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All Wrapped Up
Tentacles are a taboo subject for most, something most people look at from between their fingers as they hide. But for a growing number of people, it's a subject that is fascinating and sexy! Tentacle erotica has been around for ages, from "The Dream of the Fisherman's Wife" to "Demon Beast Invasion"—it's a genre that is here to stay. "All Wrapped Up" explores this genre through the lens of gay erotic romance, offering four science-fiction and fantasy stories featuring tentacled heroes in all their wiggly glory.
The men in "Ground Mission" are podmates, a matched Simon Pollux, the lethal scout, and Adrian Lovasz, his willing and even more lethal combat specialist. In the midst of exploring an alien world, Simon is infected with an alien virus; to what lengths will Adrian go to ensure Simon's comfort? In the wood-locked town of Orm, ranger Koster meets the mysterious the guardian of the forest. Is he the one letting the forest turn to wilds, or is the forest turning to wilds on its own? In "Wildwood", Koster aims to do whatever it takes to set things right.
Eli exchanges his a life of poverty in "Dark Covenant" when tricked into signing a contract giving himself to the masters of the Academy. His body, his movement, his life is theirs to do with as they wish, until the enigmatic Eramus offers Eli his power—if Eli will join with him. Sebastian Reed lives on the legal limits in "Situation Normal", barely scraping by in his hunk of junk ship until a Peace Officer, Ten, commandeers his ship... and his body. Not that Sebastian minds, except for wondering exactly where it is that Ten means to take him.
The men in "Ground Mission" are podmates, a matched Simon Pollux, the lethal scout, and Adrian Lovasz, his willing and even more lethal combat specialist. In the midst of exploring an alien world, Simon is infected with an alien virus; to what lengths will Adrian go to ensure Simon's comfort? In the wood-locked town of Orm, ranger Koster meets the mysterious the guardian of the forest. Is he the one letting the forest turn to wilds, or is the forest turning to wilds on its own? In "Wildwood", Koster aims to do whatever it takes to set things right.
Eli exchanges his a life of poverty in "Dark Covenant" when tricked into signing a contract giving himself to the masters of the Academy. His body, his movement, his life is theirs to do with as they wish, until the enigmatic Eramus offers Eli his power—if Eli will join with him. Sebastian Reed lives on the legal limits in "Situation Normal", barely scraping by in his hunk of junk ship until a Peace Officer, Ten, commandeers his ship... and his body. Not that Sebastian minds, except for wondering exactly where it is that Ten means to take him.
168 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 9, 2012
11 people are currently reading
539 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 70 reviews
July 12, 2014
This review contains graphic scenes and bad words.
TENTACLESEX ERMAHGHERD!
Ground Mission
Laylah Hunter (4.5*) ->
Wildwood
Thea Hayworth (3*) ->
Dark Covenant
Gryvon (4*) ->
Situation Normal
Morgan Harcourt (5*) ->
I will definitely be reading more tentaclesex... maybe even branching into shifter-beastiality, afterall, I've had lizards, aliens, weird magic octopuses, and trees all in this anthology!
My one problem with this anthology is that there is not enough romance or (consented) erotica!
A copy of All Wrapped Up was kindly provided to me by Storm Moon Press, in exchange for an honest review.
TENTACLESEX ERMAHGHERD!
Ground Mission
Laylah Hunter (4.5*) ->
Wildwood
Thea Hayworth (3*) ->
Dark Covenant
Gryvon (4*) ->
Situation Normal
Morgan Harcourt (5*) ->
I will definitely be reading more tentaclesex... maybe even branching into shifter-beastiality, afterall, I've had lizards, aliens, weird magic octopuses, and trees all in this anthology!
My one problem with this anthology is that there is not enough romance or (consented) erotica!
A copy of All Wrapped Up was kindly provided to me by Storm Moon Press, in exchange for an honest review.
July 5, 2015
Looks like I exceeded my quota of 1 tentacle book a year.. Worse, I liked this anthology way too much. I’m screwed.
You’re staring at that cover, aren’t you? Well...STOP RIGHT THERE.
Because I believe that this anthology deserves a chance! You see, the awesome thing about these stories is that if you’d remove the tentacles from them, they’d still be holding their own. Foreplay matters in All Wrapped Up. None of these stories gave me the impression that the authors had actually preferred to cut straight to the porny tentacle point.
So there’s the milky fluids leaking, horrifying tentacles from Kraken and then there are the non-slimy, non-fishy tendrils in this bundle of stories by various Storm Moon Press authors. There are 4 stories in total, each +/- 40 pages. I thought it was remarkable that the quality remained quite consistent throughout All Wrapped Up. Usually, there are maybe 1 or 2 stories in an anthology that are truly enjoyable and the rest either feels like filler or attempts to inconspicuously pitch authors that should probably remain unknown. Now, you may or may not like a particular story, but at least you will be able to feel the love and affection for…tendrils. Yup, if you are curious to discover what all the fuss is about, I would absolutely recommend starting with this entertaining anthology!
A short recap of each story so you know what to expect: the opening story by Laylah Hunter (Ground Mission) starts with 2 men being dropped on a planet to find out what killed the colony. It doesn’t take long for them to find out that tentacle aliens (surprise! :p) did. Then it’s simply a matter of trying to survive before the rescue team will pick ‘em up in the morning. Nicely rounded, pulpy fun with amusing banter between the MCs.
Thea Hayworth’s Wildwood is a folk tale against the backdrop of endless woods that vaguely remind of Tolkien’s forest of Fangorn, with the difference that her Treebeard is a more sinister guardian. I adored the mysterious atmosphere in this story, but regret some of the author’s style choices. Starting chapters with secondary character POV’s was unnecessary and unpleasant and the plot in general needs tidying up. Still, the guardian managed to snatch a little piece of my heart and even squid haters will appreciate the take on tentacle sex here.
The harshest story of the bunch, Gryvon’s Dark Convenant, contains non con and should therefore be approached with caution. Eli’s a poor boy from a big family who works the mines until one day a ghostly creature nestles itself into his brain. Eli’s ‘magic’ doesn’t go undiscovered for long and he’s invited to a school for magic. Turns out there are worse professors out there than Severus Snape. It’s perhaps the most unoriginal contribution to this anthology, with rape that doesn’t really fit the story and plotholes that are hard to overlook. At the same time, the tentacle sex comes close to perfection, uhu!
Finally, my personal favorite! A pretty guy’s space vessel gets confiscated by a tall, hot and handsome alien lizard cop who is after a criminal on the loose (I know, right! :D). There’s so much fun injected into Morgan Harcourt’s Situation Normal, that I couldn’t stop grinning like an idiot. Who would’ve thought that lizard porn could be this exciting, hm? It’s a shame that the author needed to complicate a perfectly pulptastic read towards the ending by adding SSC nonsense, but overall, I’m impressed by how plain fun this debut story was!
Buddy read with Robyn and Anna.
You’re staring at that cover, aren’t you? Well...STOP RIGHT THERE.
Because I believe that this anthology deserves a chance! You see, the awesome thing about these stories is that if you’d remove the tentacles from them, they’d still be holding their own. Foreplay matters in All Wrapped Up. None of these stories gave me the impression that the authors had actually preferred to cut straight to the porny tentacle point.
So there’s the milky fluids leaking, horrifying tentacles from Kraken and then there are the non-slimy, non-fishy tendrils in this bundle of stories by various Storm Moon Press authors. There are 4 stories in total, each +/- 40 pages. I thought it was remarkable that the quality remained quite consistent throughout All Wrapped Up. Usually, there are maybe 1 or 2 stories in an anthology that are truly enjoyable and the rest either feels like filler or attempts to inconspicuously pitch authors that should probably remain unknown. Now, you may or may not like a particular story, but at least you will be able to feel the love and affection for…tendrils. Yup, if you are curious to discover what all the fuss is about, I would absolutely recommend starting with this entertaining anthology!
A short recap of each story so you know what to expect: the opening story by Laylah Hunter (Ground Mission) starts with 2 men being dropped on a planet to find out what killed the colony. It doesn’t take long for them to find out that tentacle aliens (surprise! :p) did. Then it’s simply a matter of trying to survive before the rescue team will pick ‘em up in the morning. Nicely rounded, pulpy fun with amusing banter between the MCs.
Thea Hayworth’s Wildwood is a folk tale against the backdrop of endless woods that vaguely remind of Tolkien’s forest of Fangorn, with the difference that her Treebeard is a more sinister guardian. I adored the mysterious atmosphere in this story, but regret some of the author’s style choices. Starting chapters with secondary character POV’s was unnecessary and unpleasant and the plot in general needs tidying up. Still, the guardian managed to snatch a little piece of my heart and even squid haters will appreciate the take on tentacle sex here.
The harshest story of the bunch, Gryvon’s Dark Convenant, contains non con and should therefore be approached with caution. Eli’s a poor boy from a big family who works the mines until one day a ghostly creature nestles itself into his brain. Eli’s ‘magic’ doesn’t go undiscovered for long and he’s invited to a school for magic. Turns out there are worse professors out there than Severus Snape. It’s perhaps the most unoriginal contribution to this anthology, with rape that doesn’t really fit the story and plotholes that are hard to overlook. At the same time, the tentacle sex comes close to perfection, uhu!
Finally, my personal favorite! A pretty guy’s space vessel gets confiscated by a tall, hot and handsome alien lizard cop who is after a criminal on the loose (I know, right! :D). There’s so much fun injected into Morgan Harcourt’s Situation Normal, that I couldn’t stop grinning like an idiot. Who would’ve thought that lizard porn could be this exciting, hm? It’s a shame that the author needed to complicate a perfectly pulptastic read towards the ending by adding SSC nonsense, but overall, I’m impressed by how plain fun this debut story was!
Buddy read with Robyn and Anna.
January 16, 2013
My first foray into tentacle sex and I have to say it was pretty painless. ;)
The stories, with one exception, were all very tight with great characterizations and storylines. Who knew there were so many variations of tentacles!! I did not. I am now schooled.
Ground Mission by Laylah Hunter
4.5 Stars
This is my favourite of the anthology. It reminded me in some places quite strongly of the movie Soldier with Kurt Russell, which has always been a guilty pleasure movie of mine. This had strong sci-fi and military world-building that just really resonated with me. I loved it for that.
Adrian and Simon are soldiers who are cryogenically frozen between missions. The military uses that time to upgrade the men both physically and mentally making them feel less and less human and more uncertain about the future. They are podmates meaning that they are cryo'd together, travel together, and work together. One, Adrian, has enhanced musculature while Simon,as the intelligence gatherer, often has his brain tweaked.
On a routine ground mission to determine the fate of missing colony members Simon is infected by the alien planet's tentacled animal. I really wasn't sure how this story was going to end and I honestly worried about Simon and Adrian because they needed each other to function and I didn't want to see them separated. This is really the strongest emotional story of the collection because these men are an established couple who are dealing with a potentially life-altering incident. I really enjoyed the connection the two men had and I was impressed with how things turned out at the end. Wonderful.
Wildwood by Thea Hayworth
4 Stars
A fantasy story about a forest guardian and ranger. Strong world-building and storyline with great characterization and atmosphere here. A fantastic fantasy read but the ending was a bit bittersweet for me.
Dark Covenant by Gryvon
2 Stars
This is the story that didn't really work for me. It was depressing and starts out pretty quickly with the MC being raped repeatedly which didn't really serve the story much for me. Seemed very gratuitous. Eli, is living a life of drudgery and hardship in the mines. It's discovered through an accident that he has powerful magic and is whisked away to a neighbouring academy to develop his powers. For all his power though, he is used and abused there. Over and over and over again.
He has some tenuous connection to a mysterious man, Eramus. This is another part of the story that didn't work for me. Just a lot of PWP, from the repeated rapes to the tentacle sex.
Situation Normal by Morgan Harcourt
4.5 Stars
My second favourite of the collection. This is a sci-fi story about a courier who has his ship commandeered by an alien lizard cop who is pursuing a fugitive.
This one had me laughing so hard. There was a lot of snappy dialogue here. Points to the author for the title which may be a nod to Han Solo's fumbling attempt to distract stormtroopers during the Princess Leia rescue in Star Wars. Golden! And very story appropriate!
Sebastian is the pilot and owner of the ship. The story is from his POV and he is hilarious. He and the alien, Ten, have a lot of back and forth witty and charming conversations. The tentacle sex here is over the top smoking hot as well. There's some great world-building here in addition to the characters and storyline. Awesome read here.
All in all I was really impressed with the anthology and would really recommend it for readers wanting to see what the big deal with tentacle sex is all about. With the exception of the one story I found it all a very natural and organic part of the relationships. Recommended!
The stories, with one exception, were all very tight with great characterizations and storylines. Who knew there were so many variations of tentacles!! I did not. I am now schooled.
Ground Mission by Laylah Hunter
4.5 Stars
This is my favourite of the anthology. It reminded me in some places quite strongly of the movie Soldier with Kurt Russell, which has always been a guilty pleasure movie of mine. This had strong sci-fi and military world-building that just really resonated with me. I loved it for that.
Adrian and Simon are soldiers who are cryogenically frozen between missions. The military uses that time to upgrade the men both physically and mentally making them feel less and less human and more uncertain about the future. They are podmates meaning that they are cryo'd together, travel together, and work together. One, Adrian, has enhanced musculature while Simon,as the intelligence gatherer, often has his brain tweaked.
On a routine ground mission to determine the fate of missing colony members Simon is infected by the alien planet's tentacled animal. I really wasn't sure how this story was going to end and I honestly worried about Simon and Adrian because they needed each other to function and I didn't want to see them separated. This is really the strongest emotional story of the collection because these men are an established couple who are dealing with a potentially life-altering incident. I really enjoyed the connection the two men had and I was impressed with how things turned out at the end. Wonderful.
Wildwood by Thea Hayworth
4 Stars
A fantasy story about a forest guardian and ranger. Strong world-building and storyline with great characterization and atmosphere here. A fantastic fantasy read but the ending was a bit bittersweet for me.
Dark Covenant by Gryvon
2 Stars
This is the story that didn't really work for me. It was depressing and starts out pretty quickly with the MC being raped repeatedly which didn't really serve the story much for me. Seemed very gratuitous. Eli, is living a life of drudgery and hardship in the mines. It's discovered through an accident that he has powerful magic and is whisked away to a neighbouring academy to develop his powers. For all his power though, he is used and abused there. Over and over and over again.
He has some tenuous connection to a mysterious man, Eramus. This is another part of the story that didn't work for me. Just a lot of PWP, from the repeated rapes to the tentacle sex.
Situation Normal by Morgan Harcourt
4.5 Stars
My second favourite of the collection. This is a sci-fi story about a courier who has his ship commandeered by an alien lizard cop who is pursuing a fugitive.
This one had me laughing so hard. There was a lot of snappy dialogue here. Points to the author for the title which may be a nod to Han Solo's fumbling attempt to distract stormtroopers during the Princess Leia rescue in Star Wars. Golden! And very story appropriate!
Sebastian is the pilot and owner of the ship. The story is from his POV and he is hilarious. He and the alien, Ten, have a lot of back and forth witty and charming conversations. The tentacle sex here is over the top smoking hot as well. There's some great world-building here in addition to the characters and storyline. Awesome read here.
All in all I was really impressed with the anthology and would really recommend it for readers wanting to see what the big deal with tentacle sex is all about. With the exception of the one story I found it all a very natural and organic part of the relationships. Recommended!
skimmed-through
January 21, 2013I tried. All four stories.
One thing`s for sure, I will NOT join the GR tentacle club...*shudder*
One thing`s for sure, I will NOT join the GR tentacle club...*shudder*
January 17, 2013
Short Review
Rating:
Mean Value:
3.96 stars
Single Stories:
4.33 stars (Ground Mission)
4.67 stars (Wildwood)
2.50 stars (Dark Covenant)
4.33 stars (Situation Normal)
Genre:
Intersting anthology with both fantasy and sci-fi romance short stories involving tentacle-sex in different variations.
Content Advisory:
All stories:
Containing sex (non-rape) involving tentacles in different forms and interpretations.
Dark Covenant:
Contains (non-tentacle) rape/non-con.
Infos/Impressions:
General:
This was a No-Risk-No-Fun buy some time ago...
...and got positively surprised by this one.
Ground Mission and Situation Normal are short episodes about the respective main characters and have potential to be expanded to good full sci-fi novels (or at least novellas) that I’d love to read.
Ground Mission:
Quick, funny, and endearing sci-fi romance.
Wildwood:
This was my favorite (in spite of the slightly bittersweet touch) with a great romantic fantasy story. Also this one felt the most complete.
Dark Covenant:
Not my thing and too dark for my taste.
Situation Normal:
Fluffy and funny sci-fi story—more on the smutty side.
Further Reviews (I agree with):
Heller’s review
Nova’s review
Rating:
Mean Value:
3.96 stars
Single Stories:
4.33 stars (Ground Mission)
4.67 stars (Wildwood)
2.50 stars (Dark Covenant)
4.33 stars (Situation Normal)
Genre:
Intersting anthology with both fantasy and sci-fi romance short stories involving tentacle-sex in different variations.
Content Advisory:
All stories:
Containing sex (non-rape) involving tentacles in different forms and interpretations.
Dark Covenant:
Contains (non-tentacle) rape/non-con.
Infos/Impressions:
General:
This was a No-Risk-No-Fun buy some time ago...
...and got positively surprised by this one.
Ground Mission and Situation Normal are short episodes about the respective main characters and have potential to be expanded to good full sci-fi novels (or at least novellas) that I’d love to read.
Ground Mission:
Quick, funny, and endearing sci-fi romance.
Wildwood:
This was my favorite (in spite of the slightly bittersweet touch) with a great romantic fantasy story. Also this one felt the most complete.
Dark Covenant:
Not my thing and too dark for my taste.
Situation Normal:
Fluffy and funny sci-fi story—more on the smutty side.
Further Reviews (I agree with):
Heller’s review
Nova’s review
November 4, 2013
(spoilers added to take up less space in yet another freakishly long review)
An anthology about tentacles… and all the havoc they can wreak… how could I resist? If you like tentacle tomfoolery, this is the anthology for you. Each story spins a different mood and depending on your mood you’ll surely find something to like here. Overall rating = 4 stars
Ground Mission by Laylah Hunter (alt uni/sci-fi, suspense, monsters, stuffing) 4.5 stars
Wildwood by Thea Hayworth (alternate universe/fantasy, paranormal, bittersweet) 4.0 stars
Dark Covenant by Gryvon (alternate universe/fantasy, magic, rape) 3.0 stars
Situation Normal by Morgan Harcourt (sci-fi, BDSM, xeno-sex, space cowboys, kink, orgasm denial, stuffing, hot ’n humorous) 4.0 stars
For this review, give-aways, author interviews, and much more:
August 20, 2012
Review posted at The Armchair Reader.
This is definitely one of the more successful anthologies that I've read. I've said it before, but I really like the way that Storm Moon Press does their anthologies. They never seem overcrowded and they also seem to really be into cultivating new talent. Or, at least many of their authors are new to me and the success rate of those stories by authors I've never heard of versus the same at other publishers is so much higher. I enjoyed every story in the anthology, all four of them, and I didn't feel overwhelmed. I also didn't get bogged down in to a theme, something that SMP seems to have done by choosing anthology themes that are far reaching which allows authors a lot more creativity with their story. Certainly, each of the ones in this anthology were very different and all had their own merits. I would have enjoyed reading each of them as a separate work, and some of them were wonderful.
The tentacle theme is certainly not everyone's cup of tea. I know that before this anthology I'd read a couple stories that dealt with it and was intrigued. I had certainly liked it, and though it may be my limited reading experience on this topic, most of what I had read was pretty serious dub/non-con and definitely not everyone's cup of tea. While Gryvon's story, Dark Covenant deals with rape in a way that will make some people pretty uncomfortable, the other stories didn't, and explored the kink in ways I hadn't read before. Even in Gryvon's story, the rape had nothing to do with the tentacle sex. It's something that I think readers should explore, if you're interested, and this is a great way to do it.
Ground Mission by Laylah Hunter (3.5 stars)
Heat: 4 - Spicy & Smutty
Sex Frequency: 3 - Average Story to Sex Ratio
Keywords/Tags: Friends to Lovers, Other Planets, Infected
Adrian and Simon are pod mates, two genetically modified men who are cryogenically frozen between missions. They are the first contact on the worlds they visit, and the grunts of the whole operation. They wake with the latest mission to visit and old Earth colony and investigate the remains of civilization. When they get to the ground, however, they find that there is still life, and it is hostile.
The best part of this story is the relationship between Adrian and Simon. Pod mates have such little free time because they're always either in stasis (frozen between missions) or on a mission and devoted to their objective. Like most other pod mates, they have a relationship. The nature of that relationship isn't quite explored, at least directly. There is no precedent from other pod mates to compare (we don't meet any of the others), but you can see through their interactions that their relationship is in a transition. They are natural partners in getting their work done. Like all of the two-person teams, one is for intelligence and one is for muscle. Adrian, as the muscle (or as Simon refers to him, "meat-shield"), follows Simon's lead on the missions, who is either naturally dominant in ways or take charge because of his extra modifications. The changes they go through during their mission alter them as well, cement their bond, and allow them to say what they really feel when they finally have time alone to explore their feelings further.
This was quite a sweet romance, despite the situation Adrian and Simon are in. I liked that they were able to take their working relationship and banter and explore a new type of relationship.
Wildwood by Thea Hayworth (4.25 stars)
Heat: 3 - Sexy & Mild
Sex Frequency: 2 - Few and Far Between
Keywords/Tags: Fae
In this story, the peace is kept by a symbiotic relationship between humans and Guardians. The land is widely covered in forests, and of the largest and oldest forest of all there is a single Guardian, who is rumored to have gone missing years ago. Unique creatures that seem to be the personification of the forest themselves, Guardians protect the woods and keep the coexistence between man and all natures of creatures -- Dryads, Wights, Kelpies, etc. Koster is a ranger, one of a band of men who protect the humans in forest settlements, who is new to the old and vast forest of Oakensea. His fearsome visage reflects his tumultuous past as a ranger who has been stationed in forests that have turned wild, overrun with wights and necromancers. His arrival in Orm and patrols through the Oakensea bring changes that most of the residents have never thought to see, all while continually running into a strange man in the woods who is covered, head to toe, in an old ratty cloak.
This is quite a wonderful, original story. When I thought of "tentle-rotica" (which I've coined btw -- it's the new word everyone, spread it around!) and thought about the stories of this anthology, I suppose I expected all manner of sea creatures. It is part of the reason that I wanted to read this anthology -- half scared and half excited -- imagining some sort of Cthulhu romance… *shudder* This story is set far from the sea, however, and not only was I pleased with how this story dealt with the tentacle prompt, I liked where the story moved from there. What is charming about the romance between Koster and his mystery man, is that by nature of the man's secrecy (though you know almost right off who he is) Koster really must woo him, at first a little bit for duty, but thereafter because of his own interest more than the people of Orm. I can't quite decide how I feel about the POV changes (mostly Koster's, but occasional sections from almost random townspeople), in the end I can see what it brings to the story. As an isolated town, the people are presented with an almost united front, both in their goals and beliefs. Because of that, their different POVs come across as one of a whole character, and because their removed from Koster, the "stranger", they are a mostly objective voice.
I very much liked this one and I hope to see this author's work, who until now I had not read nor heard of, in the future.
Dark Covenant by Gryvon (4.5 stars)
Heat: 4 - Spicy & Smutty
Sex Frequency: 4 - Very Often
Keywords/Tags: Non-Con/Rape, Magic, Lovecraftian
Eli is from the lower city, perpetually covered in coal smog, dirty and poor with no way out. He works the mines to provide for his younger brothers and sisters and his frail mother's medicines. Then, when a mysterious man named Erasmus makes him a deal that he can't refuse, he's caught as a plaything in the Academy, learning magic by day and horrible things at night -- all with Erasmus' manipulative voice in his head.
This is a beautifully written story, sensually evocative. The story begins right away with the suspense that carries through the story, and I felt like Eli was being set up for a horrible trap even before it happened. In fact, Eli soon knows it too, no matter what he'd rather believe, which only adds hopelessness onto an already out of control situation. The emasculation he feels later in the story is a physical representation of everything that has been taken from him, his family, his life, and is written in such a way that it feels as if that ultimate hopelessness has been chartered from the beginning. The real mystery is which road to take. Which path with which person is the best bet for him and his family. The answer to that changed from beginning to end, just as we slowly learn who Erasmus is and how corrosive the deceit among the Academy is, and maybe if the only choice Eli has is to choose the lesser of two evils. If only Eli had knowledge to guide his way, something which his one friend and roommate Wesley helps with.
This writing in this story, combined with the almost Lovecraftian horror lurking among the shadows creates an atmosphere that continually made me feel as if I was watching a short film. This is definitely one of my favorite stories of the anthology, and this author's writing continues to excite me. I simply can't wait for Gryvon to write more, maybe a novel? I'd love that.
Situation Normal by Morgan Harcourt (3 stars)
Heat: 5 - Off the Charts!
Sex Frequency: 4 - Very Often
Keywords/Tags: Interspecies, Cops, Alpha Doms
Sebastian is caught taking an illegal warp through space by a 7 foot tall lizard. The minute His Most Just Tenacity, nicknamed Ten, commandeers his ship and starts coloring him Red because of his hair color, the situation takes a very sexy turn. Sebastian can't believe his fantasy of a hot top lizard is going to push him around and push even his no limit boundaries. The problem is that no matter how hot their sex is, Ten seems to think that Red is someone else, a real criminal he's been chasing. What seems like a fun and sexy game suddenly becomes something much worse.
This story is definitely the most sex focused story of the anthology, though it was definitely hot. I suppose you could call it Xeno BDSM, since interspecies sex is called xeno sex in the story. Also, they both have real chemistry, so it isn't just the tentacle kink that makes the story sexy, but also the power play and the back and forth banter. What is play, what is real? I wanted to label this story erotica for much of it, simply because the sex takes up quite a bit of the story, but there is a plot here, a miscommunication as part of the play that sends Sebastian into a dangerous situation. This allows for the two go possibly come back together and maybe even have a relationship of a sort in the future. It definitely ends in an HFN.
Even though this was my least favorite story of the anthology, that's not a bad thing because the stories in this anthology have been really wonderful. I can't even say that this story needed anything different or that I would have changed anything, simply that I preferred the others.
This is definitely one of the more successful anthologies that I've read. I've said it before, but I really like the way that Storm Moon Press does their anthologies. They never seem overcrowded and they also seem to really be into cultivating new talent. Or, at least many of their authors are new to me and the success rate of those stories by authors I've never heard of versus the same at other publishers is so much higher. I enjoyed every story in the anthology, all four of them, and I didn't feel overwhelmed. I also didn't get bogged down in to a theme, something that SMP seems to have done by choosing anthology themes that are far reaching which allows authors a lot more creativity with their story. Certainly, each of the ones in this anthology were very different and all had their own merits. I would have enjoyed reading each of them as a separate work, and some of them were wonderful.
The tentacle theme is certainly not everyone's cup of tea. I know that before this anthology I'd read a couple stories that dealt with it and was intrigued. I had certainly liked it, and though it may be my limited reading experience on this topic, most of what I had read was pretty serious dub/non-con and definitely not everyone's cup of tea. While Gryvon's story, Dark Covenant deals with rape in a way that will make some people pretty uncomfortable, the other stories didn't, and explored the kink in ways I hadn't read before. Even in Gryvon's story, the rape had nothing to do with the tentacle sex. It's something that I think readers should explore, if you're interested, and this is a great way to do it.
Ground Mission by Laylah Hunter (3.5 stars)
Heat: 4 - Spicy & Smutty
Sex Frequency: 3 - Average Story to Sex Ratio
Keywords/Tags: Friends to Lovers, Other Planets, Infected
Adrian and Simon are pod mates, two genetically modified men who are cryogenically frozen between missions. They are the first contact on the worlds they visit, and the grunts of the whole operation. They wake with the latest mission to visit and old Earth colony and investigate the remains of civilization. When they get to the ground, however, they find that there is still life, and it is hostile.
The best part of this story is the relationship between Adrian and Simon. Pod mates have such little free time because they're always either in stasis (frozen between missions) or on a mission and devoted to their objective. Like most other pod mates, they have a relationship. The nature of that relationship isn't quite explored, at least directly. There is no precedent from other pod mates to compare (we don't meet any of the others), but you can see through their interactions that their relationship is in a transition. They are natural partners in getting their work done. Like all of the two-person teams, one is for intelligence and one is for muscle. Adrian, as the muscle (or as Simon refers to him, "meat-shield"), follows Simon's lead on the missions, who is either naturally dominant in ways or take charge because of his extra modifications. The changes they go through during their mission alter them as well, cement their bond, and allow them to say what they really feel when they finally have time alone to explore their feelings further.
This was quite a sweet romance, despite the situation Adrian and Simon are in. I liked that they were able to take their working relationship and banter and explore a new type of relationship.
Wildwood by Thea Hayworth (4.25 stars)
Heat: 3 - Sexy & Mild
Sex Frequency: 2 - Few and Far Between
Keywords/Tags: Fae
In this story, the peace is kept by a symbiotic relationship between humans and Guardians. The land is widely covered in forests, and of the largest and oldest forest of all there is a single Guardian, who is rumored to have gone missing years ago. Unique creatures that seem to be the personification of the forest themselves, Guardians protect the woods and keep the coexistence between man and all natures of creatures -- Dryads, Wights, Kelpies, etc. Koster is a ranger, one of a band of men who protect the humans in forest settlements, who is new to the old and vast forest of Oakensea. His fearsome visage reflects his tumultuous past as a ranger who has been stationed in forests that have turned wild, overrun with wights and necromancers. His arrival in Orm and patrols through the Oakensea bring changes that most of the residents have never thought to see, all while continually running into a strange man in the woods who is covered, head to toe, in an old ratty cloak.
This is quite a wonderful, original story. When I thought of "tentle-rotica" (which I've coined btw -- it's the new word everyone, spread it around!) and thought about the stories of this anthology, I suppose I expected all manner of sea creatures. It is part of the reason that I wanted to read this anthology -- half scared and half excited -- imagining some sort of Cthulhu romance… *shudder* This story is set far from the sea, however, and not only was I pleased with how this story dealt with the tentacle prompt, I liked where the story moved from there. What is charming about the romance between Koster and his mystery man, is that by nature of the man's secrecy (though you know almost right off who he is) Koster really must woo him, at first a little bit for duty, but thereafter because of his own interest more than the people of Orm. I can't quite decide how I feel about the POV changes (mostly Koster's, but occasional sections from almost random townspeople), in the end I can see what it brings to the story. As an isolated town, the people are presented with an almost united front, both in their goals and beliefs. Because of that, their different POVs come across as one of a whole character, and because their removed from Koster, the "stranger", they are a mostly objective voice.
I very much liked this one and I hope to see this author's work, who until now I had not read nor heard of, in the future.
Dark Covenant by Gryvon (4.5 stars)
Heat: 4 - Spicy & Smutty
Sex Frequency: 4 - Very Often
Keywords/Tags: Non-Con/Rape, Magic, Lovecraftian
Eli is from the lower city, perpetually covered in coal smog, dirty and poor with no way out. He works the mines to provide for his younger brothers and sisters and his frail mother's medicines. Then, when a mysterious man named Erasmus makes him a deal that he can't refuse, he's caught as a plaything in the Academy, learning magic by day and horrible things at night -- all with Erasmus' manipulative voice in his head.
This is a beautifully written story, sensually evocative. The story begins right away with the suspense that carries through the story, and I felt like Eli was being set up for a horrible trap even before it happened. In fact, Eli soon knows it too, no matter what he'd rather believe, which only adds hopelessness onto an already out of control situation. The emasculation he feels later in the story is a physical representation of everything that has been taken from him, his family, his life, and is written in such a way that it feels as if that ultimate hopelessness has been chartered from the beginning. The real mystery is which road to take. Which path with which person is the best bet for him and his family. The answer to that changed from beginning to end, just as we slowly learn who Erasmus is and how corrosive the deceit among the Academy is, and maybe if the only choice Eli has is to choose the lesser of two evils. If only Eli had knowledge to guide his way, something which his one friend and roommate Wesley helps with.
This writing in this story, combined with the almost Lovecraftian horror lurking among the shadows creates an atmosphere that continually made me feel as if I was watching a short film. This is definitely one of my favorite stories of the anthology, and this author's writing continues to excite me. I simply can't wait for Gryvon to write more, maybe a novel? I'd love that.
Situation Normal by Morgan Harcourt (3 stars)
Heat: 5 - Off the Charts!
Sex Frequency: 4 - Very Often
Keywords/Tags: Interspecies, Cops, Alpha Doms
Sebastian is caught taking an illegal warp through space by a 7 foot tall lizard. The minute His Most Just Tenacity, nicknamed Ten, commandeers his ship and starts coloring him Red because of his hair color, the situation takes a very sexy turn. Sebastian can't believe his fantasy of a hot top lizard is going to push him around and push even his no limit boundaries. The problem is that no matter how hot their sex is, Ten seems to think that Red is someone else, a real criminal he's been chasing. What seems like a fun and sexy game suddenly becomes something much worse.
This story is definitely the most sex focused story of the anthology, though it was definitely hot. I suppose you could call it Xeno BDSM, since interspecies sex is called xeno sex in the story. Also, they both have real chemistry, so it isn't just the tentacle kink that makes the story sexy, but also the power play and the back and forth banter. What is play, what is real? I wanted to label this story erotica for much of it, simply because the sex takes up quite a bit of the story, but there is a plot here, a miscommunication as part of the play that sends Sebastian into a dangerous situation. This allows for the two go possibly come back together and maybe even have a relationship of a sort in the future. It definitely ends in an HFN.
Even though this was my least favorite story of the anthology, that's not a bad thing because the stories in this anthology have been really wonderful. I can't even say that this story needed anything different or that I would have changed anything, simply that I preferred the others.
November 1, 2013
Very good anthology. The second really had some of the best writing I've read I. Quite a long time. It had me feeling and sensing the story. The last was also very good with nicely done dialogue that had a good amount of snark. This is very much worth the dollars and there is not really a dud in it. This is a great book for those that do not want to read tentacle torture porn as it has none of it. These are more celebratory of almost a cultural difference in feel although clearly physical is a big part.
November 10, 2012
Ground Mission by Laylah Hunter – 4 stars: A mission, creepy aliens, tentacles and two charismatic guys!
Wildwood by Thea Hayworth – 4.5 stars: My favorite. Still a bit teary eyed. Loved Irsing!
Dark Covenant by Gryvon – 2.5 stars: Didn’t really like the MC’s and some parts of the story.
Situation Normal by Morgan Harcourt – 3.5 stars: Alien Peace Officer meets kinky young man. ;)
Wildwood by Thea Hayworth – 4.5 stars: My favorite. Still a bit teary eyed. Loved Irsing!
Dark Covenant by Gryvon – 2.5 stars: Didn’t really like the MC’s and some parts of the story.
Situation Normal by Morgan Harcourt – 3.5 stars: Alien Peace Officer meets kinky young man. ;)
October 7, 2013
Ground Mission by Laylah Hunter - 4 stars
Wildwood by Thea Hayworth - 5 stars +
Dark Covenant by Gryvon - 4.5 stars
Situation Normal by Morgan Harcourt - 4.5 stars
Wildwood by Thea Hayworth - 5 stars +
Dark Covenant by Gryvon - 4.5 stars
Situation Normal by Morgan Harcourt - 4.5 stars
July 13, 2014
I've reviewed each of these stories under their individual books:
Ground Mission: 4 Stars
Wildwood: 4 Stars
Dark Covenant: 3 Stars
Great story, but a little too dark for me.
Situation Normal: 4.5 Stars
Ground Mission: 4 Stars
Wildwood: 4 Stars
Dark Covenant: 3 Stars
Great story, but a little too dark for me.
Situation Normal: 4.5 Stars
September 11, 2012
I really enjoyed this. Not what I was expecting with any of the stories. Everyone one of these shorts I would read in novel length. I wanted more from each one and didn't want the story to stop.
Ground Mission by Laylah Hunter 4.5 stars - Sci-Fi - Adrian and his pod mate Simon are sent down to a planet to find out what happened to the human population. It didn't go where I thought it would, both times, and Simon...Adrian and were on the same page with Simon.
Wildwood by Thea Hayworth 5 Stars - Fantasy - I think I might gush because this was my favorite. The world was rich and engaging. Koster and Irsing, I loved them both. I wanted more of these two and this world. Gah! Loved it!
Dark Covenant by Gryvon 4.5 Stars - Fantasy - There is so much more story to tell from this. It's dark and gritty and I could have strangled Eli. He was wise and naive at the same time. He made so many sacrifices and I kept wondering when would it be enough. This is a HFN as it should have been. Give me more Gryvon!
Situation Normal by Morgan Harcourt 5 stars - Sci-Fi - Hands down, the best sex scene. They were all good and kept me glued to the page. But with this one, the Sci-fi, the kink on top of kink, the banter between the MCs cracked me up and just marked all my check boxes. And then the ending! Gah! I wanted MORE....
Ground Mission by Laylah Hunter 4.5 stars - Sci-Fi - Adrian and his pod mate Simon are sent down to a planet to find out what happened to the human population. It didn't go where I thought it would, both times, and Simon...Adrian and were on the same page with Simon.
Wildwood by Thea Hayworth 5 Stars - Fantasy - I think I might gush because this was my favorite. The world was rich and engaging. Koster and Irsing, I loved them both. I wanted more of these two and this world. Gah! Loved it!
Dark Covenant by Gryvon 4.5 Stars - Fantasy - There is so much more story to tell from this. It's dark and gritty and I could have strangled Eli. He was wise and naive at the same time. He made so many sacrifices and I kept wondering when would it be enough. This is a HFN as it should have been. Give me more Gryvon!
Situation Normal by Morgan Harcourt 5 stars - Sci-Fi - Hands down, the best sex scene. They were all good and kept me glued to the page. But with this one, the Sci-fi, the kink on top of kink, the banter between the MCs cracked me up and just marked all my check boxes. And then the ending! Gah! I wanted MORE....
March 7, 2014
3.5 Average
Ground Mission by Laylah Hunter
4.5 Stars
-my favorite. 2 alpha males fighting alien entities and their own stubborn pride in order to stay together = happy reader.
Wildwood by Thea Hayworth
3 Stars
-very elaborate and descriptive. Old world-ish. Not really my cup-o-tea.
Dark Covenant by Gryvon
2.5 Stars
- Fairly satisfied with the end, though. Still, I'd have liked Eramus to fight harder to keep his human safe.
Situation Normal by Morgan Harcourt
4.25 Stars
-second favorite. Not thrilled with the very last scene, but I still enjoyed every bit of it until then, so I can live with it.
Ground Mission by Laylah Hunter
4.5 Stars
-my favorite. 2 alpha males fighting alien entities and their own stubborn pride in order to stay together = happy reader.
Wildwood by Thea Hayworth
3 Stars
-very elaborate and descriptive. Old world-ish. Not really my cup-o-tea.
Dark Covenant by Gryvon
2.5 Stars
- Fairly satisfied with the end, though. Still, I'd have liked Eramus to fight harder to keep his human safe.
Situation Normal by Morgan Harcourt
4.25 Stars
-second favorite. Not thrilled with the very last scene, but I still enjoyed every bit of it until then, so I can live with it.
October 31, 2015
4 1/2 stars.
I suppose most of us who read smut at all have at least one embarrassing kink. Mine is tentacles. And not just tentacles, but a small sub-sub-genre I've seen called "consentacles." Not tentacle rape, but tentacle loooove. LOL. On top of that I much prefer M/M to M/F. I don't get to enjoy my little idiosyncrasy much, and hardly ever outside of fanfic. So I was very happy to hear about this little anthology full of tentacle romance.
Please see the rest of this review at http://charming2020.booklikes.com/pos....
I suppose most of us who read smut at all have at least one embarrassing kink. Mine is tentacles. And not just tentacles, but a small sub-sub-genre I've seen called "consentacles." Not tentacle rape, but tentacle loooove. LOL. On top of that I much prefer M/M to M/F. I don't get to enjoy my little idiosyncrasy much, and hardly ever outside of fanfic. So I was very happy to hear about this little anthology full of tentacle romance.
Please see the rest of this review at http://charming2020.booklikes.com/pos....
June 2, 2013
Four story science fiction and fantasy anthology.
I haven't read much tentacle fic, but the focus of these was very much on the plot and characters, and much less on the tentacles (well, except maybe the last story).
All were extremely well written, but my favorite would have to be "Wildwood", with it's forest Guardians. This story reminded me so much of the manga Mushishi, and how I would have really liked to read a Mushishi m/m slash fanfic.
I haven't read much tentacle fic, but the focus of these was very much on the plot and characters, and much less on the tentacles (well, except maybe the last story).
All were extremely well written, but my favorite would have to be "Wildwood", with it's forest Guardians. This story reminded me so much of the manga Mushishi, and how I would have really liked to read a Mushishi m/m slash fanfic.
February 22, 2019
This is one of those books I just don’t feel like reviewing. But...
The first two stories... meh. The last two stories had at least one titillating sex scene each. Three stars max.
The first two stories... meh. The last two stories had at least one titillating sex scene each. Three stars max.
March 2, 2013
This was a well-put together anthology, and considering the subject matter and its taboo nature even in m/m erotica circles, I was incredibly impressed at the quality of the work. There weren't too many stories, so there wasn't really any filler (anthologies can blur and become forgettable with too much content). Start to finish, I enjoyed each and every take on the trope.
"Ground Mission" was great for packing a memorable punch in a relatively short amount of pages, always a bonus. The main characters had a great rapport and the world-building didn't feel contrived or too sci-fi for the sake of sci-fi.
I absolutely loved "Wildwood," and I thought it had a great position in the anthology. Not sci-fi like its predecessor, the fantasy elements were a breath of fresh air and cleverly done. I don't think I've ever seen the tentacle trope (for lack of a better word) done so uniquely? The forest guardian character's physicality was described just enough to be evocative, but not TOO much, which could be a pitfall in the hands of a less accomplished author. Loved the setting of this one as well, and I was quite attached to the characters.
I was less impressed with "Dark Covenant," mainly because I wasn't expecting the festival of rape I encountered once the story really got going. It was a change in tone from the rest of the anthology, and perhaps not a good one. However, credit where credit is due; the author had some skill with developing the world, and I was fond of the demon/God/whatever Eramus was. Still, wasn't really a fan.
"Situation Normal" was a bit kinkier than the other stories, but done with a skillful hand as well. Ten (His Most Just Tenacity if we're being pedantic) is a lizard-humanoid-thing, also a Peace Officer, who stops pilot Sebastian in order to commandeer his vessel. There's tension, sexual and otherwise, and some interesting sex. Loved the manner and use of the tentacles in this one. The story doesn't end with the sexual encounter; it goes on to raise the stakes and come to a pretty snappy conclusion. Wasn't my favorite of the bunch, but it was a great way to end the collection.
"Ground Mission" was great for packing a memorable punch in a relatively short amount of pages, always a bonus. The main characters had a great rapport and the world-building didn't feel contrived or too sci-fi for the sake of sci-fi.
I absolutely loved "Wildwood," and I thought it had a great position in the anthology. Not sci-fi like its predecessor, the fantasy elements were a breath of fresh air and cleverly done. I don't think I've ever seen the tentacle trope (for lack of a better word) done so uniquely? The forest guardian character's physicality was described just enough to be evocative, but not TOO much, which could be a pitfall in the hands of a less accomplished author. Loved the setting of this one as well, and I was quite attached to the characters.
I was less impressed with "Dark Covenant," mainly because I wasn't expecting the festival of rape I encountered once the story really got going. It was a change in tone from the rest of the anthology, and perhaps not a good one. However, credit where credit is due; the author had some skill with developing the world, and I was fond of the demon/God/whatever Eramus was. Still, wasn't really a fan.
"Situation Normal" was a bit kinkier than the other stories, but done with a skillful hand as well. Ten (His Most Just Tenacity if we're being pedantic) is a lizard-humanoid-thing, also a Peace Officer, who stops pilot Sebastian in order to commandeer his vessel. There's tension, sexual and otherwise, and some interesting sex. Loved the manner and use of the tentacles in this one. The story doesn't end with the sexual encounter; it goes on to raise the stakes and come to a pretty snappy conclusion. Wasn't my favorite of the bunch, but it was a great way to end the collection.
June 28, 2013
Ground Mission - 5 stars I really liked the characters and the dynamic between them. This was probably my favorite story.
Wildwood - 5 stars - Really enjoyed the world, the rangers and guardians were cool. My second favorite story. I only had one thing that I would have liked to see different.
Dark Covenant - 4 stars - I liked the world, I liked Eli and Erasmus (very darkly freaky cool *nods*) but way too much of the story was spent on interactions with other people (especially the non-happy ones) and not enough between Erasmus and Eli, so it kind of felt more like a prologue to a longer story or something. Still very enjoyable.
Situation Normal - 4 stars - This story seemed much more light-hearted than the others, more humor to it. The characters were very engaging and I wouldn't mind reading more about them.
Honestly, I'd be happy to read more about all of the stories, I was very very happy with this anthology!
Wildwood - 5 stars - Really enjoyed the world, the rangers and guardians were cool. My second favorite story. I only had one thing that I would have liked to see different.
Dark Covenant - 4 stars - I liked the world, I liked Eli and Erasmus (very darkly freaky cool *nods*) but way too much of the story was spent on interactions with other people (especially the non-happy ones) and not enough between Erasmus and Eli, so it kind of felt more like a prologue to a longer story or something. Still very enjoyable.
Situation Normal - 4 stars - This story seemed much more light-hearted than the others, more humor to it. The characters were very engaging and I wouldn't mind reading more about them.
Honestly, I'd be happy to read more about all of the stories, I was very very happy with this anthology!
May 10, 2013
This was not the silly PWP I expected - instead it was short stories with interessting plots and different takes on the "tentacles". A very entertaining read!
July 6, 2017
4.5 stars - Ground Mission
4 stars - Wildewood
0.5 star - Dark Covenant
5 stars - Situational Normal
4 stars - Wildewood
0.5 star - Dark Covenant
5 stars - Situational Normal
February 14, 2021
3.5 stars rounded up because of the stories by Hunter and Harcourt
Ground Mission by Laylah Hunter - 4 stars
Futuristic. In general, I enjoyed it very much and I liked two aspects particularly: The setting and that fierce mutual loyalty between Adrian and Simon.
Between that I got so intrigued by this quote: «none of them really like to be reminded of the ways they've lost their past» and what I highlighted in the preceding sentence, I would be happy if there were more stories about this couple, or stories in this setting.
Wildwood by Thea Hayworth - 3 stars
A fantasy that gave me an alternative Dark Ages sense.
I had some issues with this story because of the slow pace during the first part and difficulties to visualize Irsing accurately. Besides, it was the only one from this bunch of stories in which I couldn't involve myself regarding the tentacles, that was more woody than boneless and flexible and that gives a bit of shudder to me.
Anyhow it's very worthy to read, what most caught my attention was how clearly Irsing's explicit speech as much its sub-text are both valid and converge to explain his behavior.
While Koster's quiet stubbornness is touching and the weight of Irsing's quasi-immortality saddens, the ending is moving to tears.
Dark Covenant by Gryvon - 2.5 stars
Fantasy. It's the darkest story. The background combines elements that seem inspired in several sources like Harry Potter, Scotland and Wales during the Industrial Revolution and Middle Ages.
This tale didn't work quite well for me due to a :
* Impossibility to envision Erasmus, his corporeality is occasional and blurred.
* Lack of explanation about some plot topics, specially concerning what type of relationship is the one that joins Eramus and Eli and why this o that fact; It's not clear either which is, or will be, Wesley's role, since it appears to be an undeclared attraction toward Eli. A story has no need to be exhaustive, giving answers to everything, but in this case, the ones that it gives are insufficient.
* Villains exaggerated to the caricature, and I'm not talking about an intentional caricaturization.
So, even if this let itself be to read, this story was almost unsatisfactory for me.
Situation Normal by Morgan Harcourt - 4.5 stars
Futuristic. A sarcastic, a bit cranky, and submissive spaceman meets the hottest lizardman of his dreams.
My favorite, wonderfully funny. Excellent pace, witty narrative and banter, sizzling sex with D/s play. I adored the playful tone that crosses along the story, even in the intense moments, without loss of efficacy.
The only reason why I don't give it 5 stars and entry to my Short Stories Paradise is because there aren't enough explanation about what happens during Red's sleep, when (and how, and why) Ten leaves the "boat" and Steal-the-Stars does his appearing in it. And this isn't a story that can tolerate such an omission without detriment.
Certainly Ms. Harcourt has made her way on my Authors-to-Watch List
Ground Mission by Laylah Hunter - 4 stars
Futuristic. In general, I enjoyed it very much and I liked two aspects particularly: The setting and that fierce mutual loyalty between Adrian and Simon.
Between that I got so intrigued by this quote: «none of them really like to be reminded of the ways they've lost their past» and what I highlighted in the preceding sentence, I would be happy if there were more stories about this couple, or stories in this setting.
Wildwood by Thea Hayworth - 3 stars
A fantasy that gave me an alternative Dark Ages sense.
I had some issues with this story because of the slow pace during the first part and difficulties to visualize Irsing accurately. Besides, it was the only one from this bunch of stories in which I couldn't involve myself regarding the tentacles, that was more woody than boneless and flexible and that gives a bit of shudder to me.
Anyhow it's very worthy to read, what most caught my attention was how clearly Irsing's explicit speech as much its sub-text are both valid and converge to explain his behavior.
While Koster's quiet stubbornness is touching and the weight of Irsing's quasi-immortality saddens, the ending is moving to tears.
Dark Covenant by Gryvon - 2.5 stars
Fantasy. It's the darkest story. The background combines elements that seem inspired in several sources like Harry Potter, Scotland and Wales during the Industrial Revolution and Middle Ages.
This tale didn't work quite well for me due to a :
* Impossibility to envision Erasmus, his corporeality is occasional and blurred.
* Lack of explanation about some plot topics, specially concerning what type of relationship is the one that joins Eramus and Eli and why this o that fact; It's not clear either which is, or will be, Wesley's role, since it appears to be an undeclared attraction toward Eli. A story has no need to be exhaustive, giving answers to everything, but in this case, the ones that it gives are insufficient.
* Villains exaggerated to the caricature, and I'm not talking about an intentional caricaturization.
So, even if this let itself be to read, this story was almost unsatisfactory for me.
Situation Normal by Morgan Harcourt - 4.5 stars
Futuristic. A sarcastic, a bit cranky, and submissive spaceman meets the hottest lizardman of his dreams.
My favorite, wonderfully funny. Excellent pace, witty narrative and banter, sizzling sex with D/s play. I adored the playful tone that crosses along the story, even in the intense moments, without loss of efficacy.
The only reason why I don't give it 5 stars and entry to my Short Stories Paradise is because there aren't enough explanation about what happens during Red's sleep, when (and how, and why) Ten leaves the "boat" and Steal-the-Stars does his appearing in it. And this isn't a story that can tolerate such an omission without detriment.
Certainly Ms. Harcourt has made her way on my Authors-to-Watch List
September 9, 2012
I've been buying more anthologies lately - collections of short stories either by the same author or by multiples, and I'm really glad that I'm finally investing more time in reading them. All Wrapped Up is the latest one that I've finished, and it really did not disappoint. I am a big fan of exploring the boundaries of xeno in fic, with or without elements of erotica; All Wrapped Up did so in a delightfully varied and intriguing way.
Ground Mission pinged my sci-fi and military preferences in all the right ways, and Wildwood likewise tapped into my deep love for fantasy stories rooted with meticulous world building. Both truly managed to capture my interest with complex, self-aware characters and a highly engaging plot. Between the two of them, I was hard pressed to pick a single favorite out of the anthology until I finished it .. and Situation Normal completely snatched the prize. The banter between Ten and Seb was amazingly entertaining, as was seeing just how the plot unfolded into something that was both exciting and hot. I especially like how the concept of sex between two very different species was an acceptable - if uncommon - practice in the universe built by Harcourt, resulting in it being a positive but atypical practice instead of something abhorrent or taboo.
While I feel that Dark Covenant was the weakest of the stories in the anthology due to some inconsistencies and its simpler narration style, it did have some elements in the latter portion of the story that I enjoyed. The manner in which some of the rape scenes were glorified were not exactly my thing, but I do appreciate that Storm Moon Press put a note that the anthology contained non-con on their website.
Overall, I consider this a solid anthology and, with the exception of Dark Covenant, believe that it is definitely at least four stars for all contributions. I look forward to seeing more from its authors.
Ground Mission pinged my sci-fi and military preferences in all the right ways, and Wildwood likewise tapped into my deep love for fantasy stories rooted with meticulous world building. Both truly managed to capture my interest with complex, self-aware characters and a highly engaging plot. Between the two of them, I was hard pressed to pick a single favorite out of the anthology until I finished it .. and Situation Normal completely snatched the prize. The banter between Ten and Seb was amazingly entertaining, as was seeing just how the plot unfolded into something that was both exciting and hot. I especially like how the concept of sex between two very different species was an acceptable - if uncommon - practice in the universe built by Harcourt, resulting in it being a positive but atypical practice instead of something abhorrent or taboo.
While I feel that Dark Covenant was the weakest of the stories in the anthology due to some inconsistencies and its simpler narration style, it did have some elements in the latter portion of the story that I enjoyed. The manner in which some of the rape scenes were glorified were not exactly my thing, but I do appreciate that Storm Moon Press put a note that the anthology contained non-con on their website.
Overall, I consider this a solid anthology and, with the exception of Dark Covenant, believe that it is definitely at least four stars for all contributions. I look forward to seeing more from its authors.
March 22, 2013
The annoying thing about anthologies is you can't rate the stories separately.
Ground Mission:
Interesting/weird. Brief, but pacing wasn't bad for its length. Ending was a bit awk and rushed.
Wildwood:
I feel like I was missing something the whole time... I dunno. I never really got into the story even in the very beginning. *shrug
Dark Covenant:
...I dunno... I feel like I'm still missing a lot of information, though, and that rather annoys me. This one seemed really short, even though it wasn't really that short. Something about it seemed...incomplete? No, not that. It defintiely was more of a teaser than anything, though, and the random sex was random.
Situation Normal:
I liked it.
It's a good overall sampling. There were a couple in which the tentacles felt incidental and so a bit contrived. I like that it has an actual plot, but that the tentacly bits aren't really fully incorporated kind of detracted from the overall story.
The writing itself is decent, which is always a good thing.
ETA
Apparently I'm the odd one out who didn't like Wildwood.
Ground Mission:
Interesting/weird. Brief, but pacing wasn't bad for its length. Ending was a bit awk and rushed.
Wildwood:
I feel like I was missing something the whole time... I dunno. I never really got into the story even in the very beginning. *shrug
Dark Covenant:
...I dunno... I feel like I'm still missing a lot of information, though, and that rather annoys me. This one seemed really short, even though it wasn't really that short. Something about it seemed...incomplete? No, not that. It defintiely was more of a teaser than anything, though, and the random sex was random.
Situation Normal:
I liked it.
It's a good overall sampling. There were a couple in which the tentacles felt incidental and so a bit contrived. I like that it has an actual plot, but that the tentacly bits aren't really fully incorporated kind of detracted from the overall story.
The writing itself is decent, which is always a good thing.
ETA
Apparently I'm the odd one out who didn't like Wildwood.
April 2, 2017
★★★★☆ ~ 4 Stars
Four stories that ranged from 3.5 to 4 stars. I liked all four and they were all a little different - I do think that 'Situation Normal' was my favorite of this batch - it was fun and humorous.
I don't think you can miss with this anthology or Tall, Dark, and Wriggly
to get your tent sex fix.
Four stories that ranged from 3.5 to 4 stars. I liked all four and they were all a little different - I do think that 'Situation Normal' was my favorite of this batch - it was fun and humorous.
I don't think you can miss with this anthology or Tall, Dark, and Wriggly
to get your tent sex fix.
September 26, 2012
I made it through 3 stories now and I can't say I am enjoying it much. And it has nothing to do with sex and tentacles. I don't find it disgusting or anything. I am more appalled by the stories. I hate it when people are stripped of their freedom. I find it very hard to read about forced sex or about people being treated like tools. The 3rd story disturbed me. Not cool. Not for me.
Finished it. At last. Not my thing.
Finished it. At last. Not my thing.
January 3, 2013
Great collection of stories! The second and fourth were by far my favorites, but all were well written and interesting. (though the third had too much non-con for my tastes)
Will be looking forward to reading more from these author's works in the future.
Will be looking forward to reading more from these author's works in the future.
Want to read
October 10, 2012For some reason Vio recommended this to me...I'm pretty sure I don't want to know the reason! lol
October 9, 2013
review to come
on-my-radar
May 8, 2013M/M tentaclesex. Yup, I'm curious.
August 28, 2012
Tentacle erotica - it's amazing how much power two little words (just seven syllables) can hold over our imaginations, immediately and indelibly painting a picture so vivid, we can almost feel the flexible appendages creeping slowly up our legs. Originating in Japan, it's been a long-standing fixture of hentai (erotic cartoons and graphic novels) there for more than twenty years, but has only recently begun to creep (pun intended) out of the realm of Cthulhu-inspired horror and into Western erotica.
While it's not a fetish I would have ever imagined reading, two things demanded I give the taboos of All Wrapped Up a chance - it's from Storm Moon Press (I always love their work), and it's edited by Elizabeth Hyder (who proved adept at handling reptilian erotica with Trust Me). Having said that, I still went into the anthology expecting to read about lonely astronauts or barbarian heroes being attacked, raped, and mind-controlled by sexually voracious tentacles. Much to my surprise, the stories here as as far from the hentai cliche as you can imagine. They are, instead, stories of men in love (or lust) who just happen to encounter some tentacle invaders that, invariably, spice things up.
Laylah Hunter's Ground Mission kicks things off with a tale of two genetically engineered, technologically augmented soldiers, sent on a reconnaissance mission to discover the fate of the vanished human colony. In a case of opposites attract, Adrian and Simon quickly establish themselves individuals, slightly damaged, with their own personal torments, who find solace in each other's arms. This is very militaristic sci-fi, and done very well, with some real tension present in their situation. Rather than simply having some tentacled alien hold the men down and have its way with them, Laylah goes the Alien route and infects Simon with a tentacled bite. It's a rather chilling surprise when the tentacles begin emerging from his back, but the way in which the scene develops, with Adrian reluctantly succumbing to their touch in order to prove his love for Simon is rather stunning - both erotic and romantic.
Thea Hayworth switches genres on us with Wildwood, offering up a fantasy tale of a forest ranger tasked with patrolling a land abandoned by its guardian spirit and allowed to run wild. Except, as it turns out, the spirit hasn't really abandoned its duties, and it needs Koster's help. I absolutely loved the way in which Irsing was described, a tree-like figured formed of twisted branches, with oddly tentacle-like roots. Thea keeps us at arms length for most of the story, jumping between scenes and points-of-view that help to flesh out the larger story, establishing a mythological fantasy tale with a romantic core. Altogether wondrous, it quite delighted me with its take on tentacles.
Shifting into the realm of dark fantasy (bordering on horror), Gryvon gives us Dark Covenant. If there was a story in the collection to make me feel uncomfortable, then this is it . . . although the fault lies solely with mankind. A story of magic, fine-print contracts, and betrayals of trust, it begins with a young man reluctantly agreeing to be raped on a regular basis by the authorities at the strange school in which he has enrolled. I'll be honest, those scenes pushed me so far away from the realms of romance and erotica that I had trouble settling into the story. I only skimmed the rest of it, so it's not really fair to give it a review, but it was well-written and the atmosphere was appropriately heavy and dark.
It was with some trepidation that began Morgan Harcourt's Situation Normal, but it pretty much brings the anthology full-circle, both in terms of genre and theme. Our hero here is a down-on-his-luck young man named Sebastian, who ends up having his ship commandeered by a reptilian peace officer. In a homoerotic twist on the old buddy-cop action-comedy genre (set in space, of course), Sebastian and Ten start by antagonizing one another at every opportunity, complete with witty/sarcastic banter, but eventually succumb to their sexual desires. It's definitely odd to find such cute humour mixed in with hot, tentacle-bondage erotica, not to mention the very real danger of the second half, but it all works very well, in part because it is such a welcome relief from Dark Covenant.
Overall, another strong collection from Storm Moon Press, taking the tentacle taboos in directions I had not anticipated and providing some solid storytelling at the same time. I'll definitely be looking for more from Thea Hayworth, and should Morgan Harcourt ever delve back into the story of Ten, count me in!
As published on Bending the Bookshelf
While it's not a fetish I would have ever imagined reading, two things demanded I give the taboos of All Wrapped Up a chance - it's from Storm Moon Press (I always love their work), and it's edited by Elizabeth Hyder (who proved adept at handling reptilian erotica with Trust Me). Having said that, I still went into the anthology expecting to read about lonely astronauts or barbarian heroes being attacked, raped, and mind-controlled by sexually voracious tentacles. Much to my surprise, the stories here as as far from the hentai cliche as you can imagine. They are, instead, stories of men in love (or lust) who just happen to encounter some tentacle invaders that, invariably, spice things up.
Laylah Hunter's Ground Mission kicks things off with a tale of two genetically engineered, technologically augmented soldiers, sent on a reconnaissance mission to discover the fate of the vanished human colony. In a case of opposites attract, Adrian and Simon quickly establish themselves individuals, slightly damaged, with their own personal torments, who find solace in each other's arms. This is very militaristic sci-fi, and done very well, with some real tension present in their situation. Rather than simply having some tentacled alien hold the men down and have its way with them, Laylah goes the Alien route and infects Simon with a tentacled bite. It's a rather chilling surprise when the tentacles begin emerging from his back, but the way in which the scene develops, with Adrian reluctantly succumbing to their touch in order to prove his love for Simon is rather stunning - both erotic and romantic.
Thea Hayworth switches genres on us with Wildwood, offering up a fantasy tale of a forest ranger tasked with patrolling a land abandoned by its guardian spirit and allowed to run wild. Except, as it turns out, the spirit hasn't really abandoned its duties, and it needs Koster's help. I absolutely loved the way in which Irsing was described, a tree-like figured formed of twisted branches, with oddly tentacle-like roots. Thea keeps us at arms length for most of the story, jumping between scenes and points-of-view that help to flesh out the larger story, establishing a mythological fantasy tale with a romantic core. Altogether wondrous, it quite delighted me with its take on tentacles.
Shifting into the realm of dark fantasy (bordering on horror), Gryvon gives us Dark Covenant. If there was a story in the collection to make me feel uncomfortable, then this is it . . . although the fault lies solely with mankind. A story of magic, fine-print contracts, and betrayals of trust, it begins with a young man reluctantly agreeing to be raped on a regular basis by the authorities at the strange school in which he has enrolled. I'll be honest, those scenes pushed me so far away from the realms of romance and erotica that I had trouble settling into the story. I only skimmed the rest of it, so it's not really fair to give it a review, but it was well-written and the atmosphere was appropriately heavy and dark.
It was with some trepidation that began Morgan Harcourt's Situation Normal, but it pretty much brings the anthology full-circle, both in terms of genre and theme. Our hero here is a down-on-his-luck young man named Sebastian, who ends up having his ship commandeered by a reptilian peace officer. In a homoerotic twist on the old buddy-cop action-comedy genre (set in space, of course), Sebastian and Ten start by antagonizing one another at every opportunity, complete with witty/sarcastic banter, but eventually succumb to their sexual desires. It's definitely odd to find such cute humour mixed in with hot, tentacle-bondage erotica, not to mention the very real danger of the second half, but it all works very well, in part because it is such a welcome relief from Dark Covenant.
Overall, another strong collection from Storm Moon Press, taking the tentacle taboos in directions I had not anticipated and providing some solid storytelling at the same time. I'll definitely be looking for more from Thea Hayworth, and should Morgan Harcourt ever delve back into the story of Ten, count me in!
As published on Bending the Bookshelf
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