Whimpers of the Light

Self-Published

Community Rating

Description

The world has ended.Alek knows this well. He’s one of the last few, aimless and broken; part of those who roam the silent ruin. Part of those who carry the weight of the past. Until one day, he finds a house. And through a simple game of chance and choices, he is set upon a path he never intended to walk.Elsewhere, at the same time, Victoria escapes the place that raised her: an underground bunker where humanity's "lucky ones" clung to twisted ideals. Bloodied but unbroken, she steps into a land she knows nothing about. A land that can't be worse than what she left behind... right?For when a world that made little sense collapse, what's left in its wake is nothing short of madness. So what happens when the end is caused by something worse than human?

Status:Part 1: [Ended and Revised]Alek and Victoria realise that the worst thing in this world doesn't come from the past. Meanwhile, a lonely child wanders around the wasteland.Part 2: [Ended and Revised]A blast awaken new threats. Old ennemies cross path.

Part 3: [Ended and Revised]Factions fall and rise. And communication becomes the key.

Part 4 - Finale: [Ended and Revised]Destinies meet in the craddle of mankind.

Volume 2: Programmed but not yet planned (expected 2027)

* Chapters oscillate between 2000 and 3500 words (average 2500)* Violence, Difficult topics (But not over the top)* Fiction cover made by the talentedx_luminous-x* Cover for Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3 made by the wonderfulWandering Brain Spasm* Cover for WOTL Four Seasons made by me on Figma using a Flickr Commons picture.

NOTICE: If you've come to this story from anywhere other than Royal Road, you're reading a stolen copy. Please help support myself and Royal Road authors by heading over tohttps://www.royalroad.com/fiction/96383/whimpers-of-the-light-post-apo-psychological-horrorand reading there. Thank you!

Information

Status: Completed
Year: 2024
Author: ElectrikBlue

Royal Road Stats

Rating: 4.8/ 5.0
Followers: 195
Views: 51,733

Reviews

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

Community Reviews(10)

mitspeilerRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
This is truly one of the better stories I've read on this website, if not the best. Normally I try to arrange m reviews in a sort of compliment sandwich format but I have very little bad to say about this story so I'll just freestyle it. Overall score is 5/5 despite minor quibbles that I'll get to later. if we were grading it like in school it would be something like 98%. A+
Style: Rich and sumptuous prose like something I would read in a hardback professionally published book, and indeed better than some of the traditionally published books I've read. There are a few artistic choices that I myself would not have made, such as waiting so long to reveal our main characters' names. But I can't make myself deduct points for those changes when I consider that if this *were* traditionally published I would have definitely knocked the existing chapters out in an afternoon, which would make the slowburn of it all less noticeable.
Grammar: not much to say here, it's perfectly grammatical. You can tell it was edited strictly, every line pored over until perfect.
Story: I can't award full points here not due to any fault of the writer but because the story has just not really progressed very much in these few chapters that are up. I also can't really perceive the shape of what's to come, other than that our three protags will certainly meet up in the future. I don't know if there is to be a quest or a hook, or if this will merely be a tale of survival. Whatever happens I am sure will be grand, and in the future I will adjust this score.
Character: The characters have a lot of interiority. While the plot progression lags, the inner world of our protagonists shines. That being said, I don't find our two adult protagonists quite as interesting as the delightful Boy, or rather Milo, and his Dog. I have a soft spot for precocious kid characters and he is very lovable and I am worried about him constantly. s the story progresses in the future I may adjust this score as well.
Overal
BeomJunKooRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Whimpers Of The Light follows several groups of people in a TLOU-esque apocalypse potentially driven by something far greater than human comprehension - the humanly flawed Average Joe survivors, a lone child with nothing but a machine for a companion, the typical post-apocalyptic factions of violet people you don't wanna run into, and mysterious Lovecraftian entities watching it all unfold.
All the aforementioned characters play their part well in both showing many different aspects of how the apocalypse has affected what's left of humanity and giving us unique narratives that'll constantly keep you guessing as to how they might play out, or even converge with one another. So far my personal favorite is the child, Milo - his young innocence provides some very good emotional weight to the story due to how much it contrasts with the vicious world he's been left in.
Crafting such a story and characters is a writing style that's simple but immersive, with hardly any grammar issues. It really knew how to effectively ignite in me the best reactions and emotions during scenes warranting such things like any good story ought to (such as sending all sorts of shivers up my spine while reading about the terrifying abominations the apocalypse has to offer, or genuine "oh crap" moments guaranteed to catch you off guard as much as a horror movie jumpscare, etc.).
I honestly can't relay anything but praise for this review, but that's because the story deserves it, and I'm unable to find something to say otherwise on - well done!
CKJ5Royal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Disclaimer: This review is based on the opening chapter and may not reflect the story as a whole.
Whimpers of the Light is described as a post-apocalyptic story featuring grimdark, horror, mystery elements, and multiple leads.
The story opens with one of the protagonists scavenging for usable goods in a desolate world. The author’s prose excels at painting a vivid, bleak picture of daily life in this setting while also revealing glimpses of the protagonist’s hope and imagination for a world long gone.
Grammatically, the chapter is solid, and the writing is vivid and engaging. However, I had one issue with the introduction: I didn’t know who the protagonist was. The author doesn’t provide a name or much identifying detail for the point-of-view character, referring to them only as “he” throughout the chapter. While this could be a stylistic choice, it didn’t fully resonate with me. The lack of specificity made it harder to connect with the character, and each scene break left me briefly wondering if the perspective had shifted.
Overall:
Whimpers of the Light is a well-crafted story that paints a grim and evocative picture of survival in a post-apocalyptic world. Despite my minor critique about the protagonist’s introduction, I enjoyed reading this chapter and look forward to seeing where the story goes next.
CervineComedyRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
I absolutely adore the atmosphere of these stories! You can feel the gritty desperation of the characters in the broken world they’re forced to exist in, and the description of the scenery is done so incredibly well! If you like post apocalyptic tales than you will definitely love this! I cannot wait to read more
L.J.P. GuoRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Whimpers of the Light is a vivid and compelling read not just for horror fans (though if you do crave gritty post-apocalyptic fare such as 28 Days Later or Children of Men, you are sure to be a fan), but for anyone looking for something intense, thrilling, and brimming with emotion.
The story follows Alek, Victoria, and Milo, three survivors fighting for their lives in a post-apocalyptic world. The story is a poignant and poetic take on what it means to be human—what it means to live rather than just be alive.
Through multiple POVs, the author explores the characters’ different worlds, both the ones they lose in “the End,” and the new ones that have risen in their place, weaving a detailed and intricate web of interlocking realities that slowly unravel over time.
Bit by bit, we learn about the horrors that inhabit this new world, from the hauntingly sorrowful to the truly terrifying, and discover that sometimes the worst kind of monsters are the ones who look just like us.
This eerie and often chilling backdrop stands in stark contrast to the beautiful writing that is in and of itself a work of art. Add to this the masterful storytelling that takes you through highs and lows, that dangles you off cliffs and pulls you back just before you fall, and you have the recipe for a truly fantastic story.
All in all, Whimpers of the Light is a masterclass in tension-building. It’s deeply imaginative and emotionally profound, the kind of story that will break your heart, put it back together, and then break it again. If you’re looking for something that will give you chills in all the right ways, this is certainly it.
Lack of PoochlineRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Maybe because It is not cottagecore, it isn't marketed as cottagecore, and there's nothing cozy about a post-apocalypse.
But isn't cottagecore about escaping the horrors of modern society and living up in the mountain like a little crafty goblin barely scraping by and worrying about the scarcity of antidepressants? Then who are you to argue that this post apocalyptic story flooded with shambling horrors is NOT COZY AND COTTAGECORE?
There are no world ending stakes so far, as the world already ended. Characters are in mortal peril only about every other chapter. The sweet embrace of death is probably better than whatever the Scavengers have going on (Unless it is Stacy's mom) and The Children are just some Sunday Church Club that got out of hand and now has lovecraftian cult sensitivities.
10/10 I'd read about Alek baking (some FUCKING COMMON SENSE into horrible experiments escaped from a shady laboratory) again.
Now onto the real review.
Whimpers of the light is , in many ways, your classic zombie apocalypse. I trust i don't need to describe the overall genre to you. But the focus is not on the immediate fall, in the few months after the infection begins spreading. No, more than a decade has spanned, a cult that wants some sort of (so far) unspecified new world has grown, most shit has been looted, and some survivors (the Scavengers) have organized in several underground and overground strongholds. Also it has, thanks to god, no fucking system.
The story focus on the initially separate stories of 3 characters, and we have some chapters to show the antagonists actions too. The three main characters are Alek, a late thirties ro early forties (At least those are the vibes i get from him) seasoned survivor that has, it seems, been avoiding survivor groups since then, managing to sue his craftiness and scientific background to remain alive.
Then you have Victoria, a woman or a naked mole rat (50/50) that escaped from an underground bunker and was only a child when the
MaloryRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
I really enjoyed reading these chapters.
The opening of this novel is beautifully atmospheric, with a lovely blend of action and quiet introspection. The writing alternates between minimalist action and lush descriptions which create a vivid post-apocalyptic world. At times, the description might be a touch overdone - especially in the high-tension moment. Likewise, whilst the dialogue is natural and largely very well done, it occasionally lapses into exposition-heavy territory, slightly breaking immersion.
The characters are all very effectively realised, each bringing their own perspectives to enhance the narrative. Alek’s pragmatism and Victoria’s resilience anchor the narrative in survivalist realism which I think are my favourite bits. Their vulnerabilities and internal conflicts are compelling and their interactions could deepen as the story progresses.
The chapters weave together well, balancing character-driven moments with escalating external threats. The blend of personal stakes and overarching mysteries keeps the tension high. The worldbuilding is subtle yet effective, with enough intrigue to keep the reader guessing. However, clearer hints about the larger stakes—beyond immediate survival—would add narrative weight.
This is a gripping, well-crafted start that blends human vulnerability with a foreboding, dangerous world. Sharpening the pacing and refining character interactions could elevate it further. A great read!!!
Panda01Royal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Now, post-apocalyptic stories often get paired with systems or superpowers, but this one breaks the mold. It’s gritty, dark, and has a raw edge that could easily tip into horror, and I am absolutely here for it. The world the author has crafted feels tense and unsettling, pulling you right into the grit and darkness of survival. It’s amazing, and sometimes, as I read, I felt like I was right there in those haunting scenes.
Yes, there are some grammar mistakes here and there, but considering that English isn’t the author’s first language, it’s easy to overlook. The storytelling is that captivating. I’m rooting for Alek and Victoria, two characters who are not just “good”—they’re nearly human, which only adds to the intensity. They are flawed and complex, fitting seamlessly into the atmosphere and giving the story an almost realistic horror vibe.
The author’s world and characters drew me in deeply, and I was totally immersed in every page. This story has something unique and memorable about it—a post-apocalyptic journey that doesn’t just entertain but keeps you hooked in a way few others do.
I hope the author keeps on writing as I cant wait to see where this story goes
R. C. VettaRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Now I am not a huge reader of Post-Apocalypse Fictions, tend to start them and quickly abandon them.
This one is already one of my favorites!
The prose of this story is truly beautiful in its descriptions. The eloquence lulls you into a false sense of security before the fast pace action kicks in and sends you on a rollercoaster ride!
The characters are an endlessly fascinating mix of mystery and personality that gripped me. Before I knew what happened I was through 5 chapters.
I reread chapters 1 and 2 when I first came back to it not because I had to, but because those first couple of chapters are that excellent.
I dare so this story is a bit of a slow burn, but it doesn't feel like it. The author takes their time revealing the story they have carefully crafted for us to enjoy and if this genre is your bag then you are absolutely going to love this story.
I have to mention the way the story starts out with seemingly separate stories that slowly converge. The use of different characters works incredibly well as they each approach the dire situation in their own way, which adds some variety.
I really enjoy the deviations from the genre common tropes while still mixing in some familiar flavors to keep things familiar enough that you aren't completely lost.
If I haven't convinced you yet, then let me say again this is a favorite of mine! Top 2 and I can't decide the order!
fakerdakerhahahaRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
I have no words for this novel. No words, except phenomenal
Style and Story:
The first thing readers notice upon picking up this novel is how beautifully written it is. The prose stands out as both descriptive and poetic, which contrast so sharply with the post-apocalyptic vibe of a decaying world, where survivors and terrors alike roam in the deadly silence
Grammar:
I want to give this part a ten-star out of five. It’s just that good. Everything flow together perfectly and readers would be hard-pressed to find any error that could take them out of the wonderful reading session
Character:
At the moment, there are 3 “main characters”. However, given how this novel is quite keen on telling an organic and realistic post-apocalyptic tale, I wouldn’t be surprised if one or more of these protagonists will be given their final, peaceful rest in the future. Yet, it matters little, for while survivors might perish, the stories and impact they left behind will echo still, even against hopeless horrors
Alek is the eldest and most capable of all three. He is a tough and hardened survivor, scavenging whatever he could from the corpse of an old world just to live day-by-day. The dude radiates “old, caring grandpa veteran” vibe, and it’s no surprise that he’s one of fan’s favorites
Victoria is a tragic heroine, no doubt. Her lot and role in a post-apocalyptic world are depressing, to say the least. She had been beaten, betrayed and abused by all those she once loved. Yet, her will to live still burns brightly, and with the body count she’s left behind while fleeing from her tormentors, there’s little doubt that she will, in time, become a fearsome survivor as well
Milo is the “baby” of the bunch. Don’t let that fool you, though. Unlike the two adults, he’s far more familiar with this dark world, to the point of viewing a deadly runaway from monsters as one “fun” game. The boy has that optimistic, childlike innocence. That said, readers might fear for such a pure ray of sunlight, f