Empire of Shadows阴影帝国

Straight up ad hominem and assumptions, ask me how I’m not surprised. 🤷🏻

I’ll do you one better. Why read at all if you have the comprehension of a dying caveman?

You didn’t even address nor engage with my criticisms towards the novel, which from a reader’s perspective, are all valid.

I am a reader before all things. That is why I understand Lance’s political standing, his circumstances, and the decisions he makes. I can see the logic behind them, born from a desire not merely to survive, but to thrive within the world he inhabits.

If you’re talking just to talk, just stop.

You're welcome, bruv.

Honestly, I came away more disappointed than anything else because I genuinely saw the potential this novel had. It started with a strong premise, interesting worldbuilding, and a protagonist whose traits and ambitions made for a compelling read. That's what makes it unfortunate. If it had been mediocre from the start, I probably wouldn't care as much. The disappointment comes from knowing how good it could have been.

The wasted potential is far more disappointing than reading outright slop. A bad novel sets your expectations early. This one didn't. It gave every indication that it could become a 10/10 story, only to gradually lose sight of what made it compelling in the first place.

My biggest issue is Lance. I understand stories where the line between protagonist and antagonist becomes blurred. Some of my favorite stories do exactly that. The problem isn't that Lance makes questionable choices. The problem is that the writing increasingly feels unwilling to properly challenge him or make him confront the consequences of those choices.

Over time, he became almost a one-dimensional character. Not because he is literally perfect, but because the narrative seems determined to smooth over every rough edge he should have. The author appears to mistake competence for depth. What makes a protagonist compelling isn't their ability to overcome every obstacle; it's their shortcomings, contradictions, failures, and the cost of their decisions.

Even in fiction, readers need something human to connect to. An author's job is to convince the reader that the world and characters they've created are logical and consistent within the rules they've established. Once that consistency starts breaking down, so does the immersion.

That is why the cheating subplot felt so poorly executed.

The issue isn't even the cheating itself. If the story had properly developed it, explored the deterioration of the marriage, and allowed the consequences to unfold naturally, then it could have worked narratively. People fail. Relationships fail. Human beings make selfish and destructive choices.

The problem is that there was barely any meaningful buildup.

There was no substantial fallout between Lance and Patricia that would make such a drastic decision feel believable. Worse, after the implied assurances he had previously given her, the story suddenly pivots and has him sleep with Barbara—Patricia's own cousin, and the very source of many of Patricia's insecurities and doubts.

The issue is how hasty and unearned it feels.

Instead of feeling like the culmination of character flaws, emotional weakness, or mounting pressure, it comes across as an impulsive development built upon the rather stupid idea that no matter how intelligent a man is, men are still creatures of desire and will inevitably give in to it. That's not nuanced characterization. It's lazy writing.

And that's what makes it disappointing.

Personally, I'd rather have slower updates than rushed developments that undermine the foundation of the story. Good character writing requires patience. Consequences require buildup. Relationships require development.

What frustrates me most is that the novel had already demonstrated that it was capable of much better writing than this. That's why the wasted potential stands out so much. Not because the story became unreadable, but because it abandoned a far more compelling direction in favor of a rushed and poorly developed one.

The cheating itself was distasteful, sure. But more than that, it felt lazy. And that's a far greater flaw for a story than simply making a protagonist do something wrong.

Holy yap.

Yeahh, this is definitely the real review now, lol.

Gave my thoughts more time and justice.

It's a great novel, I can bear that for it.

wtr_lab's beta AI translation and edit terms function is much better than most translated novels on this site.