Zenith of Sorcery
by nobody103
After years of exile, Marcus is coming back home. A powerful mage with few equals, Marcus lives in a world full of monsters and powerful adepts, many of which have bad histories with him. But he has not come back to pursue vengeance or start a fight. All Marcus wants to do is reconnect with old friends, build himself a house, and maybe train a successor or two.
Alas, the world didn’t stop just because Marcus went into exile, and not everyone is content to let go of old grievances. Strange things are happening in the world at large, too, hinting at a looming disaster of unknown nature. Still, where there is a will, there is a way.
If nothing else, Marcus has a lot of magical power to throw at problems.
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Zenith of Sorcery is set in its own original setting and isn’t related to Mother of Learning… beyond being written by the same person, of course. This is a more classical fantasy story than my previous one, with a lower level of technology and stuff like elves and dwarves, but it has a lot of worldbuilding effort put into it and its own complex magical system. The story has significant xianxia influences, but isn’t meant to be a xianxia story.
For those of you not familiar with my previous work, I write relatively slowly. I intend to publish chapters at the rate of one chapter every three or four weeks, subject to further delays as life intervenes.
Next Chapter Target Date: May 11th, 2025
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Awesome
Reviewed at: 16. Noble Lineage
The story has just started and I'm addicted. I love the characters and the magic. The soul seeds are especially interesting to me.
Full stars of course. But my greed does make me wish the chapters were posted more often. Definitely always leaves me wanting more.
I hope we get to see some of the orphans go through the level up process to see how people go about becoming more.
Each chapter is better than the last. Grateful for this story.
A tree to lean on
Reviewed at: 11. Test of Time
This story has a lot of potential and the first three chapters I read are telling me this will be a very good story so I haven't got that much to say except you will definitely not be disappointed by reading the first three chapters (cause that's the only thing that's out) and I can't really criticize the author for the slow updates cause I'm reading it for free and I don't want to be an ungrateful shit so all and all I will say you have to read it
(Update)Zenith of Sorcery" is a spellbinding journey into a world of magic and intrigue. The author's masterful storytelling transports readers into a realm where sorcery reigns supreme, and every page is filled with excitement and wonder. From the intricately crafted magical system to the richly detailed world-building, this book captivates from start to finish. The characters are multi-dimensional and relatable, each with their own unique struggles and triumphs. As the plot unfolds, twists and turns keep readers guessing, while the stakes continue to rise. Whether you're a fan of fantasy or simply love a good adventure, "Zenith of Sorcery" is sure to cast its spell on you But the update schedule is a struggle but oh well good things take time
Was there any doubt?
Reviewed at: 7. The Exile
After the unrivaled masterpiece that was his last work, did anyone really think he would miss? No! Nobobdy103Iif that's even your REAL name,) never misses. Never.
The world building is a mix of western dnd style fantasy with eastern style cultivation. Normally, I hate those. But he has managed to pull it off well so far. The mystery of the world is just as intriguing as Mother of Learning and I am excited to see more.
Don't read if you hate
- Well written stories
- Interesting characters with believable motivations and backstories
- A gripping, captivating world and magic system.
Worth the wait
Reviewed at: 3. New Generation
I've been waiting for your next work for years. I'm glad the wait has been worth it. If there is a better, more technically sound author out there in terms of dialogue, first person perspective, and world building I haven't seen them. This new story is instantly engaging and I'm looking forward to following it.
Greatest New Story I Have Ever Read
Reviewed at: 11. Test of Time
Overall-As the title says, this is probably the greatest story I have ever read from within a week of release. And as we're only at chapter 3, it could become RR's best story-there IS that much potential. Nothing else comes close (well, at least nothing that was a hugely well-established success when I started reading)...
Style-Here, I have to take off half a point due to the slow release schedule, but otherwise, everything is very good. Usually, when rating style, I rate two sides-the technical aspect and the prose. The prose is masterful. It conveys the right theme without using words that are too long. No critique here except the slight matter of the release schedule. 4.5/5.
Grammar-No mistakes so far here. 5/5.
Story-We don't know where the plot is going yet, but it is very good. We have great worldbuilding, and the character is good for the plot, which ties me into my next point. 5/5.
Character-The characters seem believable. We've only had what, seven speaking characters so far, but knowing at least part of the backstory of the MC, and a little of the other character's backstories, they are acting like a normal person in that situation would. 5/5.
So to sum it up, we've got a great story on all fronts-except technical. But the author's sheer popularity makes up for this slight fault. For the overall score, let's take the mean of the other scores. 4.5+5+5+5=19.5. 19.5/4=4.875. That rounds to 5. So five stars.
Nobody strikes again
Reviewed at: 1. Homecoming
It is early for me to say but the premise is very interesting, and I like the straight fantasy nobody103 does so well. I am curious how the powerful protagonist will contrast against the accumulation of knowledge from MoL. I am concerned how the power scaling will be handled nevertheless I eagerly wait for the ride.
A very promising start
Reviewed at: 3. New Generation
The story as it is so far is very well thought out and the writing is top notch. It's easy to get swept into the world the author is bilding and the style is different than normal RR story's feeling more close to old school fantasy than the more common lit rpg progression story's I normally find here. I look forward to seeing where it goes.
Read and find out for yourself
Reviewed at: 6. Sun Drinker
I would advise you not to spend too much time reading reviews and wondering if the story is worth reading, just read the first chapter and see if it is to your liking.
What I can say is that the characters feel very real like they have their own lives and stories to worry about. As for the worldbuilding it may be too early to say with so few chapters, but so far I am very much excited to explore the world created by the author alongside our Protagonist.
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If you don't like the story it's most likely because you simply don't like the setting of the story or the personality of the protagonist doesn't resonate with you which is 100% ok, not every story is for everone.
Anyway what I want to say is giving this story 3 stars would be very harsh given how well written characters are in this story which is rare (there is a lot of bullshit npc characters in many stories), also the story is simply interesting and ensnares your attention easily, you want to know more (about the side characters and the world) and giving this story anything below 3 stars would be insulting in my opinion. Anyway maybe it is too early to write reviews since there are only 6 chapters but I couldn't help my self. Damn it wasn't supposed to be this long sorry.
It's crazy that I can read stories of such high quality for free it feels like a crime.
It’s nobody103
Reviewed at: 3. New Generation
I feel like this review is pointless because this is the author of royalroads most well rated book and has been the highest rated for years now, but I'm going to say some stuff anyway. Zenith of Sorcery is just as amazing as mother of learning but better. You can tell just how much time the author has spent improving. Please treat yourself and read this story.
An in-TREE-guing book so far
Reviewed at: 3. New Generation
Zenith of Sorcery, so far, is a very well written book with an interesting premise. It has already set up a multitude of plot threads that the author could follow up on, has well written characters that feel alive, and impeccable grammar. There is a depth to the world that is already apparent, and it is clear the author put a lot of time and effort into planning and worldbuilding. Not only that but the main character has tree magic. Tree magic. And there is a sentient talking tree in the end of chapter 3, so you know it leafes me no choice but to write a review with its super in-TREE-guing premise, plot, and characters so far.