After binge-reading 91 chapters of this novel, the time has come to write a review! Ladies and gentlemen, fellow readers, I am happy to say that this novel falls into the category of WN's rarest. The gem among the rubble. Of course, not without reason.
Let's start with the surface, technical details - writing and such. The quality is excellent. Occasional typos and sporadic erroneous sentences do not distract you from enjoying the read (after all, to err is human). The rich vocabulary is a great plus and, more importantly, balanced. By balanced, I mean there are no overly pretentious posh words that try hard to present the story "professional," nor are there repetitive bland words that make novels incredibly dull. It is an excellent read for any reader with English levels of B1 and above.
Updates - I would not know yet; I have only been reading it for the past two days.
Now let's move to the internal structure.
My oh my, this is beautiful. The start is exciting and makes you curious — a decent introduction to the world. Clear enough to give you some ideas but vague enough to leave you with the sweet feeling of wanting more. As the story goes on, so does the world grow; at its own pace. Ninety chapters in, one can feel how deep and rich it is with layers.
MC is a jolly lad. Fifteen years old farmer boy. At the start, this is his whole definition of a personality - farmer boy — naive, uneducated, hot-headed, and rash. However, his growth is apparent. As you read more and more, you travel and experience everything with this teen — both success and failure. What stands out is that you understand the reason behind his actions to whatever result they may lead. Unless you are a reader who loves to judge every step with the superb and handy skill of "hindsight." Of course, for absolute beings like you, any character is imperfect and flawed so long as they are not omniscient, omnipotent, and eternal. Going back, MC is well designed, and his thinking/actions suit his age. Secondary characters are well done, each with a unique personality giving you some sense of their unwritten personal backgrounds.
The prologue is splendid. It sets MC's reason, aims, and goals perfectly. It is only a matter of time until we see if they were the ultimate goals or just a step in his life. His ambitions and drive all he is clear to us, and it is fantastic to see how these characteristics change due to various circumstances.
One of my favorite things about this work is attention to detail. Devil is in the details. The fighting scenes are excellent and descriptive. Not overly simplified and glorified like in movies or other novels here. Realism is well presented. The portrayal of necessity and the crucial role of feet, knees, and other factors during combat are sublime. It shows that fighting is not about fatal strikes but tackling, disarming, and incapacitating. Shortly, not prolonged and pretty performances. On the contrary, short and cumbersome exchange of blows and techniques.
In conclusion - terrific. I suggest it to all readers of the fantasy genre. This novel is for you, those who got tired of WN's kajillions of mirrored, bland, and incredibly cliche stories without creativity. Chapters are worth their coins here.
Thank you, author, for your excellent work.
