Fates Parallel [STUBBED]

Self-Published

Community Rating

Description

Fates Parallel is on Amazon's Kindle Unlimited! Check it out here!Also available on Audible!

This series is no longer available on RR. The preview chapters here include the entire first book, but the rest is only available on Amazon.

After centuries of endless wars, the three greatest nations of the continent have come together in peace. As a symbol of their cooperation, they have worked together to establish the Grand Academy of Spiritual, Martial, and Arcane Arts, a place where the best and brightest of each nation can gather on neutral ground and share knowledge, techniques, and cultures. Can the peace truly last, or is the academy just another proxy for the constant conflicts the three nations face?

None of that matters to Lee Jia, a homeless young girl whose biggest concern is surviving the winter. But when she accidentally stumbles into the academy in search of a new place to stay, her destiny is changed forever. Determined to carve out a new place for herself and make the most of her good fortune, Lee Jia dives head first into the world of magic and martial arts.

Fates Parallel is my first serious attempt at writing a story, and a personal love letter to Eastern fantasy and xianxia stories. It's heavily inspired by East Asian culture, folklore, and mythology, with what is likely going to be a decidedly Western artistic license.

Cover art drawn by the incredibly talented Tsuu (TsurotArtistry).

Information

Status: Ongoing
Year: 2021
Author: DarkTechnomancer

Royal Road Stats

Rating: 4.4/ 5.0
Followers: 1,814
Views: 290,615

What readers say about Fates Parallel [STUBBED]

“I don't spend much of my free time reading, but when I do, it's the latest chapter of Fates Parallel, available to patrons and close personal friends of DarkTechnomancer. I was lucky enough to see the conception of this story long before it reached online p…”
PennytailRoyal Road5.0 / 5
“It's good, I'm tired, there's a minimum word count for a review, here we go. I'll probably update the review to be more descriptive if I remember later, but for now I'll just say that the characters are good, not perfect, but well written, the world buildin…”
PrometheusDarkflameRoyal Road5.0 / 5

Reviews

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

Community Reviews(10)

PennytailRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
I don't spend much of my free time reading, but when I do, it's the latest chapter of Fates Parallel, available to patrons and close personal friends of DarkTechnomancer.
I was lucky enough to see the conception of this story long before it reached online publication, and though my knowledge of the xianxia genre is limited only to this story thus far, it certainly leaves a favorable impression on me. The sense of steady progression both in terms of power and character, not only for Lee Jia and An Eui but also the supporting cast, continues to delight me even 200+ chapters in.
I was also the one who provided the poorly received cover art before it was replaced with what we have now. Despite the blow to my ego, I was proud of the work I had done, specifically because it was for this story that I adore.
I want to see Fates Parallel progress all the way to the end, whether it take another hundred chapters or even a thousand, and I hope DT does too. Keep it up, my guy.
PrometheusDarkflameRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
It's good, I'm tired, there's a minimum word count for a review, here we go.
I'll probably update the review to be more descriptive if I remember later, but for now I'll just say that the characters are good, not perfect, but well written, the world building is great, and the magic system is fun.
Thats the good stuff, the bad stuff... honestly, there's not much. Sometimes the pacing is a bit weird, but that's most just the fact this is a web serial, and everyone on this site should be used to that. Other than that, I've seen that some people are calling this a derivative or copy of Forge of Destiny, and... I guess I can see that? But honestly I don't think it matters much, and there's just as much chance that it's pure coincidence because the tropes and parts they share are really common. I don't know the author personally, and I'd much rather not assume their inspiration for this story, but I will say that if you liked Forge of Destiny, you'll like this, and I even prefer Fates Parallel myself. Anyway, I'm over the word count now, so stop reading reviews and read the story.
Misza Mojcysz SchmidtRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
It's an Xianxia Academy novel, first and foremost, which is why I compare it to Forge of Destiny. Definitelly has better magic system, and in my opinion has noticeably better written characters.
It has a really good magic system, probably my favourite on my platform because of how well it goes together. Main characters are the primary "cases" of experiment that attempts to join 3 separate schools of cultivation together, which allows for the magic system having a lot of lore, lot of mystery, and a lot of pieces coming together.
First book has a lot of obligatory standard stuff to go through from the genre checklist, but the the book two is a lot of better.
The two main characters are likeable and well made, but what is more rare about this book is the fact that secondary characters are really well written. Far beyond the standard of this platform.
FreeMoonRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Darktechnomancer has outdone theirself on this one. This review may come across as gushing, so TLDR: I recommend this for most readers on the platform. The story is fun with regular updates and the author has an active discord.
The best:
Extremely well edited with impeccable grammar. Makes the rest of us look bad.
DTM gives back to the community with frequent plugs of quality fictions from other writers on the platform. Cool beans.
Dog boy and cat girl representation.
The good:
So far we've had exciting arcs and satisfying climaxes. Also there's a tournament arc!
The big bad's plot dump is sufficiently HUGE to be cool, but also abstract and mysterious enough to not detract from the main plot. (THIS IS USUAL A PROBLEM IN THE GENRE)
Excellent cast of characters! DTM dodges most of the cliches that other authors dive onto.
The bad (obligitory complaint):
I was completely lost during some of the meditation chapters. I'm new to the genre so it might just be me, but the chi element stuff is about two tiers too much more complex than pokemon for me.
Also:
There's two audiobooks out on audible right now, so if you are into that, like me, make sure to check them out.
The artwork looks great. It's a nice touch and worth the investment in my opinion.
EmilinRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Fates Parallel is a great addition to the western xianxia genre by a promising first time author who really did their groundwork. It's obvious from the very beginning that this work is a product of love and passion. It's very amateur at the beginning but the author really gets better. It's obvious that he has written works of fiction before publishing here.
But before we get into the advanced review. There is a section in arc 2 that was very controversial among readers. I personally felt that the situation was done well and was a realistic response from the MC. This story isn't a power fantasy. Its an character focused story that explores trauma and friendship in a Xianxia setting. Don't expect an badass MC thats always stone cold and calm under pressure.
Style
Dialogue is a very clear strength in this story. The author gives each character a unique voice that makes every scene readable and flow well even without excessive dialogue discriptors. The banter between characters is great, it really gives the story an attitude that pulls the me into the world. I'm always a sucker for wisecracks and quips.
The action scenes are done well. Quick, clear, and punchy, each battle is well choreographed to show off the characters. The author has done well and kept the battles fairly low power. Be careful not to fall into the trap of xianxia genre and start making high end conflicts purely metaphorical and conceptual.
As for improvement, please pay close attention to the pacing and plot threads. Arc 1 was done really well, just enough different plot hooks and progression that the story moved along while we were introduced to the school and the world around it. Arc 2 however starts to become overbearing in the amount of different plot threads to keep track of. Not only is there a inter and intra personal conflicts, a mysterious past, a young master type, and a hidden expert, there is also a spirit ancestor plotline. It really drags the plot down when the MC needs to take care of
Michael WadeRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
So first things first the flow is good i dont struggle between lines. Thats the first thing that normally keeps me reading, so good job.
Second thing is characters and another great job, alot of people miss that someone growing up desperate wouldnt be entitled so Jia being inherently more scrappy than Eiu makes alot of sense. If Eui didnt have her entitlement it wouldnt fit with her hopelessness in many cases as she grew up with things thats she didnt have after being exiled. So another big point to you there.
Third is plot and i have seen some people complaining bout a certain deal later on in chapters but to me the deal makes sense as it bridges important contact to yamato and providing a good boost to Jia's need for change. Im with you and to those who say "if there are people saying that it needs to be changed then change it" Write your story guys.
Overall a solid piece of fiction, im rooting for you.
DanceLikeAFoolRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Guilty pleasure only in the sense that I seem to be winding down whenever I stop to read this. Pairs well with wine.
Style: The pace moves quickly when it needs to and slows down when working on interpersonal development and major plot points -- which is my personal preference. The characters are far from perfect, nor do they make all the right choices. How boring would that be?
Grammar: Excellent. No problem reading. Very smooth.
Story: Like a very long serialization that you keep reading. Checking in on it when there is downtime and enjoying it without any hint of urgency.
Characters: In some stories there are characters that absolutely surprise you with how they flip from one personality to another. This is not one of those stories. The consistency of these characters and their growth in general is welcome. There are a lot of relatable personalities and tropes that feel a little more niche than your average RR story, but they're very, very good.
If you're looking for a story to invest in that has characters that undergo long and thorough development with a bit of that Wuxia magic, this is the one.
Thanks for the story.
LuftwaifuRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Fates Parallel tells the story of two young women who find themselves greatly out of their depth, relying on each other to watch the other's back while they navigate their way through the harrowing trials of cultivation, friendship, and most chilling of all, the public education system.
STYLE: I love the liberties the author has taken with the traditional xianxia/wuxia settings. Combining many different takes on cultivation, as well as the cultures surrounding them, into a cohesive world, Fates Parallel provides the reader with a rich setting to sink their teeth into. I realize that's more setting than style, but it's one of my favorite parts of the story, and I have no complaints regarding this category.
STORY: In terms of plot, Fates Parallel honestly knocks it out of the park. The usual avoiding of spoilers aside, the twists and turns of the story are fun and engaging, and will sweep you up into the lives of our two main characters as they carve out their place in the world. I've seen some complaints about a few plot developments resulting from the characters' spur-of-the-moment thinking, but those decisions are in line with the characterization we've seen so far, and I trust the author to resolve these plotlines just as well as they've handled the rest of the story.
GRAMMAR: Not much to say here, I haven't noticed any glaring or consistent errors in the writing. One of the smoothest reads I've had In a while, which I appreciate immensely.
CHARACTER: God damn, these girls gay! Good for them, good for them. All joking aside, I like the way the author has handled a budding romance between traumatized youths. There are parts which feel slightly rushed, but that's largely due to plot-important developments which clear up any misgivings I had about these characters. Every character has their own voice and motivations, and I never felt like the characters acted a certain way simply because the author needed them to. Favorite characters: Jianmo, An Eui, Hayakawa Kaede.
IanaeyoreRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Love this book. It has several things that annoy me about it, but I find the entire book a really interesting read with several unexpected and rather enjoyable interpretations on genres that have already been exploited. I'm excited to see how Yoshika continues to develop, as well as all of their powers. The character development is done very well, and while there are several loopholes and errors, almost no books can really be said to be flawless in those departments.
RenomisRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
This is, without a doubt, my favorite xianxia novel so far. The description of the martial fights is well done, on a similar level to the big xianxia novels like ISSTH, DE, WDQK, and CD but Fates Parallel really nails the introspection and emotion. Our protagonist, Lee Jia, has some very deep personal issues that are only slowly revealed, however with the help of her friends she's able to overcome these issues one at a time. And it isn't just Lee Jia that has this depth of character, but every important character has flaws that are gradually addressed in the story, leading towards some character developement that's very much in line with becoming the 'best version of yourself'.
The story does need the romance tag as it's a pretty important part to the story and [SPOILER]
there is some homosexual romance, so if that's a hard stop for you I wouldn't start reading. It's tastefully done though and there's no explicit sex scenes.