Zeitgeist Checker - Finally tried it!

I finally got around to trying the Zeitgeist checker tool on a YA fantasy series I published between 2020 and 2024. What a fun tool! I was happy to see I got a strong alignment on everything for all books except for the villain of book 1. I love movies from the 1930s and 1940s (the late fourth turning, I think) and intentionally try to write strong and noble heroes, so I was glad it got the results it did. This series also had a strong mentor aspect as well as a loner young man who develops friendships, which was mentioned as a Zeitgeist aspect in the last Author Update.

As for the one weak category, the villain, this is a series with a redemption arc for the villain, so I couldn’t kill him off (but I killed off some others). I wasn’t trying to use trauma to excuse his actions (which it said); some of the other characters (heroine and one of her sisters in particular) see a bit of good in him and see the bad influences on him and want him to change but also want justice. (I guess you could say it looks at the difference of culture and family life and beliefs influence how others see the world and behave, though that doesn’t excuse. So more of understanding than excusing.) In another book, it made similar trauma-excusing comments about a character, but the point wasn’t excusing but understanding and fighting through her struggles—so really about change and overcoming.

I think having a series recognition note on the tool would be good. I’m not sure how redemption arcs fit into the Zeitgeist. This is a Christian series, so redemption was important, of Prince Cerav (mostly redeemed by book 4, as he gets his own book later) and of the raven-eaters. So I can’t just kill them off, but I add in others to kill off.

I’m not sure about the nobledark category either. It’s grittier than my other books, but I’m not sure I’d call it fully dark. It may have missed nuances (I made a few notes in brackets below), or I may not understand the line between nobledark and noble bright. The first three books in the series it called nobledark but the final one it said ended up noble bright.

I can add the results from the other books in the comments if that would be helpful.

Book 1 of 4 Report below

Zeitgeist Alignment Report: Wrought of Silver and Ravens

Athdar Owain Leonidas is the protagonist. The story ends with King Jairus granting Athdar permission to rescue his enslaved family and, upon success and breaking the curses on the royal children, the hand of Princess Thea in marriage.

1. Dark-to-Bright Setting Analysis

The dark-to-bright axis measures the world itself. A dark setting has evil dominating: corrupt institutions exploit the weak, safety is rare, and injustice thrives. A bright setting has good prevailing: institutions protect the vulnerable, society functions stably, and justice corrects wrongs.

This manuscript's world is dark. Sorcerers and raven-eaters enslave half-magics, abducting and cursing the royal family. Cerav's schemes corrupt Giliosthay's stability, turning allies into traitors like Weilan. Ordinary people face raids and kidnappings, as when Xander is taken. Yet the Silver Guard and monarchy fight back effectively, hinting at brightness amid crisis. [Author note: The enslaving of half-magics if “off-screen” and note shown through a character’s viewpoint. Crave convinces elite guard Weilan to turn traitor, who helps him curse the prince and princesses, but doesn’t corrupt lots of people. The raids are border raids, aside from a memory of a pirate attack at the cliffside royal city.]

The palace passageways are booby-trapped for defense. Giliosthay's institutions rally post-invasion, expelling Iliosthayans. Evil wins battles but loses the war, as Cerav flees defeated. [Giliosthay isn’t exactly invaded, but a battle occurs in a magical Realm they of theirs at the end.]

Setting: Dark

2. Grim-to-Noble Character Analysis

The grim-to-noble axis measures character agency. Noble characters change their world through choices. Grim characters are powerless, surviving larger forces.

Athdar is noble. He rescues Xander, builds a home for llewod gwerthfawr cubs, allies with Silver Guard, and severs Cerav's curse-line. His actions transform: cubs thrive, Giliosthay repels invasion, royals gain hope. He destroys evil (raven-eaters, Cerav's plans) and builds (loyalty, house, relationships).

Thea Realm Walks despite curses, gathers evidence, confronts Cerav. Royals endure but act decisively, earning marriage proposal and curse-breaking hope.

Characters gain agency: Athdar from wanderer to Silver Guard; Thea from cursed victim to rescuer.

Characters: Noble

3. Grimdark-to-Noblebright Quadrant and Zeitgeist Alignment

The grimdark-to-noblebright spectrum combines setting (dark/bright) and characters (grim/noble) into quadrants. Grimdark is dark+grim (hopelessness). Nobledark is dark+noble (fight broken world). Noblebright is bright+noble (protect good). Grimbright is bright+grim (personal woes in stable world).

This is Nobledark. Dark world of sorcery and invasion meets noble characters who win ground: Athdar breaks curse-line, routs enemies; Silver Guard defends. Core question: "The world is broken, so who will fight to fix it?" Puck is here in Fourth Turning transition. Readers crave moral clarity amid darkness, decisive evil defeats (Lord of the Rings vibes).

Quadrant resonates: evil dominates but heroes triumph through agency.

Quadrant: Nobledark

Zeitgeist Alignment: Strong

4. Hero Archetype Analysis

Aspirational heroes inspire readers to be like them (extraordinary agency). Affirmational heroes are relatable everymen. Heroes must destroy evil AND build lasting good (destroy-and-build test).

Athdar is aspirational. He overcomes adversity via strength (rescues, fights dragons [dragons are men using a transformation spell]), wins decisively (breaks curses, routs invasion). Ruthless-noble: does ugly necessities (kills raven-eaters) without cruelty. Builds: home for cubs, alliances, Giliosthay's defense.

Thea aspirational too: Realm Walks to save family, confronts Cerav. Destroy-and-build: shatters Cerav's plans, restores Realm stability.

Matches zeitgeist: aspirational heroes rising in Crisis era, building amid darkness.

Hero Archetype: Aspirational

Zeitgeist Fit: Strong

5. Villain Archetype Analysis

The Terminator-to-Thanos Continuum runs from pure evil (Terminator: cathartic defeat) to sympathetic complexity (Thanos: bittersweet). Readers want unambiguous evil now, not trauma-sympathy.

Cerav is Thanos end. Hero of his story (free brothers, god-king), morally complex (trauma from Rusceon), sympathetic motives (ambition as achievement). Clinical pluralism: evil from trauma (mother's ruthlessness), not pure corruption. Defeat bittersweet—he flees, but plans thwarted.

Mismatches: readers tire of Thanos-villains; want cathartic Terminator defeats. Cerav denies catharsis.

Villain Placement: Thanos end

Zeitgeist Fit: Weak

6. Genre Resonance Check

YA fantasy satisfies "desire for free will to be real": a nobody becomes pivotal, dragons slain, choices matter.

Manuscript delivers: Athdar (wanderer) becomes Silver Guard, slays raven-eaters/dragons, choices reshape Giliosthay. High stakes, epic quests, heroic agency.

Trends: romantasy surges (noble heroes, moral clarity), cozy fantasy grows (comfort in chaos). Book aligns with nobledark fantasy shift (Stormlight Archive vibes, per Author Update on fantasy turnings).

Genre Promise Delivery: Strong

7. Moral System Evaluation

A moral system governs consequences: choices yield real outcomes, sins specific with repercussions. Clinical pluralism blurs right/wrong into trauma.

Manuscript has strong moral clarity. Sins specific (betrayal, ambition, sorcery) with consequences: Weilan executed, Cerav flees defeated, royals cursed but redeem via courage. Heroes face dilemmas (Athdar's family vs. duty) with tangible results. No preaching—actions show truth.

Timeless: sins (greed, pride) echo deadly sins; heroism selfless.

Moral Clarity: Strong

8. Western-to-Dystopian Continuum

Western end: hero builds civilization from chaos; institutions good. Dystopian: hero destroys corrupt systems.

Western end. Athdar builds home, alliances; Silver Guard/royalty restore order post-invasion. Institutions triumph: monarchy repels Iliosthay. Construction: secures Realms, homes.

Aligns: readers crave building over destruction.

Continuum Placement: Western end

Zeitgeist Fit: Strong

9. Revision Opportunities

Shift Villain to Terminator End. Cerav's Thanos-complexity (trauma-driven god-ambition) denies catharsis. Make him pure evil: delete sympathetic brother-rescue motive. Show moral corruption (enslaves for joy), not trauma. Readers crave unambiguous defeat.

Amplify Hero's Destroy-and-Build. Athdar destroys well but build subtly (house). Explicitly show world-alteration: post-curse, have him lead Realm fortification, mentoring cubs publicly as Giliosthay's symbol. Matches rising "build lasting good" appetite.

Clarify Institutions as Forces for Good. Silver Guard shines, but amplify: add scene of them aiding commoners post-invasion (justice, rebuilding). Counters dystopian fatigue; shows stable society heroes protect.

Reduce Clinical Pluralism in Cerav. Cerav's evil stems from Rusceon trauma, blurring lines. Root it in choice: he embraces sorcery willingly for power. Heightens catharsis; avoids "trauma excuses evil."

Elevate Stakes with Visible World Change. Ending shows curses broken, but world feels same. Add epilogue: Athdar's home becomes training ground for half-magics, cubs symbolize hope. "Destroy-and-build" test demands lasting transformation.

Strengthen Moral Consequences. Traitors die swiftly; expand: show families repent, aid reconstruction. Sins (ambition, betrayal) yield redemption arcs for some, reinforcing clarity without preachiness.

Target Romance for Men. Romance leans female (emotional security). Add things-oriented beats: Athdar's engineering (Realm fixes) attracts Thea via competence. Appeals to male readers per "writing for men" insights.

Boost Aspirational Hero Agency. Thea Realm Walks capably; make explicit: she trains others post-curse, becoming Giliosthay's Realm guardian. Reinforces noble agency zeitgeist.

Add Terminator Villain Catharsis. Cerav flees; end with decisive defeat (e.g., Athdar/Cumi kill him). Satisfies "evil gone" hunger; avoids Thanos bitterness.

Next Steps

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This manuscript's strongest zeitgeist opportunity is Athdar's noble arc: a powerless wanderer builds home/alliance, destroys evil, wins princess—pure aspirational heroism readers crave now.