webnovel
GhastlyGryffonLv152yr
2022-12-20 23:45

Hey there folks, Griffin here. Resident music composer, game developer, and occasional enjoyer of good books. I’m here to give a COMPLETELY UNBIASED review of Shadow Slave, written by a good buddy of mine named Guiltythree. Before getting into an actual review, I’d like to start by saying that my absolute favorite part of this piece of literature, beyond the awesome story, is the community surrounding it. The Shadow Slave discord server is one of the few online spaces I have been a been active in that truly makes me feel like I’m part of a family. And that isn’t just because I recently found out that I’m long lost cousins with the one of the lead moderators (true story, shout out NobleQueenBee 😂). Never have I been a part of a community so active, engaged, non-toxic, respectful and loving. I cannot recommend enough that you join the server if you end up reading this wonderful webnovel. Speaking of which, it’s probably time I start talking about the actual novel. I’ll split the review up into 4 simple categories: Characters, World Building, Power System, and Story. —————— Characters: —————— If you’re looking for a generic overpowered protagonist who crushes every obstacle in his way, you came to the wrong place. And while those types of characters can be fun to read, they often lack the depth and complexity that makes a character feel truely *real*. Sunless, the main character of this story, is a flawed and realistic human being. His thoughts are as realistic as his approach to problems; I find myself often thinking that I would make very similar decisions if put in similar situations. His weaknesses push him to work harder. Every challenge he faces is an opportunity to learn. Instead of steamrolling every encounter, Sunny is almost always facing an uphill battle. Through hard work, quick thinking, and sometimes sheer luck, he just might be able to come out on top. That isn’t to say Sunny never gets his time to shine, there are quite a few memorable power fantasy moments. But through and through, Sunny’s dark humor, wholesomely pessimistic nature, and Tsundere complexion make his perspective an absolute joy to read. Beyond it’s protagonist, Shadow Slave is overflowing with unique and loveable characters. Guiltythree brings so much life to the cast of this novel that even the villains are captivating. Even the points of the story where I would be bored if I was reading any other novel are made to be intimate and refreshing through the carefully crafted complex characters that Guilty has introduced us to. A simple dinner conversation between old friends demands as much of my attention as a climactic battle, simply because you grow to cherrish every single one of cast members. They feel like real people I have met and befriended. —————— World Building —————— The world of Shadow Slave, similar to Guilty’s other novel, is a gritty and realistic dystopia. Flashy elements of fantasy and sci fi collide and serve to distract the reader from the grim reality behind the scenes. At the forefront of your attention are the awakened individuals, people walking around with super powers, fighting with metal armor, bows and swords to defend the citizens from the Nightmare Creature threat. But as much as the government propaganda would like you to believe in these real-life heros, they are just as shady as any human society can be. There are starving orphans on the edges of the city, sweatshop labor conditions for factory workers, the climate and weather has become polluted to the point of lethality, and there is the ever-present lovecraftian threat of the Nightnare Spell. And yet, as dangerous as this world Guilty has crafted truly is, I can’t help but wish I could experience it for real. Every bit of lore surrounding the dream world is intriguing. I’m a sucker for stories involving ancient history, civilizations, and dark forces. If you are as well, without spoiling anything, you will LOVE the incredibly unique and mysterious world of Shadow Slave. —————— Power System —————— Many power systems in other novels and stories suffer from a lack of balance. What I believe sets apart the system Guilty has created here is the unique aspects and flaws that make this power system unlike any story I’ve ever read but also keep it in a healthy balance. While in the world of shadow slave, people can fly, run at superhuman speeds, teleport, heal injuries and set enemies on fire, each ability comes with its own unique flaw. This system keeps combat interesting while maintaining a sense of equality. While some abilities might be more powerful or flashy than others, their flaw could be just as debilitating. Because of this, every new enemy is unique and interesting. A challenge of strength, but also of mind as Sunny tries to decipher what their flaw or weakness might be while limiting his own. I believe the power system in this novel is just one more thing that sets it apart from every other story in the genre. —————— Story —————— The plot of Shadow Slave , if it could be described with just one sentence, is a coming-of-age story hidden in the packaging of a dark action thriller. In the middle of Sunny learning to combat various unimaginable abominations, he is also an abandoned hermit learning how to make friends. While he struggles with the grim reality of betrayal he also learns what it means to truly trust the people that matter to him. His life lessons and relationships become just as interesting as his action-packed encounters with dead gods and horrifying demons. While you as a reader follow his path to power, you also get to watch him grow into a loveable and relatable character, facing many issues you may have also struggled with. Ultimately, Shadow Slave is an exciting and captivating story that keeps me unlocking chapters the minute they are released. Guiltythree is an incredible author and wonderful human being that I am proud to call my friend. I cannot wait to see what he has planned and I will be right here excited to read each new chapter that he writes. I hope you, the person reading this review, decide to join me and the thousands of other people doing the same. Peace and Love, Griffin (SkeuZ) Tyler

Liked by 703 people

LIKE
Replies54
GuiltythreeAuthor

Thank you so much! What an amazing review :]

lamperougeLv14

wow this is like an essay

Nick_KappelmanLv1

originally saw on a Facebook add. I actually downloaded app just to continue reading.

DaabooLv13

I'm jealous of people who can write this well. The review is absolutely spot on, and tells us why the story is so compelling without giving away spoilers. There's almost nothing I can add. I'll add one observation of my own, though. It's obvious that the author spent a great deal of time planning this entire story before he began writing it. You never get the feeling, like with so many other web novels, that he sketched out the bulk of the first book and has been making up the rest of the story by the seat of his pants ever since. It's only after the second and third reading that I've really noticed how often seemingly little details from early in the story reappear many, many chapters later. Everything is tied together. Only careful planning could account for this. Be warned though: the book is so good that it has become difficult to find another story to wholeheartedly enjoy. As much as I try not to, I compare any new novel to this one, and they all fall short (with the exception of The Beginning After the End). Shadow Slave deserves to be printed by a mainstream publisher and sold to the general public in bookstores. It's a pity that his audience is limited to people who read web novels.

TontburgerLv4

yo the shadow slave music was a banger

DaoistX6lbPyLv11

yes, me, too! that is how I got into this webnovel, a first for me.

Nick_Kappelman:originally saw on a Facebook add. I actually downloaded app just to continue reading.
BlinddesireLv4

unbiased was that a meme? all i see is you fanboying no story is perfect...

Arise82Lv3

Tbate fandom , never expected them here . Anyway the books in my classic list are all of legend tiers except a few or two

Daaboo:I'm jealous of people who can write this well. The review is absolutely spot on, and tells us why the story is so compelling without giving away spoilers. There's almost nothing I can add. I'll add one observation of my own, though. It's obvious that the author spent a great deal of time planning this entire story before he began writing it. You never get the feeling, like with so many other web novels, that he sketched out the bulk of the first book and has been making up the rest of the story by the seat of his pants ever since. It's only after the second and third reading that I've really noticed how often seemingly little details from early in the story reappear many, many chapters later. Everything is tied together. Only careful planning could account for this. Be warned though: the book is so good that it has become difficult to find another story to wholeheartedly enjoy. As much as I try not to, I compare any new novel to this one, and they all fall short (with the exception of The Beginning After the End). Shadow Slave deserves to be printed by a mainstream publisher and sold to the general public in bookstores. It's a pity that his audience is limited to people who read web novels.
Daniel_MilneLv1

Hey guys! We are Y-China, a self-media platform designed to display the contemporary cultural exchanges between China and the world. We have surprisingly found this most popular overseas community of Chinese online novels, and we hope to get to know some of your views. Could you please answer any of the following questions: 1. If you can only choose one novel, which do you think is the peak of online novels? Why do you choose this book? 2. How and why did you start to read Chinese online novels? How old were you at that time? Can you tell us your story? 3. What did you learn from Chinese novels? What are the differences between reading Chinese online novels and reading your domestic novels? 4. How do you feel when you finish reading all the updates of the novel you love? 5. Generally speaking, how do you recommend Chinese online novels to people around you? How do they react? If your answer is a super nice one, we might invite you to visit China! We promise! You can add my Wechat to chat more: dannymilne12

Rahmat_SyamLv2

Bsnsbnsbnananndnnx wkjejdjmdjsjsjdux

DaoistkZ9oOXLv3

No offence, but the title of the novel is misleading. The appropriate title should be ’slave to a woman’: he spent a year with. Not putting it on the author as it was my mistake. I only discovered late into the novel at around page 350, that it’s a romance novel, else I won’t go anywhere near it. For the same reason I don’t read any other romantic novels. And this is an example of why. This novel is for ladies, or guys that want to be dominated by their partners, and the author has cleaverly use deceptive titles to lure in male readers.

Josh_MendozLv13

I’ll come back see if there’s any new changes once there is more than 1000+ chapters.

Kris_RogzLv1

I wonder if Sunny will be Nephis dog for the whole novel? Hmmm

DaoistkZ9oOX:No offence, but the title of the novel is misleading. The appropriate title should be ’slave to a woman’: he spent a year with. Not putting it on the author as it was my mistake. I only discovered late into the novel at around page 350, that it’s a romance novel, else I won’t go anywhere near it. For the same reason I don’t read any other romantic novels. And this is an example of why. This novel is for ladies, or guys that want to be dominated by their partners, and the author has cleaverly use deceptive titles to lure in male readers.
Daoisty5OmAjLv3

I've read it and it's really great

Daoisty5OmAjLv3

wow thank you for this review

DaoistqsPzgmLv1

hlo

Yashmin_HuseinLv14

💕💕💕💕💕💕

Deepak_Jaat_4183Lv1

good

Sihem_FofaLv1

fée goood

Random07Lv12

jo Griffin I love your shadow slave music and I just want to say thank for creating it and keep up this good work🖤👍

Other Reviews
GuiltythreeAuthor

Shameless author here :) Writing a review for your own book is not easy, so I'll just say a few things. Also, if you have any questions about the novel, you can leave them in the comments! - "First of all, what is this book about?" It's about a guy named Sunny who lives in a dystopian future where some people are forced to periodically visit a magical world and battle terrible monsters. If they survive, they receive special powers. - "What type of guy is Sunny?" He is a cynical, disillusioned young man with a bleak outlook on life. But! He has a sense of humor and a strong desire to not only survive but also thrive in this world. You'll like him, I promise. - "Will he be overpowered?" Not really. He will certainly become powerful, but not powerful enough to steamroll over his enemies. Every victory Sunny achieves will be won with cunning, hard work, and skill. So, more of a Dark Souls type of situation. - "Will there be romance?" Yes, but a slow one. - "Romance, you say! So... a harem? There is a harem, right?" Not really. Sunny will be surrounded by a lot of beautiful people, both male a female, but he will probably only have one romantic relationship. Uh... one at a time, at least. We'll see! - "How often are you updating?" Currently, I'm dedicated to writing one chapter every day. The amount may increase in the future, but it depends on a lot of factors. - And, finally... "Aren't you too full of yourself? You rated your book five stars!" What can I say, it's a great book. One of the best books I've ever written! I've only written one other book, but still. It's definitely one of the top two best books I've written in my life. If you don't believe me, check for yourself ;)

Ashton_ALv12

Over my course of reading novels for years I have to say this is by far one of if not the best novel I've ever read. The plot, background, and characters are original following NO cliches, they are utterly amazing and brings a new concept to magic and powers. The character in no way feel one dimensional and all feel like living, breathing characters. The main character is relatable but at the same time not as we are not in his situation. The MC has a brain and uses it yet actually has emotions even though at first he seems kind of cruel which was pretty cool also. MC is not OP but also not weak and uses his intelligence to defeat his obstacles including the greatest one, his flaw. Flaws an amazing system the author made to show some kind of downside of getting powers besides the obvious risk of death in a nightmare. At first I was unconvinced by the flaws importance to the novel and felt something were forced for about... 1 chapter. The chapter after I immediately realized the importance of the flaw and how satisfying it was to see him shape what he says in a way that doesnt break the rules of his flaw. Him outsmarting others even while under a flaw is the most satisfying thing ever. Personally, I abhore any romance in novels, mainly because its a reminder of my loneliness and it is usually forced or stupid, however even though they havent yet, there are moments, and I will genuinely stab my eyes out if the MC and Changing Star don't hook up, perfect webnovel couple. The grammar is impeccable, not sure about updating stability because I just read it all in one go. Background is detailed without being too much exposition, and is ORIGINAL and actually very interesting. Especially the authors way of utilizing prophecies which I cant go to far into because of spoiling. But the prophecy seemed well though out, had me wishing for a explanation, and honestly cant complain. All in all this novel is the one true gem of webnovel and should make all the other trash bow down and delete itself. I am now going to donate power stones every day. Please give this novel a chance, while its a little slow at first, after a few chapters it will not dissapoint. Especially the comedy, its actually funny. Author, never give up on this novel or I will hunt you down and make you continue writing. This feels like it has been written by a famous author.

Related Stories