Yellow Jacket

Self-Published

Community Rating

Description

Book One (no longer associated with SLP in anyway) If the world hadn’t already ended,Warren Smithwould’ve become a serial killer. He was built for it. Cold, precise, methodical. Not driven by rage or trauma, but by a hunger for control. A creature of discipline and detachment. In the old world, he would’ve been studied. Hunted. Locked away. But the old world is long gone. Centuries ago, something broke,everythingbroke. Civilization collapsed under its own weight, swallowed by unchecked ambition, mass failure, and rot. The cities fell. The satellites died. People learned to fear silence because silence meant they’d been forgotten. And then, hundreds of years later, came theSystem. Sold as a cure. Marketed as salvation. A new architecture to stitch the ruins back together. Embedded in human minds through chips and fragments, it offered power, skills, survival. It promised to lift the desperate into something more than just broken survivors. It lied. The System was never built to save anyone. It was a leash. A filter. A machine designed to manage what was left not fix it. It turned people into data. Into stats. Into expendable roles with preset fates. But Warren wasn’t part of that design. He’s what the System missed. What it couldn’t see. AnAberrantunregistered, unreadable, ungovernable. He moves through the shattered world not as a man, but as something becoming legend. A ghost in the mist. The silence before the violence. He doesn’t crave recognition. He doesn’t ask for power.He takes it quietly, completely, and without permission. Because Warren doesn’t survive the System.He dissects it.And what he builds from its broken parts is entirely his own. Even in a world of collapse and crueltyhe’s the one thing still coming for you Book Two (Complete) Book Three (Completed) Book Four (Completed) Book Five (Completed)Book Six (Currently being Released) Yellow Jacket is a post-apocalyptic, cyberpunk, stat-driven, hard sci-fi series with: a brutal anti-hero deep system mechanics cat-fueled chaos and a world built on lies. 3.5k+ word chapters releasing Tuesdays and Thursdays

Information

Status: Ongoing
Year: 2025
Author: ReignyDaze

Royal Road Stats

Rating: 4.3/ 5.0
Followers: 2,242
Views: 709,749

What readers say about Yellow Jacket

“I love this book and am loving book two there is one thing I could see being a flaw and that is the righting feels hollow it sometimes feels like even though we get told thoughts and feelings we only get the shell of the characters and of the world in most…”
BananaOverlordRoyal Road5.0 / 5
“The author seamlessly weaves a creative and adventurous story, making it easy for readers to become immersed in this fantasy world. I rarely find myself eagerly reading multiple book chapters in one sitting. However, this book grips you from the opening pag…”
Vme3ishereRoyal Road5.0 / 5

Reviews

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Community Reviews(10)

BananaOverlordRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
I love this book and am loving book two there is one thing I could see being a flaw and that is the righting feels hollow it sometimes feels like even though we get told thoughts and feelings we only get the shell of the characters and of the world in most other stories I think this is a flaw but in this book it feels more like a part of the setting the world feels like it’s hollow because it is hollow it’s broken down torn apart and only a shell of what it used to be this feels the same with most of the cast as well but it adds to the vibes of the story so well that I love it.(sorry for all the run on)
Vme3ishereRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
The author seamlessly weaves a creative and adventurous story, making it easy for readers to become immersed in this fantasy world. I rarely find myself eagerly reading multiple book chapters in one sitting. However, this book grips you from the opening pages. The characters and world that the author built felt fleshed out. The protagonist was highly relatable, and his motivations were not cliché tropes. Instead, I was fully invested in seeing how his actions played out. I think this book would do well as an animated book. I can only imagine the colours, the sounds, the movements of these characters prancing around on the big screen. I can say without a doubt that I am looking forward to seeing this author's career progression. I might go as far as to say that I hope he makes a hardcover version of this book. I would come to a book signing and pick his brain on how he plans to expand the universe he created with this book. I recommend this book to all who want to read something creative and different from the many monotonous books that are out right now. When this book gets published, I will gladly buy it and display it on my bookshelf.
gelaRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
I have read much further than when I originally posted my first review, and I have to say that this story is riveting. I couldn't put it down, and each interaction between the characters feels real. Warren is cold and calculating, yet he feels relatable.That being said, there are moments when Warren is quite scary, making it hard to read not because it’s badly written, but because it feels like I’m being stabbed with every line. Sometimes he is hilarious, and each member of the group has their own shining moments.Wren is a survivor but doesn't feel like a victim; she is multifaceted and unique. Styll is adorable and mischievous, making her feel more like a friend rather than just another animal companion. The world is dark and depressing, yet also loud and vibrant.I am really looking forward to seeing what new characters will join the well-developed party dynamic. You can really tell that the author is trying to make the world feel tangible. There are also many little easter eggs that I didn't catch at first, but now that I have, they make me chuckle.All in all, I would recommend this story to anyone looking for a tale about survivors with a touch of litRPG.
lordnikelasRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Took me a while to start this story, but I'm enjoying it. The description might make you think "oh, this is Dexter but sysapoc" but it's a lot more nuanced. Warren is not defined by his need to kill; he's a survivor and scavenger, marked by the loss of a parent and the violence necessary to gather what is needed to live in a broken world. But this is hopepunk; Warren might not know or actively say what he's wishing for, but when he finally finds it, the whole world lights up differently. (And you'll feel bad when he acts more animal than human.)
Combat scenes are visceral, and aim to emphasize the "crunch" noise of something being broken. System stat screens show up on and off, but Warren's stats are pretty concise, so they don't take up too much space. Also, 10/10 not many people could choreograph Singin in the Rain to a scene of eviscerating brutality.
mustang255Royal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Overall, I really like this story.
It starts with a pretty simple and intriguing premises; a main character that is basically a serial killer in a world that is just about perfect for him.
The first few chapters let you see the MC living basically as an animal; by his wits and instincts, and introduce you both to the character and the world.
I suspect some readers may have been scared off at this point, as I think both the character and author were still finding their way (but you shouldn't give up yet!)

It starts to change in tone when Wren is introduced. The story starts to be directed by the characters' intent, rather than happenstance; and it takes on a more hopeful tone.
She takes his leash (figuratively), and grounds him to humanity, keeping him from becoming a total monster. He still has that killer instinct, and still has that edge to him, but she is the reason he doesn't go over the edge.
You get to explore the world building more as the story zooms out from their everyday struggles; learning more about what the world was before it things got this bad, and the factions and characters that have helped to shape the current state of affairs.

If the premises sounds interesting to you, give it a shot, and make sure you get past the first few chapters to get to the real meat of the story.
shadow1716Royal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
There’s something deeply unsettling about silence in a dead world. Not the absence of noise—but the kind of quiet that means you’ve been erased. Forgotten. And in this broken, brutal landscape, the last thing you want is for Warren Smith to remember you.This book grips you from the first line and doesn’t let go. It’s not just another dystopian thriller or post-apocalyptic survival story—it’s something far colder, far more precise. Warren isn’t a man shaped by rage or tragedy. He’s something far worse: a creature of pure control, honed by a world that no longer has laws to stop him. And the most terrifying part? He doesn’t even need to raise his voice to dominate it.The writing pulls you into a ruined civilization, where the so-called "System" dangles false hope like a carrot on a stick. It was supposed to save them. Instead, it turned people into numbers, into roles, into expendable pieces of a game no one agreed to play. And then there’s Warren—the glitch in the machine. The System didn’t see him coming. It couldn’t. He slips through its grasp like smoke, dismantling it piece by piece with the patience of a surgeon.What gets under your skin isn’t the gore or the violence (though there’s plenty lurking beneath the surface). It’s the way Warren moves through this world—utterly detached, utterly unstoppable. He’s not a hero. He’s not even a villain in the traditional sense. He’s something far more fascinating: a force of nature wrapped in human skin, rewriting the rules because no one left alive can tell him no.The tension builds in the quiet moments, in the spaces between words. You’ll catch yourself holding your breath, waiting for the other shoe to drop. And when it does? It’s never quite what you expect.If you love stories that stick with you—that slink into your thoughts days after you’ve finished reading—then this is it. Unnerving, masterfully crafted, and impossible to shake. Warren Smith might not care if you remember him. But trust me, you will.
supremecatRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Great writing by amazing author! The story takes some time to grow on you, but when it does it feels great! I was recommended this novel by a friend and definitely not disappointed. Will complete reading all 3 books for sure. Here are my 5 stars and nothing less than that ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
treadLightly 09Royal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
I have three favorites on RR and this is one of them. This story has it all. Great characters that you get to know and love or hate. A world beyond my imagination. Enough details to paint the picture without over saturation. Writing so good I had to check out author's other story on here I Cast Fist. Recommend, recommend, recommend!
Cthulhus_WrathRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
(I'm trying to think, and I don't believe I've rated a story this highly before.)
So, this story stands out among the plethora of them I am actively reading.
It has a grit that gives it more realism than a typical litrpg. The MC isn't just strolling from one power-up/fortuitous encounter to the next with little real stakes. The author does a great job painting both the scene and the emotions of the scene. That can be from the use of quick sentences and non common punctuation to give sentences a sharp feel or better mirror the panicked or rushed thoughts of a character, to more elegant and flowy, almost song like sentences for other moods or as the character feels calmer or in certain battle-states. I have found so few inconsistencies with punctuation or spelling that it is not really worth mentioning. Especially when so many authors on this platform seem to use speech to text, change up how a sentence will be worded mid-sentence, and then never proof-read to clean up the erroneous wording before posting, and then it makes its way from their patreon to here and still doesn't get edited. So, I applaud this author for seemingly proof-reading their work before posting. It is refreshing.
The characters all seem to have their own stories. None seem to be just built to be an antagonist or a clinger-on. Even the cats seem to have a minor backstory or history with other characters. I can see a clear growth trend of MC in both sheer power and in his emotions and relationships with others. No complaints with characters. Each seems to have their own quirks and strengths.
I was worried when there was suddenly an academy arc. But it was done in such a way that my expectations were thrown a few times. I have dropped several stories while they were in their academy arcs, but this one has been exceptional. Other stories use them as intensive lore drop boot camps for the MC and reader, but I feel all new information introduced was done in a fitting way that helped rather than dragged
DeusnickRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
This review is written at the book 3 mark after day 1 of school (should not be a spoiler).I won’t break my review down based on the books but rather on the overall ensemble that has been available to this point.StyleThe author pulls you deep into their world, it’s vibrant while being dark, you feel what the MC is feeling and you have a sense of belonging while reading that keep you engage throughout the novels. While at first it might feel suffocating and the narration is like a staccato in rhythm I believe it serves it’s purpose to show how the MC and it’s world is full of shap edges and you can see it change throughout the progression of the novel that it become more fluids like the MC and the world itself as it becomes more controlled. But it requires adaptation.CharactersEach characters, main and minors act as individuals with their own goals and lives. They matters and you like them or hate them but they are given space for the reader to feel like they know who they are/were and not just a plot mechanic to be a simple box checked on the author to do list.You don’t learn everything all at once, even the MC is not dumping his whole background in one chapter. It’s growth, feel earned and satisfying, like prying open a page of a forgotten book.PlotI will start with a negative here, albeit a small one in my opinion. Their were point during some plot points that left me wondering why would that shit happens. Believe that the author could have achieve the same effect with a different vehicule.The other negative I have for the plot is about the Green, I will just say that, for me, this part felt rush and not earned from a reader perspective. I invite author to reach out to me to discuss it if they feel like it as I won’t spoil in a review.Aside from that, the plot progression is nice and linear, powers felt earned, some OPness from MC based on some things but no deus-ex machina that I could see too obviously. The main thread is focused with minimal side quests that tie