How the hell have I not read this story yet it is so freaking good

Now this is rather interesting. I'm very much looking forward to reading more of this story. I also see that it is severely lacking in appreciation and reviews.

So I want to like this story. Your premise started out pretty cool. Ordained to bring balance. I liked it. Until it was basically forgotten about.
Your character started our bumbling. Which is fine. Most SIs do.
Buuuut he stayed bumbling. And quite frankly. Very incompetent.
When Shepard doesn’t want your character to come along, welllllllll...
The time line seems jumbled. I found myself jumped through sections because I wasn’t sure of their relevance to the actual plot.
I’m not saying this to be mean. But, I feel there are issues. Primarily surrounding your SI.
Good premise. Good beginning but the rest is just not selling me on it. Sorry mate.

Over 200,000 words and he still can't fight for shit. He has no skills with tech, can't really use a gun to save his life, has no CQB talent at all, his biotics are reactive only (also know as plot-armor), and he's a fit as a corpse. Why? He's been (supposedly) given a mission by God, to unity a universe and he can't even fuckin' fight! What's the fuckin' point? 200,000 words and he can't do shit.

He's not won a single fight on his own. He's had to have someone save his ass at every turn. He's a goddamn liability and he's somehow got a spot on the must advanced space-ships made. I mean really! Is plot-armor all that he's every going to be good for? Is everything just going to be by the skin of his teeth?

This has been a waste of fuckin' time.

I simply love it. It's a really great story and the size of chapters is just right. Pity there're not that many stories like yours. I've read all 18 chapters in a day with such joy. Hope to see new chapters soon.
I've also heard some rumors about remake of the original trilogy. I hope they wouldn't mess up like Blizzard recently did.

ah thought this was going to be something else...might want to clarify your summary! If id realized this was just going to be a self insert joining the crew (which is a pointless read for most readers) and such a poorly thought out one at that id have never wasted my time even opening an adventure that's really ONLY for you! Your not aiming for realistic. Your not world building. He has ZERO advantages. Zero real skill. Zero time to get that skill or build up anything. Beyond being a liability and a tag along for ALL the characters already trained, skilled, and worth something...what is a weak, skilless, pasty suicidal emo going to do 300 years in the future! He cant even operate a tiolet...but he's going to pick up a gun and be a bad ass reaper killer!? He just does not add anything to the story but being a problem. You did no set up you just jumped in without plan or thought!

nice

This is.. is.. is.. simply. excellent!

Looking forward to updates :)

He has the same name as me. I am now emotionally invested. If anything Happens to my fanfic brother I will be sad.

sorry it took me so long to review. life kept me busy as well. so to sum up my feelings all i have to say is. Nice.

Why would Miranda reveal herself like that and attack him especially so quickly i mean how would she of found out about him and traveled to the Citadel so fast also why attack him it makes no sense at all she has no reason to believe he is a threat to her

And why would he reveal all that to her its pretty stupid if you ask me this guy is too stupid to live at this point

Hey guys, Mr. Explorateur here himself! Just figured, probably years after everyone elsethat I can post a "review" on the front page of my story to address some of your thoughts on the Causality Effect.
Decided to do this after several reviewers have expressed exasperation with our hero, Derek, being pretty much a saggy bag of bonesconstantly depressed, almost whiny in his outlook on his situation. This is definitely for a reason, I assure you. The point of this story, and the way it progresses, is to show a journey. Much like many grandiose scale stories. How will Derek overcome his past that has tripped him up so many FREAKIN' times that he's lost count? How would you, much less in a pressure-cooker climate like in the first game of our beloved series? We've ALL pondered this, I know you guys too well.
So keep leaving those reviews, you never know what may be incorporated because you all were attentive to the details! I love it, because it helps me all the more!
Explorateur out!

I find it really hard to like this character. He is pathetic in his focus, and his constant waffling back to his fear and inability to choose a path of action is making it hard for him to influence actions, produce trust from others, or even be personally effective. If he was a friend of mine, I would expect him to screw up, feel sorry for himself and want everyone else to bail him out all the time. He blunders through life, is depressing, and could be removed from this story without affecting the other characters, the exact definition of a side character or disposable interaction, not a main character. Yet that is how you have propositioned him, a key player to aid his sister, Hannah, a mover that will shift the course of events. Instead, you have given us a scared rabbit that fumbles and flays, not contributing and not functioning.

Nice chapter

nice.