Title: In the Shadow of the Builders
Author: just_me_lee
Genre(s): Drama, Mystery, Sci-fi
Tags: Artificial Intelligence, Female Lead, Multiple Lead Characters, Post Apocalyptic, Progression, Slice of Life, Soft Sci-fi (excludes non-tag)
Audience: –
Main Lead: Female
Status: Ongoing
AVB Assessment Score (?): PDE 2 CDD 2 SWB 2 || TQ 3 SV 2 || Overall: 11
Number of Chapters: 18
Chapter Length: Medium
Reading Level: High
Date of First Release: February 19, 2021
Date of Last Update: October 11, 2021
AVB Reviewed? No
Available on Platform(s): Royal Road
Number of Views: 1374
Number of Reviews: 1
Synopsis:
Long ago, the world declined and eventually collapsed. But this wasn’t the end of everything. Giant mechanical beings known only as Builders roam the lands, picking up the leftover pieces and repairing the cities and infrastructure of the old world. New societies popped up in their wake and for many life goes on.
Lavinia lives in the sleepy town of Seventy-Seven where she spends her days tinkering, repairing, and enjoying the slow pace of life with an old-world mecha named Arlo. But even though it’s a peaceful existence, it’s rarely boring. When you’re living after the “end of the world,” you can always find something to get up to.
Review(s)
Dan Lane: Overall Recommendation: For readers of cozies and light adventure. Suitable for all ages. Setting is post-apocalyptic semi-pastoral. PoV character is timid but quite likeable. Well written and cleanly told.
Style: Cozy, light adventure. The story thus far follows Lavinia, a tinker in a post-apocalyptic world. We see her interest in pieces of the world of “Back Before.”
Story: Pacing is neither too slow nor too fast, good for the style it is written in. Plot is advanced decently in the two chapters written. Scene transitions are clear and PoV character does not change.
Grammar: Only minor issues that do not detract from the story. Example: we are introduced a character other than the PoV character by name but without description or other note. As the character has a name but nothing else, it may help to add a simple description, i.e. the baker, trader, farmer or the like after his name. The italicized name in the second scene also is left bare and unexplained. This reader can only assume it is some sort of tavern or the like.
Little details like that do not eject this reader from the story, but are rough spots that get noticed. These two are the only ones that stood out like that, making the story as a whole smooth and well written.
Character: Lavinia is a gentle soul with an inquisitive nature. She does not break character or deviate from what she seems, but the reader’s understanding is being built bit by bit as the story unfolds. This fits well with the style and pacing of the story.
Story Post Last Updated: October 21, 2021, 2021
Archdale Virtual Bookshelf 
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