Folly of Wise Men (Seven Lies of Killer Bard#1)

Self-Published

Community Rating

Description

Legends are a mix of truths and untruths, concealing secrets within their folds. Here lies the tale of Indra, a man who walked the path of light and shadow. Many have told stories about him: they say his voice is like a nightingale, enchanting the thousand eyes in the court of the seven heavens; they claim his skill in sword and magic is unmatched, having defeated a wise man—a member of the most dangerous organization in the world—in single combat; there are even whispers of him slaying a god to liberate a thousand slaves. Amidst all these stories, only Indra's own words unveil an authentic chronicle.

Now, listen closely. The empire's esteemed First Sword, Arshia, protector of the God-Emperor, has agreed to recount Indra’s saga in exchange for his surrender. Within these pages, you will witness his violent days as a youth in the city of Ambar, his scholarly pursuits at the university, his awe-inspiring adventures on the continent, and his rise as the revolutionary leader of the Asuras.

Information

Status: Hiatus
Year: 2023
Author: Raj Ch, Author

Royal Road Stats

Rating: 4.7/ 5.0
Followers: 31
Views: 15,357

Chapters(19 total)

Reviews

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

Community Reviews(10)

AppleJuicerRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
The Folly of Wise Men is a book written with heavy inspiration from a culture that I don’t belong to or possess any great knowledge on, but I can still feel the authenticity shining from it. Every term is explained in author notes, and lovingly woven into the narrative with a great care. It all ties together in relevance and importance to create a story that feels immersive, genuine and fascinating all at once.
It’s told through the lens of our protagonist, Indra, who’s giving his life story to an interrogator seemingly of his own volition. Detailing his humble origins as one among countless in his society’s lowest social caste to a world-renown revolutionary of immense magical power. Rather than jump into the start of his actual rise to power, however, Indra seems to relish going all the way back to the beginning.
This is one of several excellent pieces of characterisation in this story, because Indra does’t just do this randomly. It’s his way of sharing with the privileged interrogator all the horrors of his upbringing, and conveying them to the reader is another thing Folly of Wise Men does well. With organic prose, strong pacing and admirable focus on detail, the reader is given a strong sense of every element on screen at any given time, as well as how they might relate to one another.
Giving more detail would spoil too much for my liking, but suffice is to say this story is an easy recommendation.
Pianos In The Evening SunRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Folly of Wise Men presents a type of story and setting I'd love to draw upon myself, but I won't due my lack of knowledge and authenticity. It (to my simple mind) captured the feel of 1001 Nights perfectly for me as our anti hero, Ingra weaves a story before his enemies of his origin and inside of it, we are given lore of the world, the gods and very Indian inspired lore! It is literally so cool to finally have an authentic story on here like this and the author shares a lot terms and words from Indian culture that are woven seamlessly into the story!
The style of this story is very elegant and poetic and I am quite jealous of the grace of this author's prose. There are many times I count where I'd just have to stop and admire the beautiful tapestries the author weaves with their words. This writing feels like it came straight out of the past!
The grammar is quite good too. A few mistakes here and there but nothing that would disrupt the flow or enjoyment of this epic.
The characters too are dazzling. My favorites are the male characters, as they are something I struggle with writing personally. Ingra is a mysterious and charming storyteller and he also has great repartee with the female characters that feels really charming and enrapturing without being chauvinistic. Mihai, my personal favorite, is a Shakespearean fop in the best way. Smarter than the upper class with a blade sharp wit and yet gut bustingly funny too! He enters in the sixth chapter and starts stealing scenes like a master.
I cannot emphasize how unique and well written this Folly of Wise Men is. It's a true treat for all of Royal Road that it's on here!
Royal99Royal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
The story so far is so good and the character development is soo rich and author did a great job setting up the story ambience and takes us to a new world. Although there are few grammatical errors they are negligible compared to the captivating story line. It's good in all aspects and I really enjoyed it so far.
Tu ShuaRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Style: The story's elegant and poetic prose captivates readers, immersing them in its enchanting world. The narrative possesses a timeless quality, akin to an elder spinning a captivating tale, compelling readers to eagerly turn the pages. The book is rich with vivid details that enthrall, effortlessly transporting readers to the evocative setting of the story.
Grammar: Overall, the grammar is clear and error-free, making it quite decent. There are a few errors here and there, but nothing that would ruin the flow or enjoyment of the story.
Characters: Each character is meticulously crafted, possessing a distinct uniqueness that the author invests time in showcasing. The well-developed characters make you eager to follow their individual journeys.
Overall: "Folly of Wise Men" is not only creative and well-written but also a deeply immersive experience. The enjoyable journey grabs readers with its captivating narrative, inviting them to explore the intricacies of the characters' lives. The author's skillful use of language and attention to detail make this literary adventure a must-read, ensuring that it transcends the boundaries of mere storytelling and becomes a captivating exploration of the human experience. Definitely worth a read for those seeking a rich, engaging narrative that lingers in the mind long after the final page is turned.
LonjanisRoyal Road
★★★★★ 4.5
The title of this review may need a little clarification. Unlike Rothfuss books Folly of Wise men actually has releases haha.
But it is told in the same first person, past tense style. I get the sense the name of the wind is a big inspiration here. Which is absolutely a good thing.
I really enjoy three things with this book.
1. The prose: its a tad on the flowery side but this is almost exclusively a positive. You will find yourself imagining beautiful imagery based on the poetic language. This is immediately noticeable, and while I haven't read the other reviews here I am confident they mention this too.
2. Chemistry between characters is quite strong. Even between those that aren't actually friends. From the back and fourth in the prologue to the interactions between family members. I thought this story was at its strongest when characters are talking to each other.
3.The culture. Its just nice not to be reading either EU medieval fantasy or Chinese cultivation for once. That being said I don't think fans of cultivation will be disappointed by the self improvement and power up vibes. On that same note I'm not sure people quite understand the sheer depth of mythology, and in some cases already fantasyesque cultural norms from this part of the world.
If you like whimsical fantasy, with a healthy dash of brutality, and truly above average prose. Folly of Wise Men is absolutely a threat to your free time.
amanwithastickRoyal Road
★★★★★ 4.5
Style:
"Folly of Wise Men" adopts a captivating narrative style reminiscent of Patrick Rothfuss' "Kingkiller Chronicle." The writing is elegant, offering a visual and immersive experience. The first-person perspective draws readers into the protagonist's world effectively. The pacing balances introspection and action well, with songs and legends enriching world-building. The homage to the source material is evident, while the author's unique voice shines through.
Story:
"Folly of Wise Men" begins a promising journey, inspired by the "Kingkiller Chronicle" but set in a distinctive fantasy realm. The story follows Indrasena's quest to master music despite societal constraints. It delves into themes of caste systems and dreams. Magical elements like mana and amrutham add depth. An upcoming performance in Gulabnagar teases exciting developments, leaving readers eager for more. The story establishes a solid foundation for exploration.
Grammar:
The writing displays commendable grammar, with few errors. The text flows smoothly, providing a seamless reading experience. Minor issues like missing commas or awkward phrasing occur infrequently and don't significantly affect comprehension. Further proofreading and editing could enhance clarity.
Overall Rating:
"Folly of Wise Men" offers a promising fantasy narrative, blending homage and originality. The narrative style captivates genre enthusiasts. The story's exploration of societal themes and introduction of magic create a strong base. Minor grammar issues, while present, don't overshadow the quality. With captivating characters and world-building, "Folly of Wise Men" holds potential and deserves a rating of 4.5 out of 5.
Veri MerriRoyal Road
★★★★★ 4.5
Folly of Wise Men is a bit of an outlier among what I've read on Royal Road, and not in a bad way. It has a distinct world, tapping cultures that I don't see used very often in stories to make it feel more unique and stand out among many of the other stories to be found here. That alone makes it fascinating enough to read through for me.
Story and Characters:
I've felt like the characters are carrying me through here more so than the story. Not to say that the story is bad, it's just not what has been pulling me forward. The characters are interesting, and continuing on to find out what exactly has gone on between the events told in the story and the opening chapters has me more intrigued than the over-arching plot.
Grammar and Style:
While I find the grammar to be spotty, the style of writing here absolutely makes up for it. Even in moments where there is a missing period or some such issue, the style and word choice of the writing pulls you through. The vocabulary and sentence structure used throughout felt a little strange at first, but it pulled me in after the opening chapter or two. It feels very distinct and adds to the vibe of the story being told.
BlueLightningLCRoyal Road
★★★★★ 4.5
I have enjoyed the story so far, the author seems talented with the inclusion of well written different songs.
The first chapter felt slightly clunky to read initially but it greatly improves as it goes along and the overall characterisation is good. I enjoyed the character descriptions and personality found the musician introduced in the current chapter to be great with how he holds himself and his song being more tavern like which contrasts the other two songs in the chapter.
While there are transitions of the non English terminology in the author's note at the end of each chapter as someone who is unfamiliar with the words it was slightly difficult to understand but that's not the author's fault and they have taken all steps to reduce this confusion.
Themes I noticed seemed to be intergrated well, the world building is good as it expands the world in a natural way and adds details that definitely interested me to learn more about this world, with aspects such as gods and a shadow scar across the land and in universe fables and legends.
Some of the dialogue I feel needed to be broken up slightly better as in some instances it was a wall of text but most of it flowed well.
Overall I would recommend this and hope the author comes out with more and keeps improving.
CT JohnsonRoyal Road
★★★★★ 4.5
Overall
This is a beautiful story, told with exquisite detail, and with a very poetic language that still keeps the story flowing forward. There's a truly fascinating world being built.
The biggest thing I would say is that there are significant portions that might not be properly understood without context. The author uses a large number of Indian (sorry if I am wrong) terms when describing certain things. While in a lot of ways it adds to the beauty of the story, and the cultural style. It can interfere with the immersion significantly of those who have no understanding of these words. More so because of their frequency without context.
Style
The atyle is beautiful. The scene and setting is very vivid and evoking, and you can easily immerse yourself in the world that's being built. For the same reasons that I warn against this story, I also love the cultural relevance involved.
I did debate giving style a full 5 stars was thinking only 4.5 but in truth that would have been unfair to the elegance of the style. The only thing I would recommend is a lighter touch with the cultural terms, and use more context to help understand what they mean. This is a difficult balance. It's just stories that consistently use terms people don't understand or are "taught" to understand easily enough in the book can feel alienated and lose interest in continuing.
Story
The story is excellent, with strong imagery and beautiful introduction to the world that keeps you looking for more. The author has a strong sense of direction and it shows.
Grammar
There was a number of grammatical errors I noticed early on, nothing too distracting though. Overall it's very clean and the sentence structure helps that.
Character
The characters feel alive and fresh almost immediately which is wonderful. Definitely well done.
In all I think this is a great story with a lotnof potential. I have added it to my follows so I cam read more
Jordan Elias R.Royal Road
★★★★★ 4.5
The synopsis is the first thing that caught my attention. it's different from what i'm used to, but it still managed to intigue me.
The grammer is great, and although there are a few mistakes here and there, it rarely detracts from the flow of the story. On rare occasions, there's an ommitted word, but all in all, it's not too serious.
The style is very unique, and rather than a weak to OP troupe, the MC is narrating his story after he's already become OP. Essentially, this story is a flashback.
It fails to convey a rising sense of danger or fear as we already know what eventually happens to the MC (Indra), but what makes it intriguing is learning the events and occurences that pushed the MC to become who he is.
The prose is neat and vivid. I particularly like just how imaginative the descriptions are.
Due of the cultural background in which the world is set, there are alot of words that jar you out of the story, and although the author explains the meaning of these words in their chapter note, it can easily become tiring.
What i love the most are the characters and how well they are portrayed. Their peronalities and motives are well explained, so yeah 5 stars.
Ultimately, the story slowly captures your imagination, and by the second chapter, it's actually amazing. I would love to read more of it, if only to find out the events that shaped Indra's life.