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Owned and Owner
BDSM erotica. Author of As She's Told, winner of the National Leather Association, 2008 Pauline Reage Novel Award.
Etrin does whatever she must to be sent to the planet Henth, a society of men where women are rare, exotic pets. But the lucky men who can afford them know what they are getting: eager submissives, willing to accept animal status to achieve the relationships they crave.
Once Etrin's eyes are caught by Garid as he bids on her, there is no going back. But no matter how willingly Etrin submits, she must struggle hard to accept Garid's unrelenting control, and her new and humiliating condition. She is not allowed to speak or to learn his language. She is used as a pony, caged and punished - but the hardest adjustment of all is the chastity belt, and the discovery that teasing and denial are her master's right and pleasure.
As Garid moves his slave toward absolute surrender, he joins the company of other owners, all of whom have their own ideas on how to enjoy the women in their possession.
Graphic sexual content.
Etrin does whatever she must to be sent to the planet Henth, a society of men where women are rare, exotic pets. But the lucky men who can afford them know what they are getting: eager submissives, willing to accept animal status to achieve the relationships they crave.
Once Etrin's eyes are caught by Garid as he bids on her, there is no going back. But no matter how willingly Etrin submits, she must struggle hard to accept Garid's unrelenting control, and her new and humiliating condition. She is not allowed to speak or to learn his language. She is used as a pony, caged and punished - but the hardest adjustment of all is the chastity belt, and the discovery that teasing and denial are her master's right and pleasure.
As Garid moves his slave toward absolute surrender, he joins the company of other owners, all of whom have their own ideas on how to enjoy the women in their possession.
Graphic sexual content.
256 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published July 1, 2003
105 people are currently reading
1285 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews
May 14, 2022
I chose this book thanks to this wonderful Meredith's review and OMG what have I read?? it was dark, twisted and depraved. sci-fi bdsm, total power exchange, taken to the extreme, the guys there were cruel sadists. I honestly don't know how to rate it. I hated a few (okay, many) parts of this book but at the same time I couldn't put it down...
"As a result I felt gradually less and less human. After all, language is one of the things that makes us feel different from animals, isn’t that right? These giants were moving freely around while I was tethered, my huge owner was walking me on a leash, and I could neither understand nor speak."
"With every touch to every nerve I tried to convey that I knew what we each deserved. He deserved anything, everything. I deserved whatever pain, shame or frustration he wanted to give me. I deserved nothing more, and I trusted him not to give it. And he didn’t."
"The endless teasing was my master’s right. My orgasms, I finally began to realize, did not belong to me. I had no right to them. I belonged to him, all of me, including my responses, including any pleasures I might have. My body wasn’t mine – why had I thought my orgasms were mine? They were his, and they were denied."
January 27, 2020
Wow. I was not expecting this at all. This was a deep journey into the power dynamics involved in a TPE relationship - taken to the extreme. The sci fi setting suited the premise perfectly. (I appreciated it wasn't in my face, it never became too ott). Garid and jeedy's relationship was explored with nuance, just wow. I'm not going to lie, I sort of feel like I need to take a shower after reading this book, lol.
I don't view this as a romance, but I believe there was a love story in this book. More than anything it was little jeedy's journey into absolute surrender.
I'm not quite sure I emotionally connected to either character; I felt I understood them though. They were both flawed in their own ways yet perfect for one another. I think many readers who are looking for 'Alphas' they can drool over will be disappointed with Garid. I found him complex and fascinating.
This reminded me of The Story of O, but I liked this much more. In The Story of O, O goes through levels of dehumanization. Little jeedy went through similar levels of dehumanization (I don't even remember her real name). This was startling to read at times. The power exchange was intoxicating as well as frightening. In many of these types of books there are fade to black to scenes....well, no details were spared here. I appreciated that. The author went there and then further. This was a well-crafted story yet it also felt organic and real for both characters.
I felt the emotions and themes in this book were understated. Between the lines. It was emotional, without being overtly so. I appreciated this subtlety, others may find the writing more cold or emotionally distant. This sort of writing style almost reminded me of Judgment by Denise Hall, which I consider another great book that takes TPE dynamics to the extreme. Both are good books, but I prefer this book to Judgment.
The writing really came into its own in the middle of this book and there were many paragraphs I highlighted because they were so beautiful and touched on the complex emotions that would be felt in this sort of relationship. My only complaint is the few pony play scenes, because that is not my kink, lol. I wasn't bothered by it; I just didn't find it engaging. They were easily skimmed over.
If you're wanting a dark romance, I'm not sure I'd recommend this. This may not even fit if you're looking for a regular bdsm book. It's clear to me that the author created a setting and these characters in order to explore the nuances of a master-slave relationship more deeply. Dehumanization, power, surrender, and control were the largest themes. The heroine continually thought she knew what it meant to surrender, but like the animal constantly pulling on its leash, she had to learn the hard way what surrender truly meant. Once she gave in, completely surrendered, she was rewarded. I felt Garid's devotion to her in the last scene, which is why I greatly prefer this book to The Story of O.
I don't view this as a romance, but I believe there was a love story in this book. More than anything it was little jeedy's journey into absolute surrender.
I'm not quite sure I emotionally connected to either character; I felt I understood them though. They were both flawed in their own ways yet perfect for one another. I think many readers who are looking for 'Alphas' they can drool over will be disappointed with Garid. I found him complex and fascinating.
This reminded me of The Story of O, but I liked this much more. In The Story of O, O goes through levels of dehumanization. Little jeedy went through similar levels of dehumanization (I don't even remember her real name). This was startling to read at times. The power exchange was intoxicating as well as frightening. In many of these types of books there are fade to black to scenes....well, no details were spared here. I appreciated that. The author went there and then further. This was a well-crafted story yet it also felt organic and real for both characters.
I felt the emotions and themes in this book were understated. Between the lines. It was emotional, without being overtly so. I appreciated this subtlety, others may find the writing more cold or emotionally distant. This sort of writing style almost reminded me of Judgment by Denise Hall, which I consider another great book that takes TPE dynamics to the extreme. Both are good books, but I prefer this book to Judgment.
The writing really came into its own in the middle of this book and there were many paragraphs I highlighted because they were so beautiful and touched on the complex emotions that would be felt in this sort of relationship. My only complaint is the few pony play scenes, because that is not my kink, lol. I wasn't bothered by it; I just didn't find it engaging. They were easily skimmed over.
If you're wanting a dark romance, I'm not sure I'd recommend this. This may not even fit if you're looking for a regular bdsm book. It's clear to me that the author created a setting and these characters in order to explore the nuances of a master-slave relationship more deeply. Dehumanization, power, surrender, and control were the largest themes. The heroine continually thought she knew what it meant to surrender, but like the animal constantly pulling on its leash, she had to learn the hard way what surrender truly meant. Once she gave in, completely surrendered, she was rewarded. I felt Garid's devotion to her in the last scene, which is why I greatly prefer this book to The Story of O.
August 23, 2014
***Holy-shit-I-don't-know-how-to-rate-this-book stars***
Review completed on December 10th.
Okay, I finaly made up my mind on the rating. 4 stars.
I haven't thought about this book until Christine asked me to find her a very 'special' book :-D. This one is 'special' alright.
I think the reason why I was struggling to rate this book, was because I was having a hard time wrapping my head around the universe that the author created. Also because the feminist in me kept punching me in the face. It's had to think and type while being hit repeatedly by your inner goddess (:-S) :-D.
It's a very different take on M/s relationship. I don't know if you could call it that though. Relationship would imply that there are two willing (-ish) participants. And at the beginning, there are.
The story begins with a woman, a criminal, that has to make a decision: rehabilitation, exile or slavery on Henth.
She weighs each option and decides on the third one, because it sounds like an adventure. Little did she know…
She gets trasportet onto the planet ruled by men. Here is where the feminist in me started kicking me in the balls :-). The weird thing about it was that their society was so believable, and not far from the world we live in. Long story short: they don't need women to exist. Men are the superior race. They only use women as pets, and not the ones that look nice on their arm, that just smile and nod, or even sexual play things. They are there for an entertainment value only.
She soon figures it out that this whole deal is more than she bargained for. But by then, it's too late.
The so called hero of this story, is very hard/impossible to like, understand or relate to. The bizarre thing about it is that he is hard to hate, too. He've lived by those rules all his life, he doesn't know any different. His friends are shocked that he's got himself a slave for sex. Why do you need a slave while there are so many gorgeous men who can take care of you just as well, or better :)?
As for our 'heroine'; she's not as strong as she appeared to be, at first. Although she could be seen as such, because she'd gone though all 'that', but she can also come across as a woman who can be easily manipulated. He does put her emotions through a ringer and f@cks with her mind like nobodies business :). So...
I gave it 4 stars because I wished for a better explanation on why she chose the third option. The beginning was too rushed. I also wanted to know a little more about the world she lived in.
But overall, it was a very fascinating story. I've never read anything like it.
And to clarify one thing: it's not a love story. There are feeling involved, but not the ones I (personally) would associate with love or romance.
------------------------------------------------------------------
I read it few moths back and I thought maybe if I wait it will come to me and I'll have something to say, but it never came, so I will just leave it like that :-).
It wasn't a DNF, I read the whole thing in one sitting, with my jaw hanging out, and the story was so bizarre that it left me speechless :-S. Not in a bad way though.
Oh, and I think that the cover is very distasteful and a little bit misleading. The author could have come up with something more creative than that.
Review completed on December 10th.
Okay, I finaly made up my mind on the rating. 4 stars.
I haven't thought about this book until Christine asked me to find her a very 'special' book :-D. This one is 'special' alright.
I think the reason why I was struggling to rate this book, was because I was having a hard time wrapping my head around the universe that the author created. Also because the feminist in me kept punching me in the face. It's had to think and type while being hit repeatedly by your inner goddess (:-S) :-D.
It's a very different take on M/s relationship. I don't know if you could call it that though. Relationship would imply that there are two willing (-ish) participants. And at the beginning, there are.
The story begins with a woman, a criminal, that has to make a decision: rehabilitation, exile or slavery on Henth.
She weighs each option and decides on the third one, because it sounds like an adventure. Little did she know…
She gets trasportet onto the planet ruled by men. Here is where the feminist in me started kicking me in the balls :-). The weird thing about it was that their society was so believable, and not far from the world we live in. Long story short: they don't need women to exist. Men are the superior race. They only use women as pets, and not the ones that look nice on their arm, that just smile and nod, or even sexual play things. They are there for an entertainment value only.
She soon figures it out that this whole deal is more than she bargained for. But by then, it's too late.
The so called hero of this story, is very hard/impossible to like, understand or relate to. The bizarre thing about it is that he is hard to hate, too. He've lived by those rules all his life, he doesn't know any different. His friends are shocked that he's got himself a slave for sex. Why do you need a slave while there are so many gorgeous men who can take care of you just as well, or better :)?
As for our 'heroine'; she's not as strong as she appeared to be, at first. Although she could be seen as such, because she'd gone though all 'that', but she can also come across as a woman who can be easily manipulated. He does put her emotions through a ringer and f@cks with her mind like nobodies business :). So...
I gave it 4 stars because I wished for a better explanation on why she chose the third option. The beginning was too rushed. I also wanted to know a little more about the world she lived in.
But overall, it was a very fascinating story. I've never read anything like it.
And to clarify one thing: it's not a love story. There are feeling involved, but not the ones I (personally) would associate with love or romance.
------------------------------------------------------------------
I read it few moths back and I thought maybe if I wait it will come to me and I'll have something to say, but it never came, so I will just leave it like that :-).
It wasn't a DNF, I read the whole thing in one sitting, with my jaw hanging out, and the story was so bizarre that it left me speechless :-S. Not in a bad way though.
Oh, and I think that the cover is very distasteful and a little bit misleading. The author could have come up with something more creative than that.
July 6, 2011
Well I feel bad again. I tried really hard to like this book and I didn't. I'm sorry Ms. Jacob, it just didn't do it for me. The BDSM portion of this was really good. The slavery was out of this world. The training and conditioning was impressive. The concept of a slave culture due to a penal code was ingenious. For all of these, I give Ms. Jacobs a 4 star.
The chastity belt was once again a particular kink I found delightful. It was well done. The deviance from Ms. Jacob is rather creative and admirable. I give her props for this too.
What it came down to again was that I didn't like the characters. I just didn't feel anything for them. Garid left me with a feeling of abandonment. I guess it's his right to neglect his pet. He can abuse her anyway he wants. He turned Etrin into a mindless animal. That is his right too. For me, it was kind of pointless. I mean, why even take an intelligent being and make it mindless? I'm one of those people that don't suffer fools lightly. To purposely turn an intelligent being into TSTL I guess is a hard limit for me. If the person is TSTL already and is turned into an obedient animal then at least I feel there is some redeeming quality.
Now that I've written this review and thought out what made me ill at ease, I've figured it out. In this story, there is no bringing out the best in a human or animal. It's actually the reverse from my perspective. Since I've been trained hard to believe a mind is a terrible thing to waste and to throw away potential is criminal, I can't get over this plot.
The story was well written and the world building was quite nice. I just couldn't connect because the main theme is anathema to my existence. Rather than lowering Ms. Jacob's ratings on GR, I'm going to do as she requested. I'm going to stop reading her books. It's just not meshing for me. I do encourage others who enjoy intense BDSM full 24/7 themes to read this book. If you like puppy and pony play, this is a good book to read.
The chastity belt was once again a particular kink I found delightful. It was well done. The deviance from Ms. Jacob is rather creative and admirable. I give her props for this too.
What it came down to again was that I didn't like the characters. I just didn't feel anything for them. Garid left me with a feeling of abandonment. I guess it's his right to neglect his pet. He can abuse her anyway he wants. He turned Etrin into a mindless animal. That is his right too. For me, it was kind of pointless. I mean, why even take an intelligent being and make it mindless? I'm one of those people that don't suffer fools lightly. To purposely turn an intelligent being into TSTL I guess is a hard limit for me. If the person is TSTL already and is turned into an obedient animal then at least I feel there is some redeeming quality.
Now that I've written this review and thought out what made me ill at ease, I've figured it out. In this story, there is no bringing out the best in a human or animal. It's actually the reverse from my perspective. Since I've been trained hard to believe a mind is a terrible thing to waste and to throw away potential is criminal, I can't get over this plot.
The story was well written and the world building was quite nice. I just couldn't connect because the main theme is anathema to my existence. Rather than lowering Ms. Jacob's ratings on GR, I'm going to do as she requested. I'm going to stop reading her books. It's just not meshing for me. I do encourage others who enjoy intense BDSM full 24/7 themes to read this book. If you like puppy and pony play, this is a good book to read.
March 20, 2010
There was a lot about this book I liked but even more that I didn't. The premise was too far fetched and the main character, Garid, I thought was too cruel for too long. There were supporting characters, specifically Therin, that I liked more and wished the book was told from his point of view.
The idea that an entire planet of people deciding that they wanted to be gay and all the women leaving to live on their own planet is pretty ridiculous. Add to that the idea that their language and cultures have totally diverged to the point that most of the men of this world don't know what a women is - And you've gone too far. And of course, they reproduce total through artificial technology.
But, as it turns out, not all the men of Henth are gay and not all the women of Raniz are lesbians. If you're heterosexual, on either world, you're a pervert and should leave. But since leaving one's world is a very expensive proposition, Etrin Aboiais, a young woman, has to find another way out. Using a legal option that allows her to choose slavery on Henth, over reconditioning or exile, she makes herself a criminal. This is not too hard since laziness is considered a crime on Raniz.
Choosing the third option, she is sold to the highest bidder on the exclusively male planet of Henth. Her hope is to become the sex slave of a man, controlled entirely by him. The idea is very erotic and I loved the descriptions of bondage, pony play, and non-stop sex of most of the characters.
But the main character, Garid is just too extreme for my taste. I kept hoping the plot would turn and Garid would lighten up. Garid keeps Etrin, whom he calls Jeedy, in constant bondage and beats her regularly. He also prohibits her from speaking, learning his language, and keeps her isolated most of the time. Any resistance is met with cruel punishments and more isolation. She's kept bound, caged, gagged and hooded most of the time. The author wants us to believe that he's making her dependent on him. That by exercising total control she will become totally submissive to him.
This is where the book was unbearable to me. The author totally uneroticises the discipline and created torture scenes not erotic bondage. Etrin consented to slavery, bondage and discipline but with the promise of sexual fulfillment and enjoyment. Garid even says several times that he wouldn't keep a woman against her will. But he keeps Jeedy totally isolated mentally and physically and completely bound and gagged all the time. I think this would have driven her insane. This really bothered me and kept me from enjoying the book.
As part of her discipline, Garid keeps Jeedy in a Chastity belt and prevents her from sexual release for what seems like a year. This is just not physically possible. Either Jeedy would be having wet dreams or other physical stimulation, besides the clitoris, would result in orgasm. For example, after a while, even nipple stimulation could make her orgasm. I know women who can orgasm by tapping on certain bones. To suggest months pass without her sexual release is just ridiculous.
Meanwhile the other women owners on Henth are using their pets for all kinds of sexual games and pony play. These were the really great sex scenes I wish were the norm in this book, not the exception. Some of the pony races and suspension scenes were wonderful.
This book could easily have been good or great, but instead, gets my rating of fair for being mostly non-consensual, cruel, and just plan preposterous. I know, it's just a fantasy book, but it's just not believable.
The idea that an entire planet of people deciding that they wanted to be gay and all the women leaving to live on their own planet is pretty ridiculous. Add to that the idea that their language and cultures have totally diverged to the point that most of the men of this world don't know what a women is - And you've gone too far. And of course, they reproduce total through artificial technology.
But, as it turns out, not all the men of Henth are gay and not all the women of Raniz are lesbians. If you're heterosexual, on either world, you're a pervert and should leave. But since leaving one's world is a very expensive proposition, Etrin Aboiais, a young woman, has to find another way out. Using a legal option that allows her to choose slavery on Henth, over reconditioning or exile, she makes herself a criminal. This is not too hard since laziness is considered a crime on Raniz.
Choosing the third option, she is sold to the highest bidder on the exclusively male planet of Henth. Her hope is to become the sex slave of a man, controlled entirely by him. The idea is very erotic and I loved the descriptions of bondage, pony play, and non-stop sex of most of the characters.
But the main character, Garid is just too extreme for my taste. I kept hoping the plot would turn and Garid would lighten up. Garid keeps Etrin, whom he calls Jeedy, in constant bondage and beats her regularly. He also prohibits her from speaking, learning his language, and keeps her isolated most of the time. Any resistance is met with cruel punishments and more isolation. She's kept bound, caged, gagged and hooded most of the time. The author wants us to believe that he's making her dependent on him. That by exercising total control she will become totally submissive to him.
This is where the book was unbearable to me. The author totally uneroticises the discipline and created torture scenes not erotic bondage. Etrin consented to slavery, bondage and discipline but with the promise of sexual fulfillment and enjoyment. Garid even says several times that he wouldn't keep a woman against her will. But he keeps Jeedy totally isolated mentally and physically and completely bound and gagged all the time. I think this would have driven her insane. This really bothered me and kept me from enjoying the book.
As part of her discipline, Garid keeps Jeedy in a Chastity belt and prevents her from sexual release for what seems like a year. This is just not physically possible. Either Jeedy would be having wet dreams or other physical stimulation, besides the clitoris, would result in orgasm. For example, after a while, even nipple stimulation could make her orgasm. I know women who can orgasm by tapping on certain bones. To suggest months pass without her sexual release is just ridiculous.
Meanwhile the other women owners on Henth are using their pets for all kinds of sexual games and pony play. These were the really great sex scenes I wish were the norm in this book, not the exception. Some of the pony races and suspension scenes were wonderful.
This book could easily have been good or great, but instead, gets my rating of fair for being mostly non-consensual, cruel, and just plan preposterous. I know, it's just a fantasy book, but it's just not believable.
August 31, 2021
5 toe curling-twisted-screwed up-gave me shudders- Stars.
I LOVED IT. I lost my BDSM romance erotica V-card to this book
To the prudish person who flagged my review to be inappropriate, I hope you are feeling better now and you have regained some control of your senses and emotions.
Anneke Jacob is so talented! This book pushd me way out of my comfort zone and I was squirming !
I have meaning to write a review for the past 2 months. Reviw coming up in a while.
I LOVED IT. I lost my BDSM romance erotica V-card to this book
To the prudish person who flagged my review to be inappropriate, I hope you are feeling better now and you have regained some control of your senses and emotions.
Anneke Jacob is so talented! This book pushd me way out of my comfort zone and I was squirming !
I have meaning to write a review for the past 2 months. Reviw coming up in a while.
February 18, 2012
This is not a BDSM romance. This story is about total power exchange, so if that makes you uncomfortable move on. Owned and Owner tells the story of Etrin. Etrin has a deep need for sexual submission to a man. Her homeworld of Raniz is populated only by woman, so this would be considered a perversion. The society is based on the idea that you should be an asset to the community or face punishment. They give you 3 options - exile, rehabilitation, or slavery on Henth. Henth is the neighboring planet populated only by men. A few of them prefer women and dominance, which is also considered a perversion.
Etrin commits various acts of mischief all with the idea to be sent to Henth. Once she arrives on Henth, she is treated like an animal and auctioned. Her new Master is Garith. Garith is a sadist and heterosexual. He refuses to teach Etrin the language and trains her through pain. She has no name and is called "jeedy", which basically translates to cow or animal. Her training becomes more sadistic as the story goes along.
The sadism was not a problem for me. I happen to enjoy hardcore BDSM. The problem for me was boredom. It's a very long novel and it just drags on and on. It was a series of punishment, humiliation and orgasm denial. Etrin is a cypher and Garith a blank slate. Neither character was fully realized to me, despite the length of the story. The biggest problem for me was Garith. He's outed himself as a heterosexual, but doesn't seem to desire a hetero relationship. It seems he just a sadist that happens to enjoy practicing with a woman. I kept getting stuck on the fact that if you were attracted to something other than the societal "norm", wouldn't you want to develop a relationship? Wouldn't it be lonely to not enjoy what others had, even if it wasn't with the sexual partner society considered "normal"? This is also where other parts of the story had problems for me. Women have been sent to Henth as punishment for centuries, yet most of the Henthians don't realize that women are human. Many Henthians also travel off world and know that other planets have women! I'd also like to know why wasn't there any information on what Henthians do with criminals. At one point, Garith's father even says that he suspected that Garith was hetero, but yet they regard sex with females as bestiality. If it was viewed as a societal perversion I could have gone along with it. The women are often paraded through town, and many speak Henthian. If they're just animals, how is that possible? I just couldn't suspend my belief enough to go that far. All said, I didn't enjoy this much. The story was too long, very boring and had some serious inconsistencies.
Etrin commits various acts of mischief all with the idea to be sent to Henth. Once she arrives on Henth, she is treated like an animal and auctioned. Her new Master is Garith. Garith is a sadist and heterosexual. He refuses to teach Etrin the language and trains her through pain. She has no name and is called "jeedy", which basically translates to cow or animal. Her training becomes more sadistic as the story goes along.
The sadism was not a problem for me. I happen to enjoy hardcore BDSM. The problem for me was boredom. It's a very long novel and it just drags on and on. It was a series of punishment, humiliation and orgasm denial. Etrin is a cypher and Garith a blank slate. Neither character was fully realized to me, despite the length of the story. The biggest problem for me was Garith. He's outed himself as a heterosexual, but doesn't seem to desire a hetero relationship. It seems he just a sadist that happens to enjoy practicing with a woman. I kept getting stuck on the fact that if you were attracted to something other than the societal "norm", wouldn't you want to develop a relationship? Wouldn't it be lonely to not enjoy what others had, even if it wasn't with the sexual partner society considered "normal"? This is also where other parts of the story had problems for me. Women have been sent to Henth as punishment for centuries, yet most of the Henthians don't realize that women are human. Many Henthians also travel off world and know that other planets have women! I'd also like to know why wasn't there any information on what Henthians do with criminals. At one point, Garith's father even says that he suspected that Garith was hetero, but yet they regard sex with females as bestiality. If it was viewed as a societal perversion I could have gone along with it. The women are often paraded through town, and many speak Henthian. If they're just animals, how is that possible? I just couldn't suspend my belief enough to go that far. All said, I didn't enjoy this much. The story was too long, very boring and had some serious inconsistencies.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 19, 2012
- How kinky?
Extremely. This is a book heavy in many different kinds of kink - You've got your BDSM, your pet/animal play, dubious consent, edge play, sexual torture, slavery, orgies, furniture play, and a heavy emphasis on mind control through animal training and voice control. And when I use the word play ... that's only because that's what we call it. In this book's "fiction universe", it's definitely not play. It's real, it's serious, and it's intense.
- How sexy?
Very. As I've said before, the sexiness of a scene is pretty subjective, so if I were to say "It doesn't turn me on", that wouldn't be fair to you since we don't necessarily kink the same way. But if I were to measure sexiness by the level of immersion in the piece, the amount of detail given, and the flow of the prose, then yes, this is an extremely sexy book. All of these recieve a high score from me!
- How inspiring?
Very. There are many scenes in here that have, and will continue to, inspire my own scenes and fantasies. The detail is such that you can really flesh out the scenes in real life if you want. The costumes, the toys, the dialogue - awesome. Loved it.
- How engaging?
Very. Not just because of the explicit scenes. You really get to know the characters, and you want to know what happens next. I found myself wishing there was even more detail - it's a fascinating universe and if I were advisor to Ms Jacob, I'd suggest a series!
- How well executed?
Wonderfully written. As mentioned, the detail and flow are fantastic, meaning you can really get into it. It's a fantasy genre novel, but my "suspension of disbelief" was fairly strong the whole time. The universe is well rounded, the characters developed, and the backstories well thought out. Brilliant.
- Overall reaction
My only issue with this book was fairly personal; one of the themes of the novel was the philosophy of submission. Is sexual torture still okay if the subject has had their ability to consent curtailed? Is sexual arousal really an indicator of consent? Does arousal justify torture? Is it even really torture at all if a trained animal player is physically aroused and unable to communicate otherwise? It's all very thought-provoking. It is important to remember that this is all just fiction. In a fiction universe, SSC doesn't have to apply - as long as we always remember that in real life, it's essential.
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Extremely. This is a book heavy in many different kinds of kink - You've got your BDSM, your pet/animal play, dubious consent, edge play, sexual torture, slavery, orgies, furniture play, and a heavy emphasis on mind control through animal training and voice control. And when I use the word play ... that's only because that's what we call it. In this book's "fiction universe", it's definitely not play. It's real, it's serious, and it's intense.
- How sexy?
Very. As I've said before, the sexiness of a scene is pretty subjective, so if I were to say "It doesn't turn me on", that wouldn't be fair to you since we don't necessarily kink the same way. But if I were to measure sexiness by the level of immersion in the piece, the amount of detail given, and the flow of the prose, then yes, this is an extremely sexy book. All of these recieve a high score from me!
- How inspiring?
Very. There are many scenes in here that have, and will continue to, inspire my own scenes and fantasies. The detail is such that you can really flesh out the scenes in real life if you want. The costumes, the toys, the dialogue - awesome. Loved it.
- How engaging?
Very. Not just because of the explicit scenes. You really get to know the characters, and you want to know what happens next. I found myself wishing there was even more detail - it's a fascinating universe and if I were advisor to Ms Jacob, I'd suggest a series!
- How well executed?
Wonderfully written. As mentioned, the detail and flow are fantastic, meaning you can really get into it. It's a fantasy genre novel, but my "suspension of disbelief" was fairly strong the whole time. The universe is well rounded, the characters developed, and the backstories well thought out. Brilliant.
- Overall reaction
My only issue with this book was fairly personal; one of the themes of the novel was the philosophy of submission. Is sexual torture still okay if the subject has had their ability to consent curtailed? Is sexual arousal really an indicator of consent? Does arousal justify torture? Is it even really torture at all if a trained animal player is physically aroused and unable to communicate otherwise? It's all very thought-provoking. It is important to remember that this is all just fiction. In a fiction universe, SSC doesn't have to apply - as long as we always remember that in real life, it's essential.
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March 20, 2014
Eh. Not impressed
Whole lot of bondage, not a lot of erotica. Sure there's the master slave thing and the TPE that you find in a lot of "dark erotica" but I wouldn't call this dark and, honestly, outside of a few scenes, it's not erotica either. He humiliated her and controlled her but not much sexiness going on... I'd skip it...
Whole lot of bondage, not a lot of erotica. Sure there's the master slave thing and the TPE that you find in a lot of "dark erotica" but I wouldn't call this dark and, honestly, outside of a few scenes, it's not erotica either. He humiliated her and controlled her but not much sexiness going on... I'd skip it...
June 8, 2013
Owned and Owner is a book about a young lady, from a world which is essentially some sort of Dystopian Feminist Ideal. Men and Women have seperated to live on their own seperate planets, and rarely come into contact, unless a woman ends up in court, is sentenced, and chooses to be exiled into slavery on the planet of Men.
Our hero, Etrin, has been having dreams and fantasies of slavery since she was little, and begins acting out, determined to get her chance to be exiled.
She succeeds, and is purchased by Garid. Garid has specific ideas and desires in regards to having a slave girl. He wants her to be his completely without negotiation, discussion, or wheedling/whining/begging. To that end, he devises a strategy which he follows all the way through, involving her being reduced to a household pet, forbidden to so much as learn the language, let alone speak it, and a regimen of enforced chastity to keep her on the edge of orgasm but forbidden to come without specific permission that is a long time coming.
I would have given this book 5 stars, but unfortunately, it has a bunch of stuff I also did not care for. Like 60 pages worth of people that were not Garid and jeedy(Etrin's new name) doing stuff in different ways to their own slaves. I get focused when I am reading a romance/bdsm/whatever novel, and I hate being distracted by side stories involving people I don't care about, I just want to get back to the real plot, dammit.
The chastity was smokin' hot, Garid was mean as a snake, and even though we didn't get to know him too well, since he never really spoke with jeedy, I liked him. Jeedy was sweet and loving.
True story: I wish Ms. Jacob would write more books.
Our hero, Etrin, has been having dreams and fantasies of slavery since she was little, and begins acting out, determined to get her chance to be exiled.
She succeeds, and is purchased by Garid. Garid has specific ideas and desires in regards to having a slave girl. He wants her to be his completely without negotiation, discussion, or wheedling/whining/begging. To that end, he devises a strategy which he follows all the way through, involving her being reduced to a household pet, forbidden to so much as learn the language, let alone speak it, and a regimen of enforced chastity to keep her on the edge of orgasm but forbidden to come without specific permission that is a long time coming.
I would have given this book 5 stars, but unfortunately, it has a bunch of stuff I also did not care for. Like 60 pages worth of people that were not Garid and jeedy(Etrin's new name) doing stuff in different ways to their own slaves. I get focused when I am reading a romance/bdsm/whatever novel, and I hate being distracted by side stories involving people I don't care about, I just want to get back to the real plot, dammit.
The chastity was smokin' hot, Garid was mean as a snake, and even though we didn't get to know him too well, since he never really spoke with jeedy, I liked him. Jeedy was sweet and loving.
True story: I wish Ms. Jacob would write more books.
April 23, 2016
Ok. 1st off this is NOT a book to be read by the light hearted. If you are looking for romance, this is not it! This is not a lunch time, get you wet read either. This book may quite possibly offend you.
For me, honestly this is one of the few books that has ever given me a spiritual experience!
I DID walk around in a complete state of awe while reading it.
Stunned awe. I WAS wet the whole time I read it. Stunned, awed and wet.
Reeling. Gob smacked, stunned awed and wet. This book turned me inside out!
The reason why it was a spiritual experience for me is because when you look at the essence of it, this is the ultimate.
Surrender. Give up self will. Seek to align our selves with our higher powers will for us. Let go of Ego. Simply being in a state of now (even if you are constantly in a sate of anticipation) you have no choice to be in the now.
Everything every person strives to achieve when on a spiritual path. Isn't that path constantly paved with our own struggle to let go of self will and ego so that we may each that enlightenment.
This book was all that and more for me.
When I think of this book, I am totally transported back to my heightened state of arousel and awe.
It truly is one of the most spiritual books I have ever read in my life. Completely unexpected.
Be warned. This book is dehumanizing at it's worst/best.
For me, honestly this is one of the few books that has ever given me a spiritual experience!
I DID walk around in a complete state of awe while reading it.
Stunned awe. I WAS wet the whole time I read it. Stunned, awed and wet.
Reeling. Gob smacked, stunned awed and wet. This book turned me inside out!
The reason why it was a spiritual experience for me is because when you look at the essence of it, this is the ultimate.
Surrender. Give up self will. Seek to align our selves with our higher powers will for us. Let go of Ego. Simply being in a state of now (even if you are constantly in a sate of anticipation) you have no choice to be in the now.
Everything every person strives to achieve when on a spiritual path. Isn't that path constantly paved with our own struggle to let go of self will and ego so that we may each that enlightenment.
This book was all that and more for me.
When I think of this book, I am totally transported back to my heightened state of arousel and awe.
It truly is one of the most spiritual books I have ever read in my life. Completely unexpected.
Be warned. This book is dehumanizing at it's worst/best.
April 16, 2018
Very good, but!
Reader beware. The first few chapters sets the scene on how one planet became gender separate, with the women moving to another planet. Also, how they still managed to have children, ( only of their gender). Our female protagonist, however, was weird as she wanted to submit to a man,of all things. The only way was to misbehave to the point she was given three choices. The final choice being sent to the men's world and being sold as slave.
Our male protagonist was weird, as he wanted a woman.
After purchasing his slave he decides that he needed her to be completely submissive. Broken to the point that she has no desires other to please her master. No other thought than an animal. To know that she doesn't even own her own body or desires.
Once you get past the first few chapters the story really gets going. It is very hard on his female pet. Constant beatings, heavy bondage, and constant tease and denial, which lasts virtually the whole story.
Still, I did enjoy the tale, though I feel some sadness for what his slave went through.
A good tale, none the less.
Reader beware. The first few chapters sets the scene on how one planet became gender separate, with the women moving to another planet. Also, how they still managed to have children, ( only of their gender). Our female protagonist, however, was weird as she wanted to submit to a man,of all things. The only way was to misbehave to the point she was given three choices. The final choice being sent to the men's world and being sold as slave.
Our male protagonist was weird, as he wanted a woman.
After purchasing his slave he decides that he needed her to be completely submissive. Broken to the point that she has no desires other to please her master. No other thought than an animal. To know that she doesn't even own her own body or desires.
Once you get past the first few chapters the story really gets going. It is very hard on his female pet. Constant beatings, heavy bondage, and constant tease and denial, which lasts virtually the whole story.
Still, I did enjoy the tale, though I feel some sadness for what his slave went through.
A good tale, none the less.
August 5, 2011
Very interesting - enjoyed it more than As She's Told. The SciFi theme along with noncon/dubcon make this one standout. I was surprised that there was as much "romance" as there was - it was evident that there was caring (Don't get me wrong - this is not a romance!). I enjoyed the exploration - Ms. Jacob is a true expert at getting into the characters heads - without making you feel like she is telling you what they think. She is also excellent with dialogue -- that builds scenes, characters, and plot. Recommended!
May 17, 2020
It took me forever to read this book because it was just so painful to read. I was lured in with the sort of "sci-fi" idea and that backdrop amidst erotica certainly interests me, but this book is hardly that. Jacob's does not do a great job of world building and instead comes off as lazy at best.
Essentially, this is the story of two planets, one is entirely populated by men and the other populated by women. Naturally, everyone is gay on these planets, except for a few aberrant people. On the female planet if you're "bad enough" the court system will eventually offer you a choice of exile to the planet of men, where the girl will become a sex slave. I feel like in some round about way Jacob's made this mechanic to give the reader some kind of feeling that "well, the main character consented to this treatment". And that would be all well and good, but the book goes to such extremes that it's hardly erotic and there really is no concept of consent between the woman and man. The only consent is between the woman's government and her... is that enough? It's not really for me and that little fact was hard to get out of my head as I read of this girls extreme torture.
Basically, the main character Etrin is from the planet Ranitz and she is then exiled to Henth and then purchased as a slave by a man named Garid. This novel was a massive power exchange attempt. We are talking full immersion into actual slavery and imagining what that would be like. The problem here is that for a large portion of the book we are told the story through the slave's eyes, which sort of makes sense as we journey with her to break down her mental barriers entirely. So, the book is rather boring in this regard, because there is basically no dialog between the girl and her master. There are just his commands, in a language she doesn't know, and her response to do the right thing or be beaten. It's almost as if Jacob's realized this problem about half way through and started introducing Garid's friends and more of his servants to have something more to talk about in general.
Garid's journey being ultra possessive of his slave grows in the sense that he and his friends get together and Garid learns to share his possession with his friends. The book ultimately ends with the almost obligatory pony training, which I've come to somewhat expect from the English publishers who seem to really fancy this sort of thing. If you really want to read a good book with this topic go for the Penny in Harness stuff, it's written far better.
The real issues I had with this book was that this thing was borderline rape fantasy. The author also made special points in the beginning to emphasize how much bigger the men were. I suppose there's some logic to this that with men breeding amongst themselves they'd just get bigger? But it felt more like the whole point was to emphasize the girls child-like size... which was anything but erotic. Furthermore, Garid's whole goal was to break Etrin's will down to animalistic characteristics, not human. They make special points to dehumanize all the women in this book as much as possible and reiterate often enough that they are little more than animals. This almost has a Stockholm Syndrome fantasy where Etrin becomes devoted to Garid, even though he basically beats and rapes her higher level mental functions out of her. This got worse towards the end of the book and made it hard to read... then at the end the author makes sure to say that Garid loves his slave... I don't know... just doesn't seem that way.
As another reviewer pointed out the story about Garid's friend Therin was much better. I think the book would have been better if it was about him.
If you're into absolutely extreme power exchange then maybe you'll get more out of it. However, if you're here for sci-fi erotica... this is NOT it. This is entirely different.
Essentially, this is the story of two planets, one is entirely populated by men and the other populated by women. Naturally, everyone is gay on these planets, except for a few aberrant people. On the female planet if you're "bad enough" the court system will eventually offer you a choice of exile to the planet of men, where the girl will become a sex slave. I feel like in some round about way Jacob's made this mechanic to give the reader some kind of feeling that "well, the main character consented to this treatment". And that would be all well and good, but the book goes to such extremes that it's hardly erotic and there really is no concept of consent between the woman and man. The only consent is between the woman's government and her... is that enough? It's not really for me and that little fact was hard to get out of my head as I read of this girls extreme torture.
Basically, the main character Etrin is from the planet Ranitz and she is then exiled to Henth and then purchased as a slave by a man named Garid. This novel was a massive power exchange attempt. We are talking full immersion into actual slavery and imagining what that would be like. The problem here is that for a large portion of the book we are told the story through the slave's eyes, which sort of makes sense as we journey with her to break down her mental barriers entirely. So, the book is rather boring in this regard, because there is basically no dialog between the girl and her master. There are just his commands, in a language she doesn't know, and her response to do the right thing or be beaten. It's almost as if Jacob's realized this problem about half way through and started introducing Garid's friends and more of his servants to have something more to talk about in general.
Garid's journey being ultra possessive of his slave grows in the sense that he and his friends get together and Garid learns to share his possession with his friends. The book ultimately ends with the almost obligatory pony training, which I've come to somewhat expect from the English publishers who seem to really fancy this sort of thing. If you really want to read a good book with this topic go for the Penny in Harness stuff, it's written far better.
The real issues I had with this book was that this thing was borderline rape fantasy. The author also made special points in the beginning to emphasize how much bigger the men were. I suppose there's some logic to this that with men breeding amongst themselves they'd just get bigger? But it felt more like the whole point was to emphasize the girls child-like size... which was anything but erotic. Furthermore, Garid's whole goal was to break Etrin's will down to animalistic characteristics, not human. They make special points to dehumanize all the women in this book as much as possible and reiterate often enough that they are little more than animals. This almost has a Stockholm Syndrome fantasy where Etrin becomes devoted to Garid, even though he basically beats and rapes her higher level mental functions out of her. This got worse towards the end of the book and made it hard to read... then at the end the author makes sure to say that Garid loves his slave... I don't know... just doesn't seem that way.
As another reviewer pointed out the story about Garid's friend Therin was much better. I think the book would have been better if it was about him.
If you're into absolutely extreme power exchange then maybe you'll get more out of it. However, if you're here for sci-fi erotica... this is NOT it. This is entirely different.
April 3, 2013
I really liked this book's premise, but I'm sad to say it didn't deliver. I was warned that it wasn't a romance, so I read it as erotica. Unfortunately, I found the author's sex scenes lacking and just a notch higher than saying that the characters "had sex."
Though both the main characters were relatable, I couldn't muster up the energy to actually finish the book and ended my misery when I was up 68% on my Kindle. It was interesting to see the other pets' relationships with their masters and there is a subplot of another master's part ownership of a pet and for some reason, the sex seemed better there than for the two main characters. So, it wasn't like she couldn't write the sex scenes better, she just decided not to. I really didn't like this book, but for making the main characters relatable and real, I'm giving it two stars.
Though both the main characters were relatable, I couldn't muster up the energy to actually finish the book and ended my misery when I was up 68% on my Kindle. It was interesting to see the other pets' relationships with their masters and there is a subplot of another master's part ownership of a pet and for some reason, the sex seemed better there than for the two main characters. So, it wasn't like she couldn't write the sex scenes better, she just decided not to. I really didn't like this book, but for making the main characters relatable and real, I'm giving it two stars.
January 8, 2016
didn't really enjoy...it was more about control than any pleasure and just ended up making me feel not great but i see the appeal if you're into hat kinda thing. oh well, win some you loose some
January 17, 2015
Very interesting beginning!
This seemed to be something different than what i am used to. It was slavery without technically being slavery. The women who were sent to Henth made the choice to reside there. No woman was ever "forced" to live there. However, in choosing to to go to Henth they are choosing to forfeit every human right the have. They become nothing more than animals.
While the story was different and interesting, after a while i got very bored with it. Garid was a walking contradiction to me. He wants a woman because he lives on a planet of homosexual males and he himself is heterosexual. That i understand. But why buy a "pet" just to treat her like something lower than a dog? Why punish yourself sexually just because you feel like as a pet she doesn't "deserve" the pleasure? Why ignore her constantly and keep her bound in a small cage under the stairs instead of in your bed? (Even though he did realize his bed was where he wanted her by the end) I was just ready to choke his sometimes!!!
As for Etrin, i wanted to choke her the entire second half of the book. She was so twisted in the head. She completely lost me when she was explaining how sore, lonely, helpless, tormented, and HAPPY she was. Throughout the whole book she complains about everything Garid does not do (which is basically everything). How can you live like that and not like it but still be happy? Maybe i am seeing it wrong. I don't get it. She wasn't even sure if he wanted her there!!
Anyways, i guess this is just not my kink. I got tired of Garid treating her like nothing and not even showing a hint of any kind of emotion. Not to mention his little thought of love at the end. Really?!?! I highly doubt it. He did any and everything to turn her into nothing. It got a little weird with the racing though.
Last note, the writing was amazing and very descriptive. I fought a lot between two or three stars. It is evident that this was a well thought out storyline and it flowed together quite well. The writing definitely pushed the plug all the way in.
This seemed to be something different than what i am used to. It was slavery without technically being slavery. The women who were sent to Henth made the choice to reside there. No woman was ever "forced" to live there. However, in choosing to to go to Henth they are choosing to forfeit every human right the have. They become nothing more than animals.
While the story was different and interesting, after a while i got very bored with it. Garid was a walking contradiction to me. He wants a woman because he lives on a planet of homosexual males and he himself is heterosexual. That i understand. But why buy a "pet" just to treat her like something lower than a dog? Why punish yourself sexually just because you feel like as a pet she doesn't "deserve" the pleasure? Why ignore her constantly and keep her bound in a small cage under the stairs instead of in your bed? (Even though he did realize his bed was where he wanted her by the end) I was just ready to choke his sometimes!!!
As for Etrin, i wanted to choke her the entire second half of the book. She was so twisted in the head. She completely lost me when she was explaining how sore, lonely, helpless, tormented, and HAPPY she was. Throughout the whole book she complains about everything Garid does not do (which is basically everything). How can you live like that and not like it but still be happy? Maybe i am seeing it wrong. I don't get it. She wasn't even sure if he wanted her there!!
Anyways, i guess this is just not my kink. I got tired of Garid treating her like nothing and not even showing a hint of any kind of emotion. Not to mention his little thought of love at the end. Really?!?! I highly doubt it. He did any and everything to turn her into nothing. It got a little weird with the racing though.
Last note, the writing was amazing and very descriptive. I fought a lot between two or three stars. It is evident that this was a well thought out storyline and it flowed together quite well. The writing definitely pushed the plug all the way in.
May 24, 2017
This book was seriously intense.
For reasons explained, Etrin chooses to become a legally documented slave with no way to undo her decision.
Garid, her new owner, immediately goes to work training her for his desires and he is...exacting.
He's domineeringly sadistic and extremely regimented in what he will allow from and for his new pet. And the term "pet" is meant in the most literal way; she's no longer a human. Her needs, wants, and desires no longer matter or hold sway.
There is no letting up or loosing of Etrin's complete subjugation. It became heavy and oppressive at times, but was so well done, I couldn't help but read without pause.
This story is like the ultimate fantasy of dehumanization. I was quite uncomfortable and troubled at points, upset really, while simultaneously impressed at how the story unfolds without shame. Without apology.
It was made clear the Master/slave dynamic would not have been acceptable if forced and was without consent. The people in this story CHOSE this path. Healthy or not, right or wrong, these things did not matter because it was legal, and it was their choice. Que sera and to each his own would probably be the slave owner's response.
Some of the kinks were not ones I find appealing or have ever fantasized about, but they were told with such depth and detail, I couldn't help but be strangely fascinated.
Characterization and world building are on point. Backstories, current feelings and thoughts, they're all defined.
Whether or not I LIKED the story does not matter -the story stands on its own and just IS.
For reasons explained, Etrin chooses to become a legally documented slave with no way to undo her decision.
Garid, her new owner, immediately goes to work training her for his desires and he is...exacting.
He's domineeringly sadistic and extremely regimented in what he will allow from and for his new pet. And the term "pet" is meant in the most literal way; she's no longer a human. Her needs, wants, and desires no longer matter or hold sway.
There is no letting up or loosing of Etrin's complete subjugation. It became heavy and oppressive at times, but was so well done, I couldn't help but read without pause.
This story is like the ultimate fantasy of dehumanization. I was quite uncomfortable and troubled at points, upset really, while simultaneously impressed at how the story unfolds without shame. Without apology.
It was made clear the Master/slave dynamic would not have been acceptable if forced and was without consent. The people in this story CHOSE this path. Healthy or not, right or wrong, these things did not matter because it was legal, and it was their choice. Que sera and to each his own would probably be the slave owner's response.
Some of the kinks were not ones I find appealing or have ever fantasized about, but they were told with such depth and detail, I couldn't help but be strangely fascinated.
Characterization and world building are on point. Backstories, current feelings and thoughts, they're all defined.
Whether or not I LIKED the story does not matter -the story stands on its own and just IS.
December 10, 2013
Owned and Owner is a fun, competent tale delving well into the fantasy of total power exchange. This is an excellent read for those who know what they are getting on to.
Etrin has been an irredeemable nuisance on her home planet populated solely by women and is faced with three options: rehabilitation, banishment, or to be sent as a slave to a nearby planet populated only by men. Of course, Etrin longs for submission, so she soon finds herself being sold as an animal on an alien world. Indeed, she learns that this shall be her status for the rest of her life.
The author does a fine job of shoring up the fantasy with all the safeguards that Etrin tripped in order to consensually end up in an irrevocable situation. The reader understands that there is something about her character that thrives for the ensuing whippings, extreme bondage, and animalification. And, too, her owner is shown to be very strict, but loving - well prepared to manipulate her into exactly what he wants.
This is the contract of the book. Understanding that this is an exploration of extreme dominance and submission is required, I believe, to refrain from being triggered by the content. As an exploration, this book does so with finesse, caring, and a fine meandering pace.
Etrin has been an irredeemable nuisance on her home planet populated solely by women and is faced with three options: rehabilitation, banishment, or to be sent as a slave to a nearby planet populated only by men. Of course, Etrin longs for submission, so she soon finds herself being sold as an animal on an alien world. Indeed, she learns that this shall be her status for the rest of her life.
The author does a fine job of shoring up the fantasy with all the safeguards that Etrin tripped in order to consensually end up in an irrevocable situation. The reader understands that there is something about her character that thrives for the ensuing whippings, extreme bondage, and animalification. And, too, her owner is shown to be very strict, but loving - well prepared to manipulate her into exactly what he wants.
This is the contract of the book. Understanding that this is an exploration of extreme dominance and submission is required, I believe, to refrain from being triggered by the content. As an exploration, this book does so with finesse, caring, and a fine meandering pace.
April 26, 2012
While I liked the idea of this book a lot, I couldn't get into it the way it was written.
I'll write a longer review later, but for right now I'd just to say: don't read this if you're not into puppy and pony play at least a little bit. There's a strong sex with "animals" theme to this book's flavor of D/s and if you're not into that kind of dehumanization you'll probably find parts of the book as boring and unnecessary as I did. The scenes aren't tied into the hero and heroine's character arc very well, and the lack of emotional engagement left me feeling like they were included as spank material. Since ponygirl racing does nothing for me at all, the scenes bored me. YMMV.
I'll write a longer review later, but for right now I'd just to say: don't read this if you're not into puppy and pony play at least a little bit. There's a strong sex with "animals" theme to this book's flavor of D/s and if you're not into that kind of dehumanization you'll probably find parts of the book as boring and unnecessary as I did. The scenes aren't tied into the hero and heroine's character arc very well, and the lack of emotional engagement left me feeling like they were included as spank material. Since ponygirl racing does nothing for me at all, the scenes bored me. YMMV.
September 15, 2014
Anneke Jacob is a great writer - and in a genre where well-written books are fairly rare that's something I appreciate and respect - but I cannot relate to the TPE relationships she writes about. I understand that she's pushing that need for a strong owner, someone who won't change his expectations based on the whims or fantasies of the girl, to its logical conclusion - but the stories ultimately leave me sad and off put.
July 28, 2010
3.5 Stars
I loved the premise, but I just did not connect to the characters. It was interesting and disturbing. I much preferred Anneke's other book As She's Told.
I loved the premise, but I just did not connect to the characters. It was interesting and disturbing. I much preferred Anneke's other book As She's Told.
May 2, 2011
As good as "As She's Told" (same author).
August 28, 2012
Book was too long and too boring--tried reading it several different times but lost interest
June 22, 2015
I've got no issue with a lot of it, but it was just a bit too inhumane. If there had been some kind of romance too it, I might have been better but I couldn't even finish it he treated her so badly.
January 21, 2019
This book was written with a certain niche in mind and has a very strong voice for it. It read like a love letter to Lifestyle Bondage, with plenty of extreme scenarios that would be painful or exhausting for normal human beings to endure.
I see a lot of Gorean (John Norman) influence in the dynamics in this book. Namely, the society is gender segregated with more extreme gender dymorphism between men and women. It plays on the trope that 'Women come from Venus, Men come from Mars' and thus, women are 'smaller and more frail' than the large, Alpha men. It also slips in some implications of male pregnancy and heterosexuality being treated as "Queer"/taboo which is a prevalent attitude in the realms of straight BDSM culture and is a bit of a hot topic.
For an erotica book, it has excellent pacing with each chapter featuring progressively more extreme bondage. Rather than a crescendo of soft/hard, each successive chapter introduces a new scenario with even harsher punishments and more hardcore sex. The act of sex is secondary for most of the book, as the punishments and lifestyle play is much more prominent. Masochism and Sadism is the primary focus.
This book has a lot of Dubious Consent in it, even passages hand-waving and lampshading it. I wish Jeedy and the other slaves could express their willingness to their Masters without breaking immersion, but I suppose the audience for this book (and the slaves themselves) are implied to enjoy r*pe play.
I found a lot in this book edging on the sexually exciting for me, but not quite hitting the mark. It was either too unfulfilling (due to a theme of forced Chasity) or too impractical. But this book has A LOT of scenes in it, so it's almost certain at least one or two will tickle your fancy.
The author wrote to their tastes and it shows. The passion in the writing for this book is unmistakable, and you can definitely get the impression of how much fun the author was having doing the world-building and describing the dynamics.
I would recommend this book to those who enjoy lifestyle bondage or anyone who is just looking for something very different and new. It's definitely not for the faint of heart, but I was very inspired by it and impressed by the dedication put into every passage. Probably the best erotica book I've ever read.
I see a lot of Gorean (John Norman) influence in the dynamics in this book. Namely, the society is gender segregated with more extreme gender dymorphism between men and women. It plays on the trope that 'Women come from Venus, Men come from Mars' and thus, women are 'smaller and more frail' than the large, Alpha men. It also slips in some implications of male pregnancy and heterosexuality being treated as "Queer"/taboo which is a prevalent attitude in the realms of straight BDSM culture and is a bit of a hot topic.
For an erotica book, it has excellent pacing with each chapter featuring progressively more extreme bondage. Rather than a crescendo of soft/hard, each successive chapter introduces a new scenario with even harsher punishments and more hardcore sex. The act of sex is secondary for most of the book, as the punishments and lifestyle play is much more prominent. Masochism and Sadism is the primary focus.
This book has a lot of Dubious Consent in it, even passages hand-waving and lampshading it. I wish Jeedy and the other slaves could express their willingness to their Masters without breaking immersion, but I suppose the audience for this book (and the slaves themselves) are implied to enjoy r*pe play.
I found a lot in this book edging on the sexually exciting for me, but not quite hitting the mark. It was either too unfulfilling (due to a theme of forced Chasity) or too impractical. But this book has A LOT of scenes in it, so it's almost certain at least one or two will tickle your fancy.
The author wrote to their tastes and it shows. The passion in the writing for this book is unmistakable, and you can definitely get the impression of how much fun the author was having doing the world-building and describing the dynamics.
I would recommend this book to those who enjoy lifestyle bondage or anyone who is just looking for something very different and new. It's definitely not for the faint of heart, but I was very inspired by it and impressed by the dedication put into every passage. Probably the best erotica book I've ever read.
October 15, 2015
3-4 stars. I'll go with 4, since I'm nice.
Te sci-fi setting didn't really do it for me, even though I recognise it helps make the premise of the story possible. It would be difficult to imagine slavery as it is in the book in today's world, so alas, make an alternative world and it becomes possible! Still, it never really felt like the universe in the book existed as anything more than a neccesity, rather than a place that was interesting and exciting to learn about.
There's a lot of BDSM going on. A big theme is enforced chastity. Not many BDSM books revolve around that, but if it's your thing, this book does it really well.
In many ways the book feels quite similar to Anneke Jacob's other book, As She's Told. It's just the sci-fi setting that allows it to go beyond certain limitations, and really dwelve into the fantasy of a woman being complete dehumanised.
Ultimately, it seemed as if the book was slightly too long. All the pages about Therin and how he's going felt very unnessesary. Those pages were just yada yada pages. I also think the book lacks some clear goal. It's like the book just ended when the author felt it was long enough. It's missing some dramatic curve or plot development or something that actually caries the story from start to finish, beyond just hearing about how the slave's life develops.
But all in all an okay read.
Te sci-fi setting didn't really do it for me, even though I recognise it helps make the premise of the story possible. It would be difficult to imagine slavery as it is in the book in today's world, so alas, make an alternative world and it becomes possible! Still, it never really felt like the universe in the book existed as anything more than a neccesity, rather than a place that was interesting and exciting to learn about.
There's a lot of BDSM going on. A big theme is enforced chastity. Not many BDSM books revolve around that, but if it's your thing, this book does it really well.
In many ways the book feels quite similar to Anneke Jacob's other book, As She's Told. It's just the sci-fi setting that allows it to go beyond certain limitations, and really dwelve into the fantasy of a woman being complete dehumanised.
Ultimately, it seemed as if the book was slightly too long. All the pages about Therin and how he's going felt very unnessesary. Those pages were just yada yada pages. I also think the book lacks some clear goal. It's like the book just ended when the author felt it was long enough. It's missing some dramatic curve or plot development or something that actually caries the story from start to finish, beyond just hearing about how the slave's life develops.
But all in all an okay read.
August 10, 2013
I wanted to like this a lot more than I did, and I did really like it, but for all of the talk by Garid, we never got to truly see his motivations regarding Etrin, only at the very end. If any of those feelings or self-awareness had been evident sooner in the story, then this book would have been truly amazing
We get great insight into Etrin's thoughts but, for all of his viewpoint, very little into Garid, which then makes his actions seem unbelievably cruel and unwarranted. If we knew why, they would be easier to take
The fact that this is in a fantasy world makes many of the extreme actions in the story easy to understand and accept, more so than if it had of been in the modern world. The motivations would have switched slightly and the end result may have been the same, but in this context, it is okay
It is still an awesome story, and not for the faint of heart, and at the core is the devotion of the owned and the owner to each other
We get great insight into Etrin's thoughts but, for all of his viewpoint, very little into Garid, which then makes his actions seem unbelievably cruel and unwarranted. If we knew why, they would be easier to take
The fact that this is in a fantasy world makes many of the extreme actions in the story easy to understand and accept, more so than if it had of been in the modern world. The motivations would have switched slightly and the end result may have been the same, but in this context, it is okay
It is still an awesome story, and not for the faint of heart, and at the core is the devotion of the owned and the owner to each other
November 4, 2013
This is a very well written depiction of Total Power Exchange in a futuristic, parallel world setting. The BDSM, the complete subjugation of the female protagonist was beautifully done. However, I could not connect to the characters because I felt that the dehumanization of Etrin, the heroine, was just too extreme (for me). I didn’t see the connection between Garid and Etrin. Mostly because Garid saw her as just a live sex doll, a pet, as less than human. Someone…something he owned and had the right to do anything he wanted to. In a way, that’s a very titillating fantasy and I would have been okay with all of the kinky activities, the humiliation, the subjugation, if only he were to show affection toward her. A human emotion of affection, of love. Something. Although, it didn’t work for me on an emotional level, the book was super hot, and, again, very well written. So, I do recommend it for those who enjoy the extreme in the world of kink, BDSM, and Master/slave relationships.
March 16, 2017
Holy hell this is sexy and made me have all the sensual sexy feels! It does require a willing suspension of disbelief but the sex scenes are such a turn on. Also I felt like the prose was just good. Sometimes with this sort of book there are typos and just cheesy cheesy writing, but this was actually excellently written.
I have zero desire for master slave or owner pet type of play but as a fantasy it is a real turn on. I also love a good fairy tale sexy romance novel, but sometimes you just need something a little rougher snd shocking. The great thing about books like this is here is ZERO romance just gloriously described sex acts and fucking. It was just what I needed right now....
Only thing I'd complain about that knocked off one star was highly personal. I just am not that into the idea of pony play and just skimmed those parts.
Still a wonderfully stimulating read that I'd highly recommend!
I have zero desire for master slave or owner pet type of play but as a fantasy it is a real turn on. I also love a good fairy tale sexy romance novel, but sometimes you just need something a little rougher snd shocking. The great thing about books like this is here is ZERO romance just gloriously described sex acts and fucking. It was just what I needed right now....
Only thing I'd complain about that knocked off one star was highly personal. I just am not that into the idea of pony play and just skimmed those parts.
Still a wonderfully stimulating read that I'd highly recommend!
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