Defiance of the Fall 8

The pacing is relentless, but I felt like some characters grew so much despite the chaos. I'm curious how the author navigates keeping both in check.

There are so many factions and magic systems introduced, I sometimes lost track. Was this intentional to reflect the chaos of the setting or just a side effect of the story's scope?

The world feels so immersive and unique. I wonder whether the author mapped out all the lore beforehand or if it evolved naturally during writing.