Koch - A Soldier's Tale

Self-Published

Community Rating

Description

He was forged by war, shaped by duty—but only through the journey would he learn who he truly was.

Koch, a Coldian soldier of the Sheer Cold Empire, has lived a life defined by silence, precision, and purpose. Trained to kill, to obey, and to forget, he begins chronicling his life—not by choice, but by command.

Alongside his partner, Manach, he journeys across the fractured world of Orbis, confronting the ghosts of his past and the choices that forged him. Each step forward unearths something buried: in the Empire, and in himself.

This is not just a tale of blood and battle.

This is the story of revelation.

Information

Status: Hiatus
Year: 2025
Author: Spyhex

Royal Road Stats

Rating: 4.7/ 5.0
Followers: 53
Views: 8,594

Chapters(52 total)

Reviews

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

Community Reviews(5)

BansheeQRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Usually, I wait until a book is finished before giving a review, but I think I can give a good one based on the chapters released so far. In short: I love this piece you’ve created and where it’s going. Your writing style is unique—if I had to describe it, I’d say it’s spicy. It's consistent, and it mixes together many elements that form something truly great in the story you’re telling.
You pull us in with your detailed descriptions—of the world, the city, and the characters’ appearances. Everything is so vividly painted that it’s incredibly easy to imagine it all, which for me is one of the most important aspects of a writer. If an author can make my brain create clear pictures as I read, they’ve succeeded—and you’ve done that very well.
The style is pleasing to read. You capture everything that needs to be captured. Nothing feels left out, but it's not over the top either. It’s the perfect balance. Your style is a mix of many things, and to me, the dynamic scenes shine the brightest. But the calmer, more mysterious moments are the shadow that completes the light.
Your writing makes me feel like I’m right beside Koch and Manach. The dialogue is a joy to read. I can easily imagine how the characters talk—the tone of their voices, their body language. This style of yours is one to be proud of.
Now, about the story so far—it's an absolute joy to read. From the very first chapter, we’re pulled into Koch’s world and life. What starts as a mission to investigate a fellow Coldian slowly turns into something much bigger. I really like how you divided the story into smaller chapters. Many books have that one long chapter that never ends, but your structure—shorter, punchy chapters—is a blessing. It keeps the story moving without overwhelming the reader.
I see the story unfolding in arcs, and every single one so far has been enjoyable. The pacing is consistent—never too fast, never too slow. You never forget details. Even when I thought something was a plot hole (like how J
VedadTrRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
This chapter pulls you in fast with a sharp, no-nonsense narrator and a cold, gritty world. Koch feels real—tough, tired, and ready for action. The story mixes mystery, danger, and dark magic without dragging. It’s a strong start that makes you want to keep reading. I wonder whats coming next. Best of luck to the author.
YomuRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
If this is your first work, I must say that it is amazing. The story is easy to follow yet very interesting. It's full of mysteries, which is why I like it.
My favorite part of the story so far is the partnership between Koch and Manach. I love the chemistry between them. Koch seems more laid-back, carefully calculating every move and analyzing everyone, while Manach, on the other hand, appears reckless and loves to bring chaos to the party. They are complete opposites, yet they complement each other so well.
I can't wait to see what they can do in combat together, as I assume the Coldians are some sort of perfect warriors. I hope the story continues to be this engaging and that we learn more about your world through it.
I'm giving this a 5-star rating because, for a first-time effort, you did a splendid job, and I hope many others discover this work. Keep up the great work, you little frog!
Kepler8bRoyal Road
★★★★★ 4.5
Leaving a review after reading only a couple of chapters is kind of unfair, but so far, I'd say it's a good read. The focus on action and the fast pace of the book, combined with the minimalist writing really captivated me. The style serves a good purpose. It's not to be expected that a soldier would resort to using overly literary or highbrow language. Also, the influence of League of Legends' lore is very noticeable. The world reminds me of Runeterra. It's also worth pointing out that the book doesn't drag out at all. Scenes are very concise, perfectly reflecting the deadpan worldview of soldiers and men alike. In my opinion, the language could be a bit denser and richer. I find myself yearning for more descriptions or inner monologues, but that's subjective. Otherwise, taking into account the platform and genre, it's a great read. I am looking forward to continuing it and seeing which new places Koch will visit and how the story on the Coldians will develop...
floweryornateRoyal Road
★★ 2.0
Having gone through the first couple of chapters, I felt inclined to leave a review and suggest areas for improvement. There are positive aspects to the writing, as well as negative ones, but the latter seem to have overshadowed the former. On one hand, the ideas conveyed in all the chapters are original, the worldbuilding shows a very high degree of imagination, and the characters, though two-dimensional, are authentic enough to be bearable. The grammar is solid, there being almost zero spelling and verb form mistakes. However, a lot of sentences have an odd structure and do not convey thoughts well. Revising grammar and sentence structure should help the author smooth those issues out.
On the other hand, there are many major errors in the work. The first one that comes to mind is the writing style and technique. The author relies almost exclusively on "cinematic" scenes: short, precise ideas, often conveyed in sentences without a predicate. Although some writers, particularly in the sci-fi genre, employ this style, it is something that they only do occasionally and purposefully. On the other hand, the chapters that I've read seem to contain more vague sentences without predicates than actual, thought-out ones. I can barely point to a dozen complete sentences. Novice writers often imagine scenes as if they were writing a movie, attempting to be cinematic and dramatic, which backfires, leading to their work being full of "telling" and two-dimensional scenes. The author should learn about the key differences between "telling" and "showing". I suggest reading up on writing guides, particularly King's "On Writing" and White's "The Elements of Style". More general reading is also a must, if the writer aspires to write better works. For high fantasy and sci-fi, I recommend Ishiguro, Murakami, Tolkien, PKD, Asimov, Herbert, Clarke, Lem and the other classics. Furthermore, the worldbuilding and character development are lackluster. The ideas brought out in the first chapte