Ash and Light: The Sword Within Shadows [Progression Fantasy]

Self-Published

Community Rating

Description

Four kingdoms locked in a cycle of war and violence. A grave danger lurking in the shadows. And a dark power seeking to destroy them all.

In a realm where violence reigns supreme, even the most righteous of men topple as power, rather than justice, determines the victor and the oppressed. Prince Gabriel, young and idealistic, recoils at the very thought of violence. He is torn between following his scholarly dreams and his inherited duty to become the general of the Accamanian Kingdom.

However, destiny in its mysterious design, weaves a fate of battles, betrayal, and blood. Amidst the chaos, Gabriel will uncover a hidden danger. From the east, the foreboding shadow cast by the followers of Ash looms, threatening to drown the four kingdoms of Valandor in a sorrow darker than their deepest fears. Yet, when hope seems but a wisp, a beacon of light will emerge.

New chapter posted weekly.

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Information

Status: Hiatus
Year: 2023
Author: M.H. Kadifichi

Royal Road Stats

Rating: 4.6/ 5.0
Followers: 1,006
Views: 204,947

Chapters(81 total)

Reviews

No reviews yet. Be the first to share your thoughts!

Community Reviews(10)

wafinityRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
That start draws you right in! It caught my interest from the get-go.
While I'm only a few chapters in, I can already sense that this novel will explore themes of love, loss, and the indomitable spirit of humanity. The writing is so engaging that I find myself savouring each page, eager to unravel the layers of the narrative.
Keen to see where this story goes, but so far, amazing and no complaints!
BardLyreRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
This is a nicely handled classical fantasy story. It is funny that, considering the nature of Royal Road, it is actually a genre that you do not come across very often here, so I very much enjoyed my reading
Style and Grammar. As noted above, this is very much a genre piece and makes use of the style of writing you would expect. The prologue well establishes the tone of what is to come and the rest of the story flows from that. We are in the world of old-fashioned knights of yore and we are going to be following the journey of Gabriel towards, presumably, being a warrior of renown. Grammatically, this is all very sound - although I could do without the double spaced paragraphs!
Story and Characters: these two are inextricably linked here with the audience's reaction to Gabriel's journey being pretty much the whole of the story. If you can empathise with his struggles, then you are very much going to enjoy the way that this progresses. If not, the chances are that this will not be for you!
Overall: I've very much enjoyed my reading here. The author has constructed a world that makes sense, has characters that I care about and has sought to develop things in a sensible and well developed way.
CoffeeInMyDreamsRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
I was taken aback by the sheer quality of the prose and the mesmerizing tone that draws you into the world of our protagonist. The Chronicles of Ash and Light: The Sword Within Shadows blew me away right from the get-go. I have a suspicion that this will be one of the Royal Road greats in the near future as the author, M.H. Kadifichi, is writing a stunner! I recommend that you come along for the ride.
After reading up to chapter 3, (I’ll be adding to my nightly reads and devouring this work) here are my thoughts so far:
The author’s style is wonderful. The use of vividly descriptive language transports you into the midst of the action. The prose flows smoothly and is a testament to the thought and care put into the work. I was on the edge of my seat while reading the opening, action-packed scene – brilliantly done!
I’m a sucker for these kinds of stories, especially those where we’re given a glimpse of what the protagonist will become and the hints about the trials that lay ahead. It’s violent and gritty, yet thought-provoking and deep; dealing with contrasting viewpoints on how the kingdom should be run. An excellent story that wouldn’t be out of place as an epic fantasy movie that rests next to your favorites on your living room shelf.
As far as grammar and spelling go: In my eyes, perfect. There were no errors, minor or stylistic that I could spot. This shows that M.H. Kadifichi is meticulous in squashing any bugs that inevitably pop up before release. Excellent!
The Characters. Yes! We meet Gabriel, a twelve-year-old prince, in Chapter One, and immediately I was smitten by his plight. We learn of his thoughts and his feelings towards the supporting cast and I found him to have depth and be relatable. The language the protagonist uses may be off-putting to some (he speaks far more eloquently than one would expect an average boy of his age to do) but I found it to be believable; as he spends the majority of his time reading and immersing himself in pursuits of kno
RADRRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Classic low fantasy with some common tropes- a protagonist with a heart of gold, a power hungry and abusive father. However, the author has utilized them very well in my opinion with some small twists.
The Author clearly has a vision for their work, and so far, I’ve enjoyed it
WazgomugomuRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
In "Ash and Light: The Sword Within Shadows," isn't just about gaining power; it's about embracing one's true potential. The pacing of the story is well balanced, keeping the reader engaged without overwhelming them with information or action. With its enthralling plot, richly developed characters, and profound themes, this book stands as a shining example of the captivating heights that progression fantasy can achieve.
Agp05Royal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Just found this book and have loved every minute of it. I can't wait to see where this journey goes. Though I never been a fan of flash back stories I'm hoping this reads more like a king prologue. But either way I like the characters. Now I must suffer through the the pain of waiting for chapters to be released
GonoaRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
It is honestly difficult for me to pinpoint exactly why I think that this story is amazing. I guess it's the great mix of interesting plot, conversation, MC and writing style. It all seamlessly melds together to create a story that pulls you in and won't let go anymore.
Story:
The story contains a few well known tropes, but they are masterfully implemented. Even though I know this, it feels like I'm reading something completely new. Big compliment to the author at this point! I don't know that much about the plot by now, but the indications seem very promising.
Style:
Very nice. It is smooth and calm and manages to tell the story out of the eyes of the MC and heightens the immersion. The author also included songtext in the story which is in my opinion very difficult to pull off. But it was very fitting and well made.
Grammar:
Noice.
Characters:
The MC has a very interesting character. I really like his very gentle and soft personality. But even though he is like this, he doesn't let himself get pushed down and seems to have an iron will. There is also lots of potential for him to improve, as he is not perfect / OP / all knowing from the beginning.
The only reason why I didn't give 5 stars at this point is, because certain characters with maicious intent regarding him seem a little one dimensional in their role. Maybe it would make them more complex, if they also showed some other emotions.
All in all: I really like it and recommend it to everyone, who likes to see a strong and good natured MC overcome challenges and grow over time.
IcanicaRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Read until chapter 3! My take so far!
Overall:
Very enjoyable read! Looking forward to more!
Style:
- Tone: Serious and kinetic, very description of the actions of characters.
- Voice: At the beginning, less dialogue oriented, a descriptive voice with the thoughts of the main character every few sentences.
- POV: Third person perspective, very well done
- Narrative structure: Prologue is very well done, perfectly mixing action and dialogue I would say. Chapter 1 starts the main story and it has coming of age elements while struggling with conviction and stern authority figures. I like where the story is heading.
- Imagery: Very nice use of imagery, just by reading you can see the world like a movie, very nice. Gritty for the most part in the prologue but descriptive and intriguing as the main story starts.
- Theme: Coming of age, loss, pacifism
Story:
Right at the start, the action begins, very good choice. Prologue starts strong, immediately intriguing the reader. Chapter 1 is both happy and sad and each character introduced feels intriguing. Chapter 2 develops the MC's motivations and his friends more. Chapter 3 brings the exposition to its point of no return, nicely done.
Grammar:
Immaculate, though I would say that for readability's sake, shorten paragraph length.
Character:
Very easy to see how characters are without being explicitly stated, the author uses "show not tell" well in his writing of characters. Each character has interesting motivations, Gabriel, the princesses, Tunk, the King. They all feel like real people with aspirations and their own level of resolve, whether good or bad.
InfinityphoenixRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
I like this even more than Re: Monarch, to be honest.
Style: Perfectly fits a high-fantasy coming of age story. Very well written descriptions, and extensive vocabulary without abusing a thesaurus. Fits the character, a well-read teenager.
Story: Definitely going to take a while to get to the level of action and part described in the prologue, but as the author said on the prologue, if you don't read it, you're not going to see where the story is heading to. The family situation is a bit clique. I'd appreciate it if the king didn't blatantly hate the protagonist and their relationship was a bit more complex.
Grammar: A few mistakes each chapter, but not enough to be an issue. Things like missing the closing speech mark of dialogue, capitalisation rules not being standardised throughout the chapter.
Character: A well-written and thorough character, with good background, motives and character developments. This is definitely a coming-of-age story, but it doesn't happen so slowly as to be annoying. We're almost instantly introduced to the part where he begins gaining a change in personality.
Overall: Definitely going to be an amazing fantasy novel. The world is introduced at a consistant and easy to absorb pace, and the action scenes are done near-perfectly. I'm looking forward to seeing how the protagonist earns his place among the warriors of the kingdom and world.
And as a side note, that 'secret identity' tag looks very interesting.
J.A.C.KRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
The first thing that strikes you when you read this story is how real it feels. The characters, the descriptions, and the little details about the world – they are all very well thought out.
You'll meet a character who is a bully, and then a few chapters later, you'll understand - without it being clearly stated - that his story is similar to the MC's; they both went through their hardships in different ways.
You also get to meet a King who is too greedy and blinded to understand that the tutor he gave to his son is leading him in the opposite direction he intended.
You'll also see guards that have their own problems to deal with, or this random woman in the corridor.
It's alive.
Now, let's break it all down:
Style: It's pretty, authentic, and adapted. It's neither too flowery nor wordy. The descriptions strike a perfect balance; they're not too long, just right. When the MC tastes a pie in the market, you can practically taste it yourself. When he receives a punch, you feel it alongside him. That's description done right.
Story: At first, I didn't grasp the idea of including so much important information in the Prologue. However, it became evident that it was crucial for grabbing the reader's attention right away. I'd say the first six chapters serve to set up the world and the characters, and from chapter seven onwards, everything picks up. The story offers a nice mix of mystery, personal growth, regrets, and ideals. You're left wanting to read more because you're eager to uncover what the heck is happening.
Grammar: Nothing to say, it's very good. Here and there, you may notice a missing letter or some repetition (seriously, someone said it's AI-made?). But overall, the author does a great job of making you believe that it's all happening in a medieval setting. It must require so much effort - bravo!
Characters: There's Gabriel and then there's the rest. And that's not a bad thing, in my opinion. Gabriel is the one you care about, the one you want to see succeed.