The artstyle alone sets it apart from the rest of the pack. Very unique.
It took me a moment but I recognize that both the protagonist and the canid reaper's names when put together spell out "Momento Mori". I see what y'all did there...
The score was so lovely too.
Thanks for the cry! This gem of a VN earned it.
SPOILERY REVIEW INCOMING
I can always appreciate interspecies (furry/human) romance in media. So seeing Lyall and Richter together has me like. :0 Both of them are great, and I find myself especially appreciative of Richter. I suspect that he may have been groomed for his role prior to being sent to Lyre going off of the scenes with the candle and his obscured past. What a handsome couple he and Lyall make for too! Adrius easily garnered my ire from the beginning, and I was surprised Raynar permitted him to talk to him in the manner he did at the dinner table. (And just in general really) I still remember exclaiming "You little shit!" at my tablet a couple nights ago after finding out he'd killed Raynar. I look forward to seeing him grow (geddit cuz smol) and develop in future installments.
Writing quality is for the most part solid in my eyes. There were a few instances of repetitive words here and there. But nothing a bit of editing wouldn't fix of course.
"The Hunt" was living rent free in my head for a couple days after I first experienced that one chapter. Dear God. I've barely just begun to get back into furry VNs after a couple years and as it stands currently that entire scene at the quarry has got to be my favorite out of the entire VN. (And as of right now my favorite scene out of the VNs I've read this far) It's beyond words. I was and still am spellbound. The entire soundtrack is perfect and I'd be damn proud of myself if I ever managed to create something so great. Beautiful work. Other favorites of mine include "Chimera", "Aberration", "Haven (Day/Night)", and "Storm's Reign". Good stuff! Very inspirational. I absolutely love the gregorian chants and little furnishings of electronic(?) bits and industrial guitar in "Chimera" too. So friggin' awesome.
I feel like I might need another go-around with this VN in order to really soak everything in, as the experience is close to registering as a blur to me. (though this is nobody's fault but my own because my brain is just weird like that) But overall, this was great. As a creative myself, as I was reading I kept thinking about the amount of hours that must've went into this, alongside sentiments of "Holy shit I wanna make a VN one day" of course haha.
Richter and Lyall have gotten me to rethink the standing of two of my own characters for a project I hope to make in the future as well. I'd love to take a crack at my own spin on the human/furry romance trope as well. So many thanks for the inspirational fuel that my creative fire requires! And marvellous work on your first book! I eagerly look forward to what lies in store.
