Peculiar Soul

Self-Published

Community Rating

Description

Not everyone gets a soul. The rise of industry and mechanization has sent the world's population booming upward, striving relentlessly for the fixed handful of souls that level armies and steer the fate of nations. The remnants of a crumbled empire fight in a grinding, bloody war against their ancient enemy.

Not everyone gets a soul, but Michael must - for he is the scion of a lord, and the soulless cannot hold such a title. For five years he has tried to tempt one of the souls freed by its vessel's death. Five years of pain and failure, earning only his father's contempt. At last, one more opportunity to earn his soul has come.

But not everyone gets a soul quite like his.

Updates weekly on Wednesdays.

Cover art byHarry Rowland.

Information

Status: Completed
Year: 2021
Author: TMarkos

Royal Road Stats

Rating: 4.6/ 5.0
Followers: 5,955
Views: 3,265,384

Reviews

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Community Reviews(10)

AryaVentureRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
This story is so much more fleshed out than many webnovels I’ve read. The chapters are long and satisfying, the magic system is consistent (save for certain notable and intentional exceptions), and the main character doesn’t feel immune to failure. Absolutely a book I would buy and keep on the shelf to be reread or lent out.
D-VNRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
The fact I get to read titles such as this is what has kept me coming back to Royal Road for years whenever I'm looking for a new book. This was such a joy to read and I literally couldn't put it down, stealing moments both at home and at work to read a chapter. I would say the only disappointing part is that I've finished it, but the ending was so satisfying that even that is hard to say.
[Spoiler Free Review]
Style (5/5): Reminded me of David Eddings' work, who just happens to be my favorite author. So, to say I was hooked immediately would be an understatement.
Story (5/5): Well thought out and appropriately paced. The story never seemed to be rushing or losing itself. There were plenty of narrative threads that continued through the story with call backs that rewarded attentive readers. The ending wrapped everything up nicely, but still left enough open for the reader to imagine what happens next (or hopefully a sequel someday).
Grammar (5/5): I'll be honest, I almost took off a half point here because even with a mother that was an English major and being an avid reader myself there were still some word choices that seemed intentionally obtuse or archaic. But ultimately I decided that being forced to look up and learn new words wasn't a bad thing or a failing of the author's.
Character (5/5): In my opinion this is where the book truly shines. No cookie cutter characters here. Even small characters with one scene and no name feel alive and fully realized, only held back by the fact the story isn't centered on them. Each member of the main cast feels unique, with their own attitudes, motivations, mannerisms, and speech patterns.
Overall (5/5): A work of art that would likely be considered a classic today if it had been released during fantasy fiction's heyday a few decades ago.
WanteeRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Having just finished reading the very last chapter of this story, I can now very very safely say that it is truly a gem among gems. The world building have always been amazing but the ending is genuinely a proof of the talent and effort the writer put in this story.
There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that this story is on the same level or even better than "Mother of Learning" which is a very huge praise.
An absolute 5/5 and a reference to the definition of "work of art".
awsomekevin12Royal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Tl:dr--Top tier story, it feels like it shouldn't be on royal road because of the thought, quality, and work put into this story.
Grammar first: No issues here, don't think I've even seen a suggested edits in the comments.
Character: I think it should be a 5 but I've been bloated by about 20 different stories juggled around. Micheal and the people around him definitely act and react as real people are, different wants and needs mesh together. Some of the side characters I don't really care about, but I bet they'll be revisited in the future, rn there's not really any longstanding member of the cast.
Style: DAMNN, this author makes you feel like the setting is real, war is looming, conscription and propoganda is actually made and posted on the story. The begining tangents add a lot to re-emersing onself back into the story.
Story: Super interesting power system, there are layers and sections if power still undiscovered. The system is so unique because it feels based of South-Asian religions. Its refreshing to see a heros arc story, its a new pace some people probably won't be used to.
My verdict: Read this like a short-novel, the pacing seems fast otherwise. Study the sentences and power system if you're confused, there's a lot to unpack sometimes.
outoftime10Royal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
An excellent book with potential to be and amazing published title. I hope to see this published in paperback, kindle and audiobook in the future.
To anyone who is considering reading, this is an amazing read with well throughout and established characters and themes. With a story that just keeps improving.
scaleof1toepsilonRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
This is my first time writing a review on RR, but I thought this story deserved it. It has impeccable grammar with just a few mistakes (they're only noticiable if you're a nitpick about commas), compelling, enjoyable, and nuanced characters, amazing worldbuilding, and so much more. The amount of effort the author put into every part of the story simply oozes out of the writing; I was so engrossed with this novel that I stayed up for about 9 hours straight to finish it.
I think one of the best thing about Peculiar Soul is how human it feels, despite the godly, terrifying powers that are at play. The moral quandaries encountered by each and every character in the novel are compelling, and none of them have a clear answer that will make everybody happy. Everyone is this novel is human and flawed, doing what they think is best and facing whatever consequences result from their decisions.
This isn't the sort of story that will constantly fill you with warm fuzzies, where you can expect everyone to get away safe and unharmed (read: untraumatized), and where you're never posed questions you don't know how to answer. But that's one of the best things about it- there's no catharsis without suffering.
That suffering is another part of what makes it realistic. Beyond Michael and his protagonist halo, none of the characters are safe from death. Yes, even the ones you got attached to. Sorry.
Anyway, I'm rambling. Read it, enjoy it, and be glad you're not faced with deciding whether or not to murder thousands of people for the benefit of millions, even if you would get kickass powers.
telestoRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
The story is set in a strange WWI-ish era, with bizarre Ensouled people who become the giants in industry, society, and the battlefield. My favorite world-building effort in some time! Has maps, pre-chapter lore snippets, illustrations/artifacts from the world in the author comments... the sheer depth and effort involved in telling this story should incline you to take a look.
The pacing is more novel fiction than web fiction, which I appreciate - the author has generated thought-provoking chapters of substantial length and depth, which make me want to keep reading without a "cliff at the end of every chapter" style that some serial writing produces.
InvisiblemonkiRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
This is an author who has experience writing. The tone is set perfectly, and the pacing is spot on. Not once did I feel like I was lost or that I needed the story to hurry up. Every moment captures the moment, and the reveals are made with perfect timing.
The characters are all fully fleshed and distinct, no cardboard cut outs. Even the faithful butler archetype is human and endearing. The author is very good at making detailed descriptions without getting lost in flowery prose. All in all I'm very impressed at this writer's style and want to find their other works.
The world building is truly exceptional, and thought out. It's very reminiscent of world war two, and intentionally so. The newspaper clippings and war propaganda posters in the author's notes are an incredible little Easter egg that does much to set the tone. There are truck loads of associations that are borrowed to add texture to the world. And every chapter starts with a quote that sets the mood even more firmly. I'm impressed that the author can slip between the different voices so adeptly.
Really, I can't say the last time I was so impressed by someone's writing talent. And their imagination. And to think, they are blessing us with it on Royal Road, free and easy.
IzmisterRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
I have been enjoying the story quite a bit, it feels fresh and exciting and somehow the author strikes an incredible balance between their pacing of the story and the amount of text that leaves us with a fast paced tale with plenty of time to linger upon the various characters, settings, and background information that is liberally doled out.
I like the story for many more reasons than that but I believe this part to be the most impressive, especially for a weekly updated web novel. I guess I'll add that the wise old man is the best depiction of the mentor as I've seen in a long while.
JagganothRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
In terms of ambitious commitment to a deep, lived-in world, this story has few equals, and I don't mean just on RR, I mean anywhere. The characters are richly-drawn and human, the struggles and emotions are vivid, and the setting is really cool. Peculiar Soul manages, through its execution, to elevate what might otherwise have been a stale dieselpunk rehash of a thinly-veiled Fantasy World War I into a story that's completely gripping. It is an incisive meditation on grief, death, and human connection, and how all of these things are exploited or trampled by the selfish, powerful people at the top of every empire.