Another World, According to German Standards

Self-Published

Community Rating

Description

I was told I had been summoned to a world of magic.Of gods, heroes, and monsters.Of destiny, prophecies, and the battle against ultimate evil. What I found instead were missing handrails, inadequate escape routes,and a completely unregulated approach to dragon management. My name is Max Mustermann. I am a lawyer, specialized in construction and administrative law,and a certified German standards inspector. And if this world believes it can exist without regulations,it is gravely mistaken. What to expect • Ideas and changes proposed by Max pay off later. Real change takes time. • Bureaucracy vs fantasy logic • Weaponized professionalism • Structural, legal, and procedural disasters • Extremely dry humor • Audience interaction & scenario suggestions • A kingdom that may collapse — but this time, with proper documentation. Interactive project As Max travels through this world, he will encounter collapsing systems, questionable architecture, heroic improvisation, and an impressive number of problems that could have been avoided with basic planning. Readers are invited to suggest situations they would like to throw him into — disasters, political messes, logistical nightmares, or everyday risks everyone else has somehow learned to live with. I will pick the scenarios that fit the story best and then we will observe, calmly and professionally, what happens when a man who believes in standards, procedures, and responsibilities is forced to deal with them. Notes on style: Max’s analytical way of thinking and the technical POV were partly inspired by The Martian by Andy Weir. This tale employs a deliberately procedural, bureaucratic tone and a fragmentary structure, reflecting Max Mustermann’s analytical worldview and dry deadpan humor. As Max gradually becomes more human, the narration slowly shifts as well — with longer paragraphs and fewer fragmented observations. Max Mustermann is not designed to be likable. He isnecessaryanddesigned to be the Peak of German Evolution. Regular releases: Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday

Information

Status: Ongoing
Year: 2026
Author: Steckdose

Royal Road Stats

Rating: 4.3/ 5.0
Followers: 688
Views: 86,931

What readers say about Another World, According to German Standards

“I read the first chapter and for a moment, I cringed. I cringed hard. I could not inwardly accept a main character who cared more about standardization, efficiency, and realm-changing safety changing a realm. Thus, I revealed the problem. In so doing so, I…”
softcorebashRoyal Road5.0 / 5
“Max is a very entertaining and thought provoking parody of a man to read about as he tries to robotically do his best to ensure compliance with safety standards everywhere he goes, even when that leads into a dragon's lair, goblin hunting grounds, or simple…”
HenryTSRoyal Road5.0 / 5

Reviews

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Community Reviews(10)

softcorebashRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
I read the first chapter and for a moment, I cringed. I cringed hard. I could not inwardly accept a main character who cared more about standardization, efficiency, and realm-changing safety changing a realm. Thus, I revealed the problem. In so doing so, I scrounged for a solution.
Clearly, redefine the parameters I had for accepting main characters.
Thus allowing me to fall in love with an absurd story about how to show care and concern in a standardized way for random people actively trying to harm and hinder themselves.
Seriously, a great read; if I had to point out something, it would be the lack of detail in terms of specific character description and setting, which is not a demerit in any sort of way. It adds so much to the style of the writing when we get an aptly-timed rich metaphor of the environs, or of the grandness of a person and/or creature, or of the stark change between what was and what is now. And the punchlines! They land with great German comedic timing! But I will complain about the lower case "I"s every so often. It shows that the story was definitely written by a human. Iteration is progress, after all. And I have made this as succinct as I could have!
But seriously check out the story, it might have you laughing hard if you're into situational comedy but there are a lot of actually epic moments in this weird sort of fantasy slice-of-life. Especially
The kitchen changes. I was like the weird smiling animatronics before I could stop myself. Seriously hurt my lower facial muscles.
HenryTSRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Max is a very entertaining and thought provoking parody of a man to read about as he tries to robotically do his best to ensure compliance with safety standards everywhere he goes, even when that leads into a dragon's lair, goblin hunting grounds, or simple road construction.
There are very few problems he cannot approach through the lens of a security expert and lawyer and he sooves problems in very novel ways compared to most protagonists in and out of the genre.
SNFORoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
This book scratches an itch I didn't even know I had. It's genuinely a great read. Fussy safety dudes are the bane of any dangerous operation, and what's more dangerous than a fantasy world? Unlike most isekai protagonists, Max leaves a wake of order and predictability behind him, like a reverse cyclone. You will know him by the trail of OSHA compliance.
SatisMagicRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
I love this story so much, it‘s absolutely hilarious — a wonderfully dry, witty humour. And speaking as German with a background in law and some familiarity with public administration, the story isn’t just incredibly funny but also extremely perceptive. If it was only a satiric application of DIN norms and safety regulations to a magic kingdom, it wouldn’t work half as well as it does. The magic of the story is in the interplay of the analytical, rational, and the psychological, human, messy aspects of how communities work. I am also really impressed with the consistent style, witty and wry, always perceptive, never boring.
WauuuWolfRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
A unique premise with a relatable story progress. A Main Character that stays true to its role. Analyses a lot and assesses risks at every corner. Haven't read such an original Story in a while. It is a bit dry but that is the nature of the character. I am enjoying it a lot.
Ea-Nasir512Royal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
As a German, this one.... it just speaks to me on a level I never knew before. All jokes aside, this is one of the funniest Isekai I've ever read. The author doesn't shy away from reveling in the absurdity of the work. You can hate or hate-love our difficult protagonist, but as long as you can endure the way he speaks without developing constant cranial hypertension, I heartily recommend it.
Mincho NyangiRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Since I’m used to Korean web novels, I thought I’d already seen just about every “unique” setup out there. But this story genuinely grabbed my interest for the first time in a while.
There are plenty of novels where the protagonist gains magic in another world and goes off on an adventure. What’s much rarer is a story where the protagonist tries to improve the social system, public safety, and logistics/supply networks of that world. That “civilization-building” angle makes the setting feel grounded and surprisingly refreshing.
The premise—where the protagonist ends up in charge of “system improvements” in a fantasy world—reminded me of Amagi Brilliant Park and How a Realist Hero Rebuilt the Kingdom. That said, the main character here clearly stands out: his personality feels distinct, and his decisions are interesting to watch because they’re not just “power fantasy choices,” but practical steps with real consequences.
At first, it felt a bit unfamiliar—but if you think of it as “German standards,” the internal logic feels surprisingly solid, hahaha. The interactive novel format is also a great twist. If more readers participate, the story could gain a whole new kind of energy, and I’m excited to see how the author reacts to that feedback and builds on it.
If you’re looking for something fresh and genuinely different on Royal Road, I think you’ll really enjoy this one!
Mori FriedmanRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Safety by someone who lives it.
This is a very enjoyable tale that any one who has ever worked in a manufacturing or construction environment will be constantly laughing through. The veritable onslaught of one-liners and choice words will quite literally have you laughing out loud. This is the best comedy piece I have read so far and deserves your full attention. Seriously, it's great.
Max is wonderfully unique and annoying person, the very epitome of a safety inspector who doesn't just speak it but lives it. When he finally sits in a questionable chair (after thorough inspection) it's sign of just how exhausted he is. His character development is near perfect. All that's left is bit of back story to learn why he is the way he is. Nicolas earns his name in epic fashion graduating from NPC to person who matters. The king and the dragon are also developed as well a hotheaded mage.
Style is where this novel shines. I love the style. I can't exactly put my finger on why, but the way it is written makes for a compelling read and you might lose sleep over it.
Grammar is clean and spot on. No loss of immersion
JackthesliperRoyal Road
★★★★★ 4.5
Let me start off, by saying that the comedy is situational, in so much that it heavily relies on the situation and enviroment of the humurous part. It executes this well, making the comedy slef compounding as it builds upon itself. The characters are well written, if not given a lot of depth in some cases, due to them simply not appearing as much.
Fun Fact: While Max Mustermann is usually seen as a space holder in German culture, at least one exists!
The Idea of one such character to be the more or less epitome of german standardization, apart from the more commonly known ISO norms, proves as a very subtle comedy, where absurdism is employed to some degree.
Fun fact 2: electric bogaloo: The currently highest DIN law is 65100, although that doesnt reflect how many there actually are, being closer to 35000.
The World may not be fully fleshed out yet, but the begginings are there, and quite compliant with what I would call slow Worldbuilding. The writing style lends itself well to the premise of the story, and thus far, no grammatically challenging phrase sprung to mind.
I give 4.5 stars not because there is something to do better, but simply because it lacks that certain something, which elevates the story to the highest of heights.
Good job!
Overgrown DwarfRoyal Road
★★★★★ 4.5
One of the more bizarre entries I've ever seen. Based an a terrible premise - a German OH&S officer transplanted into an unnamed medieval kingdom where he sets about applying the "Deutsches Institut für Normung" standards on everything. So, is it any good, and does the authors vision have merit?
Grammar: 4.48 - No work is perfectly polished right out of the shaker, but there are no grievous errors.
The sentence structure, as it is, is bad. But that won't be addressed here, because it is a stylistic choice, not because the author can't write. Spelling, punctuation mostly fine, Author responds to suggestions promptly - more on that later, believe me.
Character: 4.39 - Max is just so ridiculous that you can't help but like him.
Max is a high-powered robot manufactured to exacting standards in a German Volksmachenfabrik. I can't confirm that, but that is how he acts. He scans every location like the Terminator, cataloguing every OSHA violation. He will write a 17 page report, in duplicate, and submit it. It's actually unclear - left specifically vague - what his actual "powers" are, but he has them. His reports are always acted upon, as if by compulsion. He's invulnerable except in extremely specific circumstances. The people bearing witness to "him" can only give in to his ruthless, practical efficiency and implacable drive to force the world to adhere to the standards.
Style: 4.12 - Easily the "weakest" part of the work, but unable to be improved unfortunately.
As mentioned previously, sentence structure is virtually non-existent. That's due to the peculiar, but somewhat necessary stylistic choices the author has been forced to make. Paragraphs are rare, there are no evocative descriptions, nor any exposition or history. It is dialogue (funny dialogue, though) and a set of observations, statements and declarations. It's a fiction in the form of a computer printout of its root directory. It's not great on the eyeballs, but once you get into the content, you realise it