(no subject)

[out_there]

Everyone has guilty pleasures. You know, those fic themes that... just appeal to you. They don't have to particularly suit the fandom, but you'll read them anyway. One of mine is probably sex slave stories. Blame it on the fact that the first piece of pure erotica was Anne Rice's Beauty Series (at the ripe old age of 12), but it just... kinda appeals.

Doesn't suit every mood, but sometimes, you just want to sit back and wallow in it. That's what I've been doing today. I've been reading The Hart and the Lion, an incredibly AU SN fic. Well, not so much an SN fic, as a fic with characters from SN, but vastly different setting.

The really amusing thing? I'm only halfway through and I'm really enjoying it. Took a while to get into it, to suspend the disbelief, but now I'm a happy little fangirl, settling in for the rest of the plot to happen. (Wars between nations, intrigue within the House of el-Rydell, *lots* of sex scenes... *g*)

Comments

[phoebesmum.livejournal.com]

Oh, I read that, more or less in one sitting. Talk about guilty pleasures, I was too embarrassed to tell anyone about it. Apart from wondering (briefly) how happy Josh Charles would be to be playing an Arab, and skipping over the colonic irrigation, I thoroughly enjoyed myself. And had to stop my brain from going off and writing a sequel.

I'm glad I'm not alone in this!

[out-there.livejournal.com]

*laughs* Yep, I'm doing the one-sitting thing too. Meaning that I've been reading it since, like, 2 or 3pm this afternoon, and it's nearly midnight (but I'm on to the last page).

I am thoroughly enjoying myself. It's... well, it's reminding me far more of the "Tiger Prince"* than any other SN fic (although, there's a nice... resonance with Lanning's "Being an anchor" that made me giggle), but thoroughly enjoyable. Although, as it's progressed, I do see the characteristics of the characters coming out more strongly.

Still... "sex magic" = protection? That totally made me laugh!

* If you haven't read "The Tiger Prince", I would suggest that you do. Similarities, if not so much in the actual sex slave thing, as the traditional kings, and houses, and odd mythic type setting, with magic, and lots of guys sleeping together. Very fun original slash fic. Very fun.

Re:

[phoebesmum.livejournal.com]

It's possible to over-analyse, and I should know 'cos I do it all the time, but I got the impression that the story started out as one thing and turned into something else along the way. As they do. That's not a criticism, I just thought it was going to go in a different direction - I thought Casey was going to turn out to be, what was it, 'The Hammer' (or perhaps the Philips Head Screwdriver).

Actually, I do have one complaint, I thought Daniel got a bit short-changed when it finally got to his big sex scene, it was over in a couple of lines. Damn!

And yes, sex magic is an excellent plot device.

I think my all-time favourite original slash story is Ellen Kurshner's Swordspoint, which I reread recently - wonderful characters. There's a sequel that I picked up a couple of months ago, but I haven't managed to finish it yet, she's made the mistake of concentrating more on politics and less on Boys Doing It.

Another guilty pleasure was Mel Keegan - I was working in a bookshop a few years back and we kept getting orders for this one particular book, so in the end I read it; it was like a gay Mills & Boon (a historical one, I promptly christened the genre 'doublet ripper'), but about halfway through I suddenly went "Waaaaait a minute - this is Bodie and Doyle!" Yup. Professional Professionals slash fiction ... You have to admire that, if only for the sheer chutzpah.

[out-there.livejournal.com]

I think my all-time favourite original slash story is Ellen Kurshner's Swordspoint, which I reread recently - wonderful characters.

Eurgh. I have... issues with that book. I mean, the characters themselves were interesting, but by the time I reached the end of it, I was highly disappointed. I was all "wha?". It seemed like such an anti-climax. I don't know, maybe it was just far too subtle for me, but I didn't love it.


It's possible to over-analyse, and I should know 'cos I do it all the time, but I got the impression that the story started out as one thing and turned into something else along the way. As they do. That's not a criticism, I just thought it was going to go in a different direction - I thought Casey was going to turn out to be, what was it, 'The Hammer' (or perhaps the Philips Head Screwdriver).

Hee! Oh, good spot on the Hammer reference. I can't believe that I only have a couple of chapters to go, and I *just* clicked that Lutor of the Sachsen was Luthor Sachs. I should have figured that out ages ago.

Well, to be honest, I never expected Casey to be the Hammer. But some type of high lord? Yep, saw that one coming from a mile away. Still enjoyed it. Every second of it. *g*

*goes back to reading*

Re:

[phoebesmum.livejournal.com]

Well, I think I missed JJ. Clearly a re-read is in order.

[out-there.livejournal.com]

Hee!

If it helps... I didn't click until after the scenes themselves. But, you know the village where there's mention of a local "merchant" who kidnaps kids and sells them into slavery? (And, manages to kidnap Olle?) That's JJ. The spelling is something like... "Zhah Zhah", but still, it made me crack up.

You wouldn't know if Sam Donovan was mentioned anywhere? All the other recurring characters seem to be (Other than the assistants, Monica and Alyson, but I may have missed them).

Re:

[phoebesmum.livejournal.com]

I don't remember Sam Donovan being in the story, but some of those spellings are tricksy; I'll try to remember to look out for him, and anyone else I might've missed, when I re-read.

(Checks: do we have Kleenex? Okay, we're set.)