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The Demon of Cliffside
For eight hundred years I have hidden in the shadows of Cliffside, watching the humans grow and build with only legends and stories to tell of my presence. But now something is stirring. Forces move in the city that might drive me into the open, and I know that I would not be welcome.
A unique fantasy in an original alchemypunk setting.
A unique fantasy in an original alchemypunk setting.
- GenresFantasy
234 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 1, 2012
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81 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
June 28, 2018
Actual rating: 3.75 stars.
➽ Simple math time!
If
a = Original story and creative world building
+
b = Intriguing plot
+
c = Slightly awesome blue demon with serrated claws. YUM.
+
d = Cool action scenes
+
e = Spoiler spoiler spoiler YEAH
+
f = Surprisingly well-written, cheap, self-published story
+
g = Huge series potential = Ooooh yeah, I want more!
-
h = Repetitive, somewhat yawn-worthy paragraphs
-
i = Abrupt ending
Then
a + b + c + d + e + f + g - h - i =
You are, as always, quite welcome.
➽ Simple math time!
If
a = Original story and creative world building
+
b = Intriguing plot
+
c = Slightly awesome blue demon with serrated claws. YUM.
+
d = Cool action scenes
+
e = Spoiler spoiler spoiler YEAH
+
f = Surprisingly well-written, cheap, self-published story
+
g = Huge series potential = Ooooh yeah, I want more!
-
h = Repetitive
-
i = Abrupt ending
Then
a + b + c + d + e + f + g - h - i =
You are, as always, quite welcome.
May 3, 2016
I'm always on the lookout for a unique and intriguing fantasy story and that is just what I found in The Demon of Cliffside.
The story is told from the POV of the titular Demon of Cliffside. It is a being that looks vaguely human in appearance. Not human enough though to pass unnoticed in human society. The Demon is blue/black in colour and has razor sharp claws on both its hands and feet. The most distinctive difference is the glowing markings which cover its full body.
The City of Cliffside itself was quite interesting. It was a city state ruled by a king and his court of noble families. What made it unique was the source of its wealth. The glowstone found in the mountains of Cliffside. The stone glows and has magical properties which can be harnessed by alchemists and used to power all sorts of devices. The result it Cliffside has a glowpunk feel to it!
The story was quite interesting. The Demon has always moved on the fringes of the human society and it currently operating as a thief and spy for hire. Jobs are taken from a drop-site and no interaction with the clients is needed. This suits the Demon fine as it has had its fill of humanity over the years. Many years as it happens since the Demon was alive before the first Cliffside settlers arrived more than 800 years ago. Things get interesting for the Demon when it becomes apparent it has drawn the attention of the elite Stormlight Guard and when an investigation reveals that someone else in the City may have unlocked some crucial secrets about the true nature of the mysterious glowstone. That is knowledge the Demon truly wants as it is part made of glowstone itself.
I found the Demon an original and intriguing protagonist. We learned that it was changing and growing as the years passed. Once it was little more than an animal, but now it can think and reason as well as any human. Despite the fact that the Demon did not look upon humanity with any fondness it was an easy character to sympathize with. It has been alone for all its existence as to its knowledge it is the only one of its kind. In years gone by it has tried to reach accommodations with the humans, but they have always been short lived and ended poorly for all involved. I loved learning more about the Demon's history and it was interesting to be pulled along in its POV as it learned more about itself and the nature of the glowstone that is the very heart of Cliffside.
This was a self-published title, but the quality of writing was very good. The book contained a few tiny mistakes that would likely have been caught by a top editor, but nothing that detracted from the quality of the story.
My only real issue with the book was the ending. It felt pretty abrupt. I feel like we needed more closure if this is to be a standalone tale. If a sequel is planned that would definitely solve the issue and I'd definitely be queueing up to buy it!
All in all I quite enjoyed this unusual, original, and very engaging fantasy.
Rating: 4 stars.
The story is told from the POV of the titular Demon of Cliffside. It is a being that looks vaguely human in appearance. Not human enough though to pass unnoticed in human society. The Demon is blue/black in colour and has razor sharp claws on both its hands and feet. The most distinctive difference is the glowing markings which cover its full body.
The City of Cliffside itself was quite interesting. It was a city state ruled by a king and his court of noble families. What made it unique was the source of its wealth. The glowstone found in the mountains of Cliffside. The stone glows and has magical properties which can be harnessed by alchemists and used to power all sorts of devices. The result it Cliffside has a glowpunk feel to it!
The story was quite interesting. The Demon has always moved on the fringes of the human society and it currently operating as a thief and spy for hire. Jobs are taken from a drop-site and no interaction with the clients is needed. This suits the Demon fine as it has had its fill of humanity over the years. Many years as it happens since the Demon was alive before the first Cliffside settlers arrived more than 800 years ago. Things get interesting for the Demon when it becomes apparent it has drawn the attention of the elite Stormlight Guard and when an investigation reveals that someone else in the City may have unlocked some crucial secrets about the true nature of the mysterious glowstone. That is knowledge the Demon truly wants as it is part made of glowstone itself.
I found the Demon an original and intriguing protagonist. We learned that it was changing and growing as the years passed. Once it was little more than an animal, but now it can think and reason as well as any human. Despite the fact that the Demon did not look upon humanity with any fondness it was an easy character to sympathize with. It has been alone for all its existence as to its knowledge it is the only one of its kind. In years gone by it has tried to reach accommodations with the humans, but they have always been short lived and ended poorly for all involved. I loved learning more about the Demon's history and it was interesting to be pulled along in its POV as it learned more about itself and the nature of the glowstone that is the very heart of Cliffside.
This was a self-published title, but the quality of writing was very good. The book contained a few tiny mistakes that would likely have been caught by a top editor, but nothing that detracted from the quality of the story.
My only real issue with the book was the ending. It felt pretty abrupt. I feel like we needed more closure if this is to be a standalone tale. If a sequel is planned that would definitely solve the issue and I'd definitely be queueing up to buy it!
All in all I quite enjoyed this unusual, original, and very engaging fantasy.
Rating: 4 stars.
June 22, 2022
Re-read July 2022
Re-read February 2019
4.5 stars
I truly enjoyed this one!
I have never really read anything like this before, and I loved every moment of it.
It's a very original and fascinating story.
A book written from the demons/creatures/monsters POV. So cool !
Re-read February 2019
4.5 stars
I truly enjoyed this one!
I have never really read anything like this before, and I loved every moment of it.
It's a very original and fascinating story.
A book written from the demons/creatures/monsters POV. So cool !
January 8, 2013
I spend a lot of time seeking out interesting new reading, but sometimes plums just drop into my lap. This was recommended to a reddit member seeking original, unusual fantasy and that it is. So original and unusual, in fact, that I have no idea how to categorise it. The blurb describes it as ‘alchemypunk’, and if I fully understood what that was, I might agree. The demon of the title is the central character, unnamed and of unknown species, living where she has always lived, once alone but now in the shadows of a human city. She has swirling alchemical markings on her body, long claws which can cut through metal or stone, and great strength and agility. She likes to walk on ceilings when indoors because humans never look up.
Her world is just as unusual. The city of Cliffside is built on some unfathomably high - mountain? plateau? - hard to say, but so high that clouds roil round below and cause massive rainstorms every night. Water, therefore is a major feature of the city, having to be piped and funneled away, but also powering machinery and transport. Recently, the inhabitants have discovered glowstone which powers alchemical lights and other machinery, and the ‘demon’ finds she has an unusual innate connection to the glowstone. She is, in some way, herself entwined with alchemical power.
The strength of the book rests, naturally, on the main character, and what a fascinating character she is. The author beautifully captures the ennui that inevitably arises from countless centuries of life, the detachment from the concerns of the humans who come and go, the ‘seen it all before’ cynicism. The ‘demon’ is truly alien, and I honestly never had any idea how she would behave under any given set of circumstances. In fact, the whole book was a long series of surprises, every turn of events bringing a new and revelatory twist. The other characters are less well-defined, but that’s entirely appropriate, since they are seen through non-human eyes.
The ending is page-turningly dramatic, and everything comes together very well. My only minor grumble is that parts of it seem a little too ‘magical’, as the ‘demon’ very quickly discovers and masters a whole range of new capabilities at crucial moments. It’s not quite deus ex machina, since the essence was flagged up right from the start, but there is an element of with-one-bound-they-were-free. One more edit would have added a final polish, too.
This is a haunting and evocative story, with a fascinating lead character and a terrific setting. The city above the clouds, beset by storms, is one I would like to know more about, indeed the whole of this created world. The alchemy is not merely a sideshow, but the idea which underpins the whole book. I’ve never read anything like this before, but I loved every moment of it. I agonised over the rating for this one, because of the slightly over the top ending, but I enjoyed it so much I'm going for the full monty. Five stars. Highly recommended for anyone looking for fantasy that breaks away from the more conventional tropes.
More fantasy reviews at http://fantasyreviewbarn.blogspot.co.uk/.
Her world is just as unusual. The city of Cliffside is built on some unfathomably high - mountain? plateau? - hard to say, but so high that clouds roil round below and cause massive rainstorms every night. Water, therefore is a major feature of the city, having to be piped and funneled away, but also powering machinery and transport. Recently, the inhabitants have discovered glowstone which powers alchemical lights and other machinery, and the ‘demon’ finds she has an unusual innate connection to the glowstone. She is, in some way, herself entwined with alchemical power.
The strength of the book rests, naturally, on the main character, and what a fascinating character she is. The author beautifully captures the ennui that inevitably arises from countless centuries of life, the detachment from the concerns of the humans who come and go, the ‘seen it all before’ cynicism. The ‘demon’ is truly alien, and I honestly never had any idea how she would behave under any given set of circumstances. In fact, the whole book was a long series of surprises, every turn of events bringing a new and revelatory twist. The other characters are less well-defined, but that’s entirely appropriate, since they are seen through non-human eyes.
The ending is page-turningly dramatic, and everything comes together very well. My only minor grumble is that parts of it seem a little too ‘magical’, as the ‘demon’ very quickly discovers and masters a whole range of new capabilities at crucial moments. It’s not quite deus ex machina, since the essence was flagged up right from the start, but there is an element of with-one-bound-they-were-free. One more edit would have added a final polish, too.
This is a haunting and evocative story, with a fascinating lead character and a terrific setting. The city above the clouds, beset by storms, is one I would like to know more about, indeed the whole of this created world. The alchemy is not merely a sideshow, but the idea which underpins the whole book. I’ve never read anything like this before, but I loved every moment of it. I agonised over the rating for this one, because of the slightly over the top ending, but I enjoyed it so much I'm going for the full monty. Five stars. Highly recommended for anyone looking for fantasy that breaks away from the more conventional tropes.
More fantasy reviews at http://fantasyreviewbarn.blogspot.co.uk/.
March 27, 2015
This book is alien. It's an aberration, an anomaly, something entirely left field of the genre.
The reason for this is because of the titular protagonist, the Demon of Cliffside. A creature hundreds of years old who predates humanity settling upon said cliff.
This demon doesn't remotely look or sound human, with long claws and dark features and a metallic voice.
Eventually the character is referred to as a 'she', though that is somewhat tentatively. It has no given name beyond the ones the people have marked her with and no interest in said people.
The book establishes the character by placing us in her head, we have a cold and calculating first person perspective view of exactly what's going on, and it's unlike any other protagonist I've read before.
The city of Cliffside is powered by the unique alchemical properties of the area, and is on the cusp of what appears to be an industrial revolution. There are elements of steampunk, but they're merely brief allusions and the main focus of the tale is upon the alchemy.
Alchemy is also the main interest of the unnamed protagonist, who has little else to master as she appears to be bound to this one place and cannot effectively disguise herself amongst humanity without eventually being outed.
There's a sense of dispondancy about the character, they've been there, done that, experienced everything at least twice over to be sure. Their emotions have been ground down to a weary and hollow acceptance of the gradual spread of this blight upon their rock.
As the protagonist doesn't particular care about anyone else, the characters she does come into contact with remain fairly one-dimensional. This can only be seen as a purposeful choice by the writer, and I applaud him for it as it heightens the sense of alienation.
The issue I had with this singular narrative was that the demon in question was for the most part in control of every situation. While I understand that this is somewhat realistic given the background, it means that there's a lack of dramatic tension to the text.
In addition to this, the ambivalence of the demon towards the issues that the humans suffer through means that we as readers also find it hard to care.
A few stray typos mar what is otherwise an excellent text, and the unfortunate appearance of paragraph spacing didn't help matters.
The ending is fast and furious, and the fast learning of the demon borders on disbelief, but overall it's a satisfactory conclusion, albeit one that could have been better built earlier in the text.
Mr. Fierro should be credited with writing a very original and intriguing story, one which I demolished in mere days due to my interest in it. I sincerely hope he continues down this path and this isn't a one-off effort, as this one comes highly recommended.
The reason for this is because of the titular protagonist, the Demon of Cliffside. A creature hundreds of years old who predates humanity settling upon said cliff.
This demon doesn't remotely look or sound human, with long claws and dark features and a metallic voice.
Eventually the character is referred to as a 'she', though that is somewhat tentatively. It has no given name beyond the ones the people have marked her with and no interest in said people.
The book establishes the character by placing us in her head, we have a cold and calculating first person perspective view of exactly what's going on, and it's unlike any other protagonist I've read before.
The city of Cliffside is powered by the unique alchemical properties of the area, and is on the cusp of what appears to be an industrial revolution. There are elements of steampunk, but they're merely brief allusions and the main focus of the tale is upon the alchemy.
Alchemy is also the main interest of the unnamed protagonist, who has little else to master as she appears to be bound to this one place and cannot effectively disguise herself amongst humanity without eventually being outed.
There's a sense of dispondancy about the character, they've been there, done that, experienced everything at least twice over to be sure. Their emotions have been ground down to a weary and hollow acceptance of the gradual spread of this blight upon their rock.
As the protagonist doesn't particular care about anyone else, the characters she does come into contact with remain fairly one-dimensional. This can only be seen as a purposeful choice by the writer, and I applaud him for it as it heightens the sense of alienation.
The issue I had with this singular narrative was that the demon in question was for the most part in control of every situation. While I understand that this is somewhat realistic given the background, it means that there's a lack of dramatic tension to the text.
In addition to this, the ambivalence of the demon towards the issues that the humans suffer through means that we as readers also find it hard to care.
A few stray typos mar what is otherwise an excellent text, and the unfortunate appearance of paragraph spacing didn't help matters.
The ending is fast and furious, and the fast learning of the demon borders on disbelief, but overall it's a satisfactory conclusion, albeit one that could have been better built earlier in the text.
Mr. Fierro should be credited with writing a very original and intriguing story, one which I demolished in mere days due to my interest in it. I sincerely hope he continues down this path and this isn't a one-off effort, as this one comes highly recommended.
January 24, 2022
As a new self-published author myself, I'm making an effort to read some of the other ones out there over traditionally published authors.
The Demon of Cliffside is wildly different from the dark, militaristic fantasy I usually go for, which is the main reason I enjoyed it. Having a non human main character and the alchemy-infused setting were both highlights for me.
I'm deducting one star because of the number of grammatical errors, usually missing or double words. Not a huge deal, but it's distracting if I have to stop and fix a sentence in my head.
Overall, I'd recommend checking this book out if you're in the mood for something different.
The Demon of Cliffside is wildly different from the dark, militaristic fantasy I usually go for, which is the main reason I enjoyed it. Having a non human main character and the alchemy-infused setting were both highlights for me.
I'm deducting one star because of the number of grammatical errors, usually missing or double words. Not a huge deal, but it's distracting if I have to stop and fix a sentence in my head.
Overall, I'd recommend checking this book out if you're in the mood for something different.
March 20, 2013
Overall, I enjoyed this book and would recommend it. If/when a sequel comes out, it'll definitely make my to-read list.
Strengths:
++Main character is quite interesting
+Excellent worldbuildng
+Nice action scenes
Weaknesses:
-Characters other than the protagonist are not well developed
-Would have liked to see a little bit more emotional development out of the main character
Strengths:
++Main character is quite interesting
+Excellent worldbuildng
+Nice action scenes
Weaknesses:
-Characters other than the protagonist are not well developed
-Would have liked to see a little bit more emotional development out of the main character
August 18, 2017
Loved this book!
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews