Burning Starlight [Science-Fantasy Cultivation LitRPG] (Book 1 Complete!)

Information

Status

Hiatus

Year

2024

Author

Ryan Stennet

• 004.5 - Answers Over Dinner
  Jan 29, 2025
• 004 - Communication
  Nov 11, 2024
• 003 - Trust
  Nov 11, 2024
• 002 - Second Contact
  Nov 11, 2024
• 001 - Junkyard Dog
  Nov 11, 2024
• 00 - No Rest for the Wicked
  Dec 23, 2024

Reviews

Community Reviews(10)

• isaiahironsRoyal Road

  ★★★★★ 5.0

  Wow! Some twists and turns early that keep you wondering what the heck is going on. I won't spoil the beginning but I have loved the interactions between characters!
  This is a fun one and the author has done a great job with the main character and story so far! The main character is clear cut, and unique (at least for me), and I am enjoying his tired old quirks and grit. He is placed in a new reality right out of the gate, and I like how unique that new reality is. Also I have so many questions about where he is and who his new friend is. I also like how the beginnings of the litRPG pieces are coming together and how the mechanics for how the MC gets his language translation and HUD are well explained.
  I haven't seen one grammar mistake, and the style is clean and simple. I like the easy to read prose, and I am able to follow the characters actions perfectly. The settings are well setup, and the one action scene I have come across I really enjoyed! The dialogue is natural and not awkward at all.
  I am giving this a 5/5!
  Excited to keep reading!
• ArchetypeRoyal Road

  ★★★★★ 5.0

  Looking at the other reviews I must say. People really need to learn the meaning of the term "prose". Hell's bells! (Though it's clear they mean well).
  No. It is not bland. It is not artless. Nor absolutely lacking in poetic rhythm nor tone. Far from it. Though the protagonist's speech is prosaic, the rest of the writing abounds with artful touches. Though not in an overbearing way. Still easy to read and digest. Altogether quite pleasant. Grammar looks good to me.
  I've only read a bit, but I'm already impressed.
• DosilliRoyal Road

  ★★★★★ 5.0

  This story is extremely detail oriented. From how blake woke up, to how he is adjusting to his new environment, nothing is left unsaid. The author seems to make it their goal to give the reader every bit of information available, but in a way that isn’t absolutely drowning the reader in needless information. It feels truly like a systematic yet artistic approach to writing that ensure the reader is never lost while reading. And speaking of blake, he seems to be holy grail of that style of writing. He essentially embodies that systematic approach to life, though his approach is one that was earned and drilled into him from a long time spent in  perilous circumstances.
  I really enjoyed how the “system” was introduced by the first real side character we meet! A hulking, yet surprisingly friendly alien. At the point of the story I am currently at is when we get a true taste of the current “strength and power” dynamics in the story. My brain already cooking up theories of how blake himself could begin using what was seen and how he might develop.
  All in all this is a great read and I’m very excited to see where it goes!
• AceGreenRoyal Road

  ★★★★★ 5.0

  The first comparison that comes to mind for Burning Starlight is Cowboy Bebop. There's a way it presents the stark environment that somehow creates a sort of sleepy, VHS atmosphere. To be clear, I'm a "90s kid" and that's about the highest praise I can give for aesthetics.
  There are some notable medium-depth analogies to be drawn. Blake's kind of like Spike, and Eland's kind of like Jet, and the scavenger world they're trapped on (as of chap 14) is reminiscent of Earth from that series. But I think what really gives it that atmosphere I love so much is pace—specifically pace of movement.
  Pace of plot is one thing. But I'm talking more about the way characters move around, and interact with the world, the way they move through the junkyard and salvage parts from scraps. It creates the sense of a world that's lived-in, and more than that, a universe that can be as thoroughly unfriendly as a razor blade. The 'lived-in' part comes from the ways characters adapt to that world, use what's in front of them until it becomes their normal. Blades in the wrong context are terrifying. But sometimes you gotta shave.
  Eland is particularly standout. I'm a sucker for scholarly characters, and the idea of a hefting monster of an alien that's really just an academic who gets a bit too  into his work is right in my wheelhouse. The basic banter between him and Blake, and his endless patience with the soldier trying to come to grips create a flavor of homecooking. Sort of like the dish he serves Blake in the Canteen.
  The main criticism I had of the first few chapters actually dissipated fast, and around chapter 5 or so is gone entirely. There were times I felt like the prose and characterization suffered a bit from how often it reminded the reader that Blake was a former soldier, and all his instincts screamed against the strange things he was seeing. It made sense, though, and diegetically of course he'd be continually uneasy.
  Once Blake settles in, though, the prose is great and imo c
• JolligreenRoyal Road

  ★★★★★ 5.0

  A classic tale told thoughtfully, with one of the best system implementations I've ever seen, lots of science fiction and cultivation shenanigans, a snarky but not one-dimensional AI companion, and an MC who is highly competent, displays realistic flavors of PTSD after a life of violence and disillusionment, but whose fundamental morals and chance to start over don't feel trite or formulaic.
  Good satisfying progression, high enough stakes to make you care, creative science fiction and political + cultivation elements, and not a single character that makes you want to tear your hair out. Multiple POVs are handled well, and not overused.
  Like it says on the tin, this is one of the good ones, highly recommended.
• LordAnchalinRoyal Road

  ★★★★★ 5.0

  This type of story is the best type. I didn’t know what to expect at all, what was coming from it. What would be happening with it and where it could go. I read this on a whim, but 10 chapters in and in really shocked by how much I liked it. Something is special here, the potential is great
• ProviderRoyal Road

  ★★★★★ 5.0

  No-nonsense fast-paced sci fi story that drops the reader directly into the action.
  The prose makes for a smooth read, with lots of interesting stuff going on. Scenes and events are described briskly, but in sufficient detail to understand what is happening. I like the writing style a lot and the use of sensory details—sounds, smells, and textures—enriches the world, grounding the surreal in tactile reality. The language oscillates between stark, utilitarian prose in action scenes and almost poetic imagery in descriptions, particularly when depicting the alien environment. Sentence structure effectively varies between long, descriptive passages and short, punchy lines during action scenes, maintaining pacing.
  Blake Connover is a well-realized protagonist. His military background informs his pragmatism, resilience, and instinctual decision-making, lending authenticity to his actions. The narrative captures his inner conflict—his exhaustion with violence versus his ingrained survival instincts.
  This story succeeds in establishing a gripping premise and a protagonist worth rooting for. Its blend of gritty realism and surreal sci-fi elements creates an intriguing world. The plot kicks off with a compelling mystery, combining the protagonist’s military past with a surreal, otherworldly anomaly. The shift from a sleepy Michigan town to an alien scrapyard is jarring (in a good way) and effectively mirrors the protagonist’s disorientation. The story balances suspense and action well, providing a survivalist tone reminiscent of classic sci-fi adventure tales.
• RoyLRoyal Road

  ★★★★★ 5.0

  This story starts with a Isekai that is anything but the usual. Our MC is stranded in a new world with new rules. He quickly makes friends and enemies while he try’s to understand his new situation. The current story is great, with new players appearing to add depth to the current situation.
  Style: I don’t know how to describe it, but I love the style. The style reminds me of DOTF, but the story is much different. (I mean both these things in the best way possible.) 5/5
  Story Score: The Story flows well, and events consulate against the MC in a way that keeps it interesting. The story flows smoothly and the actions brings tension with it. There’s not too much stat or skill windows bogging things down either. 5/5
  Grammar Score: Seems really good to me, if there are mistakes I didn't notice them. Reading it was smooth like it was professionally published. 5/5
  Character Score: Our MC had depth and demons. But it all seems natural, it comes off as genuine. The side characters are also well written. 5/5
  Thanks for the story, I can’t wait to see what else you have in story for us readers.
  Merry Christmas! Happy Holidays.
• The Storm KingRoyal Road

  ★★★★★ 5.0

  Most readers of this site, I believe, prefer some flavour of fantasy. Thus it is rare to see any sci-fi works, though the ones I bothered to read were always good ones. This is another in that short list.
  A vibrant and deep world, very reminiscent of Farscape, but with added elements of magic, cultivation, a System etc.
  One would think this mixture to be an eclectic mess - but the author makes it work very well. All the separate parts integrate very well into each other - basically magic/cultivation being based on a fifth fundamental force of the universe which resonates through crystals, consciousness etc. This, together with a desire of all experience to grow and accumulate, makes for a very interesting setting.
  Quite a few ideas are borrowed from other works, which might annoy some people who believe that originality is the be all and end all of creativity - I firmly disagree with this, creation is composition.
  Now there are ups and downs, like the most recent 2-3 chapters going in a bit of a ooc direction - but the author listened to reader feedback (a pretty rare thing) and immediately started fixing it back to the previous level of quality character writing, which is what really makes this story shine. The characters are all very well rounded, with their own back stories, motivations and modes of thought - which is what makes the world so believable.
  There are some missing letters and words here and there - about 1-3 per chapter - making me reduce the grammar rating. But the style flows very well and allows for really enjoyable reading.
  The story itself has excellent slow power progression potential because the scales seem well made enough to last for a very long time. To be honest I can see the author writing at least 10 more books in this universe - hopefully he has the stamina for it, because I’m certain to read them.
• Easton MulhollandRoyal Road

  ★★★★ 4.0

  If there is a problem with Royal Road, it is this: even good writers may be bad at plot. This is an excellent example. Does this have good characters? Yup. Good writing? Yup. Interesting world building? Yup. A good plot … well.
  Plot could be just described as the outline for the story: i.e. where the author wants to travel story-wise with the reader. But, good plot isn’t just where you travel, its also a satisfying trip. Good plot will have conflict with a satisfying resolution. And, because these are serialized novels on Royal Road, if you’re hooked in with good character and setting, you have to hope for that satisfying conflict resolution will happen, because if it doesn’t … you’re stuck. When do you stop reading? Or worse - when does the author stop writing?
  The plot here was not giving the reader, or the author, the satisfying ending we’re hoping for; its disjointed and doesn’t match some of the earlier events in the story. And then, he revised it.
  The good news for Royal Road is that some authors, like Ryan, will realize they have good elements, but their plot is not working, and instead of quitting, they revise. I want authors to do this. You’ve caught my review that happens at a moment when Ryan was making a mistake in his plot: he realized it, and rewrote it. This alone makes this book worth following, because 1. Authors that fight through these issues are the ones that do not quit halfway through. 2. Any improvement to plot is good for the reader.
  I hope that Ryan keeps it up. I am hopeful for an epic story, and it looks like this one will deliver.