Anonymous

i really enjoy this series...

Reviewed: 04-08-24

I think this author is a bit more ambitious than others in this genre... the world building is one thing, but I enjoy the philosophy dear author is trying to flesh out through these characters. This is the sort of world I would love to write a character into

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I enjoy the series very much!

Reviewed: 06-19-23

One thing I have to applaud is that this story was actually carried out to a neat and sound conclusion. I'm frustrated by other book series that Fail to bring it all back together.

Being a good writer is one thing, but being able to actually finish what you start... That is a triumph for a writer! There are so many songs what you've been cut off midway through the chorus. The songs of ice and fire are a perfect example of this. No one wants to get emotionally invested in these characters and worlds for them to just be cut. Short, so congratulations on a completed series. I can't wait to show my daughter.

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I slept on this one.

Reviewed: 06-03-23

if I'm honest... Luke is not my favorite narrator- to the point I couldn't get through the first chapter for and shelved this one for months! but I give him credit for his passion and energy! when I finally embraced the book, I wasn't disappointed. I also like Blaise's take on the whole rebirth/cultivation genre. Looking forward to seeing if this world ties into the Delvers at all universe

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Let us exchange pointers, then.

Reviewed: 03-29-23

This series is a fun take o. the xianxia genre. Character driven plots require a sense of voice/tone that is malleable... Imagine if the entire story was told from a specific viewpoint and ask... How would the story change? CF is great at showing without telling. I like that he emphasizes the development of each character over the broader world building themes and cultivator lore. There's plenty philosophical musing on the Tao, but it is firmly couched in the connectedness of people/places rather than the typical path to power these stories focus on. I gained some insights from these stories. breath of fresh air.

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good cultivation story with potential

Reviewed: 02-17-23

I liked this one. Not quite on the level of Cradle, or Thousand Li in terms of Prose, but the stakes are high and the scope of the world he's building is vast enough to keep me curious. Protagonist isn't perfect, but his motivations are realistic and his opportunities are as much a product of effort as they are luck.

My main criticism is the editing. the combat scenes were pretty good, but there were times David dives deep into the inner workings of the main character... but many times these deep dives were at inopportune moments in the story and presented more distraction then exposition. Flashbacks are great rhetorical devices when employed correctly, but if employed incorrectly or too heavily relied upon, the flow of The narrative becomes disjointed and wonky.

An example of this would be the Rocky movies, where you get this montage of Stallone training and becoming an absolute beast... when the fight is shown, you already know who's who and what's what. you get to enjoy this dramatic clash; the swollen eyes, busted noses and bloody lips. the focus is entirely on the fight and the participants and the audience.

There were flashes of brilliance in this book. at times I was inspired enough to visualize and internalize the imagery David was painting with his words. I think with a bit more polishing, his work could definitely be up there with Tao Wong, or Will Wight.

Zachary did a great job reading and capturing the tone of this book. the only criticism I have for him is that I would like to hear more diversity in the range of voices. one sign of a great reader is a wide range of male and female voices, as well as a range between young and old, benevolent and malevolent. separating the tone of narration from the point of view of characters... it's all easier said than done, I know, but so much more color and definition manifest in a story when the reader is capable of these things.. some stories simply wouldn't be bearable were it not for readers like Andrea Parsneau, Jeff Hayes, Travis baldree and many others. I think Zach is well on his way and I look forward to seeing him and David evolve with this series. definitely worth the credit

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this was a good book!

Reviewed: 10-06-22

I enjoyed the dynamic between the two leads... The lusty bits were tastefully delivered and the pace of the story was good. Cebelius delivers.

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this was a fun ride!

Reviewed: 08-06-22

Jeff Hays is the man and I can tell he really had fun with this one

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another home run!

Reviewed: 02-23-22

Travis Bagwell is a genius. Plot, setting, character; it's all well fleshed out and ever expanding into the sort of series I'd be proud to have in paperback in my personal library. This theme of living life to the fullest, embracing our mortality and developing our character through tribulation is rarely executed as well in other works of the genre.

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great story telling

Reviewed: 10-24-20

I am so impressed by this series. It is among my favorites along with the Divine Dungeon, Awaken Online and Delvers. character driven plots are the best when done well. descriptive prose, Time skips, fight scenes, levity, and a sprawling world that expands far beyond a books pages. Will is improving with every book and avoiding all the standard pitfalls that come with wuxia and fantasy tropes.

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pleasantly surprised!

Reviewed: 09-04-20

I can tell that Daniel has put in more effort with his rhetorical Style. I look forward to seeing how he structures the story going forward, the progression of our hero and the slow expansion of this world of Aether

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1 person found this helpful