Anything But Squished [Book One Complete!]
Community Rating
Description
Book 1 is available on Kindle Unlimited
https://www.royalroad.com/amazon/B0DTKQTGZM
Or Audible:
Audible USAudible UK
Blurb
Between death still existing in the afterlife, running through death games that resembled a few videogames I had played in my past, and just trying to survive, just trying not to get squished . . .Sigh.And between the death of my wife a few years back, not knowing if my daughter was alive or not, and meeting a new friend who mysteriously received all my memories—even my weird-ass dreams that I don’t want anyone to know about—and then having her expose those buried memories to everyone . . .Sigh.Between all those things, you know what sucks more?
Oh shit, I haven’t even told you about Greg yet. Stupid Greg.
Anyway, you know what sucks even more than Greg? Let me tell you, but you probably already know. You can probably feel it.
It’s that feeling of being afraid of what’s next. To notknowwhat’s next. The unknown.
That’s why I’m writing this. To lift the veil and to tell you the truth. Earth has been hushslapped—my daughters taught me that one. It’s like joining a voice call only to get muted and deafened at the same time. No communication in, no communication out—only instead of you on a pointless-in-the-first-place voice call, it happened to all of Earth . . . Ourentireuniverse.
Except the Omniverse—our hushslappers—didn’t take into accountthis guy. So buckle up cowboy—uhh, or girl. Crap, I’m gonna get canceled.
Greg, stop the recording. Let’s try again.
What to expect in general:- WARNING: RR is my playground. Therewillbe glaring mistakes. There will be edits, both large and small. Things will change after you read them. I'll try my best not to change the meaning, but it can and probably will happen.- WARNING: I write most weeks, but my posting schedule will be sporadic, especially between books.- Stupid banter between MC and company.- A MC who is kind of dumb sometimes, because he just is.- A MC who cares about doing what is right.- A MC who wants to understand why we exist. Why this all even matters.- A MC who doesn't forget his past.- Mechanics that are logically thought out, with a system that is logically thought out, but not super exposed right out of the gate.- Each book/volume should hit around 125k-250k words.- Other dumb stuff.
What to expect in B1- This first book is a combination of WoW, Apex Legends/PUBG, and maybe a hint of Lethal Company(near the end).- 10-15k words (36-54 pages) of well edited content posted every two weeks.- Chapters that are 2000-5500 words in length- Battle Royale at the end.
What to expect in B2- Full on Lethal Company vibes turned PVP and other fun twists.- Chapters that are 1500-3000 words in length- General mayhem- Twitch content
Information
- Status
- Ongoing
- Year
- 2024
- Author
- isaiahirons
Royal Road Stats
- Rating
- 4.6/ 5.0
- Followers
- 381
- Views
- 11,189
Chapters(6 total)
Reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to share your thoughts!
Community Reviews(10)
- AngelNersusRoyal Road★★★★★ 5.0The story is a remarkable blend of immersive world-building, compelling character dynamics, and sharp, humorous dialogue. It captures the feel of an MMORPG-turned-battle-royale with surprising realism. The pace balances action, character development, and world-building well.
In the fiction, Sam Parr dies in a supermarket by an idiot who points a gun at him and shoots while claiming it’s not loaded. Life was a tutorial, and he is offered two options: restart or continue. Under pressure, he ends up choosing to continue, and something happens during the data transmission. Along with Mie, another soul, he will have to fight to survive.
The character selection reminded me of years ago when I played custom maps in WoW, where you started as a little flame and approached the 3D representations of different players that you could choose from as your race and protagonist.
The author’s style is fluid, engaging, and laced with humor. The balance between gritty realism and lighthearted banter keeps the tone dynamic and prevents the story from feeling overly grim despite its high-stakes premise. The humorous quips and relatable moments, such as Greg’s antics and Mie’s innocent chaos, make the narrative unique.
The narrative shines in its originality. I think that blending MMORPG mechanics with battle royale stakes is a fresh twist that kept me hooked. The exploration of themes like survival, trust, and camaraderie adds depth. Introducing Clara brought a great dynamic to the party, showcasing the growing tension between allies and strangers.
The grammar is solid, with only minor issues, such as overly long sentences in introspective passages.
The characters are the story’s strongest element. Each has distinct motivations, personalities, and arcs. Sam’s balance of leadership and vulnerability, Mie’s chaotic charm, and Clara’s reserved yet capable demeanor create an intriguing dynamic. Greg’s presence as a guide brings comic relief and raises questions about the nature of this new r - LJ KnightRoyal Road★★★★★ 5.0I have been reading Anything But Squished before bed the last couple of days and really enjoying my time with it! The characters are fun, well rounded, and realistic. The situations are comical and drag me into the story. I laughed so hard reading the blurb that I knew I had to start reading right away. There’s some messed up stuff that happens to Sam and he’s gloriously awkward through all of it. The world is so immersive and imaginative that I have to force myself to stop reading every night.
My favorite thing about this story is definitely the humor. I cackle like a mad woman while I’m reading, but there’s some tragedy in the book so far, too. Like the fact that Sam doesn’t know what happened to his daughters. I really hope he gets a chance to find out how they’re doing and if not, I hope that is dealt with instead.
Then there’s Mie who is a delightfully sarcastic character that I could not get enough of. The writing was so well done and I have so many questions about who she is and where she came from, etc. Her past is a total mystery and I can’t wait to keep unraveling all the delicious tidbits! - Night PrinceRoyal Road★★★★★ 5.0Anything but squished is a hilarious Litrpg which takes the DCC formula and improves it to form an even better product.
Style: The system draws influence from DnD and MMOs which makes it feel so familiar and enjoyable. For instance, the characters have life credits, ingame MMO type names (I chuckled at IFartedInFrontofHer), and can logout from the main event arena to go back to their soul space. As an avid MMO gamer, this tropes felt so relatable.
Story: The story is an afterlife survival type story where the MC is trapped in a game like system run by alien entities. Throughout the story, they are subjected to various events and tasks which are oh so enjoyable to read.
Grammer: Clean, clear and easy to read.
Character: The story focuses on three characters:
Greg: a subversion of the wise mentor trope with a hint of tragic past
Mie: a "Soul Seed" who shares the memories of the MC and acts as the companion
Sam : our badass MC who loves his family.
The chemistry between Sam and Mie is especially great with Mie constantly poking fun at Sam embarrassing memories.
Overall an easy follow and I wish the author would hurry up and finish the story so that I can binge it in its entirety. - O.C. WandererRoyal Road★★★★★ 5.0Overall 5/5
Recommended.
Fight scene reminds me of the Silkoard MMORPG. Has unlocked a lot of great old memories. Live the narration and the main character so far.
This is one of those stories that you don't have to force yourself to ready, it flows from one chapter to another.
Character 5/5
Sam, err... Anything-but-Squished seems to have a good head on his shoulders so far and not totally cringe, not yet. We'll see. There are a couple of weird moments, but very relatable so far.
Grammar 5/5
Grammar is great, pacing seems good so far.
Story 5/5
Story is interesting, I like the concept of the soul container and the possibilities. The Mie second character is a mystery so far but well made. Greg was annoying, but I'm glad he's gone.
Style 5/5
I like the first-person POV. It would be nice if we could get some more of Sam's unfiltered view on things, but it seems to work. Mie is his counterpart, and she/it seems to be a bit more unfiltered than Sam, showing a real person beneath there. I think it's important in first person POVs to show the true feelings and so far so good in this case. - Spicy_QuesoRoyal Road★★★★★ 5.0This story is full of epic, against-all-odds battles, and hilariously relatable awkward moments. You can tell the author had fun writing this, and I certainly had fun reading it!
A down-and-out MC and his mysterious and sassy, newborn baby “soul seed” take on the afterlife: a game-like reality run by a sadistic organization. The only way to get answers (and not end up “squished, and then effed” LOL) is to be the last one standing.
The climax was completely epic and the book ended with enough answered questions to feel satisfying and complete, but left enough mystery that I NEED BOOK TWO.
Character: Sam and Mie make such an entertaining duo, with Sam's tragic backstory and Mie's unfiltered access to Sam's most embarrassing memories. The flashbacks give a lot of depth to Sam's character flaws and fears and track perfectly with his character arc—adding to the suspense and increasing the payoff at the climax.
Story: The story is well-developed and has a clear flow. It gets interesting early and keeps you invested to the very end.
Style: The writing is casual and down-to-earth with pacing that feels like you can hear the author reading it— with awkward pauses and all.
Grammar: Super clean, nothing distracting!
—Author's wife (not dead and did not poop while giving birth) - UnkleJellyRoyal Road★★★★★ 5.0The general idea isn't exactly new but this story manages to keep it fresh. Good characters, good dialog and enough intrigue to keep you going. I thought the starting scene was pretty funny and it drew me in. Seems like a very solid dive into an interesting world. I'd recommend it for aure.
- guthmanjRoyal Road★★★★★ 5.0Love the story so far, and excited for book 2!
Anything But Squished gives off similar vibes to a story like "Dungeon Crawler Carl" (DCC). Great character cast, with compelling storylines. ABS is a fresh and unique twist on the LitRPG genre. The shinning stars of this book, however are the characters. They are very relatable and it feels like you are hanging out with some old friends, during their banter. The book moves at a good pace and the author does a great job helping us visualize the world he has created. So excited for the next installment. Definitely recommend checking it out. - kfigginsRoyal Road★★★★★ 5.0I found myself laughing quite a bit as I read this book but it also had a compelling storyline and great progression mechanics. I also really liked the banter between the lead characters. I've read a few books in the litRPG genre and this one didn't disappoint! Highly recommend you give it a try.
PS: Is Audible a possibility?? - pug_prince_08Royal Road★★★★★ 5.0ABS contains everything you want in a LitRPG story - a strong lead with a compelling past, a cast of side characters who both help and hurt our lead on his quest, and a sensible power progression as the characters max out their abilities.
On top of the standard components, there are many new ideas and systems present which gradually get fleshed out throughout the story and leave the reader wanting more! - styfleRoyal Road★★★★★ 5.0I’m a couple chapters in and I can’t put this book down!
I’m also confused where this is going to go but I’m excited to stick around for the ride! 😄
I will update my review once I get further but for now, I need to keep adding more words make it at least fifty words long.