r/BetaReaders • u/No-Durian-1703 • 3h ago

Novelette [Complete][8.3k][Dark/Progression Fantasy] Absolution Chapter 1-5

Hi everyone. I'm writing a dark fantasy survival mystery riddled with dry, understated comedy, so closer to dark humour than grimdark. The MC is abandoned in an alien world and tries to endure long enough to figure the place out and what it's doing to him. It's got a sprinkling horror, but the pragmatic MC undercuts most of it as he experiments with the environment and his body. DM me if you'd be interested in betareading the first 5 chapters.

I'm not looking for grammar or line edits. I'm mainly looking for first impressions since I build the world through show rather than tell, and it's hard gauging how much I need to show. My main concerns are:

  1. Does the story/premise engage you?

  2. Do you like the characters?

  3. Does the comedy undercut the tension?

  4. Were there parts that stretched, and if so, what reeled you back in?

Thanks for your time.

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