Oratoria: Bury the Dead

Self-Published

Community Rating

Description

In the dark and treacherous abyss of Oratoria, Esper lives a solitary existence among the dead. Trapped in a lifeless prison, she makes a desperate bid for freedom as she sets out on a journey to the surface, guided by an ancient whisper carried by the winds. But the path ahead is fraught with danger, as strange and unseen forces conspire to stop her at every turn.

As she battles to overcome the grim machinations coming into motion, Esper discovers that her journey is not just about physical escape but also a quest for the truth about her past, her true identity, and the reason for her confinement in the abyss. Along the way, she will encounter a host of fascinating and mysterious characters, some of whom will aid her and others who will seek to impede her progress.

With her courage and determination, Esper must overcome the obstacles in her path as she races against time to reach the ever distant surface, which she so desperately dreams to see. Will she finally escape the abyss and see the light of day, or will she be doomed to live out her days in the depths of Oratoria? Find out in this epic fantasy adventure!

(Complete!) (Neuro-Divergant Protagonist) (Classic Fantasy) (Dark)

Information

Status: Completed
Year: 2021
Author: D.M. Rhodes (Razzmatazz)

Royal Road Stats

Rating: 4.6/ 5.0
Followers: 229
Views: 82,352

Reviews

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Community Reviews(6)

KnightikRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
The whole read was a blast, very little downtime from thrilling action scenes that just will not let me stop reading.
Foreshadowing was done really well.
Esper is just so endearing <3 , I could not help but be worried for her every step of her journey up.
Thank you very much for this amazing story.
luda305Royal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
This is an absolute tour de force of the horror mystery subgenre, with a strong nod to Pan's Labyrinth. There's something dark and creeping for you, but you don't know what it is. That's what this is. Esper lives on a (literal and metaphorical) bottom-rung of a society built into the cliff-faces of a grand chasm. She desperately begins her journey up-cliff, only to be followed by the grim horror of (let's call them) the undead. This is so well done that I can easily imagine it being filmed on a budget with some clever shot composition rather than dealing with the insanity of a cliff-side society.
That said, I will admit I didn't finish it, but that's a personal thing. I read the first ten chapters, then skimmed 54-57, and the ending is really quite a trip.
Anir2910Royal Road
★★★★★ 4.5
An amazing story that leaves one hooked until the end - even though the pace sometimes feels grueling due to how invested we get with the heroine's journey. Without spoiling much, the story ends at the first volume itself - that too at a cliffhanger, which leaves readers a bit dissatisfied, but truly wishing author continues with it at some time. TLDR, have no doubts readers, hop in into this dark, wild ride wih Ester.
STYLE
Author manages the flow and pacing very well, managing to convey the tenseness of the situation as well as the emotional interacions very well. Love the simple but lucid way the story is conveyed without the reader ever being bored.
STORY
Excellent plot line with fast pacing and well defined world building. Only complaint is that story ends before more the of the world and story could be explored.
GRAMMAR
Well defined grammer and author promptly corrects whatever edits are suggested. One thing I noticed ( turns out I'm a slightly obsessive about these things ) was the frequesnt use of the term gestalt - the term ideally stands for parts coming together to form a whole, where the sum represents something greater than its parts - author uses this intechangeably with whole or form, for example in chapter 38:
He wore a short, midnight blue robe that stopped with an ornate frill near his shins. His mystical gestalt however, was somewhat contrasted by the white chef's apron, adorned with flowers, that he wore bound around his waist.
Perhaps these substitutions may not be wrong, but it feels a bit jarring, as the depth of meaning that the word gestalt stands for feels to be lost by this mundane usage. Why this is something I felt like mentioning here is because I noticed this pattern in the author's other novels too I think - I apologize if that is wrong though. I repeat - this is just something I personally felt - this does not - I repeat - does not affect the storyline, pace or setting in any way. Don't let my OCD bother you, dear reader, from enjoyi
OdenTheTastyRoyal Road
★★★★★ 4.5
Good story, a little confusing but mostly cause the story while "finished", ended to early because the book wasn't getting enough attention to make finishing the book properly worthwhile.
Giving this a good review and saying I read the Authors KU books as my offering of money as part of my plea to get the author to finish the story properly.
DarkTsunderRoyal Road
★★★ 2.5
Did a wonderful job with the worldbuilding and the main character. The introduction and mystery surrounding what was happening was well done, but the end just kind of, flopped for me.
Cliffhangers are one thing, but the story just seems to stop and then have a final scene tease what comes next, but using a PoV I had no investment in as it had only just been introduced. That and the way chapter numbers were used for PoV changes instead of being their own chapter was a bit weird.
TahiRuaTaniwhaRoyal Road
★ 1.0
The narrative's temporal shifts between present and past tense, while perhaps intended to convey a sense of immediacy or reflect the protagonist's fragmented memories, ultimately disrupt the immersive experience. These abrupt changes jar the reader, creating a sense of disorientation that hinders the flow of the story. While present tense can effectively capture immediacy, its inconsistent use here undermines the overall narrative coherence. Employing a consistent past tense throughout would not only enhance the narrative flow but also provide a more stable and grounded perspective for the reader to engage with the protagonist's journey