MarytheGorgon

I like the sea and I sure do love. kraken.

This novel is a full blown sea adventure. You are thrown straight into the action as soon as you begin reading. You can feel the waves hitting the boat as the characters run about cursing in a panic. You have the allure of a man fighting a kraken under the sea matched with another trying not to lose the rest of the crew. I rec this for anyone who likes fast paced stories that have unique battles and those who like pirates/marines in their stories. This has plenty of cursing, the violence isn't very graphic and detailed. The cursing we see is honesty comical with the terms used by characters. It fits the overall tone of a book about people at sea fighting gigantic monsters from below the surface. The characters are kind of just there but that's mainly because one or two has the spotlight currently. 

I was intrigued by this book's cover artwork and summary. I'm sad to say I honestly found this book really boring. I nearly dropped it a few times as I was waiting for anything new to happene. Thankfully, around chapter 17  - 19 my interest was grabbed. After the MC escapes the hell they were in the story elevates in every facet there is for a book. With the events that happen after this halfway point I finally got what all the seller near perfect reviews where saying. If u stay through a generic/boring first half you'll he rewarded with gold! 

Notice: I am getting a shoutout outta this so take this review as you will. Ty!

The author was not kidding when they said the science in this would be detailed and HEAVY. I recommend this book for anyone who likes science fiction that goes very deep into its roots. If you like cyberpunk and space operas, this for you. If you like a slow burning dystopian adventure, this is for you. 

I openly welcome the science fiction boom of 2023 on this site. I think this story shows just how good Scifi can be in a modern web serial form. Every chapter you are reading detailed explanations for why this futuristic thing exists, what's happening, how this world ticks, etc. 

The prologue is chunky and loooong. You need to reread it few times you're me to consume every detail. The chapters are chunky but explain things you were lost on. The author worked hard to make this world feel real. I feel like this government can exist and function and that this main character fits this world. 

While the story isn't for me, I understand completely the hype. This is a very deeply planned, well thought out, heavily researched take on a cyberpunk story that happens to be about progression. There's detailed food, ranks, military, money, etc. You cannot take the scifi out of this story, it's engraved its code. 

This story cannot be something you read for like 5 minutes. You have to sit and read this as I've explained, it is so wide spanning I was full brain wise by mid prologue. I honestly feel this would be better traditionally published from how grand it feels the author wants and is making it become with every update. 

I seriously applaud them. I'll definitely have to come back when it's complete to really spend time on it.

This is a part of a review swap if anyone is curious about it.

I genuinely enjoyed this story, you honestly wouldn't be able to tell that the author isn't a native speaker without them saying anything. There were some strange sentence structures here and there, along with some misused words but with that, it's still amazing and really simple. A simple story that can be read by anyone and clearly has stolen the hearts of many on the website. Honestly, you probably should read it just on that plot point as it's something I haven't seen used or taken inspiration from that often in web novels.

I like the shaman aspect, you don't really see that being used here, on royal road, that often or really in a web serial form. It is very simple in concept without many layers to it, no extra flare. Just a simple story that features the idea of another world with its own aspects, teachings, culture, etc. You can tell the author is planning to add to this story in many aspects and you should stick around. I read about six chapters worth and I thought it was written really clearly with a clear vision in the author's head when it was put into words and pages. 

I would to clarify when I say basic I mean every component to make a great story in this sub genre is here. I love the story and I think it does things rather well compared to others I've read and reviewed. But I would have to agree with others that the main characters aren't very special and rather mundane, but this is actually pretty good for the story so far. I've read six chapters and we've basically just begun to get the ball rolling. 

The girls death is after thought to the main plot as in its written and moved past fast. This isn't a bad thing as it shows that the author clearly wants to dive head first into the grind and stats aspect of being stuck in a VR. Which I'm super glad and pleased with as many (including myself) tend to add way to much fluff before moving onto the important parts that matter. 

I like both girls and how it's obvious one is more experienced than the other. The player types they chose also affective their mentalities and health in good and seriously sad ways, the teenagers in this story are truly going through it and not just from having died in a quick but brutal way. Nothing else has really happened plot wise besides grinding, learning more about the game and the affects of their avatars and the restrictions it gives them hitting the girls head on. So I cannot complain about it as I'm only 6 chapters in. 

If you like this genre but want a more slowed down, grind heavy and female lead story, give this a try. 

One of Alexa's best fictions on the website. I enjoyed what I've read so far alot as someone who enjoys young adult and fantasy novels. You can tell that Alexa put alot of thought into Thick as Thieves as the reader is slowly led into a very diverse and detailed world. She makes the idea of a corrupt government with magic in the setting unique when most YA/NA novels take place in similar concepts. 

Our MC is given a full voice of her own being written in 1st person and having a developed backstop by chapter 8. We know why she's a thief, what's at stake and how she views this world. And we meet other characters who are thieves or even possess magical abilities with guards around the corner. You feel like you are involved with the action the MC goes threw instead of just skimming until the end of the chapter, you read every bit of dialog eagerly. 

I decided to give this story a chance after seeing the rating and some reviews. I wanted to know if people were blowing things out of proportion or if maybe things were mistranslated by the story's advertising. 

I was sadly mistaken. As a girl, I've read some trauma porn and watched shows that basically through in rape or incest or whatever to make it "dark". We all have these days and I'm sure we all can stomach a rape scene or two.

However, killing rape victims came out of nowhere. This story was given the traumatizing content labels yes, but this felt like a poor attempt to show the MC that this world is unfriendly and dark. 

Also, why was the MC fine with murdering woman in cold blood when he was a adult in our world before he passed? He wasn't reborn in this world as a child. He didn't lose his memories and he didn't have something that caused his morals to change happen. 

It's very disturbing character wise but sloppy story wise. It comes out of nowhere and disrupts the flow of the story entirely. It could be edited out and I don't think much would change but then again stopped here after reading the disturbed comments other readers left. 

This isn't the first book I've read with this type of scene. And I have to say to pull it off, you need to add a reasoning for it in the world's setting and actual consequences of some sorts of murdering woman who one or more were noticeable pregnant. 

This is a very solid story for three chapters worth of a book. Something interesting to note is that this written in first person. This isn't very common on the site, especially for fantasy so I would like to give a heads up before reading. 

Something different this story also does is move slower. While some actions (waking up, finding Beau, etc) happened rather fast we are still clearly moving slower compared to what is planned. We've only now just met some locals in this forest and have learned about the creatures that the MC encountered. 

This made everything easier to digest while reading. I gave the story a lower score as while we moved slow and showed instead of yelled, i was kind of disinterested and wanted more. But this could easily be fixed with more chapters or longer ones if the author chooses. 

I love how this feels like a late 00s to early 10s fantasy book. Those books dropped a character into a unfamiliar world, slowly pushed the reader in headfirst and made you live out the fantasy. It feels like that is what the author is going for and I really enjoy it. And would love to agree on another reader's Eragon comparison as someone whose enjoyed that series as a kid.

I would like to say most of the grammar and spelling mistakes mentioned in comments have been fixed to my knowledge. It was a easy read, with the story moving a good pace for a web novel of this genre. I was really pleased that the author took the time to let us and the main character realize this new world is real. And not only is it real, but it has real dangers that aren't to be played with.

I stopped reading right before a major moment in the plot I will not spoil but it was exciting. I like how the author built up the intrigue, but way our pov character and ourselves feel the same confusion as the story shifts from a slow walk to a rapid jog. You will never have to worry about the story slogging around or being bored as something is always happening to move the plot.

Our MC isn't overpowered, isn't being showered with big boobed woman eager to be in his party. No, we just have one guy thrust into a world somewhat similar to our own but completely unknown. I enjoyed how the MC was in disbelief for a few chapters as naturally and realistically most people would be when entering a new world. So thank you author for not giving us a MC who has reached level 100000 within two chapters of dialog.

The style and the way the story is functionally written is standard as I mentioned above. The formatting is done correctly from what I've seen with reading six chapters. 👏 Overall I'm impressed as I normally don't read this genre and this story definitely deserves it immense popularity. 

WARNING: SPOILER HEAVY

Talis Man (this is plot important not a misspelling on the author's part) is a very interesting story. It's a spin on the fantasy sub genre of "normal kid finds out they are so normal and are thrust into a new side of the world and themselves" rather creatively. I was curious as I haven't read fantasy fiction in a while and this reminded me of the genre of books I'd go searching hi and low for as a middle schooler to now, spending what meager change I had on it. Ofcourse, nowadays that goes to my phone bill but this hit a soft spot for me.

Our main character is a teenager who is sent to live with their brother at a relatives home. We are shown that their mother is obviously afflicted with something or has gone insane to the MC. I loved how the mothers ramblings became important and where revealed to be very important!

Like the title, yep turns out that little talisman the main character gets has a mind of it's own. And the mother's rambled about not going in the words or alone at night? About everything the main character doesn't take mind of? Yep the author utilizes it all in the story.  A fun read for any fantasy lover, I'd recommend this to anyone who likes the genre.