When we first meet Euphemia, the protagonist, it’s under horrible circumstances: she’s about to be raped and mauled to death. But just before she decides to commit suicide instead of being tortured, she is saved in the nick of time. What follows is a Harlequin romance-esque set of circumstances set in the future on a planet where addictive drugs, dangerous monsters, and strong humanoids exist.
Zelaide, Euphemia’s rescuer, is one of those beings that possess beast-like strength and tendencies. Many Beast Bloods like Zelaide work as hunters of the wild creatures known as Muta. It was on one of these missions that led him to encounter Euphemia. The two are drawn to each other, and as it becomes apparent that her life is threatened, Zelaide is hired as Euphemia’s bodyguard as she continues her work on ending the Nightz drug crisis.
…And becoming someone special to Zelaide.
While the volume opens with a shocking scene, the sections that follow don’t have that kind of emotional impact. In fact, at points, I’d say they’re irritating. Euphemia is so smitten by Zelaide that she starts hanging around his house early in the morning in hopes of seeing him again — even falling asleep outside his gate. Then she purposely acts like a ditz in inviting herself in and asking to be his friend. The story switches between their point-of-views, so we can follow Zelaide’s astonishment and him suppressing his desire for Euphemia, who is trying to encourage physical (and emotional) intimacy. Part of this can be attributed to her age (20 years old), but who takes a nap outside an almost-stranger’s house days after being held at gunpoint?
It also takes Euphemia a while for her to understand that, yes, as the mayor’s sister and a researcher into stopping one of the most lucrative underground businesses, she is in danger. (Beast † Blood does shift to the mastermind’s perspective occasionally, so readers will know more about why she is being targeted, although not his identity.) The story becomes more intriguing when Euphemia starts to grasp that and the danger and the sexual tension start to reach a boiling point. But then Beast † Blood ends. I didn’t even realize I was finished with the volume until I flipped the page and saw the afterword. I guess that’s a testament to me looking forward to reading more, but it was jarring. If you do pick this one up, you are going to have to commit to at least another volume, perhaps more.
If it’s one thing I’m looking forward to in the next volume, it’s that there won’t be nearly as much exposition. There were times I felt like the light novel was on repeat at times, reminding readers several times that Euphemia technically studies plants but has an interest in animals or that certain areas are becoming more crime-ridden. I was bored reading paragraph after paragraph of explanations, many of which were covered previously.
Despite that, I liked a lot of the details of the world — like it being a colonized planet founded by Earthlings, the war on drugs, a female mayor running for reelection, and the Muta and Beast Bloods. Of course, with the latter being the title, the author goes in depth on their appetites – both food substance and sexual. It would have been easy for Fumino to make Zelaide an alpha male love interest, but he spends a lot of time trying to control his urges even after he realizes Euphemia’s the one for him. His superhuman abilities also means that readers are treated to some cool action scenes (including a car chase), which Fumino’s penchant for details make shine.
Unfortunately, a lot of these heart-pumping and heart-pounding moments come after a lengthy set-up and just before a sudden finish. If you like romance novels and don’t mind things being unresolved in this first part, Beast † Blood‘s action and sci-fi elements keep this from becoming just about two people longing to sleep together.