Siren's Elegy [Final Arc of Volume 1 in Progress]

Self-Published

Community Rating

Description

A soldier entangled in a centuries-old war between gods and monsters.

In a world where private military organizations reign supreme, Indra, a genetically engineered soldier, serves under Lunar Gate, the premier contractor to the world's most powerful country, Yuèliàng.

Spliced with various genetic progenitors and trained to be killing machines, these soldiers are raised to display unparalleled skills called Traits. These abilities evolve under conditions of extreme stress, granting their wielders powers surpassing human limitations, but harshly shortening their users' lifespans in the process. However, Indra has no Traits of his own.

When a seemingly routine mission goes awry, Indra's encounter with an ancient malevolence bestows him with a unique skill that sets him on a path embroiled in secrecy, treachery, and horrors beyond comprehension.

Separated from his friends, thrust into a strange and unforgiving environment, will he be able to navigate the dangers that lurk within and make it out alive?

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Updates TBD.

Check out thePatreonfor advanced chapters, uploaded by the end of each week.

Tranquil Days Arc: Chapters 1-12

War Preparations Arc: Chapters 13-36

Hyena Succession Arc: Chapters 37-51

War of Frozen Sands/Expedition into the Sunken Forest Arc: Chapters 52-current

What to expect: Slow burn world-building, character-focused, dialogue-heavy, and an overarching plot. Inspired by Evangelion.

Cover art commissioned by@ammeniteon Twitter

Information

Status: Hiatus
Year: 2023
Author: KinAkira1996

Royal Road Stats

Rating: 4.4/ 5.0
Followers: 1,079
Views: 192,257

Reviews

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

Community Reviews(10)

wintry ducklingRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
This...is a really, really cool story! I would recommend it fiercely to anyone who likes Sci-Fi with a mixture of romance and mystery. Also, dystopian stories. This story gives me kind of a Hunger Games/The Giver/Percy Jackson vibe (which is a cool vibe if you cannot tell, heh).
Style: This style of this story is amazing. I was consistenly drawn into the scenes by the revieting imagerical descriptions, whether it was of an action scene or a glass of beer (I really want that glass of beer in Chapter 2, was it? Why did it actually sound so delicious, not me crying over it over here). Points for style!
Story: I can tell that this story has been intricately woven with many moving parts. There are teh character relationships, the mystery of the creature who uses Indra as its vessel, and the backstories of the characters and this dystopian, uncomfortable world where the Homunculi live such short lives in exchange for their traits. And it all flows together well.
Grammar: Some minor edits for grammar, but theyr'e few and far between. Tbh, all stories are probably gonna have small things missed. Printed books do, too.
Characters: My favorite part of the chapters I've read so far has been the character interactions I've seen. Drunk interactions, flirtacious itneraction, fighting interactions — they're all very natual and entertaining. great job with these <3.
Bab66Royal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
While I am aware of numerous sci-fi/cyberpunk type stories, this one used a premise I had never seen before, and to my surprise, it has been executed so well and naturally, it would intrigue any reader that enjoys reading sci-fi stories in the first place, let alone fantasy readers.
The style uses excellent grammar and punctuation, although the author does "overly" explain certain aspects of the story, such as buildings, but that did not personally drag me down from enjoying this story.
The characters are my favorite part honestly. They feel natural, especially the way they converge with each other. Not some unnatural "Anime-y" type stuff, it is fiction after all, but they feel very fleshed out and are very vibrant, each expressing their own personalities, the author has done a great job on this one.
No grammar issues at all.
Overall, this story is a very very good read. The amount of worldbuilding and mystery, as well as how detailed it is is really put in the spotlight, and the author is showing no signs of slowing down, especially since I have just read up until the fifth chapter, and the worldbuilding has been explained smoothly, and naturally rather than just info-dumping in the first chapter, expecting people to remember.
Good work!
Matt FusionRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
This is a rather unique story that I can say I haven't really seen another like it. From the very first chapters you get to jump right into the story, though there is a little bit of exposition hidden in there, you are quickly pulled back into the story.
Style: Style is very good yah. Plus I'm a sucker for some good third person pov. The paragraphs do kinda get cloggy in my opinion, but it's not that big of a deal, and the pacing is very good for a Scifi story. The way it is written also makes it easy to read, plus the descriptions aren't too much but still puts you in the story
Story: It starts of low mid chill with the MC is out on a recon mission with his partner, but they notice their other partner has been gone for quite some time. They go out to find him and discover that all abominations are let loose and things go south for them real quick. This is where it goes to a hundred and you just get hooked into the story from there. The action scenes are super descriptive, to the points, and well choreographed, muwa! chef's kiss. Each chapter is an entire page turner.
Grammar: Thr grammar police has nothing to report on the subject!
Character: The writer knows how to handle his characters indeed. The characters are unique in each their own way, and their dialogue portrays them very well. If you removed the dialogue tags you could almost easily tell who is who. Indra is obviously the fav here.
So, if you love scifi and fantasy, what are you doing reading this review? Go read Siren's Elegy cause it's an action packin, knuckle crackin, suspense grabbin, page turnin story.
OzFiefenRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Siren's Elegy so far (currently latest chapter) is a very well written military and politcal intrigue story that also utilizes both a science fiction element and a mystic fantasy element in order to blend it into a tactical warfare/combat character-focused story that utulizes both sides of the medium. Some more obvious inclusions are the use of Hindu mythology for a lot of the names, as well as an important symbol in the story related to the goddess Kali (although the goddess' name has not been brought up yet, I don't think? So might be wrong lol.). The characters have fantastical abilities, however they are also rooted in the science of the world—and any limitations therefore. Very deal with the devil-esque type, after all neither magical contracts nor scientific modifcaitons come for free, right? Probably for the former, definitely for the latter. And of course, the more everyday struggles that follow the main character Indra outside combat and tests expand the horizon of the narrative. Like the struggle of understanding relationships!
Style - Very well-written, flows quite beautifully, the prose is meaty and quite descriptive. The words really pop in the mind due to the high quality level of writing displayed. The futuristic setting is balanced by the daily lives of the characters that create the rich realness of the world; despite being super-powered soldiers they still gotta cram! The science-ness of the work really pulls you in a different type of mystique than what the mythological elements of the story pull you in, so in a sense 'science' and 'fantasy' are kind of confalted. Which is pretty good, because it elevates both things. Mythological science? Scientific mysticism? Something like that, it's quite a unique blend that I can't really describe but basically it is a mix between such things. A very strong style and flare. In the title I tried to say "tactical" rather than just "tactics" but I guess both fit. The tools and creativity of characters plays a de
Scholar_GirogiRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
This story needs way more views than what it currently has. KinAkira has crafted a wondrous work that captivates the mind with its plethora of intrigue, war and a tasteful world filled with a mix of science and magic and myth. It's just... amazing. You are doing yourself a service by taking the time, enjoying a good drink, and reading this Siren's Elegy.
Style and Grammar: Beautiful and artistically done. The prose hits that sweet spot of content with smooth delivery. Grammar is perfect, to my knowledge. Everything just flows well and is compelling.
Story and Character: The highlights of this story are the interwoven relationship between the characters and the world they live in. Dystopian grim goodness abounds in great, complex, and profound world-building. Again, there's that blend of myth, mystique and science. Indra is amazing, well-thought-out and passionately written. The relationships she has with others and the interactions all characters have with each other are realistic and a highlight of KinAkira's writing. There's wit, snark and conversations that I heavily enjoyed.
Overall, this is the equivalent of a premium bottle of wine, that good stuff you just have to swirl around and take your time to enjoy properly. I will avidly follow this story for more.
TheMadProfessorRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Things I liked:
Diversity – I loved how this is a story focused on cultures outside of the West in a way that provides a perspective I haven’t typically read before. And it’s including aspect of societies and cultures that are not given much time in the limelight and I’m happy to see this changing. Especially when you have a lot of stories, where anything akin to diversity is more of a superficial effort more to appease the writer’s own personal inadequacies and be the writer’s back patting effort than helping to push the issue in a positive direction. So I’m always happy to see more genuine representation depicted in the media.
Dialogue – Love it. It’s fresh, each person sounds like a bit different and not just a copy of the other. Reactions feel genuine and not forced. I enjoyed a lot of the dialogue immensely.
Plot – Gotta say, I like how the plot keeps you one your toes. It isn’t a predictable story, which I appreciate. A lot of writers on similar sites just copy and paste scenes from other works (books, movies, games, etc.) and I like how thought and effort was put into the story beforehand.
Things I’d change:
So … I’m gonna be frank, there wasn’t too much I’d change from this story. But the one big thing I’d change would the use of things like, “FIIIIIIRE!!!!!!!!’. I was told early on that stuff like this isn’t really needed to get the point home, and if you want to emphasize someone shouting, or screaming, or barking, or bellowing, or … you get the point, there are words you can add to bring that out and make the scene. But otherwise, this was the only real point that I found needed to be brought up for this part.
Something to address:
So … bringing up this since I feel this does need to be addressed. But I had a strong pause when I came across the part where the MC finds he has a sauwastika tattooed on his hand. As someone who is Jewish, and whose family in Eastern Europe during WWII who wound up in the Holocaust, you tend to be on the look out for these thi
Warby PicusRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
A fresh take on a well developed field. What may catch readers by surprise is that this is written like a traditional novel and not a web novel. That is to say, long chapters, and long paragraphs. Obviously these are not bad things, just things a reader may want to be aware of. Do not look at the chapter count and assume it is short. It is not. That means there is more of the good stuff, and there is a lot of good stuff.
Style: Really my only beef with the story, and it's a minor one. Because it is written as a novel, the author really lavishes prose on his world and charicters. You will have detailed descriptions of everything and everyone. It's not tiresome, it is actually well done. But it is there, and the paragraphs stretch for ages. Overall, though, the style is quite good.
Grammer: Perfect. For the N'th time, Mods, I'm begging you, remove this review catagory.
Story: Genetically engineered super soldier with a short lifespan is raised in an enclosed, artificial society and only let out to fight the bad guys. Who seem to be people unhappy with said super soldier's corporate masters. The MC makes a deal with a demon, and things go from there. All pretty standard stuff, but what makes the story pop, and what makes me rate it so highly, is that the author draws on mythological sources outside the usual western european cannon. It works well, and adds an exciting new layer to well established tropes.
Charicter: All well constructed and realized, though a bit out of central casting. None struck me as unreal, or unecessarily irritating. Well done.
A Failed Author (TLH)Royal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Overview: First of all, as a fellow college student, I think that I share the same pain as you. It can be tought to update consistently. I have done so for two weeks, but things are starting to catch up :/. One a more serious note: This review is very different from all others I have given. KinAkira seems to excel at the parts I usually find other fictions lacking.
Characters & Style: This fiction has an amazing character dialogue. Hands down top 10 of all the fictions I have every read. The characters seem alive. You can imagine them as real people, the way they speak, their mannerisms, their names and personalities. The style also makes them pop-out. The descriptions and the whole order of the chapters is simply amazing.
The story is very deep. You can feel that there is a layer underneath the one being described. Everything, the organizations, the people, the villains, they all fit the world so well (reminds me of Naruto to a certain extent). I mean this in a very positive way!
Grammar: The grammar is the problem here. Not a big one. Just not on the same level as everything else. When I started (more or less a week ago), I had the same problem. When it comes to writing a web novel/fiction, one needs to leave spaces in between lines. This is important both aesthetically and in order to help the reader understand. I am guilty of the same crime, but there are blocks of text that are too big and make people lose track of where the story is going. For me, you best chapter (when it comes to grammar and presentation) is by far chapter 5 (Citizenship Exam). There are almost not big chunks of text. Dialogue and the whole story flow beautifully and seemlessly.
If I had any tips, they would be to just try to change the rest of the chapters (just line spacing wise) so that they are more like chapter 5.
Disclaimer, I am currently in Chapter 6 as I did not know where the 10k words mark is and I felt that, since I only published 6 chapters myself, this way we are even (although
Dylan KingRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Siren's Elegy is a militaristic sci-fi STORY that draws a lot of inspiration from the Hindi pantheon of God's and their stories, which is super cool. The very first chapter could be a touch more engaging, with a fair chunk of on the nose 'telling' - we get a fairly lengthy chunk of worldbuilding and exposition just dropped on our laps before any real hook draws us in. If I were reading this story casually, I'm not certain I would have read beyond this. However this quickly segues into a great hook taking us forward into the next chapter. From there, a heavily character driven slice of life sub plot begins to develop, delivering a much needed change of paces.
Because of this, CHARACTER is one of the strongest aspect of Sirens Elegy, with the cast having well fleshed out and developed characters who feel as though they have their own lives that continue when they're outside of the protagonists orbit, which is crucial for believable and engaging characters.
The story is written in a solid STYLE, with clean prose and few if any GRAMMAR mistakes.
Overall, I would highly recommend Siren's Elegy. It's not the standard fare on Royalroad, but if you're a fan of character driven sci-fi, this could well be the book for you.
Edge ValmondRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Style: I do not grade style. Though, since I have to give something about it. Know, it is a normal one. Easy to get into, easily flows. It is in the third person PoV, which I've always been fine with.
Grammar: Looks well in place.
Story: This story starts off pretty interesting. In a more heavy and grim setting to say. Creatures and other stuff like this, going into a contract. Which just really lands a good grip I would say. Even the level of details gets the scenes going. The story also has time stamps, which gives a sense of things, and adds a nice touch to it I would say. The story transitions pretty good as well. Knowing how to give out information. As well as expanding on the surroundings. I’d say this is a good balance, and something to note about it. Also, there is somewhat of an ominous feeling. It goes onto some usual problems peeps can face. Living wage, healthcare, etc. This giving a more relatable element to it. The story also has its own history going for it, and does well to use this to build up the situation.There is a lot going for it, and it can take a bit of time. Though, what is here is impressive. Especially how it tackles the conflicts.
Characters:They are a colorful bunch, and comes off as complementary I would say. It is more light hearted with them, and gives off a pleasant feeling. At the same time, it does establish conflict, which gives them even more standing. They are also homunculi’s.
Overall:This is a solid story, and one I can recommend. It does well all around. Transitioning from a more tense scene, into a more contained one. While using this to expand on what is happening. As well as getting to know the characters. It is a mix of a sci-fi and fantasy, and does well on both elements. With one notable thing that I won’t spoil, though it did catch my attention. All in all, go in and give it a try. Also, there is apparently an exam…yeah…good luck with that pal. Anyway, if you want another war and military I think this is. You’ll like i