The Network (STUB)

Information

Status

Ongoing

Year

2024

Author

TakeoMasaki889

• Prologue of MY NEW BOOK - "The Last Warrior" - A progression fantasy set in medieval Japan
  May 23, 2025
• Chapter 14 - The Escape
  May 24, 2024
• Chapter 2 - The Arrival
  May 19, 2024
• Prologue and Chapter 1 - The Failed Scientist
  May 19, 2024

What readers say about The Network (STUB)

• “The Network is one of the best stories I’ve read in a long time! Right from the first chapter, I was hooked. The world-building is very vivid, it feels like you’re actually there in Singapore, witnessing a new era for humanity, and the characters are writte…”

  ken_addamsRoyal Road5.0 / 5

• “The Network, while still in the early stages of the story, promises readers of the sci-fi genre a fast-paced hunt for not only the truth, but what scientific discovery means for humanity. Our main character, Nikola Tesic, is a scientist who specializes in n…”

  Blue ElderRoyal Road5.0 / 5

Reviews

Community Reviews(10)

• ken_addamsRoyal Road

  ★★★★★ 5.0

  The Network is one of the best stories I’ve read in a long time! Right from the first chapter, I was hooked. The world-building is very vivid, it feels like you’re actually there in Singapore, witnessing a new era for humanity, and the characters are written in a super interesting manner. They’re very real and relatable, you can’t help but root for them, especially Niko (or hate them, depending on who we’re talking about!).
  The pacing is perfect, with every chapter building up the tension and making you desperate to know what’s next. And the writing? It’s so smooth and engaging, it’s like watching a movie play out in your head.
  The story is packed with twists and turns—I honestly couldn’t put it down. Just when I thought I had it all figured out, something would happen that completely blew my mind. It’s not just action-packed either; there are moments that really hit you emotionally and make you think.
  If you love stories with a great mix of action, suspense, and characters you actually care about, you really should read The Network. It’s seriously that good. I’m already recommending it to friends and would recommend it to you too!
  I need to have 200 words so here it is a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a
• Blue ElderRoyal Road

  ★★★★★ 5.0

  The Network, while still in the early stages of the story, promises readers of the sci-fi genre a fast-paced hunt for not only the truth, but what scientific discovery means for humanity. Our main character, Nikola Tesic, is a scientist who specializes in nanotechnology. Due to his particular expertise, he is forced from his home to assist in a global scientific effort involving an alien “egg”. What he finds inside not only changes his life, but has the potential to change the world.
  Style: The style here mostly stays in a limited third-person perspective. The writing itself has a certain sterile quality that would be a weakness in any other work, but it fits the characters and story well here. The balance of dialogue to scene description might turn some off, however, as this is a deluge heavy story with sparse scene descriptions. I didn’t personally find this a problem but if you’re someone who wants lots of scene descriptions, you may be disappointed.
  Story: While the plot originally starts as a simple pursuit of mystery, it quickly becomes about a simple question. “What do we do with this new technology?” What Niko and the other scientists discover can indeed change the world, but how? Some want to use this technology for military purposes, while Niko wishes to see it used medically. This core human conflict is what drives the political and personal intrigue of the story. Because the big question isn’t “What is this and where did it come from?” it’s how humanity chooses to interact with the unknown.
  Grammar: Serviceable with a few errors that took me out of the story once or twice. Nothing major enough to really hurt the experience, however.
  Character: For the first seven or so chapters, this is more of a plot driven story. Niko is someone defined by his scientific pursuits, and it makes sense for his current project to take over his life. But there is room here for more characterization. While the characters presented aren’t bad, there are so many of them and th
• John Stax (Fobywoby)Royal Road

  ★★★★★ 5.0

  A thrilling dive into the world of cutting-edge science and personal intrigue. Right from the get-go, you’re plunged into a high-stakes ride. It’s like being on a rollercoaster, but with more nanobots.
  One of the strengths of The Network is its balance of scientific detail with personal drama. The scientific discoveries are fascinating, and the human element adds depth to the narrative. The MC's conflicts with his colleagues and the ethical dilemmas they face add layers of tension.
  The settings are vibrant and immersive, from the bustling streets of Singapore to high-tech labs. One of the authors strengths lies in their characters, each meticulously crafted with their own motivations and vulnerabilities.
  The story has strong exposition and world-building.
  Quick heads-up: this story occasionally delves into scientific jargon, par for the course in most sci-fi.
  On a scale of sci-fi hardness from 1 to 10 - ranging from the fantastical realm of Star Wars, through the scientifically grounded universe of Star Trek, to the more technical concepts seen in The Martian and Isaac Asimov's Foundation series - The Network lands comfortably around a 6 or 7.
  Overall, The Network is worth a read for anyone who enjoys a good sci-fi thriller.
• Jordan Elias R.Royal Road

  ★★★★★ 5.0

  This is a well developed sci-fi novel that depicts complex technologies, political intrigues, moral dilemmas, and dangerous challenges faced by the main character, Niko, a nano medicine researcher who's life is upheaved by government agencies without explanation.
  The story Is very intriguing and the style of writing is fluent, easy to read and follow. The prose is descriptive, making it very easy to become immersed in it. The concept of the story is quite different from the usual I read on RR, and it's obvious the author has a firm grasp on the direction of this fiction, establishing it with intrigue and mystery right off the bat.
  The grammar is over all good, although some sentences might feel a little choppy. I also found some editing errors, but all in all, it's good. The mistakes are few which indicates that the author has done an excellent job editing and proofreading their work.
  The character are great! Beautifully constructed and we'll rounded, even Ryan who was only mentioned a few times managed to make an impression on me.
  The main character, Niko, is matured yet relatable. Funny even, and the other professors are great. I particularly love their banter, and the way Lopez is always going off, and scaring the lives out of everyone with her words.
  Impressive story overall. Give it a read.
• RavensFantasyRoyal Road

  ★★★★★ 5.0

  Style/Story: The story told here is a captivating one. We are thrown into a world where Niko gets taken from his own reality and given an opportunity that could change the future. As the story unfolds, we are given some great world building, characters, and information that ties the story together.
  There is some time jumping throughout the story that is indicated within the chapters, which makes it less confusing. Going between times helps tie in the story as we get to see things that are happening in the present and see things that happened in the past. The past seems to be where the story begins and is full of great information.
  Grammar: There were some missing punctuation marks but when noted, they were fixed. Overall, the grammar seemed pretty good to me.
  Characters: The character of Niko is well-written. His initial reaction in the beginning, from being pulled from his world, was done well and felt that it was relatable. His eagerness and impatience to open Pandora's box is a bit alarming but understandable in a sense. I do wonder what his family truly thinks and if they ever try to reach out to him during his time on the project. The side characters introduced added an interesting touch to the story and is done well overall.
  In Summary:  The story is set up well and is very captivating to read. I’m interested to see how this story unfolds and if there were any consequences to their actions.
• SundayravenRoyal Road

  ★★★★★ 5.0

  Nanobots, scientists, and intruigue! The Network feels like a sci-fi classes from the start.
  The writer's style is perfect for this sort of story. Occasionally a paragraph will feel a little choppy, but that is my only style complaint. If you enjoy reading the likes of Crichton and Tchaikovsky, then you will like this.
  Grammar is the story's weakest point and where I took half a star off. The first few chapters are very clean, but I noticed more errors in the later chapters -- a few wrong words and incorrect or missing punctuation, but nothing too consistent or major... with one exception. The quotation marks are consistently inconsistent, and once I noticed it, it was impossible to stop noticing it. Some are straight, some are curly, some are facing opposite directions, some look like two apostrophes rather than quotation marks. I have no idea what's going on there, and while it was amusing to notice the pattern (or lack of pattern) I hope the writer fixes this because it is very distracting.
  The story itself is clearly well thought out and has a lot of depth to it. There are some places where it bounces back and forth between the present and the future, but it is handled very well and manages to avoid being jarring or confusing. There's plenty of mystery and creeping tension to keep you turning the pages.
  I found the characters very engaging. Niko manages to feel like what he is -- a scientist in his forties who is at the top of his field -- while remaining accessible and understandable to us layfolk. The side characters we've met so far are well-defined and feel suited to the roles they play in the hierarchy of government organizations. The characters are overall mature and realistic without being boring.
  The Network is a great example of sci-fi written by someone who clearly understands and loves the genre, and I'm excited to see where the story goes in the future.
• ArchermisRoyal Road

  ★★★★★ 5.0

  I think that your book so far is a fantastic read that grabbed my attention from the start and kept me hooked until now (chapter 24), it feels like you are finding your style more and more. The story is exciting and full of twists that make it hard to put down.
  The main character's adventure in the world of technology and cyber secrets is both thrilling and interesting, also refreshing to see something else than fantasy. The author does a great job of showing how our lives are connected through technology and the hidden dangers that come with it. This makes the book not just fun to read but also makes you think about the world around you.
  One of the best things about this that I like is how the story moves. Each chapter adds more suspense and mystery, making you eager to find out what happens next. The plot is smartly written, with surprises that keep you guessing. The characters feel real, and their personal stories add depth to the exciting main plot.
  As it is still early, we have to remain seated to see what happens next , but I think this should be perfect for anyone who enjoys a good thriller with a modern twist. Highly recommended for every fan of Sci-FI!
• bdukeRoyal Road

  ★★★★★ 5.0

  Although it's hard to write a meaningful review of something you're still reading, I think the beginning shows a lot of promise. The theme represents a mix of several genres, and we will see in which direction the story will develop further.
  The characters are depicted very vividly, while the action takes place in a very original and realistic manner, without clichés. The topic is very current and original.
  I hope that the theme will continue to balance between a classic SF story, a medical thriller and a spy novel, taking the best of each of these genres. For now, the plot is developing steadily and logically - maybe it's time for a sudden twist.  In any case, it is easy to read and the reader (at least this one) can't wait to see what happens next. It can be recommended to everyone as interesting and entertaining literature, which is not far behind the best titles of this genre.
  I suspect that the author will manage to maintain the level of tension until the very end, which would make this story suitable for adaptation into a film script.
  Until then, we can only wait for new chapters.
  Best regards and a lot of luck!
• brlauuuRoyal Road

  ★★★★★ 5.0

  Great, immersive sci-fi novel that really captures your attention! The story follows Niko Tesic through both professional and personal hurdles which are intertwined in such a way that the reader soon realized one cannot exist without the other. Takeo Masaki plays on the border of possible and impossible in such a way that it makes you really be curious (and a bit of scared) from how accurate sci-fi predictions can be about the future sometimes. Great story, will update when I reach the end!
• Wistful_WillowRoyal Road

  ★★★★★ 4.5

  This story starts off strong with the protagonist, Niko, suddenly being forced to take on a highly confidential job because of his expertise in nano technology. He has no choice, but to go along with it under threat of imprisonment.
  When he gets to the job he finds out that he will be working with mysterious alien technology they refer to as "the egg."
  I am curious how the story will play out. It is quite fast paced despite a theme of long experimental periods. Fans of fast paced sci-fi thrillers should definitely give this one a try.
  Style: I thought this story had more style than a lot of books I've read on RR. There is a bit of a gritty feeling to it.
  Story: The story is pretty good, but I haven't read enough yet to give insight on the overall story. It is definitely still ramping up.
  Grammar: I didn't notice any grammar issues. I thought the grammar was pretty good.
  Character: The characters hadn't received much development yet at the point I stopped reading. All you know about Niko, by the end of chapter 7, is that he is a 42 year-old professor of nano technology who is very serious and passionate about his work. There is some backstory teased for Niko. I look forward to finding out more about him.