredible. I went into it with very few expectations, and was immediately taken aback. I am typically pretty picky when it comes to writing styles of the books I read, and Klein's writing managed to meet all of my wants: not overly convoluted with big words or flowery writing, yet still beautiful. The characters were so incredibly well fleshed out, and as the book progressed, the jumps between the past and the present allowed for such a deep understanding of the characters' motives and personalities. The multiple plot lines kept the book feeling very fast paced, yet did not overcomplicate the story as a whole. I immediately recommended this book to all of my reader friends! Overall, this book was incredibly fun, thought provoking, heart wrenching, and well done.
November 6, 2022
If you are a fan of Danmei, you have come to the right place. This book was a joy for me to read and definitely had moments I couldn’t put it down. Plot has been great so far, my only complaint is the lack of female characters, which is common in many gay stories and Danmei.
I will be looking forward to the next book!
I will be looking forward to the next book!
October 27, 2022
This was such a good read. It felt very similar to other Danmei novels I’ve read in the past.
Qian Meng’s story is heartbreaking, but I love the fact that he has a zhiyin in Lei Gong.
These two have so much love for each other and I can’t wait to see how their story continues.
Qian Meng’s story is heartbreaking, but I love the fact that he has a zhiyin in Lei Gong.
These two have so much love for each other and I can’t wait to see how their story continues.
February 24, 2024
Desperately waiting for book 2 please. The flashbacks and the ending had me in a chokehold
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews