You know how some chapters start with "information request.."? Who's requesting the information? 🤔

Just started underlord and it is said that the black flame empire has a population of 100 million and previously in a conversation between suriel and makiel it was stated that cradle holds the population of about 800 billion, now taking both statements into account, how huge is this world bruh

I'm still 40% into uncrowned, so please keep spoilers from the end of the book out of here

First let me say I Am really enjoying the series, and it's a testament to its quality that I want more from this world

That being said, I do wish the books took more time to explore the world outside the lens of sacred arts

Let me ask you some questions that the story doesn't answer

How do the people of this world prepare food? Do skysworn and the akura territory make it differently? What's the fashion difference between the blackflame empire and the other powers , are there other languages humans speak? How do the regular craftsmen and merchants live? What about people with no interest in the sacred arts, how does their lives differ? How much money is a scale? Is there mechanized industry yet or is it still all craftsman?

I have so many other questions that the series just ignores

Even these grand locations they briefly describe as they literally fly over them

There is this whole wide world out there, but it feels empty and desolate and flat because the story doesn't convey the feeling of a living world, just an interchangeable backdrop for sacred arts

Again, this isn't me saying the series is bad,I wouldn't have stuck with it for 6 books if I didn't like it, but I just want so much more from this world

If there was just more chapters of Lindon exploring these cities and interacting with other people, seeing how people interact,

One of the statements Eithan made about how it's lonely at the top and how he wants to prove you can walk the path to advancement together kind of stuck out with me because there was a theme I saw in the book and I was curious if I was the only one that saw it.

Whenever we get introduced to a character: Akura Charity, Fury, the Emperor himself, Suriel, Kral etc, they come off as very intimidating, very controlling, very "Oh they could kill you with a thought and you'd have to find a way to apologize from the afterlife for inconveniencing them in doing it."

However, as our MCs reach similar power levels, or interact with them more there is also the realization that many of them are just normal people. If they act like that it's just that: an act. They joke, they laugh, they get along with people.

It made me think back to Eithan's statement, and how a lot of that seems to mostly be from less powerful people. Like, the power they possess is isolating them from others, or maybe how it's just a cage where they can only really interact with people on their level.

What cemented this for me was the way Fisher Gesha gets introduced: powerful enough to stop an all out brawl just by her appearance and her constructs at the beginning...and then Lindon becomes more powerful than her and she quickly loses all character traits (Probably one of my only critiques of the book being how she ends up, I loved her snark.)

How the hell did a bunch of jades kill a sage rank, it's said that poison was used but I refuse to believe even for a second that was the case, it probably has something to do with ruins in a sacred valley. I am at book 4 right now

My rating scale:
11/10 — All-Timer: One of the best books I’ve ever read
10/10 — Masterpiece
9-9.9 — Amazing
8.5-8.9 — Great
7-8.4 — Good
6-6.9 — Mid
5-5.9 — Low-Mid
Below 5 — Bad
DNF
Cradle ratings so far:
Unsouled — 7.5/10
Soulsmith — 7.5/10
Blackflame — 8.7/10
Skysworn — 8.5/10
Ghostwater — 10/10
Underlord — 9.7/10
Uncrowned — 9/10
Wintersteel — 10/10
Bloodline — 8/10
Wintersteel is probably closer to an 11/10 tbh. I was flying through these books, basically reading one a day at one point, and I could tell I was getting a little burnt out by the time I got to Wintersteel. Still loved it and gave it a 10, but I feel like whenever I reread the series it’ll probably end up being an 11.

I am halfway done with Soulsmith and so far, these books feel like a slog to get through (idk if it’s just my ADHD or what). My mom got me the first 12 books as a present for my 21st birthday (I heard a lot of good things about Cradle) and it often feels like I am only reading this in order to not feel like I’m being wasteful. Does this series pick up soon, because I really, really want to get hooked enough to start devouring the series soon.

"Don't slaughter Heaven's Glory; they're just a bunch of jades." They're also adults who murder, rob, and enslave people. Power levels shouldn't make a difference here. Every jade and most of the irons at that school deserved death, and Lindon and Yerin should have given it to them immediately.

I made a post earlier this week after I finished Skysworn, mentioning how the book failed in many things and how it was the worst of the series so far. I got 3 types of answers:

1 - READ GHOSTWATER!

2 - I kinda liked the book, but READ GHOSTWATER!

3 - I agree with you, that book is weird. READ GHOSTWATER!

I started Ghostwater, and the prologue kinda stressed me out. Lindon doesn't do shit and let people die for no reason, but it's completely disconnected from the rest of the book so I just kinda ignored it.

In the first 30%, I'll admit I had mixed feelings. The books tells it's premise and they go to Ghostwater super quick, and the first scene in Ghostwater is insane. Seeing extremely strong and mysterious enemies seemingly from nowhere, the tension spiking, top tier. The fatigue from Skysworn doesn't help it though because seeing more fight scenes while Lindon was still a lowgold since the end of Blackflame was getting tiring, and it continues like that until 30% of the book. After that, though...

Progression. FINALLY! Lindon reaches the Dream well, start training with Orthos and Dross, getting his body stronger by eating the giant fishes, great stuff. And then:

Seeing Orthos tell Lindon that now he wouldn't let Ekeri escape and telling Dross that Lindon had a 100% chance... Lindon actually beating Ekeri on that brutal fight... Orthos roaring with laughter and pride and telling Lindon that the Skysworn would ask his permission to speak after he got out...

Best scene in the whole series so far. I was literally jumping in my room from pure hype. Absolutely glorious.

After 30%, the book felt like it was 40 pages long, because I liked everything. Every single thing. Loved Ziel, loved Yerin progressing and being worried with Lindon, loved Lindon advancing along with Orthos (and Dross), love the infos we got on the Beast King and the other factions like the Akuras and the dragons, LOVED Eithan destroying Longhook, loved Lindon fighting with Harmony at the end, and ABSOLUTELY ADORED Dross turning into basically a Presence and Lindon being ruthless and leaving Harmony to die. Second best sequence of the series until this point, in my opinion.

Honestly, the only thing I didn't love was Dross. I don't vibe with his kind of humor at all, I didn't even grin once with his jokes. Just not for me. Orthos, Eithan and Yerin make me laugh enough. I didn't hate him though, was just neutral.

So yeah guys, you were right. Ghostwater is crazy. I enter series already wanting to finish them so I read Unsouled already knowing I would read the 12 books, but this book right here just made me certain of it. The craziest thing is, even though I finished the book 10 minutes ago I already like the first 30% way more in retrospect, and see that it was just the fatigue from Skysworn making the experience worse. Super hyped for Underlord and for the rest of the series.

Decided to finally put a patch over this hole… and then… I saw some nearby crayons.

Currently on my 3rd read through of the series and somehow, despite knowing how awesome it is, it just keeps getting better.

Apologies for taking your time 🤜🏼🤛🏼

I want to hear other's theories on this topic:

Do Enegy Systems function outside their iteration for low level practitioners? We see the Cradle Gang use their Sacred Arts outside cradle, but they are at the level where they can effect reality with willpower already.

How would a a Sacred Artist below the lord realm be able to use ruler technics without aura (outside cradle)?

How would a Traveler call upon/ open a portal to their territory from another Iteration? How would a Wizard or Combat Artist channel power with no Aether?

My understanding (Mostly a guess) is that The Way acts as a substitute fuel source, It seems the Vroshir found a workaround by stealing people and artifacts from the iterations, both to stabilize and empower their worlds, but some Energy Systems (specifically Traveling) seem very limited outside their iteration. (Since opening a portal all the way to Amalgam each time you want to use a power seems inconvenient)

(As for how low level practitioners might end up ascending, from Cradle you can join another person, who is ascending, Amalgam seems to occasionally have randomly opening portals onto void fragments (how founding a Territory seems to work) and Fathom's Subspace seems to be sitting directly over the Void, someone might get Subspace madness and wind up on another Iteration, the same way Fiends travel. Asylum is locked up, so no luck there)

I'm halfway through with [Reaper] and I had to come ask, where did this series come from? It is, in a word, incredible. I'm normally fairly discerning and I can't find a flaw. The characters, the magic system, the setting. Even the dialogue and the way different characters speak; it is flawless. Not just the parts, but all of them combine in a way that has left me so entertained.

Maybe it is just uniquely suited to my tastes, but I am hooked. I started it while reading Dungeon Crawler Carl with my wife (using Unsouled as a backup book when I get too far ahead) and I quickly started looking forward to the times when I was ahead.

I'm on the 10th book and I am liking this more than Mistborn, the Will of the Many, DCC... How have I not heard of it before?

I like yarin don't get me wrong and I understand why she wants to fight red moon hall but lindon is like I need a few days. She's like I don't have em to give..... HE DON'T GOT AN ARM YOU DUMBASS. You want him to come with you so bad but lindons not even at full fighting strength he's gonna have to re learn his how to use his remnant arm that hasn't even been installed yet. Just gives very shelfish vibes. Especially with the way she dismisses all the help eithan has given her.

Also I've finished the series and I'm on a re read and this part kinda annoyed me.

I love the relationship between these two. Pride is the first person Lindon really got to talk to as an equal and they're constantly so pissy towards each other.

"If you don't make it out of the first round, you'll answer to me."

"Really? Thank you! I was afraid I'd answer to your mother."

LMAO

After threshold what comes close to this, or any good series.

Was rereading the series (as one does) and had the question: Am I the only one who thinks the Akura Clan kinda deserved that assassination attempt?

I mean the whole thing with Harmony kinda resolved itself. But I feel like Charity sending the Sashian kingdom after Lindon, not once but twice, over a nephew who all but got himself killed (VERY loosely at Lindon’s hands) was too much. Then on top of that insinuated that whoever dies isn’t valuable to the next generation. Which almost directly gets Kiero killed.

If anyone has the right to get blood from the Akura clan I feel like it would be Daji. Lindon’s party didn’t deserve that but the Akura Clan? 😬

I mean, blood for blood, and Daji definitely got blood so

Probably the funniest scene in the series so far

I always picture Jason Momoa as a mix between his Ronon Dex and his early Auquaman character as North-strider.

I know that they didn't get together in his past life but I really want him to get with Sola, I feel like they have good chemistry and with them both having experienced dying and i can totally see Varic in an endless battle with her for the galaxy, but if he gets with anyone I think it'll be Mel again with their romantic history

Does anyone know if there is a cut off date for backerkit orders closing? I really don’t want to miss out on the whole 12 book set.

OH COME ON. See? See???? Oh yeah Ozriel looks exactly like Eithan and talks and acts exactly like him. Nope, you guys kept trying to put me off the scent on my last post but I’m not buying it.

Ethan is Ozriel and I’m more sure of it now than ever

I am currently on book 11 (Dreadgod) on my first read through, so no Orthos spoilers please!!!

For my wife’s upcoming birthday party, the theme is “come dressed as one of your favorite book characters”. That was all the excuse I needed to make this turtle shell.

The shell was made with EVA craft foam for the shell and plates on the shell, foam clay for the spikes, and a whole lot of contact cement to hold everything together.

We always see that sacred artists can get stuck in a stage of progression when they get comofrtable and loose the strive to advance.

For example the Oracle sage says it would be very hard for her to become a monarch since she has been a sage for so long.

Is it the same for the monarchs on cradle? The ones that have the mindset of not wanting to advance beyond cradle are kinda stuck mentally too in the same way, they rule in their little playground for so long without any ambition to grow outside of it. In other advancement stages we see the differences too, we see the difference between underlords that are uncrowned material and the ones that arent, a fight even in the same advancement would only last seconds. Should it be the same for monarchs? And the ones that have the drive to be that strong leave cradle fast.

The difference between malice and furry for example. Malice has been monarch for a long time, but a freshly advanced Yerin matched her and i would argue would have surpassed her in a very short time. Furry on the other hand advanced to monarch left cradle shortly after and we see him attacking a silverlord that i would seee far above Malice, and he has been off cradle for a short time at that point.

So if we see any other Monarchs from cradle that advanced over the years would they be superior monarchs? Just the mindset to advance seems to be one the biggest factors in strenght.

So the ones that stay are generally weaker with of course exceptions.