The Errant Otherworlder

Self-Published

Community Rating

Description

“In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death, taxes and trucks whom transport men to other worlds.”

Meet our titular protagonist Haruto Watanabe, a man who has all the markings of a good protagonist for a generic portal fantasy story. As an overworked office worker, to escape from the grips of crippling capitalist alienation, he had taken up to reading many stories where young men like him were transported to other worlds and enjoyed their lives at a most leisurely pace. Armed with genre-awareness and (what he believes to be) a marketable personality which would make him an easy audience self-insert, he longed for the day the isekai express would take him to his long-awaited adventure to another world.

When the fateful day came, where the fair yet harsh mistress that is the fabled truck took Watanabe on one last date to the other side, he was most ready to escape his previous life, ready to embark on an errant so great he’d be most overpowered, his heroics so exceptional and his harem so vast that they would barely fit ten or twenty volumes of an overly long novel made by a desperate author looking for quick cash.

Lo and behold however, Watanabe instead found himself in a low fantasy world which lacked severely in the department of any game-like systems, cheat skills or easily charmed damsels in distress. In a setting so antithetical to his established genre savviness or any attempts at power fantasy, how will a man like Watanabe, lacking in strength, wits and courage, manage to survive in a land most foreign to him?

The Errant Otherworlder is on indefinite hiatus until the John Brown Isekai is finished.

Information

Status: Completed
Year: 2024
Author: The Cabbage Preacher

Royal Road Stats

Rating: 4.3/ 5.0
Followers: 50
Views: 34,624

Chapters(30 total)

Reviews

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

Community Reviews(8)

A V DalcourtRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
This one is a fun read, with the author often breaking the 4th wall to speak with the reader. We follow Watanabe, a Japanese average joe of average joes, working the daily office grind of his mundane life.
Enthralled by the adventures he's read in the Lit RPG and Isekai genres, Watanabe immediately recognizes that he's died and had rebooted into an alternate realm where is to expect overpowered skills but most importantly a new girl to add to his harem every chapter. Only it doesn't happen. But it doesn't stop him from expecting it to happen.
The Sly King KongRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
This is one of those stories that scratch an itch not easily scratched. The trick to let yourself sink into the prose, letting the author's voice take over. There's a strong voice in this story so it becomes it's own form of entertainment.
Also, for the pople who enjoy it, there's drawings in the chapters.
Edge ValmondRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Style:
I do not grade style, but if I have to give something. It is in third person PoV, as well as easy to read and follow. The style is made well use of to get things across. At least this is my personal view of it.
Grammar:
A few here and there, but nothing bad. It is completely understandable.
Story Score:
This story doesn't take itself seriously, rather it pokes fun at stuff. Such as being Isekai and the usual tropes. Ya know, someone expecting women or something. It also goes into 4th wall territory, which just adds onto the humor. There are some pictures as well, and all around is just a solid experience. There really isn't much I can say without ruining the fun, just know it delivers. When I went in, it was a bit confusing. Until it clicked due to how it was portrayed.
Character Score:
Watanabi it follows, and the authors makes sure to really show the hilariousness of the situation. At least to my understanding. Though, I still feel there needs to be something more. Can't quite put my finger on it. Nonetheless, they were decent I will say. If I am right, the guy realizes he died, then came into a new reality or something.
Overall:
I can recommend this, as it is clearly meant not to be taken seriously. Though, more for laughs and whatnot. Don't think I have a complaint, so head on in and enjoy.
CloudfallRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Cover: This is where the fun starts. A very good cover that fits the story.
Synopsis: It really tells the readers what the book is all about in a descriptive way. It draws the readers in. A good one.
Grammar: Excellent. No error that could affect the flow of the story.
Story: The plotline follows Haruto Watanabe, an overworked office worker who was isekaied into an alien world. This story is a mixture of fantasy, comedy and historical. From what ive read, the story is developing really well.
Style: Third person narration. Well used.
Characters: So far, they're well written, especially the MC, Haruto Watanabe.
Overall: Great work.
SennacheribRoyal Road
★★★★★ 4.5
Usually when someone writes a "deconstruction" of a popular genre, it's usually by some ignoramus who knows nothing about what they're supposed to parody. Thankfully, The Cabbage Preacher knows his shit.
"The Errant Otherworlder" deserves a medal for actually acknowledging the existence of isekai that isn't "dumb normie becomes awesome instantly", but it could do better.
There is a lot of isekai that doesn't have anything resembling a harem. And also there has been a surge of slow life and female led isekai in the past few years that aren't power fantasy focussed, but I'm sure the MC reads none of those.
If you put this series in the hands of a less capable, less intelligent author it would be nothing but shitty things happening to him nonstop while a laugh track plays in the background. Most anti-escapism "satire" has zero message beyond
1. You are a bad, incompetent, and worthless person for wanting escapism
2. You deserve to suffer forever, especially in your escapist fantasy
3. Insert flimsy ideological justification here
What an insightful and empowering message!
Anyhow, it was also pleasantly surprised by how it didn't take itself seriously. It actually tried to be fun and entertaining and succeeded at it. It was a lot more than a perpetual "How dare you!" aimed at the reader. Unlike a certain other series, The Errant Otherworlder wasn't excessively mean spirited, self righteous, or ignorant.
Contrary to what I expected, it isn't three hundred pages of masochistic torture porn that jacks off to the MC being degraded and humiliated while we, the audience, march through the streets flogging ourselves for not living perfect lives. The MC actually learns and grows as a person and eventually he gets more adjusted to the world he finds himself in.
Sure, he has his flaws, and he does get humbled for them. But that's not all the story is about. But upon closer inspection he actually shows bravery and courage, albeit a tiny bit of it, by not immediately running away at
Quinn ZwistRoyal Road
★★★★★ 4.5
"The Errant Otherworldler" is a fun deconstruction of common isekai tropes. Much of the humor is derived from the fact that the expactations of the protagonist get constantly subervted. Watanabe is also really good at making things up, which leads to funny and interessting situations.
The characters are well written. I especally liked Rabanowicz. She is a great contrast to the hero because she is more down-to-earth.
TealiciousTeaRoyal Road
★★★★ 4.0
A funny light ripping into isekai and LitRPG genres.
The text is fun which is the main thing for a comedy that most of the jokes land. The main character and his genericness creates ample opporunity for dry humour based on the context of what is happening to him.
Grammar is mostly fine and the author makes minor corrections when they are pointed out.
xXSB101XxRoyal Road
★★★★ 4.0
It's fine. It stands out a bit with added art, but it's a simple short story that does a pretty decent job at parodying the isekai genre, though some of the jokes could be a bit overdone. Overall I would say it's realistically about a 3.5 stars but I'm being generous and bumping it half a star due to the art.
Note to self, Vol 1 story is 62,989 words