Swordsongs of the Sundered Realms [Participant in November 2023 Writathon]

Self-Published

Community Rating

Description

In a land of sundered realms, of tyrants and devious sorcerers, where turmoil reigns and the nations rage, walk Aedmorn, the Hunter, and Ivkarha of the Ra-Armal, Last and Alone. Their deeds and trials, their triumphs and tragedies were many as great wonders they beheld, fell beasts they vanquished and far reaches they explored. These are their swordsongs that shook the world.

Swordsongs of the Sundered Realms is a collection of sword & sorcery short fiction, part of the Writathon challenge.

With Writathon ended, Swordsongs shall release once a week, on Fridays.

Information

Status: Completed
Year: 2023
Author: Zeke Stone

Royal Road Stats

Rating: 4.3/ 5.0
Followers: 30
Views: 22,880

Reviews

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Community Reviews(1)

saba_86Royal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
The language here is breathtaking. It's lyrical, poetic, and deeply immersive. It doesn't just tell a story; it weaves a tapestry. Phrases like "the sands that scourged," "a beauty stark to behold," and "the fragile skeins of life" are evocative and powerful. This is a writer who has a commanding grasp of rhythm and vocabulary.
you don't just learn about the world; you feel it. The description of the desert is not a simple info-dump; it's a sensory experience. You feel the scorching heat, the biting sand, the crushing silence of the salt pans. The mesa isn't just a location; it's a character—a "solitary sentinel." This is top-tier environmental storytelling.
This is the most significant point of critique. The story takes its time, which is generally a strength. However, the actual meeting and confrontation between the two characters resolves almost too quickly. Ivkarha goes from a deadly threat with a sword at the ready to an ally in the space of about three sentences. While the dialogue is good, the transition feels abrupt. A little more hesitation, a longer silent assessment, or a more gradual lowering of the sword could make this pivotal moment feel more earned and weighty.
This feels like the opening to a truly epic fantasy novel. It's confident, immersive, and leaves the reader with compelling questions: What is the "foulness" that stalks the land? What are the "swordsongs"? What is the nature of the Ra-Armal dead and their disquiet?