Edit: I haven't had the time to update this review so it is still as of Ch. 222. Editing as I forgot to give spoiler warnings and spoiled other RR stories. My bad.
For Shirtaloon, this story started incredibly and has managed to garner and maintain a lot of attention becuase it can be so incredible at times. I write this both as a review, and because it's difficult to step back and look at your own work objectively so I'd like to point out some easy areas to improve.
OVERALL
Overall this is a very fun story. It has been on the front page ofPopular This Week for months now for good reason. That said, there are a few things keeping it from being a great story or, at times, good. Those things are, in order: the lack of character development, the lack of a believable villain/ plot, and the static nature of the main character.Many reviews get caught up in the minutia of these failings and fail to reinforce the fact that this story is still worth a readespeciallyif the author shores them up.
CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT
The MC's character development will be covered last. Here, I want to focus on the side characters. In few words, the side characters are not developed.
The beating heart of every story is its characters. Gintamais a comedy with the barest hint of a plot for hundreds of chapters and it's listed as the greatest comedic manga because its characters are full of such life, depth, and diversity. The firstPirates of the Carribean was such a hit not because of its rather cliche love story, but because Jack Sparrow was such a compelling supporting character. Also note later installments in that series were worse because Jack becamethe main characterand the driving force of the series was lost.
Readers invest themselves into the lives of the supporting cast in order to be dragged along with the author's script. The emotional investment in stories - on Royal Road especially - come from our investment in characters that are actually at risk.The MC in most stories is protected by plot armor so it's the plights of the side characters that tend to draw us in.
Spoiler: Spoiler
Lack of a Villain/ Plot
If main and side characters are the heart of a story, the villain is the lungs. The villain is the one who breathes life into the little interactions between characters and creates the urgency that drives a story forward. It can't be something as intangible asmonstersor thebig evil cult because those aren't problems that can be directly addressed by the MC.
Immediate - The villain creates urgency by doing something that needs to be addressed NOW. The cult is going to the end the world, but it's a big world and we have time for a few rooftop barbies before then.
Close to Home - If a villain isn't somewhere that the MC can challenge directly, then he's the villain of someone else's story. The big bad is, suffice to say, difficult to reach.
Just as good as the MC - This is the kicker. The villain needs to win. If the villain never wins there's no sense of risk, of danger. Even if it's something small, a villain has to prove themselves by triumphing over the MC in some way. Cyclostomata and Chadnever do.
A good example is the Joker from the Dark Knight Rises. He is immediate: from placing timed bombs next to loved ones or running to ferrys filled with explosives at each other, he isn't a problem that can be solved later without massive consequences. He is close to home: Batman can reach him with his two orphan fists. He is better than the Batman: Batman loses to him. When the Joker creates Two-Face Batman loses to the Joker so completely that he needed to do something completely outside of the Joker's expectations to win. He had to sacrifice his own image of a hero to be a hero.
THAT is a villain. A character that can challenge and inspire the MC. Every hero needs his demon lord.
Luckily, adding one also fixes the other half of this issue, plot. What are the MC's goals right now? Get stronger? Who is he trying to beat? Oh he's trying to protect? Do some pushups every morning. No I want to know what he's working towards. I see a lot of rising action but not even the foggy outline of a climax. What will be the apex of this story arc? He gets so strong he can endure the monster flood? Why should we care? The plot so far hasn't been imporant because the MC has been in the 'adjusting to a new reality' phase. But he's almost bronze rank, it's time for Thanos to come knocking at the door.
How to fix?
Make a villain. I wish I could offer more actionable advice, but the flavor of the villain isheavily tied to how you want your story to develop, so it's all on you. Have some fun with it!
The Main Character
I saved the best for last because it is the easiest to fix. A lot of your readers have been getting frustrated (based on the other hundred reviews here) by the fact that your MC has stagnated. Let me explain, and this has two sides to it. Your MC started as a snarky, quippish guy who was just adjusting to his circumstances and it was done beautifully. I probably got past the first page of his character before recommending this novel to everyone I know. The issue now is that he hasn't changed. As I mentioned earlier, he has passed the adjusting phase of his tenure in this world and he still acts like the snarky, quippish guy who was using confusion and witticism as a defense mechanism. The other side of this, and likely the one everyone has issue with, is that your side characters don't react to this realistically. All of them are either awed by his gibberish, or don't react at all.
Spoiler: Spoiler
Lastly, you don't need totell us that something is having an effect on Jason. We've read enough of his character to be able to see it when it happens. So rather than "Jason was, for once, silent. He had no words to say and Sophie was shocked when a bit of that mask fell away." you can just describe what happens like "Jason stood, quietly, admiring the simple beauty of the fireworks. Sophie spared him a quick glance, her worried frown giving way to a small smile as she saw rare sight of his unblinking eyes and open mouth."
How to fix?
This is the easiest one. A villain is a foil to the MC and will change him naturally as you write them both. Honestly exactly like your title implies. Hell, name your villain Abyss, that'd be fun. Also as you grow your sidecharacters you'll naturally flesh out your MC too so this one will literally fix itself once you address the other two.
FINALLY, AS THIS IS A REVIEW
Many stories aren't well written enough to have their issues wrapped up in a neat little bun with three little bullet points. Not many stories truly are cultured enough to include an appropriate Nietzsche quote. It is a rare story that has both of these and updates practically daily. Just know, prospective reader, that if you pick this one up, the story does suffer from the little issues that any story would if its author was required to output material as quickly as this one, pending edits. Isay it is worth it. And, if you're an elitist that only touches storiesfrom out of golden geese and dusted with diamonds, read the beginning.
UPDATE: My BOY the LION MAN has been given motivation, goals, and depth. Im so happy
FAQs
What does Nietzsche mean by He Who Fights with Monsters? ›
The “he who fights with monsters” part is fairly straightforward. If you spend your time in conflict with someone or something very horrible, you run a very real risk that you will become just as horrible.
How many books will He Who Fights with Monsters be? ›There are 9 books in this series.
What age group is He Who Fights with Monsters? ›| ISBN-13: | 9781950912612 |
|---|---|
| Pages: | 144 |
| Sales rank: | 1,130,438 |
| Product dimensions: | 6.60(w) x 10.30(h) x 0.50(d) |
| Age Range: | 16 Years |
Absolutely fantastic!!! this book got me into reading again , and I can't wait to read all of them. Keep up the amazing world building and story progression dear author , the way you write really immerses you into the world you habe created.
What caused Nietzsche's insanity? ›At 44 he had a mental breakdown ending in a dementia with total physical dependence due to stroke. From the very beginning, Nietzsche's dementia was attributed to a neurosyphilitic infection.
What was Nietzsche's main point? ›In his works, Nietzsche questioned the basis of good and evil. He believed that heaven was an unreal place or “the world of ideas”. His ideas of atheism were demonstrated in works such as “God is dead”. He argued that the development of science and emergence of a secular world were leading to the death of Christianity.
Will there be a book 6 of he who fights with monsters? ›Book 6 in the bestselling He Who Fights With Monsters Series is here. Grab your copy today! About the series: Experience an isekai culture clash as a laid-back Australian finds himself in a very serious world.
What order should I read Monster Hunter books? ›- Monster Hunter International (2007)
- Vendetta (2010)
- Alpha (2011)
- Legion (2012)
- Nemesis (2014)
- Monster Hunter Siege (2017)
- Monster Hunter Guardian (2019)
- Monster Hunter Bloodlines (2021)
VL: Only a Monster is the first in a trilogy. This first book is a complete arc – it has a wrapped-up ending – but for readers who like to solve mysteries, there are lots of hints about the big secrets of the series, and the twists and revelations to come.
How old is the oldest Monster? ›The sphinx myth lived from before 2500 BC, when the Great Sphinx was built, to the 9th century, when the last pagans of Greece lived. At more than 3300 years, this makes it by far the oldest monster myth on this list!
What does LitRPG stand for? ›
LitRPG (Literary Role-Playing Game) is an emerging genre of fiction that combines the experience of digital role playing games with traditional narrative plotlines. It weaves a story around a protagonist that consciously immerses themselves in a virtual world to follow the quests and challenges set by the game realm.
What age is only a Monster appropriate for? ›Ages 13–up.
Is Gods and Monsters a happy ending? ›All in all however, I adore a happy ending just as much as anyone else, and there were a few moments when I genuinely thought this might end up a star crossed tragedy, so I was pleased enough by this finale. The epilogue, particularly who narrated it, was a really sweet touch and the perfect way to end this series.
What is the synopsis of he who fights with monsters? ›Synopsis (Book 1):
Jason wakes up in a mysterious world of magic and monsters. It's not easy making the career jump from office-supplies-store middle manager to heroic interdimensional adventurer. At least, Jason tries to be heroic, but it's hard to be good when all your powers are evil.
A direct continuation of the original 2001 film, it features the voices of Billy Crystal and John Goodman reprising their roles as Mike Wazowski and James P. "Sulley" Sullivan from the original film and the 2013 prequel Monsters University; several other voice actors from the films reprise their roles as guests.
Why did Nietzsche stop talking? ›He wasn't the astute thinker he used to be either. He begun to speak in a jerky way, jumping from one topic to another. Nietzsche progressively lost his cognitive abilities in the mental sanatorium, including language.
Who did Nietzsche fall in love with? ›The two met Nietzsche in Rome in April 1882, and Nietzsche is believed to have instantly fallen in love with Salomé, as Rée had earlier done. Nietzsche asked Rée to propose marriage to Salomé on his behalf, which she rejected. She had been interested in Nietzsche as a friend, but not as a husband.
What are the four errors Nietzsche? ›The error of confusing cause and consequence. The error of a false causality. The error of imaginary causes. The error of free will.
What is Nietzsche's most famous quote? ›“What does not kill me makes me stronger.”
Why is Nietzsche so great? ›Friedrich Nietzsche was a German philosopher who became one of the most influential of all modern thinkers. His attempts to unmask the motives that underlie traditional Western religion, morality, and philosophy deeply affected generations of theologians, philosophers, psychologists, poets, novelists, and playwrights.
Was Nietzsche a moral? ›
He's an anti-realist about values: that is, for Nietzsche there are no moral facts, and there is nothing in nature that has value in itself. Rather, to speak of good or evil is to speak of human illusions, of lies according to which we find it necessary to live.
Where to read He Who Fights with Monsters 7? ›Amazon.com: He Who Fights with Monsters 7: A LitRPG Adventure eBook : Shirtaloon, Deverell, Travis: Kindle Store.
How does the book Monster end? ›James King is found guilty, while Steve is found not guilty. As Steve moves to hug O'Brien, she turns away, leaving Steve to question why. The end of the novel takes place five months after Steve has been cleared of all charges and released from prison.
How many books are in the monsters and muses series? ›There are 6 books in this series.
Do I need to play Monster Hunter Stories 1 to understand 2? ›In Monster Hunter Stories 2, it's possible to jump right in without having played the first game. While the game is a sequel to the original Monster Hunter Stories, there's nothing that would prevent you from understanding the story of the second game if you haven't played the first game.
What is the strongest monster in the Monster Hunter series? ›Elder Dragons are the most powerful monsters in the world of Monster Hunter. Any discussion about the strongest monster is inevitably dominated by Elders. The classification of Elder is marked by the ability to cause major damage to an ecosystem.
Do you need monster hunter stories 1 before 2? ›Do you need to play the first one: the short answer. In a nutshell, you definitely don't need to play the first game to start the sequel, but having a little bit of knowledge about the back story and gameplay mechanics will help you get into it a little better.
Why was the book monster banned? ›This New York Times bestselling novel about an incarcerated teen awaiting trial was challenged for “language, violence, and sexual overtures” and deemed inappropriate for 8th and 9th-graders at Gates Middle School (Scituate, MA).
How many books are in monster? ›| Original run | December 1994 – December 2001 |
| Volumes | 18 |
| Novel | |
| Another Monster | |
|---|---|
| Written by | Naoki Urasawa |
School of Monsters Complete Collection - 11 Books.
What's the most scariest monster? ›
- 7 The Bear - Annihilation.
- 6 Death Angels - A Quiet Place.
- 5 The Entity - It Follows.
- 4 The Babadook - The Babadook.
- 3 The Alien - The Thing.
- 2 Xenomorph - Alien.
- 1 Pennywise - It.
Coelacanths, first swam in the ocean about 400 million years ago and were believed to be extinct until one was caught off South Africa in 1938.
Who is first King of monsters? ›Godzilla, King of the Monsters! was theatrically released in the United States on April 27, 1956, and was followed by an international release. The film was responsible for introducing Godzilla to a worldwide audience, as the 1954 film remained unavailable officially outside of Japan until 2004.
What is Haremlit? ›Haremlit is a genre of books which have an M/FF+ romantic relationship, where the women are exclusive to the MMC.
What does HFN mean in books? ›What exactly do we mean by HEA/HFN? The Carina Press definition of a happily-ever-after or happy-for-now means two or more people living in a committed relationship with the implied promise of ongoing happiness together in the future.
What does MFF mean in books? ›(My book Sapphire is in this style.) MFM - Male/Female/Male. This is when the men are both straight and it's all about the female. ( Most popular with female readers) MFF - Male/Female/Female.
Why is Monster rated R? ›The movie has explicit sexual references and situations, including gay sex, prostitution, and rape, extremely strong language, violence (including a brutal rape and several murders), smoking and drinking. There are tense and upsetting scenes.
Is Monster appropriate for middle school? ›I rate this as appropriate for ages 13 and up not for any "controversial content," but because Myer weaves such a complex story, following the protagonist, Steve, as he struggles to understand how he's come to this point, his overwhelming trial, his dreams in life.
What reading level is monster? ›Overall, this is a worthy read for 7th graders as long as parents understand it mirrors modern storylines.
Do Reid and Lou end up together? ›Finally, the epilogue was super emotional. It came from an unexpected point of view and it did nicely wrap up Lou and Reid's love story. Their relationship came so far since they were forced to marry at the beginning of the series.
Does Lou get pregnant in Gods and Monsters? ›
Charlize No, the author has mentioned that there won't be any babies throughout the series.
Is serpent and dove spicy? ›Rakhi Mann Yes there are steamy scenes. One sex scene that is pretty mild but just fine for a YA book.
What is the author's message in Monster? ›The author is presenting the situation that exists for these boys who are growing up in the middle of poverty, crime, and hopelessness. They often make the wrong choices, because they have few positive role models, and they see themselves as destined for prison.
What story does the monster want Conor to tell him? ›The truth the monster wants—the thing he wants Conor to say—is that his mother didn't fall. He let her go. In fact, he wanted her to fall. Though Conor says it will kill him to tell the truth, the monster just won't let him off the hook.
What is the main conflict in Monsters, Inc? ›Mike and Sulley go against the practices of the entire Monster race when they befriend a child in Monsters, Inc.
How many books will be in He who fights with monsters? ›There are 9 books in this series.
Is Monsters at Work a spin-off? ›There's a lot of potential in Disney+'s new animated series Monsters at Work. A spin-off from the hit Pixar film Monsters, Inc, released in 2001 (I know, I know, 20 years ago. I find it best not to dwell), it picks up exactly where the original story left off.
What kind of monster is Fritz? ›Fritz is a rotund, tapir-like monster with one eye, hippo-like feet and a chameleon-like tail, as well as fin-like hair.
What does the quote battle not with monsters mean? ›In the original German it a warning against the ends justifying the means. That if you set out to combat evil or resist evil it is very easy to become the very thing you hate.
What is the quote about fighting monsters? ›“Beware that, when fighting monsters, you yourself do not become a monster... for when you gaze long into the abyss, the abyss gazes also into you.”—Friedrich Nietzsche.
What does he who fights too long against dragons becomes a dragon himself mean? ›
Nietzsche uses "Dragon" as a analogy for all the limitations man placed upon him self (i.e. "Good" and "Evil") in Zarathustra. A lot of you are being naive thinking this is about becoming a "bad" or "evil" person when Nietzsche himself wanted his "free spirits" to operate beyond morality (Beyond Good and Evil)!
Who said he who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster and if you gaze for long into an abyss the abyss gazes also into you? ›"He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you." - Nietzsche (Beyond Good and Evil: Prelude to a Philosophy of the Future (1886), Chapter IV.
Who said not all monsters do monstrous things? ›Lydia Martin : I don't believe that. Not all monsters do monstrous things.
Who said everyone you meet is fighting a battle be kind always? ›It is thought that Maclaren was the original source of the quotation “Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle,” now widely misattributed to Plato or Philo of Alexandria.
What are some creepy sayings? ›- “Everybody is a book of blood; wherever we're opened, we're red.” — ...
- “Where there is no imagination, there is no horror.” — ...
- "Would you like to see a magic trick?" — ...
- “Horror is like a serpent; always shedding its skin, always changing.
These various definitions suggest a certain uncertainty and vagueness in the term “monster,” which might be used to describe something that varies from the horribly awful to the marvelously wonderful.
What is Mike Tyson's famous quote? ›"I'm the best ever. I'm the most brutal and vicious, and most ruthless champion there's ever been. There's no one can stop me.
What does dragon represent for Nietzsche? ›The dragon represents permission: all the values that have come before us. When confronted by the dragon, the lion says “I will!” But the dragon retorts that all values are already created, every one that makes up its golden scales. The dragon says, “there shall be no more 'I will'.”
What does dragon symbolize in Beowulf? ›The dragon is a mighty and glamorous opponent, an appropriate match for Beowulf. The dragon is so well suited to bring about Beowulf's downfall, in fact, that some readers have seen it as a symbolic representation of death itself: the unique, personal end that awaits every person.
What are dragons a metaphor for? ›So when you read about a knight slaying a dragon, it may be as much metaphor as monster. Often the dragons we need to slay most urgently are the dragons inside ourselves — our greed, our selfishness, our cruelty. Similarly, when dragons soar, our hearts soar with them.
What was Nietzsche's last words? ›
Taken home by his neighbor, Nietzsche lay on a couch for two days without speaking a word and then uttered his “obligatory” last words: “Mutter, ich bin dumm (Mother, I am dumb).” Tarr's film investigates the rest of the life of that horse, but the rest of Nietzsche's life is worth investigating too, which I will try ...
What did Nietzsche say about Jesus? ›For the Nietzsche of 1888, Jesus' death is to be understood as a telling confirmation, as a consummation of his life and message. In his death, as in his life, there was no resistance, no opposition, no anger, no “negative trait in word and deed”; only unalloyed love.
What is Nietzsche's theory called? ›His positive ethical views are best understood as combining (i) a kind of consequentialist perfectionism as Nietzsche's implicit theory of the good, with (ii) a conception of human perfection involving both formal and substantive elements.