With so many school/college type webserials out there, Addergoole comes as a breath of fresh air. For this is no ordinary school: this is a secret facility, a school for students who are part human, part something else.

Currently at 23 chapters (with some great bonus stories), the story follows the newest intake of students, and three of them in particular as they struggle to come to terms with a school that operates on an entirely different set of rules. The main characters are intelligent, serious, and complex, which comes as a relief since I dislike airheaded characters.

The premise is unique and intriguing, with just the right balance between explanation and mystery, so the reader is only half-a-step in front of the characters.

The comparison to TOMU is often made, but I see very few similarities other than the general ‘school’ setting. Addergoole has a larger, sinister plot which involves the world outside of the school as well, giving the story a depth beyond that of simple school adventures.  Furthermore, Lyn doesn’t make use of gratuitous sex like Alexandra Erin does: when there’s sex in Addergoole, it’s there for a reason.

Possibly the only drawback was that it took me a little while to get all the names (and pronunciations) straight, as the first few chapters introduce a lot of characters. It doesn’t help that all the characters are intriguing and so you want to remember them all!

As for the website itself, it’s easy on the eyes and the layout is clear and simple to follow, so no complaints there. Some people complained about there not being an RSS feed, but I follow LynThorneAlder on twitter and so get news of updates that way.

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Imagine the faery world colliding with a futuristic upper high (or college prep, depending on where you live) school, with some hints of science fiction and a taste of anime thrown in for good measure. That describes Addergoole for me.

The school itself is far underground – a secret facility. Its [more . . .]

Addergoole presents me with an interesting dilemma. On the one hand, the main characters are charismatically geeky, smart and shy and socially awkward in a way I can absolutely relate to. Shahin’s love of dramatic fashion statements, Jamian’s awkward/adorable tripping over his newfound tail and Kailani’s absolute lack of social grace while she goes through life with more physical grace [more . . .]

Addergoole was one of the first weblit series I sunk my brain into, and it has been a wonderful ride ever since.  With an eerie mixture of fae folklore and dark sexuality, Addergoole is like a dark version of Harry Potter for grown-ups, the story comprised of its monsters instead of its wizards. 

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