In the Shadow of Heaven [ORIGINAL VERSION]

Information

Status

Cancelled

Author

javert

Reviews

Community Reviews(10)

• MunchodoRoyal Road

  ★★★★★ 5.0

  This story features some of the best character character growth I have seen in a story. Characters actually react to situations and change because of them, add this to engaging world-building, interesting polotics and an awesome mix of magic and sci-fi and you have one of my favorite story's. :)
• finaltheorem47Royal Road

  ★★★★★ 5.0

  Thanks for the blurb describing the type of book it is. I wish more authors added that information.
• KavkaRoyal Road

  ★★★★★ 5.0

  I almost don't know what to do with myself now that I've caught up with this story. The way that the characters are presented and grow over time is my favorite part of this work, but the plot itself is very engaging. The author does a good job at setting up plot points for them to pay off much later - nothing in this story is a simple throwaway to bulk up the word count. For example, the act I plot with the guild seems at first like it is just there as an example of what sort of diplomacy they would have to do, but time and again elements of the Guild's politics keep popping up into the narrative.
  The characters experience hardships and while the stuggles they face are difficult, it never feels like there is absolutely no way out of this. One of the things I look for in fiction is if the characters ever have moment where they can identify at least one unequivocally good thing that happens to them. Without this a story just becomes pure misery. Even the villains of this story have some moments of lightness, some redeeming factors that don't make them cartoonishly evil.
  I was skeptical of webserials at first, since I almost exclusively read traditionally published fiction but this story has far passed my expectations. There have been Hugo-nominated novels in the past five years that are not as engaging nor well-thought out as this story.
  I would recommend this work to anyone who likes character-driven science fiction, especially for those looking for meaningful LGBT representation in the characters.
  Breakdowns....
  Style - The story is told from the points of view of various characters. I think the decisions of which characters to follow are strong. Each chapter progresses the plot at least one step. The story progresses near-linearly which makes it easy to understand what is going on.
  Story - Some parts of the story, especially at the beginning are a little meandering. I think my biggest critque here is that I did not immediately have a good scope of the Empire itself
• TuringCompleteRoyal Road

  ★★★★★ 5.0

  I'm not very good at reviews, and moreover, I'm not very good at saying good things about what I review (I'm more inclined to point out the negatives), so this won't be too long. I'll preface it by saying this currently one of my favorite stories on this site and I also believe it's one of the better-written ones.
  I guess I'll go over the scoring categories.
  Style: The prose is good, the dialogue seems pretty natural. Good enough to deserve 5 stars on this site even if it's not exceptional.
  Grammar: I can't remember noticing a single issue with the grammar reading this. I'm sure some exists, but it's minor at most.
  Story: The story seems to be well thought out, there's actual progression, direction, etc, which immediately puts it leagues ahead of the vast majority of content on this site. The main issue for me with this story is that it's slow. There were many times when I just wanted things to happen already. This is the only thing keeping me from giving this story 5 stars overall. I think the main reason for it feeling so slow is because there are many parallel threads, especially in Act 2.
  Characters: The characters are consistent and individual. They have progression. They behave realistically, or at least believably. No Mary Sue, characters other than the MC are actually characters as well, etc.
  The setting is interesting and, as far as SciFi goes, highly consistent. I also enjoy the fact that rather than blatantly violating the laws of physics at random points and then following them at others, the story breaks the laws of physics in specific, consistent ways and generally follows them outside that.  There are some things about the setting that are a bit confusing and left unexplained (as of chapter 94 anyway), but it's generally good.
  Overall, I'd give it 5 stars all around if not for the pacing.
  I'll leave off with praise for the author for their consistent bi-weekly updates. (Whelp, that didn't age well lmao)
• SanchoMontoyaRoyal Road

  ★★★★★ 5.0

  One of the best-written pieces that I have read in the past year, not just here on RR, but in all fiction by traditionally published and self-published writers. The voice is solid, consistent, and interesting. The world-building feels deep and complex, but so far no info-dumps, just well-laid bits of description and trivia and song lyrics at the start of each chapter. This is a world where religion matters, but one that is built on science and engineering and "magic" - not sure if it is only telekinesis and telepathy, or if it is "Force"-like in the manner of Star Wars, but so far it is a great mix of technology, magic, religion, politics, spacer vs. grounder culture, Imperial-capital planet vs. Rimworld-planet culture, and the switch from being a student at the end of college to entering the working world - not a coming-of-age as such, but more of a story about going from theory to practice. Also, a nice change of pace from the evil/amoral cultivation societies or apocalypse stories that I see much more frequently. A great read that I highly recommend as of Chapter 10.
• BullerRoyal Road

  ★★★★★ 5.0

  This here is a slow-paced sotry. There are upticks at some points, yes, but its mostly a steady amount of progress with each chapter.
  The ideas in the story are pretty good. I have nothing against it by too much. With all the different POVs, there are many ways to see the whole world built up by the author. Good worldbuilding, actually. I do recommend this story. 5/5 from me.
• alexanderyouRoyal Road

  ★★★★★ 4.5

  Despite generally not liking religion or most religious themes, and the annoying fact that every character so far is either gay or disabled for whatever reason, this story and characters are well written and enjoyable. Even if you're a bit leery, I recommend giving it a try because it draws you into the story and makes the characters come to life.
• SkitterzRoyal Road

  ★★★★ 4.0

  The story is nice but, the plot progresses so slow at times. The main reason is because there is a lot of different pov's which do start to get annoying in my opinion.
  Spoiler: Spoiler
  Like when Yan is being kidnapped. (my favorite mc btw) It's just a bunch of different pov's. Sure it's for character development and to see how the characters respond to it but, it's really starting to get to me that Yan being in the situation herself has a lot less screentime than other characters. (Not saying character development is bad but keep it focused a little more plz.)
  I like most characters. Grammar is great.World building is also done pretty good. Just that the pace is too slow.
• KeifruRoyal Road

  ★★★★ 4.0

  A facinating sci-fi setting, which RR has a large lack of, with a small dash of 'magic'. The theological thread doesn't come off as overbearing, but mearly an element of the setting/character(s) and I thought well used (personally, my philosophy would probably most accuratly fall under 'agnostic theism' for however that tempers your reading of my words.)
  I have a small ding due to character(s) who are/become important, but have only learned superficial information/growth. This is exacerbated due to other important characters having direct PoV chapters so we have a lot of information on them directly, which skews the growth/information as far as Main Characters to be lopsided; atleast, as of the writing of this review. Caveat, there is a bit of illusion as this is a web serial rather than a book, so the separation between distinct 'books' is heavily blurred and techniques that work between books aren't as easily effective/influencing on a regularly-expanding story which the serial-posting brings.
  Still, I await each chapter with bated breath- like a flower slowly blooming, each petal unfurling is more facinating than the last.
• obranRoyal Road

  ★★★★ 3.5

  I have mixed feelings about this fiction.
  On one hand, it is well written, the characters are likable and unique, the story is compelling and the plot and world building is fascinating.
  On the other hand... nobody seems to care or mind that they are living in a totalitarian theocracy where all the important positions are held by an elite group of "sensitives" rather than a meritocracy, and where policy is dictated because "God told me so."
  I will revise my review the further I read and if the narrator (or author) ever gets over her naivete and realizes just how poisonous this system is.