Sublife Crisis (Life Is Just A Phase)

Self-Published

Community Rating

Description

Luri is dead again. Which means it is once more time to meet old friends, share new stories, and drink things that are likely lethal to anyone who isn’t already deceased. In between life and death, in between earning accolades and honing skills, there is nothing to do except wait for the next try, and share moments with the only people who can be important to you. Luri is dead again. But even this won't last forever. _____ Cover art by the fantastic Kindra Tia, whom you can findhere.

Information

Status: Completed
Year: 2024
Author: argusthecat

Royal Road Stats

Rating: 4.8/ 5.0
Followers: 1,393
Views: 300,914

What readers say about Sublife Crisis (Life Is Just A Phase)

“Chapters 1-10 are an absolutely wonderful and self contained exploration of genre, existentialism, and found family. I will continue to read and I DO continue to enjoy it but those first ten chapters are an absolute must-recommend. They give you a glimpse i…”
ukTemperanceRoyal Road5.0 / 5
“Old Friends Gather in the Backrooms between lives to tell a story of contrasts. The all have Infinity, yet there is never enough time. They are Immortals of countless half remembered mortal lives. They carry the regrets and tragedies of countless more peopl…”
AlbincrovvRoyal Road5.0 / 5

Reviews

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

Community Reviews(10)

ukTemperanceRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Chapters 1-10 are an absolutely wonderful and self contained exploration of genre, existentialism, and found family.
I will continue to read and I DO continue to enjoy it but those first ten chapters are an absolute must-recommend.
They give you a glimpse into eternity, and any more would still be as much a glimpse.
AlbincrovvRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Old Friends Gather in the Backrooms between lives to tell a story of contrasts.
The all have Infinity, yet there is never enough time.
They are Immortals of countless half remembered mortal lives.
They carry the regrets and tragedies of countless more people and so forgetting is a blessing.
They carry the joy and love of countless lifetimes and so forgetting is a curse.
They have been mediocre, great and wicked and so shall they be, but here they are just friends, sharing a Drink in a small part of liminal space they have made theirs.
This book has hurt me in a very good way and i do not yet know how to feel about it, except that I can wholehertedly recommend it to anyone.
AudumnRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Argus's writing is always something that brings up emotions in me, this story gives me a weird melancholy for life that i wasn't aware i could have.
The characters are deep, unique, and have complex internal dialogue that makes me reconsider my worldview on a particular topic 3 times over and makes me want to call my friends to hang out more often.
ClassycutoffRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
This is an amazing novel. It tells the story of a friend group who found themselves in between lives. The story is cozy with a contained story, but which feels like there is a huge world in the background. I love it, it has become one of my favorite stories. Thank you so much for writing this!
DamagedRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
I don't think I've read a more heartfelt and authentic first person depiction of a person in an extraordinary situation they have no power over.
The focus character, Luri, is vibrant, imperfect, and a joy to read—even if her moods aren't always that positive (and I will be clear here, she is not a perfect person).
The cast is gender-diverse in a way that makes sense and is a big ol' cozy blanket for anyone NB.
The story is rather meta, in the sense that this isn't about action and adventure, but reflection after the fact.
There is a power system, and there are hints toward it being complicated and vast, but it is not explored (as of the chapter I'm up to) mostly because the point-of-view character doesn't focus on that.
Grammar and diction are excellent. I'm lucky to find a quibble every 10k words or so (which is a very good sign of an author who cares about the technical aspects of their writing).
Lots of subtle humor, some of which requires knowledge of specific culture. Nothing that I've really been left puzzling over.
In all, this has become a very enjoyable part of my daily reading. Thank you for another lovely story, Argus!
FireTitheRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
It's not often I read a serial on Royal Road that I feel is truly foundation-shaking. Most often they roar into the foreground with exciting ideas and questionable prose and incredible violence, that, while often fun to read, doesn't often feel actually that *good*.
Sub-life Crisis feels like a balm to that particular ailment. A (comparatively) short story about immortal longing, the crushing weight of time grinding away at the self, the love of true friendship even across vast distances, and what it means to find a reason to live despite all the pointless suffering.
It well-written, hits unexpectedly hard, and also boldly refuses to dig away at it's many mysteries in a way so many other stories do not. If you go in expecting not a grand adventure, but a wonderful little journey through melancholy and love and friendship in the strangest of places, you'll have a wonderful time.
5/5, would intercess.
John_ErkhenhastRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
a fantastic cozy read, with quite a lot to say ideologically or philosophically. it is utterly original while simultaneously playing with well worn reincarnator tropes. highly recommended. not a huge time commitment either, as its relatively short and sweet. ten out of ten. luri is a fantastic protagonist. hope we can visit Bastion's again soon.
Johnicholas HinesRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Andy Weir has a short story called The Egg, which Kurzgesagt animated:
It's a thought experiment that (if it resonates with you) might change your emotions around life and death.
"What we do in the Shadows" is a Taika Waititi movie, which is amazing and tight. It was also made into a TV show which was also good, if you liked the movie and want "more of that please". The TV show isn't (can't be) quote as tight and hard-hitting as the movie, but it's still good. It's extended.
This book is like an extended version of The Egg. if you liked The Egg, its effect on your mood, and it just didn't last long enough, this book is for you.
There's some allusion to LitRPG tropes, achievements and perks and currencies and systems, which I anticipate might be a small obstacle to someone unfamiliar with those tropes.
AfterTheHavocRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
This is one of the best slice of life stories I've read here. It does a great job of presenting true immortality, and what you DO with it. The endless joy and despair of being trapped in a reincarnation cycle and having to decide what that MEANS.
It is beautifully human.
SabaziusRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
This story is utterly compelling. Like all the very best speculative fiction, this story uses fantastical concepts to confront the biggest questions of how to live and what it means to be human. Philosophical, funny, deeply poignant. I fell in love with these characters, I wept with them, and ultimately I finished the story with a new sense of wonder at my own life. Thank you for writing this.