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Shadow Slave #1

Shadow Slave: Book1

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Growing up in poverty, Sunny never expected anything good from life. However, even he did not anticipate being chosen by the Nightmare Spell and becoming one of the Awakened - an elite group of people gifted with supernatural powers. Transported into a ruined magical world, he found himself facing against terrible monsters - and other Awakened - in a deadly battle of survival.
What's worse, the shadow powers he received happened to possess a small, but potentially fatal side effect...

591 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 25, 2022

622 people are currently reading
3081 people want to read

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Guiltythree

50 books217 followers

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5 stars
1,559 (69%)
4 stars
469 (21%)
3 stars
135 (6%)
2 stars
35 (1%)
1 star
30 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 198 reviews
Profile Image for مريم مساعد.
1 review11 followers
September 6, 2022
One of the best web novels I have read so far. The world building is amazing and you can sense the depth in the character’s backgrounds. Story is full of plot twists and The cliffhangers are no joke 🥲
82 reviews
April 16, 2023
Juvenile. Textbook toxic masculinity.
Edgelord MC: Cynical in a way edgy teenagers find cool.
Cringe weeb humor: MC stares at the boobs of a woman, she's asking what he's looking at and he says 'your boobs', so she slaps him. Because he can't lie, haha.
Male gaze: Ogling descriptions of female characters in general, who are always remarked on by their figure and looks. That of course doesn't happen with male characters.

Incel vibes: Male characters with higher standing, better character are despised by the MC, in the end secretly despicable as well. Of course there can't be any relationship with them other than envy, competition, secret resentment.

In an FAQ the author said that it won't be a harem story, the character is surrounded by beautiful people of both genders, which really set all the wrong expectations for me. Imo it could just as well be a harem novel, it would have been more honest. It reeks of the same greasy neckbeard heterosexism.
Profile Image for Kaixenix D.
1 review2 followers
September 5, 2022
First off, I'd like to say that novel is truly a must-read. It's truly a rising star following the apotheosis of the 2nd volume. Every chapter renders your suspenseful mind longing for more.
While initially the narrative might seem akin to a typical fantasy, quickly you'll realize the depth the author has given to not only the plot but the characters as well; I'd even say especially the characters. The interactions between these developing individuals feign realism, betraying the author's care for his literary creations. Not to mention the author themselves, being thorough with their articulation of the world's scenery and the scenarios they subjects their characters to; ranging from macabre creatures, to life-threatening environments. The flow of the narrative gives off a sense of cadence due to how well the chapters are structured.
Conclusively, Shadow Slave is one of the best novels I've ever read and am keeping up with. Keep your eyes out, cuz this novel's a ride.
3 reviews
July 16, 2023
The best webnovel I have ever read.

The characters are flawed, complex, multifaceted *humans*. They aren't robots or purely focused on power, fame, or riches. They are humans and, while some just want to get by, others strive (for varying reasons) to get more powerful, despite the cruel world that they live in.

The Spell is not fair, it is cruel and unpredictable. But Sunny is from the slums of a futuristic dystopia - more akin to a Warhammer 40k hive city than a modern day city - if anyone could survive it, it's him. He isn't honourable, he values his life, holds grudges, is woefully underprepared and underpowered for most of his journeys... But he learns, he adapts, and he courts death through the Spell's countless trials.

This webnovel has an amazing world holding, a unique and complex power system, great character development, a price to every power gained and more. Not to mention it's amazing writing (when compared to every other webnovel, and even some mainstream books) and healthy amount of humor.

I am still thoroughly enjoying this webnovel, and look forward to its daily chapters.
Profile Image for Luiz Virgílio.
23 reviews2 followers
December 2, 2024
Now, in the thousands and thousands of times I searched "Books like Dark Souls" on google, this one never showed up... how??? I get that is a light novel, but at least for me, thats the same fucking thing. This is just like reading bookform Dark Souls, and with that, I mean that this is a masterpiece. 10/10
Profile Image for Heather Graeff.
2 reviews
July 17, 2024
This is one of the best webnovels I've ever read, even if I haven't read many it topped my charts the instant I finished the amount of chapters currently out. It's up there with lord of the mysteries as one of my favorite webnovels.

It is incredibly well written to the point where I sometimes accidentally mistake it as real when I get too into reading it. The world building is heavily tied into the characters and story to a very enjoyable degree. Each arc feels impactful and emotionally devastating every time. The female characters are also written just as well, if not better than the male characters. Which is rare for webnovels to not sexualize the women, and as a woman myself it was very refreshing.

Even if I would assault the author on sight its still a very amazing book.
2,337 reviews17 followers
January 9, 2023
Teetered on the edge of grimdark for a while before jumping in with a joyful shout. Come on in, the water’s fine! Wait, no, the water which was my best friend has betrayed me in a horrible way. And my swimming trunks are also evil! Who would have guessed.
Profile Image for Mia.
119 reviews7 followers
January 8, 2023
DNF at 200. 👎👎👎👎main character.
Profile Image for Vyshnav.
16 reviews1 follower
September 28, 2024
Extremely mediocre. I will continue with volume 2 just to see if it gets any better but I really don't have much hope.
Profile Image for Tesh.
4 reviews
April 4, 2025
I love the world building. And in addition I think the characters are very cool.
That is about it, I never thought I had the ability to read and imagine characters, however this got me hook, and reading 20 chapters to finish volume 1 in one day.(Author ends on cliffhanger usually)

But yes, it took a while, but now I can read it and imagine things easily, so I think it is cool.
Profile Image for Tarmo Pungas.
172 reviews6 followers
March 16, 2024
After reading 1500+ chapters, I will count this as "read", although the story is still actively bejng written and published as a web novel. I think 1.5 million words is long enough for a book :)

At first, I struggled with the writing style of the author. Thankfully, they improved a lot over the course of hundreds of chapters. The story itself is extremely captivating and especially for the first 50 hours of reading, I was hooked.

1 review
Want to read
September 5, 2022
So hear me out....this book is hella good, I mean literally it is fantastic. This is the first book that i am writing review of because I want everyone to read this masterpiece. Please give it a shot i can guarantee, u will fall in its magic.
PS: unless you r a moron u will love it 😗😗
1 review2 followers
September 20, 2022
This is a really outstanding novel, with tonnes of creativity implemented into the novel. This novel has lots of interesting events with great world building and amazing character development.Although this novel does start a little slow in the beginning, it definitely is worth your time.
Profile Image for Naomi.
292 reviews25 followers
February 8, 2023
Well, for an incomplete webnovel, I’ll give it 4.5 stars. That was some cliff. It was fun though and I’ll read more when it’s published.
1 review
March 14, 2023
I find it more comparable to say The novel's extra then lord or reverend, etc. People are really just starving for decent web novels and this is better than most. I'd give it 2.5
Profile Image for Lani Díaz.
73 reviews
March 20, 2025
3.5

Hasta ahora no es tan sorprendente como me imaginé por varias recomendaciones, pero parece ir por buen camino, así que continuaré.
Profile Image for Akshay.
730 reviews5 followers
June 16, 2025
Shadow Slave: Book 1 by Guiltythree

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆



Overview: Shadow Slave: Book 1 is an intense, imaginative dive into a dystopian future where humanity’s fate is shaped by a terrifying magical affliction known as the Nightmare Spell. The novel combines grimdark survival fantasy with progression elements, centering on Sunny, an orphan from the slums, who finds himself fighting for his life in a brutal, otherworldly realm filled with monsters, secrets, and soul-crushing odds. The story's emotional grit and psychological tension are just as powerful as its action-packed sequences.




Plot Summary

Sunny is abruptly torn from his bleak life when he’s infected with the Nightmare Spell—a phenomenon that forces the afflicted to survive their "First Nightmare" or die. Emerging successful, he becomes an Awakened and is eventually pulled into the Dream Realm alongside two companions: Nephis, a mysterious elite fighter, and Cassie, a blind prophet. The trio must navigate the desolate and monster-infested Forgotten Shore while seeking a gateway home. Along the way, trust is tested, secrets are uncovered, and survival demands sacrifice.



World & Power System

The novel’s world-building is vivid and haunting. The Dream Realm is a place where reality bends and ancient nightmares roam. Its rules are harsh—only through collecting "Memories" and binding "Echoes" can one grow stronger. These magical artifacts not only serve as tools and weapons but also shape personality, strategy, and fate. The power system is intricate, consistent, and clever—inviting readers to ponder how every decision could mean survival or death.



Character Arcs

Sunny: A deeply flawed yet compelling protagonist, Sunny’s arc is one of transformation. He starts as a selfish, cynical street survivor, driven only by personal gain and fear. However, his journey in the Dream Realm forces him to rely on others, confront emotional vulnerability, and slowly develop trust. His growth is realistic and hard-earned.


Nephis: A stoic and battle-hardened warrior with hidden motivations, Nephis begins as a lone force of nature. Her arc involves learning to see beyond the mission, forming subtle bonds, and facing the haunting past that drives her unrelenting resolve.


Cassie: Though physically fragile, Cassie plays a pivotal role as the team’s visionary. Her arc is one of quiet strength—overcoming her disability with insight and intuition. Her connection to fate and prophecy adds a mystical layer to the team dynamic.


Minor Characters: Side characters such as Kai and Effie add diversity and emotion to the party. While not all receive equal narrative depth, each brings a unique presence and voice, making the world feel larger and more lived-in.





Strengths


🌍 World‑building: A vivid, brutal dream world that feels fully realized and immersive.
⚔️ Power System: Logically constructed and strategically deep, it rewards creative thinking.
👤 Character Realism: Protagonist’s emotional and psychological depth adds gravity to the narrative.
🧠 Foreshadowing: The slow reveal of secrets and layered lore makes for a compelling long-form read.


Areas for Improvement


🖋️ Writing Style: The prose occasionally suffers from awkward phrasing or overused terms, which may distract some readers.
Pacing: Certain sections—especially in the early to mid arcs—can feel padded or too introspective.
🧍‍♂️ Side Characters: While intriguing, some supporting characters lack full development in Book 1.


“The world is cruel, but in cruelty, we find clarity.”




Character Arc Highlights


Sunny: Orphan → Survivor → Awakened → Reluctant Hero. His journey is shaped by fear, intelligence, and slowly growing empathy.
Nephis: Loner → Leader. Her stoicism begins to crack as personal bonds and emotional conflicts emerge.
Cassie: Seer → Guide. Her blindness contrasts her clarity, serving as a voice of reason and vision.
Minor cast: Secondary characters evolve gradually, offering humor, humanity, and camaraderie in a brutal setting.


Final Verdict

Shadow Slave: Book 1 is a dark fantasy gem that fuses grim horror with an evolving power system and strong character development. Though not without its flaws, it captivates with rich world-building, psychological nuance, and high-stakes tension. A must-read for fans of progression fantasy and character-driven sagas.



Final Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆

Profile Image for B. Lança.
10 reviews3 followers
May 16, 2025
I didn’t expect to get so attached. Shadow Slave was my first experience with a LitRPG or webnovel and it completely pulled me in. What started out as curiosity quickly became a daily obsession. I found myself looking forward to each chapter as if I was living in that world.

The story follows Sunny, a boy born into poverty in a harsh dystopian society. He grew up alone, used to surviving without help, without trust, without anyone. When the Nightmare Spell chooses him to become one of the Awakened, he’s thrown into a broken magical world where deadly monsters and brutal challenges wait at every turn. His unique shadow powers are powerful but come with a dangerous drawback that keeps the tension high from the very beginning.

What really surprised me was how emotional and real the story felt. Sunny is not your usual noble hero. He is deeply flawed, sarcastic, often selfish, but always growing. He learns from his pain. He adapts. And as the story unfolds, we get to witness something unexpected: he starts to build real bonds. Watching him go from someone who had no emotional connections in his life to developing meaningful and complicated relationships with characters like Cassie and Nephis was one of the most powerful aspects of the story for me. It never feels forced. Their trust grows slowly, shaped by moments of fear, sacrifice, and quiet understanding.

The worldbuilding is incredible. The power system is creative and consistent. The atmosphere is dark and haunting, filled with danger but also beauty. Every chapter adds something new to the world or to the characters. The author’s writing is far beyond what I ever expected from a webnovel and even rivals many published fantasy books I’ve read.

And once you start reading, it’s nearly impossible to stop. The tension, the pacing, the cliffhangers… they make it incredibly hard to put down. Every chapter leaves you needing to know what happens next.

Shadow Slave is more than a fantasy survival story. It is about loneliness, trauma, resilience, and learning to care in a world that constantly punishes you for it. I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys emotional depth, clever storytelling, and unforgettable characters.
2 reviews
May 25, 2025
BANGER. Is it the best written novel of all time... absolutely not. But the world building, the mysteries and the characters make all 2000+ chapters of this enthralling. Often light-novels fall off once the original ideas and world have been explored but Shadow Slave arcs at the end are still as good as the beginning. So good but prepared to invest a lot of life into reading this.
Profile Image for Wilson Tun.
135 reviews8 followers
January 3, 2025
An interesting first volume by the author. Although the characterization felt inconsistent and slightly edgy, I have hope that it will improve by time. I have heard many web novel fans recommend this as one of the best out there so I’ll trust the process and continue. Sunless is quite a unique name too. I’m curious about the development between Sunless and Cassie, would it blossom into something greater?
Profile Image for Charlie Lee.
303 reviews11 followers
February 19, 2025
A refreshing take on the system genre.

Rather than a naive, coming-of-age protagonist, we instead get Sunless (Sunny), who's fashioned after Odysseus. Not for his bravery and battle prowess, but his metis--that is, his wits. This cunning saves the group many times. It should be noted that many of the episodes feel somewhat like the Odyssey, which is surprising for a Chinese system novel. From the Trojan Crustacean, to fighting the temptation to give into their senses (like the Sirens), he even wants to use the name nobody to hide his identity online in a throwback to the episode with the Cyclops. Alas, the name is taken and in a fit of throwing stuff at the wall till something sticks, Mongrel is born.

What makes this book especially interesting though is with each aspect, each character gets a flaw. And Sunny's flaw is that he can't directly lie, despite being cunning and deceitful by nature. This creates many interesting / funny narrative episodes, especially as he often has to deceive people with a misleading truth. Obviously he hides this flaw and so, many people dismiss much of what he says as insane, largely because he deceives others about how weak he is and the things he says are out there.

I would highly recommend to any fans of game-lit / lit-rpg genres.
1 review
September 25, 2022
Amazing book. At first I did not know how I would like this, but it soon quickly became one of my favorites. The power scaling is perfect, the world from what I see and what others have told me is reminiscent of dark souls, the characters all feel real and important, and the mc uses his wits to fight which is refreshing.

I love the mc’s interaction with characters because here, the author gave our mc a flaw that makes things extremely dangerous for him, but consequently gives us the readers much more entertainment than I thought it would.

Sometimes reading this novel gives me a hint of cosmic horror in the sense that there are things that make the mc feel like there’s absolutely no way to survive. When there is interaction between the characters it all is relevant to the story; and when there is action, it is keeping you on the edge of your seat, almost feeling like the mc is dancing on the edge of a blade. I would recommend highly.
Profile Image for Taha Eğilli.
2 reviews
July 6, 2025
Wow, it was terrible. Straight out of some horny teen boy anime something. It was so cringe, so edgy, and filled with toxic masculinity. The writing was even worse, I’ve seen better wording in children’s books.
Profile Image for ammi 🫁.
135 reviews1 follower
November 17, 2024
4.5

this surprised me actually. the first like 30 chapters were really hard to get through, the weeb humour (haha boobs!) and the complicated magic system (i’m still a bit confused ngl) made it drag on. but damn when they got to the forgotten shore i started flying through chapters. people weren’t lying, forgotten shore is the peak of fiction.

i like all the characters, which was surprising, i usually detest at least one of the main cast in webnovels until the halfway point. i like how they treat cassie as a person despite her disability, that scene with her and sunny melted my heart. and don’t get me started on neph she girlbossed so hard in the ending

i had my doubts but i will be continuing, my prediction is that the next volume will be 5 stars 🤭
4 reviews
January 20, 2025
Interesting take on the post apocalyptic super-power trope with a vague "system" called the Spell.

Drama, action, mysteries, and more! Great book with a long plot, and thankfully, little to no spice!
1 review1 follower
September 5, 2022
I just woke up and I’m feeling fuzzy af so here’s my laziest review
I love this shit, I didn’t get bored since the very first ch which is actually insane and is a fat problem in many novels. I’m not going to get into the depth of detail bc I’m about to fall asleep in any sec. Shits good man, it feeds my brain. The characters? MUAH! World building? MUAH! Other stuff I’m supposed to mention? MUAH!
my eyes gonna close any sec, I’ll be continuing my beauty sleep
Profile Image for Peridot.
231 reviews50 followers
December 18, 2022
I know turning your web novels into published ebooks can be hard. Going from a format where you feed readers chapter frequently to having to decide where to end one book and begin another can be hard.

I get that.

This tho, this was almost unforgivable. The only thing that makes it more forgivable is the fact that the story didn't have me addicted. It was an okay read, with minor typos and misspelling.

But the cliffhanger still stings and came at an entirely inconvenient moment.
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