RhaegarRRL
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🕑 Added 2019-04-19 18:09:31 +0000 UTCHey all, new chapters are up. I do hope you like them :). Next ones coming Friday in a week.
Following the statement I posted on Royalroad regarding some of the feedback I've been getting over there for the last twenty or so chapters. I do feel like the focus is already shifting a little and the plot is opening up again. I've really liked Ilea's thinking and her handling of Eve's death as of late. Let me know what you think about it in general :).
"I wanted to say some stuff regarding the recent developments and the story overall, tldr at the bottom. I'm aware that the tone of the story has been much darker compared to the first couple arcs and that the focus on traveling/exploring and leveling has shifted towards shitty politics, war and death.
Now I know that some people like this, some dislike it. I just wanted to reassure you that I know. I know I started writing this to have a fun, action packed adventure with a protagonist that wouldn't be the savior of the world. And I want to continue delivering on exactly that premise.
The now included politics and higher focus on side characters and their relationships with each other and Ilea are what I feel is necessary to grow the story and world. To have character growth and payoff, the characters need to see and go through some shit. For power increases to have meaning beyond mere numbers, there needs to be a certain threat, a goal or bigger picture.
I'm an amateur at writing. Some of the feedback regarding Azarinth Healer has been brutal but I really do appreciate it. I mean I wrote in mixed present and past tense at the beginning. Bloody brilliant. I'm also not a planner, I write as I go and scenes happen as I write them. Which means the character of Ilea started out with very little planning. With the things happening right now, the things I'm throwing at her, I want to grow her into more of an actual character. A badass motherfucker that has a reason to murder the local group of drakes. A reason beyond just survival.
I'm aware that the leveling has been pushed back a lot, as has fighitng, abilities, exploring, adventuring, dungeons and many other things. I do hope some of you like the additions of cities, politics, conflict and some drama.
I'm rambling. With me releasing chapters instead of whole books, you're stuck with some chapters that lack what you initially liked about this story. I know that and I'm sorry. What I'm trying to say is just that I know and that I feel like adding this likely less fun stuff because I think it will make for a better experience in the long run. :)
TLDR: I'm aware of the tonal and thematic shifts but feel they are necessary to have a better experience in the long run. I have previously stopped reading fun adventure stories when they delved into politics, harems or relationships too much. Keep the feedback coming. And thanks for reading :)"
As always thank for reading and supporting me in this awesome endeavor.
Comments
G. Harthane
Hey Joshua, I really appreciate the feedback! It's a work in progress and pretty much the only experience I have in writing so I'm glad it's somewhat working out. At least in your opinion :). I've had what you described happen way too many times. Specifically harems. Even in published fantasy sudden complete shifts happen for no reason. Well I hope I can avoid that and keep the characters somewhat true to how they've been introduced as.
Eofad
I don’t leave feedback very often any more because I apparently suck at it and have gotten more than one author upset at me for various reasons. I debated with myself whether I should try again. I understand what people are saying and I have also recently stopped reading about half a dozen stories because they took an unexpected hard left turn out of no where and left the premise of their story that I was enjoying behind. You haven’t done this, you had a nice soft turn into politics that evolved naturally from other developments in the story. You didn’t for example have Ilea come across a poorly managed capital city rife with political in fighting and corruption and have your previously martial character suddenly become a political genius and take over the city because cliche tricks from movies have never been seen in this world. You didn’t take your beautifully established leveling system that has been the means for characters to grow stronger the whole story and throw it out saying that levels don’t really matter anymore because some characters including the MC have the ability to project mind over matter and the real secret to power is how detailed and vivid the vision of reality you wish to enforce is. What you did do is take a character that became an exp junkie and leveled up too quick for her skills to properly fill out; and had her realize if she wanted to get the most out of the system she’d need to work on getting a different kind of exp. And as she started working in a group to train her skills instead of solo to train her levels she got sucked into the lives of the people she was training with. Granted this came with a change of tone and theme but everything that’s happened has been consistent with both your character development and your world building. Keep up the good work and when Ilea has finished with her obligations to her friends and her skills are where she’s ready to begin working on her levels again... I’ll still be here reading and enjoying.
Baba Vader
Thanks for the chapters!
Lyael
I think you have handled the necessary politics and future plot developments quite well. You have made the transition much less jarring than most novels and have managed to keep Ilea's personality as she has had to deal with the stuff thrust onto her. I do hope for a return to adventure soonish though. Thanks for the chapters!
Exsanguinator
Dark is fine and politics are necessary for story lines. I get really annoyed when stories get stuck on too much politics, plotting, intrigue and background, and forget about the action and actual story progress. I think you are doing a recommendable job of balancing all the above and keeping the story fun and on track! I guess the system you built would have been a bit more complex to begin with (sub skills, paths, skill merging etc.), it would be much easier to keep those of us who prefer continuous quantifiable progress happier, but I really enjoy the story as is and don’t find it necessary (and I am one of those who like huge and complex excel sheets behind the character profile. Cheers!
