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Sister Seekers #1
No Demons But Us
My name is Sirana. I am a young Noble trapped in a most wretched accused of assassinating my sister, the Matron's heir. If I take the blame, I am next on the sacrificial altar. Dark Elves live for intrigue in our underground matriarchy. We bend the rules for the cunning and the bold. To survive, I must play the game. Court intrigue, demonic rituals, and mind-rending trials against deadly foes surround me, pervasive webs spun by our sadistic priesthood and the Queen’s brutal enforcers. Through it all, the Red Sisters delight in watching me. I must prove myself beneath their ravenous gazes, engage in the power play, or become the next meal for our goddess. A.S. Etaski spins the first threads of an intense and epic tale with No Demons But Us , in which the trials of a young Davrin test her resolve to rise from the depths of fear and hatred tearing her down. Sister Seekers is an adult epic fantasy with an ever-broadening scope. Found family is a core theme throughout, and fans of Dungeons & Dragons will find familiar grounds. Perfect for fans of entwined plots, challenging themes, immersive worldbuilding, and elements of erotic horror. Sexuality and inner conflict play into character growth with nuance, intrigue, action, and magic. The series begins underground with an isolated race of Dark Elves whose intricate webs first ensnare then catapult us to places a Red Sister can only imagine in her dreams.
378 pages, Paperback
Published August 9, 2018
63 people are currently reading
416 people want to read
About the author
A.S. Etaski
16 books70 followersEtaski writes DnD-style Epic Fantasy with expansive worldbuilding and large casts. We start with an Abyssal underground city, dark and disturbing, gradually moving out into the light. Interconnected plots and tones weave through character discoveries, where they sometimes learn from their mistakes. Found Family is a core theme throughout her world.
"Sister Seekers" begins with an isolated race of Dark Elves in "No Demons But Us." Perfect for fans of entwined plots across multiple books, mature and challenging themes, and immersive worlds which include strong elements of horror and the erotic. We explore sexuality and inner conflict with nuance, intrigue, action, and fantastical magic.
Etaski is most active on Patreon where members can follow (for free!) the most current news in between book releases. It’s gonna be a long ride. :)
Get the official Sister Seekers Prequel, "Sons to Keep," when you join Etaski's newsletter at her website!
"Sister Seekers" begins with an isolated race of Dark Elves in "No Demons But Us." Perfect for fans of entwined plots across multiple books, mature and challenging themes, and immersive worlds which include strong elements of horror and the erotic. We explore sexuality and inner conflict with nuance, intrigue, action, and fantastical magic.
Etaski is most active on Patreon where members can follow (for free!) the most current news in between book releases. It’s gonna be a long ride. :)
Get the official Sister Seekers Prequel, "Sons to Keep," when you join Etaski's newsletter at her website!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
April 27, 2020
This book was suggested to me by a friend, and while I have read my fair share of fantasy, it had been a while since I read something in the genre, so I was a *little* bit leery stepping into this one. Not because I thought it wouldn’t be good (far from it; I respect the person who recommended it to me highly), but that I wouldn’t be caught up in the story, and be sufficiently drawn in.
Nothing could be further from the reality of what happened.
No Demons But Us grabbed me in a way few novels of late have. The writing style is brisk, and most importantly, the author creates characters so fully fleshed out and intricately drawn that you are immediately pulled into their world.
What I truly LOVED about this book was the unique way it bent some standard tropes for not only the romance genre, but for fantasy too. It is one of a few books which creates a matriarchal world and does it right. The strength of the women portrayed is not just ‘male characteristics’ slapped onto characters with female names, but each one is given a personality that is not only unique to them but reads so true to a distinctly female perspective. This stands out where other fantasy books I have read have not felt as organic as this one did. It was completely refreshing and the closest I can come to comparing it to would be C.J. Cherryh’s atevi Foreigner universe.
The author built such a nuanced main heroine, and while you are cheering for her throughout the book, she is not without her faults, and that makes her an even deeper, richer character.
This is the first in what I understand is a four book series, and knowing that I worried how ‘cliff-hangery’ this book would end, and I was happy to find that it didn’t. It’s obvious that Sirana’s story has much more left to tell, but the ending of No Demons But Us did not leave you hanging. It is a full story arc complete, and a damn good one at that.
This is a must read if you enjoy fantasy with a delicious dose of all sorts of sexy goodness. Run, do not walk, and get this now.
Nothing could be further from the reality of what happened.
No Demons But Us grabbed me in a way few novels of late have. The writing style is brisk, and most importantly, the author creates characters so fully fleshed out and intricately drawn that you are immediately pulled into their world.
What I truly LOVED about this book was the unique way it bent some standard tropes for not only the romance genre, but for fantasy too. It is one of a few books which creates a matriarchal world and does it right. The strength of the women portrayed is not just ‘male characteristics’ slapped onto characters with female names, but each one is given a personality that is not only unique to them but reads so true to a distinctly female perspective. This stands out where other fantasy books I have read have not felt as organic as this one did. It was completely refreshing and the closest I can come to comparing it to would be C.J. Cherryh’s atevi Foreigner universe.
The author built such a nuanced main heroine, and while you are cheering for her throughout the book, she is not without her faults, and that makes her an even deeper, richer character.
This is the first in what I understand is a four book series, and knowing that I worried how ‘cliff-hangery’ this book would end, and I was happy to find that it didn’t. It’s obvious that Sirana’s story has much more left to tell, but the ending of No Demons But Us did not leave you hanging. It is a full story arc complete, and a damn good one at that.
This is a must read if you enjoy fantasy with a delicious dose of all sorts of sexy goodness. Run, do not walk, and get this now.
May 27, 2019
It is one of those books that you pick up to read a few chapters in the evening - and all of a sudden it's 2:30am.
Being rather picky with the erotica I read I was quickly captured by the story line and the characters. Even though the book starts in an almost familiar fantasy setting, A. S. Etaski does not linger there but takes the reader into a quite interesting story in a dark city where the rules are very different, and survival and politics form the backdrop to the struggle of a young dark elf.
Of course there is plenty of sex - in all shapes and forms - but never plain and generic, but intricately involved into the goals and personalities and politics of the inhabitants of the deep. We glimpse the disturbing, the passionate, the frustrating and the funny erotic games that often become deathly serious, always intertwined with plans behind plans.
Most of all though I enjoyed the development of some very compelling characters. The story starts as a single thread but as it develops and we learn more about the characters, we can already see several other threads starting. And it's not a couple of one-dimensional characters, it is an ever growing group of people with their own needs and history and goals and convictions, with good and bad, with faults and strengths that we are able to see emerging.
I'm very much looking forward to the second book to find out how all those dark elves will fare in the next part of the story.
Being rather picky with the erotica I read I was quickly captured by the story line and the characters. Even though the book starts in an almost familiar fantasy setting, A. S. Etaski does not linger there but takes the reader into a quite interesting story in a dark city where the rules are very different, and survival and politics form the backdrop to the struggle of a young dark elf.
Of course there is plenty of sex - in all shapes and forms - but never plain and generic, but intricately involved into the goals and personalities and politics of the inhabitants of the deep. We glimpse the disturbing, the passionate, the frustrating and the funny erotic games that often become deathly serious, always intertwined with plans behind plans.
Most of all though I enjoyed the development of some very compelling characters. The story starts as a single thread but as it develops and we learn more about the characters, we can already see several other threads starting. And it's not a couple of one-dimensional characters, it is an ever growing group of people with their own needs and history and goals and convictions, with good and bad, with faults and strengths that we are able to see emerging.
I'm very much looking forward to the second book to find out how all those dark elves will fare in the next part of the story.
December 6, 2020
Holy Cudamondeeeeeee
Books I've commonly come across similar to this, is more of a brotherhood. This book right here, is a SISTERhood. Lord, you'll never find aggressive females like this anywhere else. Tighten your drawstrings and belts boys. This is a female dominated society.
First off, I was recommended this book because I requested one with dwarf sex. Oh baby, this delivered and then some. Possibly one of the best scenes (to me) in this book.
Sirana is a dark elf. Where she stands in her family ... she is like simple cannon fodder. She's just thrown into a game of politics and moved around like a pawn. Little did they know our little Sirana has some strength and brains behind her. She won't just be a mindless pawn after all. But she's not perfect either.
If you are looking for something different. This book is it.
_____________________
I just had to remember I wielded my cunt, it didn’t wield me.
_____________________
Books I've commonly come across similar to this, is more of a brotherhood. This book right here, is a SISTERhood. Lord, you'll never find aggressive females like this anywhere else. Tighten your drawstrings and belts boys. This is a female dominated society.
First off, I was recommended this book because I requested one with dwarf sex. Oh baby, this delivered and then some. Possibly one of the best scenes (to me) in this book.
Sirana is a dark elf. Where she stands in her family ... she is like simple cannon fodder. She's just thrown into a game of politics and moved around like a pawn. Little did they know our little Sirana has some strength and brains behind her. She won't just be a mindless pawn after all. But she's not perfect either.
If you are looking for something different. This book is it.
_____________________
I just had to remember I wielded my cunt, it didn’t wield me.
_____________________
December 15, 2019
The start of something big!
Here begins the story of Sirana, a Dark Elf as seen in Dungeons & Dragons, but these are not the Forgotten Realms and Sirana isn't Drow.
Sex and violence abound in this story, but it is well executed and Sirana is intriguing enough that it soon becomes a part of the world in which she lives, a female-led society of family politics and subterfuge in which everyone has an agenda (or three) of their own. And it works.
This is the first in a series of approximately thirty novels, all are already written and currently being tweaked and refined for publication from their original online iterations. After this great a start I'm in for the long haul.
"History rarely speaks on sexuality, yet biology demonstrates how it sways even basic choices. Drama reveals sexuality but may still fade to black. In the Sister Seekers, the sex is the story, and connections made within will forever change Etaski’s fantasy world without cutting away." ~A.S. Etaski
Here begins the story of Sirana, a Dark Elf as seen in Dungeons & Dragons, but these are not the Forgotten Realms and Sirana isn't Drow.
Sex and violence abound in this story, but it is well executed and Sirana is intriguing enough that it soon becomes a part of the world in which she lives, a female-led society of family politics and subterfuge in which everyone has an agenda (or three) of their own. And it works.
This is the first in a series of approximately thirty novels, all are already written and currently being tweaked and refined for publication from their original online iterations. After this great a start I'm in for the long haul.
"History rarely speaks on sexuality, yet biology demonstrates how it sways even basic choices. Drama reveals sexuality but may still fade to black. In the Sister Seekers, the sex is the story, and connections made within will forever change Etaski’s fantasy world without cutting away." ~A.S. Etaski
Read
February 27, 2022DNF @35%
There's a small chance I will come back to reading this but I'm shelving it for the time being.
Part of me wanted to DNF this 10% earlier, but even when erotica or other niche genre books are not to my taste, I try to read enough to get a feel for the way the author writes and handles things. I felt this book especially deserved a chance given all the praise it has in GR reviews, and I can understand why it is praised, but it's not for me. I was encouraged to read it because I saw another reviewer who is picky about erotica give it a glowing review.
First of all, this is straight up DnD Dark Elf/Menzoberranzan fanfic and that's OK because that's exactly what I've been looking to read lately. Obviously for copyright reasons it is not!Menzoberranzan in the not!Underdark, but it conforms to Forgotten Realms lore a lot in terms of Dark Elf culture, and also regarding other citizens of the Underdark, which means that sadism for its own sake, wanton death in the name of religion, and cruelty at the hands of women are primary themes.
There are a lot of kinks in this book that really don't appeal to me but will to other people. Lots of sexual sadism that focuses on inflicting pain, a very large amount of humiliation kink, magical orgies, and almost all sex is either dubcon or rape (even in the orgies, for example, the participants are are all forced to drink an intoxicating aphrodisiac drug beforehand that makes them complacent and willing). There's F/M/+ sex but also a plenty of F/F/+ sex; unfortunately (or fortunately if this is your kink) most of the F/F sex is rape or straight up sexual abuse, most of it involves domination and humiliation. I will not refer to it as BDSM because there is no consent involved.
None of these are my kinks, if anything they are mostly turnoffs, but as scenes they're fairly decently written I guess? My bias makes it hard to judge, but so many people really like this series of books, so my opinion has to be weighted against theirs.
The dealbreaker kinks for me that made this too heavy to read was two specific things (TW)-- So obviously this is presented as a good thing. Soon an inquisition of Red Sisters (the scary spider queen SS) comes to investigate and question everyone. And here's the problem: The Red Sisters are just as sexually predatory and abusive, although they mostly just leer and make suggestive and intimidating comments to Sirana at the beginning, this is foreshadowing.
Sirana cannot become Matron of her House ever, because she is barren. The reason for this is pretty triggering as well so I'm putting it under another spoiler tag:
For me the part that turned my stomach more than this scene though, was that the humiliation kink constantly takes advantage of Sirana's trauma. There's multiple scenes where she has involuntary flashbacks to during sex, but worse than this, since the Red Sisters know about all that has happened, they frequently . So despite the fact that the book opens with , Sirana is still constantly retraumatized, revictimized, and this entire conceit is explicitly fetishized/conflated with humiliation kink on purpose.
I'm sure there's people that are into this and that's fine. But reading about F/F sexual abuse/noncon (not dubcon, although there is dubcon in this too, but so much of it is noncon) and having it be emphasized in scene after scene in this book is too dark for me and I can't handle it emotionally.
I had seen many people praise the worldbuilding of this book which is another reason I picked it up, and while I can tell that the author is fleshing out the world, there is so far less plot than I expected from reading other people's reviews. It's possible the plot picks up later on, but I'm not sure if that will happen.
Moreover, the worldbuilding is less 'building' and more of a creative but fairly accurate interpretation of Forgotten Realms lore, so-- it's fanfic, but a slightly personalized style of fanfic that nevertheless doesn't stray much from the source material beyond exploring themes that FR canon merely hints at rather than shows.
There are no really unique or interesting twists on the FR world lore that I noticed so far, and we don't get to dwell much on the worldbuilding that is explored (such as how being at court works, and how timekeeping works) because the sex scenes come so hard and fast, that we don't get to dwell much on what plot there is yet either.
The stories in this series of books were originally published on Literotica over a period of 9 years(!), so all of this makes a lot more sense once you know this. It's my understanding that they only recently got revamped to be published as books. I definitely applaud someone whose hobby writing hardcore smut can be turned into an actual literary job, but even if I can stomach a lot of kinks that aren't my thing, I really can't stomach reading about literal sexual abuse and sexual trauma being fetishized.
YMMV, I won't rate this book. As an afterthought: I love the cover art.
There's a small chance I will come back to reading this but I'm shelving it for the time being.
Part of me wanted to DNF this 10% earlier, but even when erotica or other niche genre books are not to my taste, I try to read enough to get a feel for the way the author writes and handles things. I felt this book especially deserved a chance given all the praise it has in GR reviews, and I can understand why it is praised, but it's not for me. I was encouraged to read it because I saw another reviewer who is picky about erotica give it a glowing review.
First of all, this is straight up DnD Dark Elf/Menzoberranzan fanfic and that's OK because that's exactly what I've been looking to read lately. Obviously for copyright reasons it is not!Menzoberranzan in the not!Underdark, but it conforms to Forgotten Realms lore a lot in terms of Dark Elf culture, and also regarding other citizens of the Underdark, which means that sadism for its own sake, wanton death in the name of religion, and cruelty at the hands of women are primary themes.
There are a lot of kinks in this book that really don't appeal to me but will to other people. Lots of sexual sadism that focuses on inflicting pain, a very large amount of humiliation kink, magical orgies, and almost all sex is either dubcon or rape (even in the orgies, for example, the participants are are all forced to drink an intoxicating aphrodisiac drug beforehand that makes them complacent and willing). There's F/M/+ sex but also a plenty of F/F/+ sex; unfortunately (or fortunately if this is your kink) most of the F/F sex is rape or straight up sexual abuse, most of it involves domination and humiliation. I will not refer to it as BDSM because there is no consent involved.
None of these are my kinks, if anything they are mostly turnoffs, but as scenes they're fairly decently written I guess? My bias makes it hard to judge, but so many people really like this series of books, so my opinion has to be weighted against theirs.
The dealbreaker kinks for me that made this too heavy to read was two specific things (TW)-- So obviously this is presented as a good thing. Soon an inquisition of Red Sisters (the scary spider queen SS) comes to investigate and question everyone. And here's the problem: The Red Sisters are just as sexually predatory and abusive, although they mostly just leer and make suggestive and intimidating comments to Sirana at the beginning, this is foreshadowing.
Sirana cannot become Matron of her House ever, because she is barren. The reason for this is pretty triggering as well so I'm putting it under another spoiler tag:
For me the part that turned my stomach more than this scene though, was that the humiliation kink constantly takes advantage of Sirana's trauma. There's multiple scenes where she has involuntary flashbacks to during sex, but worse than this, since the Red Sisters know about all that has happened, they frequently . So despite the fact that the book opens with , Sirana is still constantly retraumatized, revictimized, and this entire conceit is explicitly fetishized/conflated with humiliation kink on purpose.
I'm sure there's people that are into this and that's fine. But reading about F/F sexual abuse/noncon (not dubcon, although there is dubcon in this too, but so much of it is noncon) and having it be emphasized in scene after scene in this book is too dark for me and I can't handle it emotionally.
I had seen many people praise the worldbuilding of this book which is another reason I picked it up, and while I can tell that the author is fleshing out the world, there is so far less plot than I expected from reading other people's reviews. It's possible the plot picks up later on, but I'm not sure if that will happen.
Moreover, the worldbuilding is less 'building' and more of a creative but fairly accurate interpretation of Forgotten Realms lore, so-- it's fanfic, but a slightly personalized style of fanfic that nevertheless doesn't stray much from the source material beyond exploring themes that FR canon merely hints at rather than shows.
There are no really unique or interesting twists on the FR world lore that I noticed so far, and we don't get to dwell much on the worldbuilding that is explored (such as how being at court works, and how timekeeping works) because the sex scenes come so hard and fast, that we don't get to dwell much on what plot there is yet either.
The stories in this series of books were originally published on Literotica over a period of 9 years(!), so all of this makes a lot more sense once you know this. It's my understanding that they only recently got revamped to be published as books. I definitely applaud someone whose hobby writing hardcore smut can be turned into an actual literary job, but even if I can stomach a lot of kinks that aren't my thing, I really can't stomach reading about literal sexual abuse and sexual trauma being fetishized.
YMMV, I won't rate this book. As an afterthought: I love the cover art.
April 27, 2021
A great story of Drow but they are not your standard Dark Elves. For instance they have body hair, have an order that is above the priestesses, matrons are not exactly the same, etc. So if you like reading different takes on subterranean elves, this is a good book. The story is very good and hints to more to come in the upcoming books. There are a lot of characters to keep track of, but if you can it will pay off. There are a number of grammatical mistakes throughout the book, but not so many as to completely distract from the book. Would definitely recommend for Drow-lovers that are open minded to different takes on the elves of the Spider Queen.
May 22, 2022
There was a lot of fingers going into a lot of…. Places.
October 14, 2019
Sensual Storytelling
No Demons But Us, the first book in A.S. Etaski’s Sister Seekers series is a debut in the sexual world of a dark elf sisterhood, that controls their deepearth home.
We meet the thirdborn daughter in a matriarchal society where politics and priestesses, a queen and her red sisters military, and demons among them watch Sirana maneuver through this secret world to survive.
No Demons But Us, the first book in A.S. Etaski’s Sister Seekers series is a debut in the sexual world of a dark elf sisterhood, that controls their deepearth home.
We meet the thirdborn daughter in a matriarchal society where politics and priestesses, a queen and her red sisters military, and demons among them watch Sirana maneuver through this secret world to survive.
December 21, 2019
Dark and sexy
This story isn't for the faint of heart as the story takes us though the darker parts of a sadistic and hedonistic dark elf city. The main character is trying to survive what's coming and learn from it and she really takes the saying "everything that doesn't kill you makes you stronger" to heart.
There's plenty of varied sexy times through the book and it's interesting to read about how Sirana tackles it all in high spirits, despite how it comes about.
This story isn't for the faint of heart as the story takes us though the darker parts of a sadistic and hedonistic dark elf city. The main character is trying to survive what's coming and learn from it and she really takes the saying "everything that doesn't kill you makes you stronger" to heart.
There's plenty of varied sexy times through the book and it's interesting to read about how Sirana tackles it all in high spirits, despite how it comes about.
June 5, 2019
Very well done , again
I read this originally online. The author has done a fabulous job revamping her original story into a wonderful novel. I will continue to buy this story and any others she may write in the future.
Five stars and well deserved.
I read this originally online. The author has done a fabulous job revamping her original story into a wonderful novel. I will continue to buy this story and any others she may write in the future.
Five stars and well deserved.
December 31, 2018
Disturbing in parts but enthralling
Interesting and unusual, Sirana narrates her story with effortlessly flowing prose. I can't wait for the second book to follow her development.
Interesting and unusual, Sirana narrates her story with effortlessly flowing prose. I can't wait for the second book to follow her development.
April 13, 2019
A great start to what I'm hoping will be an epic fantasy series! Great world building and some very sexy interactions but this is definitely not for the faint hearted!
September 11, 2022
Fantasy writing is not new. And things that have been done for hundreds of years are very hard to innovate upon. Much of the fantasy media consumed today can be easily picked apart into components of influence, and it’s not inherently a bad thing. In fact, it can be helpful to find origins of influence, because it can help new readers find books, i.e., if you enjoyed X book, there are similar components of lore in Y book, as their writing is mutually heavily influenced by Z series. All this to say, this is a quintessentially high fantasy series. You may expect elves and dwarves, dragons and, yes, dungeons. This series revolves around the world of a dark elf, and initially some of the lore might echo Gygaxian lore. Again, this is NOT a bad thing. In fact, for anyone interested in D&D, you will likely enjoy the opportunity to explore a world like Etaski’s.
Now, it must be said, these are NSFW books. Major themes include domination and power-play. Some books in the series are more or less focused on the erotic, but that mirrors the course of the main character’s life. Obviously, sometimes there’s just no time for distraction.
But I started this review telling you that the lore seems to be influenced on, or inspiration drawn from a particular classic tabletop game. I would like to assure you, this author is original. The world she builds around these characters pulls away from any original inspiration. You are started with a concept small and familiar: a young girl from a difficult home, of a race of dark elves you may have heard of. This is very intentional, and puts you in a place of comfort so that you can begin in a place you can comprehend. Picture the outermost line of a spider’s web, reaching out to connect to some distant structure. This is where you begin, with a single thread, but Etaski guides you gently toward the center, and soon you see intersecting lines and plots, more threads in the spider’s web. You discover more pieces of the whole. There is a complex social/political hierarchy within the initial setting, and if you stick around, you’ll soon see that Etaski will pull you to strange new worlds, as seen through the protagonists’ eyes. The interwoven plots of the characters soon become surprising, as millennia of schemes come to the attention of the Protagonist. How the author keeps intertwining each character into this intricate weave baffles me, but always leaves me wanting more. I have looked at my clock at 3 am and forced myself to put down one of these books and get some rest before my 8 am shift. Of course, only after I got to the end of the chapter.
I hope you take the plunge with this book, and the 7 subsequent ones published at the time of this review. I hear the series will contain 20 in total, with 2 releases per year. The author has the whole world planned out, and her sense of direction is clear. Hope you enjoy it as much as I have.
Now, it must be said, these are NSFW books. Major themes include domination and power-play. Some books in the series are more or less focused on the erotic, but that mirrors the course of the main character’s life. Obviously, sometimes there’s just no time for distraction.
But I started this review telling you that the lore seems to be influenced on, or inspiration drawn from a particular classic tabletop game. I would like to assure you, this author is original. The world she builds around these characters pulls away from any original inspiration. You are started with a concept small and familiar: a young girl from a difficult home, of a race of dark elves you may have heard of. This is very intentional, and puts you in a place of comfort so that you can begin in a place you can comprehend. Picture the outermost line of a spider’s web, reaching out to connect to some distant structure. This is where you begin, with a single thread, but Etaski guides you gently toward the center, and soon you see intersecting lines and plots, more threads in the spider’s web. You discover more pieces of the whole. There is a complex social/political hierarchy within the initial setting, and if you stick around, you’ll soon see that Etaski will pull you to strange new worlds, as seen through the protagonists’ eyes. The interwoven plots of the characters soon become surprising, as millennia of schemes come to the attention of the Protagonist. How the author keeps intertwining each character into this intricate weave baffles me, but always leaves me wanting more. I have looked at my clock at 3 am and forced myself to put down one of these books and get some rest before my 8 am shift. Of course, only after I got to the end of the chapter.
I hope you take the plunge with this book, and the 7 subsequent ones published at the time of this review. I hear the series will contain 20 in total, with 2 releases per year. The author has the whole world planned out, and her sense of direction is clear. Hope you enjoy it as much as I have.
August 22, 2022
This series is perhaps the best Drow series of novels I've ever read. Prior to this, R. A. Salvatore was the best source IMHO for Drow culture, but A.S Etaski really brought them to life in a way that Salvatore didn't. This isn't a series of "evil" dark elves, it's much more. The "evil" is in the culture and societal norms presented, which go much deeper than just the "drow are evil elves" stereotype. Fantastic series.
August 24, 2020
Ever wanted to know how the CIA equivalent of an evil underground dwelling dark elf society works? Here's how! It's sexy and it's clever. I love how A.S. Etaski portrays elven and immerses you in the unique culture of this book. Despite being very slutty, the main character is a clever manipulator whose navigations through the nuances of the society are about as titillating to read as the actual sex scenes.
December 29, 2024
Uhm... I can't look this book in the eye anymore. I like smut - I also like PLOT- but this was written by the Dungeon Master that lost the point of the quest in favor of just getting down with everyone and everything in the campaign. Wonder what the dice checks would be for some of these scenes? I'll never look at Drow the same. Lol.
To each their own. This is not it for me.
To each their own. This is not it for me.
February 28, 2021
Complex fascinating world
Etaski has done a wonderful job of creating a believable fantasy world of dark intrigue. Quite a pleasure reading about Sirana's growing understanding of herself and her world and the many webs within.
Etaski has done a wonderful job of creating a believable fantasy world of dark intrigue. Quite a pleasure reading about Sirana's growing understanding of herself and her world and the many webs within.
November 4, 2020
it’s sexy d&d fanfic, what’s not to love?
December 17, 2021
Wow. Definitely a unique read with rich world building. So glad that I picked this up.
February 1, 2025
The plot is basically just smut of varying types. It got old after a while, but I'm surprised how far I made it in. (That's what she said).
October 17, 2025
Another reviewer described this book as if it “was written by the Dungeon Master that lost the point of the quest in favor of just getting down with everyone and everything in the campaign.” Personally, I think it feels like sexed-up R.A. Salvatore fan fiction, which is interesting because Salvatore is not among the inspirations the author gives in her GR author blurb. But you won’t convince me that the characters and events of this book are not set in Salvatore’s world. Period.
I wouldn’t hate that in general. I’ve not read all the Dritz novels, but I’ve been fine with the ones I have read, even if I didn’t love them. But this book…Yeah, I came pretty close to hating it. In fact, I actually own the first two books. As a book hoarder, getting rid of books I’ve not yet read feels very unnatural. But I won’t be reading book two (let alone searching out the next eight). It will go straight on the gieaway stack unread.
This is basically an erotic fantasy, which I read a lot of. So, this fact alone isn’t a problem for me. What was a problem was that I found absolutely none of the sex sexy. In fact, most of it is either rape or simply shoving things in a vagina…or netherlips…or netherhole 😬 . Even non-sexy sex might not have killed it for me. But despite the book’s lack of trigger warnings, there is almost no sex that involves people who both consent and enjoy themselves. There’s plenty of sex: sex as rape, sex as dominance, sex as duty, sex as hazing, sex to ‘learn’ someone, sex as a test, sex as a sign of endurance, magically impelled sex, the list goes on. But sex because someone wants to and is enjoying it? Very little of that is on the page. And if non-con is your jam, more power to you. The book is dedicated to “…my husband and companion, who did not know on our wedding day he had married one of his favorite authors.” So, apparently, Etaski’s husband does. But it is not my jam.
Just because most of the sexual abuse is at the hands or orchestration of other women does not give me any less of an ick. In fact, it adds an additional layer for me. Like Salvatore’s dark elven Drow, Etaski’s Davrin are matriarchal. But this matriarchy feels very patriarchal. As if Etaski merely made the men women, and the women men, but did not otherwise change the power structures or social hierarchies. As such, it still feels, to me, very misogynistic. I enjoyed none of it.
What’s more, so very much of it made no sense for its stated purpose. Want to test if someone will be a good spy? Let two men and a half demon rape her. That’ll for sure give you a good idea of her spy capabilities. Want to form a bonded, loyal group of women? Allow 40 other women to do whatever they want to the new one, so long as it includes sex. That broken arm and 2 weeks of coercive sex will for sure endear her to the group. Want to assess someone’s improvement in martial skills? Pit her against two fully-trained women wearing magical phalluses, winning points earned by forcefully penetrating the novice. What? Why? What exactly is any of this training her for?
And again, no judgment if this is something others enjoy. But this is my review of my experience with the book, and I am so glad to be finished with it and relieved to not be forcing myself to commit to completing the second.
I wouldn’t hate that in general. I’ve not read all the Dritz novels, but I’ve been fine with the ones I have read, even if I didn’t love them. But this book…Yeah, I came pretty close to hating it. In fact, I actually own the first two books. As a book hoarder, getting rid of books I’ve not yet read feels very unnatural. But I won’t be reading book two (let alone searching out the next eight). It will go straight on the gieaway stack unread.
This is basically an erotic fantasy, which I read a lot of. So, this fact alone isn’t a problem for me. What was a problem was that I found absolutely none of the sex sexy. In fact, most of it is either rape or simply shoving things in a vagina…or netherlips…or netherhole 😬 . Even non-sexy sex might not have killed it for me. But despite the book’s lack of trigger warnings, there is almost no sex that involves people who both consent and enjoy themselves. There’s plenty of sex: sex as rape, sex as dominance, sex as duty, sex as hazing, sex to ‘learn’ someone, sex as a test, sex as a sign of endurance, magically impelled sex, the list goes on. But sex because someone wants to and is enjoying it? Very little of that is on the page. And if non-con is your jam, more power to you. The book is dedicated to “…my husband and companion, who did not know on our wedding day he had married one of his favorite authors.” So, apparently, Etaski’s husband does. But it is not my jam.
Just because most of the sexual abuse is at the hands or orchestration of other women does not give me any less of an ick. In fact, it adds an additional layer for me. Like Salvatore’s dark elven Drow, Etaski’s Davrin are matriarchal. But this matriarchy feels very patriarchal. As if Etaski merely made the men women, and the women men, but did not otherwise change the power structures or social hierarchies. As such, it still feels, to me, very misogynistic. I enjoyed none of it.
What’s more, so very much of it made no sense for its stated purpose. Want to test if someone will be a good spy? Let two men and a half demon rape her. That’ll for sure give you a good idea of her spy capabilities. Want to form a bonded, loyal group of women? Allow 40 other women to do whatever they want to the new one, so long as it includes sex. That broken arm and 2 weeks of coercive sex will for sure endear her to the group. Want to assess someone’s improvement in martial skills? Pit her against two fully-trained women wearing magical phalluses, winning points earned by forcefully penetrating the novice. What? Why? What exactly is any of this training her for?
And again, no judgment if this is something others enjoy. But this is my review of my experience with the book, and I am so glad to be finished with it and relieved to not be forcing myself to commit to completing the second.
October 10, 2023
Amazing NSFW World Building! Strong writing fleshes out the underworld realm of the RPG “Drow,” the dark elves, often an evil antagonist for gamers. Estaski pens an intricate demon-spawned culture, and brings to life Sirana, a young noble who journeys from naïve, tortured youth to rise above her mistreatment to become a dreaded Red Sister warrior. The wider world of humans and light elves is hinted about in nightmares, and only is confirmed in the last chapters of the book. The first of a series, the book is a “Coming of Age” novel and ends with foreshadowing as the protagonist is left haunted by her nightmares of the surface world and her nemeses, Kain the wizard, and the priestess Wilsara with her half-demon Sathoet son. Warning: Contains Adult Content.
What I liked about this book: Wonderful descriptions of the “spider gardens” of Sivaraus. The author carries us to the “grand, lovely architecture of smooth stones rose up to mimic the massive stalagmites of the Deepearth, built with sweat and magic.” The characters and culture, the art and even their giant lizard beasts of burden, support a believable vision of an alien world below the surface. Sirana tells us readers “Affinity to magic was inherent in our bodies and our culture” and it feels real. The plot brings the main character full circle with a credible and satisfactory vengeance arc. The author is a skilled writer, and the book has a great, compelling pace.
What I didn’t like about this book: As the author warns in her afterward, “Sex is the story.” This is written to be “erotic horror.” Aggressive bondage and sadomasochism fill most chapters—without it, this book would be less than a novella in length. While I liked the plot and characters and I don’t mind erotica, BDSM and forced-anal descriptions are not my preference, so I did not find the repeated sexual trysts, orgies, and strange interspecies couplings noteworthy because of these elements. I wished there had been more time spent on the details of the red sister’s training, the “spying” adventures, and more societal intrigue, and I think a less frequent use of the sexual descriptions would have made the book more fulfilling as an erotic story for me. I also wish there was less not-too-subtle foreshadowing of terrors in the sunlit world above and Sirana’s enemies for the future of the series.
Writing & Editing: 5
Dialogue: 5
Premise & Theme: 4
Plot: 4
Cover: 5
What I liked about this book: Wonderful descriptions of the “spider gardens” of Sivaraus. The author carries us to the “grand, lovely architecture of smooth stones rose up to mimic the massive stalagmites of the Deepearth, built with sweat and magic.” The characters and culture, the art and even their giant lizard beasts of burden, support a believable vision of an alien world below the surface. Sirana tells us readers “Affinity to magic was inherent in our bodies and our culture” and it feels real. The plot brings the main character full circle with a credible and satisfactory vengeance arc. The author is a skilled writer, and the book has a great, compelling pace.
What I didn’t like about this book: As the author warns in her afterward, “Sex is the story.” This is written to be “erotic horror.” Aggressive bondage and sadomasochism fill most chapters—without it, this book would be less than a novella in length. While I liked the plot and characters and I don’t mind erotica, BDSM and forced-anal descriptions are not my preference, so I did not find the repeated sexual trysts, orgies, and strange interspecies couplings noteworthy because of these elements. I wished there had been more time spent on the details of the red sister’s training, the “spying” adventures, and more societal intrigue, and I think a less frequent use of the sexual descriptions would have made the book more fulfilling as an erotic story for me. I also wish there was less not-too-subtle foreshadowing of terrors in the sunlit world above and Sirana’s enemies for the future of the series.
Writing & Editing: 5
Dialogue: 5
Premise & Theme: 4
Plot: 4
Cover: 5
July 1, 2023
This story starts as a slow burn. The first book isn't as engaging but keep up with it! It is so worth it, as each book in the series gets better and better. Get ready for the ride of your life, as this wonderful story and intricate world opens up to reveal a spectacular character driven story. I would highly recommend this series to everyone I know I started with this on literotica years ago and am so excited to take in the story in its finished form. The first book so much detail was added to it that the story so it felt slower and less engaging but it heats up and gets back to the adventure I remembered once you get into the second book in the series. So even with this being slow i promise you will be delighted in the adventure to come. There is a bundle on the first 3 books on Kindle for those interested in following the series. :)
February 2, 2022
Enjoyable Dark Fantasy
This book has it all for those looking for a dark, very very steamy fantasy. Set in the world of dark Elves, there’s political intrigue, FF, FM, monster play, BDSM, CNC, . This is not for the faint of heart.
Well paced, and well written. The journey with Sirana is packed with adventure, growth and steam
This book has it all for those looking for a dark, very very steamy fantasy. Set in the world of dark Elves, there’s political intrigue, FF, FM, monster play, BDSM, CNC, . This is not for the faint of heart.
Well paced, and well written. The journey with Sirana is packed with adventure, growth and steam
January 23, 2024
A perfect balance of a dark, grundge fantasy world & very enticing, incredibly hot smut. The world that our main character starts to chafe in is brutal and full of truly evil people who hold the power and enforce terrible rules.
A fantastic idea of how sign language can be a great tactic and the best lesson that applies to everyone: Bend, don't break.
A fantastic idea of how sign language can be a great tactic and the best lesson that applies to everyone: Bend, don't break.
August 28, 2021
Loved it.
Action, adventure, intrigue, sex, and some genuine wisdom sprinkled in too.
I'm a big fan of this author.
If you like real plot with the occasional sex scene then this is a good series to check out.
Action, adventure, intrigue, sex, and some genuine wisdom sprinkled in too.
I'm a big fan of this author.
If you like real plot with the occasional sex scene then this is a good series to check out.
May 16, 2022
One of the most original series in the genre. I really like both the language and narration. I'm devoted fan now and will try every piece by the author.
July 28, 2022
A wonderfully told story. Sex, violence, intrigue and beautiful character archs. This book, like the world Etaski creates, is more than what it seems.
January 28, 2023
No Demons was a very Goid read! Detail on explaining characters was better than most books I’ve read in this class. I’ve purchased the second book in the series and will be reading it next!
December 31, 2023
Very smutty. I enjoy the world-building and detail of the setting. Completely raunchy characters. Liked the character development, will probably continue the series. Definitely NOT Drizzt Do'Urden!
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