He and It

A collection of short stories featuring non-humans! (Six novels that can be read independently with very different styles, just pick your favorite and read along.) ① The King’s Pearl. Jiang Mian was adopted as a child by a professor whose life revolved around researching mermaids. After his father dies, Jian Mian is the sole person with this secretive research. When the research institute captures a ferocious mermaid, Jiang Mian becomes the only one who can get close enough to the imprisoned creature. ② A God’s Marriage. When there’s no longer something to guard, the guardian gods will dissipate between heaven and earth. The sea otter was the guardian god worshipped by the Ice Sea people, but the new era was also full of new gods, and in the ancient sea otter clan, only one particularly large and white sea otter remained. The big albino sea otter lived alone, wandered alone, and waited for the fated finale to come. Until one day, on the beach, it found a living sacrifice intended for a new god, covered in bruises. The great sea otter: a wild pup from the sky! Now mine, quickly tucked away. ③ Dark Sky Sanctuary. Yu Mengzhou is a professional horse farrier. He was born to be close to horses, and all the horses whose hooves he had repaired would put their big heads into his arms to be pampered. Until one day, Yu Mengzhou suddenly fell into a new world. The demonic war horses of the other world were huge and lofty, with black flames burning around them, and the lords of the herd had just started a rebellion, tearing and devouring their former riders, and sizing up the frail humans who had fallen from the sky, baring their fierce fangs – Yu Mengzhou stared at the warhorse lord studded with th**ny bone thorns hooves, hesitated and spoke in a whisper, “Do you need to fix your hoof? Experience price… can be free of charge.” ④ Utopia. Gu Xingqiao did not want to live. He was demoralized and lost everything, and there was no other sorrow or joy in this life. He finally fell into a disused battleship of unknown centuries. After thousands of years of wandering and silence in the universe, the abyssal battleship finally found fresh prey again. He wanted to torture him, give him hope and then mercilessly deprived of all, He wanted to make the other party wail, cry, scream in despair! He … Gu Xingqiao: “Why, silly?” ⑤ The Serpent of Pharisee. Male Echidna x persistent human painter ⑥ Inquire Here. Dragon carrying the evil of all worlds x human royal son who was sacrificed One sentence synopsis: I love you, beyond the stars. Intention: Love transcends everything.

Original Publisher

jjwxc

Original Language

chinese

Type

Web Novel

## My Thoughts on He and It "He and It" immediately caught my eye with its diverse genre mix and intriguing premise of human-nonhuman relationships. A collection of short stories (or rather, novellas, as some have pointed out), promised a buffet of unique worlds and characters, and I was eager to dig in. ### First Impressions The anthology format is a huge draw for me. The ability to jump between vastly different settings and dynamics keeps things fresh. Several reviewers mentioned reading the stories out of order, and I appreciate that flexibility. The sheer variety, from mermaid romances to demon horse antics, suggested there would be something to suit my tastes. ### What Works Well The world-building seems to be a consistent strength. Each story has its own intricate setting and well-developed characters. The relationships between the MCs and MLs are clearly a focal point, with plenty of attention given to character development and relationship dynamics. "The Serpent of Pharisee" appears to be a standout. The pairing of a male Echidna (of Greek mythology fame, not the cute, spiky animal!) and a human artist sounds incredibly unique. I'm particularly intrigued by the themes of artistic struggle and the depth that pairing brings to the story. Other stories, such as "A God's Marriage," which features a sea otter god, are praised for their fluff and heartwarming moments. I also appreciate that the author seems to avoid slipping into distasteful territory despite the potentially sensitive subject matter. The focus is on intelligent creatures loving each other despite their differences, which is a refreshing take. ### Areas of Concern While most feedback is overwhelmingly positive, a few readers struggled to connect with certain stories. "Utopia" and "Inquire Here" didn't resonate with everyone, with some finding them harder to get invested in. One reader felt that "Inquire Here" became overly philosophical and drawn out. I will take this into consideration when reading those stories. ### Final Verdict Overall, "He and It" seems like a worthwhile read, especially if you enjoy diverse fantasy romances with a unique twist. The anthology format allows you to sample different flavors, and the strong world-building and character development are definite highlights. While not every story may be a home run, the sheer variety and the overwhelmingly positive feedback make it a series I'm excited to explore. I would recommend giving it a try, especially if you're looking for something a little different from the usual web novel fare.