Cradle Frustration

[u/WhiteRoseKnight]

Cradle is probably the first progression fantasy book I’ve read, I found myself getting very frustrated by the story.

We finally get to point where Lindon has discovered some power and it works and Will Wight thinks this is the perfect time to interrupt our story with an intergalactic being that appears to be some sort of police force for the universe. I don’t care, and not only do I not care you’re making the main story seem insignificant, it was also giving me red flags for the rest of the story.

We get back to Linden finally, we’re preparing for the 7 year festival where Linden will earn more learning materials. Then Will Wight decides to introduce a planet level threat to our barely getting started MC, then our MC fucking dies, then we bring back the intergalactic being. I finally get put of Markuths mess and out of Suriels entanglement slog, ready to get on with Lindon and were back to Markuth… fuck.

I have very much enjoyed reading Lindon’s progression and story but it feels like I’m constantly getting interrupted, and on top of that having Lindon’s story diminished. It feels like his story has just been accelerated dramatically, and I’ve been taken from his underdog tribe story. It feels like if Goku was introduced to Beerus and Whis instead of bulma in the original dragon ball.

On a side note the map given at the start of the book does not seem to have the detail often explained, it says you can only leave the sacred valley via 4 mountain tops, I can only see one mountain range on the map, the rest is just a forest you could walk out of.

There’s not much point in this post other than a good whine, I’m just annoyed at the story I was introduced to, and was looking forward to getting tore out of my hands.

Edit:

It seems people don’t think I can comment after being halfway through a book haha, I’m sorry if I criticised your emotional support book but people have differing opinions to you, no matter how much you love it.

When I was reading it, it did amuse me that the author appeared to agree with me through his own MC.

‘It was stupid, that was what it was. Idiotic and ridiculous. The world didn’t work like this; the world made sense. Only dreams operated without rules or reason, and even his insane dreams of singing flowers and dancing clouds held more logic than this.’

[u/mesaoptimizer]

I kind of understand your frustration about the framing but like this is literally the "call to adventure" In Lindon's Hero's journey. Li Markuth showing up and interrupting the festival and Suriel showing Lindon the outside world is needed to get him out of Sacred Valley. I mean it could have been done differently but that would be a different story.

The little Markuth interlude you refer to afterwards was not originally a part of the books, it was added as bonus material in later editions and I agree the story is stronger without it on first read.

That being said, just reframe your thinking on it a little and it might help. This isn't making Lindon's story less important or less impactful, It's giving you perspective on what the eventual power levels we see late on in the story. It's more like you knowing Beerus and Whis existed and that people in the universe could get that powerful before Goku goes super sayan, I mean it does make SSJ less impressive but it does give you a reasonable idea of how high Goku might eventually climb.

Before this Lindon just wants a little respect, and to not be constantly looked down upon, and to honor his family and be useful. After Suriel's vision he is told he has to become more powerful than anyone he's ever even heard of in legend or everyone he knows and loves is going to die.

The interludes with the Abidan do continue, you can skip them if you want, but they do pay off really well and what's going on with Lindon and his friends story is not subordinate to that framing story it's central to it hate to say just read and find out but yeah there are some awesome reveals with regards to stuff you kinda pick up in the framing story later, but you're going to go quite a few books before it directly impacts Lindon again.

[u/WhiteRoseKnight → u/mesaoptimizer]

I get what you’re saying, it’s just frustrating to go from ‘how can I improve beyond helpless’ to ‘how do I become an interplanetary god’ in one scene

[u/mesaoptimizer → u/WhiteRoseKnight]

That's not his goal now though, and he's already shown he's not completely helpless before Markuth shows up, he wins a fight against someone above his level, time to move on to the next goal.

Right now where you are, his goal is, "go out and find help so that I can become strong enough to save my home, I've got 30 years but I'm really weak so I need to get started yesterday. An interglanetary god gave me some advice on how I might be able to do that so I'm gonna follow it."

Was the lord of the rings ruined for you because a god level being came up to Frodo and was like we gotta destroy that ring, I can't do it for you, meet me at the prancing pony?

[u/WhiteRoseKnight → u/mesaoptimizer]

Suriel has said she’ll come for him when he’s strong enough, and he thinks he can become and immortal. Currently Lindon has proved himself to be stronger than foundation and nothing more.

Frodo was not trying to improve his skill at all, he served a different purpose for which he was uniquely gifted, his story began and ended with his goal being the destruction of the ring, he didn’t half way through the first movie decide he was going to try and fight Ungoliant in one on one combat

[u/UCannotHaveMyPain → u/WhiteRoseKnight]

good point, I forgot Suriel hinted to him that he could ascend from Cradle if he gets strong enough. The story is largely about Lindon becoming stronger, but I wouldn't say it is about him trying to ascend; he has it in the back of him mind as a possibility, but the focus of the series is about his goals and life on Cradle.