The Army of One (Isekai Progression Fantasy)

Information

Status

Hiatus

Year

2022

Author

Scott W James

• Prologue - A Lifetime's Pursuit
  Nov 25, 2022

Reviews

Community Reviews(10)

• JR CastleRoyal Road

  ★★★★★ 5.0

  Something I don't think the summary makes clear is that this isn't just some standard portal fantasy. The MC, Daniel, routinelly hops between Earth and the fantasy world, juggling his goals in the latter while not being able to entirely remove himself from the problems and responsibilities of the former. It makes for a much more interesting time, and it's something that really hooked me personally as I read through the first few chapters. With that out of the way, I'll just say this is a great story for reasons I'll go into below.
  ***
  Story
  Again, the story revolves around a guy hopping from his mundane life in the real world to a more fantastical one in a magic world, and again, the repeated jumping from one to another really ratchets up the tension. Very much like Stephen King's The Talisman, though more of a power fantasy, which isn't to say Daniel easily resolves the challenges put in front of him. Daniel starts confident in this situation he's fallen into, but as the plot continues he keeps getting more and more problems to juggle between both worlds, and really the story is about him trying to make a better life for himself by taking advantage of an ability that comes with as many benefits as it does drawbacks.
  This all means that there are effectively two concurrent plots—the Earth one and the fantasy one—but one main character trying to deal with both at the same time. The best part is that, while you'd think the Earth one would get the short end of the stick, I'd argue it's actually as interesting as the fantasy plot, and might even contain more danger considering Daniel can't use any of the convenient magical abilities he gains in the other world. The way these plots progress independently of each other and, in Daniel's mind, combine to heap on the stress and complexity make for an impressive display of problem solving on the part of the characters and pacing on the part of the author.
  Characters
  Daniel himself is well-realized as a protagonist. Well-meani
• JusttryingtofindawayRoyal Road

  ★★★★★ 5.0

  This story starts off as many heroic journeys do. In the back of an ambulance being drained of blood. That said I have loved every minute of this story. You're missing out if you don't give it a shot.
  Style: The prose is quite good if not perfect and each paragraph flows well into the next. The dialogue is well written and embedded as well and provides no immersion breaking issues like it does with some authors. It starts a bit slow and by chapter five I'm only in the very beginning of the story still and haven't gotten to any meatier sections.
  Story: The actual content of the story is fantastic, even if I haven't gotten to the magical powers yet I'm sure that I will soon. I want to understand more of whats going on which drives me to read even more. This story is addicting. I'll be right back I'm going to read some more!
  Grammer: Perfect as far as I could tell but its not something I scan for specifically.
  Character: I quite like Daniel, and I really hope one of the introductory villains comes back! He's a little dry just like any call center worker would be, but he's also a fantastic liar if a little out of shape.
• M.D.SylRoyal Road

  ★★★★★ 5.0

  Welcome to the mundane life of Daniel Porter...
  A nobody who wants something more in life other than mundane. Don't we all?
  Daniel meets a wizard under a bridge who tell him about the future should he stay on earth, the wizard offer him a way to a new world and... well you can get the rest from there, or can you?
  Well, this is where the cliche breaks, but I won't spoil the fun, read for yourself.
• Ellen TaylorRoyal Road

  ★★★★★ 5.0

  I would like to take a moment of my review to express my admiration for that cover. It is a lovely cover. I like it a lot.
  Now onto the rest of it!
  Grammar was great. I saw one or two mistakes, but I'm not going to take off an entire half star for that. It didn't hurt my enjoyment of the story.
  Style was great. The prologue was written in first person, and the rest of the story (from what I've read so far) is in third person. The move wasn't jarring at all, and the overall story style was written well. Descriptions were solid, and I enjoyed the world we were discovering.
  The story was facinating. The reader gets a hint at the full majesty of the world in the prologue, and it looks like quite the world indeed. The time jump to the present in the first chapter brought about an interesting dynamic to the world, and what we as the reader know about it. I thought it was well done.
  The characters were great. I was invested in Daniel. He was a great, fleshed out character. And the character from the prologue was also interesting and even though we only saw him in one chapter, I still felt all the feelings for him too.
  Overall, this is a very well done story, and if there are any fans of fantasy out there (and I know there are) give this a read!
• GuthanRoyal Road

  ★★★★★ 5.0

  The story is well written and the initial hook really drew me in. I can't wait to see how Daniel handles being in the other world.
  I could not spot any issues besides a few minion punctuation errors. You don't need to capitalize a dialogue tag if the character ends a sentence in a question or exclamation mark.
  Example: "How is Waldo?" he asked.
• TharsultRoyal Road

  ★★★★★ 5.0

  Overall, very interesting set-up. The world doesn't immedaitely display a clear ultimate villain, but it displays multiple possible antoganitsts and poses a great dea lof interesting questions that make you want to keep reading.
  Ot the door, its an extremely interesting prologue, and given the next three chapters, that leaves me with all kinds of interting questions. The end of the prologue is also very genuinely tense, which bodes well for the rest of the story.
  A few funny moments, mostly the sardonic humor of the mc, but there is a hiarious twist in the chapter one to two transition--If it hadn't twisted, I would probably have needed to not review (I either leave no review or good reviews), because it felt both rushed and cliche. I like lciche when its done well, but not when its done poorly. Instead I got a hilarious moment that will also make me trust the author more going forward as the payoff was totally worht the fake-out.
  Story moves you around fast. For some poeple, that will be a good thing, for others, perhaps less. But it does so concsiely and clearly, so this is just a personal preference thing.
  If I had a complaint it would be that the MC is a bit whiny. I will say that I like "Zero to hero" stories so I'm not necessarily complaining, but its not that he has failed alot (which is fine) its that he seems apathetic at story start. However, tis may very well be a story arc factor.
  Overall, a strong recommend
• Rookie12Royal Road

  ★★★★★ 4.5

  This review is based on the first nine chapters plus the prologue.
  This is a bit of a weird case for me. The prologue is simply magnificent, almost no second is spent in vain. We are being introduced to what looks to be the final days of the demonical empire of a powerful demon, Ardam. The said demon splits from his host, sending the body that he had inhabited for so long to freedom. Everything about this setup is fantastic, and then... it ends.
  We are then introduced to the MC, who has little to no relation to the events in the prologue so far. The MC is a very likeable young man who was tricked into getting kidnapped by a wizard from another world. The MC is very well written, quick on action, and a man who faces consistent challenges, is trapped in a harsh environment, and must now try to survive. Yet I can't help but think that the characters from the prologue were more interesting than Daniel. Is Daniel a good character? Yes. Is his story worth reading about? Absolutely. It's just that the prologue offers far more interesting potential.
  I found no grammar mistakes, and the style is really good. Everything, from a backstory to hardships in the unknown world, comes at the moment when it should and not a moment too late, painting us a picture of this mysterious and beautiful new world.
  The characters in the prologue are great. The first antagonist is great as well. Daniel himself is a good character, but I can't help but have a desire to read more about the protagonist from the prologue. Both are good, but the first protagonist was, in my opinion, far more interesting.
  Story is a solid four and a half. The first chapter gives us just enough hints about abilities in the setting without spelling everything out loud. Daniel's trials and tribulations feel real, and the side characters feel natural enough.
  All in all, I rank this story four and a half stars. Go check it out; it's well worth your time.
• GeoffreyCroutonRoyal Road

  ★★★★★ 4.5

  This is an interesting story and premise for those who like the interaction of magic with our current world. The Earth portion is set in the UK while most of the fantasy portion (thus far) is set in the magical world of Alarstardes where magical aptitude progression goes from Stone, thru Bronze, Iron, Steel and ??? There are also spiritual weapons which bond with a person, growing with them and having individual (and often secret) abilities that the characters have to figure out how to use.
  The basic storyline is fairly imaginative where the MC is thrust into the chaos by events outside his choosing. Unlike some stories where the MC's ancestry makes him the next "Chosen One" or he inherits a special item which is the long lost ring of the Emperor of Nevermindea, he starts out with basically nothing and bumbles his way through. He catches a couple of very lucky breaks, but you don't have the feeling this was his Destiny all along. You are left with the very clear impression he could have died and almost nobody would have noticed.
  As a result, several people have commented how they wish the MC had more of a brain, but in many ways this just adds to the believablity of the story. He doesn't spend two days in a gestalt learning all the lore of his chosen path. Instead, he has to learn how to get information safely, who to trust, and ultimately how to find his way in both worlds (with access to a system of sorts.) It is still early in the story, but I believe it has great promise.
  Stylisticly the author does a really good job. The chapters aren't too wordy, and there is a pretty good pace with the shifts between worlds. Every time you are starting to get comfortable in one world, MC ends up in the other one with a fresh set of challenges to deal with. You find yourself shaken up like the MC, and while eventually the disruptions would get annoying, it is pretty clear he is gaining some control over the process, so it shouldn't be random forever.
  Grammar is pretty well don
• HanneRoyal Road

  ★★★★★ 4.5

  The Army of One, tells a story of Daniel that took the chance to jump world. In reality, the process and the end result aren’t what he expected, not by a wide margin. This isn’t the generic world jumping story where the MC is given power and get acceptance. Army of One put the MC into more realistic settings. Daniel started without a power but mastery of the language. His quick wit and ability to lie his way out helped him to blend in and survive.
  The story is plot driven and while there are some questionable decision that may feel unnatural by the MC, which may need better explanation, but nothing too hard to swallow. Some chapters’ pacing may need some tweaking or polish, but nothing too serious.
  One caveat tho, the prologue has such a strong narration and character driven story of a tragic man, having his chance of a lifetime but failed to see it materialized. But the first few chapters failed to build the same level of narration and excitement that may pose a problem for some.
  But if you don’t let that bother you, then you’re in for a ride. The story is a wild take on the genre and challenges many of the tropes that are usually taken for granted.
• PizzaPizzaRoyal Road

  ★★★★★ 4.5

  Ahhhhh... what a wild ride this story has been so far. Let's jump straight into it with this review. To sum things up, it's a pretty solid isekai piece with prose that reminds me of Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time, strangely enough.
  Style and Story:
  The main character, Daniel Porter, is a typical guy who is less alive than he is slowly waiting to die. He works at a call center he hates, and one day, an old hobo with supposed magic powers gives him a prophecy. Daniel is apparently destined to get married to a woman he'll barely tolerate before dying meaninglessly. A prophecy, or the work of a dimension-hopping charlatan? It's still a bit ambiguous at this point.
  Of course, he winds up kidnapped into a dimension-traveling truck-kun situation in a less grisly manner than in most stories. That doesn't help him much though, and Daniel lands in a pretty gritty world where nobility is more-or-less determined by the magic power of an individual.
  He is promptly mugged repeatedly, trafficked, and railroaded into all kinds of dangerous situations and horrible work/living conditions before finding his isekai protagonist dark fantasy item. Fun times for our isekai protagonist!
  Then, strangely enough, he's promptly phased back onto earth, only to be questioned by the authorities over the ridiculous situation that got him isekai'd before he phases right back into the dark fantasy world he'd just come from.
  That sets up and establishes the overall premise and theme of the story in a nutshell. The protagonist is pingponged between two ever-more perilous situations, with an escalating number of breadcrumbs hinting at a greater cosmic narrative. Why was Daniel truck kun'd? What is even going on in this world? I guess I"ll follow an dfind out later.
  Character Score: None of the characters apart from the MC are really all that developed at this point, but I'm seeing signs of thriller drama and intrigue brewing up with the detectives on Daniel's trail, as well as the lords in Alarstardes o