The Iron Forge

Information

Status

Ongoing

Year

2024

Author

Apollo149

• Forged in Shadows and Steel Iron Forge, Book Two Prologue
  Feb 13, 2024

Reviews

Community Reviews(10)

• Jack0fheartRoyal Road

  ★★★★★ 5.0

  The Iron Forge has a very distinct writing style similar to a storyteller of old. It then comes as no surprise that the elderly town storyteller was my favourite character so far!
  Style score 5/5: This story features heavy foreboding and bloody tragedy. It creates great visuals within the reader's mind.
  Story score 5/5: The Iron Forge features representative of many different groups converging on Calvary in search of something. It's clear the author has something big planned and I for one can't wait to see it!
  Grammar score 5/5: I don't put much stock in the grammar rating of what I read, for me to enjoy a story it needs only to be legible and The Iron Forge certainly exceeds that. The author is also very open to edit suggestions, going so far as to request them, which I admire.
  Character score 5/5: Each character feels unique and distinct from one another. They each share a common goal in searching for something.
  To sum it up, The Iron Forge excels at conveying the gravity of each groups desire to discover its location. I highly recommend this story for people who enjoy a healthy mix of action and mystery. ♥
• AustimizedRoyal Road

  ★★★★★ 5.0

  Back in Middle School and High School, I ran a mean D&D game. Goblin raids, battling orcs, collecting magic items, shield warriors and barbarians holding the front line, archers and mages letting loose from behind, and the cleric holding everything together in the middle. Beneath it all, the villian with their plot to conquer/destroy the world.
  This story brings all the back in a nostalgic whirl. From the setup with storytelling in the tavern to our heroes coming together to fight off goblins to the awakening evil - in this instance what seems to be a massive iron golem run on jet fuel and hatred - this is essense of adventuring.
  Full of monster-fighting action, inter-party bickering and comeraderie, storytellers weaving the past, and a quest that may lead to saving the world; if that sounds like your kind of fun, this story's right up your alley.
  As other reviewers and the author themselves notes, grammer and structure can be an issue, mostly in the form of run-on sentences or fragments and the odd dialogue mash with several people talking within the same paragraph. With the author's willingness to incorporate feedback plus regular edits and revisions, however, not only does the newest writing improve, but older chapters get fresh face-lifts rather than sitting neglected.
  If you simply can't handle the odd extra comma or mid-paragraph tense shift, you probably won't make it far. For everyone else, this story is a pure hit of D&D-style adventuring goodness.
• scarecrow.authorRoyal Road

  ★★★★★ 5.0

  This story's narration is different in the best way possible. It's theatrical, it's old school fantasy, it's stunning! Reading this, I felt like one of the children that were gathered around the old man, listening to his story. And I was just as excited to listen to the rest of it.
  Another review said that it reads like a dnd campaign and I think this is a great, concise way to describe it.
  Story: 5/5. Although it's still early on, the way the story unfolds before your eyes is great and demands that you give it all of your attention. Perfect score
  Style: 5/5. There are a few minor issues where the tense changes from past to present and back to past later on, but it did not mess with the immersion so I don't think I have a reason to deduct any points from this.
  Grammar: 5/5 no real issues. The few that had slipped from the author were caught by the readers and fixed later on, so, everything's great
  Characters: 5/5. They are just a handful so far, but they are all unique and have depth, which makes the reader interested in their backstories. Especially the outsider's.
  Overall, it's a great story that I would happily sit down and enjoy under a blanket, next to the fireplace
• Twitch555Royal Road

  ★★★★★ 5.0

  I gave this a 5 star because I am really enjoying the story. I think the author has a good way of developing the characters and I am really excited to see where the story goes. Thank you for posting and I am looking forward to exploring more of this world.
• JEPayneRoyal Road

  ★★★★★ 5.0

  This story takes me back to the fantasy stories I grew up with as a kid. 'But JEPayne' I hear you ask, 'the very first chapter has one of the heroes brutally torture and murder a man. Why were you reading stuff like this as a kid?' To which I reply 'Yeah it's one of the reasons I have a therapist'
  But we're getting off track.
  The story is a fantastic call back to yesteryear. It's bloody and incredibly descriptive and there's plenty to chew on in terms of story.
  Style - as I've stated, it has a bit of an old school feel to it. It's descriptive and vibrant with a balanced approach towards physical descriptions, internal thoughts, action, and dialogue. It's a very digestible writing style that perfectly compliments the type of story being told.
  Story - the makings of a truly glorious epic fantasy! The chopping between viewpoints can take a bit of getting used to, but it's used to great effect to build the tension of a broad cast of heroes, anti-heroes and villains converging on the titular 'Iron Forge'. Hooks you from the get go and drags you along! (Willingly, of course).
  Grammar - the only thing I have to say that isn't overwhelmingly positive: the chapters could do with a bit of a tidy. None of the errors are egregious, just oversights and typos, and the author is rectifying them as readers point them out. It certainly doesn't detract from enjoying the story at least!
  Character - there is a diverse cast. We tend to spend a chapter or two with a character before bouncing to the next in a rotating cycle that brings us back through the familiar cast. Everyone feels realistic, fleshed out and entertaining to read, and as they converge on a central point there is sure to be an interesting clash of personalities!
  All in all, a fantastic fantasy calling back to a golden age of bloody, exciting fantasy!
• M.G DriverRoyal Road

  ★★★★★ 4.5

  An intriguing story filled with likeable characters, the description of the environment, emotions and actions are clear. The motivations of the characters are shown to be more than one-dimensional, and makes for a complex interaction between people.
  Style:
  The first few chapters were good, consistent method of delivery. However, as the attack on Calvary loomed closer, the perspective shifts are too rapid. I get the feeling that I'm reading a movie script rather than a novel, which may or may not work for you. I can see all the scenes in my head, but it moves by really fast. Some POVs could only be a single paragraph.
  It works for me, but do take heed if you're adverse to such rapid changes.
  The first few chapters seem to have a great variation in word count, which stumbles the reader a bit.
  Story:
  Brilliant introduction, with a very apparent revenge twist at the start to get the emotions going. It is slightly confusing at the start as to what the overarching main plot is if you didn't read the synopsis (hint: I did) but it reveals itself relative fast.
  Grammar:
  Some minor flaws that break the immersion of the reading still exists. There's a few weird analogies or sayings in there that doesn't really fit or doesn't sound right when you say it out loud. But overall, it is 90% smooth.
  Character:
  I did not read far enough to get a good grasp on the character, but their defining traits are all clearly laid out from the get-go in how they act and speak to others around them. Their thoughts are also exposed to reveal their inner desires and motivations, which is why I mentioned the intricate web of relationships and interactions between them. This is the major selling point of the novel from my limited perspective.
  Overall, I love the story idea and the characters the most, though some effort needs to be put in to handle some weird sayings or writing. I'm not a native speaker, so it makes it double effort for me. Give it a try!
• A. StargazerRoyal Road

  ★★★★★ 4.5

  I mean the review title in a good way, of course.  I'd certainly be interested in playing with the author if he can consistently manage a setup like this.  The author is off to a pretty solid start to a good fantasy novel.
  Story wise, the plot seems to be 'seeking the ancient treasure and finding the ancient evil, while some other bad guys get in the way.'  Character wise, the rogue is roguy, the bard is bardy, the dwarf is dwarfy, and the ranger is twelve.  Overall an interesting party that can be spun together to make an interesting story.  I mean, it's not dragonlance, but it's pretty good so far.
  The author does seem to have some grammatical issues sometimes, as other commenters have pointed out, but he seems to be working hard to improve on this front.
  The action scenes are well done and the combat is engaging.  The story opens with a torture scene, which is a little darker than I was expecting going in, but the story does have the gore tag so I can't complain.  Perhaps it could use a little more background on why the torture is necessary, though.
  Overall, I'd say it looks promising.
• PerlanceRoyal Road

  ★★★★★ 4.5

  So, the story is so far normal, find the evil and stop it before it's too late. This is not a bad thing, it's a story we've read a thousand times and will read a thousand more. What makes this a bit unique is the intro to the story had a twist in how it introduced Drovic, one of the main players so far. A very pleasant surprise! I hope for more unique twists and turns as I continue the story.
  That's what I have for style and story, when it comes to grammar the story suffers, it really needs an editing pass. Something I bet grammarly or something similar can help with. The score here detracts from the whole. The author however seems to know this and is working on it, I will re-read it in the future and update my scoring (hopefully!)
  Nothing to say about characters, they're believeable, unique and fit into the story and setting. No character seems overly dumb or overly clever, there's a balance here.
  I look forward to continuing the story to see what other delightful twists and turns await me.  I have no qualms about scoring this a 4,5 for now and updating the score to a potential five in the future, a comfort-read in itself should be scored for what surprises it can give you along the way and this story started of strong in that department!
• RosemundasRoyal Road

  ★★★★★ 4.5

  What a read! The first chapter was definitely one of the roughest and most disturbing I've read in a fantasy. Afterwards, the narrative proceeds with a sense of overall foreboding and danger that reminds me of Robert Jordon's Wheel of Time Series.
  It's intriguing so far. The characters are well-drawn. I definitely like Rebecca, who I suspect is going to get more adventure in her life than even she would ask for. I even like Drovoc, who needs some serious therapy, poor man!
  This serial definitely hits some of the familiar fantasy tropes, too. A mysterious stranger with a dark secret who may signal a coming doom—a young woman longing for more excitement than her small village offers—an old bard who was once an adventurer—these characters are all familiar, and that’s not a bad thing at all. As for the true villains of the piece—they’re definitely the worst of the worst. The goblins are savage, cruel, and ruthless, and there are creepy monsters running around who are definitely up to no good, serving the Red Queen of Bone Keep.
  I’d be interested to see how the world-building and story progresses. There are dwarves, elves, goblins, snake-like and toad-like monsters, brownies, and humans—it’s an interesting mix for sure.
• BullerRoyal Road

  ★★★★ 4.0

  First comment: Chapters vary in length greatly. Not bad. Just weird.
  Secondly, I get the other guy saying this reminds him of old fics. This story relies very heavily on being descriptive of everything from the surroundings to how the people talk. It's, again, not bad but a different from what we usually get.
  Sentences does tend to go off for a bit longer than they should, making reading a bit of a chore at some points. Something to watch out for. Commas are weird sometimes but not to a point it becomes unreadable. Grammar? That part does need work.
  Still not sure on the personalities. Lots of people. It likely needs a few more chapters to actually flesh out those introduced already.
  4/5 from me