I wouldnt call these plotholes. Wolves arent really looked down upon and the rest are just questions thay have yet to be answered. Adrius is also not at his maximum height yet.
I'm so glad you like it! The relationship does move fast, yes, but with intent. I'll be exploring that aspect of their relationship later. I'm also excited to write more for Adrius.
1. The pacing of the romance is intentionally fast. It comes down to personal preference and I prefer it this way. I want their romance to be a little fast paced at first because it makes sense with their personalities. In the next two books, there will be plenty of time for them to evaluate their relationship and though their romance went a little fast, they'll be able to slow down and take their friendship one step at a time.
2. With Adrius, my goal is absolutely for him to be complicated. He's possibly the most complicated character in the story, with Richter himself falling not too far behind. My intention was to not rug pull when it comes to his personality and his ideals. I wanted it to be very clear that even if he somehow wasn't the killer, he would still be a great opposition to the main characters. I'm less interested in the reader sympathizing with Adrius and more interested in them understanding him on a personal level. As the story goes on, there will be moments where we see a different, more sensitive side to his character.
The reason he killed his father was so much more than his mother not being avenged fast enough. The situation he's in causes a lot of conflict with his ideals, while his mental state of mind is already split and at odds. His goals stretch much further than the canyons. Also, Richter's torture scene was only 2/3rds of a chapter and I feel if it was any shorter, it wouldn't have as much impact as I intended. I want the reader to feel what Richter is feeling in those moments so they can truly grasp just how horrific his situation was. It's something that's going to haunt him for a very long time that has physically and mentally scared him.
3. I'm an Ace Attorney fanboy too, but I wanted this trial to be as realistic and grounded as possible. Sadly, this is the way it was back then. Poor Richter is lucky he got a trial at all, considering he lives in a time where lack of freedom of speech hinders true justice being carried out. Not only was it rigged from the start, but anybody going against the system would have a target placed on their back. In a hereditary monarchy, a situation like this is almost inescapable, especially for someone like Richter, who was only given Lord status due to hard work, and not blood.
4. I feel that rushing this part of the story would mean removing some of the impact that it's supposed to have. Right now, I feel I'm treading the line between this section of the story being too fast paced, or too slow. I feel it being a little slower, while adding outside perspectives and other things going on outside of the dungeon is the correct choice, but again, it comes down to personal preference and I understand wanting it to be a little faster.
5. My intention was not for Richter to look like Jesus. This was pure coincidence. If I were to draw Jesus myself, he would look different. In my eyes, Richter is more of a Moses or Job figure in my eyes.
1. I'm glad you like Tygren. They're one of my favorite characters to write and I enjoy experimenting with their connection to not only Richter, but what Richter represents to them. Ty's romantic relationship with Al is probably one of the deeper and more interesting relationships I'll get to explore between two characters.
2. I plan on writing each sex scene so that the important character building aspects of the scene reside in the foreplay. This way, you can skip scenes that might make you uncomfortable, while still getting the bigger picture of why that scene is there.
3. Lyall is very sweet, but I'm looking forward to his character in Dryz, as this is where a lot of his character arc is explored.
4. I wanted humans to feel similar to animals and have traits that make them unique. I'm glad you enjoyed this. It's an important aspect of the story that there's a greater mystery behind why the humans are there. This will be explored and I'm sure it will shock many readers.
5. I'm always happy to hear people like the music. Mayer and Exias did such an amazing job. I look forward to working with Exias in the future.
6. Leif and Liz tolerating Adrius' bullshit is a major part of their respective arcs, mainly with Liz. It's meant to Mirror Lyall's decision to abandon his kingdom and duty for what he believes is right. Liz and Leif might be forced into a situation where they stay loyal in order to do what they think is right. It's a difficult situation to be trapped in. Liz will have a lot of spotlight in the next book.
7. The backgrounds are the hardest part for me, so I'm glad they turned out good.
8. Like Adrius, I intend for Richter to also be explored on a deeper level as the books continue. His arc is very important to me.
Thank you for this review. It gave me a lot to think about. I hope I was able to clear up some things.
