First Reader for Science Fantasy 140k?

Yo. I've just finished my first full manuscript, and I'm in craving need of a first reader to give me impressions on readability, holding interest... just giving it a bit of a light shake to see if anything is broken where I can't see.

The story is 140k words, and definitely in the realm of science fantasy, adventure/epic - dragons, gods, space stations, AI holograms, ghosts, possession, hacking... the works. At this point, I can't place it in either science fiction or fantasy alone. It has some gory violence, possibly disturbing/offensive content by way of some mythologies and religions, but very little offensive language. No sex.

Also, if the word count isn't warning enough, I tend to ramble and write long.

I have the first ~2k words posted in SYW here

Thanks!

warofthesparks said:

I think you'd get more responses if you cut the story down. 140k is probably what's scaring people off. Not only that, you admit that it has science, fantasy, adventure, etc. all in there and you "can't place it in either science fiction or fantasy," a telltale sign that the story might not be ready to beta. It sends up a red flag that you don't even know what type of story you've written.

In addition, you say, Also, if the word count isn't warning enough, I tend to ramble and write long.

This sounds like you're actually warning people not to read your work. I think you should narrow your genres down. Just say it's an epic fantasy or something.

Click to expand...

Thank you for the advice. This is my first finished manuscript, but it's also my first time attempting to reach out for input in this way, so I'm grateful for any insight you can give. The length, I feel, is a weak spot of mine, but I've been working on this thing to the point of having a difficult time trying to find where I can try cutting it down.

The genre thing is something I know is going to give me trouble. Out of what I listed, I think I'd feel most confident keeping just 'science fantasy', given the content. I know it's not a common area, but that's what I feel I've written.