At home at sea : A castaway cultivation story [Xianxia, Slice of life, Survival]

Self-Published

Community Rating

Description

This is a slice-of-life adventure story about a middle aged bureaucrat who finds himself washed up on a deserted island. Using his wits and persistence he seeks to thrive and advance his spiritual cultivation.

This story is not about an OP main character fighting monsters. It is alight-hearted exploration of survival and connecting to one's roots.

Information

Status: Hiatus
Year: 2023
Author: Dingo_shablinko

Royal Road Stats

Rating: 4.9/ 5.0
Followers: 62
Views: 18,384

Chapters(16 total)

Reviews

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

Community Reviews(10)

AaronRRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
This is a cozy cultivation story (or maybe cozy-adjacent), so far. It's a slow burn, which I enjoy, and showcases an interesting magical system with an a-typical main character. Plus, it has airships. A few things I loved:
1: The author's prose is straight-forward, and easy to pick up
2: Each chapter has a sense of small, but meaningful, progress.
3: The protagonist isn't your usual young adult or hero
I love stories that add nuance and twists!
BananaDragonRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
This is a story about Tui as he tries to survive on an island. He tries to stay alive while also needing to confront his past in order to grow. It's a slow burn for sure, and it has a very cozy/comforting feel as said in the title of this review.
Style: This section has probably my biggest criticism, but it's also very subjective and based on personal taste. I think the writing has very beautiful descriptions, especially when it comes to the island. It's very beautiful and immersive, and the author has a clear understanding of the setting. There aren't a lot of variations with sentence structure which occasionally makes this less enjoyable to read, but I also get bored really easily. Also, this story is definitely a slow burn, and it is pretty slow at that. If you're someone that likes fast, action filled stories, this is probably not for you.
Grammar: There are quite a bit of comma splices, but it's nothing that would ruin this piece. I'm pretty lenient for grammar on reviews in general, since it is a webnovel and not a traditionally published piece.
Story: I think this is where the story thrives. There is a lot of potential here with the cultivation and magic system, and I really like how natural the flow is. I'm excited to see what happens next, and I can't wait to see what happens with Tui's past.
Character: While it's still relatively early, Tui is an interesting and realistic character navigating his situation both externally and internally. I'm sure more development will be done regarding more of the characters.
Overall, I would definitely recommend this for anyone looking for a slow burnt/comfort piece.
ElaraRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Let's address the main problem of the story: there isn't enough content. This isn't meant as a joke or veiled compliment. I feel like this type of story needs a few more chapters before I can determine its direction. Is it about nature survival? Is all that has happened just an introduction and the real story is something else? I can't say for sure yet, so I'll keep my eyes open for future chapters.
However, what I can say is that the part of the story that has been released so far is fantastic! I like the world, the cultivation, the exploration. It's a great setup to start telling a story. Using flashbacks as a tool for character and world building works out perfectly in this story. They always combine a piece of exposition with a ton of character and world building, and it flows incredibly smoothly - that's what sucks you in!
Style: The style is great. An easy-to-read vocabulary, the pacing is fine. As my grandpa always used to say: If you don't notice the style, then there are no glaring mistakes.
Grammar: Full points! I couldn't find anything wrong, so I have to give the author full marks.
Story: The first chapter felt a little weaker than the rest of the story, in my opinion. Maybe that's just me, but I couldn't connect to the story until the middle of Chapter 2. Despite this, I really enjoy the premise.
Character: I think this is one of the strongest points of the story. It's hard to believe that a story about one person stranded on an island could be character-focused, but that's what I feel this story does best right now. Well done.
EricVRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
At Home At Sea is the story of Tui, a middle aged bureaucrat who finds himself washed up on a deserted island.
Style: The perspective is consistent and smooth. Dialogue feels natural. The text is a tad verbose at parts, with too much tangential details spelled out. (Hopefully this review is out of date and a round of editing/condensing has elevate the story to its full potential.)
Story: Conversation and events flow naturally together. Motivations and actions make sense. Great care has been given to the worldbuilding, with attention to how things would realistically play out. After initial excitement of the airship crash, the prospect of Tui reconnecting with his roots drives the narrative forward.
Grammar: Excellent. My need to edit (for grammar reason) went mostly unfulfilled.
Character: Tui makes a satisfying, immediately likeable protagonist. When a servant spills food on his clothes, he gets frustrated, not at the mistake, but the fact that he will be fawned over for the rest of the trip. When he sees someone drowning, his immeadiate reaction is to struggle towards some rope. It's nice touches like this which reveal Tui's character.
Conclusion: I recommend At Home At Sea because of the strength and likeability of its protagonist. You'll immediately want to know more about his well-crafted backstory, clicking "next chapter" to find out. Watching Tui "thrive" is a fun ride.
FlossinduneRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
A small disclaimer that this kind of story is outside of my wheelhouse, and is one of the few cultivation stories I've read on RR.
Story: The story of Tui landing on a deserted island and finding a way to survive and thrive both in nature and within himself. It does burn slowly, but there's a lot packed into it. The story is easy to follow, and keeps to a consistent theme during the duration. That is, how to both do and be better.
Style: If I had one worry about this story, it's that it's slow. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but it is something that a reader might want to know going in. Other than that, the style is wonderful. The POV is consistent and shows off everything we need to know about the character and their environment. In addition, the way the author describes enviornments is sublime.
Grammar: Well done. There are some strange comma splices here or there, but overall there's nothing that comes off as a roadblock to enjoyment.
Character: Tui stands out as a well rounded character who is at odds with himself. It seems to me like he's the kind of guy who throws himselfs into things, but now that all he has is his thoughts the decisions he made that brought him here are starting to come to the surface and he realizes that he could have, maybe even should have, lived his life differently. He's trying his best to reconcile with himself, and that's one of the best plot lines a character can go through.
All in all, I recommend At Home At Sea.
Little HelpRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
This piece brims with optimism as it follows a man, deeply entrenched with his old life, as he has to rethink and relearn his approach to essentially everything (his past, present and future included) after a sudden accident left him stranded alone on an isolated island. While he does so, the story explores themes such as colonialism & oppression and applies a critical lense to the ways of advanced civilisation.
The main plotline is very straightforward and easy to follow, focussing on the main character's struggle within nature externally, and his relationship and mastery of his qi internally, combining the two purposefully to steadily increase the ways he can interact with his surroundings.
The style & grammar of the writing are both solid; the style keeps a consistent POV and distance, enabling some nice bits of humour. The language is straightforward and enjoyable to follow. A few outbursts of profanity stick out slightly compared to how level the style usually is, but are often justified within the context.
The main character sports an amazing amount of resilience and motivation, all the while facing realistic obstacles to his state of mind that he is able to overcome through level-headedness and reflection. His successes feel earned and following his struggles is heartwarming, a word probably well reserved for the entire series.
Pip the PenguinRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Just to set the ground rules for everyone reading this review; 5 stars means that that part of the fiction is exceptional, 4.5 stars means that while it could be better it is good, 4 stars means that it needs some work, and anything 3 stars or below means that the author has to rework that part of the story entirely. These ratings are based upon my own reading experience when it comes to average ratings here on RR. Now that that's out of the way let's get into it.
Style: The style of this story is well done. A competent delivery of tone with a focus on introspection that gives the story an overall cozy and meditative feel despite our protagonist's predicament.
Grammar: No complaints here, the grammar is clean with no obvious mistakes. I couldn't find any spelling mistakes either so this gets an easy 5/5 stars from me.
Story: The story is excellent so far, though the description is not lying about it being a slice-of-life. The story takes it slow for the most part, following the main character Tui's efforts to survive after being shipwrecked on an island who-knows-where in the sea. While the story of Tui's island survival is good on its own where the story really comes alive is during the flashback sequences to Tui's time as a student, dealing with systematic oppression from the empire that colonized his island home. The story does a masterful job at striking a balance between introspection, coziness, and its more serious themes of colonization and the slow strangling of native cultures.
Character: Tui is, above all else, a likeable and empathetic main character. This is extremely important as outside of the occasional talk with Uncle Ari Tui is the person we spend all of our time with. The author does an excelent job of showing how Tui became the man he is today through the few flashbacks we get of his time during school. The author does a similarly good job of showing how Tui is dealing with his shipwreck and subsequent stranding on the island as well as his aliena
ProspecterRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
If you've been consuming a lot of fast-paced action and thriller novels lately, it might be time for a palate cleanse. This book would be an ideal choice for that purpose.
At Home at Sea is a well-crafted, slow-burn tale of cultivation with a clear Eastern influence that shines through. The story is told in a very meditative and introspective way, and it takes a few chapters to appreciate what the story is trying to do. However, once the reader becomes fully engaged in the story, it's easy to get lost in the rich physical descriptions and the tranquil atmosphere.
The main character, Tui, is the driving force of the story and is described as empathetic, relatable, and engaging. As Tui progresses through the story, readers discover something new in each chapter that endears the character more and more.
The grammar is flawless, and nothing jumps out as being distracting or difficult to understand.
My only issue is with chapter 7. A minor character named Guanting said something that disrupted the tone of the story. Although I enjoy dark stories, and I'm even writing Grimdark fiction myself, that specific bit felt out of place and could be perceived as a betrayal of reader's expectations for this particular story.
Nevertheless, all in all, I loved it! I have added it to my favorites and started following the author. Excited to find out what will happen next! :)
SpattykinsRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
At Home at Sea follows the character Tui as he is stranded on a deserted island. He spends his time trying to make shelters and stay alive but discovers something more on the shore of his new home.
Style:
This is one of the story's strongest points. The pacing is incredibly slow but so engaging that you find yourself at the end of a chapter before you know it. The entire work feels like a guided meditation, urging you to feel the things Tui feels.
Story:
The story is focused very tightly on Tui and his experiences. He is stranded on an island and must rediscover and reconnect with his own heritage in order to survive. This is more than just a story about manual survival, this is a story about spiritual survival, discovering one's cultural identity and shaking of colonizing beliefs and practices.
Character:
Tui being the only real character thus far, it falls to his shoulders to carry the entire story on his back. I'm invested completely in his journey of discovery but wish I could spend more time with his emotions. Perhaps that comes with time but I am very excited to get there
Overall I highly recommend this story and will definitely be following it.
That One Dragon WriterRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
From the character's reaction to the lower caste and his crashing airship to exploring the deserted island and himself, the story progresses steadily and endears the character more and more to you.
Style Score: The language is direct and helps to build a calm, logical, and meditative vibe throughout the story. It is soothing and engaging, even when tackling clearly very difficult topics and memories.
Grammar score: Nothing jumped out at me at all, the grammar is very clean and the story is perfectly readable.
Story Score: You would not think that there would be so many surprises in a story that has the setup of "man stranded on island and meditates," but there is something new to discover in every chapter. The progression is delightful and clear to follow, and the backstory of the character clearly informs who he has become today - and why he will have the strength to grow and break the boundaries of the physical.
Character Score: This story runs on the main character. He is empathetic and relatable. I love the subtle sense of humor and the cohesive way he thinks. As you read along with his experiences, it feels very realistic and so pulls you in.
This was my first experience with this kind of cultivation story, and I definitely enjoyed it and would recommend it.