Ballad of the Bladesong [Dark Progression Fantasy]

Self-Published

Community Rating

Description

Author's Note: Ballad of the Bladesongis a progression-focused, dark fantasy series with a heavy emphasis on the interplay between science and art; between war and beauty; and, between betrayal and love.

As Godfrey trains under the watchful eyes of his uncles, his world is shattered when a friend discovers a mysterious door buried deep within the woods—a door that only he can open. With the echoes of a long-forgotten song guiding his steps, Godfrey embarks on a journey that will forge him into a warrior, a leader, and perhaps, the most dangerous weapon the Empire has ever witnessed.

Information

Status: Hiatus
Year: 2024
Author: Caelrock

Royal Road Stats

Rating: 4.3/ 5.0
Followers: 450
Views: 97,957

Chapters(48 total)

Reviews

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

Community Reviews(10)

HDMahRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
This story is truly one of my favorite grimdark stories ever. It’s has deep characters that you learn to love, heart pounding action that is very well written, and gives real emotion. The prose is beautiful and while the world isn’t too big yet I can feel the edges of a very well developed big fantasy world. I highly recommend reading!
ILLNEARRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
I am impressed!
First time I bother with a review, but this story had me hooked from the start.
I have binged all of the availible chapters in like 2 days or somthing like that.
Its a Story, that doesn't shed away from the dark, while also maintaining a sense of humour to balance it. Kinda reminds me of joe abercrombies work.
Also, any errors you might find are fast to be correkted, in my case, there were only some minor edit misshaps, but i am no native speaker.
A true gem, highly recomend it!
AuthorSeanHallRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
The story is a dark and engaging fantasy that doesn’t shy away from the grimmer aspects of life in its world. It’s a story full of sharp humor, a well-crafted magic system, and characters you can easily get invested in. Right from the start, it pulls you in with a gritty atmosphere and a brutal introduction that sets the tone for the rest of the book. Think of it as a mix of grimdark fantasy with just enough humor to lighten the load.
One of the book's biggest strengths is its character work. Godfrey, the main character, is especially well-drawn. His journey from an innocent child to someone who is gradually forced to reckon with the harshness of the world is compelling. The interactions between Godfrey and his mentor, Hawker, add emotional weight and realism, particularly as they navigate trauma and loss together. Elara, another key figure, adds a bit of lightness with her charm, and the dynamic between her and Godfrey brings some welcome moments of levity in an otherwise pretty bleak story.
The writing itself flows well, with strong dialogue that brings the characters to life. The conversations feel natural, whether it’s an exchange of dry humor or moments of introspective wisdom. There’s a nice balance between action, description, and character-building that keeps you invested in the story without getting too bogged down in one element over the others. However, the book does occasionally over-explain certain things, especially when it comes to worldbuilding. At times, the descriptions of geography and history take you out of the moment and feel a little forced, particularly when they don’t seem relevant to what’s happening in Godfrey’s immediate situation.
Speaking of worldbuilding, the magic system is intriguing but still quite mysterious at this point in the story. There are hints of various powers tied to different bodily "humours". It’s fresh enough to feel original but familiar enough that fantasy readers will catch on quickly.
On the downside, there are mom
ThePurplePathRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Professional dark fantasy story that could be at the bookstore.
Absolute gem, no idea how this story doesn’t have 90%+ rating
By chapter 2-3 I knew I was going to stay up all night to ready everything already written.
Unique magic system. Story pulls you in unexpected directions. Highly recommend
scantraRoyal Road
★★★★★ 4.5
This story had a very strong introduction. It was well written and the characters felt real. I was able to connect with Halt right away and became invested in his outcome and the outcome of the company very quickly. I am more partial to character-driven narratives so I would have personally liked to see and know a little more about the company before the action got started and they separated but otherwise, this was a solid start.
C.S. CharlesRoyal Road
★★★★★ 4.5
The Ballad of the Bladesong delivers a grim, witty, and immersive fantasy experience reminiscent of Joe Abercrombie’s style. The story hooks readers early with its gritty portrayal of life in a cruel world, effective use of dark humor, and a magic system that feels fresh yet familiar. While the novel's tone is decidedly grim, it balances moments of levity, emotional depth, and introspection. The story itself is entertaining with characters that are easily distinguishable. However, there are occasional lapses into exposition that might not fit with the lens of the MC, which detract slightly from the overall experience. At this point in the book, the story seems fairly within the usual path of the Hero's Journey and a tale of a Lost Heir but has time to distinguish itself as its own unique telling of these tropes.
Style Review
The writing style in The Ballad of the Bladesong is sharp and effective, combining action, dialogue, and description in a balanced way. The dialogue is particularly strong, with humorous exchanges and pearls of wisdom from characters that enrich the narrative. It flows naturally and brings the characters to life, especially in moments of mentoring and trauma. The story’s opening—featuring the sacrifice of a mentor figure—sets a grim tone, while later sections provide intrigue and suspense through Godfrey’s journey.
The prose does stumble with some stylistic issues, such as the overuse of clichés like comparing fighting to dancing. These metaphors, while common in fantasy, feel predictable and slightly detract from the otherwise original approach to the story. Another stylistic weakness is the tendency to over-describe certain worldbuilding elements, such as geography, which interrupts the flow of the protagonist’s narrative and feels forced.
Grammar Review
The grammar is mostly clean, with few noticeable errors.
Story Review
The story of The Ballad of the Bladesong is rich and complex, beginning with the sacrifice of a mentor figure, which is an
beksinski42Royal Road
★★★★★ 4.5
The main character's personality development and the concept world are truly exceptional. It's currently undervalued, but if it continues on this trajectory, it will quickly gain popularity on RR. This is a good investment. I urge you to give this story a chance. You won't be disappointed.
To fill 50 words ncnk dndj dndjd djds dnbs sjsb jfjd fnndjd
Ahn_zenRoyal Road
★★★★★ 4.5
A young adult tale with secret powers and a secret heritage. A tale that has been told 1000s of times is told once again.
This story has many of the right elements. Its magic system, and three parts of the special forces area all intriguing. One thing that I think this story could do better in the early chapters is reveal less powers and secrets. As it is they come one after another after another, ultimately making each secret power, and ancient finding feel watered down and unimportant.
My .02 would center around handing out less advantages early on, and to make the characters work more for them (or without them). In other words to slow the pacing of the reveals.
I would like add, that it is not that the MC finds loot or has advantages itself that is problematic,. There are other powerful forces out there. It is the perception given of "this is amazing compared to everyone else" that occurs too much, too often. Perhaps this will correct itself as the story continues.
Update: Oct 2, 2024
I came back to the story and read on beyond the first 15 chapters. The story begins to challenge its main character more by struggle and by mind - which I found more enjoyable. The world-building expands and we learn bit by bit a little more about this mysterious empire.
Ciel AzurRoyal Road
★★★ 3.0
The story has potential but couldn't maintain the willing suspension of disbelief for me. I think the author has talent but is quite young in his journey and will probably improve the story along the way or future stories will be better.
Pros:
The power system is original and not overly explained
The story line is good, there is structure and we understand where it is going
The author shows a willingness to improve in the comments and takes reader feedback into account
Cons:
The society depicted is unrealistic, the goal I think is grimdark - but you end up with mass killings and daily murders in a uniform society at peace, which makes no sense.
Characters: Women seem to be forgettable or manipulative witches
MC Motives and Decisions
Medieval Knowledge, when you describe a medieval world, you should not do so lightly, especially on the points you give details on
SPEELMEGUDRoyal Road
★★★ 2.5
Through the first few chapters of the story you are introduced to a new world, full of magic and wonder. However around the third chapter he turns into some kind of boneless simping animal for the first pretty girl he sees, going so far as the risk the lives of his Aunts and Uncles who have raised him from birth, spilling there secrets to her, and keeping hers in exchange for almost nothing.
Frankly I would call it nothing as two light kisses barely count as a reward. I cannot stand a person who does not respect themself, and in all honesty no person on our fair world would respect him for acting like some debased animal giving up anything and everything for the faintest hint of affection from a woman.
Grammar wise its quite good, had a least a few readers go over and fix the few errors there were.
If the story were about anyone else in the book so far I would happily read it, I just cannot stand to read about someone who I think shouldn't even be the main character of their own life.