Black Scepter

Having read the entire book because of its revolutionary theme, my overall rating is above average. However, the ending, the grand reconciliation, felt like a half-hearted revolution, and the final deus ex machina resolved all the foreshadowing from the first half in one go, resulting in a very poor reading experience. It felt almost like the book was abruptly cut short. Readers specifically looking for fantasy would likely rate it even lower. As for the evaluation of the "red" parts, it can only be said that it's all thanks to the contrast with its peers. In fact, this work also contains many dogmatic and idealistic elements, bordering on sanctifying the "Little Red Book." Furthermore, rather than the protagonist genuinely developing his own thoughts based on his circumstances, he's more likely been indoctrinated with a certain methodology (after all, having read a time-traveler's book, he's practically a half-time traveler himself). Serious philosophical discussions are also rare in this work; for example, the "theory of struggle" doesn't even qualify as a true "theory." However, this is still a web novel, and compared to its peers who only focus on developing productivity (the "industrial party") and those still working on "philosopher kings," this work at least doesn't make any major mistakes in its overall direction. It's quite accurate in its portrayal of Praxis, a successful example of my country's "red" ideology. It can even be read as a fanfiction about the Liberation War, which is relatively rare in web novels. However, I personally don't think this is a plus, because the political landscape and setting in the latter half of the story are arguably far less rigorous than the first half, even getting worse as it progresses. Many characters, institutions, and organizations become extremely flat, and the map gradually blurs amidst the tens of thousands of people as the protagonist's forces advance at lightning speed. In the end, I couldn't recall any battles or cities captured by the protagonist that were particularly memorable. This discomfort from the sudden shift to a large map persists from the protagonist's journey to the Gabriel Empire until the very end, and is arguably the main reason for the mediocre reading experience. It was particularly difficult for someone like me who appreciates detailed setting to enjoy it.