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REND: Prior Cycle (Old Version)

Name: REND: Prior Cycle (Old Version)
Rating: 4.56 (1448 reviews)
Author: Temple

Temple

4.56 1.4k Ratings

Ongoing Status

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Synopsis

Erind Hartwell, a first-year law student with psychopathic tendencies and an obsessive compulsion to follow an arbitrary set of Rules, tries to live a normal life in a world where superhumans battle eldritch horrors invading minds. Society frowned on different, and she was content with playing along if the world didn’t bother her. That was one of the many Rules she followed.

Unfortunately, the world couldn’t help but bother Erind’s normal life. On the brink of death, an entity offered powers to save her. Left with no other choice, she accepted it, changing into a new form—the first of many that’ll allow her to bother the world that bothered her.

Cover is part of a wallpaper art commissioned from CristianAC.
Also published on Scribblehub.

Books similar to REND: Prior Cycle (Old Version)

REND

★ 4.77

Temple

Erind Hartwell: dutiful daughter, law student, psychopath, film enthusiast—one of these makes her not normal. Was it the law student thing? Maybe. Still, she's relatively normal in a world where superhumans fight eldritch horrors that turn people into monsters.

Viewing life as a movie, Erind’s wish to become the main character is granted unexpectedly: on the brink of death, an otherworldly entity offers her powers. Becoming a monster doesn’t sound like how a main character should be, but there isn’t much of a choice, as she was dying, impaled by a spike. She can probably make this monster thing work.

Follow an endearing psychopath and her shenanigans in the middle of a battle between superhumans, hi-tech government agents, monsters, mutants, and wannabe heroes for Earth and the future of humanity.

Book One completed!
Cover art by ChristianAC

Ideworld Chronicles: The Art Mage

★ 4.7

OneDropRain

"Does the art ever dream of you?"

I never had a destiny.

Orphaned young and raised by a crime lord to be a daredevil thief in his image, I spent years trying to live a normal life, clinging to the rare moments of connection I could find. I was always searching for the truth of the world, and of myself.

But when my passion for art pulled me into a twisted reflection of Earth and awakened my power over Artistic Creation, I had to face a question I could no longer avoid:

Would I finally be able to paint my own fate?

My name is Alexandra May. I am the Archmage of the Domain of Artistic Creation. Eyes in the Sky. The Memory Weaver. The Angel Slayer. The Color Bender. Friend to Shadows. The Thief who stole the World.

And this is my story.

What to expect:

A sharp, flawed, and funny protagonist. A dangerous world split between modern Earth and a myth-twisted sister realm. Magic that’s inventive, unique, and deadly.

Alexa isn’t perfect. Far from it. She’s clever but burdened with trust issues, hubris, and greed. And she doesn’t start strong. She doesn’t gain her powers until a quarter into Act I, and even then, she fumbles more than she flourishes: building tools, not dominance. Her real magical growth doesn’t begin until midway through Act II, when the story’s pace and stakes surge.

The magic system is anything but ordinary. Forget fireballs. Think salt-armored warriors, flesh-twisting tentacles, or symphonies turned into weapons. Battles are fast, brutal, and surprising, with real consequences. Characters die. Sometimes even those you thought untouchable.

The world unfolds in layers: Earth as we know it, and Ideworld, where myths, dreams, and nightmares rule. The deeper introduction to Ideworld’s ruling powers and factions doesn’t fully arrive until Act II, but once it does, the scope widens dramatically.

What ties it all together is Alexa’s voice: humor laced with cynicism, keeping the story sharp even when the stakes turn deadly. The cast around her is just as layered: flawed, human, and compelling. No caricatures.

UPDATES:

New chapters on: Monday/Wednesday/Friday

Side stories: unscheduled

Read Ahead on Patreon!

Want to stay at least five chapters ahead in Ideworld Chronicles? Support the story and get exclusive early access over on Patreon:
patreon.com/IdeworldChronicles

Every bit of support helps keep the story alive and lets you dive deeper into Alexa May’s chaotic, magical world before anyone else.

*Ideworld Chronicles are posted exclusively on RoyalRoad and on Patreon. If you are reading it elsewhere, it is an unauthorized and stolen copy.

We also have our own Discord!

The Saga of Keres – Book 1 & 2 now available [Fantasy + Steampunk + Fighting + Kaijus + Progression + Magic vs Science]

★ 4.6

Lucian T. Einar

Book One Blurb:

1897, as the world teeters on the edge of war, Volundr, Ambassador of the Society of Nations, gathers a diverse cast of individuals with extraordinary abilities. Steve, a devoted single father looking for his missing lover, and Alice, his mischievous daughter, will join Volundr. Other members seek redemption and vengeance, while some yearn for a place to belong. Cursed and desperate for answers, they agree to assist Volundr in exchange for his teachings on thaumaturgy and alchemy.

Their first mission takes them to the Unseen City, under the threat of a devastating terrorist attack. Amidst the chaos, the most powerful thaumaturgist the world has ever seen, Miss Xana, has other plans for the city. She will stop at nothing until those who wronged her face the consequences they deserve.

Book Two Blurb:

Miss Xana and her followers are on a quest to find a long-lost relic from the past.

Meanwhile, the reconstruction of the Unseen City is ongoing after being ravaged by dragons and a terrorist attack. In the wake of last year's tumultuous events, a power vacuum has emerged in the city, allowing new players to wield their influence on a global scale.

Volundr and his men failed their very first mission spectacularly: Steve got his daughter kidnapped, Kyrie deserted the cause, and Leo, Anna, and Alouqua's children got lost who-knows-where.

How will Volundr and his weary entourage, disheartened by their recent setback, confront these fresh challenges? And amid it all, they have yet to go to Africa!

Prepare yourself for a thrilling alternate historical fantasy set in the late 1890s, a time of political intrigue where magic clashes with science, where kaiju roam the earth, and where awe-inspiring battles hang in the balance. The fate of the world rests on the shoulders of this unlikely group of heroes as they battle against forces both seen and unseen.

What to expect?

- A time when technology is gradually turning from Steampunk to Dieselpunk.

- Slow burn/Character-driven story

- Political intrigues.

- Alternate historical drama + Fantasy.

- Multiple lead characters.

- Magic meets Science.

- Shonen anime-style fights.

- Kaijus and destruction.

- Lots of waifus and husbandos

- NO Harem

- NO Cultivation

- It may contain some mild Fantasy Violence, but nothing too graphic. (Check out my Patreon for an Uncensored version)

Inspiration: the Fate series, Full Metal Alchemist, Harry Potter, the Mistborn saga, Kaiju cinema, and George R. R. Martin shenanigans.

Winner of the Writathon October 2023

I'll be publishing on Tuesdays and Thursdays. (Available on Royal Road and Scribblehub)

Join my Discord server: The Ambassador's Office

Join my Patreon: Lucian T. Einar - Patreon

CyberGene [Volume 1 Complete! 500k+ Words] [LitRPG w/ cybernetics + mutations]

★ 4.65

Sixbees2

Chapters M-W-F 9AM.
Volume 1 Blood and Steel: All Three Acts Complete!
Volume 2 Thunder and Webs: Act Two Ongoing!

Discord - Patreon - Spotify Playlist

Upgrade. Consume. Evolve. Whether it’s cybernetics or mutations, this world demands you be more than human.

Every century, the MALswarm invades — adaptive aliens of blood and steel led by Titans that decimate billions and leave behind raw Warp Energy. Humanity seizes this power, transforming into beings of mutated flesh and cybernetic might. Yet the promised utopia remains a lie, and New California’s underworld schemes to profit from the impending Fifth Swarm.

Amidst the chaos, two destinies collide. Ripley — a cybernetics savant battling to save his dying mother — operates in the shadows of a gang-owned nightclub. Diana, engineered for perfection, fights as an officer of the law to forget her past. When a monster is unleashed, they steal its infinite potential to warp their futures with their newfound powers.

In a city where salvation and damnation are inseparable, Ripley reinvents himself from the wreckage of his enemies' cybernetics as a mercenary who will one day become an architect of ruin. Diana's mutated blood crackles with lightning as she purges corruption, igniting into a storm of change. Against a grand conspiracy of aliens, rogue AIs, shady corporations, organized crime and centuries of forgotten history, their alliance — and conflict — determines if the world will plunge into darkness or embrace the light.

Wrong City? Wrong People? No. This is the right city, and they're the only ones who can save this dystopian future.

In the Clash of Blood and Steel, The Eclipse rises — echoing in Thunderous Omens and Webs of Lies.

What happens when you mix GodClads, Cyberpunk: Edgerunners, Akira and a dash of Blade Runner into the mix? This novel.

What to expect?

- Two MCs on opposite sides of the law. Crime vs Police. Mercenary vs Investigator.

- Superhero/Supervillain Themes. How far will they go to achieve their goals?

- Two distinct Power Systems. Cybernetics vs Mutations.

- Adaptation-based Progression. Every Powerset is a story of survival.

- A medium-burn story. Fast-action; slow-burn drama.

- Slice-of-crime. Criminal hijinx, cybernetic crafting, conspiracy investigations, and asskicking.

- Both MCs have separate romantic lives... for now.

- Weak to strong to legendary. Power. Fame. Money - they'll get it all.

- A long Sci-Fi Epic. Three Acts Per Volume. Ten Volumes.

- Eventual alien invasion and Kaiju fights.

Author's Note: This story can be pretty heavy at times. T/W's include: Gore, death, profanity, sexual themes (no descriptions), drugs. Honestly, my novel might be a list of war crimes one day. This story was highly influenced by some downer moments in my life as the characters learn that they can accept the darkness in them and embrace the light. As tragic as elements of this story might be, it is about overcoming tragedy. I hope you'll enjoy it.

Touch

★ 4.65

Rhythminthemind

Touch is a story about a boy named James, and his friends: a group of young, superpowered people brought together by trauma; all trying, in their own ways, to come to terms with what that trauma means to them and who they want to be in response to it. This is a learning process, and mistakes are made, but they grow, learn, and adapt to these difficulties in ways that some might say only young people can.

While it may look it at first, this is not intended as a sad story, merely an honest one. I wanted to make the characters human, and unfortunately, that means that difficulties hit them in very real ways through the story, but then again, they have some equally human moments of warmth between one another as they grow.

Triggers: Explores the aftereffects and recovery process of sexual abuse, and some other forms of physical abuse. I like to think I avoided making it edgy, but you deserve to be informed. Some readers have told me that it can feel a bit too real at times. A bit too honest.

If you like what you read, feel free to comment or review. I like the feedback. Or you can vote for Touch on TopWebFiction.

Touch also now has both a Discord and a Patreon!

Updates weekly.

Nine-to-Five Villainy

★ 4.69

Mat Haz

Once upon a time, a man that flew through the skies as easily as any bird changed everything.

Decades have passed since then, yet life remains depressingly normal for most. For Timothy Lewis and Amanda Collins, there's parties, high-school, family trouble, high-school, awkward crushes, high school, and, of course, their rising careers as supervillains.

Perfectly normal stuff.

Stars Dancing [WLW Romance ✦ Books 5-6]

★ 4.86

Ayela Arcana

Welcome to Andromeda Galaxy, 700 years in the future. Dr. Ryst Nova survives an attempt on her life, but now she's hearing voices she can't explain and dreaming of a man she's never met. When she goes looking for him, can what she uncovers break reality itself?

Ryst finds a best friend in Peydran Madrano, but can her new powers help him find true love? Or do they risk changing everything the world is founded upon? What is the truth of the mysterious planet called Shurwinn, and what is really going on in the Known Cosmos?

Dreams are coming true, and it’s not just Ryst Nova. Realities are bleeding through, and the couples in these books are telling stories no one has ever heard before. Found family, emotional transformation, and deep love await those who turn these pages, and mysteries too deep for words come to light.

⟡ No harem. ⟡ No violence. ⟡ Found family. ⟡ Feel-good series.

What to Expect:
  • Female & Male leads.
  • LGBT leads & cast.
  • Neurodifferent and nonverbal characters.
  • Mysticism in a futuristic setting with an isekai twist.
  • Telepathy, Tantra, & psychic phenomenon.
  • Slow burn romance that turns NSFW spicy in chapter 65.
  • Seven book series. For the stand alone comedy space operas, go to Book 3.
  • For the stand-alone, slow-burn WLW romantic psychological thrillers, go to Books 5-6.

Reviews:
  • “This is cozy!”
  • ”So much charm and wit!"
  • “A master class in emotional storytelling."
  • "'Catcher in the Rye' if Ray Bradbury had written it … like 'Sex in the City' on a different world (but better).”

Broker

★ 4.58

TheBroker

Volume 1 is now Available on Amazon!

The opening of Pandora's Box changed the world, giving rise to an age of superhumans and monsters. Yet mankind was not safe from its own hubris, and in the end, it destroyed itself. It's the end of the world, but Sonya Chernovna has been given a chance for a redo. With her memories of the world to come and her deep hatred of the society that had risen out of Pandora's Light, Sonya sets out to change the future.

Even if it means being the most heinous villain that ever lived.

Chapters release on Monday-Friday with side stories sprinkled throughout.

Book 1 has been Stubbed as per Publisher directive. It will be available on KU and Audible on 4/1/2025