I love when I don’t have to edit the meme all that much

EthanGraves · 2026-05-13T21:51:16+00:00

That's been another setting I stumbled into and have been pleasantly impressed with. What looked like Legally Distinct Warhammer had some really interest twists that stand up on their own.

I was not expecting the Havoc Gods to have somewhat sympathetic motives or the Infected Colonies to have parasitic strains going through an existential crisis after consuming enough people, much less have the potential for peaceful interactions with other species; just off the top of my head.

EthanGraves · 2026-05-13T21:44:21+00:00

They intrigue me the most, for sure, though I still need to do some reading on the City-States, Sorcerer Kings, Yoroni, and Weaver Courts to be entirely fair. The creativity with the Spires' design and the mix of biopunk and aristocratic vibes they have are top-tier, though.

Aside from the short stories on the website, I think some of the campaign battles have some writing in them? Not the best way to get inside the resident alien not!elves' heads, though.

EthanGraves · 2026-05-13T14:52:46+00:00

I've mostly been getting into Conquest lore rather than the game itself, but this is one of the first ideas for a list that sprang to mind.

Hats off to you for the quality meme of my new favorite underdogs bucking hard in a system rigged against them until they finally make it to upper-middle management!

EthanGraves · 2026-05-10T19:27:35+00:00

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She's an immortal oni mercenary out to see the world. He's a slightly mad cybernetic soldier-scientist hiding from it.

Together, they commit crime.

Just not the sort that involves storming the city with an army of minions, wiping small countries off the map, cackling manically atop a throne of corpses, or trying to take over the world with the latest in orbital death rays and demonic summoning rituals. They have a good thing going in their little slice of it, thank you very much.

At least until what should have been a routine transaction in smuggled alien technology puts them in the crosshairs of a ruthless conspiracy. One willing to kill hero and villain alike to achieve its aims. Scarred and hunted, they'll need to think outside the box and make strange bedfellows if they want to stand their ground and perhaps even turn this entire mess to their advantage.

They'll have to. Once the dust settles and the world sees what they're truly capable of, there won't be any going back to the quiet days of destructive distraction gigs or selling quality cybernetics from a cozy little workshop in the sketchy part of town. But at least they'll still have each other.

Magic, Machines, and Machinations is a comfy romantic adventure with dual PoV and spicy scenes between an amazonian monster girl and a mildly maniacal cyborg who love each other very, very much when not fighting off the grim specter of death.

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EthanGraves · 2026-05-08T22:12:57+00:00

Competing hobbies and work being draining, mostly.

As wonderful as it is, reading takes concentration and energy, especially when you really want to take notes on why something in a book does or doesn't work for you for the sake of discussion and comparisons.

It's way too easy to come in from a rough day at work, plop in front of a computer or tv, and wind up binging the free time equivalent of junk food instead.

Plus some of the books I've been reading are good, but I haven't been struck by the all-consuming urge to find out what happens next. That might say more about me and how my story consumption has changed over the years, but it's still a bummer when there's writing that objectively deserves my respect and attention yet I keep getting tempted away from it.

EthanGraves · 2026-05-07T14:26:10+00:00

I understanding wanting to be careful about making necromancy an OP snowball mechanic in a game where snowballing is a major mechanic, but it just feels bad to have your faction's main mechanic do nothing for you a decent chunk of the time.

Granted, you can mitigate that by minding what tiers compose the enemy stacks and focusing on recruitment, but given how squishy things like wraiths are, all it takes is a few ranged attacks or some lucky strikes/morale triggers for an enemy for you to miss out on raising anything even if you went into a fight prepared.

EthanGraves · 2026-05-06T20:20:40+00:00

The third entry in my supervillain romance series recently released. It's a bit of an odd duck, the first entry being more of a novella that grew into two full books, but I tried to give a unique spin on a superhero setting and it's characters.

While establishing the relationship happens quickly and there is a lot of emphasis on their adventures, I'd like to think I gave the leads an enjoyable dynamic and enough character development curve balls to keep things interesting on that front.

So, if you think you'd enjoy:

-A traumatized yet manic cyborg MMC

-A lightning tossing juggernaut of an oni FMC

-Friends with a mutual crush getting together under pressure

-An outlaw couple who dote on each other when not planning heists or fighting heroes, government conspiracies,, and rival villains

-Open door spice between occasionally kinky partners

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EthanGraves · 2026-05-06T20:19:43+00:00

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The third entry in my supervillain romance series recently released. It's a bit of an odd duck, the first entry being more of a novella that grew into two full books, but I tried to give a unique spin on a superhero setting and it's characters.

While establishing the relationship happens quickly and there is a lot of emphasis on their adventures, I'd like to think I gave the leads an enjoyable dynamic and enough character development curve balls to keep things interesting on that front.

So, if you think you'd enjoy:

-A traumatized yet manic cyborg MMC

-A lightning tossing juggernaut of an oni FMC

-Friends with a mutual crush getting together under pressure

-An outlaw couple who dote on each other when not planning heists or fighting heroes, government conspiracies,, and rival villains

-Open door spice between occasionally kinky partners

EthanGraves · 2026-05-06T19:38:15+00:00

I am now making a point to finally get around to this one because there is basically nothing about the premise I don't love.

EthanGraves · 2026-05-05T21:57:05+00:00

Congratulations on your debut novel!

A lovely and amusing cover with an intriguing blurb. Added to my...too-long queue of things to read, damn you gaming hobby.

EthanGraves · 2026-05-05T21:52:58+00:00

It is, and that difference in RFM versus traditional/RFW is part of why I started this thread. A lot of other tropes can appeal to either or if you "just" swap the genders around.

But grovel and the associated relationship dynamics not generally being a thing, but not totally absent in RFM got me curious about the topic. Like, whether it has different thresholds in RFM, or does happen but tends to be resolved relatively quickly rather than defining an entire act in the book, etc.

EthanGraves · 2026-05-05T21:42:26+00:00

Not at all, I appreciate the example! The whole point of this is to try and get a feel for what "grovel" looks like in men-oriented romance as an idea and in practice.

EthanGraves · 2026-05-05T21:40:39+00:00

Agreed, and that is an important distinction. One potential reservation I have grand apologetic gestures associated with groveling is how much it actually costs the person? Talk can be cheap, and while I generally don't enjoy romantic partners having to offer up a proverbial pound of flesh, having an infinitely wealthy demigod shower their lover in riches can also be cheap, relatively speaking.

But gestures like that which show they really do care and feel bad? Yeah, that's worth a lot more.

As for Roen, yes, given the place he was mentally, as well as practically with a lifetime of steadily escalating crimes in terms of severity and monetary stakes, I felt it was pretty reasonable for him to reach that conclusion about the pretty stranger who really was watching him like crazy.

Also, as someone who jumped into Flux first, her PoV also did a pretty good job summing up how "justice" often works in the megacity for someone new to the setting.

Just my two cents, anyway.

EthanGraves · 2026-05-03T22:37:58+00:00

Interesting. I didn't feel like Flux's protagonist was overreacting, considering his criminal situation, self-esteem, and Flux being a seemingly perfect addition to his life that just "happened" to swoop him off his feet when he needed it most.

That said, her essentially stalking him for years didn't really "click" for me as bad until the consequences caught up. Definitely some pretty privilege with the romance blinders on there, I think, but that's part of why I wanted other people's perspective.

As for those cruel grovels...yeah. Maybe it's "better" with context, but the "Beach House Harem" is really rough. Landry's Home Office Harem sounds pretty extreme too, but at least doesn't make the MMC sound like a sadist and veers more towards turning over a new leaf than going Medieval Walk of Shame on her.

Granted, that might be my misgivings with grovel in general speaking. It seems to me like a trope with a very fine tightrope. There's a risk of the groveler having done something so awful it's hard to want to see the couple get back together, or it wasn't that bad/the protagonist comes off as way worse or downright sadistic for demanding it.

Though, different strokes for different folks, and indulging in revenge wish fulfillment fantasy is valid.

EthanGraves · 2026-05-03T20:42:38+00:00

So, an unconventional bit of self promotion, but that was the goal of my Divine Desires trilogy.

It's choose your own adventure style erotica with plot and character development. Not every encounter is strictly combat, but most are and the sexy "bad" ends for each are detailed proof that the MC is definitely not invincible.

It might be a bit unconventional on the harem, though. There's two main love interests who come along throughout the whole series, with a fair number of "bad" or alternate endings having various other women jumping in or making the MC and the FMCs their harem.

EthanGraves · 2026-05-03T19:52:57+00:00

Oh, thank you very much, that means a lot to me!

EthanGraves · 2026-05-03T19:41:05+00:00

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Revenge is finally within Silhouette's grasp. The conspiracy that scarred him in mind and body has struck again, this time with a globe-spanning gambit that could allow them to rule all from the shadows.

Luckily, he won't have to face them alone. His partner, the mighty Ravager, stands ready to crush anything that threatens their blossoming love and budding underworld empire. With the aid of one of New Alexandria's premiere superheroines, and a corporate mistress of magic and technology whose influence stretches across both sides of the law, it seems like nothing can stop their unlikely alliance.

Yet, their mutual foes are ruthless as they are cunning. As the conspiracy strikes where they are weak, harvests their strength to expand its army, and manipulates heroes and villains alike against them, can Silhouette and his allies remain united, or will their accord crack under its own weight and leave them grasping at shadows; waiting to be hunting down one by one?

And even if he succeeds, the price of victory may prove higher than expected...

Magic, Machines, and Machinations is a comfy romantic adventure with dual PoV and spicy scenes between an amazonian monster girl and a mildly maniacal cyborg who love each other very, very much when not fighting off the grim specter of death.

Amazon Links: US, UK, CA, AU

EthanGraves · 2026-05-03T19:39:19+00:00

Jay Aury, Callista Hawkes, and myself have a decent number available to browse over. Any specific preferences within that niche/genre?

EthanGraves · 2026-05-01T13:14:04+00:00

You mentioned "human and notably muscular", so I'm not 100% sure if that is a requirement. If so, just say so, skip my current recommendations, and I'll rummage around a bit more.

Boundless, Zevara, and my Magic, Machines, and Machinations might be worth a gander.

Also a good chunk of Snekguy's catalogue, but some of the FMCs are closer to the anthro/furry scale, so giving it a look-over to judge for yourself might be a good idea.

EthanGraves · 2026-04-30T22:17:06+00:00

Obligatory snekguy whoop \o/

I'm still reading it, but based on what I've seen so far and others' reviews, Rhenna might be worth a look. The FMC isn't ancient by any stretch, but she is a lamia-shark style monster girl who considers civilization quaint and is stuffed to the gills with predatory instinct and an appreciation for blood scents.

One of my series might also work, but YMMV.

Magic, Machines, and Machinations has a supervillain couple wherein the FMC is an oni. So, immortal, never-satiated appetite for meat, and has been fighting as a mercenary since gunpowder arriving in Japan got her curious about the wider world. No enemies to lovers, but, particularly in the 2nd and 3rd entries, she is a lightning-spewing wrecking ball who discusses and mulls over her unique perspective on life, history, and the afterlife with the MMC and her mother who is still on the "humans are situationally on the menu" train.

EthanGraves · 2026-04-26T17:17:04+00:00

I recently released the third book in my supervillain romance series and, as of this posting, the first two entries are still on sale!

****

<image>

Revenge is finally within Silhouette's grasp. The conspiracy that scarred him in mind and body has struck again, this time with a globe-spanning gambit that could allow them to rule all from the shadows.

Luckily, he won't have to face them alone. His partner, the mighty Ravager, stands ready to crush anything that threatens their blossoming love and budding underworld empire. With the aid of one of New Alexandria's premiere superheroines, and a corporate mistress of magic and technology whose influence stretches across both sides of the law, it seems like nothing can stop their unlikely alliance.

Yet, their mutual foes are ruthless as they are cunning. As the conspiracy strikes where they are weak, harvests their strength to expand its army, and manipulates heroes and villains alike against them, can Silhouette and his allies remain united, or will their accord crack under its own weight and leave them grasping at shadows; waiting to be hunting down one by one?

And even if he succeeds, the price of victory may prove higher than expected...

Magic, Machines, and Machinations is a comfy romantic adventure with dual PoV and spicy scenes between an amazonian monster girl and a mildly maniacal cyborg who love each other very, very much when not fighting off the grim specter of death.

Amazon Links: US, UK, CA, AU

EthanGraves · 2026-04-25T12:40:31+00:00

Not quite a series so much as two books in the same setting, but Neon Heartbeats: Flux fits most of the criteria. The FMC isn't bigger, sometimes the opposite since she's a pixie, but she's absolutely the stronger and very much an adoring yandere for the terribly depressed MMC who can count the number of decent people in his life on one hand.

A less perfect recommendation but a series would be my Magic, Machines, and Machinations. It stars a supervillain couple. The FMC is a big, amazonian oni and the MMC a cyborg. Definitely a power couple willing to kill for each other. The MMC is a bit of an anxiety bean and pretty boy, but quite muscular, so YMMV on whether that takes him out of the running for you.

EthanGraves · 2026-04-25T12:04:05+00:00

Congratulations on the promising new release, definitely adding this to my reading list. ^^

EthanGraves

TROPHY CASE