Crimson Ascension

Self-Published

Community Rating

Description

Destiny gave him pain. He made it power.

Aiden Graystone can unveil the forbidden runes, a secret that could get his entire family killed. But where there is danger, also lies opportunity. As his mother’s health fades, selling runic remnants might be his only way to last until the Ascension.

Every five years, one family earns the right to live a life of luxury in Elysium. Aiden might finally have a chance to escape the grueling life in the Gloom Caves. That was all he could think about.

Until the Sovrans took his family. Until they almost killed him.

Armed with a magical ring and his unnatural sight, Aiden must infiltrate Elysium, master the very magic used to oppress his people, and discover the secrets of a prophecy that threatens to unravel the very foundations of his world.

Aiden stands at the center of it all. To survive, he must discover why.

Information

Status: Completed
Year: 2025
Author: EthanKantos

Royal Road Stats

Rating: 4.3/ 5.0
Followers: 679
Views: 102,117

Chapters(113 total)

What readers say about Crimson Ascension

“I thoroughly enjoyed the first seven chapters of this book, as I haven't read such a fast-paced, thrilling fantasy novel in a long time. Kudos to the author - I'm looking forward to exploring more of Aiden's world. Here's the breakdown of my review: Story -…”
TakeoMasaki889Royal Road5.0 / 5
“Crimson Ascension starts at the bottom of the barrel—and I mean that in the best way. No overpowered protagonist, no chosen-one glimmer from the start. Just a boy named Aiden, scraping by in a slave-mining district run by arcane tyrants, trying not to get h…”
P.C. KnightRoyal Road5.0 / 5

Reviews

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Community Reviews(10)

TakeoMasaki889Royal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
I thoroughly enjoyed the first seven chapters of this book, as I haven't read such a fast-paced, thrilling fantasy novel in a long time. Kudos to the author - I'm looking forward to exploring more of Aiden's world. Here's the breakdown of my review:
Story - The opening chapters are tense, emotional, and incredibly engaging. Aiden’s world is dark and oppressive, but the pacing and stakes keep you turning the pages. (The author is the master of cliffhangers, btw). The worldbuilding is excellent: immersive, brutal, and full of mystery. Sometimes I wished that some of the magical terms—like Providence or Path—were explained a little more clearly, especially for readers still getting familiar with the world.
Characters - Aiden is a compelling lead—angry, vulnerable, and determined. His bond with Dan and his mother is touching, which makes the events all the more painful. The Sovrans are genuinely terrifying, especially Travor, who exudes menace. Helvan adds intrigue and complexity to the story’s second half.
Grammar - Very solid overall. I didn't find any mistakes, or anything that bothered me.
Style - The writing is sharp, immersive, and emotionally charged. There’s a good balance between action and introspection. Aiden’s inner voice adds grit and personality without feeling forced. Occasionally, phrases repeat a bit too often, but the overall tone and flow are strong.
P.C. KnightRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Crimson Ascension starts at the bottom of the barrel—and I mean that in the best way. No overpowered protagonist, no chosen-one glimmer from the start. Just a boy named Aiden, scraping by in a slave-mining district run by arcane tyrants, trying not to get his family killed. The setting is grim, the stakes are brutal, and from chapter one, it’s clear this isn’t the kind of story that pulls its punches.
What really hooked me was how grounded it all feels. The oppression isn’t just background noise, it’s baked into every conversation and decision Aiden makes. You can feel it. The worldbuilding is revealed bit by bit through action and character, never dumped on you all at once, and that makes the mysteries hit harder. The gate, the ring, the torch above the district etc. It all feels purposeful, like it’s part of something massive just waiting to unravel.
Aiden’s a fantastic protagonist. Angry, scared, desperate. But still sharp enough to make his own choices, even when the consequences are devastating. His relationships with his family feel real, especially the bond with his younger brother, which makes what happens hit like a truck.
The Sovrans are brilliantly awful. Each one feels like a walking symbol of oppression. There’s layers, little cracks in the facade that hint at bigger forces at play.
There’s a slow-burn progression system here. No stat dumps or spreadsheets. But when the magic shows up, it feels magical. It’s mysterious, eerie, and tied directly to the plot instead of tacked on for flavor. I actually like that it’s being rolled out slowly. It matches the tone of the story, which is more about survival, rebellion, and uncovering long-buried truths than flashy power-ups. Plus it makes it easier for the reader to follow and understand.
Writing-wise, it’s strong across the board. Clear, gritty prose with just enough description to paint the picture without slowing the pace. It moves fast, but not too fast. Every chapter raises the stakes. The cliffhangers ar
SheaveRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
This author has a talent for storytelling. Usually, stories with fairly violent scenes such as whipping/torture are not my cup of tea though I am not against them if they add to the story. Sometimes they are necessary. Though they are frequently overdone for dramatic effect and shock reasons. In this story, there are several brutal scenes (and one in particular) that might normally have caused me to opt out but instead had me very engaged.
This scene managed to draw me in and make me feel my repulsion was needed to give the tale its full force. The characters are well-drawn and the main character is very likable. The magic system seems to be a slow burn. I was given enough information to understand the sheer power it can wield and how it is used as a kind of class warfare. Where the magically strong brutalize and terrorize the unmagical and weak. A very likely outcome when one group has so much more dominance and strength than the other.
The miners are very lumpen to the point they don't even read. I do confess they occasionally seemed a little too witty, shrewd, and clever for people given no chance to obtain even a basic education and forced to barely survive in squalor. Though much of their simple, at times vulgar, common folk-style speech obviously takes from that class of people. With the common grammatical errors and bumpkin-like mannerisms, downtrodden people often have.
Making them too realistic in this regard would also detract from the story. It is a reasonable thing to alter.
Events across the chapters unfold in a fairly tight and intriguing manner.
I do find the Sovrans' aggressive brutality and almost hysterical need for control interesting. They should be able to rule just as easily by covert intimidation. The ruling class/powerful often do. However, even looking at real-world slaves and the very poor in many societies we can see bloodlust and sadism can cause overlords to be violent in ways not remotely necessary to maintain control. I also wond
CharlyHaRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
If you are looking for the same old adventure story with a little fantasy you are wrong here...
Sure it has parts of it arguably the best ones like fast paced action, seemingly unsurmountable odds that are overcome and a great MC
But this first book is much darker... there are indepth descriptions of social injustice... the miners, the rats, versus the high and mighty upper-class who farm them like cattle and sell it to them like it was salvation... even though they hate their suppressors... who are better in every aspect besides morality...
Aidan is one of those ratlings... a feasty and hardheaded one... who has a dangerous secret- he can see and read runes... an ability that is rare... and dangerous to o a point that he can't fathom
After he meets an old suspicious man and his family gets taken away his whole life is turned over...
His identity and everything he thought he knew is suddenly either a lie or at best unsure...
Now the real story takes off...
With a MC who surpasses all odds by tenancy, gritt and will though he is put through the grinder... more than ones
His perspective is understandable and relatable... he is no shining hero but a person with his own quirks and issues... no white washing here...
The author writes continuously in a well worded style that conveys more than just the situation he describes at the moment but always includes intelligent hints and foreshadowing that isn't blatant or in the face but lets me hope for a much longer and even more complicated continuation... fitting for the mastery in his world-building already displayed
HidingfromyouRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Reviewed at Chapter 17.
This is a well developed story. This may be crazy to say, but I love the plot twists and cliffhangers! They definitely keep me turning the pages. Some of them follow from the story, so you expect them, but others are just make me think, "What?" but then make sense as the story continues - and that's great.
The main character, Aiden, is well worked out and starts out super weak. He's called a 'rattling' for good reason! I'm thinking this is a weak to strong story that takes its time, with a lot of spicey revenge tossed in.
The author definitely does not info-dump, which is super nice, but I would like to see a little more description of the environment. Occasionally, I'm left wondering what the room looks like, or the rock he's hiding behind. I wonder what the glyphs look like, too, but given that they're magical and hard to read, their lack of description makes sense.
Stylistically, it's good, sentence variation good, with some excellent sentence fragments to shake up the pacing. The writing is gritty and brief, making it easy to read, and there are few occasions where I'd like a longer focus on what's going on.
What really shines is the story, though. And that's the most important part. This author knows what he's doing and where he's going and it's a joy to follow.
LubjubRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Style
Crimson ascension is jam packed full of tragedy, suffering and isn’t afraid to take a slow burn approach in telling a character driven story. Elysium is not a safe place. From the start it’s immediately known that the two-tier system is night and day in terms of how the people are treated. The miners are just glorified slaves whilst the Sovran see those beneath them as something to step on. Aiden describes in detail just how cruel and unforgiving this place he and his family live in. There is more of a progression and cultivation element than LitRPG, but it is still there in a lighter format.
Story
Mystery, unanswered questions and what I hope will result in a rebellion for the peoples freedoms. This is a bleak post-apocalyptic story that leans into psychology well. The world building is drip fed to the reader but that’s a good thing because the pacing is never off at all and the author has really nailed this element. Who is exactly Aiden? Who is his father really? His story really begins at the point of the introduction of a possibly but probably not likely ally in a Sovran. There’s many gripping elements along the way that will surely captivate and entice you to read on. I particularly enjoyed how the conversations between the two characters are so abrupt in their progression. Aiden is furious for reasons I won’t spoil, whilst Helvan is trying not to kill the kid whilst maintaining some composure at his understandable behaviours.
Grammar
Great job here nothing to comment on
Character
Where Crimson Ascension really shines is the attention to characters. Each has their own unique personality with some slight overlapping between the Sovrans for example. Aiden in the heart of the suffering who begins to change into something that can potentially fight back against his oppressors. He has grit which only strengthens over time, we can see examples of this as he starts to take a public beating in one of the starting chapters. At first, he suffers yet his mind and
MightyAllRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Crimson Ascension feels way more grounded in epic fantasy than the crunchiness of endless stat sheets, and i'm all in for it. Moore!!! The worldbuilding is solid and doesn’t feel forced or shoved down your throat. You can tell there’s a lot Aiden doesn’t know, and plenty of things the big players are hiding, so i can’t wait to see those threads pay off in future chapters. The way the world unfolds, little by little, really pulls you in.
The setting feels a lot like Red Rising, but in a magical world. Add some dystopia into that mix, and you get pretty close to what Crimson Ascension is shaping up to be. It’s a world full of intrigue and power struggles, with high stakes and unexpected twists. The pacing is also great, with cliffhangers popping up regularly and info being drip-fed to you instead of overwhelming you with huge info dumps. That kind of tension makes the story even more engaging.
There hasn’t been a ton shown about the magic system so far, but i’m only up to chapter 15, so i’m sure that will change. It feels like the magic is being saved for some kind of big reveal later, and i'm excited to see how it all comes together.
Slow start, great characters, no cringy cliches, and mysteries lurking at every corner. I can smell good food in the kitchen, so let this guy cook!
HeWhoReadsBooksRoyal Road
★★★★★ 4.5
Crimson Ascension is more grounded than I thought, even though the story is on its baby phase now. There's no flying gods or overpowered people as of now, we start at the bottom of the barrel, in a place that's no better than some slave mining caves.
Aiden is great, and you can feel how the place he lives molded his actions to the cruelty that goes around him. He's easy to root for when the antagonists are irredeemable bastards. Most of them, at least. There's plenty of clue that not all is as it seems.
Will get back to this once there's more chapters.
SneakyFrogRoyal Road
★★★★★ 4.5
TLDR: A short, so far, read, but an interesting setup and a gripping start :)
I'm a sucker for scrappy begginings and weak-to-strong motifs, so I was all in on Aiden being a poor miner. The disctrict terminology gave me hunger games vibes(in a good way) and each reveal made the world deeper AND more threatening.
Characters - Interesting, not trope-y and consistent with the world and one another. Aiden as a main character is properly rage'y and determined to make use of his powers to grow and become better. There's some cool backstory that isn't infodumped but explored more slowly.
Style/prose feels a bit more flowery than I'd prefer, but It's good and very well written grammatically. I could use a bit more descriptions/ scene setting, but that's also mostly my personal prefrence.
Even though chapter one starts a bit detached, it quickly grew on me, and by the end of chapter two I was able to cleanly visualize the struggles of Aidan.
The world was introduced in a natural way along with the plot - no infodumps and no characters going 'As you surely know...' every other sentece. Many blessings for that! At no point did I go 'Holl up. Why the hell?'.
SlowSmithRoyal Road
★★★★★ 4.5
Crimson Ascension offers an engaging blend of post-apocalyptic intrigue and character-driven narrative that sets it apart.
The world-building is meticulous, revealing layers of a society teetering on the edge, with secrets lurking around every corner.
What I appreciate most is the pacing. The author doesn't rush to unveil the magic system or the broader conflicts. Instead, information is drip-fed, creating a sense of mystery and anticipation. I much prefer this to stories that overwhelm you with info dumps.
The writing style is to the point and evocative. There's no excessive stat sheets, the focus is on the narrative and character development. The dialogue feels natural, and the descriptions are vivid without being too much.
This story has some of the best elements of LitRPG and cultivation, with a protagonist you can root for and a world that keeps you guessing. Worth checking out!
Strong, natural writing style — Clear, smooth, and easy to read without unnecessary clutter.
Compelling worldbuilding — Hints at a larger, mysterious world without overwhelming the reader early on.
Relatable protagonist — Aiden feels grounded and believable, with good potential for growth.
Good pacing — The story unfolds at a satisfying speed, keeping curiosity alive without info dumps.
Atmosphere and setting — The early scenes (like the mines) are vivid and set the tone really well.
Inner emotional depth could be expanded — A bit more of Aiden’s personal emotions/thoughts could deepen the connection to readers.
Descriptive moments could be slightly richer — A few more sensory details could make the world feel even more alive.