Description

cover art by Krormwrorm https://bsky.app/profile/krormwrorm.bsky.social

In a world known as Gehenna, you are only as strong as your Remark. Remarks are psychic weapons, everyone is born with one. Your Remark is a part of you, as unique as a fingerprint. It will decide your entire life and your entire death.

For someone like Devon Near, all her Remark is good for is attracting flies. Not much hope for her, and she knows it! The girl is a festering ball of rage with no known outlets. She works astupidfood service job in herstupidtown just to avoid getting evicted from herstupidapartment building. On the side she sells drugs that she harvests from the shore. Some of her customers are the same ones who killed her father. She feels awful and goes to bed most night with a knot in her stomach.

Then one day she meets a herald of the apocalypse named Adam Kadmon. He slaughters half her town and in the process, shows her a power no one in the outskirts of Gehenna ever expected to see.

Though him she gains a new Remark, one fated to end the world.

Don’t worry, she will.

What is it?:

A slow burn progression fantasy with a female MC who is fueled by spite in a grim dark mixture of SF and Fantasy inspired as much by Angel’s Egg as it is Berserk. It’s also pretty funny imo but that’s not readily apparent.

What should I expect?:

No stats, no litrpg mechanics, no Isekai protags, just the joy of watching a character go from weak to strong and all the drama and strife that comes from it.

Post Hardcore Prog fantasy, a focus on a gritty and intense tone with a lot of rage.

Trans protagonist.

Gore. Swearing. Mental trauma. Lots of descriptions of people being cleaved in half.

Two very different protagonists that through circumstances end up stuck together, and have to co-exist.

A magic system inspired as much by shonen series such as JoJo as it is the works of Michael Moorcock.

A protagonist who gets stronger through hard work and training, with a focus on physical development and how she changes as a person.

Villains and side characters given as much depth and exploration as our heros.

Okay but seriously whats it like reading it?:

Being a kid in 2003 watching adult swim at 2am, and seeing a cartoon you’ve never heard of that never airs again. That cartoon sticks in your head for the rest of your life and eventually, you go insane.

I hope you enjoy!

New Chapters every Monday. 8PM est

Community Reviews(1)

BayardADRoyal Road

★★★★★ 5.0

I think the cover of this novel is very thoughtfully designed; it grabbed me right away. Initially, I thought it might be a dark fairy tale style story, but the more I read, the more I could feel the author's dedicated effort in creating a uniquely cruel and dark world. Both the character development and the world-building are quite interesting.
First off, regarding the style—I believe style and plot are the most important aspects of a novel, and I quite like this world of slaughter under a post-apocalyptic order. It successfully constructs a world that is both dark and oppressive, yet full of peculiar imagination. The action scenes, as well as the depictions of unique supernatural powers and creatures, are filled with a raw tension and visual impact. The narrative shifts smoothly between different character perspectives, and some rather novel narrative techniques are cleverly used, effectively showcasing the characters' internal changes.
As for the plot: I can say it's full of ups and downs; the entire storyline is packed with unexpected reversals and continuous suspense. The main characters' storylines gradually intertwine, leading to an increasingly grand and captivating narrative. The end of each chapter often leaves you on a cliffhanger, and the narration and plot twists within are very fresh. The pacing is also well-handled, feeling well-balanced.
Regarding character development: I personally love how the characters are portrayed in this book. Protagonist Devon's growth and transformation are very captivating. I like strong female characters like her—from struggling to survive in dire straits at the beginning, to gradually discovering her potential and facing greater challenges, and finally resolving to fight back, her character is very multi-dimensional. Even some important antagonist characters are written with a lot of depth and distinct traits, making this cruel world feel more vivid and alive, which is something I really appreciate.
Regarding grammar: In