Shades of Perception

Self-Published

Community Rating

Description

Chapter 77-157 (Book 2) are now onKindle/Audible.

Chapter 4-76 (Book 1) are now onKindle/Audible.

When reality breaks, sometimes you need a scientist to put it back together.

Vern thought he understood the universe. Then Objectivity shattered, and with it, every law the world held dear.

Now, this ordinary scientist—overlooked by time itself, must become something more. Armed with his analytical mind, a dangerous rune of an Old God etched in his psyche, and a unique perspective ofBalance, Vern plunges into the abyss of Observation.

But as he delves deeper into the gothic streets of Elmhurst, he uncovers terrifying truths—horrors beyond human comprehension stalking the city, ancient societies vying for control over existence itself, cults preaching for old gods, and things better left unsaid. Each revelation tests the limits of his sanity, and to survive, Vern must ascend, pushing the boundaries of what it means to be human.

For in a universe that doesn't care, perhaps godhood is the only answer.

- Heavily inspired by Lord of The Mysteries, Bloodborne.

- Minor Inspirations from Death Note, Psycho-Pass, Code Geass, Attack on Titan.

Link to:Character Art Gallery,Discord

What to expect:

- Completely original 'magic' that can be hard (scientific) or soft (mystical), depending on the user.

- Reverse Engineering of magic system and its concepts.

- Competence Porn (Most characters of importance won't be stupid).

- Somewhat of a slow-burn, but rewarding (mind-bending) progression and character/world-building.

- Victorian Era, Steampunk, Lovecraft themes (subtle).

-Short sections of POV swaps in early chapters, but 95% of story is written in MC's pov.

Note: Shades of Perception currently has an unstable release schedule. I recently started as a dev for RoyalRoad and that alongside with other pursuits of my life have been hogging up a bunch of writing time. I plan to continue regular serialization once I have a backlog big enough to sustain the releases without interruption for at least a couple months. Current backlog: 5 chapters.

Information

Status: Ongoing
Year: 2023
Author: FiniteVoid

Royal Road Stats

Rating: 4.4/ 5.0
Followers: 3,584
Views: 373,223

Chapters(61 total)

Reviews

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

Community Reviews(10)

yadudocRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Gripping storyline, realistic lead character, and a beautifully well-crafted world.
This one is hard to put down, to the point that I check for updates to keep up with the story. The world of perception is super unique, and the mechanics of gaining power is one of most novel approaches I've read.
Highly recommend!
BlueMintishRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
The best word that I can use to describe Shades of Perception is intriguing. From Chapter 1, the story is shrouded in mystery. As I read chapter to chapter, I continued to be drawn into the story and the mysteries surrounding it. This story has a lot to say, and it says it very well. Each word is carefully chosen, only adding to the grandeur of the work. As such, Shades of Perception isn't an easy read. There were plenty of words I had never seen before that I had to look up the meaning of. If you've been looking for a story with an interesting mystery that doesn't dumb down its language, Shades of Perception is the story for you.
Style: Shades of Perception oozes style. As I said above, each word used is carefully chosen. Descriptions are clear and evocative, creating clear and precise imagery in your mind. That style of writing never falters throughout. From chapter 1 it had hooked me, and I stayed hooked all the way through chapter 6.
Story: The story is still getting started, for the most part, but I am interested in what has been shown so far. There is a lot of mystery, but it's still paced very well. Never once was I bored because a chapter took too long, or because a plot point was uninteresting. If you enjoy chapter 1, rest assured that the rest of the story keeps that quality throughout.
Grammar: I noticed a couple of grammar mistakes and misspellings, but they were few and far between. Certainly not enough to really matter. When it comes to grammar, I only really give less than five stars if the mistakes made distract me from the work. What I saw didn't. Shades of Perception is a very well-written story. I'm sure what few mistakes I saw have already been fixed.
Character: Vern, the main character of Shades of Perception, is a clearly thought-out and well-written protagonist. He isn't one-dimensional with a one-track mind. He has feelings and desires that help drive the plot forward. He has flaws that cause conflict in the story. He's pretty much the textbo
brokenkeyboardRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
i doon't have much to say beside that i enjoyed this novel thoroughly, as to the rest, don't mind it
"Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum."
crisscross001Royal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
I am really glad that I continued reading.
The conversation with her sister in Chapter 3 made me think of dropping it since the way they talk seemed a tad bit exaggerated/animeish/unrealistic. But once I got past that... oh boy.
I found myself enraptured by the lore and worldbuilding which reminds me quite a lot of LotM.
But the greatest thing this book gives me is the way the mc is pioneering his very unique path to power in a very creative and quite reasonable way. Being able to defeat enemies a higher shade than him with only his wits gives me PURE dopamine.
I rate it 5/5 !!!
tmibvishalRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Writing style is so good that it kept me engaged for nights. I ended up reading multiple chapters at once. You will love reading this book. There were times when I felt that rhe story is becoming repeating or boring, but, it is only for 1-2 chapters after which the story will become interesting again. Overall awesome book.
Story line: 5/5
Writing: 5/5
Engagement: 5/5
Best wishes to the author. I advise him to also publish this book.
RainHarlowRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Hop into a steampunk world on the edge of a precipice, and ensure your top hat or bonnet is well-secured, as there will be quite a ride coming.
Up above it says “Lovecraft themes (subtle)” and the thing is, if done correctly, those themes have an inherent unknowable quality. They’re supposed to be subtle! They’re supposed to tease and cajole a distorted sensation out of you, to give you a notion of madness and the Beyond that alienates and horrifies in a certain way. I can assure you that it’s done correctly, here, spun out and conjured up by an intricate writer. Entertainingly and mystifyingly so.
Vern is an intellectual and a researcher forever in keen observation of his surroundings and particularly the technological marvels around him, understanding the underlying principles of how it all works. He is confronted with the potential for a deeper understanding of how reality works as well, and this is a key component of the story.
Our other significant character early on is Vern’s sister, Ariane, who will bring a smile to your face instantly with her interactions with her brother. I’m a sucker for these sorts of things, but the back-and-forth is really exceptionally executed and just plain fun. Don't miss it!
The style and perspective stays solid and consistent even as it gets into the mind-bending aspects, and the dialog is smooth and relatable. The grammar is entirely on point, I did not detect anything at all.
Overall this is a fantastic piece that brings you into a fascinating Victorian-Steamed reality dipped in the eldritch, with imaginative, intricately-described technologies that can only further intrigue. Do give it a look, and posthaste!
TheProudfootRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
This story starts out in WTH-ville and hits the ground running. From the first chapter, there is a strong sense of mystery and foreboding that pays off intensely and makes revelations very satisfying. I generally like stories that plunk the reader down in the deep end without a lot of exposition about the world and that let the reader piece together how the world works organically, and this story does that better than many.
The caveat is that, if you are the kind of reader that prefers a more traditional approach to worldbuilding--i.e. having characters or the narrator explain the way the world operates at the beginning--you'll probably feel dissatisfied with the first 20 or so chapters, which will come off as kind of surreal and disjointed to you. This seems to be a common trait of most of the negative reviews on this story. Be warned if that kind of style isn't your cup of tea. Or enjoy, if it is!
Beyond the story structure, the writing style is...interesting. The story reads like watching a anime, honestly, though it's kind of hard to explain why. Among other things, sound effects are frequently written in onomatopoeias rather than just described in the narration. Also, the story viewpoint will occasionally move away from the MC to give outside characters' perspectives on things; the first time or two this happens, it's somewhat distracting, but it is handled very well the longer the story goes.
Improvement is quite a theme of the writing in the story in general, honestly. The author has really improved a lot over the course of the books in terms of both writing style and mechanics. There are still some things that cause me to do a double-take, particularly dropped articles here and there (a, an, the before nouns at the start of a sentence, for example), but as far as I know some of these may be more acceptable outside of American English, while in other cases the author has ironed out his own wrinkles.
Moving along to characters, the main one of note is Vern, th
NorganRoyal Road
★★★★★ 4.5
Not an adept in writing reviews, the very idea of abilities is very cool, world building and time of action in the 18th century are also advantages for me. English is not my first language, so I can't say anything for mistakes and pleasant writing. Of the minuses, the depth of the characters' behavior is a little lacking
Authors DreadRoyal Road
★★★★★ 4.5
The story revolves around Vern, a Savant who finds himself in the midst of a mysterious event known as the Duskfall of Sorrow. The premise is intriguing, and the author does a commendable job of setting up a world that's kind of familiar and alien at the same time. The city of Elmhurst, with its grand architecture, is vividly described, making it easy for readers to immerse themselves in the story.
However, there are areas where the story could use some improvement. For instance, in Chapter 1, Vern's suspicion of being followed is introduced, but the resolution to this plot point feels somewhat rushed. More excitement and tension could add to the narrative.
The characters are fleshed out properly. Vern is portrayed as a calm and logical individual, but his reactions to certain events, such as the sudden appearance of the figure in black, seem too composed. It would be interesting to see more of his internal struggles and fears, making him more relatable.
Vern is a strong protagonist, and his internal dialogue feels authentic and relatable. I was easily drawn into his thoughts and experiences, which adds depth to the narrative.
The style is generally engaging, but there are instances where the pacing feels off. The exposition in some chapters, such as the detailed description of Vern's attire, slows down the narrative a tad and could be integrated more seamlessly into the story. But overall it was phenomenal.
It's still early, but with some work on character development and pacing, this could be a standout. Looking forward to seeing how it evolves
pranjalstomarRoyal Road
★★★★ 3.5
The world is interesting and the characters realistic. But there is so much tension. The pressure keeps rising. It makes me want to shut the book down, despite wanting to know the story. I have to force myself to read further. If the story continues this way, I may have to give up reading this. It is becoming less enjoyable for me.
Things like - interludes, POVs of other relevant characters, POV of MCs sister, glimpse of Vern's notebook - would make it more enjoyable.
Keep up the amazing story going.