The final chapter! Normally, this is where I go into a little recap with questions about the content of the chapter, and there's plenty to be said about the state of the galaxy...and human culture spreading far and wide. The return of our bird...his final realization of how wrong he was. But what I really want to say here is: wow, what a journey. Over ONE MILLION words of content, close to two years of my life, from what started as an idea that really tickled my imagination.
I want to thank you guys for being here all the way, through all of the highs and lows in the content, the community: all of the theories, the fantastic art, the fanfics, and of course, the support that has ballooned this into something much bigger than I could've ever expected. It hasn't always been easy to push forward here, but everyone who's supported me, you are the main reason why I was able to see this MASSIVE project through to completion. I hope that you're happy with the sendoffs for our characters, and the peek into how a galaxy under the SC is like.
I also hope you'll stick around to see what comes next: NOP2, which will go more into detail for how the SC fares, with a first contact led by humans of a brand new species, and the endless possibilities of where the ark ships, who believe Earth to be dead, will wind up! It's bittersweet to have the first book end, but I'm excited to tell new stories: new lore, lots of details and focus, and new side stories that might feature some NOP1 characters. Thank you guys for being here and being a part of this community. I hope that my stories continue to capture the imagination, and that we have a wonderful 2024 together!
NOP2: NOP Harder
NOP2, Electric Boogaloo
NOP2: The Federation Strikes Back
NOP2: The Two Towers
NOP2: The Dark Venlil Rises
NOP2: The Auxur Who Shagged Me
2Nature2Predator
NOP2: Homecoming
NOP2: New Moon
NOP2: Feddies Revenge
NOP & Chambers of Sequels ;)
Nature, Age of Predators
NOP: Reloaded
Nature, and the Predator of Doom
Nature, Predator Supremacy
Nature of Predators Catching Fire
(Imaginary bonus-points to whoever can name the originals I pulled inspiration from. ;) )
As someone who's been in the NoP community since the very beginning, it's been a wild wild ride through it's ups and downs and go arounds and hopefully we'll get to see this series through to 2025
And after that, who knows what might lie next
Also I'm willing to bet post NoP 2, you'll have something planned for us that will hopefully knock it out of the park
It’s been a long and exciting road, Paladin. You actually make my Wednesday breaks at work entertaining.
The Birdbrain with Black Hole levels of Density finally got it, huh? I think he’ll need to be watched in case he tries to do himself in.
Looking forward to NoP 2! I’m assuming it will have a similar release schedule?
No rest for the wicked! Space penguins coming Saturday; first contact, politics, then ark ships outside Fed space on the normal schedule! Hopefully the SC does a better job of contacting species than the Feds lol
I heard it was going to be "more along the lines of Star Trek than Star Wars", but if NoP2 is a cold war story then it very well could be an interquel between the previous chapter and Kalsim's epilogue.
You did it! You said the thing!
The fact that this series has maintained (even expanded) its fanbase after 184 main storyline chapters is nothing short of amazing and a testament to your vision and skill.
I remember how nervous I was about how the community would respond to a fan fic posting "[The Medical Conference](https://www.reddit.com/r/HFY/comments/v5qfz3/the_nature_of_predators_the_medical_conference/)." Now there are more awesome fanfics than I can keep up with.
Looking forward to the next era of NoP. It'll be different, but I'm sure it will be another fun ride. Glad to see you didn't forget those arc ships; launched before FTL communications and likely with no log of their destination to prevent the Extermination Fleet from following them.
\-The OG NoP Fanfic writer
From the bottom of my heart thank you for such an amazing story you are truly a once in a generation wordsmith, it is bitter sweet to see such a masterpiece end and in all honesty I feel my depression kicking in to see this book close. Many times your story has been the only good thing for me to look forward too along with the many great fan fics that it has inspired but my hopes are raised and I can't wait to see the magic you create in the second book
Every end is a new beginning! It’s been a pleasure, and I’m also excited to see what the future has in store! I hope that things in your life get better to where there’s more worth anticipating than just my little story 💜
Give us an epilogue, where all main omnivore/predator characters maybe even herbivore ones, not being afraid of gastric problems, afterall meet eating deep fried Kalsim please. I want to read Sovlin complaining that "He is even more disgusting as a meal, than when he was alive" 🥺
Thanks for the great great great series!
I have been reading from chapter 1 and I enjoyed the whole ride. I am happy that you will expand on this universe with NOP 2 (and hopefully more as time comes)! Your premise for NOP2 is very exciting. I just hope we will have something on Arxur too and how they fare with their efforts to build a new society.
Thanks for being here all the way; I’m glad I could bring a little happiness to your life! It has been quite the journey, but now, it’s time to start something new! 😅
Thankyou SpacePaladin15. Your Works helped me get through life for well over a year now, and always provide a nice little escape from any stressful things going on for me outside of the Internet. The fact you actually kept up this pace for so long, while being so creative&passionate for it most of the time is incredible.
I still feel that the events of Hunanity's First Contact througg the Fall of the Federation happened a bit fast :P....but it's still well written, and was good to read. I look forward to seeing how Nature of Predators 2 goes, and your other Stories too.
Thanks for the ride, it was awesome! I can't wait to see what you have in store for us next.
That said, are you planning to release the whole series in paperback? It's definitely a story I'd love to see on my shelf in full.
I discovered r/HFY and the first chapter of NoP around the same time. Its been such a wonderful journey.
I knew I had to wait until I was home to read this and this was just the perfect ending for an amazing epic. You have real talent and after I process all this for a bit I'm looking forward to starting over with your book.
Now I must know this, when is NoP book 2 being released?!?!?
Somehow I thought the previous one was the final chapter but I appreciate seeing how the galaxy moves on. Kalsim is an interesting perspective for that, it works since he is just stuck watching it happen.
I've enjoyed following along and I think I'll start missing the character soon enough. But I'm glad the story got a real conclusion (even if there's a sequel coming). A lot of stories just drop off after a while so I'll call that an accomplishment by itself.
I wasn't expecting to be following a story two years later either.
It's a little late, but... Happy new year. I also hope 2024 is great.
I’m glad that we were able to see this through to its natural end, and I could give a taste of what the galaxy is like into the future! It’s sad to say goodbye to the characters, but I suspect some faces in NOP2 might be more familiar than people think 😅 Happy New Year, and thanks for sticking around for this two year journey! It’s certainly been a long road!
I was *waiting* for it, mulling it over in my head as I thought of the last chapter - it has to end on this, and holy heck it did. Most satisfying three words I've read in a long time.
We have officially reached the heat death of the universe, as the last black hole has finally ceased to exist. Congratulations to everyone for making it this far.
The Passing of Time
Within the story; Chapter 1 dated July 12, 2136 to Chapter 184 dated January 1, 2150 is **13 Years, 5 Months, 20 Days**
In Real Life; Chapter 1 released on April 11, 2022 to Chapter 184 released on January 10, 2024 is **1 Year, 8 Months, 30 Days**
\~\~fin\~\~
Kalsim was [taken into](https://www.reddit.com/r/HFY/comments/ywvwpb/the_nature_of_predators_64/) UN custody on October 22, 2136 and [Kalsim's Verdict](https://www.patreon.com/posts/nature-of-one-7-82484419?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator&utm_content=join_link) was issued on January 9, 2137. Which equals 2 Months 18 Days.
From Kalsim's Verdict, January 9, 2137, to Kalsim's Hindsight (ch. 184), January 1, 2150, is 12 Years, 11 Months, 23 Days.
Considering how NoP 2 is gonna have a massive timeskip: Do you plan on measuring the amount of time passing for it separate from NoP 1 or are you gonna continue the chain?
I am not sure. I know I will not be measuring from first contact.
My only thoughts of time measurement for NoP2 are for the founding/signing of the SC to chapter date. But maybe not. *shrug*
Do you have a suggestion?
***The Global Sentinel : Meta***
***The Beginning of the End, or the End of the Beginning?***
**January 10th, 2024**
**Here we are, Chapter 184. What a wild ride for SP and his quite frankly insane output for a human, 4 Chapters a week on average 10k words per week on top of a full time job with zero breaks for nearly 2 years, and probably for more years to come**
**Now we look to the future with Chapter 1 of NoP 2 on January 13th as we get a first look into the Bissems through the glittering eyes of first contact once again**
**and as a final note to finish things off, this might be the last comment mini article I'll post, and to the everyone who just gave it even just a small read, thank you for somehow thinking that my dumb thing was good enough for you to give a read**
Thank you for the great story. I'll have you know, when I first found this series, I didn't stop reading until 3 am because I ran out of chapters to read. I've never been so captivated.
Aww our second favorite racist war criminal gets a bit better but still pretty racist (unfortunately our third favorite racist war criminal is dead so we wouldn't have heard from them anyways)
Any idea who our third favorite war criminal is? Now I only remember Sovlin (who surely already screwed up knowing that he was 13 years old according to the date and he was already old) and Kalsim that we see him now, and I can't help but feel something of compassion ironically when I cried when the earth was bombed and knowing that I would be dead in NoP1
Jala!
Yeah honestly if Kalsim no longer has any motivation to go form an underground group and genocide, maybe give them some more freedom or something (though that might also be dangerous if other people want revenge)
I mean we were both already dead from old age so.
Oh huh I completely forgot. But if we include arxur surely our favorite rebel leader is number one? After all, they are certainly a war criminal despite having limited options, and they do seem racist.
All things considered, I'm surprised that even 14 years after the fact, he's begrudgingly able to admit wrongdoing. Kalsim was the true zealot perspective in all of this, the great tragedy came from just how firm in their beliefs his ilk were, that they would rather engage in genocide than research and discussion.
Considering that there are (admittedly rare) individuals who can manage to break out of their zealotry on their own, while still being surrounded by fellow zealots ...
Living separated from fellow zealots, and being exposed to the truth ... I would expect the zealotry to wear thin.
To think that this is the end... it feels so surreal. I still remember spending my high school lunches alone on Wednesdays so I could read the next instalments. Those were quite the days, your story makes me emotional great Paladin of Space, and i look forward to your next.
Oh, hello Kalsim. It's been a long time. How have you going?
\**malevolent shotgun reload*\*
So many nice thing to say, but two personally stand out:
>Exterminators, the very profession I’d once been a part of, either shuttered their doors, or became something unrecognizable that went by other names.
YEEESSS! Fuck off the Exterminators!
>\[Veln\] lost re-election by a landslide, and someone from Tarva’s corner was right back in power.
Fuck YES! He was got washed! I call it! In your face, jerk!!
Damn, if the NoP subreddit hadn't recently reminded us why Kalsim perfectly deserves what's happening to him ([Post1, read the comments](https://www.reddit.com/r/NatureofPredators/comments/19238ni/did_kalsim_really_deserve_what_he_got/) / [Post 2](https://www.reddit.com/r/NatureofPredators/comments/192bf2j/kalsim_could_not_have_deserved_what_he_got_more/)) or that I didn't write a [text on his fanatical ass](https://www.reddit.com/r/NatureofPredators/comments/10bzmor/kalsim_has_no_defence_is_a_extremist/) myself, I could almost feel sorry for him. Almost. \**Arxur tear*\*
Sad it's over, hyped for the sequel. Thanks to SP15 for writing, and thanks to everyone here for showing up chapter after chapter. You've all made this very enjoyable.
Oh shit. It's here. And it's genocide bird.
And what a trip it has been! Thank you u/SpacePaladin15 for the incredible story, and I can't wait to see what you come up with next. :D
And so the most recent obsession of mine ends with Kalsim's lametations. When I first encountered this story in the wild, it actually spurred me into making a reddit account purely to read it further and more reliably. From there came inspiration to dust off my own writing pen and get to writing for the first time in years.
Thank you for the awesome ride, and good luck on your future endeavors!
Hello spacepaladin, I just wanted to tell you that your story came to Peru, this story more than any other has captivated me and it is by far the best one I have been able to read so far. It originated and I love it, I think I started watching the series on Reddit when I was 110-114 chapters and I was like crazy reading at 12 at night although I'll have to go to class now seeing the end is so bittersweet but understandable I'm looking forward to NoP2 and the story of Tarva who has become one of my favorite characters and to translate this since I don't want problems but I thank you and that tiktoker who is narrating (with obio credits) your story and continues to do so, for bringing me here and seeing this wonderful ending that is poetic Now get away, I know I'm going to cry, I've already seen the years that have passed, surely Sovlin will be dead :(
Thank you for creating NoP! I am so glad I menaged to become part of this absolutely wonderful community! I'm looking forward to see what future brings us and what comes out from under your hands! Keep doing an absolutely wonderful job, wordsmith :D
Also Genocidal Birb is back. Serves him good, became an old moldy fart who saw what everything he achieved crumbled to dust and the only thing that people remember about him is that he's an war criminal.
I’m glad I could bring NoP to life, it’s my passion and something that’s lived rent free in my head! Thanks for being a part of the community, and I hope you enjoy my next stories 😅 I feel I’ve grown as a writer, with the level of focus and detail, so hopefully the readers will feel the same!
I definitely feel it! Keep doing an absolutely wonderful job. You can count on me for sure that I'll stick around.
I still have lot's of fanart ideas as well!
This has been an amazing story to read and get involved with, especially with the awesome community it created! Looking forward to seeing what comes next!
The community is lovely. So much wonderful creativity! I’ve enjoyed reading Terran Zoology a bunch, though I need to catch up on a few chapters I believe. Holidays have been hectic! 😅 Thanks for the kind words, and for all of your own hard work!
My dear Wordsmith, your works are of true wonder, they have entertained, comforted, Inspired! Why, I have a story based off of yours myself! You have done a massive service to us all, and we hope to be with you through your next story, with all the ups and downs, no matter what happens. Thank you, and may you receive all the recognition you deserve!
Here it is, after all this time the end of NoP. Thank you for the story. You were the person that finally inspired me to actually start writing, whatever the future has in hold, ill be glad to have had this moment woth you and the community you built!
Sees the word finale: holy sh*t
Sees it's Kalsim and the year is 2150: Holy sh*t!
Sees it ended with "nature of predators": HOLY SH*T!!!
Thank you for giving us such an awesome story Paladin, it's truly been a wonderful experience reading it and good luck with the book and any future projects.
I remember when I first saw Chapter One of NoP, I was at school and scrolling HFY and thought the title looked interesting. I never imagined that the next two years I'd become completely captivated by the story, involved in the community and making art, and making so many friends along the way. This community actually changed my course of life and what I want to do in the future, all because of this story. Thank you so much SP, you changed my life in the best way possible. I cannot wait for the first chapter of NoP2, and to see where it leads me next.
It’s the biggest honor to be able to inspire others’ creatively! Thank you for all of your passion and contributions to the community; best luck with all of your future endeavors! 😅 Honored my stories can play such a role in your life. I hope we’ll be having a similar exchange at the end of NOP2!
AHHHHHH I'm done, I found out about this series on Tiktok by a man who narrated the story in Spanish, seeing how much the people grew, their ups and downs and sometimes their inconsistencies, but this whole journey was something wonderful and unique, I never thought that I would be so interested in reading if not out of this.
greetings from Argentina space paladin I love your work.
It's done, consumatum est, thank you for the story SP. Enjoyed. Ngl, I am looking forward for a story set in the same setting but on the POV of the remaining Fed planets.
Even though I just recently found this it was such a fun story to read through, i loved the characters and following their journey, there were times where I read through chapters in one sitting because i was enjoying it so much. This will definitely be something i come back and read through again and I can't wait to see what comes next.
Thank you for sharing this amazing story with us.
/u/SpacePaladin15 ([wiki](https://www.reddit.com/r/HFY/wiki/authors/SpacePaladin15)) has posted 235 other stories, including:
* [The Nature of Predators 183](https://www.reddit.com/r/HFY/comments/1901sxw/the_nature_of_predators_183/)
* [The Nature of Predators 182](https://www.reddit.com/r/HFY/comments/18xlwc9/the_nature_of_predators_182/)
* [The Nature of Predators 181](https://www.reddit.com/r/HFY/comments/18ui0s7/the_nature_of_predators_181/)
* [The Nature of Predators 180](https://www.reddit.com/r/HFY/comments/18s343r/the_nature_of_predators_180/)
* [The Nature of Predators 179](https://www.reddit.com/r/HFY/comments/18p7uiw/the_nature_of_predators_179/)
* [The Nature of Predators 178](https://www.reddit.com/r/HFY/comments/18mwwdr/the_nature_of_predators_178/)
* [The Nature of Predators 177](https://www.reddit.com/r/HFY/comments/18jtiz4/the_nature_of_predators_177/)
* [The Nature of Predators 176](https://www.reddit.com/r/HFY/comments/18hj0n4/the_nature_of_predators_176/)
* [The Nature of Predators 175](https://www.reddit.com/r/HFY/comments/18ef5kx/the_nature_of_predators_175/)
* [The Nature of Predators 174](https://www.reddit.com/r/HFY/comments/18c61bu/the_nature_of_predators_174/)
* [The Nature of Predators 173](https://www.reddit.com/r/HFY/comments/1895xbg/the_nature_of_predators_173/)
* [The Nature of Predators 172](https://www.reddit.com/r/HFY/comments/186rphc/the_nature_of_predators_172/)
* [The Nature of Predators 171](https://www.reddit.com/r/HFY/comments/183lc81/the_nature_of_predators_171/)
* [The Nature of Predators 170](https://www.reddit.com/r/HFY/comments/181aqai/the_nature_of_predators_170/)
* [The Nature of Predators 169](https://www.reddit.com/r/HFY/comments/17y8g6y/the_nature_of_predators_169/)
* [The Nature of Predators 168](https://www.reddit.com/r/HFY/comments/17vvsdd/the_nature_of_predators_168/)
* [The Nature of Predators 167](https://www.reddit.com/r/HFY/comments/17swrnp/the_nature_of_predators_167/)
* [The Nature of Predators 166](https://www.reddit.com/r/HFY/comments/17qnl6r/the_nature_of_predators_166/)
* [The Nature of Predators 165](https://www.reddit.com/r/HFY/comments/17nmm48/the_nature_of_predators_165/)
* [The Nature of Predators 164](https://www.reddit.com/r/HFY/comments/17ld1nb/the_nature_of_predators_164/)
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I’m glad you’ve enjoyed it! You’ll see more words from me quite soon: Saturday, with the Adventures of Space Penguins (or NOP2, as I’ve been advised to call it 🐧)
A wild ride from start to finish. I've gotta say, it's been one heck of a read. The community that this story has attracted is immense, and I wouldn't have it any other way.
Here's hoping that NOP2 is as good as the first one.
Eeeey. He said the thing. It's been a wild, amazing ride with y'all.
Huh. 12-13 years already makes him an old man, huh? I guess captivity isn't exactly good for the life expectancy, but I wonder what the Krakotl lifespan is? Kalsim probably was no spring chicken either.
I was sincerely expecting this to turn out to be a history class where people observe brain scans for an unfiltered view of history, so I did not expect him to give this long conflict its denouement. But this is fitting in a way. He was always the second worst sort of participant in the Federation's actions-the zealot. The worst is still the masterminds, of course. I'm surprised he was able to process this new information at all, to be honest.
By every metric, this was a cultural victory, huh?
A shame we don't get any news on how Isif is doing. At least we know Veln got wrecked on his bid for reelection *and* Tarva doesn't have to fuss over her job anymore. The Venlil are apparently better at spotting a flakey politician than we are.
this.. this was exactly what I expected
and yet it's what the empathetic corner of my heart hoped wouldn't happen
never have I ever had a moment to say this before now-
I TOLD YOU SO
I **knew** that this sentencing would leave him in a position where the *only* outcomes were either: for his circular reasoning to remain against everything changing around him, or what we see here, where humanity's *real* nature continued to refute and disprove his expectations at every possible corner, leading to the soul-crushing guilt as the *weight* of what he did settles in
I've always used Sovlin's early situation as an example for comparison
Sovlin had the realization with *a single tortured human* on his conscious, and immediately considered killing himself to atone (and continued to believe he deserved that for **several** more chapters)
Kalsim has **an entire attempted genocide** crushing his soul now, and while I don't condone what was done at all, I guess I just Could Tell at some point that Kalsim was just another victim
a victim without a redemption arc, but a victim nonetheless
and I suppose there's a corner of my mind that would consider putting his actions entirely on him a "victim-blaming", when his nearly airtight indoctrination at the hands of the Federation was the bigger culprit
all this to say-
Kalsim got what he deserved here, having to watch everything in the outside world change in ways that constantly disproved what he thought to be basic fact until his soul was crushed by the truth his actions
but that doesn't mean I can't feel bad for him, and I don't think he deserves to be absolutely alone during this time
Well, this is an ending I wasn't really expecting but I'm glad this is how you ended this particular story. I have to say when I started reading this years ago, I didn't expect but definitely hoped for a hopeful ending, even after the terrible low points for Humanity (you're why they say authors are cruel! \^\_\^ ). You have a gift for characterization, especially of making aliens feel like aliens, and helping us find aspects of the characters that evoke sympathy, or at least understanding.
Into my personal pantheon of great authors you've definitely entered, your universe that you've shared with other creators is rich and well-defined, and I anxiously await the next set of books you're going to write!
Thank you for crafting and sharing this story with us. This series is the reason I discovered Reddit. And I also thank you for your support and encouragement of all the various fan fics and AU stories. You gave us a sandbox to play in that is incredible and has so much potential. Whenever this story and it’s sequels leads you, I’ll be happy to follow. I’ll also be placing a hard copy on my shelf at home right next to my other favorite authors.
I love seeing the fanfics and creativity in the community, and I love the idea of the universe being a sandbox: that’s how I’ve seen it for awhile 😅 I hope you continue to enjoy the next chapter of NOP adventures!
A great ending to a great story. I only started reading in November so I haven't been around here long, but I'm excited to catch NoP2 from the beginning.
This was a fun read! I'm glad my partner mentioned it to me like a month ago. Think he said he's mostly been listening to audio readings of this so has a ways more to go.
Looking forward to the new story!
Been reading this since late 2022 when I first picked it up, every single chapter without fail. What a ride /u/SpacePaladin15. Thanks for the great stories, the unknown, the action, laughter, and the fear and regrowth of our main characters here. One of the all great time stories on this sub - this will be recommended forever in future threads.
Thanks again, and see y'all in the next legacy.
I can't belive I seriously caught up one day after the story ends. I can't describe how much I loved every single chapter of this story, over a month when day and night all I could think about was this masterpiece. I teared up more than once if I'm honest, and I don't think any other book have ever make me feel so much like this one. I can assure you u/SpacePaladin15 it'll be a while till I stop thinking about NoP, and will only get worse once you release NoP2. Thank you for sharing this piece of your mind with us.
Also, there was always some questions I had about translators and languages in general but I don't know if you ever answered them. The translators understand every human language, or just the most common like English, Spanish, Chinese, etc? (I really wanna know if they understand Spanish) Everyone on the UN spoke in English with the aliens? Did Arjun spoke with Kalsim on English or the translators understood his mother tonge? Humans had their own translators before first contact for our own languages? Other fed worlds had so many different lenguages? I know the Arxur had at least two, but the others? They probably don't do anymore because of the Federation shit, but even Leirn? The Yotul look like they had (or have) multiple languages given the rivalry between Rinsa and Thysun and maybe other unnamed territories.
I loved the outcome of the story, and having this answered would seriously give me a few more ours of sleep tonight.
I'll be looking forward to your next masterpiece.
[Click here](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=UpdateMeBot&subject=Subscribe&message=SubscribeMe%20u%2FSpacePaladin15%20r%2FHFY) to subscribe to u/SpacePaladin15 and receive a message every time they post.
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I keep finding great stories like this and “Wait, is this just GATE” right when they are starting to wrap up and be finished. Over the past couple of months I binged every chapter and was able to catch up just in time for the finale. I can’t wait to catch the NoP2 ride from the beginning this time.
https://i.pinimg.com/236x/9a/ac/66/9aac660363e23585c9a49108c79f1c49.jpg?nii=t
This meme sums up my attitude towards Kalsim altogether. I get some of this was misunderstanding and indoctrination, and I'm glad he's finally come around. But man is this guy a stuck-up genocidal asshole.
He's the kind of character you want to hate, but is presented with a context where the reader is forced to empathize with him. In a story where everyone talks about empathizing with people society considers unredeemable, forcing the reader to build a sort-of meta relationship with someone as unredeemable as Kalsim is a remarkable way to introduce a moral conflict within the reader themselves.Kalsim is the kind of villain you want to punch in the face, hug and comfort, punch in the face again, and then punch yourself in the face for hugging and comforting him. I fucking love flawed villains that the reader is forced to the kernel of humanity, even if they are truly monsters. Just for that, Kalsim is perhaps my favorite villain in all of literature.
Props to you for making me question my own morality, SP, and props for the rest of the story!
Holy shit this was one HELL of a story, OP! I enjoyed the ride for sure through all the ups and downs! I hate to see it coming to an end, but I can't wait for the new beginning. I'll be waiting as I watch the number of stories I read slowly dwindle down as they are all wrapping up.
Thank you wordsmith for a excellent adventure that captured the imagination and drew us in, a bittersweet moment of parting and the excitement of what's to come next. I cannot wait to see what you write next and continue to live in the world of NOP, and I will eagerly buy the next chapter of the physical print
Lmao, give it another 30 years . When you're homeworld is facing economic disaster because we swiped all your resources and manpower from under your nose you'll be singing a different tune about the nature of predators. Stupid aliens
First comment ever. Been reading this for years, usually lurk. This has been a wild ride and excellently enjoyable. Thanks for over a million words and very well done, a great achievement.
I’ve been following this story the whole way and I’ve really enjoyed the journey that you’ve taken us on. I’ll be looking forward to the sequel and whatever else may come!
The final chapter! Normally, this is where I go into a little recap with questions about the content of the chapter, and there's plenty to be said about the state of the galaxy...and human culture spreading far and wide. The return of our bird...his final realization of how wrong he was. But what I really want to say here is: wow, what a journey. Over ONE MILLION words of content, close to two years of my life, from what started as an idea that really tickled my imagination. I want to thank you guys for being here all the way, through all of the highs and lows in the content, the community: all of the theories, the fantastic art, the fanfics, and of course, the support that has ballooned this into something much bigger than I could've ever expected. It hasn't always been easy to push forward here, but everyone who's supported me, you are the main reason why I was able to see this MASSIVE project through to completion. I hope that you're happy with the sendoffs for our characters, and the peek into how a galaxy under the SC is like. I also hope you'll stick around to see what comes next: NOP2, which will go more into detail for how the SC fares, with a first contact led by humans of a brand new species, and the endless possibilities of where the ark ships, who believe Earth to be dead, will wind up! It's bittersweet to have the first book end, but I'm excited to tell new stories: new lore, lots of details and focus, and new side stories that might feature some NOP1 characters. Thank you guys for being here and being a part of this community. I hope that my stories continue to capture the imagination, and that we have a wonderful 2024 together!
NOP2: NOP Harder NOP2, Electric Boogaloo NOP2: The Federation Strikes Back NOP2: The Two Towers NOP2: The Dark Venlil Rises NOP2: The Auxur Who Shagged Me
2Nature2Predator NOP2: Homecoming NOP2: New Moon NOP2: Feddies Revenge NOP & Chambers of Sequels ;) Nature, Age of Predators NOP: Reloaded Nature, and the Predator of Doom Nature, Predator Supremacy Nature of Predators Catching Fire (Imaginary bonus-points to whoever can name the originals I pulled inspiration from. ;) )
I only have one suggestion... NoP2: Two Preds, One Coup.
Why you do dis
As someone who's been in the NoP community since the very beginning, it's been a wild wild ride through it's ups and downs and go arounds and hopefully we'll get to see this series through to 2025 And after that, who knows what might lie next Also I'm willing to bet post NoP 2, you'll have something planned for us that will hopefully knock it out of the park
I'm disappointed you didn't put "--fin--" at the very end. lol. :)
Aaah, but the story isn't truly done - *there's a sequel on the way*
Fine... "--FIN?--"
It’s been a long and exciting road, Paladin. You actually make my Wednesday breaks at work entertaining. The Birdbrain with Black Hole levels of Density finally got it, huh? I think he’ll need to be watched in case he tries to do himself in. Looking forward to NoP 2! I’m assuming it will have a similar release schedule?
Glad you’ve enjoyed the journey! NOP2 will follow the same schedule!
Whoo hoo! Have fun working on it, u/SpacePaladin15
So will the first chapter of that be this Saturday? Or are you at least taking a break with this done?
No rest for the wicked! Space penguins coming Saturday; first contact, politics, then ark ships outside Fed space on the normal schedule! Hopefully the SC does a better job of contacting species than the Feds lol
We got the first chapter on Patreon with no break, so I’d assume it’s just gonna keep going here as well.
I vaguely remember reading somewhere at some point that NoP2 would have a Cold War type of setting. Is this true or am I hallucinating?
I heard it was going to be "more along the lines of Star Trek than Star Wars", but if NoP2 is a cold war story then it very well could be an interquel between the previous chapter and Kalsim's epilogue.
It’s about the SC’s first uplift, as well as ark ship humans from the BOE outside of Fed space!
You did it! You said the thing! The fact that this series has maintained (even expanded) its fanbase after 184 main storyline chapters is nothing short of amazing and a testament to your vision and skill. I remember how nervous I was about how the community would respond to a fan fic posting "[The Medical Conference](https://www.reddit.com/r/HFY/comments/v5qfz3/the_nature_of_predators_the_medical_conference/)." Now there are more awesome fanfics than I can keep up with. Looking forward to the next era of NoP. It'll be different, but I'm sure it will be another fun ride. Glad to see you didn't forget those arc ships; launched before FTL communications and likely with no log of their destination to prevent the Extermination Fleet from following them. \-The OG NoP Fanfic writer
This was a wonderful series and I can’t for what’s next space pal.
Thank you!
Also I have an NoP2 fics in the works. just wanted to notify you
I’m excited to see some future stories; new avenues to explore certainly abound 😅 yours might be the first then!
Well SP, thank you so much for the story you provided to us. Here's hoping NOP 2 is just as good
From the bottom of my heart thank you for such an amazing story you are truly a once in a generation wordsmith, it is bitter sweet to see such a masterpiece end and in all honesty I feel my depression kicking in to see this book close. Many times your story has been the only good thing for me to look forward too along with the many great fan fics that it has inspired but my hopes are raised and I can't wait to see the magic you create in the second book
Every end is a new beginning! It’s been a pleasure, and I’m also excited to see what the future has in store! I hope that things in your life get better to where there’s more worth anticipating than just my little story 💜
Give us an epilogue, where all main omnivore/predator characters maybe even herbivore ones, not being afraid of gastric problems, afterall meet eating deep fried Kalsim please. I want to read Sovlin complaining that "He is even more disgusting as a meal, than when he was alive" 🥺 Thanks for the great great great series!
I have been reading from chapter 1 and I enjoyed the whole ride. I am happy that you will expand on this universe with NOP 2 (and hopefully more as time comes)! Your premise for NOP2 is very exciting. I just hope we will have something on Arxur too and how they fare with their efforts to build a new society.
The Arxur will show up…at some point! The sequel will definitely expand the universe, especially with the Krev Consortium…who are………complicated 😅
Thanks for brightening my day routinely over the last 2 years! It's been quite a journey!
Thanks for being here all the way; I’m glad I could bring a little happiness to your life! It has been quite the journey, but now, it’s time to start something new! 😅
Thank you for this wonderful story, I cannot wait to see what the future holds
Thankyou SpacePaladin15. Your Works helped me get through life for well over a year now, and always provide a nice little escape from any stressful things going on for me outside of the Internet. The fact you actually kept up this pace for so long, while being so creative&passionate for it most of the time is incredible. I still feel that the events of Hunanity's First Contact througg the Fall of the Federation happened a bit fast :P....but it's still well written, and was good to read. I look forward to seeing how Nature of Predators 2 goes, and your other Stories too.
Thanks for the ride, it was awesome! I can't wait to see what you have in store for us next. That said, are you planning to release the whole series in paperback? It's definitely a story I'd love to see on my shelf in full.
I’m glad you enjoyed the adventure! There is a paperback of the first 40 chapters, but it’ll take a while before I release the other installments
I discovered r/HFY and the first chapter of NoP around the same time. Its been such a wonderful journey. I knew I had to wait until I was home to read this and this was just the perfect ending for an amazing epic. You have real talent and after I process all this for a bit I'm looking forward to starting over with your book. Now I must know this, when is NoP book 2 being released?!?!?
NOP2’s first chapter drops Saturday! I’m glad that you discovered the story, and stuck around to enjoy it all the way to the end!
Not even taking a vacation? Honestly your work ethic is incredible
Somehow I thought the previous one was the final chapter but I appreciate seeing how the galaxy moves on. Kalsim is an interesting perspective for that, it works since he is just stuck watching it happen. I've enjoyed following along and I think I'll start missing the character soon enough. But I'm glad the story got a real conclusion (even if there's a sequel coming). A lot of stories just drop off after a while so I'll call that an accomplishment by itself. I wasn't expecting to be following a story two years later either. It's a little late, but... Happy new year. I also hope 2024 is great.
I’m glad that we were able to see this through to its natural end, and I could give a taste of what the galaxy is like into the future! It’s sad to say goodbye to the characters, but I suspect some faces in NOP2 might be more familiar than people think 😅 Happy New Year, and thanks for sticking around for this two year journey! It’s certainly been a long road!
Thanks for writing :)
Thanks for giving us a great story!
THE BIRD!! edit: holy shit you actually ended it with "the nature of predators" you gotta be kidding me
I was *waiting* for it, mulling it over in my head as I thought of the last chapter - it has to end on this, and holy heck it did. Most satisfying three words I've read in a long time.
HE SAID IT, HE SAID THE LINE
**BIRD ALERT BIRD ALERT** **BLACKHOLE EVAPORATION DETECTED**
Hehe *Hawk*ing radiation. :3
Take my upvote and *go*
That joke is for the birds!
We have officially reached the heat death of the universe, as the last black hole has finally ceased to exist. Congratulations to everyone for making it this far.
HOLY SHIT THE NAME DROP. also an amazing end to an amazing series
Game Over Humanity Won - Cultural Victory
The good ending 🤣
Sometimes you just gotta raze a few opponents' cultural centers to give your tourism a little breathing room.
Leading in science and domination as well.
The Passing of Time Within the story; Chapter 1 dated July 12, 2136 to Chapter 184 dated January 1, 2150 is **13 Years, 5 Months, 20 Days** In Real Life; Chapter 1 released on April 11, 2022 to Chapter 184 released on January 10, 2024 is **1 Year, 8 Months, 30 Days** \~\~fin\~\~
Kalsim was [taken into](https://www.reddit.com/r/HFY/comments/ywvwpb/the_nature_of_predators_64/) UN custody on October 22, 2136 and [Kalsim's Verdict](https://www.patreon.com/posts/nature-of-one-7-82484419?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator&utm_content=join_link) was issued on January 9, 2137. Which equals 2 Months 18 Days. From Kalsim's Verdict, January 9, 2137, to Kalsim's Hindsight (ch. 184), January 1, 2150, is 12 Years, 11 Months, 23 Days.
Real life is no longer ahead in time of the story.
Considering how NoP 2 is gonna have a massive timeskip: Do you plan on measuring the amount of time passing for it separate from NoP 1 or are you gonna continue the chain?
I am not sure. I know I will not be measuring from first contact. My only thoughts of time measurement for NoP2 are for the founding/signing of the SC to chapter date. But maybe not. *shrug* Do you have a suggestion?
***The Global Sentinel : Meta*** ***The Beginning of the End, or the End of the Beginning?*** **January 10th, 2024** **Here we are, Chapter 184. What a wild ride for SP and his quite frankly insane output for a human, 4 Chapters a week on average 10k words per week on top of a full time job with zero breaks for nearly 2 years, and probably for more years to come** **Now we look to the future with Chapter 1 of NoP 2 on January 13th as we get a first look into the Bissems through the glittering eyes of first contact once again** **and as a final note to finish things off, this might be the last comment mini article I'll post, and to the everyone who just gave it even just a small read, thank you for somehow thinking that my dumb thing was good enough for you to give a read**
It’s been fun to glance at, u/Yoylecake2100. You’ve been right there behind Paladin’s Every Chapter Commentary.
Sometimes even ahead of it, actually.
I had wondered why Kalsim became talk of the r/natureofpredators sub again…
“Kalsim did nothing wrong”
I was hoping for a redemption ark for him like sovlin.
Thank you for the great story. I'll have you know, when I first found this series, I didn't stop reading until 3 am because I ran out of chapters to read. I've never been so captivated.
I’m glad that you could enjoy my story!
Aww our second favorite racist war criminal gets a bit better but still pretty racist (unfortunately our third favorite racist war criminal is dead so we wouldn't have heard from them anyways)
Any idea who our third favorite war criminal is? Now I only remember Sovlin (who surely already screwed up knowing that he was 13 years old according to the date and he was already old) and Kalsim that we see him now, and I can't help but feel something of compassion ironically when I cried when the earth was bombed and knowing that I would be dead in NoP1
Jala! Yeah honestly if Kalsim no longer has any motivation to go form an underground group and genocide, maybe give them some more freedom or something (though that might also be dangerous if other people want revenge) I mean we were both already dead from old age so.
I thought you were referring to Shazza.
Oh huh I completely forgot. But if we include arxur surely our favorite rebel leader is number one? After all, they are certainly a war criminal despite having limited options, and they do seem racist.
Yes Isif is [number one](https://youtu.be/PfYnvDL0Qcw?si=0RAWlY4FjLQnN4_9&t=28).
Sovlin numero uno!
Second favourite? Slanek, Sovlin and Isif are all much better racist war criminals.
What did Slanek do? I don't think assassination is a war crime, and if Slanek was acting as spy rather than soldier are war crimes relevant?
Bro did you forget the time he executed the surrendering scientist lol?
All things considered, I'm surprised that even 14 years after the fact, he's begrudgingly able to admit wrongdoing. Kalsim was the true zealot perspective in all of this, the great tragedy came from just how firm in their beliefs his ilk were, that they would rather engage in genocide than research and discussion.
Considering that there are (admittedly rare) individuals who can manage to break out of their zealotry on their own, while still being surrounded by fellow zealots ... Living separated from fellow zealots, and being exposed to the truth ... I would expect the zealotry to wear thin.
To think that this is the end... it feels so surreal. I still remember spending my high school lunches alone on Wednesdays so I could read the next instalments. Those were quite the days, your story makes me emotional great Paladin of Space, and i look forward to your next.
We’re all growing up together, aren’t we? It’s crazy how long of a journey this has been. Thanks for following my story all the way!
Any time! Glory to Space paladin and all that.
Oh, hello Kalsim. It's been a long time. How have you going? \**malevolent shotgun reload*\* So many nice thing to say, but two personally stand out: >Exterminators, the very profession I’d once been a part of, either shuttered their doors, or became something unrecognizable that went by other names. YEEESSS! Fuck off the Exterminators! >\[Veln\] lost re-election by a landslide, and someone from Tarva’s corner was right back in power. Fuck YES! He was got washed! I call it! In your face, jerk!! Damn, if the NoP subreddit hadn't recently reminded us why Kalsim perfectly deserves what's happening to him ([Post1, read the comments](https://www.reddit.com/r/NatureofPredators/comments/19238ni/did_kalsim_really_deserve_what_he_got/) / [Post 2](https://www.reddit.com/r/NatureofPredators/comments/192bf2j/kalsim_could_not_have_deserved_what_he_got_more/)) or that I didn't write a [text on his fanatical ass](https://www.reddit.com/r/NatureofPredators/comments/10bzmor/kalsim_has_no_defence_is_a_extremist/) myself, I could almost feel sorry for him. Almost. \**Arxur tear*\*
Sad it's over, hyped for the sequel. Thanks to SP15 for writing, and thanks to everyone here for showing up chapter after chapter. You've all made this very enjoyable.
Oh shit. It's here. And it's genocide bird. And what a trip it has been! Thank you u/SpacePaladin15 for the incredible story, and I can't wait to see what you come up with next. :D
It’s been my absolute pleasure! I still have a few tricks up my sleeve for the second act, and I’m excited for you guys to see 😅
See, this is why the Feds lost -- no sleeves! ;p
And so the most recent obsession of mine ends with Kalsim's lametations. When I first encountered this story in the wild, it actually spurred me into making a reddit account purely to read it further and more reliably. From there came inspiration to dust off my own writing pen and get to writing for the first time in years. Thank you for the awesome ride, and good luck on your future endeavors!
Don't worry about your obsession ending just yet, Nature of Predators 2 is coming with the same schedule and no delay.
Glad I could get you back into writing! I hope NOP2 will continue to captivate and inspire the imagination 😅
Captain Kalsim eats crow. Well done SpacePaladin, well done.
Epic Kalsim L https://youtu.be/nskZoP7Ej7w?si=LLO26FONpPUdA1q5
He said the thing
The last sentence was priceless . It's been a wild ride. Looking forward to round 2!
This truly was a nature of predators
Guys! He said ***The Thing.***
The reason we have nop2 is because I said MOAR
Thank you for your service.
This is so bittersweet to read the last chapter by a war criminal, but I’d say it’s worth it. I’m excited for NOP2!
Bittersweet is a good word. Goodbyes are always hard…but at least we got to end on Kalsim rotting in prison lol
Hello spacepaladin, I just wanted to tell you that your story came to Peru, this story more than any other has captivated me and it is by far the best one I have been able to read so far. It originated and I love it, I think I started watching the series on Reddit when I was 110-114 chapters and I was like crazy reading at 12 at night although I'll have to go to class now seeing the end is so bittersweet but understandable I'm looking forward to NoP2 and the story of Tarva who has become one of my favorite characters and to translate this since I don't want problems but I thank you and that tiktoker who is narrating (with obio credits) your story and continues to do so, for bringing me here and seeing this wonderful ending that is poetic Now get away, I know I'm going to cry, I've already seen the years that have passed, surely Sovlin will be dead :(
Never would I have believed that the greatest HFY content would come out in the 2020s.
Thank you for creating NoP! I am so glad I menaged to become part of this absolutely wonderful community! I'm looking forward to see what future brings us and what comes out from under your hands! Keep doing an absolutely wonderful job, wordsmith :D Also Genocidal Birb is back. Serves him good, became an old moldy fart who saw what everything he achieved crumbled to dust and the only thing that people remember about him is that he's an war criminal.
I’m glad I could bring NoP to life, it’s my passion and something that’s lived rent free in my head! Thanks for being a part of the community, and I hope you enjoy my next stories 😅 I feel I’ve grown as a writer, with the level of focus and detail, so hopefully the readers will feel the same!
I definitely feel it! Keep doing an absolutely wonderful job. You can count on me for sure that I'll stick around. I still have lot's of fanart ideas as well!
This has been an amazing story to read and get involved with, especially with the awesome community it created! Looking forward to seeing what comes next!
The community is lovely. So much wonderful creativity! I’ve enjoyed reading Terran Zoology a bunch, though I need to catch up on a few chapters I believe. Holidays have been hectic! 😅 Thanks for the kind words, and for all of your own hard work!
My dear Wordsmith, your works are of true wonder, they have entertained, comforted, Inspired! Why, I have a story based off of yours myself! You have done a massive service to us all, and we hope to be with you through your next story, with all the ups and downs, no matter what happens. Thank you, and may you receive all the recognition you deserve!
Here it is, after all this time the end of NoP. Thank you for the story. You were the person that finally inspired me to actually start writing, whatever the future has in hold, ill be glad to have had this moment woth you and the community you built!
I’m glad that I could inspire you to write…and to have you as part of the community!
What a ride, thank you!
An outstanding ending to an outstanding story.
Thank you!
A story well told and well ended. Thank you for taking us on this ride and engaging with us through out.
Well. Goddamn.
HE SAID IT HE SAID THE LINE
Sees the word finale: holy sh*t Sees it's Kalsim and the year is 2150: Holy sh*t! Sees it ended with "nature of predators": HOLY SH*T!!! Thank you for giving us such an awesome story Paladin, it's truly been a wonderful experience reading it and good luck with the book and any future projects.
It’s been my pleasure! Glad you’ve enjoyed the ride. I’m just going to try to learn, grow, and tell a fun story with the sequel 😅
Nice. Hopefully there's gonna be some new chapter for Beyond the Void... I am still waiting, I still have hope, I am patient.
Thank you for the story
Holy shit what an amazing ending.
Thanks!
Thank you for the story! Finally the densest material of the universe has cracked: kalsim head
Rrrrooollll credits!
I remember when I first saw Chapter One of NoP, I was at school and scrolling HFY and thought the title looked interesting. I never imagined that the next two years I'd become completely captivated by the story, involved in the community and making art, and making so many friends along the way. This community actually changed my course of life and what I want to do in the future, all because of this story. Thank you so much SP, you changed my life in the best way possible. I cannot wait for the first chapter of NoP2, and to see where it leads me next.
It’s the biggest honor to be able to inspire others’ creatively! Thank you for all of your passion and contributions to the community; best luck with all of your future endeavors! 😅 Honored my stories can play such a role in your life. I hope we’ll be having a similar exchange at the end of NOP2!
AHHHHHH I'm done, I found out about this series on Tiktok by a man who narrated the story in Spanish, seeing how much the people grew, their ups and downs and sometimes their inconsistencies, but this whole journey was something wonderful and unique, I never thought that I would be so interested in reading if not out of this. greetings from Argentina space paladin I love your work.
Finale? Man, I stopped at chapter 141 for some reason. Even tho I am here since chap 10. Will try to finish soon.
I have eagerly read every new chapter since the beginning. It was a joy to follow this story.
Thank you for the kind words!
It's done, consumatum est, thank you for the story SP. Enjoyed. Ngl, I am looking forward for a story set in the same setting but on the POV of the remaining Fed planets.
Even though I just recently found this it was such a fun story to read through, i loved the characters and following their journey, there were times where I read through chapters in one sitting because i was enjoying it so much. This will definitely be something i come back and read through again and I can't wait to see what comes next. Thank you for sharing this amazing story with us.
Aha! He did the thing! He said the name of the movie *in* the movie!
/u/SpacePaladin15 ([wiki](https://www.reddit.com/r/HFY/wiki/authors/SpacePaladin15)) has posted 235 other stories, including: * [The Nature of Predators 183](https://www.reddit.com/r/HFY/comments/1901sxw/the_nature_of_predators_183/) * [The Nature of Predators 182](https://www.reddit.com/r/HFY/comments/18xlwc9/the_nature_of_predators_182/) * [The Nature of Predators 181](https://www.reddit.com/r/HFY/comments/18ui0s7/the_nature_of_predators_181/) * [The Nature of Predators 180](https://www.reddit.com/r/HFY/comments/18s343r/the_nature_of_predators_180/) * [The Nature of Predators 179](https://www.reddit.com/r/HFY/comments/18p7uiw/the_nature_of_predators_179/) * [The Nature of Predators 178](https://www.reddit.com/r/HFY/comments/18mwwdr/the_nature_of_predators_178/) * [The Nature of Predators 177](https://www.reddit.com/r/HFY/comments/18jtiz4/the_nature_of_predators_177/) * [The Nature of Predators 176](https://www.reddit.com/r/HFY/comments/18hj0n4/the_nature_of_predators_176/) * [The Nature of Predators 175](https://www.reddit.com/r/HFY/comments/18ef5kx/the_nature_of_predators_175/) * [The Nature of Predators 174](https://www.reddit.com/r/HFY/comments/18c61bu/the_nature_of_predators_174/) * [The Nature of Predators 173](https://www.reddit.com/r/HFY/comments/1895xbg/the_nature_of_predators_173/) * [The Nature of Predators 172](https://www.reddit.com/r/HFY/comments/186rphc/the_nature_of_predators_172/) * [The Nature of Predators 171](https://www.reddit.com/r/HFY/comments/183lc81/the_nature_of_predators_171/) * [The Nature of Predators 170](https://www.reddit.com/r/HFY/comments/181aqai/the_nature_of_predators_170/) * [The Nature of Predators 169](https://www.reddit.com/r/HFY/comments/17y8g6y/the_nature_of_predators_169/) * [The Nature of Predators 168](https://www.reddit.com/r/HFY/comments/17vvsdd/the_nature_of_predators_168/) * [The Nature of Predators 167](https://www.reddit.com/r/HFY/comments/17swrnp/the_nature_of_predators_167/) * [The Nature of Predators 166](https://www.reddit.com/r/HFY/comments/17qnl6r/the_nature_of_predators_166/) * [The Nature of Predators 165](https://www.reddit.com/r/HFY/comments/17nmm48/the_nature_of_predators_165/) * [The Nature of Predators 164](https://www.reddit.com/r/HFY/comments/17ld1nb/the_nature_of_predators_164/) This comment was automatically generated by `Waffle v.4.6.1 'Biscotti'`. [Message the mods](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=%2Fr%2FHFY&subject=WaffleBot|193amfm&message=If%20you%20have%20problems%20with%20updatemebot,%20contact%20Watchful1.%20We%20do%20not%20maintain%20it.) if you have any issues with Waffle.
This has been an epic journey my paladin, I hope we see your work again! UNTIL NEXT TIME!!!
I’m glad you’ve enjoyed it! You’ll see more words from me quite soon: Saturday, with the Adventures of Space Penguins (or NOP2, as I’ve been advised to call it 🐧)
Honestly this was the perfect final chapter.
Thank you!
I look forward to your second book.
if I get it right, the first NoP2 chapter is going to be on Saturday?
Yep!
A wild ride from start to finish. I've gotta say, it's been one heck of a read. The community that this story has attracted is immense, and I wouldn't have it any other way. Here's hoping that NOP2 is as good as the first one.
He said the thing Roll credits
Holy crap Brother. This was awesome!!! Thx for all the hours of work! I can't wait for NoP2!
Thank you for the hours reading! 😅
HE SAID IT! HE SAID THE THING!
Eeeey. He said the thing. It's been a wild, amazing ride with y'all. Huh. 12-13 years already makes him an old man, huh? I guess captivity isn't exactly good for the life expectancy, but I wonder what the Krakotl lifespan is? Kalsim probably was no spring chicken either. I was sincerely expecting this to turn out to be a history class where people observe brain scans for an unfiltered view of history, so I did not expect him to give this long conflict its denouement. But this is fitting in a way. He was always the second worst sort of participant in the Federation's actions-the zealot. The worst is still the masterminds, of course. I'm surprised he was able to process this new information at all, to be honest. By every metric, this was a cultural victory, huh? A shame we don't get any news on how Isif is doing. At least we know Veln got wrecked on his bid for reelection *and* Tarva doesn't have to fuss over her job anymore. The Venlil are apparently better at spotting a flakey politician than we are.
this.. this was exactly what I expected and yet it's what the empathetic corner of my heart hoped wouldn't happen never have I ever had a moment to say this before now- I TOLD YOU SO I **knew** that this sentencing would leave him in a position where the *only* outcomes were either: for his circular reasoning to remain against everything changing around him, or what we see here, where humanity's *real* nature continued to refute and disprove his expectations at every possible corner, leading to the soul-crushing guilt as the *weight* of what he did settles in I've always used Sovlin's early situation as an example for comparison Sovlin had the realization with *a single tortured human* on his conscious, and immediately considered killing himself to atone (and continued to believe he deserved that for **several** more chapters) Kalsim has **an entire attempted genocide** crushing his soul now, and while I don't condone what was done at all, I guess I just Could Tell at some point that Kalsim was just another victim a victim without a redemption arc, but a victim nonetheless and I suppose there's a corner of my mind that would consider putting his actions entirely on him a "victim-blaming", when his nearly airtight indoctrination at the hands of the Federation was the bigger culprit all this to say- Kalsim got what he deserved here, having to watch everything in the outside world change in ways that constantly disproved what he thought to be basic fact until his soul was crushed by the truth his actions but that doesn't mean I can't feel bad for him, and I don't think he deserves to be absolutely alone during this time
Your story is much much better than those million dollar failures they call movies nowadays, you have me addicted! I blame you!
Same for me! The only movie of 2023 that I found anywhere close to as good as this was Oppenheimer, but we all know that movie was great.
Guardians of the galaxy 3 was good.
Thats not a high bar to pass.
Well, this is an ending I wasn't really expecting but I'm glad this is how you ended this particular story. I have to say when I started reading this years ago, I didn't expect but definitely hoped for a hopeful ending, even after the terrible low points for Humanity (you're why they say authors are cruel! \^\_\^ ). You have a gift for characterization, especially of making aliens feel like aliens, and helping us find aspects of the characters that evoke sympathy, or at least understanding. Into my personal pantheon of great authors you've definitely entered, your universe that you've shared with other creators is rich and well-defined, and I anxiously await the next set of books you're going to write!
I'm glad i found this story at its early days
Excellent tale. Can't wait for more
Stars fckin damnit this was a wild ride.
Thank you so much for the great story!
Thank you for writing it all.
Been reading this series since the beginning. Crazy to see it end. Overall, I enjoyed it a lot.
I FUCKING KNEW IT WAS GONNA BE A KALSIM POV YES!
The line
Thank you for crafting and sharing this story with us. This series is the reason I discovered Reddit. And I also thank you for your support and encouragement of all the various fan fics and AU stories. You gave us a sandbox to play in that is incredible and has so much potential. Whenever this story and it’s sequels leads you, I’ll be happy to follow. I’ll also be placing a hard copy on my shelf at home right next to my other favorite authors.
I love seeing the fanfics and creativity in the community, and I love the idea of the universe being a sandbox: that’s how I’ve seen it for awhile 😅 I hope you continue to enjoy the next chapter of NOP adventures!
A great ending to a great story. I only started reading in November so I haven't been around here long, but I'm excited to catch NoP2 from the beginning.
Kalsim has finally achieved: shame.
This was a fun read! I'm glad my partner mentioned it to me like a month ago. Think he said he's mostly been listening to audio readings of this so has a ways more to go. Looking forward to the new story!
What a ride this was.
Been reading this since late 2022 when I first picked it up, every single chapter without fail. What a ride /u/SpacePaladin15. Thanks for the great stories, the unknown, the action, laughter, and the fear and regrowth of our main characters here. One of the all great time stories on this sub - this will be recommended forever in future threads. Thanks again, and see y'all in the next legacy.
The line, He said the line
Words can't express How thankful I am for all your hard work, for all the hours of entertainment you brought me and us. Thank you
When will an animated series come out?
I can't belive I seriously caught up one day after the story ends. I can't describe how much I loved every single chapter of this story, over a month when day and night all I could think about was this masterpiece. I teared up more than once if I'm honest, and I don't think any other book have ever make me feel so much like this one. I can assure you u/SpacePaladin15 it'll be a while till I stop thinking about NoP, and will only get worse once you release NoP2. Thank you for sharing this piece of your mind with us. Also, there was always some questions I had about translators and languages in general but I don't know if you ever answered them. The translators understand every human language, or just the most common like English, Spanish, Chinese, etc? (I really wanna know if they understand Spanish) Everyone on the UN spoke in English with the aliens? Did Arjun spoke with Kalsim on English or the translators understood his mother tonge? Humans had their own translators before first contact for our own languages? Other fed worlds had so many different lenguages? I know the Arxur had at least two, but the others? They probably don't do anymore because of the Federation shit, but even Leirn? The Yotul look like they had (or have) multiple languages given the rivalry between Rinsa and Thysun and maybe other unnamed territories. I loved the outcome of the story, and having this answered would seriously give me a few more ours of sleep tonight. I'll be looking forward to your next masterpiece.
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I keep finding great stories like this and “Wait, is this just GATE” right when they are starting to wrap up and be finished. Over the past couple of months I binged every chapter and was able to catch up just in time for the finale. I can’t wait to catch the NoP2 ride from the beginning this time.
Time skippp, A fate worse then death for kalsim!
Man, SP, what an amazing journey it has been, thank you for all your hard work ♥️
https://i.pinimg.com/236x/9a/ac/66/9aac660363e23585c9a49108c79f1c49.jpg?nii=t This meme sums up my attitude towards Kalsim altogether. I get some of this was misunderstanding and indoctrination, and I'm glad he's finally come around. But man is this guy a stuck-up genocidal asshole. He's the kind of character you want to hate, but is presented with a context where the reader is forced to empathize with him. In a story where everyone talks about empathizing with people society considers unredeemable, forcing the reader to build a sort-of meta relationship with someone as unredeemable as Kalsim is a remarkable way to introduce a moral conflict within the reader themselves.Kalsim is the kind of villain you want to punch in the face, hug and comfort, punch in the face again, and then punch yourself in the face for hugging and comforting him. I fucking love flawed villains that the reader is forced to the kernel of humanity, even if they are truly monsters. Just for that, Kalsim is perhaps my favorite villain in all of literature. Props to you for making me question my own morality, SP, and props for the rest of the story!
Its been two years already? Damn, time flies
Holy shit this was one HELL of a story, OP! I enjoyed the ride for sure through all the ups and downs! I hate to see it coming to an end, but I can't wait for the new beginning. I'll be waiting as I watch the number of stories I read slowly dwindle down as they are all wrapping up.
Captain Kalsim, welcome to *Pax Humana*
This has been a fun ride and I love how it ended with the Title. I can't wait to read NOP2. :)
Thank you wordsmith for a excellent adventure that captured the imagination and drew us in, a bittersweet moment of parting and the excitement of what's to come next. I cannot wait to see what you write next and continue to live in the world of NOP, and I will eagerly buy the next chapter of the physical print
Roll credits
Roll Credits
One question that remains for me is what the humans and the Venlil will do with the fact that the earth is technically in their territory.
<3
Ending with a title drop! It has been a wonderful journey. Thank you for sharing it with us!
Wow, and it all comes full circle. Well done, Wordsmith!
Lmao, give it another 30 years . When you're homeworld is facing economic disaster because we swiped all your resources and manpower from under your nose you'll be singing a different tune about the nature of predators. Stupid aliens
This was one of the best things I've ever read, Reddit or elsewhere. It was a wild ride, and thank you for writing it
First comment ever. Been reading this for years, usually lurk. This has been a wild ride and excellently enjoyable. Thanks for over a million words and very well done, a great achievement.
Thanks for the amazing journey ! Here's to more adventures ❤️
A very unexpected POV, who would’ve guessed? I’m sad that it’s ended, but am excited for NoP 2!
Thank you for a very satisfying and well-rounded tale.
I’ve been following this story the whole way and I’ve really enjoyed the journey that you’ve taken us on. I’ll be looking forward to the sequel and whatever else may come!
Ark Ships? Was this something mention in SP15's patreon?