Engineering, Magic, and Kitsune

Self-Published

Community Rating

Description

Sometimes, all it takes to set the world ablaze is a few new ideas. John Hall did everything right. He put in the work and the hours, got his degree, and after a lengthy job search, he was settling in at his dream job in the field of Process Engineering! It's a shame that not even a week after John started, he woke up in the forest in a strange fantasy world steeped in Japanese mythology. Driven away by fireball-throwing locals who didn't take kindly to his presence, he retreated to the monster-infested woods, took up residence in an abandoned fort and rebuilt it... in between working on matters of the arcane from scattered tomes he taught himself to read. It has been five long years of survival, and the now artificer is slowly creating a more comfortable life even as the isolation wears away at his psyche, but this can't last forever. Danger and opportunity arrive on his doorstep in the form of an injured kitsune, and in aiding her, he is dragged into a world in conflict, where he'll have to harness his unique knowledge and perspective to survive… Updating daily until I catch up to my backlog, then one chapter weekly on Tuesday.

Information

Status: Ongoing
Year: 2025
Author: SteelTrim

Royal Road Stats

Rating: 4.7/ 5.0
Followers: 4,584
Views: 866,755

Chapters(72 total)

What readers say about Engineering, Magic, and Kitsune

“Read other reviews for other parts of the story. Mine will talk about one thing only: the woman, the myth, the legend - Yuki. Yuki is nine-tailed kitsune, and she's one of the rarest characters for stories like this - she's written with as much wisdom and c…”
GapaotRoyal Road5.0 / 5
“I've been adoring this story so much. It's a very fun read of an isekai'd guy after spending 5 years alone in the wilderness tomorrow around. Looking forward to continue reading! Tech meeting magic is one of my favorite topics to read and this is executed i…”
HerakillaRoyal Road5.0 / 5

Reviews

No reviews yet. Be the first to share your thoughts!

Community Reviews(10)

GapaotRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Read other reviews for other parts of the story.
Mine will talk about one thing only: the woman, the myth, the legend - Yuki.
Yuki is nine-tailed kitsune, and she's one of the rarest characters for stories like this - she's written with as much wisdom and character as hundreds years old fox should have.
She's not the cheap thrill and she's not here for cheap thrills. She's extremely hot, but she very rarely uses that part of her, because it's not necessary. Once you read a lot of chapters and come back for reread, you'll see just how deeply thought-out her actions are and how carefully she uses her words, actions and knowledge to manipulate others.
Yuki is the very powerful character, that is able to use her wisdom and experience to know where to not use power, and where brute force is the most efficient solution.
Yuki is shown to be smart and shrewd, but she is the product of her world, so her interactions with John's tech and math knowledge doesn't feel dumbed down. She really has to work for things like math conclusions we take for granted due to massive historical backlog or geniuses that we condenced into the books, when her world is the one where secrets are kept and guarded. Yet, she's experienced with solving problems, and for more grounded, engineering or application problems she can outthink John in his own field.
Finally, Yuki is neither the naive, or jaded, her experience feels earned, and her personality a complicated tangle of all the best kitsune traits, viciousness, playfullness, seductiveness, fox fluff and massive wisdoms. She feels yokai when you read, and as fox lover, I've rarely read kitsune that are written that way.
Read that one, if you like kitsune, old-living races that actually read as long-lived, and complex character that weaves complex and interesting net of manipulation, connections and friendships.
HerakillaRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
I've been adoring this story so much. It's a very fun read of an isekai'd guy after spending 5 years alone in the wilderness tomorrow around. Looking forward to continue reading!
Tech meeting magic is one of my favorite topics to read and this is executed in a wonderful manner.
Boywonder71Royal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Style--Love the style and setting of story. Feudal Japan 1300-1800 but not Earth per se.
Story--Engaging!! I am at times lost with the engineering aspect as my math and schooling are in different subjects: Computer Information Science (CCNA,A +,NETWORK+ECT/BA ORG.MGT/BA BIBLICIAL STUDIES). However I love the in depth use of it and it makes for awesome mix of tech magic and fantasy creatures.
Grammar: Excellent use of it and I had to look up a few words and I thank you for that!
Character: The characters are awesome and I do feel we need some more fleshing out of the main characters back story at the first. But that is minor and each of the main are unique and mysterious in their own way. I love how different they are and I can feel the tension and stress of the main character and how he is growing too. Love it.
Overall excellent story and the author needs donations in my opinion. I am not friends nor fam with him but my daughter is a aspiring writer and wish she was at this level and would want others to help her out as I am doing him. Help this guy out too. Maybe if someone knows a publisher get them in touch. I will forward to my daughter who just started her internship at a publisher and see if they will pick this guy up!! That’s how much I love this story.
I binged this after Agro Squirrel Narrates 12th chapter read as I couldn’t wait for the next and saw that the story is here. I used to read A LOT, Egar Rice Burroughs Mars series was my 1st way back in the day from my father. I read Star Wars, the Drizzt series, Shadow Run, Koontz, King, Poe and more.
This is as good as most of those. Not quite on par with RA Salvatore yet, but getting there. Needs a bit more in the battle scenes. But this dude ROCKS!!
BelphodeusRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Rly cool story for now, love the details and tidbits of knowledge, as well as the interactions between Yuki and John. Plus its a nice view on a more nuanced MC that isnt just like, solo in the wilderness for 5 years? Yea that doesnt affect me at all lmao. Makes it easier to imagine what you yourself would do in such a situation. Plus honestly both have good chemistry so i wouldnt mind a romance there but dunno if thats planned since i didnt see a tag for it
Asriyel.VRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Simply, a yokai story theme that I hadn't seen before, really engaging, I loved the interaction between the characters and the mysteries involving each one, it seems that with each chapter a new surprise is engaging, I hope the author finishes the work because it is very good Simply, a yokai story theme that I hadn't seen before, really engaging, I loved the interaction between the characters and the mysteries involving each one, it seems that with each chapter a new surprise is engaging, I hope the author finishes the work because it is very good.
ColossalRendersRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
I will update this review in the future if I feel the need to.The story is incredibly captivating. A very well executed narrative and plot that supports grounded characters who immediately draw you in and make you want to read more about how their situation, person, and relationships develop. Although I’m really starting to hope for maybe a bit less focus on plot and more focus on the characters. Again, emphasis on good execution across multiple aspects, including pacing, plot, and believable character interactions. Certain creative decisions that are otherwise often used poorly and would usually put me off other stories simply work here. Many aspects like the language and narrative also work well enough to simply fade into the background letting the character and plot moments shine. It's great. It works. It's enjoyable.
Designer_HeadspaceRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
I love how the 'tech' behind the magic is there but not the highlight of the story.
John & Yuki dancing around one another is brilliantly written.
Life getting more and more complicated as John interacts more with the world
Please keep up this awesome story, it's one of the stories I jump on as soon as notified.
DorklordfeylixRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
I had heard an audio narration by aggro squirrel of the first couple chapters on YouTube. I came to Royal road in order to read ahead on the story. I can't stop thinking about it when I'm working or doing chores. I already love this sort of story, but this telling is top notch! Amazing! It's like a modern iteration of a Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court. The interaction between the main character and the kitsune is adorable without being weird or coming across as a furry fantasy. It is a legit high fantasy isakai story. It's a fresh take on old topics and doesn't beat the isakai trope like most stories nowadays. This is one that I would love to have an animation of. I think that the story so far has the potential to rival solo leveling and I'm only 20 chapters in. I am so excited for the rest of this book! The vision to take old concepts and make a new story with it is wonderful. The idea that in a world full of magic industrial revolution would not have happened yet. I love little details like the kitsune warning him that if his designs were discovered by a major guild, his life would be in danger. I cannot recommend this book enough.
BulkSpiderRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
I saw this floating around for a while before I finally clicked on it, because I thought there were good odds it'd be another standard isekai where we have some shallow infallible protagonist who, oops, accidentally has a woman or five to be extremely weird about.
On the surface, there's a lot of things we've seen before. We've got tropes. We've got isekai and arrogant foes and kitsune and spider monsters and a stoic engineering genius protagonist.
But then combine all the tropes we love with extra depth and heart, plus hints of other intellectual twists, and you have a story I hope to keep reading for a long time.
The female lead has her own motivations and strengths, like an actual character. And like our favourite kitsune, I just want to give the protagonist a big ol' hug.
I find this story very endearing.
Yeah we're indulging in a power fantasy for one isekai'd guy, and enjoying all the enjoyable things about that trope, but it's not obscenely twisting everything and everyone to serve that one fantasy. The tropes feel like scaffolding being used to express the story the author wants to tell.
I feel like this story is only just getting started though, and I hope the author enjoys writing it for a long time!
InexpiateShadeRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
I’ve been lurking on here for a couple months now, just catching up on a few known authors stories. Big ones like The Primal Hunter. But I created an account just to say my brain is so happy with the potential I’m seeing here. I’ve got high expectations for this one👍🏻