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PaperclipPerfector  2d ago (text post)   1911 thread views

Small-Scale Question Sunday for January 25, 2026

Do you have a dumb question that you're kind of embarrassed to ask in the main thread? Is there something you're just not sure about?

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PGTE has a very slow start and I dropped it like three times before getting into it. Once she's recruited by Black it gets better.

Also, the entire premise of the story is based on capital Good vs capital Evil and narrative around it, with Cat and Black standing somewhere in-between. You do get to see characters that are actually Evil, but Cat isn't a part of that faction.

Since you've read xianxia, I'd say they're closer compared to Orthodox vs Demonic, with Good being Orthodox, aka do plenty of bad things in the background but cover it up as actually good, or shove it under the rug, while Good is Demonic, and at times openly evil, but also less likely to stab you if you make them look bad.

Personally, the narrative framing is the element I like the least, and it's also why I stopped reading it later on, but if you enjoy meta elements in storytelling you might like it. Although from your comment it seems like you're not a fan.

I'm not against meta elements, if they're done well. That's easier said than done, the best example that comes to mind is Worth The Candle, which is actually elevated by the main character being a self-insert struggling against the constraints of the Random Omnipotent Being, who is also a self-insert of sorts.

I'll give PTGE another try, God knows I'm scraping the bottom of the barrel for books that appeal to my tastes.

If you have read a reasonable amount of webserials then it's hard to imagine you won't enjoy PGtE. I feel like the general consensus is that it's one of the 'big three' alongside Worm and Mother of Learning in terms of quality and popularity

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