Masks Of Steel

Self-Published

Community Rating

Description

The War Of BurningSteelis over, marking the end of the bloodiest war inBestia Sapienshistory. After tens of millions of dead, dozens of empires falling and rising, an apparent peace is won by a weary, battered world. Airships built to bomb entire cities and render dragon air cavalry obsolete are now used to transport mammals and goods en masse, bringing about a new era of prosperity and progress, especially the nation ofOsnya. But with it come new threats:Ruthlessair piratesterrorize the skies and earth alike, plundering ships, taking over entire villages and sometimes even selling captives as slaves to the remote nations still practicing the abominable institution.Lieutenant-Inspector Tyras Maloko, ScoutRaiderveteran of the war andaFortedmagic user has lived through this very situation in the War: being part of a force blind to the realities of modern warfare. He forms an elite squad of veteran officers specialized in tackling these new threats wherever and whenever they may emerge.Yet, the greatest threat Tyras, and indeed all of Osnya, will ever face shall emerge from the last place he'd ever suspect...

What to expect:-Rich Steampunk worldbuilding-Gunfights, swordfights and fisticuffs-A unique magic system-Harrowing descriptions of war and its consequencesArt by @ImNotALassie on Twitter

Information

Status: Hiatus
Year: 2023
Author: Mikhail J Clive

Royal Road Stats

Rating: 4.3/ 5.0
Followers: 74
Views: 26,979

Reviews

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Community Reviews(6)

American GunslingerRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
I will have to say, I am really enjoying your work, Tyras! Main Protagonist is likeable, engaging, and he is absolutely scary in a fight!
I like the Steampunk/Victorian/WW1 era of technology and fantasy because airships and (well written) Steampunk are fun reads. This definitly feels like a well put together world and has great narrative!
Keep up the great work!
SableWritesRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
I rated it early, 5 stars based on the strength of the opening chapters, but I held off on writing a proper review until I caught up with everything available on RR
“Masks of Steel” is a unique and engaging story that blends a post WWI-inspired setting with something fresh and imaginative. It's a grounded mix of steampunk and dieselpunk, set in a world run by anthro mammals, filled with tension, intrigue, and characters that keep you invested.
There are a few minor inconsistencies here and there, but nothing that pulls you out of the experience. The biggest downside? It’s not finished yet.
I'll tweak my review once the story is completed.
Great work, Mikhail. I’m in it for the long haul.
bigearsforyearsRoyal Road
★★★★★ 4.5
Very well written, especially for a non-english speaker. While some grammatical mistakes pop up here and there, none are grievous enough to pull you out of the meticulously described world Mikhail puts forward, able to rather easily immerse you in the fantasy he's concocted. The first two chapters had me enthralled enough to read in one sitting - which is a feat for some books, let alone online literature. I eagerly await my reading of the next chapters, and what is put out next.
faffington_faffstersRoyal Road
★★★★★ 4.5
Masks of Steel isn't perfect, but it's still a great read! The only issues present are minor grammatical mistakes. Other than that, the writing flows well and is engaging. It's a real page-turner.
I also love the setting. It feels believable while still being fantastical. I especially love the airships (airships are cool).
DanielWattsRoyal Road
★★★★ 4.0
Every chapter is better written than the last. You can see the growth throughout his story. Quite nice, really. You can tell that he has several great books in him, just has to keep going.
As for the story itself, nearly all the characters have depth. You can discern their motivations, histories, and pain. Tyras in particular has more depth than the entire cast of most modern novels combined. For a non veteran, Clive has a very firm grasp on the intricacies of PTSD and how it affects the mind of someone that's seen unreasonably hash combat.
And dragons. There are dragons too. You can tell he thinks they're neat.
Once he tames his use of extra words and gets a handle on run on sentences, it'll flow well. He gets a little stymied writing action sequences. During one flashback with Tyras charging a trench, it reads like he has three arms. That will come with practice and the action is not muddled. Distance may be off time to time, but you can tell what's going on and he describes it well. Especially damage to soft tissue and bone.
It's going to be a wild ride, seeing what he does with this universe.
Lupe_O'dRoyal Road
★★★★ 3.5
The story has been a great read so far. Love the action, the set peices, & the small bit of magic we've seen. Tyras does great with foreshadowing with small moments that pay off later. I'm looking forward to see what new characters we'll see & a further exploration into Fortes.
Grammatically it has some issues. Some run on sentences whilst describing scenery with an over use of commas, missing punctuation, & other minor mistakes that can easily be overlooked. Nothing unexpected from someone's first foray into writing.
There's also some parts that are hard to read with how they're worded, but not to a point that will stonewall the story. However this "issue" is due to different dialect between regions, english being a 2nd language to the writer, & the WWI influence. So this experience will vary with between readers.
Overall I'd reccomend this to anyone who's interested in the genre/themes or wanting to give a new story a try.