The Second Stranger [INACTIVE RELAUNCHED WITH NEW EDITS]

Self-Published

Community Rating

Description

Erik thought his life couldn't get more complicated—working dead-end jobs, sacrificing sleep, and putting his dreams on hold to support his younger brother, Noah. But, when a mysterious portal tears open their living room and Noah steps through, Erik follows without hesitation.

Awakening in the body of Fern, a magicless youth in a land where magic is everything, Erik is thrust into the brutal reality of this new world. He is enrolled in the Academy of Ash, a military school that offers the magicless a shot at freedom. But, only if they can survive its ruthless trials.

Determined to find Noah and reclaim his body, Erik must navigate a treacherous new world filled with deadly creatures, political intrigue, and ancient secrets. Along the way, he'll forge alliances, challenge the corrupt hierarchy, and tap into forbidden powers that could alter the fate of this world.

Will Erik rise above his limitations to become a force that can shatter destinies, or will he be consumed by the darkness he seeks to overcome?

Magic dictates destiny. Erik intends to rewrite his own.

What to expect:Epic Long Series

A protagonisttrapped in another's body, fighting to reclaim his identity.

Intenseacademy trainingwith high-stakes challenges.

A rich world filled withintrigue, mystery, and ancient lore.

An expansivecast of characters.

Monday, Wednesday, and FridayPost schedule.

This work is only posted here and my Patreon, if it is anywhere else it is stolen. This is my own personal work and I have copyright.

Information

Status: Hiatus
Year: 2024
Author: J. G. Sadsquatch

Royal Road Stats

Rating: 4.3/ 5.0
Followers: 1,155
Views: 163,272

Reviews

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

Community Reviews(10)

buiteaRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
I’ve read a good amount of online stories and usually, they are full of grammatical errors - so much that it is distracting from the story. Sadsquatch’s ’A Second Stranger’ is nothing like that. When I am reading, I am completely immersed.
The storyline is incredibly interesting and creative. The writing style is advanced. I actually find myself tearing up, chuckling out loud, and feeling different kinds of emotions as I continue to read each chapter. Best of all, I am falling in love with the characters. That is how you know a book is well written.
Narrin DawaRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Spoilers, obviously:
The Second Stranger weaves themes of reincarnation, self-discovery, and survival into a richly imagined fantasy world. MC Erik’s journey from Earth into a complex world governed by magic and strict social hierarchies is captivating and deeply immersive. Intricate relationships, perilous travels, and Erik’s increasing entanglement with a society openly hostile toward those without magical abilities hints at a ton of depth and development yet to come. Balancing introspection with high-stakes action, the narrative is both character-driven and plot-rich.
Style:
Sadsquatch’s style is full of rich world-building and vivid details that show Erik’s feelings of wonder and fear as he explores this strange new place. The gritty city life, harsh prejudices against Voidbloods, and constant dangers make each scene pop. The story alternates between Erik's adult perspective and Fern's younger, less confident voice, adding some layers to the narrative. Sometimes, the dialogue can seem a bit abrupt, which adds to the tension but could be smoothed out to make characters feel more realistic. Overall, the mix of intense moments and lush details helps bring this world to life, making it feel both magical and real. Unique creatures - both monstrous and mundane - are a major plus, as well.
Story:
The story’s trajectory gains momentum with politically and socially complex layers. Erik’s evolving relationships with his new “family” and other Voidbloods, along with the revelation about his brother Noah’s high-ranking yet mysterious role, add stakes and mystery. Blending personal, social, and political intrigue makes Erik’s cultural experiences depthful, particularly as he heads towards the Academy of Ash and whatever new developments that will bring! His alliance with the enigmatic Lotrick and the protective yet fearsome Cinders introduces a mix of loyalty, survival, and potential betrayals that promises a narrative rich in action, strategy, and moral complexity. How alon
JeremieXIRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Sasquatch takes time in developing the main character and introducing the fantasy world in a way that doesn’t harm the pacing or flow. Once you get into chapter 2 and beyond there is an excellent narrative device that is used to help acclimate the reader to their new world. It is convenient and it works when putting myself in the MCs shoes when I need or want to know things. The MC at no point in the first ten chapters felt so overwhelming powerful that I thought this journey was going to be boring. Clearly he has strengths and weaknesses and struggles to overcome that I am looking forward to reading about in future installments. The setting, abilities and monsters are talked about in familiar ways that make the world palatable for anyone familiar with the genre. And there is a healthy amount of variation that keeps you interested. The stakes start small with an overarching goal but gradually become greater the deeper into the world they go. The supporting cast of characters all come off as individuals in their own right that I look forward to seeing fleshed out and reading more about how they will contribute to the story as it moves forward. I’d recommend this to any fan of the genre.
Kuma33Royal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Second Stranger begins with a prologue that aims to draw readers into a dark, enigmatic tale, though it can feel somewhat overwrought. We meet the Chronicler, an immortal figure tasked with recording the last words of gods and legends. The opening scene with Erik the Great, restrained yet defiant, effectively sets an eerie and high-stakes tone, blending psychological tension with cosmic elements. However, the dense exposition may feel overwhelming for readers unfamiliar with intricate world-building, potentially slowing engagement.
The narrative then shifts into a more grounded story, with Erik reborn as a struggling worker trying to support his brother amid modern-like hardships. These early chapters offer strong character development, highlighting Erik's resilience and his sacrifices for family. The dual narrative—moving between Erik's mythical past and his gritty present—adds complexity, though it can occasionally feel disjointed. The juxtaposition between godlike power and mortal vulnerability is engaging but might benefit from a more seamless integration.
Stylistically, the narrative maintains an evocative tone, using detailed descriptions to create a vivid atmosphere. The writing effectively captures both cosmic grandeur and intimate, personal stakes. However, the level of detail often bogs down the pacing, and certain scenes would benefit from less exposition to keep the narrative moving. Grammar and structure are generally solid, but a few passages could use tighter editing to sustain momentum. The supporting cast—such as the enigmatic Chronicler, the fierce Zola, and the supportive Dario—play important roles, though they sometimes fall into predictable archetypes, limiting their depth.
Second Stranger attempts an ambitious fusion of mythology, reincarnation, and human drama. The portrayal of a godkiller bound by cosmic and familial ties brings an emotional depth that is commendable, though at times, the execution falls short of its potential. With more focu
KuraokamiRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
The Second Stranger pulls readers in from the first page, plunging both them and the protagonist into a vividly imagined world where magic and hostility shimmer side by side. As the protagonist searches for a missing brother, they find themselves in a body branded as an outsider, with layers of social prejudice and cultural mystery complicating every step. This story’s unique premise of identity, survival, and self-discovery makes for a page-turner filled with grit and nuance.
Writing Style
Sadsquatch’s writing is engaging and flows effortlessly, drawing readers through a landscape of rich world-building and tension. The protagonist’s internal exchanges with a second voice bring humor and conflict to the story without ever feeling confusing, as each interaction is clearly separated, with inner thoughts and dialogue well-organized. The back-and-forth dynamic keeps scenes interesting, giving readers insights into both perspectives as they navigate this new world together.
Storyline
The premise of this story is original and gripping. What begins as a quest to find a lost sibling quickly turns into a deep dive into another culture’s harsh reality, where the protagonist’s borrowed identity complicates every encounter. Trapped in a world that distrusts them, the protagonist faces layers of prejudice and otherworldly social codes. Each new challenge adds depth to the story, making the reader’s journey alongside the protagonist both exciting and layered.
Characters
The characters in The Second Stranger are developed with depth and realism. The protagonist’s struggle in their new role makes them easy to connect with, and the dynamics between them and their internal companion add a lively edge. The bond between the two is one of the story’s highlights, creating a balance of humor, frustration, and loyalty that keeps readers invested in their survival. Supporting characters bring a range of perspectives, making the group feel real and unique.
Grammar and Flow
The writing is cl
celiaRoyal Road
★★★★★ 4.5
The two souls in one body aspect immediately sold me haha. I have an odd liking to this particular trope, no matter the genre or type of story.
The Second Stranger pulls that off pretty nicely so far. The dialogue between the two is usually pretty fun. Although sometimes Fern's attitude annoys me a little bit. But well, he's just a teenanger.
The story overall has a clear structure. The MC has an obvious motivation (Noah that sonuvagun), and he works his way toward his goal without straying off the path so far. Let's hope he keeps that up, cause I know many stories whose MC's slowly forget about their initial goals.
The journey the MC has been taking on so far makes sense, and there are some scenes that got my heart pounding.
The biggest strength of this book, I'd say, lies in the visual descriptions. Especially during parts that involve describing sceneries. The visual cues provided through the words make it easier for a non-native english speaker such as myself to imagine the scenes. They're pretty detailed too.
The issue I have is probably with a few of the characters. Hmmm I can't really put my feelings into words. But simply put, I find their attitude annoying and their presence unnecessary. And that would be fine on its own given that's just how their personalities are, but I just don't understand why the MC cares so much about these characters even though they never extend the same level of care to him. At least that's how it looks like to me. It's just my perspective. Maybe other readers see it differently, idk.
Edit: I was probably a bit too harsh there. I have to keep reminding myself that they're supposed to be kids, and the MC is an adult.
But in my book, all is forgiven as long as the "two souls in one body" trope stays on the fun and wholesome route. Because I love that trope, and I love fun and wholesome haha.
MoonraidRoyal Road
★★★★★ 4.5
I just finished reading book 1. The world and story are unique. It’s hard to find something to read where I can’t guess where the story is going. We get very few glances at the big picture. Most of the time it’s a struggle to survive. This leads to growth in character and of course power. But also relationships between characters deepen until I found I was reading a book I couldn’t put down. Well worth a read and your time. Looking forward to book 2.
PyritePirateRoyal Road
★★★★★ 4.5
Style: Clear and we'll written, with action scenes coming off well. Doesn't do anything poorly, though I can't say it blew me away in any respect either. Part of why I took half star off was my disappointment at the switch from a more unique narrative style with future Erick talking directly to us and the whispers from those mysterious creatures who put Erick in his current position to a more generic first person style. I think a fusion of the two could've been very intriguing.
Story: A very intriguing opening that sets up a grand and epic story. Some mysteries, an intriguing if slightly typical fantasy world, and a potentially deep magic system and power balance depending on what exactly is going on with Fern's body. Only downside is I don't care about a major subplot, though that's more on house certain character is written. More on that below.
Grammar: No issues that I noticed at least.
Character: Mostly good. No one dimensional characters aside from the mom and the random bully, though the former could be given more depth depending on how she's handled. Noah was way more of a prick in the opening than I liked. I'm not sure what the intention is with his character, but I genuinely can't card about him or Erick's quest to find I'm him all that much, I'm much more interested in Fern and what's going to happen with that situation. Erick can also feel a bit bland and I'm surprised by him not asking some questions that seemed obvious to me.
DreamsRoyal Road
★★★★ 4.0
This is a solid start for an author without any other works on the site, however it starts to lose some steam/quality once we get the third arc of the story.
I'll start with the positives. There's some surprising good dialogue interspersed throughout, which is a rare thing for a RR story. Editing is also very solid with some expected spelling errors but no large syntax problems or logical inconsistencies in the story (I.e. forgotten powers, items, etc.). The gimmick with the MC sets up some interesting future plot points but still largely unexplored. An overarching plot is already introduced for long term goals.
The neutral stuff. Progression is not a tag I would give this story. There's a magic and alternate power system but we're like 25 chapters in and it's still basically not explored at all. Maybe a minor negative. World building is largely unexplored and tough to evaluate.
Big negatives. Characterization of the MC is pretty weird. 25 year old who acts and thinks like a 14 year old. It's jarring how he seamlessly fits in with all these kids and displays lower maturity than quite a few. I'm sure it's built in for "character growth" but I think it's more just a problem with consistency. Overall I think it's a problem. In a similar vein to characterization Fern basically becomes a new character in the chapter where our MC needs to fight a classmate. He goes from super shy, not wanting to even enter the academy, afraid of everything, etc. to very quickly wanting to fight and get stronger. It's not an earned character growth at all and it's not shown in the story. Definitely could be tightened up.
Those are the big negatives. There's some smaller stuff like our MC still knowing nothing about the academy after the first month (in in book explanation for it is not very satisfying). Why do we still know nothing about the magic system at all? The MC has been here for a month or two yet it's really never came up in conversation. Fern should at least know some basics gro
AlsoJohnRoyal Road
★★★★ 4.0
And it turned out they were being modest.
In the very first chapter of this "Suddenly summoned" 'TF is happening? Kill or be killed story Standard situations and characters seem like they may be a little bit more than the stereotype. The author isn't satisfied with that They totally break what you suspicions Suggest.
Interesting System, Interesting gamelit world of guilds and magics, MC has a class and backstory that promises a lot Given the first chapter There will be a lot. It will break expectations.