This author is an expert...
He follows all of the rules of story writing, and not only is this a very fresh look at the "Hero's Journey" but it also is a deconstruction of the trope and the clichés within it.
The author is an expert on "show, don't tell", "take everything to the ultimate consequence", "the tragic hero", "Deus Ex Machina"... every single tool there exists in story writing is present and done expertly, the characterizations are masterful, the world building is perfect, everything haves a pay off, even the little things that seem like just a side note on a particular description have meaning, the clichés are flipped on their head and then set up straight then flipped again he plays with them and makes them exciting again.
I have always said, all stories have already being told, people "complaining" about similarity on stories don't understand this, I've read this story a million times, it's a basic "Hero's Journey" but because it's just that, EVERYTHING ELSE shines.
The timing of the humor, the dark notes, the pacing, the world building... everything is expertly done and perfectly crafted, I can't believe someone that wrote this as a "web novel" which is considered low tier by book standards had the damn technique to bring to fruition everything... it's not that the story in itself is unique, it's that it's done masterfully and impeccably... there are no plot holes, the hero is not saved suddenly because of something that the author pulled out of his ass at the last minute... I cannot even begin to explain how masterfully everything is written... there is so much subtlety and subtext that even when you CAN see what's going to happen because you "know" how this kind of story is supposed to play out from experience, you can't help but feel excited.
I have shed tears, I have laughed, I've felt pissed, I've being intrigued, I've felt foreboding and fear at the unknown... this novel has managed to pull a whole lot of emotions out of me... I paused at chapter 312 because I wanted to write this review, but I've been reading this novel for the past week nonstop... it's that absorbing...
Read it... give it a go, it deserves better than just being a web novel...
I have only 2 complaints, but this are PERSONAL preferences, and have nothing to do with the rating of this fabulous work, and they could be considered spoilers even though I am not saying anything too specific...
Spoiler
1. There is no "romance" to be had anywhere, and there is not a single space for it within the story and the more and more things happen, the less and less space is there for romance, I love a good romance, and I wish I could see a romance portrayed by this author, I'll definitely be looking for more of his works.
2. The only one who suffers and loses anything on the POV (aside the bad guys) is the MC... everything else he hears or knows about it third hand... this work is incredibly masochistic, from start to finish, everything he's willing to give up he gives it up willingly... I get that it's consistent, I understand it, and I know that it's supposed to be that way because the MC is carrying everyone's burden by himself from the moment he meets them... but this makes it so that the MC isn't really growing... I know that growth isn't needed... I know it's not supposed to be part of the story, still I can just wonder... how would our beloved MC react to actually looking at the loss of someone he's trying to protect... how could he face someone losing something that HE couldn't protect...
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