Where the darkness ends and you begin

Information

Status

Hiatus

Year

2024

Author

the_Enn_Gee

• Chapter 7 - In Town
  Feb 2, 2024
• Chapter 6 - Reconciliation with light and dark
  Jan 31, 2024
• Chapter 5 - The necessities of shadows
  Jan 29, 2024
• Chapter 4 - Carving the self
  Jan 28, 2024
• Chapter 3 - Kaza's Return
  Jan 28, 2024
• Chapter 2 - Meeting Kaza
  Jan 27, 2024
• Chapter 1 - Adrift
  Jan 27, 2024

Reviews

Community Reviews(5)

• MonoDrakenRoyal Road

  ★★★★★ 5.0

  I would like to start by saying that this story was quite a surprise. I didn't have much expectations with the summary being quite short, but what was inside was far more than I anticipated.
  Style: The writing style is something that I absolutely adore. The way that the story has been written with its tone helps convey all of the events within the plot in a artistic and mesmerizing way. There are details that pull me into the story and helps build up my immersion, something that I'm quite jealous of myself. Detailed descriptions litter the story that helps provide perspective into the character's head and brings you into Lirran's headspace, something that I myself am quite grateful for.
  Story: As this is ten chapters, there isn't too much to go off of as of now. However, what there is written is quite entertaining. We get to see the circumstance of Lirran and how he tries to go on with life in this strange situation he has found himself in. It is a bit of a slow read, but that's fine: it sets the stage for the type of person the main character is.
  Character: The main character is someone that we're following most of the time and his interactions are something we are privy to. We get to see what his thoughts are to several events of the story, albeit brief as there are only ten chapters to go off of thus far. However, the character of Lirran is well thought out and displayed in all his glory, especially when he has to interact with Kaza. It does make one connect with these two as they go through the events of the plot, though what is to come from their actions is yet to be seen thus far.
  Grammar: I didn't see any egregious grammar issues with the story at all. In fact, I'd like to say I quite enjoyed reading this story as there weren't constant grammar mistakes over and over throughout the lines. I would say without a doubt that this story is definitely written by someone quite proficient with the English language.
  Overall, I would highly recommend you take a look at
• thalia.Royal Road

  ★★★★★ 5.0

  style:
  'where darkness ends and you begin' is a story told from 3rd person's perspective that is rich with artistic descriptions and vivid imagery. while it can be argued that the narration style leans towards purple prose at times, it is clear that it is intentional, as the prose maintains an atmospheric and immersive tone throughout. it is a story that is heavily imbued with emotion and depth, where readers can find themselves resonating with the words as they are transported into this brand-new world.
  story:
  as the first nine chapters unfold to introduce the world and the protagonist to the audience, it is clear that the author has carefully plotted and planned the narrative and the character arcs. as a story that is centred around redemption and not giving into the darker parts of ourselves, it is very well-paced and compelling to read and i hope the author continues this as the story progresses.
  grammar:
  there were a couple of hiccups with the grammar here and there, but these were very few and far between and did not hinder the reading experience.
  characters:
  the characters are where the story shines the most. the protagonist, lirran, is a complex character, grappling with internal turmoil as he reconciles his past wrongdoings which help push the narrative forward. with the guidance of kaza, a being of the dark waters known as a tzappatt, lirran now aims to do better and joins kaza’s mission to seek and destroy evil.
  both characters are well-realised, with flaws and motivations that are engaging to read. and now as the story has completed its set-up, it will be interesting to see how it all develops as the cast expands beyond these two. readers will be invested as they join lirran in how he navigates the challenges around him and continues to grow and develop himself.
  overall, 'where darkness ends and you begin' is a gripping story that explores the complexities of the human condition that i cannot help but recommend to those who enjoy such stories.
• PhysicleRoyal Road

  ★★★★★ 4.5

  Overall: 4.5 stars. This is a slow-burn read. It's a bit heavy because of the immediate subject matter, but even if that's not your thing, I implore readers to be patient and keep going. I know I'm glad I did.
  Style: Third person single character viewpoint here. I'm digging the philosophical style it's written in, and the flourishing prose it's done with. There's a lot of thinking going on here, and the exposition is well fleshed-out and descriptive. The way it transitions between the waking world and the dream world works great and gives it a unique style I haven't encountered before.
  Story: We follow Lirran who's adrift at see, despairing at his situation, and who has decided that he would rather explore and join the world of dreamers, than the slow death of thirst and starvation.
  Just as he's about to succumb to a monster, by chance, he encounters another dreamer, Kaza, who decides to take him under her wing. The tempo of the story works in its favour, and Lirran acquiesces to become Kaza's apprentice - of a sort.
  What follows are a series or moral and ethical dilemmas, while we're treated to the background of why Lirran is alone in the boat in the middle of the sea. He starts following Kaza's demands and starts his journey of redemption and salvation, to make up for the mistakes in his past--which are plentiful and taboo.
  Grammar: Written in the past tense, I couldn't really find anything wrong except a few words missing here or there. The 4 star rating is because of that, and the fact that without the conversation breaks that are missing in some places, it can be a bit hard to follow who's thinking what. A bit of polish wouldn't be amiss in that regard. No homophonic errors which is a big plus for me, when I do reviews.
  Characters: Having been only presented the two characters so far, Lirran and Kaza are still in the middle of developing their relationship to each other at the writing of this review.
  Lirran is remorseful and sad, having been dealt a bad turn in
• skilly7717Royal Road

  ★★★★ 4.0

  Style (5/5): The author does a good job of really painting the picture in your head. Each description is told in a unique way that really sucks the reader in. The details are there and the flow from paragraph to paragraph fits.
  Grammar (4/5): There were a few hiccups in the grammar. There were a few sentences that felt dragged and occasional typos. Nothing to ruin the reader’s experience though. Also, I noticed that the author doesn’t go back and edit the spelling/grammar suggestions from the comments.
  Story (4/5): The story is really good. It starts with a man alone at sea, drifting into nothingness. He’s regretful and wants to die, but instead of dying, he joins the dreamer world. From there, the story kicks off with Lirran wanting to right his wrongs. It’s a slow burn with not a lot happening, but what is happening is fairly interesting.
  Characters (4.5/5): So far, there are only two characters: Lirran and Kaza. Lirran is our depressed MC wanting to right his wrongs. He’s a realistic character with internal struggles that push the plot forward. So far, he’s an interesting character with a lot of promise. Paired with Kaza, a sea creature trying to get rid of evil, their relationship and journey is going to be a good one.
  Overall (4.5/5): It’s a beautifully written story. The style is perfect with a promising premise. Lirran and Kaza are great characters with room to grow and develop in the future. It’s worth to give this story a go!
• TastelessRoyal Road

  ★★★★ 3.5

  Style
  There's little that can't be solved with an editing pass. There are minor contradictions, typos, awkward sentences, imprecise or redundant language. With a bit of work this could shine.
  Grammar
  No complaints.
  Story
  There is a dream-scape and a person adrift at sea, alone, and starving. He has lived a life of regret, he throws caution to the wind and decides to explore this dream-scape in far more exacting detail than his as yet unintroduced mentor allowed. He intends to die. He is saved by a fellow dream walker.
  The conceit is excellent. There is grand potential here for an emotionally resonant story with plenty of room for the big questions, is life worth living, what makes a person good or bad etc - and some fun lore/mysticism in addition.
  It could go in any number of directions and any of those directions could lead to a satisfying and interesting total package.
  Character
  This could well change as the story develops, however after some ten thousand words our principle character, Lirran, is placid and featureless - I know he's depressed, and I have a short list of reasons why, but no details, and no reason to care.
  Kaza manages to remain intriguing due to her role and place in the world.
  P.S The title is rad.