Darkhelm (Grimdark Progression Fantasy)

Self-Published

Community Rating

Description

You are a brief candle in a long night. You pass through, and we are grateful, but the blackness will take you.

As a Knight of the Road, Daine Darkhelm is charged with keeping the King’s peace. For thirty years she has travelled the cities of the West, and done what she can to push back the shadows.

But when she is charged with protecting a stableboy, things spiral out of control. The eyes of those in the dark are fixed on this boy.

The realm needs heroes, and Daine Darkhelm may not be enough...

Book One: Darkhelm(Stub -read on KU)

Book Two: Stonehand(Stub -read on KU)

Book Three: Shadowbound

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Information

Status: Ongoing
Year: 2023
Author: BardLyre

Royal Road Stats

Rating: 4.6/ 5.0
Followers: 781
Views: 120,117

Chapters(51 total)

What readers say about Darkhelm (Grimdark Progression Fantasy)

“This story is a must-read for fantasy fans. The patient, detailed approach to developing the connections, customs, and characters gives you confidence that you're discovering a new, ever-expanding world to which you'll be able to escape for years to come. A…”
J. J. WalshRoyal Road5.0 / 5
“Overall: This fiction is very, very nice! The images in the beginning of each chapter are a very original, and in my opinion wlecome addition. I feel conflicted about the stye, but there is no doubt in my mind that this fiction will one day be a hit (how bi…”
A Failed Author (TLH)Royal Road5.0 / 5

Reviews

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

Community Reviews(10)

J. J. WalshRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
This story is a must-read for fantasy fans.
The patient, detailed approach to developing the connections, customs, and characters gives you confidence that you're discovering a new, ever-expanding world to which you'll be able to escape for years to come.
And despite the fantastical setting, the story-telling is wonderfully painted with realism--and the inner dialogue is thoughtful and relatable.
Now, did I have to look up a few words because the author is better educated and possibly altogether smarter than I am? Perhaps. But I'm afraid that says more about me than the author :)
In other words, the sentence structure and vocabulary are more sophisticated than the "write to an eighth grade education" rule would allow, but that feels very intentional and organic to the ethos of the story. More than anything, there's a maturity to the prose that adds to the sense of immersion--a testiment to a truly gifted story-teller's craft.
All in all, fantasy readers should jump into this one asap!
A Failed Author (TLH)Royal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Overall: This fiction is very, very nice! The images in the beginning of each chapter are a very original, and in my opinion wlecome addition. I feel conflicted about the stye, but there is no doubt in my mind that this fiction will one day be a hit (how big is hard to know).
Style: I feel very conflicted abou the style. The images and diction seem to give a heavier feeling to the story and a tenser atmoshpere. The diction and sometimes big block of texts are occasionally hard to read. And yet, there is a beautiful flow. The fights (esspecially the tavern one) is amazingly coreographed and I really like how everything is as of now (although I hope it does not go very dark).
Story: Very good. It is the first time that I read a story that seems to begin in the middle of a wider plot and don't find myself lost. Everything makes perfect sense and it just keeps you wanting to come back for more.
Grammar: Very few mistakes. All and all very good. Although I do not like very big paragraphs as they are a bit cumbersome to read
Chracter: Daine Darkhelm is a great MC—she is a very well-crafted archetypical protagonist. The villains and secondary characters are also very well thought and written.
Great job! :)
AJ FluffRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
I love chocolate. And the darker it is, the more I savor it. Each bite an exquisite experience of texture and subtly shifting flavor, from an initial sweetness that delves beneath the richer earthy tones before culminating in a sharp, bitter tang right as you swallow. Only to begin anew with the next bite.
My friends, Darkhelm is like that. It's complex and rich and dark, and made all the better for the shadows BardLyre plays with.
The characters are people. I won't say "well-rounded", because some are definitely missing something like a soul (cough Dru cough), but they're messy and complicated and I want to find out what will happen to them. Daine is the cynical knight stereotype with this softness that flits about her, but only when viewed from a certain angle. Makes me want to know how she ended up the way she has. What adventures have I missed?
And then the plot kicks in, and I'm too busy wondering how this adventure will end to worry about which ones lead Daine here and now. This story kept me hitting "next chapter" until the button grayed out and the sun peaked up over the horizon.
The language is very specific. It's lyrical and grammatically lovely, but also beautifully efficient. It has a certain Middle-Ages-feel to it such that I didn't need any other stamp to sink right into "ah, that's when we are" vibes. Action scenes have impact and are brutal while being described so tastefully that BardLyre avoids actual gore. It's really effing impressive!
5 stars, easy
Frosty I. FrostRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Just like the title points out, I'm genuinely surprised. I didn't expect a Litrpg to be this well-written with amazing grammar and spelling on top of great plot and good characters.
Normally, I always find something to correct or point out whenever I read stories but this one? I legitimately couldn't find anything to nitpick. The story is compelling, the characters are well-written and the setting is really immersive.
I had Crusader Kings 2 vibes whilst reading this and that was amazing. The Author managed to land the medieval-feeling English part but I'd have preferred if they used real middle English at some parts for even more immersion. I haven't read the whole thing yet BUT if there is a priest, please let it speak in real Middle English, that'd be amazing.
On top of that, paragraphs and spacing are great. Many stories, including mine, have spacing errors which can mess up the reading experience because it gets hard to follow but not this. This story is seriously easy to follow due to its structure and it helps the story keep its immersion intact. When coupled with the great punctuation and spelling, there is nothing that messes up the experience.
Overall, a must read from me. I have nothing but praise for this one and I can easily say that this is a must read for Litrpg readers.
C.T. YarrowRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
A facinating dark medeiveal fantasy story full of rich detail.
Style: The central character, the titular Lady Darkhelm, is the queen of the dramatic entrance and I am here for it. The story is told in a bold, confident style and I am also her for that.
Story: While it's stil too early to tell exactly where the story is going I have my suspicions and if I'm right then this is an instant classic. If I'm wrong then it will be a delightful subversion and thus still an instant classic.
Grammar: I'm often at a loss with the Grammar score. It's hard to shine with good grammar but it's easy to catapault a reader out of the story with bad grammar and there's none of that here.
Character: It's great to see a gumpy, disilusioned old warrior character who genuinely has some age on them. It's even better to see a woman in the roll as female characters are so rarely allowed to age unless they're mothers or evil crone types. We also have a selection of great antagonist characters, whether they're sociopaths, jobsworths, or not nearly as smart as they think they are, they're all painfully beleiveable. Lady Darkhelm has some intresting potential allies and it's nice to see secondary characters acting as the protagonists of their own stories and not as pawns to be moved around in the sevice of the protagonist of this story. I'm really looking forward to finding out who lives, who dies and who switches sides.
Ace-omiRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
As I dove into the world of "Darkhelm," I couldn't help but be swept away by the rich language and vivid imagery that permeated every page. The author's unique style added a certain flair to the setting, transporting me to a time and place that felt both familiar and exotic.
As I followed the journey of Daine Orban, the titular Knight of the Road, I found myself completely engrossed in her struggles and triumphs. Her job was never easy - as she travelled from village to village, she listened to complaints and delivered whatever justice she could.
The story starts when she is charged with the protection of a seemingly unimportant stable-boy named Genoes, things start to change. Shadows begin to gather around those who seek to bring the light, and Daine finds herself facing a threat far greater than anything she has ever encountered before.
The story is masterfully crafted, with unexpected twists and turns that kept me on the edge.
Overall, I cannot recommend highly enough. If you're looking for a thrilling and thought-provoking adventure, this book is the perfect choice.
Alexanders (Katsu)Royal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Darkhelm huh. We follow the story of a knight of the road, a knight that gives a tour every 10 years to administer justice to a world surrounded by darkness...
And as she very aptly said "You might think 10 years is plenty of time to get away with bad deeds, but there will be reckoning" Now...I might have butchered that somewhat, but the idea persists!
Style -Clear writing that is very efficient at worldbuilding.
We get explained quite well the religion, magic, and caste system early on. And it was quite flawlessly at that. The prose is done well and so I have no complaints at all!
Story -
As stated before we will follow (At least so far) our lovely(?) Knight of the Road Daine (funny use of vowels I also say this as a certain old man did). She goes around the road knighting and bringing justice to the world in need!
A splendid paragon of justice and a hero to the little man!
Also, I love this part, she is quite ruthless at that, making an example of a poor fire mage who didn't read the resistance to fire magic the knights of the Road have. And off with her head!
Grammar - Me dumb dumb with this one, but I didn't had problems with them grammar, so I guess its good !
Character -
So far Daine is a stoic character that does her job and doesn't want to deal with bs. Even if she really should have cut off the head of a certain dumbass in the first chapter.
Other characters follow their own style like a lazy ass father that thought he was doing a good job at parenting, while it was original wifey work all along! And so now that he has a new model he is surprised his world has turned upside down.
Eric VanderlipRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Darkhelm is the story of Daine Darkhelm, a Knight of the Road who travels the lands dishing out the goddess's justice to those deserving. Her long career takes an unexpected turn in a far off province as she runs into the machinations of a noble's son and encounters a very unique young boy.
Style: A smooth perspective transitions and excellent writing. The pace is solid and exciting. Combat well described. Dialogue is natural. No complains.
Story: Masterful world building. You feel how this world functions, the friction between far off nobles and the crown. The building confrontation between Daine and the cunning sadistic Drunnoc drive the plot.
Grammar: Excellent. My need to edit went unfulfilled.
Character: Daine makes for likeable, stubborn protagonist who bulldozes her way through problems with the competence of a veteran. All the characters feel wonderfully fleshed out and alive, with motivations and actions making sense. Drunnoc makes an excellent warped villain, and I'm curious as to what lead him to being a complete monster.
Conclusion: I highly recommend the Darkhelm. In terms of writing, worldbuilding, characters, it doesn't get better than this. You'll soon find yourself relentlessly click "next chapter" to find out what happens next. It's an addicting read.
BalerikRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Darkhelm is a fantasy tour de force. Using the clay of medieval fiction, BardLyre has lovingly sculpted a fascinating tale of one woman's quest to bring order to a chaotic world. With each spin of their potter's wheel, the author teases their creation into focus using vivid imagery and engaging dialogue. As the chapters go by, revealing more and more of their sensational artwork, there can be little doubt that the finished product will be nothing short of a masterpiece.
Style - BardLyre's work is a model of consistency. They employ a style of prose that flows seamlessly from one sentence to the next. Mood and tone are carefully cultivated throughout the work, lending Darkhelm a level of immersion rarely seen on this platform.
Story - Darkhelm is centered around its titular character, Daine 'Lady Darkhelm' Orban. As a knight-errant, Daine travels the famous King's Road dispensing justice and protecting the commonfolk from dangerous beasts that prowl the wilds. Her long years of travel have brought her back to a village she'd passed through years before. On this fateful trip, Lady Darkhelm will find far more than petty crimes lurking in the dark corners of the seculded village.
Character - From the first chapter it is glaringly obvious that BardLyre has spent a tremendous amount of time toward fully realizing the characters in their novel. While Daine Orban is, justifiably, the star of our show, all the ensemble cast deserve credit for helping to build a seamless narrative. Each individual, from the taciturn Lady Darkhelm to the diabolical Drunnoc Trellec to the effervescent Genoes, bring their own personality, wit, and charm to the stage.
Grammar - The grammar and punctuation are flawless.
There really isn't much left for me to say regarding Darkhelm. The only thing I have left to share are two simple words of encouragement. Read it. BardLyre has offered us all a chance to join them on an epic journey. You have no excuse to decline the invitation.
Why n
JoJoTKobeRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Darkhelm follows the titular Lady Darkhelm, a paladin-like "Knight of the Road" delivering righteous justice on the behalf of her Goddess, in a dark fantasy world, where corrupt, scheming nobles rule in power.
The style is absolutely amazing and one of the highlights of this fiction. It's well-crafted, oozing with an atmosphere suited to the story seeking to be told. It is no exaggeration to say that the writing is to professional grade here; the author obviously puts a lot of care and detail to it. There's a lot to be loved and found in the writing, though sometimes, some stylistic choices of metaphor or pacing via commas/semi-colons/colons approach being indulgent or unnecessary. That is however a small critic in the face of all-in-all phenomenal writing.
The story starts small, but interesting. We get introduced to Lady Darkhelm as she deals with a noble's petty revenge, and it is a delight seeing it unfold, all while learning about the characters and the world. World-building here is done excellently without ever feeling like forced-fed exposition.
Grammar is practically flawless as well, and the few issues that are brought up in the comments are quickly taken care by the author's edits.
Characters are also well-written, with the protagonist being a clear stand-out. I loved learning more and more about her as the story went on. And even the side characters are depicted and written in complex, believable ways.
Overall, well-deserving of five stars, an amazing dark fantasy and story in general. Worth a read, follow, and favorite!