- Feb 26, 2019
- 77
- 287
I got hooked thanks to the great writing, and I'm invested enough to care about the story, so I have one piece of criticism.
Maddy listing the signs of the end times is very underwhelming.
So many wars? Like always.
Africa starving? Like always.
Tsunamis and tidal waves? Every 5 years or so.
The viruses that killed fewer people than the plague or the spanish flu or smallpox? Even mentioning Covid? Just lame.
With all this human population is still growing out of control, so if this is the apocalypse divine and infernal beings can do, I'm not fucking impressed. It reminded me too much of televanglists blowing mundane things out of proportion and telling you to save your soul by giving them money.
But it's told from Maddy's perspective, so there is absolutely room for introducing more danger, and as I'm writing this just as I read it, it's possible this issue is already resolved. (I just hope it's not some vague prophecy that gives away the ending)
The other observation I have is the Borderlands-style animations when a main character is introduced. Be mindful that even by giving away an adjective about the character you strip yourself of the chance to show the characters behavior instead of telling it, making the characters actions predictable. Take the Cardinal's example: "master manipulator". I did not need to be told that. Especially since you showed it so well by him indebting you with the money and trying to win you over to his side by housing you in a loft. Then when the MC remarks on this in his internal monologue is enough to make the...slower readers catch on as well.
Otherwise, great job! I especially like that the MC is definitely capable in his own right, (as shown by inspecting Maddy at first glance).
Maddy listing the signs of the end times is very underwhelming.
So many wars? Like always.
Africa starving? Like always.
Tsunamis and tidal waves? Every 5 years or so.
The viruses that killed fewer people than the plague or the spanish flu or smallpox? Even mentioning Covid? Just lame.
With all this human population is still growing out of control, so if this is the apocalypse divine and infernal beings can do, I'm not fucking impressed. It reminded me too much of televanglists blowing mundane things out of proportion and telling you to save your soul by giving them money.
But it's told from Maddy's perspective, so there is absolutely room for introducing more danger, and as I'm writing this just as I read it, it's possible this issue is already resolved. (I just hope it's not some vague prophecy that gives away the ending)
The other observation I have is the Borderlands-style animations when a main character is introduced. Be mindful that even by giving away an adjective about the character you strip yourself of the chance to show the characters behavior instead of telling it, making the characters actions predictable. Take the Cardinal's example: "master manipulator". I did not need to be told that. Especially since you showed it so well by him indebting you with the money and trying to win you over to his side by housing you in a loft. Then when the MC remarks on this in his internal monologue is enough to make the...slower readers catch on as well.
Otherwise, great job! I especially like that the MC is definitely capable in his own right, (as shown by inspecting Maddy at first glance).