Due to personal setbacks, it has taken longer than anticipated to submit this review.

I would like to start off by saying thank you Netgalley and the publiser for being generous enough to lend me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Dusklight Falling by Patch Kolan is an enchanting journey through a dark and mesmerising world. The authors writing style effortlessly draws readers into a realm brimming with mystery, magic, and unforgettable characters. The atmospheric descriptions and richly crafted plot keep you on the edge of your seat, making it a must-read for fans of fantasy and adventure. With its intricate storytelling and unexpected twists, it leaves a lasting impression, leaving readers eagerly awaiting what's to come.

This cover is absolutely stunning. Seriously, wow. I was drawn in by a review on TikTok about this dark, gory LitRPG world with distinct characters and vivid imagery. Unfortunately, I found the writing to be kind of awkward off the bat and sometimes hard to follow. I think this book would benefit from additional editing, both in terms of grammar and to tidy up some of the prose.

Some examples of passages that could have used some editing:

"His head reeling, he had a funny clarity that came with this exertion: Tyel realised that, even in the most crippling of situations, any fear of punishment his father might administer was still preferable to a slow, lingering death." This is a good example of a passage that I found clunky and hard to get through without stopping to re-read and double check my understanding. There's nothing inherently grammatically wrong here, but the structure of this sentence and the sentiment were both a struggle for me. Of course punishment by his father is preferable to dying alone in a ditch.

"His Worship was decidedly reactionary, but his follow-through was decidedly lacking at times." This repetition could have been a stylistic choice, but in light of other other editing issues felt like it was probably an oversight, and it felt jarring as I read it.

"Her pale skin held a shade of colour that sat somewhere between sunrise pink and summertime blue." So, purple?

"It was clear to Alyse, Solumbrya’s fate rested on the hunger of a large and glutinous man." I think this was meant to be gluttonous? If glutinous is intentional, it's an odd adjective to choose to describe a man, and it seems anachronistic based on the other aspects of the story.

None of these examples was problematic enough on their own to make me stop reading, but the volume of passages that gave me pause became enough to obscure the story and make me not want to continue. I DNFed around 20%.

I think there are lots of people who will enjoy this book, and I think I would definitely check out more of this author's work in the future based on the other aspects of the story that I did enjoy, particularly the interesting and distinct characters.

Dark, bloody, and feels like your new favorite video game. What more is there to say?

Each scene is perfectly set, and the author does a beautiful job transporting you to the world he created. The characters are so varied in their personalities and alignment, and I quickly loved (or hated) them all. For me, this is an instant classic that I will definitely come back to read again. I am eagerly awaiting the next portion of this tale!

Thanks So much to Patch Kolan and NetGalley for the chance to read this book for a fair review.

Dusklight Falling by Patch Kolan is a mesmerizing journey through a dark and enchanting world. Kolan's writing effortlessly draws readers into a realm brimming with mystery, magic, and unforgettable characters.

The atmospheric descriptions and richly crafted plot keep you on the edge of your seat, making it a must-read for fans of fantasy and adventure.

With its intricate storytelling and unexpected twists, "Dusklight Falling" leaves a lasting impression, leaving readers eagerly awaiting the next installment.