The Dusk Guard BIG Post · 8:10pm Apr 15th, 2015
All right!
So! It's come to my attention that's there's been quite a large number of favorite lists that The Dusk Guard: Rise has been added to since last I did any major talking about it. Mostly because I've been busy busy busy with the sequel, but also because, like all good things, Rise continues to accrue more and more followers as time goes on. So, in looking over the numbers, looking at what's coming down the pipe, and looking at, well, whatever else is left, I figured it was about time to do some quick introduction, summary, and news on The Dusk Guard Saga ... and what better way to do that then in one giant post discussing all of it? Stats, side stories, the group ... everything. All at once.
So here we go!
Stats
All right, we're going to start off with some numbers, because seriously, Rise has some awesome numbers. If you don't want that, just roll on down. It's fine. Anyway, as of this post, its first chapter has been read by 4,178 people. 1,329 people have added it to their bookshelf, and 509 people have tracked it. It has 470 upvotes and 8 downvotes, an approval rating of 98.3%!
But that's not even the most impressive stat. No, the most impressive stat is the read through percentage. Of those 4,178 readers, 1,536 have read the final chapter, given Rise the astonishing read-through rate of 36.7%! In a world where getting twenty-five percent of your readers to finish is considered a commendable success, Rise having a read-through rate of 36.7% is staggering, especially when its length and OC-centric plot is taken into consideration. Despite only ever being reviewed and recommended by a single pony reviewer and being all but invisible among the more common pony circles, Rise has "risen" to be one of the more higher-rated and best-recieved stories on the site.
And that's awesome. You guys like it a lot.
Side Stories
Which is good, because there's a lot more in The Dusk Guard universe to look at. Those of you who've read and faved Rise before moving on might have missed that there is an entire set of side stories that take place after the conclusion of Rise, each following one of the six main characters. Each one covers material that didn't quite fit into Rise nor its sequel (more on that in a bit), but was of sufficient interest to the greater arc of the saga. So, from start to finish, and in chronological order, we have:
Carry On, which follows Sky Bolt directly after the events of Rise and her dealing with the fallout of the final battle.
The Definition of Strength, which has Sabra in pursuit of his answer and finally getting the audience with the Princesses he requested in Rise.
Old Habits, where everyone's favorite reformed thief, Nova, stumbles onto an old acquaintance from his past.
Emoticon, wherein Steel takes a day off. This goes about as well as you'd expect.
Remembrance, a more somber tale that follows Hunter on the anniversary of a day very eventful in his life.
Trust, which gives us an up-close look at the team's resident doctor and combat medic, Dawn Triage as she grapples with a decision she never thought she'd need to make.
In addition to that, there are two other stories that are part of the Dusk Guard mythos, though not immediately tied into Rise nor the saga as a whole: Hearth's Warming Cookies and Why Me?. If you're looking for even more stuff of mine to read, those can satisfy your appetite for a short time.
Edit: Somehow (I blame lack of sleep, but this is on me) I totally spaced the Dusk Guard/Stardust crossover, Fortitude Amicitia. If you're a fan of Arad's Stardust series, then you've probably already read this one, but if not, you can start here. Not canon with The Dusk Guard Saga (for obvious reasons) but fun all the same!
The Group and TV Tropes
But, if you're really determined to dig into the nitty-gritty details of the series, there are two other places you can do that as well. The first is The Dusk Guard fimfiction group page (which now that I look at it, is only one letter away from being The Duck Guard group). On the group page you'll find a whole bunch of other really dedicated fans willing to discuss favorite characters, how golems work ... really anything related to the Dusk Guard. If you want to discuss it, you can do it here. You'll also find some helpful extras, like an official timeline of the series for those who are really trying to put all the puzzle pieces together beforehand.
The second is, as said, The Dusk Guard Saga's official TV Tropes page. Obviously, you'll find spoilers here. As well as a lot of different theories on what might be coming down the road for our Dusk Guard friends. TV Tropes is always a fun place to poke around, as well as serving as a good way to look for some of the more hidden details that you might have missed when reading through things the first time around. If you're a troper, then definitely check it out. If you're not a troper, but don't know what that means, then click the link with caution. TV Tropes can be a time sink.
Sequel
Of course, now would probably be a good time to mention that the sequel to Rise, and the second book of The Dusk Guard Saga, is—barring any unforeseen complications—going launching in May! Most likely in mid-May or closer to the end of the month, since I have some stuff going on in May and the story isn't finished yet, so I don't have a date nailed down and still need to get cover art made (which btw if you're interested in that let me know). But on the other hand, that's almost here, right? Right!?
Seriously, though, Beyond the Borderlands is shaping up to be amazing. The alpha reader feedback so far has been great, and it's already looking like Beyond will be a worthy sequel in all aspects, including the one where it ends up being much better than the original. Now, in case you missed it (or didn't but really want to start hyping yourself) this blog post contains an excerpt from the prologue. Go, read, get pumped. There will be a cover and maybe even a "trailer" soon.
Oh, and I can let you guys have this one. The first chapter is titled "Northgait." Speculation away!
Other Stuff
Now, if you've read all of that stuff and are still looking for stuff I've written to dig through, well, there are two final resorts I can offer, though neither are part of the Dusk Guard continuity or universe. But let's be honest, if you've read all of my other stuff so far, it's not too far a leap to conclude that you'll probably like my other stuff as well.
The first is just my site, which serves as an official repository of my writing guides, as well as thoughts on things like the Hugos (currently), updates on what I'm working on, etc. But it also has links to my other writing stuff, which is the second thing I'll mention.
I write books. They are published. If you're a big fan of the Dusk Guard and have enjoyed my writing, then the odds are that you'll also enjoy my published works. There are two out currently, another in the editing process, and more on the way past that. So, if you like my work on The Dusk Guard but have read everything I've put out here and are still looking for more well-written mysteries and action, well, check it out. I will appreciate it, believe me.
Last Words
It think that about does it for the big post. Let's see ... stats, side stories, the group, TV Tropes, and other stuff ... yeah, that about covers it! Thank you to all you Dusk Guard readers and fans for enjoying the story, there's more to come!
Viking ZX
One review so far, huh? Well, coming up very soon (likely next week), I will have my review for the PCaRG done. After all of these things you just gave us to look forward to, I guess I can return the gesture in a much smaller way.
If you ask me, Rise should have broken the 1K like milestone long ago. It definitely deserves it.
I had it in my read it later list for like two years before i got around to reading it....sorry about that. The mini sequels were good too.
If you need cover art, my friend Midnight Sonare is pretty good, and free.
2987465
I look forward to reading it! It'll be great to see what another reviewer thinks!
2987504
Thanks! One day it will, I'm sure. Especially with Beyond the Borderlands coming out at last. That should give it a huge boost.
2987531
Wow ... two years. Was that a moment of "Dang, I should have read this sooner?" Still, I know how that goes (looks at own list).
2987647
Link? I can take a look, though I can't promise anything (the cover is going to be ... well, I don't want to spoil it).
Can't forget about Fortitude Amicitia! That's how I found The Dusk Guard and I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one.
2988229
Oh, hey, yeah. I should throw that in!
Yeah, I used my one free 'have all the reviewers read a story' on one of Aragon's. The ponyfic reviewer's union is pretty stingy with those.
2987855 Midnight Sonare, he makes all of my artworks.
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fc00.deviantart.net/fs71/i/2014/092/b/c/queen_s_legacy_by_midnightsonare-d7csx87.jpg
th09.deviantart.net/fs70/PRE/i/2014/083/2/b/fires_of_change__origins_of_a_race__commission__by_midnightsonare-d7birpv.png
fc02.deviantart.net/fs70/i/2014/174/0/0/crystal_static_by_midnightsonare-d7nofom.png
Those are most of the arts he made for me.
~Crystalline Electrostatic~
What I missed about The Dusk Guard Saga was fanart. Some chapters later after the ponies were described I tried to remember what they looked like, and tough the initial description was very good and painted a vivid image of the ponies, to the exact color of mane and coat, I had trouble remembering exactly what they looked like and had to fish for the relevant part where they where initially described.
Just a good shot of the team as a cover would have made the reading experience a tad better.
3007411
If I produce it, it's technically not fanart. But I get your point, it'd be nice to have more visual representation of these guys, as well as occasional reminders of their design in the core story itself. Not as much of a problem in the later stories, however.
Still, if you desire fanart, well ...