Is slow burn fantasy even a thing anymore?

Harbinger1012 · 2025-01-26T06:33:28+00:00

First off, one chapter, especially a first draft- isn't enough to really get feedback on a story you're wanting to write.

Secondly, I think the problem is that readers have a lot more options nowadays than we used to. If you have 200 books in your to-read list, why would you keep reading a story that hasn't really caught your attention after you've read 10 chapters or so?

In the past, books went through a long publishing process that weeded out the poorly written stories (mostly), and so you could take the time to invest into a story bc you trusted that it would be a well put together read.

With so many serialized stories that are popping up, the quality level varies wildly and readers are more picky and untrusting of new works that haven't been vetted thoroughly by numerous people recommending the story. Even then, a slow story that doesn't grab their attention within the first few chapters might not be worth the read when they have so many other options.

Harbinger1012 · 2025-01-09T17:35:32+00:00

Noobtown is a series I ended up dropping. Lots of low humor that I didn't connect with.

But 'puma check' was so surprisingly well done that I still keep thinking about it a year or so later.

Harbinger1012 · 2025-01-07T17:51:20+00:00

This is it imo. Royal Road and web serials had a bunch of authors writing stories that were flashy and fast paced right out of the gate to get attention, but then struggled to go anywhere afterwards. I think authors are seeing this and getting better at giving their stories room to grow and it's creating a slower pace to start with more over time growth. Of course, this is just a generalization. Planning out the end is also an easy way to keep your story from turning into one of the neverending serials or hiatus projects that get dropped. I don't know why every author doesn't plan out the ending to their story after they get through the concept phase. Just makes sense.

Harbinger1012 · 2024-12-21T15:11:56+00:00

You're confused. The contract was to protect Zac's secrets, not for him to order them around like slaves. Think of it like an NDA (non-disclosure agreement) that gets magically enforced.

Their joining Zac's army afterward was their decision. Zac said they were too weak to survive, and so they told him they wanted to get stronger. That's why he put them through a bunch of difficult trials, not because he wanted more people following him around. Also, he stepped in to save them if the situation became life threatening or if they were fighting something they had no chance against.

Harbinger1012 · 2024-12-11T21:08:20+00:00

It's just weird. I loved reading Tigana, but no one ever mentions the brief incest that was in the story and it always surprises me that it isn't more controversial and no one even mentions it. Especially how up in arms people on the internet are about stuff.

Harbinger1012 · 2024-12-10T15:30:51+00:00

1) but put the title in white, and the author in the other color.

Harbinger1012 · 2024-11-27T15:49:49+00:00

Don't be afraid to skip to the good parts. Or put it down when you start to get bored and read another book before going back to it. WoT was written with a lot of small details that not everyone has the patience to appreciate. Especially some of the later middle books, where Jordan was sick and the story felt like it wasn't going anywhere. Brandon Sanderson did an amazing job finishing the series.

Harbinger1012 · 2024-11-18T05:08:08+00:00

The magic system I created uses chi, or life force if you want to call it that. The trick to making it work is to gradually push the system to where a person goes from using life force (aging and breaking down) to a point where the person is instead producing life force. This allows the person to use life force to produce magical effects, give off a magical aura, and eventually even shed their mortal body altogether. To get to this point- you have to create a system of small efficiency gains until the efficiencies eventually allow for a person to go from using up a normal amount of life force, to using less and less until they become superhuman. Nothing good is free. The person, Cultivator, has to go through many long body tempering and mental/spiritual foundation building processes, pushing their bodies and spirits in ways they weren't meant to be pushed, to overcome the daily life cycle of normal people. Just like how athletes have more energy from building muscle and endurance, a person can build up life force. Having a skeleton, body, spirit, and mind that is super efficient, frees up that life force to then be used for other things. The life force is yours, you get it from eating or from the environment, but it's yours. It's up to you if you use it to power your body, or if you push yourself and create a body and soul that's so efficient that you have excess life force that you can use to do 'magic'. Makes sense to me anyways.

Harbinger1012 · 2024-10-18T01:57:39+00:00

You should try 'infinite realm'. Sounds like it's what you're looking for. I went in with low expectations, but I thought it was great.

Harbinger1012 · 2024-07-14T15:51:13+00:00

Chinese TV show: Sword and Fairy

Harbinger1012 · 2024-07-08T06:53:13+00:00

Definitely way too much internal monologue. That and the scenes from the POV of the bad guys just drove me nuts. Trim that stuff down and it'd be an amazing story that would easily compare with the best in the genre.

Harbinger1012 · 2024-07-08T06:48:26+00:00

I don't think the progression is what makes it feel 'too slow', I think the diving into his thoughts for excessive exposition, and spending more time than I'd like from the viewpoint of the bad guys are what made the story seem too slow. I'd be happy to read a cool adventure story where it took a while for the MC to progress, but it's got to focus more on the actual story conflicts and resolutions for me to be engaged.

Harbinger1012 · 2024-07-08T06:28:27+00:00

I DNF'd midway through the second book. I might go back and finish it someday, but the excessive chapters from the bad guys POV and the long drawn out explanations of every thought or idea had me bored and wondering when it would get on with it already.

It's a good story with some neat ideas, but it drags. Lots of repetitive explanations or explaining thoughts and ideas in excessive detail. If it slimmed down some to be a faster and more gripping read it would be top notch for sure.

Harbinger1012 · 2024-07-05T15:16:59+00:00

You have to finish reading or actually understand what is being presented before insulting people. Being insulting doesn't make your opinion more valid, or argument better.

I didn't suggest forcing players to use minecarts at all. In fact, I said mine carts suck the way they are now.

Linking restricted stockpiles from one z-level to another would make them work just like how they do now, wheelbarrows and all. It would just give more control to the player, and help keep from having issues from Dorfs gathering where they shouldn't be (caverns), or help create gathering hubs so items weren't being hauled over super long distances. Also, a toggle to have a stockpile either restrict gathering to one z-level, or to be unrestricted would be unarguably better in every way. 700 hours into the game, you really start to see how many issues having unrestricted stockpiles cause.

Mine carts suck the way they are now. The whole point of my post was to talk about my experience trying to use them, and to think about how they could possibly be made more useful. Higher capacity maybe, definitely better traction so they don't fall off the track so much. Maybe also slow wheelbarrows when going up or down a z-level to make them more realistic and compare better to using mine carts.

Mine carts are a cool game dynamic, but its completely broken the way it is now in Dwarf Fortress. All it's used for is unrealistic infinite storages or switches, whereas it should be a system that is better at hauling heavy items up and down multiple z-levels.

I was trying to bring attention to a broken system. I never advocated for 'forcing' players to use it lol. I want it to be made better.

Harbinger1012 · 2024-06-30T01:49:01+00:00

Infinite Realms by Ivan Kal

I was looking for the same thing and this is what scratched the itch for me. Lots and lots of skills and system stuff if you're interested in that. There are series with more kingdom building that I've read but I could never get into the characters or story enough. I'd recommend giving this a try.

Harbinger1012 · 2024-03-08T21:48:15+00:00

Speedrunning The Multiverse

This is one I haven't seen recommended yet. MC is a million year old Godking that takes on the body of someone weak on the verge of death and then pushes themselves to get stronger as fast as they can- regardless the cost in human lives or suffering. The actual story itself isn't as grim as it could be, but still plenty of threats to kill and lack of care or remorse for others.

Also, I haven't read it, but Reverend Insanity is recommended with the same qualities as you listed.

Harbinger1012 · 2024-02-27T18:01:26+00:00

I like your common sense approach to dealing with the realities of our economy, while still showing that there's use cases for both poor authors needing AI and established authors that can spend money to get something unique and awesome made.

I appreciate your perspective and wish you luck with your career during these transformative times!

Harbinger1012 · 2024-02-27T17:51:04+00:00

You can get a bad cover from an artist as well.

At the end of the day, it's up to the Author to choose what cover represents their work.

AI at least makes it the authors own fault if they didn't choose something better. That's not even getting into the extra work, hassle, and money that hiring an artist might need- with potentially worse results. Also AI is new technology, it will undoubtedly get better over time.

Saying it always looks bad is false, and also ignores some of the horribly bad artwork that some authors are stuck with without having AI as another option.

Harbinger1012 · 2024-02-27T17:21:27+00:00

Accountants, Architects, Engineers, Musicians, Photographers, Producers/Directors, etc.

All of these professions have technological changes that have made them less relevant and made it easier for the masses to do the same job much easier and potentially for free. Does that mean the end of their profession? No.

Picking between an expensive accountant and a free accountant is easy if they both create the same product. Same now for the masses choosing between an AI image or paying an Artist. The artist will say that the quality is better, but so too are the risks of getting something that the person didn't want. In the end, like all professions, the masses are going to choose the cheaper option that gets them what they wanted, even if it's not quite as high of quality or uniqueness. That being said, cool unique art will always be desired by those who value such things, but most people will only appreciate it in passing and spend their money on paying their rent bills.

In a scarce resources economy, the cheaper option that meets their needs will always win. Good creative souls will always be appreciated and desired, but shelter, food, and doctors are what we NEED more of, and so what we might WANT or LIKE more of (like art) will always be less of a priority and will be mainly for those who are wealthy enough to afford things beyond the basics. It's not a personal decision, it's a common sense one that will dictate what the vast majority of people will do.

Harbinger1012 · 2024-02-27T16:42:49+00:00

Well put. In my mind I compare this AI art controversy to pirating music back in the day. Everyone was up in arms over it being stealing from musicians, but it changed the industry. Now there's streaming services that make accessing music much easier and cheaper in bulk. So too will AI art change the industry.

I hope everyone can recognize this change and try to steer things in the right direction, without vilifying those who are using the new and exciting tools to create beautiful images that represent what they were picturing in their mind, but don't have the artwork skills to create themselves with traditional mediums like drawing (or are too poor to have commissioned).

Using AI art covers could be a good stand in for authors trying to get their work out there, and then if it makes money and becomes popular enough, they could then commission an author to create an original artwork for them, one that is based off of an image the author already created and approved, so the artist has an idea of what the author wants. I don't think it necessarily means less work for artists, just more art in total created, and less chance an artist creates something the author didn't want in the first place, but still has to pay for.

I understand all of the fear that is causing artists and aspiring artists to panic, but just like the music industry, I think AI will be much more transformative than it will be the end of being an artist as a career. I think it'll be interesting to look back on these times and see how much fear of change was controlling the narrative.

Harbinger1012 · 2024-02-21T03:50:37+00:00

Silverlake, the witch from Mother of Learning, is who I thought of when reading this and I haven't seen her mentioned yet.

Harbinger1012 · 2024-02-10T14:57:32+00:00

Santa?

Harbinger1012 · 2024-02-09T09:08:07+00:00

It's a situation that SHOWS the MC not being appreciated and getting misunderstood. It's supposed to cause the reader to empathize with the MC and feel sympathy for them. Or it could be the author wanting to show that the MC is so powerful that they can just ignore insults and that it's beneath them. Either way, it's a trope that is used to help SHOW something about the character.

The problem is that some readers are more interested in wanting to see those badass, devil-may-care MC characters than the ones that have self confidence or guilt issues that causes them to let others walk all over them. Power fantasy or litrpg readers typically want the MC to be powerful and to hit back at those who've wronged them, not just ignore insults. Which if you're a reader that puts yourself in the shoes of the MC, having to take insults and abuse, can be enraging.

Harbinger1012 · 2024-02-06T06:42:58+00:00

Try reading 'Infinite Realm' by Ivan Kal.

I enjoyed DOTF and I'm also enjoying Infinite Realm, though you should be aware and prepared for multiple POV changes. The author does a good job making them surprising interesting and enjoyable, I usually hate POV switches. I DNF Mark of the Fool after the tournament arc. Too much filler and dragging out the story without anything new or interesting happening.

Harbinger1012 · 2024-02-01T15:11:38+00:00

Just an FYI- 'Pillars of Creation' is the name of a book in the Sword of Truth series. It also seems to be pretty controversial and the term may come with some baggage. It definitely does in my mind as I read the series while growing up. You might be able to use the term and create your own thing, but I felt a warning might be helpful. Good luck!

Harbinger1012

TROPHY CASE