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Community polling time! How would you rate STORMWEAVER 2 (out of 5 star) right now based on the current Early Access chapters? (Patreon)

Published:
2023-02-27 15:00:20
Imported:
2026-06
Tags:

Poll

Community polling time! How would you rate STORMWEAVER 2 (out of 5 star) right now based on the current Early Access chapters?

  • 5 407
  • 4.5 362
  • 4 284
  • 3.5 68
  • 3 42
  • 2.5 3
  • 2 2
  • 1.5 2
  • 1 0
  • 0 2
  • 2023-02-27
  • 1172 votes
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Content

Title says it all! Looking for thoughts from my core community!

Comments

Cooper Hanson

Big fan of the slower pace, curious as to how many books might be in play now….

LeaphyMoon

So far it's matching expectations and has that same vibe book one did that drew me in

Voror

Overall I've been enjoying it more than the first book and I really enjoyed that one too! Lot of great developments in terms of both the story and characters.

Mike Elle

love the story but gave it 4 star for this poll. I think there's a few things that can and will be tightened up prior to publishing. 4 star is also only for this community as anyone externally who asks about it I give it 5 stars.

Hartmann

The pace is a little slow

Mike Frenkel

Great story. Voted 4 because there’s no ending yet and I want to be able to go up haha.

Kurt Cummings

The story is very enjoyable. Lots of loose ends still to be completed.

jacob shlagel

I had to say 3 even though I really like where I think it’s headed as a story line I’m basing it on what I have read. I will say that it almost certainly will be at least a 4 with just a smidge of editing not even the final edit. But that’s answering the question as asked if the question was my prediction for the final score or the concept or characters then those are all 5s

Coramoor

Gave it a 4, definitely some pacing concerns and I feel like with the way this book is going, there are going to be a lot of unanswered questions at the end of book 2 and not necessarily in the most enjoyable way

Lori

LOVE IT 😍

I still can't think of anything

Hmm well considering everyone on here is paying extra just to get the story early I'd take the results with a grain of salt. I do think the story is pure gold though. There is enough darkness in the character's lives that I can, kinda, relate. There isn't really any 'evil' bad guy, just assholes, which is against my expectations, but that makes it more human and I find that refreshing. I truly hope you stick with it so it can join other great series, like the dresdan files and the stormlight archives, on my metaphorical bookshelf

squizzle

I voted 4, though I need to do a re-read of "The story so far", taking it all in at once might shift things upwards compared to the drip feed.

IJ James

I know it's not really fair of me to vote as I haven't read all of the chapters that are out -- I'm taking my time consuming the chapters 1 at a time as I have time to read them. It's taken me almost a month to get to chapter 4. The few gripes I have are likely to be cleaned up in editing. Definitely appreciate the story, and I know it's not an easy task to try to please the fans sometimes. You've shown you are a trustworthy author, though, and while I may disagree with the plot points I have been given, I trust the end story will be worth it. (I hope that makes sense!)

Zebrababies

I think for me, while I’m really enjoying every chapter individually, it’s hard to live up to such a great book one. It also feels like a lot more happened in book one, than in book two so far.

Harry Vermeulen

Gave it 3 stars. First book had a clear goal. This one doesn’t for me. Feels like a between book to give more dept to the characters. Nothing wrong with that ofcourse but makes it less enjoyable as it makes the pace slower. This book is about the tournament but we have more chapters around the tournament then actually the tournament it feels like. Still a good book but less my taste than the first one where he struggles and work, fights to grow. It’s more about my personal preference than the quality I guess

Shaolas

For my $.02 a 4. It’s solid work, and great to see an initial product and an authors process. I wouldn’t rate it higher without seeing the ending. I’m also really curious to see how the family story arcs continue.

Gessen

Gave it a 4. I'm a bit concerned/curious about the pacing. We're not even 3/4 of the way through his first year, so I'm not sure how many books the series will encompass, but that surprised me some. This book has covered a couple weeks of training and a sped through tournament so far. That being said, I have enjoyed what I read a lot. I hope there's still a chance to see more development from his birth family and the like before book two wraps up. I've enjoyed what's going on with the characters, although I have a little trouble with the extreme grief/emotions with the team around Rei's secret. I understand it's a huge deal and there's danger/uncertainty around the corner, but they are all incredibly volatile about it. Viv especially seems to have no self-control, but I guess that's how you're writing her. Looking forward to experiencing the whole book and audio book. I will be getting both for sure. Thanks for your writing and the early chapters. I imagine it isn't easy exposing yourself to the running unasked critique and stress. We appreciate it.

Shannon Bryce

I gave it a 4.5 i feel like there are some plot holes so far. I hope that they get filled by the end of this book.

ReadingObsessed

I'm fully expecting the final product to be another masterpiece 🤷 Full point from the various errors that won't make it though editing. Half point from the pacing that I'm sure will be smoothed with your second round of editing when you add to the chapters.

Simon

I gave it a 4* which I think is already very good for a draft with a single read through for most of it. With more than that one read through I expect that I'll become a solid 5* again.

BaguaBrady

yes? why would that bother you?

RudyB

I totally agree with this. I gave it a 4 so far, as well. In the early chapters, we were teased with a big family arc and we have yet to circle back. I am hoping we get a little more family time by the end of the book.

Fenrys

I think their being sarcastic, but I could be wrong.

Wraithmarked Creative

? Yes? As I've said most everywhere, if i want feedback I will ask for it. - Bryce

garrett

As it stands, I gave it a 4. Like others, my vote can change depending on how everything is tied up. I do feel as though there’s just been a huge focus on the tournament so far in book 2. Now that the tournament is wrapping up, it would be nice to at least see Rei finish his first year out before the book ends. I have enjoyed the fleshing out of the characters and their relationships so far. One of the biggest gripes keeping me from rating the story higher would be Shido’s *potential* to affect the evolution of other people’s CADs. I love the concept— it just didn’t feel natural to me how it was written in the story. After Catcher had an evolution in a big fight, Cashe took her turn to evolve in the next big fight, and very shortly thereafter Viv had her turn to upgrade following her own big fight. Back to back they all suddenly upgraded and I understand why if Rei’s theory is correct. It still just didn’t read well to me.

Proteus Jones

I actually gave it a half point more, but for mostly the same reasons. They're at the tournament, but there's very little tournament here. I mean, I LOVE the character building going on and there's some real depth here, but I dunno I'm just not feeling the whole atmosphere of excitement of being at their 1st tournament.

Gessen

I'm picturing a bat signal style light that says 'Feedback' on the clouds.

Jesse Osman

I have really enjoyed it so far. I gave it a 4.5, due to the pacing and how quickly Grant went from antagonist to almost friends with the team. I know it’s very difficult to pull something like that off, and I hope when the book is out Grant’s progression is more fleshed out. Otherwise, I really enjoy the story and look forward to every new chapter!

sdf

The story is immensely enjoyable. I look forward to the chapters. I've really enjoyed the second book. That said, what needs to be clarified at some point is why the immediate and obvious conclusion is insufficient, ie. "What's up with Rei's growth?" leads immediately to "He must have a high growth spec!" Everyone seems so boggled that Rei is growing so fast and yet there's a spec for Growth. The answer is too straightforward if Growth means what we understand it to mean. The only reason why it would be a mystery is if our understanding is flawed, what in most japanese novels they'd just refer to as "the common sense of the world." I don't think that foundation has been laid. It's been hinted at in book one with a reference to A-type CAD users, but not since. IE "Out of ten thousand CAD devices with A0-growth spec, only 2 users advance into S rank." That or, "It is well-documented that there is at best a weak correlation between the Growth spec and actual CAD evolution." "C-growth devices see as many evolutions (normalized for the population of C-rank devices) as B-Growth rank devices." "In the S-rated population, fewer than 15% have A-rated Growth. 93% of those started with C Growth and never achieved higher than B" "Evolution of CAD devices is inversely proportional to Growth rank. Most device evolutions (normalized for the data set) occur in devices with D rank, where the stress on the user is greatest. Higher-growth rate devices in fact see fewer evolutions." "Most users with A-rated growth never advance more than a single rank." "There is a strong correlation between initial ranking and Growth spec. CAD devices with an uncorrelated Growth spec are unstable, and the evolution of such devices tends to lead to evolutionary dead-ends." There was a mention of the uselessness of A-types, but this was early in book one. Without that, the fellow cadets "wondering what's up with Rei's CAD device" seem unable to reach the obvious conclusion. Surrounding Rei with a world of people boggled by an obvious answer makes their confusion a bit frustrating at times. Hitchcock refers to the literary device where a bomb is placed under a table and the audience knows it's there, but the people dining do not. I think when the bomb goes off, everyone knows it's a bomb. It isn't a mystery. There has to be some synergy between user and CAD, or CAD and environment, or ... something that actually makes this a mystery. The assumption would not be the ridiciulous and linear solution, which is that he has S growth, but that he might have A growth and ... something else. It would be interesting if it turned out that the MIND conducted a proper experiment. You don't use a single data point in a study. You need a sufficient population to reach conclusions. Ie. Shido is not the only S-rated growth CAD out there, but out of the test pool not a single CAD user advanced from F2 to E0. Shido developed a Hole drive. That is so far out of left field that it boggles (in a really good way), but how much of that was because Shido is tapped into Rei at not just the cellular-genetic level but at some unconscious level, tapped into memory and thought. How much of the consciousness that emerges in CAD devices isn't just the result of the AI learning to express itself but is actually a mirror or complement in some sense of the user? How many CAD devices evolve to express their awareness in a way that is understandable by their users? If Shido can assign numbers to velocity and weight, it could just as easily say "Hello World" (the entry level of entry-level programs). It doesn't. Perhaps it just doesn't understand the need, or it prioritizes certain types of evolution and development (of its own), the same way it prioritizes Rei's development and growth. Social interaction is less important than not getting stabbed by S-rank phantoms. The answer can't *just* be that he has S growth. S would just mean that the measured parameter doesn't fit on a normal scale, direction as well as velocity. I hope this doesn't seem like criticism but the poll seems to invite feedback.

Marz

I’m liking the slower pace personally, it gives more time for the character development, and the ability to point out the smaller details that set up for later down the road!

Jason Bradford

It’s an evolving, engaging story. As you’ve mentioned about 1,000,000 times, these are rough drafts. I rated it according to that, and I’m thrilled with the progression. 5 stars.

Buddy Wooten

It is Awesome gonna give the first one a run for the money!!

MAS

I am glad to support the story and receive early release chapters. I am engaged when reading, and like the characters and am especially enamored with the progressive element tied to CADs and advancement through training/combat. I rated the current volume 2 at 3.5 for two reasons: the pacing and the amount of time spend on individual relationships within Firesong. It seems that if the current pace maintains, Rei will graduate Galens in Stormweaver volume 8. I would also like to see more characters, such as Rei's family and members of high command. thanks for writing such a great story.

Rusty Barnes

The only thing I'm missing is more actual fight sequences, or at least a training montage with Lennon. 😂 in all seriousness though. I'll buy the book no matter how much it follows my desires and entirely because Bryce is a great storyteller!

ryan

I gave it a 4 for many of the reasons others have stated. It's a good story, but the pacing needs to be dealt with. Asking us to review a book before it's done is an interesting question, because the ending will make or break the story in totality.

I still can't think of anything

I think you pissed him off with your "my way or the highway" Christmas post. And, honestly, he's not alone. That post made me feel like I had to doctor any comments to fit your sensibilities. It told me that I am essentially powerless in this "relationship" and I hated that. Or that was my initial feeling before I thought about it properly. I don't scroll through other people's comments so I have no idea what triggered the post but you are upfront and clear about what you want, and I don't think I was a "guilty" party so it's fine. I'm used to adjusting to harsh realities. Edit: thanks for the opportunity to get that off my chest, there was some lingering resentment that I needed to express so I could finally put it to bed and not feel like I was going to be "scorched" for expressing my opinion

Pox6908

I rated 3.5 because i feel like there is a little to much focus on the individual relationships. Also this volume is missing that sense of tension volume 1 had when it came to the actual cad fights.

Lawrence Kite

I really enjoy the story arc, but would like to see some advancement in the familial story. I know I can't have it all at once but I'm ready for more.

Cam Musser

Think I need to reread the story so far but feels like its jumping around a bit but I trust the writer will get it flowing better before release. Love the story other wise. Also feel like Viv's issue got lost lately was brought up and then dropped.

Rajeev Suri

Honestly 4.9 wasn't an option so 5 but i took away .1 cause there's a quite a lot of grammatical errors/typos but for a draft 💯/10 would reccomend

Rajeev Suri

I think a slow pace can be made up for with length I totally agree though and it isn't for some people but isn't that only a bad thing if the book is like 300-400 pages cause then there's no development but this book is what 1000 pages so the same development happens no?

Mad

Story is excellent but I’m getting burnt out with the tournament. I want to see them back on campus.

Christopher E. Backus

I love it and would rate it a 5, but I wish I knew how much was left. If it ends now, I'll be really disappointed, because ending with Rei hurt and unable to participate in the finals sucks. The ending needs to feature the protagonist heavily.

Hellasz123

4.5, the only thing I particularly would like changes to is how the Rei Viv Logan relationship went. Not the end results, cause I'm fine with that, but I think Logan and rei should have had a talk way earlier, where he tells rei his issues and comes clean. Despite it being a secret for him, whatever it is and even if we have some guesses, he apparently told quite quickly to Viv, with how she was pretty hostile to him not long ago. Compared to that, rei partially proved himself to him, and he is kind of a gatekeeper to a relationship with Viv. While I do love the chapter where Viv apologizes to rei for the relationship without talking to him about it, I still get the feeling that it's still kind of a betrayal on her part. Even if nothing changes I still like the story, I prefer stories with this much romance mixed into it with the main story, and you delivered it very well, I loved it!

Keleros

4.5 for me. The only thing that brings it down is the conversation the MIND had with Dent after Rei hit his A1 in fortitude. The mind is willing to take health risks with Rei that Dent finds too high because recovery time will start adding up but they missed a whole 2 months when the summer group was training when Rei didn't have anyone helping him. Considering how far ahead the MIND plans this seems like a very odd discrepancy in its approach

I still can't think of anything

Holy shit dude, did you just have those quotes lying around? Lol good points though. I would like to know more about CAD assignment. My initial thoughts, when reading book 1, was that the CAD is a reflection of the user, and I liked that it makes Rei more special. Now I think that they are designed by the MIND which takes some of the magic away and just make him a lucky cunt. And, honestly, if every user can have S rank growth why the fuck wouldn't you make that happen and truly unlock human potential

I still can't think of anything

I also expected more from the family based on how passionate you made grandpa feel. I struggle to keep in mind how much time has passed in the story. It feels like ages but it's probably only like a month? At most?

Fleetpanda

Everyone is giving 4.5 and 5 when its literally the rough unfinished draft 😭 lmfao people give feedback after every chapter when they shouldn’t, but when Brice *actually asks* for feedback everyone says it’s perfect. I’m dying haha. For me the story is great but the time period feels too brief compared to the first book. If 1 was a marathon with a sprint at the end, then this was a mile long sprint (in-book time wise).

Arttu

4. I like the relationship / redemption arc, but I am missing the focus on training, growth, and stats. I don’t remember the stats anymore. Anyway, I still like it a lot and I am happy to read new chapters.

Keonah McCullough

I love the story so far. I love the found family that Rei is building. I am a little sad for Viv since she has not gotten an ability yet and I fear her mindset now that everyone has one and Rei has had an upgrade again. Please just have whatever amazing reveal you have planned for her to happen since she has been around Shido for the longest so I am anticipating shido effecting her CAD to the biggest degree. I would hate for this to drive a wedge between Rei and Viv. The little conflict that played out already was realistic in her disappointment and felt true to her characters reactions and relationship with everyone. If the delayed gratification and expectation she feels pulls her away from Rei, I would feel so sad and disappointed. She and Rei are family. She was all he had at one point and now his "family " has grown so I just really want his reliable list of people to keep growing.

Adunn

3.5 for me. I haven’t really cared much about the tournament, it doesn’t feel like there are any real stakes in it. I’m also really itching for some focus on rei’s gramps. Imm still really enjoying it though.

PreZ

I took away a star due to (almost) every chapter being a cliff hanger. It feels like constantly being off balance. Trying to 'shock' people every chapter (in the old TV style 'stay tuned next week' style) just diminishes REAL shocks/reveals. I would prefer each chapter be it's own "storylet" including conclusion, except where it truly takes more than a single chapter to tell the min-arc. It's not like people aren't going to stay/keep reading for the next part of the story if there is no "hook" to keep them coming back. If they're on Patreon, they're committed. If they're reading it in the final book, they already own the whole book. But that's just my opinion, I'm sure some people love the whole "OMG! Now I have to wait another week or two for this mini-reveal!" thing. Otherwise, the pacing seems kind of slow, especially compared to Iron Prince. This entire book, so far, has taken up maybe 3 or 4 weeks? Sure, it's sectionals, but it seems like everything is going super slow, almost like a daily blog instead of an adventure/journey. But again, that's just me, and obviously the story is not complete yet, maybe it will speed up. Plus the whole introduction of Grandpa and the contract offer seems kind of pointless/offhanded so far - partially because of the pacing, I'm sure it will get folded into the story again after sectionals. At least, I hope it does.

Anaahat Dhanju

3.5 for me, I feel like there are too many loose ends such as what’s happening with rei’s family and their offer to sponsor him.

Harry Vermeulen

Yeah and for me it makes their personal growth less exciting because of it. In book 1 everyone worked really hard to make the cut to get to the tournament. Now that they are there they seem more focused on drama/stuff around it. Only at the opening they seemed excited to be there. Most fights we only get the results and recaps. Book 1 had way more detail of every fight and struggle which made me more excited for their gains.

Ghoust _121

If it's purely on the story so far, I would give it a 4.5. There are those hype moments, which sometimes leaves you on a cliffhanger, but that's kinda the point. The character development is very visible, for most people. If anything relates to character development, I would love to see some Cashe moment, reveal more of her past like all Team Firesong has by those point, I could even take it from Lennon. The one thing I don't like is how some dialogue is being delayed, we've known for a long time about Grant and the backstory he wanted to uncover, I feel like this last chapter was the breaking point for me. What I would recommend is just to not keep secrets for way too long during the book, as when it is actually revealed, it could be boring since they were waiting too long and readers might feel that it was not worth the wait. The other would be the Kamiya Corporation. I "personally" believe it looks bad to start with an idea but leave it half way in the story. To finally have information on his Rei's family would've been breath taking to finally know their reasons for abandoning him. Buy it is what it is Other than that cannot wait to see Rei in one piece to be able to use Temporal Step at his best.

Michael Evans

4.5 because there is always room for improvement. I love the characters.the grant redemption is great. I liked him from book 1. I think it’s sad but good that Rei goes to sectionals and wins nothing. I’d also like more interaction with his real family as that was set up early in the book. I’m hoping more chapters will round it out. I like the character development and world building chapters. The fights are cool but I love what they enable in terms pf character growth and development. The cashe speech was ace. I’m accidicted - more please.

Zebrababies

Might be a good idea to ask people on Reddit who aren’t paying for it. That could also be a terrible idea lol

FirewallStories

Honestly, the only reason that I'm rating it 4.5 instead of 5 is because I would absolutely despise the book ending here. I feel like the book needs at least two, maybe three chapters depending on if you want to describe the finals fight. But at least give us a conclusion of the tournament and a resolution of the team dynamics once they get back to Galen's. But, that's just me hating open endings.

Lawrence Kite

Don't get too hung up on typos, it's cleary stated that we are getting "rough drafts". If we insist on perfection out of the gate then we will be waiting for the final published manuscript. I prefer not to wait.

Dave otten

Honestly loving the story so far. My topics of interested will probably be addressed later in the book or future books. Mainly interested to learn more about Reis family. The small hints were great just would love to learn more. Other point was, when will Rei begin talking with the mind? Seems to happen eventually for higher ranked people, didn't know if Rei would start earlier with his special circumstances. Can't wait to see more, thanks for amazing content you have already put into the book.

Lawrence Kite

I too am ready for the tournament to end. Looks like will see the end this week.

Eric Gutierrez

For the most part, I love the story so far. I think it is better than Storm Weaver 1. The development of the characters, the progression of the story, the mystery of who the sabatour is, the battles... how the chapters are structured so that you always want to read what's coming next. I like guessing how things will turn out as well... not just rivals in the school, the upgrades that will happen, or the arcons (when it comes to that), but who is the secret antagonist? A jealous former pupil of Rei's grandfather, a rival company, someone we have not seen yet, or even a twist surprise... or how about, will or when will Rei out pace the rest of Firsong. Seems Shido is giving them a boost to keep pace as much as possible but, it is fun to theorize, guess and then see what you come up with. Thanks for keeping up with this story even when you have so much else going on!

José Costa Martins Jr.

3.5 for me, the story doesn’t seem to have any kind of pace… I really don’t want to to pick and I really appreciate what you’re doing here, but here it goes my honest feedback (let me know if you don’t like it and I’ll remove it) * In real life almost 3 years have passed, in the book not even 1 year * Viv story with Grant is almost resolved, but not in satisfactory way… so much good could come from this arc * the main event of the book so far has the MC being defeated or incapacitated , it loses the attractiveness * none of the threads are actually advancing (notice I don’t say resolved, I say advanced)… nothing about the war, no development about MC parents, and now we are getting more threads with unknown people plotting against the MC The really good things are: * I believe you solved the problem of the MC leaving everybody behind and becoming a solo act * Fights are really good * there are promises of tensions which advances the plot ( although there are some promises, like I said before, these are not being fulfilled) Unless you are planning Sanderson or WoT “epicness level” I fear the book is not delivering much on the satisfaction level, it’s going to be good, but it’s not going to be satisfying

Tarl Reynoso

I love the story and character development. I love how you have developed the sci-fi future 450 years out in the future. Human expansion, tech, etc. I love the mall scene with Rei and Aria on the date and I love the scene with Aria's mom and brother. I love that Reese is on his way out and Sidorov is being set up as the new rival, plus Central fucking with him. The only downside really is the short time frame. Which can be settled with a longer book... but that delays the release most likely. The book so far has only covered a few weeks. I love the attention and scenes given in those weeks, and the growth, but if the book ends with at the end of this tournament, that would make the 1st year take 3 books? Maybe 4? Super excited about the family plot line and for tournaments at the intra and inter system levels.

dcshort2

Gave it a 5. I enjoy the writing style, and love the characters. I'm taking away a phantom point because you haven't worked out how to clone yourself and do 2 things at the same time. I've made the joke on Reddit before, about how book 3 is going to be summer after freshman year, book 4 first semester of year 2, and book 5 sectionals next year...and I'm ok with that if it happens. It's a fun story to read, and I hope you enjoy writing it as much as we do reading it. I'm again looking at this from "Academy story with progression fantasy elements", not "progression fantasy with academy elements". It's a fun read as the former, and I hope you don't let the tropes of the latter constrain your writing.

Kory Leach

I also gave a 4.5 because few things are a 5. Things I love, the characters, new and old. The development and fights. Things I don’t love the short timeline so far if we are approaching the end of book two. Granted that “don’t love” isn’t a real issue. It’s just a bummer if you start writing one of the other books before starting SW book 3 because it will likely mean having to take a break from Rei et al further adventures for a while. As I have written before this is currently my favorite ongoing storyline even ahead of RA Salvatore’s Drizz’t series.

Indrek Kelder

Compared to sensational #1 this current book is not my favourite. All criticism is compared to book #1: less character development, less new elements introduced, side characters underused, sideplots underused, too much focus on fights without much meaning etc. Sorry, just my opinion. Still have high hopes though, thus being patron.

Scott Nagle

I gave it a 4.5 because I just want more chapters and information on Ward's birth family.

Voror

Suppose I could go into more detail Pros: - I've enjoyed all the fights we've had and they've been good demonstrations for the characters whether it being conveying growth, teamwork, or simply being entertaining to watch. Highlights offhand being Catcher's whole fight both in him managing to get a win as well as his thoughts about how he deals with the fact Rei and some of the others very much surpass him in talent and what not as well as the entire fight between Rei and Aria both as a companion to their initial fight, they're growth since then and just how much they do enjoy fighting one another in what it brings out in them. - Examination of character flaws and characters trying to deal with them. Logan is an excellent example of this since I'm coming out of this book liking him a lot more compared to where we left off. - Focus on CAD growth with the rest of the team besides Rei. There's been a definite slow down in Rei's growth though him working on developing what he has now with Saber Mode is definitely important. I liked seeing how the rest in Firesong kept pushing themselves as well as the possibility that they may be able to grow at an accelerated rate (if not quite as high as Shido) and not be left behind so to speak. It keeps me excited to see how they wind up developing alongside Rei. Mid: - I'm sort of putting the whole Kamiya plotline here. It's one of the things I'm most fascinated by but it does feel like it's going to be a bit of a slow burn plotline for now which is kind of frustrating if understandable. I love what we got this volume as a follow up to the end of book 1 and really hope we can get some more before the end of the volume and going forward. Con: - I've seen a number of people mention the plot having slowed down. While on a certain level I do agree since compared to perhaps half a year we've gone maybe a couple weeks with most of the book being the single week that Sectionals takes place in. It makes me curious on how long it will take to reach other parts like some of the juggling plotlines with Kamiya or the Archons or even the higher level competitions. I can't really say nothing has happened though since I feel this book has been very good in further establishing our group as a coordinated team that we'll hopefully get to see continue to move forward. And if it winds up we have a bunch of books in this series on Rei's journey to being known as Stormweaver than I'm cool with that too. Probably more all around I'm not thinking of but those come to mind right now.

Grant Ballard

I am trying not to judge it against Iron prince because I think the first and second books of series fill very different roles. I enjoy the slower pacing quite a bit, and the team members personal growths shown. This shouldn’t be book 1 part 2. I rated 4 stars just where were at right now and its not finished or been through final editing. Im expecting you’ll smash this one out of the park too! Character personalities are great, Pompom Catcher, Diplomatic Chancery, Mature/sensible when she needs to be Aria, emotional bomb Viv, Stoic but tsundere Logan, and unbreakable Rei. Though I am hoping that you at some point just shatter Rei with the family stuffs for development. But I would love to see more Hiroto/Jasper or even other fam members. Hiroto talking with Keiji/Samantha/Sarah, to see their thoughts, even if Rei doesn’t get to speak with them anymore this book. Also, I think seeing other CAD’s baseline specs and what their stats are at least when they evolve would be helpful to really put in place how out of this world S rank is. In book 1 they mentioned occasionally someone gets assigned a B or even A in growth, but never an S. What did those Bs and As accomplish? What can we expect out of Vivs D4? Is vivs growth even still at D4? It would be way too crazy to keep track of every single spec jump on every character every time, but Vivs had what, two evolutions so far? What have her stats looked like across those three points? What about catcher and Aria? She was in the top 50 asignees in the ISC, so whats she rocking. Or the Lasher, Dent and the Gatecrasher? I would love to know what they are at and to see how to weight their values compared to shido, though I know that’s a buttload of work. Also, LOVE how shido may be bringing the others up to snuff with at least each other, I was so sad about Catcher being the “weak link”. None of them should be able to hold a candle to Rei for obvious reasons but I feel like they should be somewhat competitive with eachother in firesong. Also excited to see what the wait about Vivs turn with the shido upgrades bring and why its been delayed. Wrote this all on my lunch break please don’t take this as me telling you how to write your story, Im just so excited to provide feedback! I have loved, am loving, and will love everything else you put out here in stormweaver. Im excited to see how differently you do things to how im seeing them in my head!

Voror

I actually wouldn't mind getting full stat readouts for characters besides Rei. Especially whenever they get major upgrades. It could be cool to have a separate section showing us where everyone is at that we can use as the current level and then more easily track where everyone has gotten by the end of the next.

Devin Robinson

Gave it 3.5 for same reasons as above. If we get Luke Daniels for audio again, will give 4 or 4.5 depending on the finish.

Joe Barzilai

Put a 4.5 only because I think that there are some pacing/writing issues in the early access right now that I fully expect to get ironed out by launch. Stormweaver Fridays are my favorite frustration indulgence as I groan at each new cliffhanger.

Anonymous

Gave it a 4 because while it is good so far and giving it the benefit of being early drafty: 1) Not done yet, and where it ends and how much progress gets eventually made on stuff I want to see will dramatically impact how I feel about it. A) I want to see more of Rei's family and that side plot. B) More about what Aria's mom thought she was doing and actual consequences C) Don't want to spend the entire book at the tournament. Especially since the book feels lighter on fights than book 1. Don't get me wrong, I like the other stuff and love character development. But for a tournament focused book to wind up with fewer fights seen just would feel WEIRD. D) More hints about the obvious changes in the war that must be happening but which we've only been vaguely teased with. I feel like that is another thing that needs some progress. E) Chancery and Catchwick are a little lagging on development maybe? It looks like we'll touch Aria's family, Viv's insecurity, Grant's family, and more with Rei's family this book but good to see Chancery standing out in the latest chapter and having more of a presence. 2) Definitely some stuff edits will hit (wrong homonym/autocorrect stuff) and some pacing work to be done.

-Sanguine-

Yeah I definitely agree with hoping this tournament isn’t the full focus of the book. Compared to stormweaver 1 I didn’t even think we were halfway through this one yet. Is that really all there’s gonna be? Tournament arc? No complaints about content but yeah that’s a super short book

Adam

I gave it a 4. Here are my thoughts after doing a reread of The Story So Far: 1) I think Grant needs more development. He blew up at Rei once during training, Viv gave him an ultimatum, then he immediately changed course. I'd like to see a scene from his POV about going to Captain Forester for anger management, maybe a follow up conversation between him and Viv about him trying (more than Viv kissing him at Sectionals for improving) 2) There needs to be some clarification on the rules for Wargames. Sometimes Firesong is up against two other teams, sometimes they're up against three. There was a comment about some teams getting byes when the brackets were made, so some clarification on how the brackets are set up would be great. 3) It felt like a very abrupt transition from "Shido's turned into a hole drive" to everyone going back to the stands. Not saying the Growth revelation needs to happen there (although I am excited for the reveal) but there should be something, even just a couple of paragraphs. "Captain Samsus is by herself since Reese and Takeshi are otherwise occupied, so we need to head back." "Your Team Battle match starts in an hour, so let's get back to the stands." "We've seen what Rei can do and he's dead on his feet, so let's put a pin in this conversation for now and head back." Something. 4) Early in the book, Rei mentioned that he was tied for strongest first-year cadet with Aria at C6. Then he advanced to C7 and told Cashe that he was no longer second-strongest. Then it was implied that Aria was also C7. There needs to be some clarification, either Aria hits C7 shortly after Rei so they're tied going into Sectionals, or she's already C7 and Rei is hot on her heels. 5) In parameter testing, the holograms' ranks are on their chest, not their back (per Book 1.) So maybe the holograms when Rei's fight is hacked don't have their ranks displayed to keep dramatic tension, since the hack is based on the Galens program, but isn't identical to it? 6) Like a couple of other people have mentioned, Salista's reasoning for wanting to hack Aria's fight fell a little flat. She wants Aria to get sponsorship offers? Even though first-years don't get sponsorships? Maybe the Laurent family is running into some financial issues, or maybe Salista did something similar for Kalus and Amina, but didn't get caught those times. But I think her justification needs to be expanded. I'm loving the book so far. I can't wait to see the finished product! When are we going to get a title reveal?

Voror

I think Grant has gotten a bit better as they seem to imply him having been trying, though admittedly hearing about those therapy sessions did make me want to perhaps sit in with them to hear him working through it all more. If we get him sitting down with everyone and explaining after this fight, perhaps that could accomplish this. For Salista, I think she's honestly just a very extreme helicopter mom. I think she wants to make sure Aria has as many pluses to her name as possible to absolutely guarantee she can get an early sponsorship offer and a good one at that. Aria I believe is mentioned to show more potential than both her siblings, so it may be contributing to Salista going even more into this than she may have with them. She'll do anything possible to "help" her kids in the ways she thinks they do and doesn't fully consider the potential consequences. I am rather curious how she'd react to learning about the contract Rei received given her dismissal of him, though of course we know the reasons behind that. Possible there could be more to it all or it could just be a relatively simple explanation in the same way Sidorov being a glory hound and narcissist is the reason for how he acts.

Salix

Gave it 3 right now (B1 was 4.5 for me, and after editing, I expect it to get to 4; of course, heavily dependent on the latter part of the book). My main 3 gripes with the book as of now: 1) Fights do not feel challenging. -When we are in the scene, they are all right, but in between fights, the characters seem to take their victory for granted. There isn't enough preparation or strategizing. I would like to see them work more for them to be the best team. -Counterpoint to this would be that they are supposed to be the best (all-star) team, so they should be head and shoulders above the rest, but I would still like them to work for it more. Another point is that this concerns Rai more than the others, from what I remember they seem to be worried about the outcome. Still, I would like them to prepare more. 2) What's the big deal? -Give us a clearer understanding of why S-ranked growth is so alarming, specifically why Reese, a middle-aged combat veteran with extensive experience teaching young adults, is behaving like a six-year-old child. Right now, my understanding is that he thinks Rai is a threat to the republic(?), but we never saw any inkling that he somehow cares for the government. For somebody with a basic understanding of strategy, what does he think he's going to achieve by acting like a high school bully? This is a bit ranty, but I would like for him to be more of a schemer rather than showing his dislike so clearly. -Also, it seems to me that everyone who looked into Rai should know, by the end of B1, that he has A/S growth, so characters not even mentioning that possibility in their thoughts is a bit weird and tiresome. -This might be just a matter of taste, so take it as you may. I'm not sure what you have planned for Reese, so ¯_(ツ)_/¯. 3) The friend group seems too supportive. (This is probably the most subjective matter.) -The friend group seems more like a harmonious therapy group than a group of young adults with differing perspectives. When one person expresses a wrong opinion/feeling, another disagrees but acknowledges their perspective, and then everyone else in the group confirms the same opinion in succession. -I have no clue how I would change this, or if it should be changed. It's just that all of them seem to have the same opinions, and there isn't any real diversity of views or outlooks on life. -For example, during the shopping trip, Rai is extremely poor, and Aria comes from a billionaire family, but their outlook on shopping is the same. Aria is totally okay with thrift shops, and so is Rai. He doesn't mind going there, even though it creates a stigma, while others choose to go there for style/environmental reasons (without the stigma). Or Viv being a hot hat, the friend group never seems to be genuinely annoyed at her, even if it's just for a time. To me, it's just a bit too smooth. -Counter to this may be that I usually don’t read/like character exploration books. So, I may look too harshly at these types of scenes. I want to stress that a lot will depend on the latter part of the book. For instance, I may be more inclined to the team/character development, with payoffs. + The periodical nature of releases may exacerbate my dislike of these types of scenes. Still like the story and Bryce is awesome 😊 (this turned to "What you don't like" real quick 😅, sorry about that)

Scott Marshall

My only issue is they basically have a whole semester after this tournament. How is that going to work. I feel like we climaxed early.

Shot Shaper

Hi Bryce! I am assuming this post allows us to release feedback. I have held back from reading other comments because I want to give my untainted opinion. 1) Rei's family history is driving me insane. If that is your intention at this point in the book you're doing a great job (haha)! I feel as if there are several good moments where Rei's grandfathers perspective during the tournament would be a great 'satiation device' for people like me who are deeply interested in that plot line. It doesn't have to reveal anything, just give a gentle reminder that part of the story is still progressing. 2) Perhaps my biggest gripe is the advancement of the Archon plot. We all know that it is the endpoint of the series. There has just been no mention of Archons except urgency from the MIND and Dent's CAD for Rei to get stronger. 3) Love the inclusion of more Lasher. He's a great character! 4) For a bunch of teenagers, Rei's friend group is wayyyy too agreeable with each other. It is too sweet for me. I think there should be some more fire in there other than Viv being an emotional mess (also Grant has gone full simp, give him his balls back! His best moment is busting his own fake friends faces for Rei!). Wrap Up: This post is pretty much useless. In terms of point 1... I am starting to see the development in that. Kamiya makes all sorts of technology for central. I am sure they have lots of information on hole drives which ties into Rei's new CAD development. The Archon plot... it is the endpoint of the series and honestly does not need to be in a book 2. The group has so far to go before they are touching those guys. I like the underlying urgency between Dent and the MIND. Only useful part to me is my feedback in point 4. True teams fight and bicker. lots of strong opinions in a group of extremely strong individuals. Lets see it! Overall: Good job on the book so far. I understand the slower pacing and the extended stay in the tournament. Lets just get out of it soon! Thanks Bryce!

Catherine

I’m loving it but I’m also worried about how much of the rest of the semester will be included after the tournament. I’m really looking forwards to more of Rei’s family and how that falls out which I really hope makes into this book. Also I love the Lasher so I’ve really enjoyed him in this book :)

Alastair Trueger

I feel like the pace of this book is…slower than the last one. I also feel the competition is oddly…weak? Isn’t this supposed to be the best of the best?

JayLynn

I love it, but I worry how long it will take to complete the series considering how we have not even finished his first year of school.

Sam

I don't think he's going to graduate. They aren't going to leave an S ranker as a second year, especially with the deadline. They are going to keep pushing him.

Bluseph128

I based my vote on the first book being 5/5 and I rate this 3/5 currently. We got a glimpse into the stuff with his birth family then not really seen much more, I feel like thay should be explored more than it has by now. The fights have been fun although most of the other teams have felt pretty weak I'd of really liked to see the team struggle a bit and also more emphasis on the rest of teams cad development. Keep going I'm sure this will turn out fantastic and I trust that we've only had a rough first draft so far in sure you'll be able to iron everything out.

Grakyn

I love everything that has happened so far. Would love to see some more world building within the book. I really like the story and want to immerse myself in the Warformed universe a bit more. I think maybe a scene with the SCTs playing on Earth, and a highlight reel is shown of the Lasher with a brief cut to Rei or something would be a cool aside. I really liked the details about their travel and the visions that are kept from people. Anything like that to flesh out the universe is good stuff.

Robert Ziegler

If this were the finished version, I would have rated it lower, but given that it is a rough draft, I gave it a 5. I love the creativity of the story. I cannot wait for the next chapter to get released and absolutely hate when the next chapter gets released because I then have to wait again. If I had the full book, I would "call in sick" so that I could finish reading it. For me, this is an indicator of a good read.

Jeffrey V.

In the next few years are there plans to release a hard back box collection? I'm just thinking ahead for when my boy starts reading. I absolutely want Stormweaver in there and if I can toss a few bones your way it's a win/win

-Sanguine-

Very well said, especially about the friend group dynamic. That had been bothering me for a while without me realizing it. They’re not really believable as people given their struggles and background, and somehow all have the same personality

-Sanguine-

Yeah it’s been hyped up so much and now we’re supposed to be excited about the title card fight when it’s basically them just doing another match with the same people they’ve been training against for weeks. There’s literally zero tension. Why are there no good combatants from anyone else in the system? We have like 1-2 named other contenders tops lol. It’s like Galen’s is just competing amongst themselves

Alec Wraithbane

I wanna state that I love the first book. Bought two physical copies of it and the audio book. I'm a supporter on Patreon. I'll buy at least two copies of this book and the rest of the series. No doubt. But if you're asking for feedback - I assume its with an interest in actually getting something more than a thumbs up or thumbs down. People here are almost certainly going to give you a thumbs up - as the numbers are heavily skewed in your favor as a fan base wouldn't be here for any other reason than to express their adoration. In a pragmatic sense I feel you deserve more than just a pat on the back and a carry on. You're putting in real effort to create something tangibly amazing. So - the feedback should be a step up I think. -- The first book was awesome for several reasons (to me) (let me be clear for the people who love to fight online - this is my opinion, skim right past it if you don't want my opinion!). Raidon grew as a character and as a combatant in almost equal proportions. The side characters added a lot to the storyline even if some of them were bond-villain-esk in their nature. Meangirl/meanboy cheese works a bit but there was some actual depth to them that offset that trope. -- The introduction of the battle suit system and the growth was excellent. The test parameters and the concrete way for the reader to judge growth was well done. The numerical system is easy to pick up and the bell curve way of explaining growth was solid especially since the MC is a big outlier in the low department early and a massive outlier in the high department coming up. At this rate he will be S ranked before he finishes school. -- I kind of feel like the big baddies are still just a myth. They need some kind of depth or front line action maybe from their perspective before they will feel like a real threat. Its easy to forget about them all together because of their distant offhand references. I don't think it should be overlooked that the real bad guys are the humans and those who might be traitors. Jealousy from other established arena combatants or frontline fighters is a big draw for me. If it happens - awesome. If not - I'm still here for it. -- I've got the full art play mat sitting on my desk. That art is awesome. The book cover art is awesome. I'm not into the anime art thats shown up of late at all but thats just me - I'm certain some love it. -- For me the best chapter of this book so far was the meeting in the Commander's office where Raidon discovered his family and played mental chess with their rep. That side of the story intrigues me. The side of Rei that might hack his implant seems amazing. Especially if he is subtly guided by the Mind to somehow directly llink it with his suit permenantly or something. -- I want to see the genetic anomaly he suffered from come back to be a strength in some form. You took the time to make his pain tolerance a strength - maybe the genetic markers expand from there? It seems like you've dropped hints to that effect. There seems to be more inner monologue going on this book which I'm not super fond of but maybe thats just me. Keep up the good work! Your writing is leveling up as we read and I can't wait to see whats to come!

Sam

You have to remember that sectionals is just a few schools from the area of which Galens is by far the best. We have to wait until globals, system and intrasystem to go up against other schools that are as strong and stronger than Galens. The only other school mentioned near Galens is that Ellison Academy and they didn't meet them at sectionals (I'm guessing globals?).

Sam

Wouldn't it be an interesting storyline if he gets pushed to the warfront early and because of his age, he is placed under the command of Carmen Laurent and gets a chance to broker a peace and improve the relationship between Aria and her Dad without the interference of her mom? I often wonder if Carmen and Salista's marriage was a love match or was an arranged societal marriage due to the "importance of the power of society" now that political power is non-existent.

JD Hopkins

I'm assuming this post is an invitation to receive feedback, so I'm going to give it and hope that it doesn't result in a ban. I voted 4.5. Simply put, the writing in itself is still high quality and very entertaining. It's just a really fun and exciting storyline, and has maintained that from book one. It is rare that we get something that combines elements of different genres to create something wholey fresh. To me, it is similar to how Star Wars took scifi and fantasy and made this epic space fantasy. It was its own thing, even though it had elements of religion, fantasy, and scifi. Stormweaver, to me, does this too. It is this futuristic story with gladitorial themes, set primarily from the perspective of military students, which seems to pull influence from Hogwarts, while still standing apart as its own experience, yet maintaining the same spirit. What I'm trying to say is that, to me good stroytelling often contains themes from other works, but great storytelling does so while also being its own unique experience. In this, Stormweaver rocks. Concerning book 2, the writing is great. I think the character arcs are great, and after polishing and edits, made filling in a few places that need it... the final draft looks to be very promising. My only concern about book 2 remains that the larger story arc seems to be both underdeveloped and unclear for the reader. The tournament seems to have been the entire focus so far, and yet it (to me) doesn't seem to have been written with enough adversity to be a compelling main storyline. I'm hoping that Bryce has some stuff planned out in edits to address this. Fortunately, the way it is written, he could easily work this out by adding or emphasizing things in the earlier chapters with minimal rewriting and keeping almost everything he already has. My earlier concerns were that he wouldn't be able to do so by the deadline, and the book would feel unfinished. But, the deadline has been pushed back, which I thought was the responsible decision, and now I'm feeling confident Bryce has things well in hand. That's my take, but I have been told I don't understand how writing, drafts, or edits work... so take what I have to say with a grain of salt, I guess.

Nick Holden

Story is good, need more antagonists

Joshua Ward

This was hard for me because I re-read through often. All of the parts that I have started to skim, are actually very important to the story, it's just you don't really need them more than once or twice. The only thing that knocked off points for me was that when I look back, we are still only in the 2nd week of their "school" after the break. I feel like this is setting up to be a long semester. I'm 100% ok with that, I just feel like we didn't get very far.

Conor Lande

It's really good so far but would like to see more interactions with Rei's family. Specifically, Rei properly meeting his grandfather and his sister (I'm assuming given what we know) and if she will have much interaction with the team.

Jason Williams

I gave it a 4 because I LOVE the story and the premise of it. But I just don’t see how it will be done in 3 weeks (this is based on seeing posts that say it is due to the editor at the end of March).

Sam

I think what Reese is afraid of is that with S rank growth and the way Rei is advancing, soon he'll be too strong to be controlled and he might become a dictator. Reese is all about control and is afraid of Rei being uncontrollable. At least, that's how I see it.

Nicole Hicks

I gave a 4.5. I loved all of it but it took two books to get through the first year of school. Obviously, for anyone that reads the story it's understandable why. You put in alot of effort in putting in a lot of detail in the fighting and training scenes and physical description of characters. Especially of the CADS and the fighters abilities and looks. And the way you wrote it was amazing. You kept the balance between just enough detail to show the reader what your trying to convey without the reader getting lost in the details and not using enough detailed descriptions of people and events because your moving so fast that the readers get a disjointed feeling while reading the story. Not enough descriptive bridging words. I have ran across both problems and as I said before, you do a good job riding that descriptive writing fence. Like I said before, it's obvious why there are two books instead of one. And, I, personally can't see a way around the problem of taking two whole books to get completely through one year andthem into one book. There would definitely be a lot of cutting back. Sooo don't want that!!! But, then it's not me writing it. I'm just the one enjoying reading it. No matter how many books it takes to write your story. So that is why I gave a 4.5.