Author: Avitue
Blurb: Civil War had raged on the Al-Shan Archipelago for the past four decades, only recently coming to an end with the enthronement of the new Emperor.
This is not his story.
The Blood Demon, renowned general of said civil war, was tired of all the fighting and politicking that had described the last four decades of her existence. All she really wanted to do now is to go out into the world and see the many lands from her father's stories.
Thus she retired, and went and did exactly what she wanted.
This is the story of what happens when you toss a (retired) war machine with somewhat lacking common sense into an unsuspecting world at peace.
Link: Amazon
My Rating: 5 stars for having messed up moons.
My (actual) Rating: 4/5
This is, at its core, a slice of life fantasy story about a retired and world-weary general who just wants to live out a peaceful retirement and see the world. It drifts into "cozy" at times, but I wouldn't describe the story as entirely cozy. It often gets quite gritty—which isn't a problem unless you're looking for pure cozy, light fun. It deals with some pretty intense themes, and does feature flashbacks to her time as a general.
Now, with that out of the way (and now that you know what you're getting into), I think it's best to talk about the great parts.
The worldbuilding is incredible. It's what you'd expect from a story that leans towards the slice of life side of fantasy, and the author delivers an incredible result. If you just want to escape into an incredibly thought-out world without having your immersion broken, this is the story for you. Right down to the descriptions of the food she tries as she travels around, everything feels very real without feeling too much like the real world.
Also, I can't help but talk about the flow. This book is a page-turner. The chapters are short and easy to digest, and it's easy to keep reading as long as you want without getting distracted or feeling like you need to take a break. The adventures are small but fun.
When I first read the Royal Road release of this book, there were some issues with the grammar and awkward sentences, but most of them have been polished out for the Amazon release (as you'd hope). And, there is some truly amazing prose that has been mixed in to the story, making for a much more enjoyable read.
My only complaint would be that the main character can feel a little dull and empty, at times. There's just a bit of personality missing, and at times, she feels more like a vessel for the story to happen through rather than a full person. That being said, her past experiences, flashbacks, and trauma do make for a slightly more interesting character—when it is relevant. The good news is that the story doesn't need to be carried by her, because of everything I've mentioned before.
All in all, this book is worth your money and time. Seriously, if you've looking for immaculate world that you can lose yourself in, you shouldn't skip it!
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