Totally not a isekai story

Self-Published

Community Rating

Description

Have you ever wondered what could happen if a group of heroes were summoned to defeat the demon king, complete with all the stereotypical plot points, but someone was inadvertently left behind? Join us as we explore their story, filled with countless adventures and a whole lot of fluff. Plus, who would have thought that a guy buried in paperwork could stumble his way to victory?

My first novel on this platform

Information

Status: Hiatus
Year: 2023
Author: wingman

Royal Road Stats

Rating: 3.9/ 5.0
Followers: 34
Views: 18,820

Chapters(28 total)

Reviews

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Community Reviews(10)

Authors DreadRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
I've recently had the pleasure of immersing myself in a story that takes the well-trodden path of the Isekai genre and breathes new life into it. The story, aptly titled "Totally not an Isekai story," is a delightful blend of familiar tropes and unexpected twists that kept me engaged from start to finish.
The story follows our protagonist, Hiro, who, along with his classmates, is transported from the mundane world of Japan to a realm fraught with danger and intrigue. The narrative cleverly subverts the typical Isekai clichés, with Hiro's nonchalant attitude towards his classmates preventing the overused "power of friendship" trope from taking root. This refreshing take on the genre is a testament to the author's creativity and understanding of the genre's conventions.
The characters in this story are its shining stars. Hiro and Yui, in particular, stand out with their dynamic, clashing personalities. They are flawed, relatable, and their development throughout the story is a joy to follow. The supporting cast is equally compelling, each character bringing their unique flavor to the narrative.
However, the story is not without its rough edges. The writing style, while generally on-point, is occasionally marred by grammatical errors and awkward phrasing. The dialogue, while engaging, can sometimes feel bloated with unnecessary details. But don't let these minor issues deter you. The author's passion for storytelling shines through these imperfections, and it's clear that with a bit more polish, this story could truly shine.
The pacing of the story is another aspect that deserves mention. The narrative doesn't rush to throw the reader into action-packed sequences. Instead, it takes its time, building up the world and its characters, making the eventual payoff all the more satisfying. This slow-burn approach might not be everyone's cup of tea, but for those who appreciate a well-crafted narrative, it's a treat.
Totally not an Isekai story is a promising tale that offers
keeganashleyliveRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
This one is fun! It’s a very enjoyable journey to follow the main character as they’re dropped into an unfamiliar world and have to work to save themselves (and maybe the world…probably eventually…). The style is casual and easy-to-read though I feel like the grammar falls a little short in several places. Where this story excels is the unique voice which I found included a good bit of humor. The author is obviously an avid reader who makes jokes (even with the chapter headings! I loved it!) about the storyline not following the typical, cliché lines of several genres.
And it’s true, the story and characters don’t stick inside those cliché lines. They bust out of them. The characters are enjoyable, and everything feels very light-hearted despite drastic stakes (something I would attribute to the casual writing style, which I really liked). I’d say the story on a whole could use some polishing up, but it’s a fun read if you want something light and different, and I had a blast reading it which means everything to me when I’m reviewing a story. In that light, I decided to give it 5 out of 5 stars. Kudos to the author, well done. 😊
Wolfgang HuxRoyal Road
★★★★★ 4.5
What a journey I've been on and I've only read four chapters! We go from high-school with all its innocent crushes and unique teen dynamics to being adults who have dealt with a tramatic situation all the way into Isekai itself after four short chapters. And the author manages to make it intriguing the whole way through! I'm impressed! So, lets get into the breakdown!
Style: I think the style here is very good. The author has short readable paragraphs, quick snappy dialogue and crisp descriptions. At times I feel like there are a few awkward phrasings or repeated words but this is a very very small nitpick on an otherwise very wel written piece.
Grammar: I think here there needs to be a bit of work done but I can see how the author has dramaticaly improved across chapters. The first chapter is written in present simple which is a little jarring and then it shifts to past simple later, which is much more readable. In the transition there are some times where the tense does shift back and forth though. Overally I just think a hard editing pass will solve this, I can see that the author can write very well so this is just a time commitment.
Story: Heyo! This is where I have to give full points. The story is super super interestin to me. So much so I wish I could slow things down at times! I was really digging our first chapter in Sakura Highschool and the crush Hiro had and how all the classmates interacted. Perhaps this will come into play later if they are found, I sure hope so! As we move forward in our time jumps things get more and more intriguing, we have a mystery and we have our two heroes and its an adventure that is quite compelling.
Character: Another high point! Very good characterization that makes you want to read on and root for each of them. I'm really hoping to see some characters again as we move forward.
I reccomend this book! I think it will improve a lot over time and with some editing :)
ZanafarRoyal Road
★★★★★ 4.5
Based on the title of the story, I was expecting a satirical take on the Isekai genre, and it did not disappoint. As each chapter unfolded, the author plays around with tropes found in that genre and tunes them to their own style. So far, I'm liking the premise, just needs a bit more fine-tuning.
Story: Hiro and Yui get reincarnated into another world as Augustus and Alexandria. The time skip to their adolescence was welcome, so the story can progress to the more interesting stage in their lives. I was expecting some standard fantasy action at this point of the story but was pleasantly surprised by the more slice-of-life approach detailing Augustus' daily tasks and the social dynamics between him and Alexandria. The premise is interesting so far and offers a good foundation to explore the various tropes the genre can offer.
Style: I read through the early chapters fairly fast thanks to the short paragraphs and ample amount of dialogue so it had a feel like reading through a light novel. There is enough exposition presented to drive the plot forward and the character's voice (Hiro/Augustus) feels authentic to a teenager's. With the way the story is progressing, it feels more like a Josei romance fantasy mixed in with the satire of Isekai.
Grammar: The story is written in the third person, omniscient point of view. While there are some grammatical errors, the author has been steadily improving the story's grammar and syntax after each revision. I didn't notice anything too jarring that pulled me out of the story.
Character: So far, the characters are likable and I'm intrigued with how the new relationship between the two characters evolves. Seeing the small changes to the characters before and after their reincarnated states was quite interesting. Hopefully, the author explores more on this in the later chapters.
Overall, the premise of the story is certainly interesting and the passion of the author shows. It's a fun read and the light-hearted tone (at the moment) se
DustGravityRoyal Road
★★★★★ 4.5
Its a pretty good story all together with a few minor errors. But if you like the typical Harem anime, then you are going to like this story. I mean this in a good way
Style: Style is pretty good. In the first chapter it felt that our hero, 'Hiro' was rushing from one scene to another, which was a little bit jarring. There is typical use of Japanese terms, like kouhai, tsundere etc...which gives it that anime-esque vibe. Personally, I didn't like it that much as it felt overly tropey
Story: I think that the story here is quite solid. As the title claims, it is not totally an Isekai story and I for one quite liked the twists and turns. It has quite an interesting story. Liked
Grammer: Easily the weakest part of the story but...there is a but, that is fixable and will get better with time. You can read and understand everything
Character: The characters are pretty one dimensional not going to lie. The moment they are introduced, they are fit into a trope, namely younger girl, cold crush, class president, cute under classman but that's the story's charm.It gets resolved as the story progresses
Give it a try though! Its great
Scholar_GirogiRoyal Road
★★★★★ 4.5
So, this story takes on a number of tropes and spins them into a fun, light-hearted story that should please the reader. It is rough, but that is understandable, and the author is new and has many paths to walk and room to grow. Still, despite all of that, there is a good foundation to work upon.
The Style and Grammar from the get-go have echoes of well-put thought. Despite English not being the author's primary language, there is s strive to learn, and the later chapters have seen some improvement. Nice editing software and more study will elevate this work.
Now, the Story and Character focus on the classic isekai with Hiro and his adventures in this new world. There's danger, tension and plenty of funny moments. There's a subversion of usual cliches; I think it's a breath of fresh air.
As for the Characters specifically, the author has put plenty of passion into creating real people that I, as a reader, can enjoy and follow as they interact with one another and the world. They have tasteful personalities, believable and intriguing flaws and strong goals. They have plenty of room to grow as the story progresses.
Overall, this is solid, and it takes courage and love for writing that author wingman has done so. This is only the beginning of more enjoyable work to come, and I wholeheartedly support this endeavour.
RestuIbuRoyal Road
★★★★ 4.0
This is not just a fancy spin, it is a satirical response to most isekai story out there (based on my interpreation). Just look at the title, and each of chapters' title! It is fairly enjoyable tale that is sure to delight some readers, but I must say we need more polish, not just from the writing-wise, but also plot-wise. But despite any rough edges, there is a strong foundation here to build upon.
Story: This is a satirical take on isekai tropes that manages to subvert expectations in a refreshing way. Rather than featuring an overpowered protagonist with a goofy ahh demeanor, the main character is a man who spends his days buried in paperwork and keeping expectations of his people, giving the story a more melancholic tone. Meanwhile, Yui and her alter (?), Alexandria in another world is not just a mere plot device to create a fairytale heroine, but an opportunity for her to undergo genuine character development. However, despite these promising elements, the story mostly just serves as a critique of the isekai genre, with little forward momentum and a heavy focus on slice-of-life moments. It's not until chapter 15 that any real action occurs, with a rebellion finally rising up. I think you can shorten most of the story there, since most of it contains such trivial dialogues that would bore the readers quickly. Most of the dialogue is solid and somewhat beiivable, just most of them are unnecessary to the story and serves to bloat the chapters with words. Try to speak your works out loud and feel it, maybe you can feel how jarring the pace can be.
Style: The writing style is generally on-point, but the dialogue is weighed down by excessive and unnecessary details, which can disrupt the natural flow of the story. While adding action/dialogue tags is a norm, you don't need to add every single dialogue a tag to incoporate with. Especially if the conversation happens between two people. If the conversations is long, it is good to apply something like:
" *Augustus' word
W.Z. LeeRoyal Road
★★★★ 4.0
Not only is Totally not a isekai story not a traditional "isekai" story, it is, in fact, a very different kind of story altogether. It includes a lot of stereotypes (Japanese high school, class rep, little sister, cherry blossoms), but it also includes a lot of trope subversion. I won't spoil the trope subversions and allow the readers to find it themselves.
The early chapters read like a Japanese light novel, full of dialogue and character interactions. It reads very fast, like a manga. The setting is described well, but there are various inconsistencies in the dialogue and characterization. There are also a lot of repetitive phrases.
The grammar, punctuation, and capitalization in the early chapters also need some editing. From the footnotes, it does seem like the author is actively fixing the issues though.
Once the, let’s just call it the fantasy world, happens, the style changes drastically. It reads a lot more like a fantasy after that. The grammar and punctuation improve too.
The author is very much writing with a specific audience in mind, as various terms common in Japanese isekai stories are left untranslated and unexplained. And, of course, only those who know the tropes will appreciate the author’s take on it.
kanundraRoyal Road
★★★★ 4.0
Opening.
This is clearly a new author trying out writing, and I won’t knock anyone at all for putting themselves out there, it is hard, and everyone has to start somewhere, and he stopped by my work earlier today with a review as well. This is my honest opinion, and if the author would like more help at a later date, I am willing to come back. Offer some advice etc in DM's or discord.
Story.
We follow Hiro who’s at school and it seems a pretty strict school. Of course it would be in Japan, they have some really focussed ways of life. Sakura saves the day, as he’s an obvious klutz and forgets everything.
It gets a little more interesting when we get through the portal and back. And we swap over to Augustus.
Style/grammar.
The first chapter has odd – between lines, but the next doesn’t.
The author’s clearly just settling into how and where this story is going. Just needs some combing through later when editing just to make sure that we’re seeing things as the author intended. Not a bad thing, it doesn’t detract from us wanting to know what comes next. I would look at each scene and who is telling the story, because it seems very much like both Yui and Hiro, and I’m really not sure the author can pull off omniscient pov right, at the moment its very hit and miss. We are feeling both physical reactions from them. In different paragraphs.
Characters.
I think there’s a lot of potential here, there’s some touching moments between Hiro and his friends and I want to learn more from him and them. Yui is also very interesting and the one he goes through the portal with. So she’s going to be important.
I like the timeskips, they give me extra details, and Augustus and Sebastian are very interesting too. So is Alexandria. Just be aware that you are swapping pov’s inside your scenes.
Closing.
Kudos to the author for doing this, putting yourself out there is not easy. There’s clearly a way to go, and I won’t put anyone down for that. Readers can make very good authors, it’s just l
BugyRoyal Road
★★★★ 4.0
"Totally not a isekai story" offers a nice, lighthearted spin on a well-worn and trope-laden genre, cleverly utilizing these clichés in captivating ways. The only thing needed is a thorough editing pass.
Plot:
The story follows protagonist Hiro and his classmates as they are transported from Japan to a much more unforgiving and perilous world. It's intriguing to observe how the narrative simultaneously embraces and challenges the genre's conventions – for example, Hiro's indifference towards his classmates prevents him from succumbing to the "power of friendship" cliché.
Style and Grammar:
This is the story's weakest aspect. Grammatical issues that can detract from the reading experience.
Characters:
This is the story's greatest strength. The author effectively creates distinct perspectives through multiple point-of-views. Yiu and Hiro, in particular, stand out for their dynamic, clashing personalities. Both are flawed characters, and it will be fascinating to see how they tackle challenges as the story unfolds.
In conclusion, this is a tale worth reading, but it requires some editing to truly allow its captivating characters to shine as they should. I look forward to reading more of this, and it definitely is a nice break from the classic stories that I have been reading. Keep up the good work!