Hello everyone, I am ProphetOfEvil, author of Paths of Heaven. PoH is my maiden attempt at writing a novel so please be a little lenient in your evaluation.
While it does feel a little ostentatious to review my own novel, I will try my best to give a succinct summary of the plot and how I hope for this story to progress.
In this novel, I aim to craft a world where cultivators and regular mortals live hand-in-hand in peace; a peace that was hardwon after centuries of struggle. The world is set in an early 20th-century setting, where science and human engineering are seeing a boom in development. The result of the said boom is the rapid adoption and proliferation of technology such as cars, trucks, trains, steamboats, airships, and of course, hot weapons.
With the discovery of the new continent some thirty years ago, and the efforts of numerous forces and countries to colonise the land, the geo-political scene of the world is very tense with strife, big and small, littered throughout.
The plot opens in the Year 735 and mainly follows the story of Wuzhi, a lowly scholar hailing from the newly discovered continent.
Having never previously left the place of his birth, Wuzhi embarks on a journey out of his home town in a bid to explore the world... all while wishing to accomplish some 'Grand Strategy.' It also quickly becomes evident that Wuzhi has an unusual personality and an uncommon background.
Why does Wuzhi have a strange personality? What does he mean to accomplish with his 'Grand Strategy?' The answer to these two immediate questions will be answered through the course of Wuzhi's journey.
As detailed in the novel's description, the bulk of the story will be character-centric, meaning that you will not see a lot of hot-blooded fights and one-on-one battles. Instead, there will be an unusual focus on dialogue and character communication.
I suggest that if you are someone who only likes to see the MC break through the odds, rescue the chick, defeat the big-bad, rinse and repeat... this is definitely not the novel for you.
If you are, HOWEVER, interested in a world, which honestly, I have never seen portrayed before, that seeks to explore the differences between 'Cultivators' and 'Regular People,' and how these two forces will interact, the conflicts borne from their interaction, etc, DO stay.
Now, to speedrun through some questions that some of you might have.
1. Is the MC 'weak'? Will he get his rearside whooped?
:- Wuzhi is unusual. He is not strong in the traditional sense of this novel's world, but he definitely isn't weak either. To answer without spoiling anything; he 'prepares' for his fights.
2. Guns? Cultivators? WTH? How can these things work together!?
:- It was this very same question that made me start writing this novel. Let's find out together.
3. Is there romance? Will there be a harem? Seggs!?
:- I personally am a HUGE FAN of romance. Watching two people gradually fall in love with each other is simply *chef's kiss*. Therefore, I definitely will try to build a romantic subplot for this novel.
However, there is one slight problem with this idea; the MC, Wuzhi. He is just, such a weird, alien guy that the thought of a sane woman (or anyone for that matter) falling in love with him is simply ridiculous.
But hey, never say never! Miracles always happen! Who knows? Maybe this novel's world has a person strange enough for them to fall in love with the weirdo.
Question is, will there be MULTIPLE such people? The odds are very, very, very low.
4. "You say, dialogue and politics. But all I hear is boring. Why should I read novel?"
:- Why should you not? You clearly seem to have enough time in that empty, hollow life of yours, you--- I shall now try not to speedrun offending all my new readers.
What this novel offers is a vibrant world with an interesting setting filled with lively and intelligent characters. There are cultivators, normal mortals, heroes, villains, opportunists, nihilists, and many, many more groups that live and affect this world. It's a big world and it is simply impossible for one person to be the main character of such a large world.
Wuzhi is simply an interesting person through whose eyes, I have chosen to show this huge world. There will be some moments where the world will revolve around him, and others where he will simply stand and watch from the sidelines. Ultimately, it's a story about the world, not Wuzhi. (hence why it's called, Paths of Heaven).
TL;DR: Give it a try and see if you like it. If not, it's fine. Ultimately, what we all seek is a brand-new experience. Something with which we can fill the eternal void inside our hearts.
PS: Ask me anything that you feel curious about. I shall try my best to answer you without spoiling anything major.
