Aeonica

Information

Status

Ongoing

Author

David Musk

Reviews

Community Reviews(4)

• WilberforceRoyal Road

  ★★★★★ 5.0

  NB: most of this review is based on the first version. I have read it several months ago and I still remember the details of what happened in the story. This is to show you how memorable it was.
  Story/plot:
  I always want to start with this aspect because I think it's the most important. Many people won't mind reading a story that doesn't grab their attention from the first chapter. And how do you grab a reader's attention that early in your story? I say it's by 1) making the reader care/empathize with the character immediately 2) making the reader curious about the character/setting/plot.
  The author of this story does no. 2 above very well. Yes, I didn't feel like I empathize with the main character (Nahlia) like I did with Dante (from Dante's Immortality), but I felt damn curious after just reading the first chapter. I mean, it's the same thing that made me read MoL - curiosity. Even just saying 'for Aegon's sake' means a lot. It shows you there's a religion. Now, that's not all. How is everything about her people erased from the library? Why is she left alive? And the templars, why are they there? If you know what Brandon Sanderson calls 'umbrella plot', then the author has already set it in motion. In fact, the author has given us a hint of the core plot already. Why do I say that? Because there are several hints at the templars oppressing the Aeons already.
  And damn, these are all in the first chapter. Why wouldn't I be curious? So I read on.
  But...
  Character:
  Damn! Was I frustrated? Okay. I maybe overreacting a little. But Nahlia was damn annoying in the first version. I really think she's... not a character I can relate with, at least in the first version. I won't complain much about it because the author has already rewritten the story, and I hope all the issues I have with the main character will be addressed, but I'm still giving it 3.5. I may come back and review the score whenever I went through it again.
  Grammar: 5/5.
  Style: 5/5 Easy to understand and ge
• strigidae713Royal Road

  ★★★★★ 5.0

  I was skeptical at first, a novel about a normal girl and suddenly find that she's more than normal. She is destined to be great. The author knows his sh*t. By explaining details without sounding condescending.
  The plot was beautiful and it made me keep scrolling to the following chapter. It's not a story where she is powerful and suddenly has all the knowledge to wield her power but slowly learning about her own power.
  Kudos to you and reading Web of Secrets know and true to its title full of secrets that will be discovered in due time.
• Bram_WelRoyal Road

  ★★★★★ 4.5

  The Last Sanctifier is a richly crafted fantasy blending vivid worldbuilding, a unique magic system, and compelling characters. With its thoughtful exploration of duty, redemption, sacrifice, and resilience, the story captivates despite a slow start. Perfect for fans of deep lore and character-driven narratives, it’s a rewarding and immersive read.
• lemniscateRoyal Road

  ★★★★★ 4.5

  The premise to this sounded promising, and so I put it on my list to read later. Although it was difficult to immerse myself in the world completely, it promises to be full of action and adventure.
  Style
  This is an easy read and, due to its rather fast pace in the beginning, doesn't dwell on any unnecessary details. I found it hard to get immersed in the story because of that. The world feels largely generic without some distinctive details outside of the Aeons and Templars. Overall, not a lot to complain about.
  Grammar
  The grammar is fine. Nothing stood out to me in particular as distracting.
  Story
  As mentioned, the beginning is rather fast-paced. It's a good example of starting a story in media res. The action happens very quickly, and the main character must run with the help of various side characters. Unfortunately, not a lot of time is given to care about the fate of these side characters as they help Nahlia. Further, Nahlia acts a lot of agency. Part of this is because no one gave her the tools to deal with this seemingly inevitable conflict, and so she is ferried to safety by everyone she meets, even to their own detriment. This makes it hard to care for Nahlia, either, because she's only reacting to things rather than really living them.
  Character
  The side characters seem interesting, and I hope at least one of them we met in the beginning will return later. Nahlia, as mentioned, lacks a lot of agency. Because of the fast pace of the beginning, we don't necessarily get a chance to see what's particularly unique or interesting about her before her life is in danger. I don't exactly know what makes her tick, what her goals or motivations are, her quirks.
  All-in-all, solid writing and a lot of promise. I might come back later to skim through to a point where the main character is more fully realized as a person.