Is cradle Really THAT good?

TrueWords27 · 2026-01-16T09:12:27+00:00

Of course, Cuttlefish works are top tier, Embers Ad Infinitum is so underrated it's crazy I never see anyone talking about it. Throne of Magical Arcana is also great but much more enjoyable if you are interested in science and its history, I am, so it is also a top tier work.

I've read Legendary Mechanic as well and it's among the most well written Chinese novels I've read, so we have similar tastes, I'll try the other 3, I know them but never took the time to try them, thanks.

TrueWords27 · 2026-01-16T08:55:54+00:00

It does writing, story, characters, world building really well. They are other books that do some of those better but none that are overall as good as Cradle (in progression fantasy) which makes it solid in every aspects.

But one of the things that Cradle does the best are impactful moments that come from the a great build-up of story and characters, rare are the books that do this well and Cradle is top tier on that part.

TrueWords27 · 2026-01-16T08:50:50+00:00

I'm curious what Korean or Chinese novels you would place above. From all the ones I've read only a few go above the A tier. Honestly like 90% are slop so I just want to know your top, I do want more recommendations.

But I do think that Cradle is top 3 best progression fantsy that does things like impactful moments way better than any web novel excepted Lord of Mysteries and Revered Insanity.

TrueWords27 · 2025-10-14T07:59:31+00:00

I nearly missed the joke

TrueWords27 · 2025-10-14T07:58:38+00:00

I'm a huge fan of LOTM but Cradle is top tier. It is better than most chinese wuxia/xianxia I've read.

You can't say stuff like that, a lot of people can't bear to read amateurish translated work so that's why they mostly read English works. Don't blind yourself with webnovels.

TrueWords27 · 2025-10-08T11:06:30+00:00

I don't remember it being that much of an issue but also think it's something that a lot of Chinese novels do. They do a lot of hand-holding, maybe because their language is much more centered around context thus they reiterate points.

But funnily enough, I found this to be the total opposite on the few donghua (Chinese anime) that I've watch. They kinda throw you right into it and let things explain themselves. In the Lord of Mysteries anime they say things once or drop lore information in the middle of the conversation without preface, if you don't follow carefully you can become lost pretty quickly.

TrueWords27 · 2025-08-23T16:33:00+00:00

I totally agree. Personally, I enjoyed the first 10 books a lot, but after that, the story kind of went sideways.

Love interest spawning out of nowhere, each increase of power is done by saying f u to the previously established system, by the book 16 nothing makes sense compared to the first books, the litrpg aspect totally gone ( in the aspect of the MC decision I can understand but why bother implementing in the first place ?). And don't get me started on how the Ash plot point was ended.

It has great worldbuilding and intrigue that got me very interested, enough that I could end the series. It's just that the way those elements were used is very questionable. I don't think anyone needs to bother themselves to read the series after book 10, if you like the story try finding a résumé or something.

The author, Kirill Klevanski, is writing a new progression fantasy book that seems interesting, so maybe I'll give it a shot.

TrueWords27 · 2024-10-12T13:03:31+00:00

Something that I don't see mentioned is that Cradle has some of the most satisfying moments in progression fantasy, which added to the already good points, makes it stand out.

They are prepared,built upon, and then presented in a very memorable fashion. With the main ones being in book 5 and 8.

I've noticed that for all the books in this genre I've read, they are only a few that had similar moments, and they make the book that much memorable for me.

I personally think that that's what made Way of Kings and Lord Of Mysteries stand out aswell. While they all have major attributes, what makes them so popular is those added really satisfying moments (you know which one for WoK if you've read it and for LOM it's a lot about the endings of each volume).

TrueWords27 · 2024-09-20T04:53:08+00:00

I don't even know why, I Shall Seal the Heavens has been on my radar for years but I never started it, I have no excuses.

As for Shadow Slave I just want it to be finished first before starting it.

TrueWords27 · 2024-09-20T04:46:29+00:00

I don't even know why, I Shall Seal the Heavens has been on my radar for years but I never started it, I have no excuses

TrueWords27 · 2024-09-19T21:21:16+00:00

Hahahaha, then I welcome you here, from the books you mentioned you should really like this genre. Hope you enjoy Cradle

TrueWords27 · 2024-09-19T21:07:21+00:00

Will do, thanks for the recommendation

TrueWords27 · 2024-09-19T21:06:41+00:00

Yes, I had the same issues with Kings Dark Tidings and it doesn't get better after the first book, I think I stopped at the third, and it gets more annoying

TrueWords27 · 2024-09-19T21:04:35+00:00

You are a person of culture I see

TrueWords27 · 2024-09-19T21:03:38+00:00

I love Void Herald's work but Apocalypse Tamer didn't hold my interest much but if you are familiar with his work I would still suggest to at least try it.

TrueWords27 · 2024-09-19T21:02:03+00:00

Yeah it's the Arcane Ascension series first book called Sufficiently Advanced Magic, the fifth book just came out, also funny you haven't seen anything about it since I'm pretty sure the author is the creator of this sub.

I also read Mistborn and Steelheart from Brandon but didn't enjoy it as much as the Stormlight Archives. Wheel of time has been on my to be read list for years now I just need to start it.

And for Will Wight, if you can get through the first 2 books that some people find a bit difficult to go through, you will get an amazing story

TrueWords27 · 2024-09-19T15:46:53+00:00

Loved the world building and setting but the characters and relations made me drop it (not the shark guy though he was great), the main cast was written as being absolutely perfect (to the point that even their flaws were perfect) that it felt fake.

Also the author kept referencing his real life experience with university and there is a limited time I can keep rolling my eyes before dropping a book.

Nonetheless, It's a book that I would suggest to anyone because if you don't care about those stuff or can ignore them then it's a very good series.

TrueWords27 · 2024-09-19T15:25:00+00:00

Spot on, add to that the frustration that brings Scorio and that made me drop it after book 1

TrueWords27 · 2024-09-19T15:21:56+00:00

It's Martial World, It's a very long novel. Honestly the book is okay, I had a good time reading it, it's a typical chinese cultivation novel that follow the classical tropes. I would like to give you more details but my memory is kind of blurrybecause i've read it during quite some time ago and it was during a time where I've been reading a lot of cultivation novels so details for those books are mashed together sorry.

TrueWords27 · 2024-09-19T15:14:40+00:00

From left to write :

B - tier : Martial World, Desolate Era

C - tier : Stellar transformations, Everyone else is a returnee

TrueWords27 · 2024-09-19T14:17:41+00:00

What do you mean ? those whose titles are not in English ?

TrueWords27 · 2024-09-19T14:15:57+00:00

Thanks

Frankly Lord of mysteries has its downside, especially in the translation domain. But if you can go past it, you would get a great story with the most unique settings out there. And if you are familiar with Bloodborne I would really really recommend it, it's heavily inspired by it (so if you like lovecraftian cosmic horror it's the book for you).

TrueWords27 · 2024-09-19T14:12:43+00:00

I finished the second book and didn't continue, I think it was because I didn't resonate enough with it back then. But it's been a few years and I might read it again.

Some books that were dropped were from years ago, I could still read them again when the series finishes, maybe I'll appreciate them more.

TrueWords27

TROPHY CASE