HP Drizzle

Danmei novel post.

Finished Lu Ye Qian He (绿野千鹤)'s Temporary Bodyguard (临时保镖), the story of a part-time bodyguard and the young CEO who hires him. I wasn't expecting it to be a suspense story. It's quite well written, and all the loose ends are tied up by the end. It also has that Lu Ye Qian He quirk to it that made me laugh. Atmosphere wise, it's a lot more grounded than some of Lu Ye Qian He's other novels, and the cases revolve around social issues that are unique to Mainland China.

Also finished Zhichu's (稚楚) Fanservice Paradox (营业悖论), a showbiz story about a struggling male idol group accidentally getting a lot of attention when a fan uploaded a video of two of the group members having a vaguely suggestive moment at the airport (it's actually one member bullying the other). The group's agency decided to ride the wave and run with it to get the boys the media exposure they badly needed -- and it worked. Ultimately, it's their excellent live performance, talent and work ethics that push them to the top.

It strikes a good balance between the showbiz plot and the romance plot. The novel itself centers on two main themes: work towards your dream even if you might fail in the end, and be yourself instead of what society and other people tell you how you ought to act.

Kicking myself into posting something here.

Minekura Kazuya is continuing Wild Adapter, and supposedly the manga will end at volume 8. Seven volumes are out so far, so the end is near, particularly considering the major plot point that happened right before the extensive hiatus. At this point, I'm just glad that Minekura-sensei decided to finish WA.

The rest is rambling about danmei authors since I don't have time to write proper reviews right now.

Been reading stories by Wang Sanshan (望三山), Lu Ye Qian He (绿野千鹤), Man Man He Qi Duo (漫漫何其多) and Zhi Chu (稚楚).

( More under the cut. No spoiler. )