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Chronicles of Everfall: Shadow of the Conquerer: Review: Death by Extraneous Subtitles

Published

3 years ago

January 4, 2022

sylvia J

Expectations are important. For relationships, for instance, making sure that everyone’s expectations are agreeable going is perhaps one of the most important factors for long term success. If the couple has differing expectations regarding children, religion, work / life ratios, or any other such important thing, then they either better rectify that or find new partners.

However, expectations are an important part of entertainment too. While people usually expect to be surprised in a certain way, there are limits to what they’ll accept within those boundaries. If you go into a comedy show, you expect to laugh. If you go to a TED talk, you expect to learn something new and maybe laugh if the presenter does a good job. If you go to online blackjack, you expect to have win and win some dolla dolla bills. However, If you go to a comedy show and get lectured about the horrors of Dachau, it might be informative, but it sure as heck wasn’t what I signed up for.

Movies and novels and all other kinds of storytelling have this give and pull too. When I sit down to read a Brandon Sanderson novel, I expect some kind of epic fantasy featuring heroes and wars and good and evil, with deep themes. When I watch a slasher flick, I expect to be scared and amused and frustrated as to why that stupid girl keeps tripping over nothing every ten feet when- sorry, where was I?

Right. Expectations. If you set up the wrong kind of expectations and don’t deliver, this typically is disastrous. Not always- sometimes we can be pleasantly surprised. But most of the time. The newer Star Trek shows, for instance, are a perfect example. The Original Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space 9, Voyager, Enterprise, and the movies all established what Star Trek is.

It’s a thoughtful, introspective work of science fiction that explores many compelling thought experiments, philosophies, and scientific premises. It’s a series that tackled big questions and gave thought provoking answers. So when I sat down to watch the newer Star Trek: Picard, I was not expecting to watch a fan-favorite character get murdered by eyeball drill. I would say that that falls safely under the category of “disastrous”.

“Chronicles of Everfall: Shadow of the Conqueror” is a novel that did not meet my expectations. This is a self-published novel written by Shad Brooks, who makes educational content about medieval history on his YouTube channel, Shadiversity. As a result, I went in expecting a Brandon Sanderson-Esque epic fantasy but ended up getting something quite different. But was it good? Short answer, yes.

The Premise

Our protagonist is Daylen Namaran, also known as Dayless the Conqueror, the Great Bastard, the Scourge of Nations, and various other equally unkind titles. But well deserved. Daylen was once a mighty emperor who rebelled against the aristocratic houses of old after they murdered his family and rose as a unifying monarch in the name of the oppressed people. To ensure that the evils of old would not happen again, Daylen brought all property under the control of the government and forced people to work to feed the otherwise starving nation.

So yeah, he basically invented fantasy communism. And just like real communism, it was an abysmal failure. As they say, absolute power corrupts absolutely, and Daylen was no exception. He removed people’s freedoms. He became paranoid. He took hundreds of women forcibly (some as young as fourteen). He invented airships powerful enough to annihilate cities. And did, when one dared rebel against his despotic regime.

Eventually, the entire world rose against him. Eventually, they bested his armies, and he was forced into hiding. With everyone presuming him dead, Daylen hid and planned.

And hid. And hid. And hid.

Twenty years later, our story begins. And Daylen, having seen a world no longer under his thumb, despises himself and everything he ever did. Old and feeble at the age of eighty-two, Daylen decides his time his come and decides to throw himself off the continent.

Which, ironically, would be the key to his salvation.

The World

The story is set in the world of Everfall, which consists of a series of massive floating islands. Should one fall off the edge, they eventually loop around to the top of the world, such that if you don’t collide with anything, you’ll fall forever and ever until you starve to death. Unless you’re carrying either Darkstone or Lightstone.

Exactly as the name implies, Lightstone emits light, but Darkstone behaves differently. If it’s not exposed to light, the stone will fix in place and cannot be moved (even in midair). As more and more light touches it, the stone gets easier and easier to move until it’s simply pushed forward. This is how the islands can float and the airships can move.

However, if you carry one of these stones with you as you hit the barrier, you explode.

Daylen, being the massive melodramatic nonce that he is, decides to carry both with him on the way down. Not only does he not explode, but he’s returned to his youthful body and given magical superpowers.

The Magic

Taking obvious inspiration from novels like Brandon Sanderson’s “The Stormlight Archive”, Shadow of the Conqueror goes for a Hard Magic system. If you’re interested in learning the differences between Hard magic and Soft Magic systems in fantasy novels, I highly recommend watching the video by “Hello Future Me” on YouTube about the subject. But for the purposes of this article, I’ll be brief. Basically, a Hard Magic system is one where there are explicit rules about what the magic can’t do (Like in Avatar the Last Airbender, or anything by Brandon Sanderson), whereas a Soft Magic system is one where the only rules are what the magic system has been shown it can do (like Harry Potter, Star Wars, and The Lord of the Rings).

Shadow of the Conqueror goes for the former, with lots and lots of explicit rules for how everything works, that will all be explained to you in great detail if you can be bothered to read through it. Like, there is actual math and physics involved. Math.

Actually, it’s pretty cool overall- although a lot of the explanations get frontloaded into the novel in the form of infodumps while Daylen is experimenting.

The Moral Dilemma

The whole plot is built around a single question: Is Daylen redeemable? Is it even possible for him to be redeemed? Is the world ready or willing to forgive him?

Considering the scale of Day lens crimes (as one Goodreads reviewer put it, Daylen was basically pedophile-Stalin), almost everyone seems to agree that Dayless the Conqueror deserves to die. Including Daylen himself- although he’s convinced that “The Light” (Read: G-d) is determined to let him live so that he can continue suffering from his guilt. He believes that is why he was turned young and believes that that is why he was given his powers- so that he can fulfill some sort of purpose, find some small redemption, and suffer with himself all the while.

Like two of my other favorite authors (Brandon Sanderson and Orson Scott Card), Shadow of the Conquerer is written by a devout member of the Church of Latter-Day Saints- more commonly known as Mormonism. It’s clear that Shad M. Brooks’ views on redemption have intermixed with the story- that everyone deserves a second chance and can be deemed through repentance. It’s not a bad thing. Every artist adds their own philosophies into the works they create and lets people step into their worldview, even for a little while.

It’s just that on this particular issue, I disagree with the conclusion. I won’t spoil how it ends, but I do think Daylen gets off easy. I don’t particularly care how much guilt Daylen himself feels over his crimes. There are lines of no return, which, in my opinion, must be punished. Even if that person can be redeemed, it’s the crime itself that has to be punished.

I’m not Christian. I do believe in the concept of “an eye for an eye”- which isn’t literal, as most people seem to forget. In the old testament, this means that a man that breaks another man’s hand must pay the victim however much a court deems that man’s hand to be worth (basically, his livelihood). If you steal a goat, you must pay back two goats, etc.

Daylen Namaran is responsible for nearly thirty million deaths. The novel basically gives Daylen a slap on the wrist for it but delivers death penalties to men who have committed far less enormous (but still horrible) crimes. Daylen is at least self aware enough to recognize the hypocrisy, but the narrative itself doesn’t if that makes any sense. Sure, Daylen bemoans having to live another day with his immense guilt, but… he’s still alive? Returned to his youth, given magical superpowers, and reunited with once mortal enemies and even one of the girls he repeatedly raped?

I’m sorry, but that doesn’t fit my worldview of justice.

Overall

Now let me be clear: Does the fact that I heavily disagree with the implied moral compass of the novel make it a bad book? No. It’s very enjoyable. It’s very well written, with solid characters and an intriguing moral dilemma. The fact that I’m here, ranting about how much I disagree with it, means that in one sense, it accomplished its goal of getting me to think. I didn’t agree with every outcome of Star Trek. The writers of that show ended up at conclusions I would not have come to, and neither did Mr. Brooks. Which is fine! If everyone thought exactly the same as I did, that would suck.

I went into Shadow of the Conqueror expecting an Epic Fantasy, set on a world-shattering scale. Instead, I got a smaller scale but far more thought-provoking novel than I had ever initially expected to get. Many fantasy novels avoid the non-PC issues (like ham-fisted racism is bad metaphors) to keep a wider audience, and I appreciate that Shadow of the Conqueror doesn’t compromise to tell the story it wants to tell.

Plus, any story, fantasy or no, that dunks on communism gains my respect.

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Discover the Exciting World of Online Slots on Situs Slot Gacor

Published

5 days ago

July 18, 2024

sylvia J

Discover the Exciting World of Online Slots on Situs Slot Gacor

Introduction

Welcome to the exciting world of online slot games! You might have heard of Situs Slot and Situs Slot Gacor—two popular places where people go to play fun and thrilling games right from their homes. These sites are famous because they offer lots of different games that are easy to play and really fun. Today, we’re going to find out what makes these sites so special and why so many people enjoy playing there. So, let’s get ready to explore the world of Situs Slot and see what adventures await us!

What is Situs Slot?

Situs Slot is a fantastic online platform where you can play lots of different slot games. Imagine it like a giant virtual arcade, filled with colorful games that you can try right from your computer or phone. Each game on Situs Slot is unique, featuring different themes like adventures, space, pirates, and more. This means you can always find something new and exciting to play.

What exactly is a slot game? Well, it’s a type of game where you spin reels with symbols on them, and you win prizes based on which symbols line up when the reels stop spinning. It’s really simple to play, and there’s no need to learn complicated rules.

Moreover, Situs Slot makes playing these games super easy. You can start a game with just a few clicks, and there are even instructions to help you if you’re trying it for the first time. Besides being fun, playing these games feels like a small adventure on its own because you never know what you’re going to get next.

Exploring Situs Slot Gacor

Situs Slot Gacor is a special version of Situs Slot that offers even more excitement and fun. It’s like the regular Situs Slot but with extra goodies and surprises that make the games even more thrilling. At Situs Slot Gacor, the games are designed to give players more chances to win and enjoy bigger prizes. This makes every game feel like a new adventure.

What makes Situs Slot Gacor really stand out are its special features. For example, some games have what’s called ‘jackpots,’ which are big prizes that you could win if you’re really lucky. Also, the games often come with cool bonuses, like free spins, which let you play a few rounds without using your own money. It’s like getting extra chances to win for free!

Furthermore, Situs Slot Gacor is known for being ‘gacor,’ a fun word that means the games are often ‘hot’ or likely to pay out prizes. This makes playing here super exciting because you feel like you could win something at any moment.

Benefits of Playing on Situs Slot and Situs Slot Gacor

Playing on Situs Slot and Situs Slot Gacor brings several benefits that make these sites super appealing. First off, you can enjoy all these games without ever leaving your house. This means you can play anytime you want, whether it’s after school or on a rainy day, right from the comfort of your own room.

Safety is another big plus. These sites take great care to protect your information and make sure everything is fair, so you can play without worrying. Plus, they use rules that help keep everyone safe online, which means you and your friends can have fun without any troubles.

One of the best parts about playing on these platforms is the bonuses they offer. For instance, you might get extra money to play with when you join, or even get free spins on some games. This is like getting extra tokens or tickets at a real arcade, which means more playtime and more chances to win.

Lastly, playing online slots like these is a great way to practice decision-making and strategy. While the games are based on luck, deciding when to play and how to use your bonuses can help sharpen your thinking skills. So, not only is it fun, but it’s also a cool way to learn new skills. Now, let’s find out how you can start playing on these awesome sites!

How to Get Started on Situs Slot Gacor

Getting started on Situs Slot and Situs Slot Gacor is super easy and fun! First, you need to create your own account. Just like signing up for a new game or app, you’ll enter a little bit of information about yourself and choose a fun username. Make sure you remember your password, and keep it safe!

Next, you’ll add some money to your account to start playing the games. This is called making a deposit. It’s similar to getting tokens for arcade games. There are different ways to do this, and the website will guide you through each step so it’s clear and simple.

Also, it’s really important to play responsibly. This means only playing with money you’re okay with spending and not using too much time playing games. The website has tools that help you set limits on how much you can spend and how long you can play.

Now, with your account set up and everything ready, you can start exploring and playing all the different fun games. Have fun and remember to play wisely! Let’s move on to some tips to make your gaming experience even better.

Tips for Enjoying Situs Slot Gacor

First, try out different games to find which ones you like the best. Each game has its own fun theme and special features, so exploring can be really exciting!

A great strategy is to set yourself a budget or a limit for how much money you’re willing to spend. This helps you enjoy the games without worrying about spending too much. Just like when you have a certain amount of allowance to spend on toys or games, stick to your budget here too.

Also, take advantage of bonuses and promotions. These can give you extra chances to play or even win more without having to spend extra money. Think of them like bonus points or rewards that you can earn while playing.

Remember to take breaks. Playing too long without a break can make it less fun. So, just like in a long game of hide and seek, pause for a bit, rest, and then you can have fun playing again with fresh energy.

Finally, keep in mind that winning is exciting, but playing should always be about having fun. Enjoy the thrill of the game and celebrate the small victories along the way!

Conclusion

These sites offer a fun way to play games online, where you can win prizes, enjoy various games, and even learn new strategies. Remember, the key to having a great time is playing responsibly. Always stick to your budget and take breaks when you need to. Enjoy the games for the fun and adventure they bring, and use the bonuses wisely to enhance your experience. So, go ahead, try out different games, and find your favorites. Happy gaming, and always remember to have fun safely!

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Unlock Exciting Online Gaming Adventures with Cepat89 and Slot88

Published

6 days ago

July 17, 2024

sylvia J

Unlock Exciting Online Gaming Adventures with Cepat89 and Slot88

In the rapidly expanding world of online gaming, platforms like cepat89 and slot88 have become prominent players. These platforms offer a wide range of games and exciting features designed to provide users with an immersive and rewarding gaming experience. Let’s explore what makes cepat89 and slot88 exceptional choices for online gaming enthusiasts.

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Cepat89 is a platform that prioritizes fast-paced, engaging gaming experiences. Here’s why cepat89 stands out in the crowded online gaming market:

Extensive Game Library

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Visit the Official Website: Navigate to the official cepat89
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Security is a top priority at cepat89. The platform uses advanced encryption technologies to protect your personal and financial information. Additionally, all games are regularly audited to ensure fairness, giving you peace of mind as you enjoy your gaming experience.

Slot88: A Haven for Slot Enthusiasts

Slot88 is dedicated to providing an exceptional experience for slot game lovers. With a rich variety of slots featuring engaging themes and big payouts, slot88 has become a favorite among players. Here’s what makes slot88 a top choice:

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How to Get Started with Cepat89 and Slot88

Starting your journey on these platforms is easy and convenient. Follow these steps to begin your gaming adventure:

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Conclusion

Cepat89 and slot88 offer exceptional online gaming experiences, each with its unique appeal. Cepat89 provides a dynamic and secure environment for various casino games, while slot88 is a paradise for slot game enthusiasts with its extensive game library and attractive bonuses. Whether you’re looking for fast-paced table games or the thrill of spinning the reels, these platforms have everything you need to elevate your gaming experience. Join cepat89 and slot88 today and unlock the full potential of your online gaming adventures.

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Unleash the Fun with HIT-A-MOLE: The Ultimate Online Casino Game

Published

3 weeks ago

July 1, 2024

sylvia J

If you’re looking to play casino games online and want an experience that stands out from the rest, look no further than HIT-A-MOLE. This exciting game combines the thrill of traditional online casino games with a unique twist that will keep you coming back for more. HIT-A-MOLE offers a perfect blend of strategy and luck, making it an ideal choice for both novice and seasoned players.

Why HIT-A-MOLE Should Be Your Go-To Online Casino Game

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Getting Started with HIT-A-MOLE

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Maximize Your HIT-A-MOLE Experience

Strategic Tips for Players

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What Makes HIT-A-MOLE Unique?

Key Features

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Don’t miss out on the excitement—visit HIT-A-MOLE today and start playing. Discover how strategy and luck combine in this unique online casino game and see just how much you can win!