What Masks We Wear (old)

Self-Published

Community Rating

Description

This is a story set in a world of powers and heroes.

Archer is not a hero. He is a villain and a new member of one of the worlds most infamous organizations, whose goals and means mystify any who come into contact with them... even the members of said organization, heh. It also doesn't help that the world at large doesn't know magic actually exists outside of fiction, most just assume it's yet another power. And it only gets worse when secrets are being kept between every lie innocently told.

(What to expect.

- a slice of life story spliced with a heaping of Saturday morning cartoon villains managing their feelings (stuff might get dark but they'll get better)

- a lot of fights with heroes among other shenanigans

- a touch of a mystery

- a tiger... and a rabbit... and many other animals)

(also yes I do plan on making/commissioning a better cover one day to replace the AI photo... someday)

Information

Status: Cancelled
Year: 2023
Author: RandomGuy18

Royal Road Stats

Rating: 4.6/ 5.0
Followers: 34
Views: 18,056

Reviews

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

Community Reviews(4)

LordGrim22Royal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
One of the best novels I have ever read. I love the Mc and the other characters. It's hard to find a good anti hero novel like this so keep up the good work author. Every time I read a chapter I want to read the next one to know what happens next. The only problem is that it takes some time for a new chapter to come out so idk maybe the author can find a way to upload chapters faster will be good but besides that everything is good and I love the novel. Plz don't drop this novel it's amazing and I love it. Keep up the good work.
Advanced review at least 200 words Advanced review at least 200 wordsAdvanced review at least 200 wordsAdvanced review at least 200 wordsAdvanced review at least 200 wordsAdvanced review at least 200 wordsAdvanced review at least 200 wordsAdvanced review at least 200 wordsAdvanced review at least 200 wordsAdvanced review at least 200 wordsAdvanced review at least 200 wordsAdvanced review at least 200 wordsAdvanced review at least 200 wordsAdvanced review at least 200 wordsAdvanced review at least 200 wordsAdvanced review at least 200 wordsAdvanced review at least 200 wordsAdvanced review at least 200 wordsAdvanced review at least 200 wordsAdvanced review at least 200 wordsAdvanced review at least 200 wordsAdvanced review at least 200 wordsAdvanced review at least 200 wordsAdvanced review at least 200 wordsAdvanced review at least 200 wordsAdvanced review at least 200 wordsAdvanced review at least 200 wordsAdvanced review at least 200 wordsAdvanced review at least 200 wordsAdvanced review at least 200 wordsAdvanced review at least 200 wordsAdvanced review at least 200 wordsAdvanced review at least 200 wordsAdvanced review at least 200 wordsAdvanced review at least 200 wordsAdvanced review at least 200 wordsAdvanced review at least 200 wordsAdvanced review at least 200 wordsAdvanced review at least 200 wordsAdvanced review at least 200 wordsAdvanced review at least 200 wordsAdvanced review at least 200 wordsAdvanced review at least 200 wordsAd
Larkspur WrenRoyal Road
★★★★★ 4.5
This author knows exactly what makes superhero stories fun and packs it into their story in spades. The over-the-top action, the banter, the arrogance AND the self-esteem issues being on two sides of the same coin... Everything you expect from a rip-roaring superhero/villain yarn is all here. This combined with early worldbuilding that promises both scale and intricacy, certainly makes What Masks We Wear one to watch.
STYLE
For the most part, the story is competently and efficiently told through Archer the protagonist's first-person narration. The action is snappy and fast-paced, with a distinct rhythm that almost makes you think you're reading a comic book. The tone is light and humourous with just the right amount of self-deprecation to give Archer's worldview a distinctively likeable voice.
My only real issue here is with the inconsistent change in tense. My personal impression is that the author wants to convey the action through the more immediate and off-kilter present tense, but sentences often shift back and forth between past and present tenses (often within the same sequence of events) with seemingly no logical pattern (at least none that I could detect).
It's hard for me to say whether this was an intentional effect, but I personally found it a bit distracting. YMMV, however, and it's also something that could be easily changed on subsequent edits.
GRAMMAR
It's clear that the author has good command of the language and is a more than capable storyteller. However, various typos, errors, capitalization inconsistencies, and missing prepositions do crop up here and there. It doesn't detract from the enjoyment of the story and, while noticeable, isn't anything that another round of edits couldn't fix.
STORY
This is where I won't hesitate to give full marks, as I was immediately drawn in by the vision this author has for their fictional world. The superpowers, while grounded in the familiar, offer enough tweaks to the formula to keep readers on their toes.
The
Conrad StokesRoyal Road
★★★★ 4.0
Disclaimer: This review is for a review/comment swap with the author. I have read a little over 11k words.
Style/Story: Right off the bat this story had me simultaneously hooked and put off. Subjectively, I am not the biggest fan of superpower/hero/villain stories, hence why I read this fiction a little warily. Yet the author did a fine job in writing a story that sets itself apart in a saturated genre. The perspective of the MC is an interesting one, given that he is a hero and the organization that he is a part of gives a vibe that makes me think that there is more under the surface that what is presented. That depth that the author makes propels the story along as we see the MC interacting with the setting and learning alongside him in an organic manner without too much exposition dumps.
Characters: This is probably the weakest part and the bias in me want to attribute it to the genre of the story. Some of the characters are a bit like caricatures and they do not contrast well with the more realistic and grounded protagonist (despite the fact that said protagonist is also superpowers).
Grammar: Very good. It did not take me out of the story a single time.
Overall this is a well written story. Not my personal favorite genre, so take this review with a grain of salt. If superpowers are your jam, you’ll dig this story.
Ronathan02Royal Road
★★★★ 4.0
This is my first review on this site! What Masks We Wear is a stylishly distinct, fun superhero romp with good world building and action. I enjoyed reading through it, having read about 8 chapters so far.
STYLE: 'What Masks We Wear' has a very frenetic style, paragraphs are short (sometimes just a line to emphasize something), and the story often involves internal monologues and text conversations between characters. For me this all worked pretty well, it gave the story a comic book feel where things moved fast. I can see it not being everyone's cup of tea though.
GRAMMAR: I didn't notice any major grammar issues throughout the read, it's possible I missed some but nothing took me out of the story.
STORY: The first chapter of 'What Masks We Wear' does a great job in investing you into the story, by the end of the chapter there's a sense that the protagonist has unintentionally started the ball rolling on the plot. It got me interested quick and that's a good thing. My only gripe is that there's a lot of things that are shown to the reader and not explained right away, and that can be a bit overwhelming.
CHARACTER: The first person narration gives a ton of characterization to the protagonist, even when he's doing mundane tasks. You get a good sense of the rebellious nature of Archer just from how he expresses himself in each chapter. He's a fun protagonist to be in the head of. The rest of the cast is fine so far, with hints to their deeper traits.
Overall I recommend 'What Masks We Wear', despite its issues its turning out to be a really fun and interesting story with influences from comic books to anime.