Having an internal comparison of Stray Cat Strut and Azarinth Healer.
I've had one cup too many of coffee, and having internal debates rants regarding several series, one being these two stories...I'm sorry. But here it is!
I think these series have some key similarities
- Both feature a masculine female lead (who is bisexual: cause that is definitely going to be pointed out)
- both MCs have no specific goal in their stories, but rather incorporate themselves into different missions, plots and quests.
- both have adopted/found families.
What differentiates themselves so much and one of the reasons why I enjoy one series so much more than the other is because of the involvement and agency the characters have in their respective stories.
- The MC involves herself into large and dynamic quests, as if she's an overpowered DLC character that's jumping into everyone else's main storyline, making the damn near impossible missions possible. The bonus is that all these large, seemingly disjointed, missions are actually connected to the overall major plot of the story.
- The side characters continue to have agency and contribute in some tangible way. While not all of them continue to grow in power like the MC (or at least as quickly), characters in book 1 and 2 continue to help the MC and try to achieve their own goals all the way to the end.
- While not on a major quest, 80% of the MCs time is off somewhere training like there's no tomorrow and 20% of the time hanging out with friends and family.
Stray Cat Strut: (I've only read the first 6 books)
- The MC is reluctantly forced to into every mission. Missions that are overall low to medium level side quests while the "main heroes" are off handling the larger problems. The missions are thrilling, and refreshing considering what's happening in each book (will get to that shortly), the impact doesn't feel rewarding because not much really changes in the story. Outside the additional resources the MC uses to splurge on herself and family, everything is the same.
- The side characters, at their best, are great additions that add drama, action, and world-building for a few chapters. Unfortunately, most of them feels like they are just there to break up a lot of the monotony that builds up during the Slice-of-life moments.
- Remember how I talk about the MC in Azarinth Healer trains like there's no tomorrow? In Stray Cat Strut, I think it's actually emphasized that there is a no tomorrow, but the amount of slice-of-life going in the series, is actually daunting. What makes it irritating is that book 1 was excellent (drama, action, suspense, comedy, it had it all), but the recent books...I would almost call fillers.
As I'm now drinking an iced coffee (wife doesn't know I had 2 extra cups), I'm lowkey tripping out how much these stories are the same, yet so, so different. Thank you for reading my completely healthy rant...debate with myself.
