Pale Lights

Self-Published

Community Rating

Description

From the author of "A Practical Guide to Evil", comes the Pale Lights series. Book I: Lost Things Tristan Abrascal is a thief, one of many making their living under the perpetual twilight of the greatest city in all of Vesper. Quick wit and a contract with a capricious goddess have always kept him one step ahead, until one night he crosses a line by accident that burns all the bridges he had left. But not all is lost, as his mentor offers a way out of peril that turns out to be more than a simple escape. It is also an opportunity to get even with theinfanzones, the nobles he’s lived under all his life, and it so happens that Tristan has a full ledger’s worth of scores to settle with them. Lady Angharad Tredegar has fled halfway across the world, leaving behind a ruin of a life: her family butchered by a ruthless enemy, their estate torched and their nobility revoked. Yet no matter how far she flees the blades of assassins follow, and she finds herself growing desperate for any protection. She has one relative left to call on, her estranged uncle, but she finds that the safety he offers comes at a cost. Angharad has sworn revenge, however, and her honour will allow for no compromise. She will do what she must to survive so that one day bloody vengeance can be visited upon her enemies. The paths of the two take them to the doorstep of the Watch, but for desperate souls like them enrolment is a lost cause. They will have to do it the hard way instead, by surviving the trials on the isle known as the Dominion of Lost Things. Where every year many go, and few return. Book II: Good Treasons The trials of the Dominion are over. The four survivors have become students of Scholomance, enrolling together as a cabal, yet even on those infamous grounds they soon learn none are beyond the reach of their pasts. Angharad Tredegar is returned to a semblance of the world she left behind, but finds her honor sorely tested by bargains offered - every bit as tempting as in the stories and even deadlier. Tristan Abrascal needs answers. Mysterious enemies keep trying to abduct him, his classroom does not exist and he’s now had several conversations with dead people. Worst of all, his carrots keep dying. Maryam Khaimov is going mad, which would worry her less if it were happening on schedule. More frightening yet is the possibility that she is not, and there trulyissomeone else going around wearing her face. Song Ren must forge the others into a functional unit, all the while fending off enemies on all sides: rival cabals, vengeful countrymen and the deluge of implacable foes her companions simply cannot seem to stop attracting. Failure is not an option, for Song must bring back honor to her family’s name whatever the cost: it is the only way to keep their disgrace from literally eating them all alive. And as the four chase shadows in Scholomance, in the distance looms the greater test awaiting them in the Asphodel Rectorate. Asphodel is a faded power, the rotten carcass of what it once was, but under that rot looms darker things - of which monsters might just be the least dangerous. Besides, is treason really such an evil when you have the best of reasons for it? -- Update schedule: once a day until caught up to thewordpressversion, then weekly on Fridays. MyPatreonhas three advance chapters. Cover done by Gwennafran, whose work you can findhere.

Information

Status: Ongoing
Year: 2023
Author: ErraticErrata

Royal Road Stats

Rating: 4.8/ 5.0
Followers: 8,845
Views: 5,023,604

What readers say about Pale Lights

“I followed a practical guide to evil since the first book in wordpress and it was an adventure that kept me company for many years. With well written characters one couldn't help but love or hate, sometimes both, and a worldbuilding few authors match combin…”
DraigheanRoyal Road5.0 / 5
“The World building is excellent, at first i didn't understand some terms used but they were slowly and naturally explained which i feel adds some intrigue to the story The character development is natural and doesn't seem forced Though i am disappointed in…”
Eternal.404Royal Road5.0 / 5

Reviews

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Community Reviews(10)

DraigheanRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
I followed a practical guide to evil since the first book in wordpress and it was an adventure that kept me company for many years. With well written characters one couldn't help but love or hate, sometimes both, and a worldbuilding few authors match combining to deliver such an unique experience. And now with pale lights the adventure starts anew, a story to match its glorious predecessor. So far I have loved every chapter and I can honestly say that it is the most joyful part of my Fridays. I can't recommend it hard enough. Is worth reading and supporting. Every second and every line is worth it.
Eternal.404Royal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
The World building is excellent, at first i didn't understand some terms used but they were slowly and naturally explained which i feel adds some intrigue to the story
The character development is natural and doesn't seem forced
Though i am disappointed in Tristan's lack of interest in Maryam
Great story overall
AllstarRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Bad writing, 1-dimensional characters, weak plot…
… won’t be found here. If that’s what you’re looking for, you need to try elsewhere.
But if you enjoy great characters, intrigue, and superb world-building, all wrapped up in fantastic writing, you'll love this.
Pale Lights book one is The Lies of Locke Lamora crossed with Battle Royale. We have heists, intrigue, and murder most foul. Crosses. Double-crosses. Triple- crosses. A fascinating magic system, worthy of Brandon Sanderson. Dead gods. Old gods. New gods. It has it all.
I particularly like the dialogue, this author knows how to write smart characters who adapt to their surroundings.
If I'm forced to find criticism, and you would have to force me, it's minor: the story kicks off with a large cast of characters to remember. There is some fan-art of the entire cast at various stages of the story linked in the comments section: that helps a lot and I’d encourage the author to reach out to that artist to integrate it if possible (if it’s not already been commissioned).
The other thing that could be useful, is more maps and diagrams, particularly of the island as a whole for the Trial of Lines, the forts and maze in the Trial of Ruins, and the town in the Trial of Weeds
In addition, in this version there are some minor typos that appear to be actual typing mistakes - as opposed to the bad spelling and grammar seen from bad writers. I am more than happy to consume these if it means the author can continue to keep up the publishing pace.
In conclusion: if you like reading good fantasy then this book is for you.
AntropikRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
One of the best novel on this site. I don't know why it isn't on the top rated next to the classics, it has the quality to do so.
I have the impression of reading a professionnal story instead of an amateurish one.
Every character is fleshed out, with every one of them, including the support and secondary cast having real motivations and reacting organically to one another. Sometimes a bit too callous, but it fits with the world. Everything in nuances of grey, no pure black and white anywhere. No gratuitous violence, even if it exists in this world. I laughed, been surprised and cried with the characters.
The worldbuilding is really well done as well, no full paragraph of exposition told from an almight narrator, and more like bits and pieces that click together as more lore is dropped. Realistic in its geopolitics and without having a Big Bad Dumb that is the cause of all evil in the world. It comes back to every character and factions having interests and dislikes linked to their history and geography, which is often explained by other author as "shut it, it's magic", instead here, i'll use the term again, it feels realistic because everything is organically linked to another,as it would be the real world.
The slow release rate (1 chapter a week) makes it that every one of them is a real chapter in itself, with its own beginning point, adventures and conclusion/cliffhanger, leaving it easily digestible, generous with its content, and leaving you wanting for more. I think the author done well to sidestep the issue of having to release "fillers" to keep the pace of releasing chapters everyday.
So, if you like dark fantasy stories with a bit more brains than brawns in its structure, what are you waiting for? (and even if you don't like it, you should read this one anyway)
ArcanaVitaeRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
I've been reading this story since the beginning and have only just now made a review. I like many people started this story from A Pratical Guide to Evil. We all knew and know that ErraticErrata is a fantastic author and expected wonderful things from Pale Lights. But the thing is that Pale Lights is a very different beast from Guide. EE has taken all the skill and learning from writing Guide to write another story. It has some vibes that are similar such as characters, relationships and interaction. But it's also a very different story. Exploring the characters, their growth, the world, and seeing how things pan out has been a lot of fun.
CrezRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
The lore is awesome, the characters and the plotting by the characters isbetter.Nothing comes to mind which I can point out to being forced for plot; the world being out (and in) to get to you helps. Developments take place around a situation and the author weaves the characters and future from there. Very engaging, and am so sad I caught up.
BasaniRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Always a pleasure to read work by a veteral author, and ErraticErrata is definitely that. The new work IS different from a Practical Guide, but that difference is in no way negative.I love the characters, especially once the story really gets going and they all keep getting fleshed out. The story runs at a ripping pace, and keeps raising interesting questions within the setting, and of questions outside the setting as well. We see familiar themes like how far people can go for a goal that they've decided is good, what honor really means and how that meaning can change, and of course, how sicknasty a good action scene can be.The setting is fascinating, and I can't wait to learn more about why and how the world is how it is. Gods and their contractors, the gleaming lights and the darklings, the seemingly innumerable different ways this world is just not that far away from apocalypse, it's just all so rich and interesting and ties into the cast and their goals so well.The writing is fantastic too. The author's come a long way from their early chapters of their last work, and it clearly shows. The phrasing is just tighter and more interesting and each character's voice feels so uniquely theirs.Can't wait to see how this keeps going, though I'll be reading on Patreon. It's great having three chapters earlier and letting the events percolate before reading the general comments. It's even better supporting ErraticErrata and all they do.
BlogvogRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
An amazing series That combines exciting fight sequences and incredible subterfuge in a dark world filled with petty gods and terrifying monsters. Their exists multiple paths to power from contracts with gods at a terrible price to utilizing the enigmatic glome to carve signs into reality at great risk to body and soul.
CouatiRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
The is probably the best work I've seen on this site.
To start with, the writing style here is exceptional. The author does a great job at show don't tell, especially when it comes to worldbuilding. What I see a lot with amateur authors is the tendency to over explain both characters' thinking and the world itself. Here we're given enough to follow what's going on and hear what makes sense for the characters to discuss. The best part, imo, is that we're allowed to come to an understanding of how the world on our own.
Another huge point of favor for this story is the characters themselves. Without getting too spoilery, there are multiple characters we focus on, all of whom feel very human. They all have flaws, and not just things like "slightly rude sometimes" or "broods," but character flaws and personal problems that haunt many of them and have a real impact of the story. When the character do something dumb, for example, it's in a way that makes sense for the kind of person they are. Their flaws are consistent and well thought out, and have real impact on the story in ways that don't feel contrived. This also makes it feel amazing when the character manage to work through some of those issues.
There is not much to say about the grammar besides: there are some typos. The prose is descriptive and interesting without being overly flowery- I've seen some story where it feels like the author wants to get their money's worth from their thesaurus. This author is able to get a lot across in a lot fewer words than many others I've read or, say, me in this review.
This is also a story that doesn't play it's hand too much. There are multiple plots that are going on, and they vary in how clear their direction is going, but since the author isn't hand-holding the world building there's enough uncertainty that it isn't easy to tell where things are going from the start.
Overall, a great story that really makes you care about the characters and the world. The world is wonderfull
HTML_LoadedRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
I'm going to reread the first book for the second time and the second book for the first. Everyone knows how great a story this there isn't any new ground I can break here. My favorite part by far is the characterization of the cast and their development. Errata does an excellent job of making each character's perspective feel and sound so distinct. Each character learns and struggles in such a real and entertaining way. Each character also has amazing design with their unique backgrounds, skills, and personalities. The worldbuilding is amazing but its the characters that make the story come to life.