The Miracle

Information

Status

Hiatus

Year

2021

Author

pheonyx

• The Miracle
  Oct 9, 2024
• Chapter 1
  May 20, 2021

Reviews

Community Reviews(4)

• MK bk-201Royal Road

  ★★★★★ 5.0

  Pretty good short story about a reporter doing a story about a cult, normally the signs of a cult are pretty obvious so when the people here act mostly normal is eerie, but when the person or god who people worship is braindead you know things are more than they seem.
• Mik WilkensRoyal Road

  ★★★★★ 5.0

  The Miracle is a compact little story that manages to do a lot in a short space: introduce an interesting character, set up a creepy cult, and build to a satisfying ending.
  STYLE : 5 Stars
  The writing style is engaging, easy to read, and often quite funny. Told in first person, it does an excellent job of introducing the narrator, Max, without being at all obvious about it. You really feel like you're inside Max's head, hearing his thoughts.
  GRAMMAR : 5 Stars
  The grammar, punctuation, and all of the other technical aspects of the writing were impeccable. I never once had to pause or reread something because of a missing comma or strange typo.
  CHARACTER : 5 Stars
  Just being inside Max's ahead for this short adventure let's you know everything you need to know about him: his profession, his backstory, his attitudes. Superb writing.
  STORY : 4.5 Stars
  I saved this one for last since I did have a tiny problem with some of the comments made about cults and cultists that were inaccurate. I would have thought that any journalist who won a Pulitzer for a story on a cult would know more about cults than what is shown in the story. I suspect this has more to do with the author's lack of knowledge, rather than an indication that the MC didn't know. Most readers probably wouldn't notice the inaccuracies, but I know a bit about cults so was able to spot them.
  OVERALL : 5 Stars
  Despite the hiccup with the information about cultists, this story easily earns 5 stars.
  Anyone looking for a fast and fun read should give this story a shot.
• StrawberryRainRoyal Road

  ★★★★★ 5.0

  You can put it in your pocket! Very consumable.
  A fun little read that still manages to be well-paced and beautifully suspenseful along the way. The author does a lovely job at building up to the climax in an impressively short period of time--a special talent in the short story world, and not so easy to pull off. Less than 3k words is nothing to sneeze at, in terms of weaving something gripping in a timeframe so small.
  Award-winning investigator Maxwell knows cults. The Pulitzer said so. Even so, there's something different about Allie's House, and the resident miracle worker is nothing short of concerning by looks alone. She's the center of an ominous solar system, and Max is subsequently in over his head. Sub-3k words leaves little to spoil--you'll be done in a flash, given how easily the immersion hits. As such, the twist-y ending is very much worth the path it takes to get there.
  Grammar is gorgeous. Spotless. Chef's kiss. Mwah.
  To craft a whole character in a short story is, too, no easy feat. Maxwell sticks out like a sore thumb in the best way, cut from the pages of a modern stage and glued to an eerie story--surrounded by eerie people. The contrast is wonderfully conveyed, both through conflicting dialogue patterns and otherwise. Once again, the ending hits that much harder for it.
  A fast read that's well worth it, if you're looking for something small to eat. Three cheers for short stories!
• ninyakitty1998Royal Road

  ★★★★★ 5.0

  Definitely get some mega horror movie vibes from this story. Maxwell seems to be trying to find his place in the journalistic world, and has bitten off a bit more than he can chew. I love his little thoughts in between dialogue, and the way he kind of grimaces through each encounter with the cult. I also love the descriptions of the woman performing the miracles; saying she's trapped, her eyes lifeless as she sits in a chair and waits to perform another miracle... it's very vivid and engaging! I love how tealery has such haunting stories, and I can't wait to read more.