One of the things that impressed me the most about Dungeon Crawler Carl (mind you, I went in with zero expectations) is that not only it manages to turn a talking cat into fully realized, complex character who is still unmistakably *a cat*, but also that the cental relationship of the series - this kind of strong, unshakable bond between the main characters that never fails to make you emotional over how much they mean for each other - is unmistakably a relationship between a man and a cat. Not just nominally, but in a way that is instantly recognizable for anyone who ever owned and loved a cat. And mind you, it's not for the lack of other relationships - Carl finds new friends and comrades, and each of them is important for him in their own right, but still THE most important person in his life is a cat and as a cat person I think that's beautiful

dungeon crawler carl is fun because you go into it thinking it'll be an unserious, fun and gratuitously violent action book, and then you get to the very first boss, and then you think, now hold on. Hold on. And then all of a sudden you're seven books deep and insane and also holding on to the indomitable human spirit for dear life and also a crab has to jack off. like holy shit dude. i've got relentless hope and found family in one hand and the world's weirdest foot fetish in the other

so last year during a period of intense suicidal depression i made this necklace that i always wear, right, and the thing is it's genuinely brought me a lot of comfort and relief and i've developed a strong sentimental attachment to it, to the point that i can inarguably state that it's had a net positive effect on my mental wellbeing. however i did now just have to stop to almost throw up laughing because i realised that i've succumbed to the amulet.