My name is Nathan and I'm currently getting my Ph.D. in archaeology in the US, but in my freetime I absolutely love reading any kind of fantasy book (and watching way too much TV). So I guess you could say that during the day I like to escape into the past and in the evening I like to escape into other worlds! The novel’s readability is paired with a keen attention to detail in worldbuilding and character development. Kian N. Ardalan has created an expansive world with a rich history and culture. Eleventh Cycle is an immediately enjoyable novel but also rewards multiple rereads, as additional details and connections become clear. I also love its soft magic system, which is the perfect accompaniment to the novel’s mysterious aesthetic. So, making this as a sort of PSA because I'm only about an hour in but feel very sure in saying this.

Eleventh Cycle (Mistland, book 1) by Kian N Ardalan

Thou art b'rn, Seed of King, Blood of King, to delivereth Minethria from festering Evil like Seeds before thee; all so that land be birth'd from mist and the Eleventh Cycle may finally end.” A soft and gentle breeze rustled the long field of grass as if grooming it with an invisible tongue. The orange glow of an egg yolk covered it all and the soft touch of grey began to grow like mould over its tapestry.' The misty world feels claustrophobic at times which is just a sign of how good the author is at drawing you into the setting. By the end I am sure I will need a mountain of tissues! So far it's been a few tears, which is very hard to get from me in a book, and I have been assured by my friends whom have read it, that it only gets more emotional from here on out! It has been a thousand years since the last Seed abandoned their duty. The mists are closing in. Finally, the Morning Bell tolls. A new Seed is born, but is it too late?If there's another aspect that is at the same level with worldbuilding, is how in contraposition with the darkness of the world, we are given characters we get to connect with them. Ardalan builds deep connections to these characters, which get reinforced by the use of a first-person voice for each one of them, creating a more close connection to them, and giving more impact to what will happen to them. Despite being characters with really different origins, all of them share themes in their experiences, such as friendship, love, and acceptance.

Eleventh Cycle (Mistland): Ardalan, Kian N: 9783200086739

There's one aspect that I found especially interesting that I would like to talk about before passing to the characters, and it is how well the fragmented narration is integrated into the full story. The addition of lore snippets at the start of each chapter adds an extra layer of information about Minethria, similar to what we experiment with Hidetaka Miyazaki's narrative, giving you partial information, letting some empty spaces that you can fill with theories, which will be confirmed or discarded once we continue advancing into the story. This is definitely a character-driven narrative, despite having such a detailed world to learn about. Overall Thoughts

Read Eleventh Cycle by Kian N Ardalan

It is time for my stop on the Escapist Book Tours Co. book tour of Eleventh Cycle, a big chonky grimdark self-published fantasy book! But this is not some kind of 'trauma porn', there is still light and hope in these books. These characters are inherently flawed but good people. They are fiercely loyal, compassionate, trying to do the right thing to survive their way in this miserable world. Some of you may be aware of this self pub release coming up in February 2023. It's by an author called Kian Ardalan, and it's a Dark Souls inspired book. Now I am here to tell you exactly why you should be really excited for this release!

Kian N. Ardalan (Author of Eleventh Cycle) - Goodreads Kian N. Ardalan (Author of Eleventh Cycle) - Goodreads

I’m coming to this book a bit late, and I have been following the hype for this book for a couple of weeks now. This means that I started this book with very high expectations. I probably over-hyped the book in my own mind a bit too much, which definitely colored my perception of it.Being a woman meant that I would always be put into question. I needed them to see me as a legend.” Records the default button state of the corresponding category & the status of CCPA. It works only in coordination with the primary cookie. Eleventh Cycle tells the story of four main characters. Delila, a young girl who discovers she has magic powers in a world that doesn’t accept witches. Chroma, a young akar (an orc-like species) living in a human world that hates the akar. Nora, a soldier who escaped her cult-like family. Erefiel, a high ranking solider and the son of a god-like figure who has major daddy-issues. Between the four of them, they embark on a journey of self-discovery, conflict, and ultimately intersect with the godly realms that decide the fate of the world.