Enter
the World

of the

Broken Dawn

The elves returned from the stars to save Earth...
...and broke everything.

2049. Earth's megapolises are occupied by fabulous aliens. The countryside is a redcap-infested wasteland. And outside the city formerly known as Minneapolis, a half-elven conductor for the Underhill Railroad, will risk it all getting her Runners to safety.

strangeling is Now posting as serial fiction

Series Relaunching

Health problems kept me from writing for a couple years, and the book I published in 2022 isn’t quite the foundation I want the rest of the series to rest on. I’ve been working with a developmental editor, adding chapters, changing the opening, improving the prose, and generally polishing it up. At the time of this writing, I have 5 reworked chapters posted below. Additionally, Book 2 is half written and 2 prequel novellas are in the works. Generally I’m aiming to put out a new chapter every Thursday. 

Subscribe to the newsletter, blog RSS, my FB Writing page, or follow me on Threads for updates!                                 – Kira Hagen, December 2025

Writing Blog & Serial Fiction

Strangeling

First Book of the Broken Dawn Series

2049: Elves returned from the stars to save Earth... from humanity.

STRANGELING is a post-apocalyptic urban fantasy set in a Midwest occupied by elves, aliens, and the fallout of magical war.

Three lives collide at the edge of a broken world:
a fae-blooded protector hiding in plain sight,
a Changed soldier leading a unit of monsters,
and an exiled sidhe prince bound by laws that forbid intervention.

When a new threat rises from the corrupted wilds, their carefully separated lives collide. To survive, they must face the truths they’ve buried—about the war, about their shifting identities, and about the forbidden bonds forming between soldier, alien, and the fae-touched woman standing between worlds.

STRANGELING is a genre-blending urban fantasy space opera featuring:

  • a bisexual love triangle
  • slow-burn queer romance
  • post-apocalyptic survival
  • military fantasy
  • mythic fae politics
  • and found family among outsiders

Now releasing as a web serial! 

New Cover for Strangeling coming soon

Expected full release in Spring 2026

Reviews for Strangeling 1st Edition

"The worldbuilding is bonkers in the best way—Celtic and Norse myth meet dystopian sci-fi with a heavy dose of queer joy and punk energy. It’s messy, magical, and genuinely hilarious. Honestly, if you like your fantasy with heart, sass, and a drag show mid-battle, this one’s for you."
—Ashley G, Librarian
Netgalley Review
The world building and history that is going into this series is great and a wonderful setup for future books. The ending had me squealing in frustration and I am clamoring for more!!! I feel like this whole series is going to be a roller coaster of emotion and I'm here for it. This debut novel by Kira Hagen hit the ball out of the park.
"The story is very well constructed, building and building to outcomes that you can't help but cheer for. The writing is magnificent, almost cinematic at times. Seriously, when the characters arrive at the beautiful Hall of the Matrons, time stood still."
— Maryanne Schuessler
Amazon Review

More Reviews at:

Main Characters

Aisling Lingren

Minnesota’s Iron Range is the last place you’d look for an elf, and that’s why Aisling’s mother hid there. Since her death, her disaster bi daughter has gone full Northland. Between dismantling giants with a chainsaw, working on her Masters, and playing bass for the Lumber Punks, she moonshines as a monster hunter and Conducts for the Underhill Railroad. 

She’s the wildcard.

Arthur Hart

A promising young army captain until Radiant magic left him Changed, Arthur was declared dead and reassigned to command the Strangeling Brigade, a penal unit of monsters sent into the most dangerous zones of the war. Bound to duty and haunted by what he’s becoming, something feral inside him strains against its chains.

He’s the responsible one.

Connor McMann

Once a prince of a fallen world, Connor woke up broken, years after his people reclaimed Earth without him. Since then, he’s abdicated, discovered drag, and pole-danced his way to some new titles. By day, he’s with the Freeport Guard. By night, he’s a glamor-addicted star with intimacy issues and a tendency to flirt with everyone.

He’s the problem child.

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