I'm Getting Too Old For This Quest

Self-Published

Community Rating

Description

Garrick's done with adventures.

Living up in the mountains with his pet fox, he wants nothing but to enjoy the quiet life away from it all and grow tomatoes. However, somehow quests still seem to find him. People need his help, and when an opportunity too good to pass up comes his way - it becomes very difficult to say no to his old life.

At least he knows how to hide his strength...mostly.

What's a retired adventurer to do?

[Slow Burn] [Part Slice of Life, Part Adventure] [Progression Fantasy] Good-natured Retired Adventurer MC who just wants to be left to his own devices.

Information

Status: Hiatus
Year: 2024
Author: mimal

Royal Road Stats

Rating: 4.5/ 5.0
Followers: 3,009
Views: 639,660

Reviews

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Community Reviews(10)

HaveFunRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
While browsing the newest fiction list, the title and cover image caught my attention. The premise was interesting as well, so I gave it a shot and I'm so glad I did.
Garrick was retired and living in the mountains for decades when adventure comes calling again. We get to see glimpses of his idyllic life, a cute fox named Ember, his garden (especially the tomato, don't forget the tomato), thieving ravens, etc.
I'd say the writing was excellent, one of the best I've come across in the progression fantasy genre. It was easy to see the amount effort put even for the smallest of the details. Character work was excellent as well. It's still too early to comment about the worldbuilding, especially as I found it a little difficult to keep track of all the names, places and events of the past. I hope this would become easier as the story progresses.
The Random GuyRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
This is a great story about a guy coming out of retirement for one last hurrah. With a cute pet fox and a cute pet child in tow he embarks in an epic quest to get back to fishing. Unfortunately, it seems that the author has gotten Too Old For This Novel.
BahhhbRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Well written and edited, believable mc being dragged back into adventuring with some suspense about what he might find. Really looking forward to seeing how this story goes.
Some more details to hit the minimum.
magic system seems interesting
formerly powerful op who is now somewhat reduced in power. But maybe he can find his way back to full power?
a quest to help a friend.
perhaps some sort of system type thing going on.
ptsd but not heavy handed
a cute fox pet
NapoleonikRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Splendid. It's often said that the journey is more important than the destination. We need no further example than this right here. This is literary fantasy.
Overall - this one has slow burn vibes. It promises slice of life and I think that holds true. There is a sense of meander to the pacing, but that's part of the charm.
Style - its introspective and measured. The moments matter and they last. Everything is given time to breathe. The world building is casual and consistent, but we are also teetering on the edges of psychic distance with a character that has a wealth of knowledge and insight.
Story - as I said, the pacing is on the slower side. The stakes aren't exactly amped up. You read this because you like the present moment and the vibes. I get the sense that some melancholy may be on the horizon, not necessarily. There are flashbacks and significant chunks of interiority, so the story is kind of second place to character here.
Character - Garrick is full of depth. He's clear-cut and compassionate. It's easy to get on board with his attitude, but at the same time... I definitely would give him a push. He's careful, methodical, and observant, but also easy-going and wise. It's a combination that works because of his elder status. A young character with those combination of traits would be a harder sell.
Grammar - impeccable. The language flows smoothly. There is a regular beat to the pacing, and the grammar and language is part of that.
RougishlibrarianRoyal Road
★★★★★ 4.5
Very often our hero is a young man/woman/demonic flower/"insert species or object here". And of course it's fun and interesting to see the young sprite gain power etc. But how about a hero that's past their prime, that now enjoys a good tomato and a fresh baked bread? Who has left their adventuring behind them, but still possess strength and a huge amount of experience?
Well, if you you've missed one of those, this is a good book for you. I enjoy the experienced viewpoint of Garrick as he interacts with his companions, he's an old hand at this. And he's someone the rest looks up to, but he still knows how to let the rest shine. I'm looking forward to seeing how this adventure advances, both MC and side chars are interesting, the same is the world and what little I've seen of the magic system.
If I had known I would like this as much as I do, I would probably have waited until there were alot more chapters released so I could have read it all in one go. But alas, I am hooked and must wait patiently for the next chapter.
BevansRoyal Road
★★★★★ 4.5
Solid start to the story, I'm not always the biggest advocate for a "slice of life" style but this one is scratching that itch for me. The author doesn't take himself too seriously and does a good job mixing in some light humor while progressing the story. Looking forward to continuing the story!
SeishinRoyal Road
★★★★★ 4.5
The slow pace and slice of life so far are great. writing is good, some grammatical errors that are hard to find . Looking forward to his new adventures and hoping you don't get burned out after writing so much.
Cant wait to find out what ember has been up to during her escapades!
Federated SunsRoyal Road
★★★★ 4.0
Well at the moment this was done at chapter 23 and so far I've been enjoying the story. The plot does take a lot of detours so don't expect a straightforward story. The main plot kind of takes a backseat a lot of the time as the character goes about and does a lot of random things instead.
I would say like all but two maybe three characters are really well done and fun to read so that's really good. The main character is done really well and is written as this calm and easy going person most of the time who just wants to enjoy their retirement but the world just keeps throwing random quest hooks at him.
The story has a lot of flashbacks so if you're not into that kind of stuff just a heads up but it's done in a logical way that doesn't derail the story any and does give helpful background for this character who has over 50 years of history behind him. I personally like the little flashbacks as it helps fill in just what the main character has gone through.
Also don't expect some epic story, this is a slow burn adventure (by this point he still hasn't started the 'quest') so if you like slow paced stories this is for you.
It's also a pleasant change not to read a story where the MC is some edgelord wannabe, or some tragic person with a chip on their shoulder, super intelligence boss type. This character is one of the more realistic I felt because the author made their personality more like a regular person and more down to Earth.
If you ever wondered what the live of a former hero type is like when they retire, well you got your story.
Leahcim ZanathaxRoyal Road
★★★★ 3.5
This story starts out quite nicely. It has things to recommend it... but frankly, since the first ten or so chapters, its tone and pacing have changed too much for my tastes.
The spelling and grammar are quite solid. The problem I have is several fold. First, it skips around in time, a LOT, showing flashbacks. I'm not wild about most of them, honestly. They don't feel great to me. I also dislike how passive the MC is in important situations.
Maybe others will enjoy what the author is doing with the latest chapters of the story, but the parts I found interesting and charming, specifically the MC's fox pet, have been pushed almost completely out of the story, while instead concentrating on a large groups of secondary characters who I find mostly annoying instead of interesting, specifically the old, shifty con man who constantly causes the MC problems and who he simply rolls over for, time after time.
Add in the MCs passivity during dangerous situations, and I can't come to any conclusion other than I'm not the target audience for this story.
Maybe you are, if your reading this. Give it a try. The first ten or so chapters are fantastic.
AndrogynousandyRoyal Road
★★★ 3.0
This story has a lot going for it in terms of the premise and setting but the extremely frequent flashbacks, while maybe expected of an old introspective man, are extremely jarring in term of the pacing and flow of the story. Additionally, a lot of the world building appears to be happening in said flashbacks, and trying to figure out what details are relevant to what's currently happening is a chore that makes this a less enjoyable read to me personally.
That said, the writing and editing itself is great and I believe this story has a lot of promise.