I Have Even Read the Rulebook!

Self-Published

Community Rating

Description

As all stories begin, Prof died. Yes, truck-Kun had something to do with that, but also a bird, a cat, and some rebar.

When he was presented with with the opportunity in the Afterlife Administration Bureau to be transmigrated into a game-like fantasy world, he did something, no one ever did: he read a Rulebook.

Follow Prof on his road to being rich without working, touring a whole new world without care and witnessing his realization, that despite having read the Rulebook the folks living with the System for untold millennia know more about the rules.

Important notes:

1, I'm not a native speaker, so be prepared for occasional typos, iffy grammar, and maybe awkward sentences. The spell check was running, when I wrote the chapters, but it works in strange ways... If you point out mistakes, I will try to correct them.

EDIT: I'm using Grammarly now, so the grammar hopefully got better.

2,Scheduling will be two chapters a week, posted Wednesday evening and Saturday mornings (CET).Chapters will be around 1500-2500 words as RR counts them. Due to real-life work, only one Part will be uploaded each week - Wednesday evenings, CET.

3, I did not and will not post this novel on another site, if you find it somewhere else, please inform me

4, The Main Character's progression is slow, there will be no Levels, Skills, Abilities, Feats, Perks, and Cheat Powers raining down on him

5, I've put Comedy as a genre because of my writing style not because the novel is a comedy per se. EDIT: I have deleted Traumatising Content, but be prepared, those Elves are not nice people.

6, I put a lot of pop-cultural references into the chapters, try to find them!

EDIT: 7, Multiple Lead Character was put into the Tags. The story follows the MC, but there are a few chapters when the POV shifts to one of the other Characters...

EDIT: 8, the story up to Chapter 7 (not including Interlude 1) was translated from Hungarian, everything after that is straight-to-English. If you wonder.

Enjoy!

The cover was provided by BB Shelbie, a HUGE thank you!

Information

Status: Completed
Year: 2022
Author: Mr Alex666

Royal Road Stats

Rating: 3.9/ 5.0
Followers: 345
Views: 351,967

Chapters(173 total)

Reviews

No reviews yet. Be the first to share your thoughts!

Community Reviews(10)

BluesycobaltRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
IHERR walks an interesting line between satire and sincerity. If you have read a straight-forward satire (other reviewers have put forward Terry Pratchett as a comparison which is fair), you will be familiar already with the narrative style. The narrator is at an ironic distance from the action and happy to chime in with their thoughts on the goings-on. However, the plot is very much what you might expect from an Isekai LitRPG. At times the effect is a little strange, but overall it makes for an interesting, punchy jaunt with a soup of fantasy elements subjected to the heat of real world implications.
Style - Probably my favorite part. As mentioned above, there is an ironic remove from it which is either very much your thing, or not at all. The first chapter is an example of this turned all the way up, so if you want to know if it's your narrative style, you'll get a real clear taste straight from the get-go. No surprise tonal shifts later.
Story - Very much in the vein of your usual LitRPG. The differentiation is in the style more than the story, but that by itself makes for a very different reading experience form your usual LitRPG. As someone who likes straight-forward plots executed well, I have no complaints on that front.
Grammar - Little oases of stilted expressions and odd syntax. Nothing distracting and I can hardly fault the author too much since this is in a second language and already quite an impressive undertaking on that merit alone.
Character - Par for the course for portal fantasies, we are still with our main character for a good portion of the beginning. The main character, Prof, is your average everyman, but the central conceit of his averageness being used pragmatically against a quasi-hostile system makes for a really interesting character study in the opening. The only downside is that, at least for the first ten or so chapters, there is an everyone-exists-to-move-the-MC-alone thing going on. But again, nothing you shouldn't expect from someth
W.Z. LeeRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
This is the most unique Isekai LitRPG that I’ve read. The author obviously has read widely in the genre, found some of the tropes absurd, and responds to them in his book by making them absurdly absurd. It’s absolutely brilliant and absolutely hilarious.
For example, the author takes the familiar ‘average guy getting hit by a truck and reincarnating in a new world’ to the n-th degree.
How average is the guy, you didn’t ask. Well, pull up a chair, dear readers, and let the narrator tell you in explicit, descriptive detail how “average” an average guy can be. And is it ridiculous that a truck is involved? What if there was also a raven and a cat. And rebar. And, um, the weather. And instead of being stuck in some void talking to a goddess or some snarky system, what if … (not going to spoil it, read the book to find out).
The title itself is a reaction to characters from other books spending paragraphs to understand what an RPG is and then just saying ‘oh, it’s like a game’. This MC is old-school. He understands that knowing ‘it’s like a game’ is not the point. It’s important to read the rules.
I’m a little disappointed that the third person omniscient narrator took a back seat with the rules explanation. The narrator, reminiscent of Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy’s narrator, is my favorite “character”.
But I can understand the POV focusing closely on the logic that the MC is using to create his character. It works well since it did not come across as an info dump. And I appreciate the author assuming we already know something about how RPGs work.
The author mentions that he’s translating his story into English. There are some weird phrasings here and there but the grammar is not that bad. He also actively edits the chapters based on feedback, so unless you’re among the first readers, it’s hard to see any issues with the writing.
RestuIbuRoyal Road
★★★★★ 4.5
But thoroughly reading the rule book before being banished to a foreign land in a foreing realm with a foreign personality, so I think that could be counted as somewhat "profressor" trait, right? Right?
So this work, I Have Even Read the Rulebook, is basically your everyday Isekai Lit-RPG work for those who are hungry for somewhat similar tropes over and over again.
That unless, you won't see this type of work everyday. Especially when you look on the style the author is delivering.
Style: he author's writing style is distinct in that it feels like the narration is coming straight from his own thoughts, unfiltered and raw. While this can be hit or miss for readers, it does have its moments of success. The author's use of sarcasm and comedic points can be hilarious and really hit the mark, making the reader laugh with the antics of the narration. Additionally, the author's tendency to point out the obvious can be amusing in its own right, as it serves as a commentary on the situation at hand. However, there are times when the wordiness of the story can be overwhelming and even frustrating. The constant stream of thoughts and observations can make it difficult for readers to keep up, and it may detract from the overall enjoyment of the story. Nonetheless, for readers who are willing to put in the effort and focus fully on the story, there is a certain charm to be found in the author's style, along with plenty of clever puns and wordplay to appreciate. Yes, you need to set up the right setting and vibe to focus on reading it.
Story: The author has clearly put a great deal of effort into crafting the setting of the story. The System, in particular, is well thought out and meticulously designed, with the author investing countless hours to ensure that the main character cannot simply exploit it to become overpowered from the very beginning. While there is room for the character to grow and become stronger over time, the author has struck a careful balance between limitin
silverfishsenpaiRoyal Road
★★★★★ 4.5
Alright, so i've been reading this story for a while and i've decided to leave a review because it astounds me how few it has recieved for such quality work. It's not often i decide to leave a commentary on royal road, but i've enjoyed this book so i wanted to take a moment to make this coherent.
Style:
This will likely be the heaviest part of the review, but anyways i think this work is one of the highest quality comedies i've come across on this site, only behind a few purely comedic stars like Skyrates. However, i've voraciously devoured a lot of litrpg's here, royal roads magnum opi perhaps and it's rare to find a work that can balance the comedy and progression so well.
It's far too common for a litrpg to either spiral out of control into its comedic side and destroy the immersion of the world or conversely lean to heavily on the number crunching or levelling and abandon comedy as an afterthought. Even the best litrpg writers here suffer from it. However, i think the author has tapped into a very rare breed of writing style in this regard, what i like to refer to as the effortless comedy. Perhaps you've read PG wodehouse or Hitchiker's guide to the galaxy, but it's the style where the humour works between the lines and abandons the standard setup and punchline structure of a joke for a comedic atmosphere that compounds throughout the chapter, with interspersed chuckles where you cross a threshold.
It works very well with litrpg it seems since it doesn't detract from the progression by making the reader stop to guffaw. It's very enjoyable to read, but sadly maybe not suitable for many on this forum, who seem to be more favourable to seeing the completion of a build than the comedic overtones, which i can understand, since i have similiar sentiments. However, i've found the style of this work to be a refreshing breather from a bog standard rpg without a massive subversion of the genre(idk, like maybe a moldy sock that transmigrates into a space odyssey and starts
CapaluchuRoyal Road
★★★★★ 4.5
If Terry Pratchett or Douglas Adams were responsible for the departed, this is pretty much what we could all expect when a quirky series of calamitous events unexpectedly ended our lives. The satirical tone of I Have Even Read the Rulebook! could easily be found sitting between the volumes of Hitchhikers or Discworld. The prose are clever and irreverent, the MC is a DM’s nightmare and the world-building is not just background noise but something the reader should follow to get the most out of the tale.
STYLE: The pace is purposefully slow which a strong narrative voice. Being a satire, the verbiage is loaded with tricky turns of phrasing. I will admit more than once I had to go back and reread sections. This style choice can be a bit of work to read.
STORY: The setting is very well and thoroughly designed. It is clear the author spent a very long time working out the nuances of the system so Prof can exploit them
CHARACTER: Prof would drive me insane if were playing at one of my Friday night games. I have had this character before so when I say I can see their face overlaid on my imagining Prof, it is a clear example of how well the author has imaged the archetypical Rules Lawyer.
GRAMMER: No noticeable errors.
OVERALL: If you think you'd be interested in satirical fantasy rolled to together with a LitRPG then look no further. This one is for you.
Summit-the -DragonRoyal Road
★★★★ 4.0
This story is fairly good It has an interesting premise that is somewhat uncommon. It has a lot of RPG elements. If you are afraid of RPGs, maybe don't read this, but if you do, put your seatbelt on for the ride.
Style:
I like style. It is a little wordy though. But it is not too wordy. Perhaps lucky is a better word. I also like the humor in this story. The author points out some obvious things for what seems to be comedic value.
Grammar:
I found almost no grammar issues. Only one was found in the twenty-thousand words I read. The grammar is good, in short.
Story:
This story starts off a little slow. The exposition is a little prolonged. It seems to start speeding up at the end. But then again, a slow pace is perhaps another reader's preference. Also, because I know almost nothing about DnD, I was a little lost. But if you are knowledgeable, you likely will not struggle with that.
Character:
The protagonist, who goes by Prof, seems to need a little more fleshing out. We see small glimpses into his past, but he primarily comes off as just a man. Prof needs some more character development. If perhaps, he started interacting with more characters, those attributes of personality might reveal themselves.
Overall, this is a good story. Character development is the big thing that I see need work. But that can be fixed by just, well, writing more of the character and having a view of who they are in your mind. But I would recommend this to any DnD person who likes reading.
MysteriousJDRoyal Road
★★★★ 4.0
To be honest, the first few chapters were a bit jarring, but I started to enjoy it fully.
Style Score: As I said in the title, this style of narrating is different from what I'm used to. From my view, the story is set mostly in 3rd person, but sometimes I would notice the narrator would address the audience directly. I don't mind this at all. It'll just take some time getting used to.
Grammar Score: Grammar wise, there were mistakes that had me scratching my head, but it didn't pull me out of the experience. There are sentence fragments here and there and some that could be reduced. I'd give the grammar a solid four stars.
Story Score: I quite like where the story is heading. So far, it seems like he'll be heading to a different world or dimension, so I'm quite curious about how it'll progress from there. I'll give a rudimentary summary below.
Once the character dies, he is whisked away to the afterlife, where he meets a cranky old lady who urges him to pick a mode of transportation like reincarnation. He continued in another dimension. Then he meets a jubilant girl who informs him of his options and what to expect. He also reads a book that reaches the skies themselves. After that, he's given a character sheet that lists his skills and attributes. He fine tunes it and changes his appearance, etc.
Character Score: Prof considers himself average in every aspect. To many readers, they might find him relatable. He doesn't want to get into trouble in the new world he'll be going to and is finding every alternative to avoid receiving a hard life. The fact that Prof is patient and smart in his decisions makes him seem not so average in that regard. He's a character I can enjoy thoroughly.
Scholar_GirogiRoyal Road
★★★★ 4.0
Style: It's satirical, casual, and good-humoured. Rather slow in the beginning, I assume it was worse before with people pointing out that it was too long. So Im glad that was fixed. There's still a bit more Telling the reader, rather than showing, nonetheless, it's quite difficult to do with the nature of LitRPG. A bit awkward to read at times, but decent at worst, but it holds up in the later chapters.
Grammar: Non-native English speaker, so I have no authority with the technicalities of grammar, punctuation and formatting. I didn't find anything to glaring apart from seeing something in parentheses which is a bit of a turn-off to see for me. The spelling seems good, no errors that I've spotted.
Story: While not a cookie-cutout of the typical LitRPG, it still plays safe with its story. I am reminded of other novels that have the Admin be a bit... dickish. Overall, it's a light-heartened type of story with good amounts of tension. Still, there's a lot of room for the story to grow.
Character: Right, so our MC, he's... the typical average Joe. Essentially a vessel for the reader to relate to and immerse without much to cause any disjointing. He's humourous, if flat, a bit rude, but with all the stress it makes sense. Again, hopefully, he grows more and has more personality added to him that makes him unique.
jackrabbit55Royal Road
★★★★ 4.0
I would have given it 5 stars but DEAR GOD THE INTERLUDES WHY DO I NEED TO READ THE SAME STORY THREE TIMES???
Other than that though it's a damn good read. Smart MC, unique spin on isekai world. Characters are well thought out and feel well rounded. Uhhh, hi.
versiasRoyal Road
★★★ 3.0
"I Have Even Read the Rulebook" is not a bad story, but it's not a great one either. If you're obsessed with reading isekai/falling-into-another-world type stories, it might be up your alley. Those sorts will notice that it can be a little trope-heavy at times, but the ultimate judge of a story is not whether the tropes are used but how they are implemented. This story attempts to engage with a lovable genre in a unique way!
Style
This is probably the most contentious category with this story for most people. The style is a dense, verbose narration from a witty 3rd person POV. The narrator falls somewhere between limited and omniscient for the first few chapters before settling in to a more limited sort. I think the story loses some of its shine with this more narrow narration later on, as much of the joy with this style is the witty, shallow observation of the narrator.
I honestly feel that the verbosity is a boon to the story. The title leads you to suspect an intellectual undertaking and granular story-telling, so the belabored descriptions of events in the 'prologue' is perfect.
I would suggest some minor editing for clearness and consciseness, only.
Grammar
As stated in the summary, the author is not a native English speaker, and this shows in some poor grammar and unusual punctuation. I don't think it's bad enough to make the story unreadable, but if you are the type who froths at the mouth when a semicolon is misused, you may wish to skip this story. If you're Normal about the English language and realize that grammar is a construct, you'll do fine.
Story
Here's where it actually fell apart for me. Although I enjoyed the first few chapters, the glaring issue is that there is no indication of what, precisely, the story would be about. There's a lack of foreshadowing and build-up, and the story beats feel unique but uninspired. The waiting room is certainly fun and quirky, but there isn't a lot of thought put into it. The world portrayed here feels haphazard an