Review Detail of sebseb in Free Fall (Pyramid of Gold)

Hello, I'll write a review for this (completed) novel because I feel like it deserves much more praise and popularity. If you hadn't noticed, it is the first work published (at least on Webnovel) by Shadow Slave's author. However, I would say it is much darker and targets a more mature audience, because even though there are some "abilities" and fantasy components, Free Fall is set in a world very close to our own, which makes the horror extremely realistic. The premise makes it easy to draw parallels and provides surprising depth to the world building, given that the novel is quite short. I have a hard time believing that this was a first work, published at a fast rate, because it is so... polished. There are a few typos here and there, but that's to be expected and editing it into an actual book would remedy it immediately (as well as making the whole novel even better probably!) so overall, yes, Free Fall is well-written. Just saying it is "well-written" though, simply doesn't do it honor. Obviously, the plot and intrigue are captivating and well thought-out, and the narration in first-person, with the MC's unique way of thinking, is perfectly natural. The Disease is terrifying to imagine, and the fate-worse-than-death that it represents for wraiths is depicted in all its horror. But really, what is most outstanding is how lifelike the characters are. Larger than life even, in Claire's case: her magnetic personality, humor and whims make her so charismatic that it's no wonder Matt fell for her. She has a strong, well-defined personality that does fit into a type - a sort of rebel, idealist but priviledged, extrovert but sensitive - but despite clearly belonging to a category of people you may or may not like (she even smokes, which doesn't bother me but is surprising for what is clearly supposed to be the ideal girl), I believe everyone will agree that she is amazing. All the good stuff about her simply outshine everything else -- the best example being her smile, that inflicts such devastating damage to our MC that I could picture it. So yes, one could say she's the ideal girl that could only exist in a novel but on the contrary, her qualities fit so naturally in the writing that I ended up asking myself if she was real -- and if people like her were out there, then where were they my whole life ? The couple of chapters about the party were particularly on point, they reminded me of my own experience lol: the sharp contrast between sober awkwardness and drunken excitment, the hints picked up but not responded to, the dance and the race for time and the misunderstandings and the frustration all around... It was bittersweet I guess ? A very unique feeling but in any case it was a masterpiece. Speaking of their relationship, Matt's infatuation with her is portrayed exquisitely ; whether it's their flirting or his internal conflict and attempts to distance himself, the author managed to make none of it awkward or required by the plot. This may be precisely what makes Free Fall so fantastic: it is a tragedy, we know it from the start (or with the title even), and usually people struggle to depict the looming catastrophe while making the story progress and the characters interact in a way that doesn't reek of foreshadowing, plot devices or forced hardships/relationships for character development. Here, the tragedy is masterfully done in that the plot twists always strike true, the plot threads that start from the very beginning of the novel slowly unravel and connect but I still couldn't help hoping for a good ending and empathizing with Matt's emotions at every step nonetheless. Perhaps this is also my biggest regret regarding Free Fall: it's so perfect, so whole, so polished that the conclusion feels all the more inevitable and final. But I don't want it to be final... I would have loved to read about the aftermath, short and long term, perhaps a change in the world order, perhaps more persecution and propaganda ? Matt's descent into madness or overcoming of the Disease ? The ending is ambiguous enough to make me hope, but even if it's a lost cause, I would read it, even pay for it just because it deserves the tribute. Most of all, I can't help wondering about Claire. An epilogue, perhaps from her POV would be enough to cleanly put a rest to my hopes (or not?) and also an occasion to revisit this story from the start, from her POV and savor it once more. I simply cannot believe that Free Fall didn't attract more readers, and I would never forgive Webnovel if the lack of popularity influenced how this novel turned out or was cut short. At least Shadow Slave is a hit (and it's well deserved, though I won't make a review about it since it's so popular already). Thank you for writing this GuiltyThree, and thanks for reading my review ! It's exceedingly long, since it also serves as a sort of farewell for me (and a way to complain a tiny bit because I hunger for more). Long story short (ha), Free Fall is head and shoulders above the competition on Webnovel ; it's an amazing journey that you can enjoy in a single afternoon if you can handle the intensity, and you and your family should read it. You won't regret it.