Oct 06, 2025

I really appreciate all the details: the roots, the hive, their uses... It's all incredibly realistic and authentic! The way the characters interact is also exceptionally well put 👍

Loading...

Loading...

Loading...

Loading...

Loading...

Loading...

1

Oct 05, 2025

I like the town/ fort and how lively it has become 👍

I think that -for any reader- it is like entering one of those actual roman towns made on the spot while campaigning on some foreign land.

Loading...

Loading...

Loading...

Loading...

Loading...

Loading...

1

Oct 05, 2025

I find that the characters are drawn very vividly in their interaction 🎨

Also, I like how we learn about the backstory and what's happened or what they're thinking without even realizing it or getting bored by an info dump 👍
I doubt if I managed to do as well in my own book.

Loading...

Loading...

Loading...

Loading...

Loading...

Loading...

1

Oct 05, 2025

To:Mike Psellos

Well, I never wanted to have a "mana" potion or anything similar... but, after some consideration I though it inescapably necessary for an Isekai such as my own (since it was also the very first I ever attempted writing).

But, yeah, by establishing those drael as both currency and an edible asset... later on one must balance between the two: spending too much in a market might work against you later on -- survival wise.
I have a lot of details to write on drael as currency (and not only) in the appendices once the contest is through 👍

P.S. If you check any of my social you should see an image I've uploaded on drael 🪨✨

Loading...

Loading...

Loading...

Loading...

Loading...

Loading...

2

Oct 05, 2025

To:Mike Psellos

I do try to invest in the atmosphere above all! 😃

Well, stopping to magine, to dream, to hope etc. is not exactly like a crime...
But, it's actually deadly dangerous for you and those around you!

Allegorically, I wanted to show the contrast between people on the phone all day wasting time and consuming (even judging) other people's work/ creations etc...
But, I didn't manage to do that connection till the very end!

Oh, well 😅

Loading...

Loading...

Loading...

Loading...

Loading...

Loading...

1

Oct 05, 2025

To:Mike Psellos

I must be frank, at first, even I wasn't sure, yet.
But then, I weighed how much time I had left till deadline and how much real-life time could I actually spend writing...
and I though that this world could only be one "thing"

Loading...

Loading...

Loading...

Loading...

Loading...

Loading...

1

Oct 04, 2025

To:Mike Psellos

You now have me imagining your parents wearing togae* 😋

*btw, I really much like the "ae", plural in many things in Latin!
That was also my inspiration for naming the drael in my book (dral in singular)
I know it's usually not working with an "l" at the end... but I don't actually use Latin in mine. Just this inspiration.

Anyway -- good stuff 👍
It's on of the best chapters so far!

Loading...

Loading...

Loading...

Loading...

Loading...

Loading...

1

Oct 04, 2025

To:Mike Psellos

Thanks! 😊
I can spoil out anything you like but the end 😅

Loading...

Loading...

Loading...

Loading...

Loading...

Loading...

1

Oct 03, 2025

One of the best ways to quickly share details of what has happened and what they've learned... with lot's of humour to it!
Real nicely done 👍

Loading...

Loading...

Loading...

Loading...

Loading...

Loading...

1

Oct 03, 2025

Apollo and Artemis would be the most famous twins.
But naming them so could be considered blasphemy or something...
Nice 👍

I wander how all without exception elders died out 🤔

Loading...

Loading...

Loading...

Loading...

Loading...

Loading...

1

Oct 03, 2025

"Tonight we work; tomorrow we sleep."
Nice 👍

Loading...

Loading...

Loading...

Loading...

Loading...

Loading...

1

Oct 02, 2025

Nice 👍
Let's see where they head to...

Loading...

Loading...

Loading...

Loading...

Loading...

Loading...

0

Oct 01, 2025

Knowing a bit of Latin myself, this made me think that, possibly, I could perhaps even communicate with a Latin person, if one existed today!
But, yeah... I think I would fail on the pronunciation, and so, we'll end up signaling with hand gestures.
Overall, nice chapter 👍

Also, liked the Barbara irony thing too! 😁

Loading...

Loading...

Loading...

Loading...

Loading...

Loading...

0

Oct 01, 2025

Read it now (said I'm a slow reader)
Liked the prologue! 🙂

I wish we'd seen how they reached where we find them in chapter one.
But, I suppose this will become known later on.

Good stuff using real life historical figures in it -- picked my interest 👍

Loading...

Loading...

Loading...

Loading...

Loading...

Loading...

0

Oct 01, 2025

To:Mike Psellos

Hey Michael,
thank you so much for your kind words! 😊
(warning: long reply ahead)

And to be honest, I didn't know how to begin this story—who the MC would be, what would happen, etc. By Chapter Two, I was even briefly tempted to carry on with it as a slice of life/ social drama and start a new story for the contest!o be honest.
But I forced myself to carry on; otherwise, it would have just become another one of my unfinished tales.

P.S. 1: Ironically, I've read the Silmarillion many times, but I've never finished the Unfinished Tales (tried thrice) Which actually seems appropriate given my writing habit!

P.S. 2: I definitely need to check Ken Grimwood's Replay now.
The synopsis sounds really promising!

P.S. 3: Those tags you mentioned... they might not be completely accurate either. But, should be close. I wasn't 100% sure 😅

Loading...

Loading...

Loading...

Loading...

Loading...

Loading...

1