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The Marketplace #1
The Marketplace
First time in ebook form! A modern classic of BDSM-themed fiction. Follow the trials and tribulations of four aspiring slaves as they undergo training hoping to be accepted into The Marketplace. Under the firm hand of Grendel, the sharp eye of Alexandra, and the painful leather strap in the hands of Chris, these men and women will find some of their hardest challenges are within themselves.
320 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1993
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 164 reviews
April 24, 2012
If you had a friend who was interested in BDSM, but who didn't have much experience, what fiction would you advise her to read? What books belong to the BDSM canon? The Story of O, certainly. Maybe A.N. Roquelaure's Beauty trilogy (although if the real author were not Anne Rice, I wonder if those books would get as much attention as they do). Perhaps Molly Weatherfield's Safe Word and definitely a couple of Rachel Kramer Bussel's D/s-themed anthologies such as He's on Top, She's on Top, Yes, Sir or Yes, Ma'am.
One book that would make almost everyone's list, I think, is Laura Antoniou's The Marketplace and its sequels. I've been hearing about these books for years – no, decades – ever since I joined the ranks of BDSM readers and authors. Although I'm a devotee of D/s fiction and to some extent practice, somehow I never got the opportunity to read any of the series. One reason was the fact that despite their acclaim they have received, the books keep going out of print. The Marketplace was originally published by Masquerade Books in 1993. A new edition was released by Mystic Rose Books (also responsible for the wonderful primer Screw the Roses, Send Me the Thorns) in 2000. Now Circlet Books, renowned for speculative and scifi erotica, has created a new imprint call Luster Editions to bring The Marketplace books back for today's readers. When I was offered the opportunity to review the first volume, I jumped at the chance.
The Marketplace introduces a world where an elite cadre of dominants train, sell and buy willing slaves. The secrets of the Marketplace members are jealously guarded. In the everyday clubs and dungeons, BDSM afficionados trade rumors about the shadowy cabal of slave owners and their human property: the rigors the slaves must undergo, the enormous sums of money exchanged, the contracts, the collars, the decadent resorts, the beauty and the power of the masters and mistresses.
The Marketplace introduces Grendel and Alexandra, traders and trainers of premium slaves. Both are expert dominants. The book is deliberately vague about their relationship. Four would-be slaves apply to undergo the Marketplace training regimen at the hands of Grendel and Alex and their major domo Chris. None is a true amateur. In fact, all four consider themselves to be accomplished submissives. Almost immediately, the dominants strip the four of their illusions and show them how far they are from being Marketplace material.
Brian is a gay bottom who loves to be beaten and “forced” to suck cock. Despite his claims to being submissive, he is manipulative, sarcastic, cynical, rebellious and far too garrulous to be a good slave.
Sharon is used to holding men in thrall as she eagerly offers herself as a sexual object. Like Brian, she believes that being a slave is all about sex.
Robert has been feminized by his former mistress to the point that he has no self-confidence and hates his own penis. Although he is intelligent and well-educated, he becomes helpless and incompetent under pressure.
Finally, shy, virginal Claudia can act the part of the sweet, submissive French maid to absolute perfection, but that is the limits of her repertoire. Her mistress offers her to Alex and Grendel out of frustration and boredom, hoping that they can make her braver and more sensual.
Grendel and Alexandra devise customized lessons and trials for each of the aspirants, seeking to teach them the reality of being a slave in the Marketplace world. Sharon is assigned to muck out the stables and study diction and opera. Brian is made to wear ribbons and bells and deprived of sexual satisfaction. Robert studies martial arts and is forbidden to shave his hated body hair. Shrinking violet Claudia is required to take responsibility for the entire household while the normal housekeeper is on vacation and to severely discipline the other aspirants.
Although many of the stereotypes in BDSM erotica may have started with The Marketplace, the book itself is fresh, original and engrossing. It considers the nature of D/s relationships with rare depth and insight. In the Marketplace world, submission (and in fact, dominance) is about far more than sex. For the first half of the book, few of the lessons imposed on the would-be slaves involve sex at all. They learn to obey without thinking, to take responsibility for their successes and their mistakes, to trust their masters and each other. Over the course of the novel, each one changes, approaching the perfection required of Marketplace slaves – though how that is defined will vary for each one.
I loved this book. For one thing, despite its fantasy premise, it has a realistic, down-to-earth feel. The characters are complex and their interactions nuanced and believable. The Marketplace is the exact opposite of the kinky fairy tale world of the Beauty books – even though they share activities and physical elements.
I also appreciated the recognition of the deep sense in which the slaves' servitude is consensual. The aspirants' most cherished desire is to be accepted as worthy by the Marketplace. The most terrible punishment that can be threatened is for them to be sent away, to be released from the training and set adrift in the shallow world of BDSM “play”.
Finally, I resonate with the view of D/s as something more than just a game, as something that can transform one's soul. To quote one of my favorite passages:
To be thrilled by the touch of leather, aroused by harsh words, or satisfied by the security of rigid bondage is the mark of a lover.
To be thrilled at the opportunity to provide useful service, aroused by a pleased nod, and satisfied by the proverbial job well done, is the mark of a slave.
It may sound severe. Almost anti-erotic. Until you see two people, owner and owned, existing in a complementary relationship where each suits the other like balances on a delicate scale. Until you feel the energy of their rapport, you cannot understand how they fulfill each other, take and give in ways no negotiation could possibly express.
Then you will understand the singular intimacy that drives such people on their search for perfection. It is beyond orgasm. Beyond love. It can almost be called rapture.
If these words speak to you the way they do to me, you must read this book.
One book that would make almost everyone's list, I think, is Laura Antoniou's The Marketplace and its sequels. I've been hearing about these books for years – no, decades – ever since I joined the ranks of BDSM readers and authors. Although I'm a devotee of D/s fiction and to some extent practice, somehow I never got the opportunity to read any of the series. One reason was the fact that despite their acclaim they have received, the books keep going out of print. The Marketplace was originally published by Masquerade Books in 1993. A new edition was released by Mystic Rose Books (also responsible for the wonderful primer Screw the Roses, Send Me the Thorns) in 2000. Now Circlet Books, renowned for speculative and scifi erotica, has created a new imprint call Luster Editions to bring The Marketplace books back for today's readers. When I was offered the opportunity to review the first volume, I jumped at the chance.
The Marketplace introduces a world where an elite cadre of dominants train, sell and buy willing slaves. The secrets of the Marketplace members are jealously guarded. In the everyday clubs and dungeons, BDSM afficionados trade rumors about the shadowy cabal of slave owners and their human property: the rigors the slaves must undergo, the enormous sums of money exchanged, the contracts, the collars, the decadent resorts, the beauty and the power of the masters and mistresses.
The Marketplace introduces Grendel and Alexandra, traders and trainers of premium slaves. Both are expert dominants. The book is deliberately vague about their relationship. Four would-be slaves apply to undergo the Marketplace training regimen at the hands of Grendel and Alex and their major domo Chris. None is a true amateur. In fact, all four consider themselves to be accomplished submissives. Almost immediately, the dominants strip the four of their illusions and show them how far they are from being Marketplace material.
Brian is a gay bottom who loves to be beaten and “forced” to suck cock. Despite his claims to being submissive, he is manipulative, sarcastic, cynical, rebellious and far too garrulous to be a good slave.
Sharon is used to holding men in thrall as she eagerly offers herself as a sexual object. Like Brian, she believes that being a slave is all about sex.
Robert has been feminized by his former mistress to the point that he has no self-confidence and hates his own penis. Although he is intelligent and well-educated, he becomes helpless and incompetent under pressure.
Finally, shy, virginal Claudia can act the part of the sweet, submissive French maid to absolute perfection, but that is the limits of her repertoire. Her mistress offers her to Alex and Grendel out of frustration and boredom, hoping that they can make her braver and more sensual.
Grendel and Alexandra devise customized lessons and trials for each of the aspirants, seeking to teach them the reality of being a slave in the Marketplace world. Sharon is assigned to muck out the stables and study diction and opera. Brian is made to wear ribbons and bells and deprived of sexual satisfaction. Robert studies martial arts and is forbidden to shave his hated body hair. Shrinking violet Claudia is required to take responsibility for the entire household while the normal housekeeper is on vacation and to severely discipline the other aspirants.
Although many of the stereotypes in BDSM erotica may have started with The Marketplace, the book itself is fresh, original and engrossing. It considers the nature of D/s relationships with rare depth and insight. In the Marketplace world, submission (and in fact, dominance) is about far more than sex. For the first half of the book, few of the lessons imposed on the would-be slaves involve sex at all. They learn to obey without thinking, to take responsibility for their successes and their mistakes, to trust their masters and each other. Over the course of the novel, each one changes, approaching the perfection required of Marketplace slaves – though how that is defined will vary for each one.
I loved this book. For one thing, despite its fantasy premise, it has a realistic, down-to-earth feel. The characters are complex and their interactions nuanced and believable. The Marketplace is the exact opposite of the kinky fairy tale world of the Beauty books – even though they share activities and physical elements.
I also appreciated the recognition of the deep sense in which the slaves' servitude is consensual. The aspirants' most cherished desire is to be accepted as worthy by the Marketplace. The most terrible punishment that can be threatened is for them to be sent away, to be released from the training and set adrift in the shallow world of BDSM “play”.
Finally, I resonate with the view of D/s as something more than just a game, as something that can transform one's soul. To quote one of my favorite passages:
To be thrilled by the touch of leather, aroused by harsh words, or satisfied by the security of rigid bondage is the mark of a lover.
To be thrilled at the opportunity to provide useful service, aroused by a pleased nod, and satisfied by the proverbial job well done, is the mark of a slave.
It may sound severe. Almost anti-erotic. Until you see two people, owner and owned, existing in a complementary relationship where each suits the other like balances on a delicate scale. Until you feel the energy of their rapport, you cannot understand how they fulfill each other, take and give in ways no negotiation could possibly express.
Then you will understand the singular intimacy that drives such people on their search for perfection. It is beyond orgasm. Beyond love. It can almost be called rapture.
If these words speak to you the way they do to me, you must read this book.
December 15, 2014
Maybe a 3.5* but somehow I can't bring myself to round up.
This book has reams of reviews, is considered a classic, and what not all. Yes. It's well-written, head and shoulders above most of the current batch. That's why I gave it 3 to 3.5 stars. But the rest is all that great sauce of US-American BDSM stereotypes rolled into one big burger, and I find myself gagging instead of enjoying.
Yes, maybe Antoniou was the first, maybe she's a hard-playing lesbian dyke, yes, I guess she's done a lot for BDSMers and for lesbians in the USA. But at the end of the day I can't at all care. What I care about is that all these rigid roles, all that posing and pseudo-elitist debate completely smothers what BDSM also is supposed to be:
More and more I come to the realisation that cultural and societal hang-ups, taboos and behaviourisms of cultures I can't really relate to, like the American one, should have no place in the erotica I want to enjoy. Possibly an American reader has an orgasm over a well-placed "sir", I'm afraid I'm squicked instead. Maybe the American culture has such a taboo about dirt that it's some major taboo-breaking to force someone to wallow in dirt or shit themselves. Sorry, again I couldn't care less. All those rules and regs are nothing I find attractive, they repulse me instead with their yawn-inducing sameyness. What's worse, as this is one of the first such books, it's responsible for so many which emulate it. I can't really forgive that.
In short--I can acknowledge that this is well-written culture-centric erotica. It's however in no way an erotic or enjoyable read for me.
This book has reams of reviews, is considered a classic, and what not all. Yes. It's well-written, head and shoulders above most of the current batch. That's why I gave it 3 to 3.5 stars. But the rest is all that great sauce of US-American BDSM stereotypes rolled into one big burger, and I find myself gagging instead of enjoying.
Yes, maybe Antoniou was the first, maybe she's a hard-playing lesbian dyke, yes, I guess she's done a lot for BDSMers and for lesbians in the USA. But at the end of the day I can't at all care. What I care about is that all these rigid roles, all that posing and pseudo-elitist debate completely smothers what BDSM also is supposed to be:
creative, individual and above all fun!
More and more I come to the realisation that cultural and societal hang-ups, taboos and behaviourisms of cultures I can't really relate to, like the American one, should have no place in the erotica I want to enjoy. Possibly an American reader has an orgasm over a well-placed "sir", I'm afraid I'm squicked instead. Maybe the American culture has such a taboo about dirt that it's some major taboo-breaking to force someone to wallow in dirt or shit themselves. Sorry, again I couldn't care less. All those rules and regs are nothing I find attractive, they repulse me instead with their yawn-inducing sameyness. What's worse, as this is one of the first such books, it's responsible for so many which emulate it. I can't really forgive that.
In short--I can acknowledge that this is well-written culture-centric erotica. It's however in no way an erotic or enjoyable read for me.
August 24, 2013
Read this because of the good reviews. I was hoping to learn about the mindset of people who get into 24/7 slavery. The book did some of that, but the cruelty, abuse and brutality were over the top to the point of ridiculousness. Such continuous and severe beatings would lead to broken-down bodies in reality. One arrogant slave is punished by being given (unsupervised) to two strangers who horribly beat and rape her for hours, then she's beaten even more by her trainers, then sent to bed without any aftercare. (IRL, she would have needed an ER and a rape kit!) Apparently, the author would like us to believe that "real" slaves can only be trained using brutal methods, and want to serve so much that they have absolutely no regard for their personal health or safety. I get that this is fiction, but people with no real experience with BDSM who read this will find that it reinforces all of society's negative stereotypical prejudices about BDSM equaling abuse.
December 18, 2017
I know I said I would not re-read this first book of The Marketplace series because it's not my favorite. But after re-reading all 5 other books and loving them, I couldn't resist. As a drug addict, I needed a little more of my drug (The Marketplace series).
After reading the 6th book and the 1st one after the other, I can say that Laura's writing has improved dramatically.
This first volume is still not my favorite, but it's better than most of the BDSM novels I've read.
I can't wait for the 7th book to be published!
After reading the 6th book and the 1st one after the other, I can say that Laura's writing has improved dramatically.
This first volume is still not my favorite, but it's better than most of the BDSM novels I've read.
I can't wait for the 7th book to be published!
March 20, 2012
Well this is frustrating, after writing two paragraphs of review I lost it! I'll attempt to rewrite it.
This book is very difficult for me to review. I both liked and disliked it - thus explaining the three star rating. It was very interesting to read about the training of 4 wannabe slaves, yet the reason behind much of the training was missing. There were a few exceptions, notably Brian's treatment as the family dog for a few days. The main techniques were beatings and criticism. When dealing with people, who by their very nature want to please, using negative reinforcement so heavily is just wrong and IMO an incorrect training method.
Yes, it is fiction but Sharon's character in particular was simply not believable as written. For an exacting training house such as The Marketplace, she would have been ejected at numerous occasions. With her personality, a clueless primadonna, she would have left of her own accord at numerous other occasions. To me she was the comic relief of the group.
When Brian muses about being left in the dark as to the whys and wherefores of things, that is exactly how I felt as a reader. I was left scratching my head in confusion too many times. Yet the book kept my interest and I want to read more of the series. I suppose my ambivalence doesn't make for a very helpful review, but it is as honest as I can be. Perhaps after reading more of the series I will gain enough insight to edit this review. Already in reading the second book, The Slave, I have more understanding of the trainees motivations and desires. What I see as abuse isn't as clear cut in light of that information. However, such negligent treatment of property still makes little sense to me.
This book is very difficult for me to review. I both liked and disliked it - thus explaining the three star rating. It was very interesting to read about the training of 4 wannabe slaves, yet the reason behind much of the training was missing. There were a few exceptions, notably Brian's treatment as the family dog for a few days. The main techniques were beatings and criticism. When dealing with people, who by their very nature want to please, using negative reinforcement so heavily is just wrong and IMO an incorrect training method.
Yes, it is fiction but Sharon's character in particular was simply not believable as written. For an exacting training house such as The Marketplace, she would have been ejected at numerous occasions. With her personality, a clueless primadonna, she would have left of her own accord at numerous other occasions. To me she was the comic relief of the group.
When Brian muses about being left in the dark as to the whys and wherefores of things, that is exactly how I felt as a reader. I was left scratching my head in confusion too many times. Yet the book kept my interest and I want to read more of the series. I suppose my ambivalence doesn't make for a very helpful review, but it is as honest as I can be. Perhaps after reading more of the series I will gain enough insight to edit this review. Already in reading the second book, The Slave, I have more understanding of the trainees motivations and desires. What I see as abuse isn't as clear cut in light of that information. However, such negligent treatment of property still makes little sense to me.
October 4, 2010
This book is about 4 potential slaves and their training. Which is unfortunate because the truly interesting story is about the majordomo Chris and his relationship with the trainers Alex and Gren. Chris' secrets are hinted out through the entire book & there is a lovely ending that goes into greater detail about him. And that just makes the main part of the book pale in comparison.
I did appreciate the reality of the slave training. It wasn't blowjobs and massages all day long. There was real work being done. There were a few erotic scenes, but I liked that there was not a scene on every other page.
And I will be continuing the series, afterall it sounds like Chris is a major character in the next one :)
edited to add: you will not enjoy this book if you abhor constant head hopping.
I did appreciate the reality of the slave training. It wasn't blowjobs and massages all day long. There was real work being done. There were a few erotic scenes, but I liked that there was not a scene on every other page.
And I will be continuing the series, afterall it sounds like Chris is a major character in the next one :)
edited to add: you will not enjoy this book if you abhor constant head hopping.
March 11, 2011
"Those of you who have toyed with or even lived a term of service may wonder at just how hard it could be to attain the level of excellence required by the Marketplace. After all, you muse, these are people who will be called slaves. Owned chattel, their lives formed and polished for the pleasure and use and amusement of those whose need is to control and improve.
"Many of you believe that the right attitude combined with some physical charm would be more than adequate to the task. It is not. Even the most gifted of naturals, those individuals whose wrists are naked without restraints and whose souls are bleak without guidance, need to be trained."
This passage from the introduction to The Marketplace introduces the (submissive) reader to a fictional, international organization for the training and sale (or lease) of voluntary slaves. The unnamed narrator adds: "I shall be awaiting you. You will learn to hate me."
The discreet narrator is never clearly identified, and most of the novel seems to be written from an omniscient third-person viewpoint. By the last page, it seems clear that the person most likely to be telling this story is Chris Parker, the majordomo of the slave-training establishment. He serves the owners, Alexandra and Grendel, by training novices who wish to be made ready for sale to private bidders. He is not clearly a slave, yet he is not a master. Even his gender seems ambiguous.
The reader is introduced to four slave-trainees when they arrive at the training house, one by one. Claudia is small, cute and exquisitely poised when pouring tea, but her Mistress finds her limited and boring; if Claudia can't be trained to serve in a variety of ways, her Mistress is willing to sell her. Brian is an attractive young man in leather who persuaded his Master of the moment to bring him in for training. He thinks his looks and boyish pout should be enough. Sharon looks like a centerfold and is a magnet for men outside the world of the Marketplace; she finds her own way to the training house by dishonest means, and thinks her looks will assure her a position as a pleasure slave. Robert is a large man who left a suburban marriage and a good job to become the "maid" of a pro Mistress; after he lost all his confidence and was given away, he was brought in for training.
Alexandra and Grendel agree that none of the four novices has the quality they are looking for. They seriously consider rejecting them all as inferior "merchandise," yet the four characters have complementary flaws, and therefore they have potential as a group. They are all accepted, placed under Chris Parker's command, and kept naked for weeks. Under the authority of the owners, he develops a regimen for the four trainees that is intended to break their egotism while nurturing group spirit, new skills and true pride in service.
Interspersed with the third-person narrative are the personal stories of Claudia, Brian, Robert and Sharon, as told to each other after lights-out in their shared dormitory. Each tells the others how they came to the training-house that serves as a gateway to the Marketplace, the ultimate destination for those who are drawn to service. Each life-story is moving in its own way.
First published in 1993, this novel is one of the classics of the genre, and it is worth reading more than once. The discipline and the sex scenes appeal to a variety of tastes, but none of the characters is a cliche, and their development drives the plot.
Like representative human sinners seeking spiritual refinement, three of the four seekers discover their own potential. Sharon, the character who comes closest to being a stereotype, provokes punishment and gets it, but for her it is not a learning experience, and her fate is much different from that of the submissive Barbie dolls of BDSM porn.
The novel, like the trainees, began life in need of polishing. The original Masquerade Press edition, credited to "Sara Adamson," was full of minor grammatical and typing errors. After the demise of Masquerade, the book was reprinted by Mystic Rose Press with a subtle, upscale gray cover showing a photographic image of the training house that resembles a vintage postcard. The manuscript, however, was brought into print with the original glitches intact. The current edition, published by Circlet Press under its new Luster imprint, has been lovingly copyedited so that its style is now worthy of its content. The cover features a photo of a lock for a Marketplace slave collar being handed to an impeccably-suited character over the bent back of a slave-trainee against a background of Edwardian wallpaper.
Although Circlet Press specializes in erotic fantasy and science fiction, the realistic setting and plots of The Marketplace and its sequels seem like a good fit for Circlet and vice versa. Laura Antoniou's novels already have a cult following, and Circlet has a niche market. The launch of the Luster line, like Circlet's growing collection of e-book mini-anthologies, seems likely to help the press to survive in hard economic times. The other novels in the "Marketplace" series are all scheduled to be launched by Circlet in the coming months. In order, they are The Slave, The Trainer, The Academy (a theme anthology), The Reunion and The Inheritor, forthcoming.
In the sequels, the reader learns more about slave contracts, specialized slave roles (including "grudge slaves," or official scapegoats for bitter or frustrated owners), training for the trainers, the administration of the Marketplace, individual relationships and the background of the mysterious Chris Parker. This is the kind of virtual world that has the same enduring appeal as those of the best fantasy novels.
"Many of you believe that the right attitude combined with some physical charm would be more than adequate to the task. It is not. Even the most gifted of naturals, those individuals whose wrists are naked without restraints and whose souls are bleak without guidance, need to be trained."
This passage from the introduction to The Marketplace introduces the (submissive) reader to a fictional, international organization for the training and sale (or lease) of voluntary slaves. The unnamed narrator adds: "I shall be awaiting you. You will learn to hate me."
The discreet narrator is never clearly identified, and most of the novel seems to be written from an omniscient third-person viewpoint. By the last page, it seems clear that the person most likely to be telling this story is Chris Parker, the majordomo of the slave-training establishment. He serves the owners, Alexandra and Grendel, by training novices who wish to be made ready for sale to private bidders. He is not clearly a slave, yet he is not a master. Even his gender seems ambiguous.
The reader is introduced to four slave-trainees when they arrive at the training house, one by one. Claudia is small, cute and exquisitely poised when pouring tea, but her Mistress finds her limited and boring; if Claudia can't be trained to serve in a variety of ways, her Mistress is willing to sell her. Brian is an attractive young man in leather who persuaded his Master of the moment to bring him in for training. He thinks his looks and boyish pout should be enough. Sharon looks like a centerfold and is a magnet for men outside the world of the Marketplace; she finds her own way to the training house by dishonest means, and thinks her looks will assure her a position as a pleasure slave. Robert is a large man who left a suburban marriage and a good job to become the "maid" of a pro Mistress; after he lost all his confidence and was given away, he was brought in for training.
Alexandra and Grendel agree that none of the four novices has the quality they are looking for. They seriously consider rejecting them all as inferior "merchandise," yet the four characters have complementary flaws, and therefore they have potential as a group. They are all accepted, placed under Chris Parker's command, and kept naked for weeks. Under the authority of the owners, he develops a regimen for the four trainees that is intended to break their egotism while nurturing group spirit, new skills and true pride in service.
Interspersed with the third-person narrative are the personal stories of Claudia, Brian, Robert and Sharon, as told to each other after lights-out in their shared dormitory. Each tells the others how they came to the training-house that serves as a gateway to the Marketplace, the ultimate destination for those who are drawn to service. Each life-story is moving in its own way.
First published in 1993, this novel is one of the classics of the genre, and it is worth reading more than once. The discipline and the sex scenes appeal to a variety of tastes, but none of the characters is a cliche, and their development drives the plot.
Like representative human sinners seeking spiritual refinement, three of the four seekers discover their own potential. Sharon, the character who comes closest to being a stereotype, provokes punishment and gets it, but for her it is not a learning experience, and her fate is much different from that of the submissive Barbie dolls of BDSM porn.
The novel, like the trainees, began life in need of polishing. The original Masquerade Press edition, credited to "Sara Adamson," was full of minor grammatical and typing errors. After the demise of Masquerade, the book was reprinted by Mystic Rose Press with a subtle, upscale gray cover showing a photographic image of the training house that resembles a vintage postcard. The manuscript, however, was brought into print with the original glitches intact. The current edition, published by Circlet Press under its new Luster imprint, has been lovingly copyedited so that its style is now worthy of its content. The cover features a photo of a lock for a Marketplace slave collar being handed to an impeccably-suited character over the bent back of a slave-trainee against a background of Edwardian wallpaper.
Although Circlet Press specializes in erotic fantasy and science fiction, the realistic setting and plots of The Marketplace and its sequels seem like a good fit for Circlet and vice versa. Laura Antoniou's novels already have a cult following, and Circlet has a niche market. The launch of the Luster line, like Circlet's growing collection of e-book mini-anthologies, seems likely to help the press to survive in hard economic times. The other novels in the "Marketplace" series are all scheduled to be launched by Circlet in the coming months. In order, they are The Slave, The Trainer, The Academy (a theme anthology), The Reunion and The Inheritor, forthcoming.
In the sequels, the reader learns more about slave contracts, specialized slave roles (including "grudge slaves," or official scapegoats for bitter or frustrated owners), training for the trainers, the administration of the Marketplace, individual relationships and the background of the mysterious Chris Parker. This is the kind of virtual world that has the same enduring appeal as those of the best fantasy novels.
August 17, 2012
The Marketplace by Laura Antoniou is a book that's a departure for me. The first time I heard about The Marketplace or Laura was when I read at the former Ravenous Nights, now renamed, Between the Covers. Laura was there and read from one of the books in The Marketplace series. I was enthralled by Laura’s reading and was told how The Marketplace is a book that has become a cult classic reading among those in the BDSM and GLBT reading community. I took a chance and decided to buy and read The Marketplace.
The Marketplace is unflinching, brutal and has moments of droll humor. This is a book that grabs you from the get go. Laura’s storytelling and writing is engaging, and as you read, you lose yourself in the world and the characters. This is heavy, heavy BDSM where four people are being trained as slaves and will be sold at auction to masters who are allowed to do whatever they want to them. This isn’t some fantasy, sexual odyssey where pleasure and pain is combined for the ultimate climax. The slaves are put through rigorous tests and are humiliated to the point where it’s almost non-consensual and brutal. The Marketplace reminds me of reality show television where the audience, or in this case the reader, picks a favorite they want to succeed and move forward in the hopes they’ll be given to a master who will appreciate them and see how wonderful they are.
The slaves here are taught to bend to the will of others in power and not question why they are forced into doing things, no matter how humiliating. The slaves still have free will and can leave at any time, but they stick to it because they feel they have nothing else to turn to. The training center is run by two people, Alexandra and Grendel who have taken on the task of training four people who already have been involved in the BDSM scene as pseudo-slaves. These four all need major work and they're forced to go through a type of BDSM boot camp. We have Sharon, the spoiled and entitled thinking pleasure slave who thinks she’ll be some rich man’s slave and pampered and loved. There’s Robert, a bear of a man who has a gender identity crisis because of the mistress’s he served. Claudia is a true submissive and her mistress adores her but feels Claudia is dead inside and has no real skills and needs to be reprogrammed. Finally Brian embraces the scene but is cocky and doesn’t think he needs to be taught or trained. These four will sleep, bathe, eat and work alongside one another for weeks in order to become perfect slaves. Under their caregiver and teacher of sorts, Chris Parker, the majordomo, rules with an iron fist while only obeying Alexandra and Grendel. Chris has a few dark secrets, one of which Brian is very aware of, and because of that he may not succeed.
Over the course of the novel we see the four slaves in training learning basic decorum and life skills such as laundry, cleaning out the stables on the property and housework. If the slaves complain or disappoint Chris and the staff, they're punished with whippings and paddlings and forced to pleasure a number of the staff or any guests who visit and not receive pleasure in return. In most cases it appears they're abused horribly and are expected to ask for more and take whatever is dished out to them.
A book like this is not for the faint of heart. The first section is more of an introduction and one that carries you along. There are more than a few scenes of humor and witty dialogue as you get to know the four slaves and their personalities. But then in the second section, that is where things turn dark and there are more than enough scenes of brutal acts and humiliations such as Brian being punished and forced to be a dog, and Sharon who cannot be broken and refuses to obey is forced to pleasure anyone, male or female in any way they want. A slave has no options or real desires. Their desires are their masters or master and they must always think of the one who owns them and not about themselves.
The reason The Marketplace was so enjoyable for me it because of the writing. Laura’s writing and world building is very fascinating and enjoyable even though I flinched a few times because of what the slaves had to endure. There’s this one scene with Sharon and two men who degrade her horribly that I had to stop reading. But if you can get past some of the shocking acts, you’re in for a treat. Claudia and Robert will tug at your heartstrings and Brian will make you laugh with his statements and insults. Then there's Chris, a true enigma of a man who is still very much a mystery when you finish.
The Marketplace was addicting reading for me and I look forward in reading the next installments. These books are pricey at $10 a pop so most may take a step back from purchasing them. But if you are willing to sacrifice the $10, I would buy The Marketplace. Laura really opened my mind to a new world and way of life not many authors can pull off. I’m glad I took a chance and introduced myself to the world of The Marketplace and Laura Antoniou.
The Marketplace is unflinching, brutal and has moments of droll humor. This is a book that grabs you from the get go. Laura’s storytelling and writing is engaging, and as you read, you lose yourself in the world and the characters. This is heavy, heavy BDSM where four people are being trained as slaves and will be sold at auction to masters who are allowed to do whatever they want to them. This isn’t some fantasy, sexual odyssey where pleasure and pain is combined for the ultimate climax. The slaves are put through rigorous tests and are humiliated to the point where it’s almost non-consensual and brutal. The Marketplace reminds me of reality show television where the audience, or in this case the reader, picks a favorite they want to succeed and move forward in the hopes they’ll be given to a master who will appreciate them and see how wonderful they are.
The slaves here are taught to bend to the will of others in power and not question why they are forced into doing things, no matter how humiliating. The slaves still have free will and can leave at any time, but they stick to it because they feel they have nothing else to turn to. The training center is run by two people, Alexandra and Grendel who have taken on the task of training four people who already have been involved in the BDSM scene as pseudo-slaves. These four all need major work and they're forced to go through a type of BDSM boot camp. We have Sharon, the spoiled and entitled thinking pleasure slave who thinks she’ll be some rich man’s slave and pampered and loved. There’s Robert, a bear of a man who has a gender identity crisis because of the mistress’s he served. Claudia is a true submissive and her mistress adores her but feels Claudia is dead inside and has no real skills and needs to be reprogrammed. Finally Brian embraces the scene but is cocky and doesn’t think he needs to be taught or trained. These four will sleep, bathe, eat and work alongside one another for weeks in order to become perfect slaves. Under their caregiver and teacher of sorts, Chris Parker, the majordomo, rules with an iron fist while only obeying Alexandra and Grendel. Chris has a few dark secrets, one of which Brian is very aware of, and because of that he may not succeed.
Over the course of the novel we see the four slaves in training learning basic decorum and life skills such as laundry, cleaning out the stables on the property and housework. If the slaves complain or disappoint Chris and the staff, they're punished with whippings and paddlings and forced to pleasure a number of the staff or any guests who visit and not receive pleasure in return. In most cases it appears they're abused horribly and are expected to ask for more and take whatever is dished out to them.
A book like this is not for the faint of heart. The first section is more of an introduction and one that carries you along. There are more than a few scenes of humor and witty dialogue as you get to know the four slaves and their personalities. But then in the second section, that is where things turn dark and there are more than enough scenes of brutal acts and humiliations such as Brian being punished and forced to be a dog, and Sharon who cannot be broken and refuses to obey is forced to pleasure anyone, male or female in any way they want. A slave has no options or real desires. Their desires are their masters or master and they must always think of the one who owns them and not about themselves.
The reason The Marketplace was so enjoyable for me it because of the writing. Laura’s writing and world building is very fascinating and enjoyable even though I flinched a few times because of what the slaves had to endure. There’s this one scene with Sharon and two men who degrade her horribly that I had to stop reading. But if you can get past some of the shocking acts, you’re in for a treat. Claudia and Robert will tug at your heartstrings and Brian will make you laugh with his statements and insults. Then there's Chris, a true enigma of a man who is still very much a mystery when you finish.
The Marketplace was addicting reading for me and I look forward in reading the next installments. These books are pricey at $10 a pop so most may take a step back from purchasing them. But if you are willing to sacrifice the $10, I would buy The Marketplace. Laura really opened my mind to a new world and way of life not many authors can pull off. I’m glad I took a chance and introduced myself to the world of The Marketplace and Laura Antoniou.
dnf
August 23, 2013DNF. It's just the wrong time for me or this sucks, but not I'm dying reading this either way. Since I read less than 10% I'm not rating it.
8/7/2013__FREE on Amazon
8/7/2013__FREE on Amazon
October 17, 2013
The premise of this book was very interesting. It was basically about a bootcamp for slaves. Initially I was a little confused because I wasn't sure who the main character was because there were several characters introduced, but then I realized there were several stories rolled into one. I was pleasantly surprised that I actually enjoyed the multiple points of view. This story takes four slaves on a journey of intense training that would eventually lead to them being sold at the Marketplace. Each character had different expectations and different levels of training and each had their own flaws and obstacles to overcome. I didn't think there would be much in the way of character growth but boy I was wrong. By the end of the story, each character become a different person.
Sharon was a conceited, outspoken woman who wanted a full-time D/s relationship. She fantasized about sexual slavery for many years and read many novels and romanticized slavery. She used her looks to get what she wanted and she was in for a rude awakening as she was put through some very difficult and jaw-dropping tests to prove she was worthy of the title "pleasure" slave.
Brian was a jerk who was trying to find a place where he belonged and he craves physical contact. He was a lost soul who willingly gave his body to doms to prove his worth. He was selfish and thinks he knows it all. He quickly learns he's got a lot to learn as his life is completely turned upside down and he is deprived of the one thing he craves.
Robert was all brawn and good looks, but on the inside he was a twenty year old French Maid who despises his penis and is willing to go to any lengths to please his mistress, including mutilating himself. His low self-esteem and shame prove to be his greatest weakness and almost cost him his deepest desires.
Claudia is the perfect slave who does everything by the book, except please her Mistress physically. She was basically in a remedial bootcamp to learn how to do things she feels uncomfortable doing instead of crying her way out of situations. She's quiet, shy and desperate to return to her old life. She surprised me the most with how she changed and became independent and confident.
All four learn what it truly means to be a sexual slave. They gain confidence, bravery, selflessness and respect. They become cultured, educated and above all, they learn how to serve. This book was almost like the Wizard of Oz of sexual slavery. I did wish the ending gave a little more info since I was taken on their journey up to that point, but I enjoyed the story and gained some knowledge about this lifestyle that I had no clue about. Interesting read.
Sharon was a conceited, outspoken woman who wanted a full-time D/s relationship. She fantasized about sexual slavery for many years and read many novels and romanticized slavery. She used her looks to get what she wanted and she was in for a rude awakening as she was put through some very difficult and jaw-dropping tests to prove she was worthy of the title "pleasure" slave.
Brian was a jerk who was trying to find a place where he belonged and he craves physical contact. He was a lost soul who willingly gave his body to doms to prove his worth. He was selfish and thinks he knows it all. He quickly learns he's got a lot to learn as his life is completely turned upside down and he is deprived of the one thing he craves.
Robert was all brawn and good looks, but on the inside he was a twenty year old French Maid who despises his penis and is willing to go to any lengths to please his mistress, including mutilating himself. His low self-esteem and shame prove to be his greatest weakness and almost cost him his deepest desires.
Claudia is the perfect slave who does everything by the book, except please her Mistress physically. She was basically in a remedial bootcamp to learn how to do things she feels uncomfortable doing instead of crying her way out of situations. She's quiet, shy and desperate to return to her old life. She surprised me the most with how she changed and became independent and confident.
All four learn what it truly means to be a sexual slave. They gain confidence, bravery, selflessness and respect. They become cultured, educated and above all, they learn how to serve. This book was almost like the Wizard of Oz of sexual slavery. I did wish the ending gave a little more info since I was taken on their journey up to that point, but I enjoyed the story and gained some knowledge about this lifestyle that I had no clue about. Interesting read.
May 4, 2012
Seriously. 50 Shades of Gray is like the Beauty Series by Anne Rice. Did you ever notice that half the people are naked and the other half are wearing FUR in the Beauty series? Doesn't that strike you that someone is going to be very cold or very hot? If you're really interested in something uniquely different and well written, check out Antoniou.
February 11, 2010
Hands down the BEST, most realistic, tangible, series ever written on BDSM. It will leave you feeling there really could be an underground organization...and will make you want to find it!
August 23, 2014
The Marketplace is a secret society catering to those who wish to own well-trained slaves and those who wish to be sold as slaves. The book focuses on the four slaves Robert, Brian, Claudia, and Sharon, who all get accepted into a rigorous training program under Master Grendel and Mistress Alexandra on a beautiful estate in the countryside. Grendel and Alexandra are representatives for an international organization devoted to trading in submissive slaves, and Marketplace - the name of this organization - is the largest but also most secretive organization in existence for people with these unique interests. For a few weeks the four slaves are drilled into being perfect servants, and throughout the book steaming sex is mixed with moving portraits of people with but one goal in life: to become the perfect servant to a Master or a Mistress. Robert a shy heterosexual man with low self-esteem. Brian, a gay confident man. Sharon an erotic bombshell who is to having any man she wants. Claudia who already serves under Mistress Madeleine but is sent to the Marketplace in order to improve her skills. This was my first time reading this author and this book was pretty good the book was full of hot sex scenes. The book did have a few grammatical errors and for that I give it four stars because the errors got annoying. This book was also not for people who only want to read light BDSM it was training in all types. Overall this was a good read.
May 15, 2021
First time when I've read this, it was maybe 2-3 years ago. Incredibly, it was 2 stars for me then. For some reason that's still not clear to me, I decided to revisit this and see once again what it's all about. Now, what I perceive as very complex mental-physical, or psychological-sexual aspect of it, makes it 5 stars book. And now I realize this is one of the best BDSM works out there. It's so real that makes you wonder, is it, indeed?
In modern works of the genre, everything is so forced into some pattern of traumatized characters that need these traumas as justifications for their BDSM kinks that, lo and behold, actually serve as form of therapy.
Yes, there are traumas here too. But somehow, they made me think whether if was intentional that they work as half-successful attempts at convincing you that they're reason for submissive tendencies of characters.
They're so inadequate, in fact, that all they're achieving is rendering these poor saps as natural born sissies and slaves anyway. That's all they ever were in the first place. Need to submit to someone else's will is in their genome. Their experiences came after this fact, not before.
Maybe I'm bullshitting myself and maybe that's just something I want to believe, but leave me at it and allow me to have my pleasure with this series, will you?
In modern works of the genre, everything is so forced into some pattern of traumatized characters that need these traumas as justifications for their BDSM kinks that, lo and behold, actually serve as form of therapy.
Yes, there are traumas here too. But somehow, they made me think whether if was intentional that they work as half-successful attempts at convincing you that they're reason for submissive tendencies of characters.
They're so inadequate, in fact, that all they're achieving is rendering these poor saps as natural born sissies and slaves anyway. That's all they ever were in the first place. Need to submit to someone else's will is in their genome. Their experiences came after this fact, not before.
Maybe I'm bullshitting myself and maybe that's just something I want to believe, but leave me at it and allow me to have my pleasure with this series, will you?
December 30, 2007
What I like about the Marketplace books (as opposed to the godawful "Beauty" series of Anne Rice) is that Laura Antoniou gets the scene details right. I get sidetracked by details if they don't make sense, and I don't find my brain wandering to things like "wait, you secured the person to the wall with that?" when reading this series. Of course, they are fictional -- where are all these mysterious rich owners, and in the current economy are they doing rent-to-own slaves? -- and it bugs me a little bit that every play space is described as having light wood and southwest art (no. just no.), but otherwise these are a fun read.
August 18, 2013
I have read all the books in the Marketplace series about once a year, every year since the first time I discovered them over ten years ago, and I am eagerly anticipating the next one. And, I read them over and over because of the characterizations and the plot. The sex scenes are wonderfully written erotica, but what makes these novels and short stories so absorbing and worth revisiting is the depth of the characters and the events that move their lives and growth along.
If I must restrict myself to a review of just the latest publication of The Marketplace, then I will say it was lovely to get reacquainted with the introduction of Chris, Rachel, Alex, Grendel,Claudia, Robert, Brian, Jack, and even the ever-trying Sharon. In the two new short stories added for this addition, the first "A Leash has Two Ends" gave a new depth and perspective to the relationships between Grendel and Chris, Chris and Rachel, and Grendel and Alex. The second, "For Want of a Nail" was simply great fun and hilarious.
I recommend this book, these novels, and all the stories as among my favorite books to read again and again and again each time learning new aspects of characters who have become well-loved, old friends. I think the only other novels I have re-read with such satisfaction are those written by Robert Heinlein, Lois McMaster Bujold, Theordore Sturgeon, Georgette Heyer, Dorothy Sayers, T.H. White--umm, I read a lot of books--probably a good time to stop the list.
If I must restrict myself to a review of just the latest publication of The Marketplace, then I will say it was lovely to get reacquainted with the introduction of Chris, Rachel, Alex, Grendel,Claudia, Robert, Brian, Jack, and even the ever-trying Sharon. In the two new short stories added for this addition, the first "A Leash has Two Ends" gave a new depth and perspective to the relationships between Grendel and Chris, Chris and Rachel, and Grendel and Alex. The second, "For Want of a Nail" was simply great fun and hilarious.
I recommend this book, these novels, and all the stories as among my favorite books to read again and again and again each time learning new aspects of characters who have become well-loved, old friends. I think the only other novels I have re-read with such satisfaction are those written by Robert Heinlein, Lois McMaster Bujold, Theordore Sturgeon, Georgette Heyer, Dorothy Sayers, T.H. White--umm, I read a lot of books--probably a good time to stop the list.
September 9, 2016
It's unusual for me to be drawn along so strongly by a pornographic story that is so thoroughly Not My Kink. The prose is brisk and vivid, subtly shifting tone to match the four central characters. The characters themselves are a lively, diverse bunch with engaging voices, who change and grow as the story progresses. I found myself going back to it eagerly to find out what happened next, despite never finding it really arousing.
The book is a story about particular characters, but it's also a manifesto of sorts. Antoniou has well-developed views on what the essence of consensual slavery is or should be, and the characters constantly enact or debate those views in ways shaped by their particular personalities. The frequent kinkier-than-though snark at dilettantes, poseurs, and "those trashy novels" others have written manages to be entertaining and abrasive at once.
There are two bonus stories in the Circlet Press edition, both very worthwhile. "A Leash Has Two Ends" provides more insight into the books most interesting and cryptic character, the majordomo Chris Parker. "For Want of a Nail" displays Antoniou's wicked sense of humor in fine form, and had me laughing out loud at several points.
P.S. Goodreads wants to know if my friends who like Chick Lit and Romance would therefore enjoy The Marketplace. Heh.
The book is a story about particular characters, but it's also a manifesto of sorts. Antoniou has well-developed views on what the essence of consensual slavery is or should be, and the characters constantly enact or debate those views in ways shaped by their particular personalities. The frequent kinkier-than-though snark at dilettantes, poseurs, and "those trashy novels" others have written manages to be entertaining and abrasive at once.
There are two bonus stories in the Circlet Press edition, both very worthwhile. "A Leash Has Two Ends" provides more insight into the books most interesting and cryptic character, the majordomo Chris Parker. "For Want of a Nail" displays Antoniou's wicked sense of humor in fine form, and had me laughing out loud at several points.
P.S. Goodreads wants to know if my friends who like Chick Lit and Romance would therefore enjoy The Marketplace. Heh.
February 5, 2008
The Marketplace series is BDSM fiction by Laura Antoniou. It is about an underground organization that operates around the world in slave training, selling and buying. The books main focus is the training of slaves. And each book offers compelling characters that unfold into an extraordinary story and world.
You will meet all the reoccurring characters from Antoniou's series. You will form strong opinions about each . This isn't soft and romantic erotica. This deals with BDSM but without all the soft romantic type of thoughts that go with it. It appeals to all seuxal orientaions within the BDSM category -- in fact it plays around with the orientations in wonderfully engaging ways.
You will meet all the reoccurring characters from Antoniou's series. You will form strong opinions about each . This isn't soft and romantic erotica. This deals with BDSM but without all the soft romantic type of thoughts that go with it. It appeals to all seuxal orientaions within the BDSM category -- in fact it plays around with the orientations in wonderfully engaging ways.
October 26, 2016
The "slave training" in this book is so rigorous as to not really make good fantasy fodder, at least for me, but it's an interesting character study of the four new "recruits" brought into it. Katiebabs' review says everything I might have wanted to say.
The Find and Replace errors get a little distracting. For example, apparently someone decided to replace "cum" with "come," obviously with the aim of editing the sex scenes, but didn't go back and check to make sure other words weren't affected. So people read a "docomeent" and go through trying "circomestances."
The Find and Replace errors get a little distracting. For example, apparently someone decided to replace "cum" with "come," obviously with the aim of editing the sex scenes, but didn't go back and check to make sure other words weren't affected. So people read a "docomeent" and go through trying "circomestances."
January 18, 2022
Laura Antoniou is one of my favorite erotica writers. The Marketplace has an actual story and characters that have actual personalities. I reread this book from start to finish (as opposed to just flipping to "the good parts") every so often.
August 11, 2013
....umm what was in Chris's pants....O_o?
October 22, 2013
Normally I avoid reading reviews until after I've finished reading a book, or at least have written my own review. I broke that tendency with this book. When I saw complaints about typos, grammar errors, I got incensed for Laura; I'd already read this lovely book once and had noticed only a few small things- if I could take off half a star, I might to do that, but it wasn't bad enough for some truly savage reviews I saw. Further I was angered by "this isn't the BDSM I know" type of comments; while I do enjoy an attempt to BDSM realism, I'm not going to hate a book because the author hasn't done that. I think in the blurb, it's obvious that what Laura intended to write was BDSM fantasy; it shouldn't be judged by what works for one person in real life. Knowing that this was a BDSM fantasy, I sat down to enjoy it as such. And enjoy it I did! The stories of the trainees brought me to tears laughing so many times, what sad, silly caricatures of BDSM they were each in their own ways. I adored the trainers, Grendel and Alexandra. Although the strict, proper majordomo Chris made me curl my toes in anticipation every time he came back into the story. Happily continuing on with the series.
October 5, 2012
This was recommended to me by someone in one of my IRC chatrooms after a discussion regarding 50 Shades of Grey being touted as exposing the average person to the BDSM lifestyle. She recommended this series as a harder, more accurate, more in-depth view.
This book is not what I would consider recommending for the sexually timid or those who are not particularly sexually open-minded, if you are not already familiar with some of the intricacies of the lifestyle and master/slave relationships.
However, if you're interested, I definitely found it to be a very interesting read, with fairly well-developed characters. There was not a lot of plot exposition, but all around, worth the read for the learning experience.
This book is not what I would consider recommending for the sexually timid or those who are not particularly sexually open-minded, if you are not already familiar with some of the intricacies of the lifestyle and master/slave relationships.
However, if you're interested, I definitely found it to be a very interesting read, with fairly well-developed characters. There was not a lot of plot exposition, but all around, worth the read for the learning experience.
September 2, 2013
I didn't expect to get pulled into this story as fast as I did but I was rooting for Claudia and Robert, somewhat agitated by Brian and I honestly wanted to claw Sharon's eyes out. She really needed to learn something about being silent and learning to be humble. I love this book and I randomly came upon it based on a recommendation from a friend. So glad I downloaded it because I couldn't put it, even convinced a couple of my friends to download it as well. I believe that this series, this book in particular shows how involved the process is for training good slaves and teaching someone how to learn well and how to treat others as well because you never know whose help you might need down the road. Can't wait to read book #2, The Slave.
February 13, 2014
Ahhh I've been hijacked by a series! My tbr shelf is huge and I read this on a whim and now I'm hooked! I'm happy though. It's not like getting trapped in a behemoth like the Outlander series which is my absolute favorite, but a solid 3 month commitment. This was an intriguing look into slave training facility, told through the experiences of 4 new trainees. Their stories were personal, believable, humorous at times, and heartbreaking the next. And I have to learn more about Chris. Glad I'm off for the next few days! Oh, crap! I just found out the sequels are much harder to obtain than a 30 second Nook download. I guess I will be ordering them online.
January 10, 2016
The book rubbed me wrong up front by implying that it's all true, and that people who don't know about it are just not cool enough. I worked as a Dominatrix and I have been in the kink community my whole life, and if you are going to write fiction I think you need to admit it's fiction.
There is NOT any human trafficking in the community. None at all. Slavery is banned in the Constitution and no one is saying otherwise.
Do people have private contracts with one other person? Sure. But no one is sold across national boarders.
Now, it is fine as a FANTASY and I get why so many people enjoy it. If you are looking for a fantasy about something that will never happen, then it's fine.
There is NOT any human trafficking in the community. None at all. Slavery is banned in the Constitution and no one is saying otherwise.
Do people have private contracts with one other person? Sure. But no one is sold across national boarders.
Now, it is fine as a FANTASY and I get why so many people enjoy it. If you are looking for a fantasy about something that will never happen, then it's fine.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 2, 2015
This is first book of this type(BDSM) that I have read. I was intrigued enough to finish it though I can't say I would read the next book. It provided plenty of ideas for my personal catalog. I enjoyed the anticipation, but this was more of psychological stroll for me. It is worth reading if you know very little about the BDSM lifestyle.
October 6, 2016
I'm sure people disagree, but I don't think this is a very good book. The characters felt manufactured and fake, the storyline was barely present, the writing was iffy at best and for a book about sexual slaves there was very little sex happening. Unless you consider public shaming and sadomasochism outside of a scene and/or relationship "sexy", that is.
July 5, 2008
I was irritated and annoyed by pretty much every character in this book, which made it pretty difficult to enjoy. Add to that the tedious, predictable BDSM scenes, excessive gender stereotypes, and lack of any significant plat, and I figured I'd rather be reading Anne Rice.
August 7, 2012
Erotically charged with what every kinky person dreams about and hopes to be part of some day. Well written and accurately depicted, Laura Antoniou gives the reader a fantasy to envelope themselves with and material that stimulates even the active participant in the BDSM arena.
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