![In The Shadow of False Gods - [A Grimdark Fantasy]](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.royalroadcdn.com%2Fpublic%2Fcovers-large%2F158510-in-the-shadow-of-false-gods-a-grimdark.jpg%3Ftime%3D1778269133&w=640&q=75)
by Melliam
You!! Yes you reading this! You don't like babies and all things good in this world do you? Oh? You disagree? Then tell me, does judging this book by it's cover and not atleast giving the first 5 chapters a go and than rating it, sound like something someone who likes any of these things would do? **sigh** You still won't do it will you? Go ahead then, read the Blurb, maybe that will gain your attention. **** The gods summoned heroes to save their world. They chose to kill the gods instead. As the divine kingdoms fell and shattered upon the world, the victors claimed the pieces and ascended into their twisted golden thrones. Grim was born in the shadow of that fell legacy. A descendant of one of those Heroes' blessed harems. He must now make his way through an unforgiving world, of Heroes that hold the world in an iron fist. Allowing none to rise high enough to challenge their rule. But Grim is also plagued by more than false idols. Something stalks him. A past life he has no memory of, where he made a deal with a demon for new life, and his soul the price, to be claimed upon his death. He knows this, because the demon has whispered it to him in every nightmare since before he could walk. The hells are waiting. Hunted by a past he cannot recall and trapped in a world where power is tightly controlled, Grim must walk a dangerous path. One that draws the attention of rulers who will never allow another threat to rise, and he must uncover the truth behind his forgotten life, to break a bargain that was never meant to be undone. Before the world, or the hells waiting beneath it, consume him. *** NOTE: I prefer story over gruesome spectacle but I will still explore themes that are uncomfortable for some. So please if you know you are of faint heart, leave now rather than give a bad review later. WHAT TO EXPECT: * Lite LitRPG * No instant power up. The MC will work for every scrap of power they have and the consequences that come with it. * Immersive worldbuilding. * Higher powers have a more active role similar to old tales about God's. * A dark fantasy that won't get too caught up in the dark. * No Harem * 250K word backlog. **** If you found that you like the blurb or the picture, heck maybe simply because the sum of your entire life has somehow led you to reading this. why not go a step further and actually try that first chapter. Who knows, you might actually like it. ***** Posting will be 3 times a week M-W-F. This is my first ever story and will only be posted on royal road. So if you see it anywhere else please let me know, so I can get them to stop using my shit. **cough, cough You-probably-kick puppies-in-your-spare-time-if-you-don't give-the-book-a-shot cough cough cough**
Current
8/11/2026
Peak #11
2d
Current
8/11/2026
Peak #25
2d
#6
7/3/2026
Peak #4
38d
#5
7/3/2026
Peak #6
38d
#4
6/16/2026
Peak #7
17d
Rank updated 13 Aug 2026, 04:15 UTC
Entry forecast updated 13 Aug 2026, 04:15 UTC
Overall Rising Stars shadow rank
deep field · ~#5945 of 7,531 · 5895 below #50
By genre
beats 97% of similar stories
beats 37% of similar stories
beats 71% of similar stories
Firing on all cylinders
Traffic and conversion are both strong for a story this size. Readers are finding it and sticking — if Rising Stars is the goal, this is the moment to push.
At this conversion, the Action Rising Stars bar (≈8 new followers/day) costs about 933 views/day — the story currently gets ~275.
Benchmarks: 8,060 active Royal Road stories, percentiles within the 50–149 chapters band, cohort of 2026-07-02. Conversion is measured as followers gained per 1,000 views over the recent window.
Promoted by
+30 more
+71 more