The Eternal Night
Community Rating
Description
The gods send cryptic messages to mortals, guiding them through their dreams, and it falls to dreamweavers to interpret these sacred words.
TheVeidahlfamily has earned a far-reaching reputation for their exceptional insights, believed by many to be the favored recipients of the gods’ clearest communication, their connection to the world beyond the mind unrivaled. Yet within their ranks lies a fraud—Eirik, who has never experienced a dream. Forsaken by the gods, the question remains: why?
Then, two strangers from the unforgiving lands of Everfrost arrive, seeking Eirik’s interpretation of a nightmare. What begins as an unexpected request quickly pulls him into an adventure beyond anything he could have imagined.
What to expect
- A cocky MC with plenty of character development
- Complex relationships, banter, and humor
- Lots of action with a touch of romance (no harem, but a slight love triangle)
[Participant in the Royal Road Writathon challenge]
I publish new chapters every Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday.
Information
- Status
- Hiatus
- Year
- 2024
- Author
- littleruu
Royal Road Stats
- Rating
- 4.7/ 5.0
- Followers
- 6
- Views
- 2,670
Chapters(12 total)
- Chapter 12 - The GraveNov 29, 2024
- Chapter 11 - The IceNov 27, 2024
- Chapter 10 - The FlamesNov 24, 2024
- Chapter 9 - The LureNov 22, 2024
- Chapter 8 - The FallenNov 20, 2024
- Chapter 7 - The CoyoteNov 17, 2024
- Chapter 6 - The TempleNov 14, 2024
- Chapter 5 - The SpiritNov 13, 2024
- Chapter 4 - The AvalancheNov 13, 2024
- Chapter 3 - The CorruptionNov 12, 2024
- Chapter 2 - The WolvesNov 11, 2024
- Chapter 1 - The NightmareNov 10, 2024
Reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to share your thoughts!
Community Reviews(7)
- ElectrikBlueRoyal Road★★★★★ 5.0I wasn't sure what to expect from this story, but it caught my interest in the very first chapter.
The premise, while simple, is also unique and captivating. The idea around the MC is brilliant, something that will keep you turning the pages.
After the first few chapters, I started listening to the Frostpunk soundtrack, which enhanced the experience even more! I recommend it to everyone.
Style: The descriptions are vivid, and the narration is well-written. I don't have much to say about it except the atmosphere is really good.
Story: A plain story of a quest in a fantasy setting, the story shines not in its structure but in what it explores. The internal struggles, the mysteries, the folklore and the pantheon. I dig the setting as well.
Grammar: Nothing to complain about!
Characters: Now we're talking. I came for the setting, I stayed for the MC.
Eirik is not just brilliantly written; he's witty and confident, he knows his flaws and mostly goes along with them -- except for a big one nobody is supposed to know ahah -- which is quite charming and made me connect with him quickly. His interactions with the other characters are sometimes funny, sometimes touching, and always clever.
I loved Sindre and Ulrik's dynamic as well; nothing utterly original, but damn if it worked.
All in all, it has been a thoroughly enjoyable journey so far (except for Eirik, the poor guy), and I'm excited to keep reading as it progresses. - BluesycobaltRoyal Road★★★★★ 5.0The standard package of fantasy is here, no doubt about that. A currently-weak but special Main Character is thrust into strange circumstances associated with the supernatural. Nothing wrong with that.
Where The Eternal Night shines, though, is with its attention to place and feeling, here being roughly Northern European in a way that is familiar, while also being more interesting than a generic viking story. The mythology is handled well and feels integrated into a full, comprehensive worldview, rather than plopped down as just Worldbuilding™. Overall, the book so far is a competent piece of fantasy writing taken a notch above the rest by a tight, well-thought out tone and feeling.
Style - Third-person limited and highly descriptive, the writing style also has detours into abstract topics which I personally love but may not be everyone's cup of tea. Does a good job of imparting the "humans as one force among many" animistic feeling to the story.
Grammar - No mistakes that I saw, very well written, even on the little technical things like M-dashes.
Story - On a mechanical level the story is pretty standard "overlooked MC engages with a prophecy," but where The Eternal Night shines is in the atmosphere-building. Vibes, in other words. There is a lot of thought put into the way the omnipresence of the animistic-pantheon has penetrated into daily life and affected people's thoughts/actions, an worldbuilding choice supported by the aesthetics of the descriptions which have a very sapmi/Finnish flourish to them. This, more than anything else I think, sets the story apart from other stories with similar plots.
Character - So far it's a fairly tight cast, but the first several chapters are fairly densely packed with characterization. No character feels extraneous or stands out as just a plot-mover, with even the MC's parents having little quirks that make them feel distinct even when the story isn't focused on them. The interplay between Eirik the MC and the foils we meet - iammmunyosuRoyal Road★★★★★ 5.0Wow, is the first thing I can say about this novel. The immediate capturing of the senses, and imagination on the first chapter alone is enough to get anyone in their seats and to read this work. I've always loved stories with atmosphere and this has captured that to a tea. From the first pages explaining the watching of the souls crossing and the tone, and description of the whole scene. I was entirely captivated. I find even most professional authors find it difficult to set a scene as well as this author has.
Time and time again you will see captivating images similar to that of seeing a mountain range in real life. Breathtaking, detailed and enthralling. What do helps and aids that cause is the characters. They're so interesting, their dynamics and the way the author conveys that is completely nuisance in this environment especially I feel. Needless to say all these things combined make for an easy and breezy read.
Do I recommend this novel? Yes, absolutely, this novel has unique elements that I've yet to see on many stories on this website especially. It's a treat to be had and one I dearly hope continues on into the future with this work or in future works! - Tiolu04Royal Road★★★★★ 4.5First of all, the level of detail in this series is exceptional. The author masterfully describes the atmosphere with precision, creating a vivid and immersive experience that rivals the work of seasoned professionals. The settings are brought to life so effectively that readers can effortlessly imagine the cold, eerie forests, and the towering mountains.
The characters are compelling, with authentic dynamics that feel real. Eirik's insecurity towards his talented siblings and his self doubts makes him relatable. The introduction of Ulrik and Sindre smoothly captures their distinct personalities—Ulrik’s fiery protectiveness and Sindre’s calm thoughtfulness—contrast beautifully. As Eirik's journey with the brothers starts, their evolving relationships becomes the heart of the story. Eirik’s growing respect for the brothers and his determination to aid them, despite their initial mistrust, is compelling. The brothers’ gradual acceptance of him and their shared burden add emotional depth. The introduction of Ylva, the brothers’ ailing sister, and the mythical sea serpent Vorsythus significantly adds tension.
In just a few chapters, the author masterfully blends intricate worldbuilding, character-driven storytelling, and an engaging narrative. This series shows immense promise and could become a standout addition to the fantasy genre. I would continue and recommend others to be a part of this awesome journey. - Fallen LilyRoyal Road★★★★★ 4.5I am someone who is quite lazy and not very interested in reading other novels, but this novel managed to grab my attention and made its way into my reading list!
In the early chapters, I was quite intrigued by the detailed explanations and the excellent narration in this novel. I’m not saying it’s perfect, but it’s good enough to keep me interested. The characters’ expressions, movements, and thoughts are thoroughly explained. It feels like I’m reading a well-polished light novel.
Honestly, I’m truly amazed by this novel because of its remarkable narration, especially during the scene where the characters fight a pack of wolves. Everything is described in detail, allowing my mind to vividly imagine the events.
Most fantasy stories today feature an overpowered MC who defeats everything. However, the MC in this novel is different. The protagonist, Eirik, may not be overpowered, but the author has successfully made him compelling.
Style, as someone who loves third-person POV, I thoroughly enjoyed this story.
Grammar, I’m not a native English speaker, but as far as I can tell, there’s nothing wrong with the grammar.
In conclusion, I’d say this novel is a hidden gem in the fantasy genre and has significant potential to become a highly popular story.
Though it starts strong, the most important thing for a story is consistency in chapter updates. If that’s not an issue, this story will definitely shine.
Do you like fantasy? As a fantasy fan, I’d recommend it 1000%! - Ethan Y CottonRoyal Road★★★★★ 4.5This story uses the classic fantasy setup of a young adult who suddenly must take on forces far beyond their understanding. That is where the story departs in its own interesting direction. We follow a dreamweaver with some dangerous secrets as he sets out to try and understand just what exactly is happening over the mountains where stories of nightmares and black eyed wolves are spreading.
TLDR: This is a great start to a journey with roots in classical fantasy and its head in dreamland. Definitely worth a look!
Style: The classic fantasy style used in The Eternal Night is obviously tried and true. The author builds on this and into their own. I particularly enjoyed the action scenes which were brutal and detailed while still achieving a good pace.
Story: Our main character is drawn into a crisis that shouldn’t be possible. Silent gods are showing images of screaming people and wars, but the gods aren’t supposed to interfere like that. The deep end looks like a pleasant summer day as our hero is immediately thrown into troubles he couldn’t possibly hope to handle even if he did have proper use of his families dream powers.
Grammar: there didn’t seem to be any noticeable issues. Certainly nothing that could hinder the reader’s experience. So full marks from me there.
Characters: I had a bit of trouble with the characters. It is likely just my own point of view but I found something I couldn’t quite understand with each and every character’s behavior. I won’t go into detail on each one or we would be here forever but it didn’t seem like it was unintentional. It was almost like I was missing some plot point that would explain everyone’s odd behavior, but I never saw that plot point. If that is explained in the future then it will surely be an Aha! Moment but until then it just made the characters feel ‘unnatural’ for lack of a better term. Once you get past that one issue, or if that is just me, then the characters are all unique and properly motivated with strong per - Jonathan BRoyal Road★★★★★ 4.5I read through the first three chapters and really like what you've written so far. I'll include some general thoughts below.
Style: I like your style, but it sometimes felt a bit inconsistent (I'll explain more below).
Grammar: No issues as far as I could tell.
Story: An interesting story with low-level magic (at least it seems that way), prophecy, and old gods that have an active hand in their creation. Its really cool so far.
Character: I like Elirik as a main character, and his butting of heads with his sister and Ulrik and Sindre. I'm also sympathetic to Elirik as a main character, you've done a good job with him.
I liked your opening paragraph a lot, it was interesting and a fun way to introduce me to the story.
In Chapter 1, the mom feels a tad expository when she says, "There are many forests here, and none of them are safe. Lately, people have dreamed of darkness in the woods. The forests don’t want us, and we must respect the will of nature. You should not-" Perhaps reveal a bit less in this paragraph, or make her tone more conversational.
You've set up an interesting dynamic between Eirik and Saarni. I like how Eirik is seeking the gods, and his sister doesn't want anything to do with them. You could take this dynamic in a lot of interesting directions, like the sister having to become a Dreamweaver or be forced into some kind of service with the gods.
I'm interested to learn more about this pantheon of gods in your story. Eirik knows a lot about these beings, despite saying they don't visit him in his dreams. I would definitely like to know where he learned the things he did about these beings and if they're actually deities.
I really like your first chapter, but the opening scene in the house feels a little limp and uninteresting. You may want to consider reworking the scene, or even starting your story closer to when Eirick meets with the two visitors about their elder's dream. That part I felt was really interesting and it drew me into the story more