Karma's Descent

Self-Published

Community Rating

Description

What is Karma?

Some rank Karma among the pinnacle forces lording over reality, responsible for the fundamental principles driving causality. Others deem Karma paramount in the ascent toward Nirvana, for Karma is the key and Samsara the lock. Many roam the lands dismissive of Karma's presence, unfettered by its unseen chains. All have answers, but they should have questions.

After all, Karma walks amongst them. The question is flawed, for it is not a question of "what" but "who."

What to expect:

- An introspective, individualistic, chaotic-neutral protagonist.

- Mischief and schemes in spades.

- An exploration of karmic abilities with an emphasis on divination, causality, and linearity.

- No romance.

- I know the ending and will share it if life proves unkind.

Information

Status
Hiatus
Year
2023
Author
DingleBobAttunement

Tags

ACTIONFANTASYMAGICANTI-HERO LEADCOMEDYSUPERNATURALSTRONG LEADMALE LEADMYSTERYSTRATEGYCULTIVATIONPROGRESSION

Royal Road Stats

Rating
4.3/ 5.0
Followers
233
Views
56,028

Chapters(58 total)

Reviews

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

Community Reviews(7)

  • A. StargazerRoyal Road
    ★★★★★ 5.0
    Reviewed at chapter 7, which is currently all that's available.
    This story is classic Xanxia.  If you like that genre, you'll probably like this.  It does assume a familiarity with the terms and trends of that genre, however, so it might not be a good first read if you're never read Xanxia/don't know what it is.
    I can't really talk about the story without giving too much away, especially since the author is just starting out and we don't know what direction they're taking yet.  What is present is well done.
    Style; the author is clearly trying to emulate the works of other Xanxia authors.  I think they're doing a good job of it.
    Grammar was basically perfect.
    The MC is interesting, and their unique twist is pretty cool.  Would kind of suck to be the one who inhabited the body in the first place though.
  • DarkodiaRoyal Road
    ★★★★★ 5.0
    "Karma's Descent" is a fascinating journey into a world where the concepts of karma, qi, and spiritual cultivation intertwine to create a rich and immersive narrative. The story opens with a philosophical musing on the nature of Karma, setting the tone for a tale that delves deep into metaphysical concepts and existential musings.
    The protagonist, Karma, is introduced in a state of confusion and discovery, waking up to a world that is both familiar and alien to him. The narrative skillfully blends elements of traditional cultivation stories with a unique twist on the concept of karma. The vivid descriptions of Karma's awakening senses, his interactions with other characters, and the gradual unveiling of his own identity and powers are compelling. The author has a knack for creating a sense of mystery and intrigue, keeping the reader engaged and curious about the world they have crafted.
    Character interactions in "Karma's Descent" are particularly noteworthy. The dialogue is well-crafted, with each character having a distinct voice that adds depth to their personality. The interplay between Karma and other characters like his 'Senior Brother' and 'Junior Sister' provides insights into the social hierarchies and cultural norms of the world. These interactions are laced with subtle humor and clever wordplay, making the story not just a philosophical or mystical journey, but also an entertaining read.
    The world-building is another strong aspect of the story. The author gradually introduces the reader to the rules and mechanics of this world, from the concept of qi refinement to the social structures within the sect. The descriptive passages paint a vivid picture of the environment, from the bustling streets to the tranquil courtyards, immersing the reader in the world of the story.
    In summary, "Karma's Descent" is an engaging and thought-provoking read that combines deep philosophical themes with a compelling narrative and well-developed characters. It's a story that in
  • LibelRoyal Road
    ★★★★★ 4.5
    Strong start for a promising cultivation series. A bit slow to get into the action but the worldbuilding makes up for it so far. Interesting take on a ‘reincarnated’ character (no truck-kun this time). I can’t wait to discover more about the ‘karma’ power and the namesake protagonist. Will definitely read further.
    It will be interesting to see the MC’s personality develop (a bit bland right now) as he settles into himself. So far, it is set into a classic cultivation sect setting (nothing wrong with that).
    The writing style is nice, easy to follow and imagine. The author is able to paint a vivid picture, although some descriptions can get long, especially with the low level of action so far (I can’t help it, I like violence in fiction :P ).
    Will definitely continue to read.
    blah blah word count filler filler
    would suggest for Xianxia aficionado and slow-burn connaisseurs (excuse my french)
    strong start, could punch more but strong start nonetheless.
    Am I at 200 yet? I hope so. This is long. First advanced review here. Rating so much lazier. Will set up like a dissertation next time.
    What else can I comment, grammar seems impeccable to my English second language self. I hope we will get interesting side characters (hey it’s only chapter 3). Blah blah
  • VioletMoonRoyal Road
    ★★★★★ 4.5
    Okay, to start off, this is the first time I've read something of this nature, so take that as you will. I'd like to think I can offer a fresh perspective from a person new to the genre.
    Style: I docked this mostly because the writing at times felt far too formal. The author clearly has an extensive vocabulary, and doesn't hesitate to use it! However, sometimes the prose felt needlessly verbose and I'm not certain it helped. The character supposedly has lost memory and doesn't really know what's going on, but his internal monologue is that of a polished poet. It was confusing for me. Otherwise, the tenses are great and it reads smoothly if a little wordy.
    Grammar: I didn't notice a single issue. Excellent work, author!
    Story: I dinged this because I didn't feel like there was much story, frankly. Other than the character coming to, in the first ten chapters I didn't get so much as a whiff of what we might be doing in this book besides... cultivating? That might be a staple of the genre, but for someone fresh, I wanted a bit more. Something to get motivated to happen next besides Karma just accruing money. We eventually got some slight plot development after chapter ten, but I think it would help to come out earlier.
    Character: I think it can be difficult to do a memory loss, and this showcased why. I felt zero connection with Karma as a person. Part of what hooks a reader in is relating to the MC, and there wasn't much to connect to. Nobody thinks like he does (that I know of) and I can't relate to waking up and adapting as immediately as he did. If he was just a bit more human it would go a long way. Even after twelve chapters, I have a tough time grasping his personality overall. I
    Overall, I found myself getting into it, but it took a bit at the beginning to push through. I think the author has a good idea of where he's going, but it might be helpful to drop some plot points earlier rather than later. I did immensely appreciate the terminology inclusion, else I w
  • WitheredKelpRoyal Road
    ★★★★★ 4.5
    Style (5/5)
    As a previous avid reader of wuxia and xianxia, I can honestly say this was spot on.
    Typical Chinese fictions are quite well known to use flowery prose, extending the limits of their verbosity, using it like an artisan's brush to slowly and delicately paint a vivid pictures of a scene.
    It is, however, something that's really only going to be appreciated by those already familiar with such a way of storytelling. It's not to say it's not beautiful. It is. But the unfortunate prerequisite is that you are already appreciative or experienced with reading this style or writing.
    Story (4/5)
    The story is slow, much slower than others in it's genre. Where most novels by the tenth chapter would have had the MC destroy stars and mountains, this one takes a slower flow. Not to it's detriment, mind you.
    While it's inspired by the beauty of the typical cultivation novel's prose, it also unfortunately is marked by some of the genre's flaws. Namely, it's cliches.
    Without giving away the story itself, I can only say that it unfortunately suffers using the usual tropes without adding its own flavor unto them. Maybe it's just me being a prolific reader of the genre, but it did reduce my enjoyment of the story.
    Grammar (5/5)
    Not much to say here other than it's perfect.
    Character (4/5)
    Here is unfortunately where the verbosity and prose worked to the detriment of the novel. Reading the flowery descriptions then encountering the occasional casual dialogue, internal or not, felt like a whiplash that took me out of the story.
    It wasn't just the casual dialogue, but a few lines sometimes felt out of place in the supposed era the world was in.
    I'd excuse the depth of the characters as so far as I've read the story is too slow to swim deeper into their personalities, but I hope that the author explores more aspects outside of the main character in future chapters.
    Overall(4.5)
    As someone who loves the genre, I'm excited to see where the story goes, how the characters gain depth,
  • JwmcdanRoyal Road
    ★★★★ 4.0
    This is a pretty standard Xianxia. The MCs cheat is interesting but not completely overpowered.
    The main knock against this story are It's overly flowery prose.  It feels like the author has an unhealthy relationship with their thesaurus. It can be distracting to the point of hurting immersion.
    All in all its a pretty entertaining read. If you enjoy the genre you'll like this.
  • quandoRoyal Road
    ★★★ 2.5
    I can't really recommend this story because I feel like the writer has taken too many liberties with the Xanxia genre, and the end result is just not good.
    The main issue is that the main character's sudden, overwhelming ability to see and manipulate the threads of karma feels like it comes out of nowhere. It's so powerful that it seems like whenever the character gets into trouble, he just suddenly uses a completely new and unpracticed aspect of his ability to make the problem disappear. As a result there is almost no narrative tension.
    That doesn’t leave much reason to keep going with the story, especially because since Karma (the protagonist) isn't very likeable. He swings between being overly analytical and getting lost in his own thoughts to being a jerk by teasing and mind controlling other characters who get in his way.
    Overall, I do appreciate the idea of reexamining Xanxia cliches and breaking some to bring new life to a very cliched genre but there are too many problems in the execution for me to recommend this work.