De Profundis by Oscar Wilde

4 Stars

When faced with the abyss before you, is there only emptiness or is there a new beginning?

This is an intensely personal examination of Wilde's journey during incarceration. It follows the Stages of Grief and intertwines the religious with art. It has some incredible observations that made me examine my own thoughts and assumptions.

But it is a very unimaginative nature that only cares for people on their pedestals. A pedestal may be a very unreal thing. A pillory is a terrific reality. They should have known also how to interpret sorrow better. I have said that behind sorrow there is always sorrow. It were wiser still to say that behind sorrow there is always a soul. And to mock at a soul in pain is a dreadful thing. In the strangely simple economy of the world people only get what they give, and to those who have not enough imagination to penetrate the mere outward of things, and feel pity, what pity can be given save that of scorn?

Acastos: Two Platonic Dialogues

4 Stars

Art and Eros 

SOCRATES Isn’t it the nature of art to explore the relation between the public and the private? Art turns us inside out, it exhibits what is secret. What goes on inwardly in the soul is the essence of each man, it’s what makes us individual people. The relation between that inwardness and public conduct is morality. How can art ignore it?--Art and Eros

In times of madness, when leaders sound like deranged poodles yipping in the dark night, there is comfort in rational discourse. This makes me smile. Socrates is so pragmatic, sweeping away the illusions of perfection that Plato holds up so dearly like a shield.

And we should thank the gods for great artists who draw away the veil of anxiety and selfishness and show us, even for a moment, another world, a real world, and tell us a little bit of truth. And we should not be too hard on ourselves for being comforted by art. --Art and Eros, Socrates

My take on art: ART is communication. The complexity and nuance of the message is what delineates high art from low art, but watching the characters unravel and explore the tangents in civility was refreshing. 

The second dialogue is on religion, such a divisive subject, I'll be reading it shortly. 

Above the Gods: A Discussion on Religion 

This was interesting and still relevant today. The argument between relativism and absolutism and pageantry versus internal morality. 

So long as there’s an uneducated mob, there’s a place for something like religion. - Antagoras

The deification of the state is being forced upon us. I don’t like it – but the alternative is anarchy! - Antagoras

We are not gods, we are absurd limited beings, we live with affliction and chance.- Socrates

Socrates is once again the moderate and Plato the idealist with the fictional characters providing the tapestry that weaves in both philosophers' thoughts. It was an entertaining read and certainly better than 99.9% of what can be viewed on television. 

HEXMAKER by Jordan L. Hawk

3 Stars

Soul bonds bridging the divide.

Thief. Police investigator.
Guttersnipe orphan. NYC Gilded Age elite.
Expendable. Scion.

Another dive into the magical world of witches and their familiars as Owen, the staid hexmaker from the first book in the series gets waylaid by his own familiar. In a world where witches outnumber familiars, the probability was low--and after meeting his, Malachi, Owen is wishing he never had. 

What is usually a cause for celebration is met with suspicion and veiled hostility by both parties. Each has their allegiances and responsibilities and being on opposite sides is more than disconcerting it is life altering. Sometimes change is what one wants. 

Unfortunately, we don't always get what we want.

The case that brings them together plays into the sociological implications of the witch/familiar relationship and the class structure of late nineteenth century NYC. The relationship between Malachi and Owen is tenuous and the binding point beyond their magic is kinky sex. Anyone who's read a few of my reviews knows that kinky sex is not a problem, but here it felt forced. It went from zero to sixty, and in a couple with trust issues I found that not entirely believable. At the heart of any power exchange that isn't dubious is trust, and this jumped a few steps. The contention between Owen and Malachi reminded me of A Seditious Affair, but with novices. 

The story moves at a brisk pace with danger stalking each chapter. It's a nice addition to the Hexworld series. Definitely entertaining and a diverting Halloween read. 

THE NARRATIVE OF ARTHUR GORDON PYM OF NANTUCKET by Edgar Allan Poe

2 Stars

DNF 65%

Pulling the plug on this. I love Poe, or rather, I love his short stories. He just doesn't translate well into full length novels, too much repetition and descriptive exposition to keep interest. This worked out better for me as a sleep aid than a tale. 

"The body from which it had been taken, resting as it did upon the rope, had been easily swayed to and from by the exertions of the carnivorous bird , and it was this motion which had at first impressed us with the belief of its being alive."

--This was the lure that kept me reading in hopes of uncovering another such gem. *sigh*

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When you think you're going one place, In the Heart of the Sea: The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex based story, only to find out you were misinformed and it's really more influenced by Address on the Subject of a Surveying and Exploring Expedition to the Pacific Ocean and South Seas.



I guess I'll read it for the cannibalism. There's no way to make that boring, or is there? I mean, it's not a cookbook. Even then, there are exciting ways of presenting it.

ALIEN HOSTAGE by Tracy St. John

2 Stars

Fun kinky sex, and it was great with the triad of double-cocked Kalquorians and their Earther woman. A little spanking, some bondage, D/s and aggressive breast play was entertaining. I even liked the plot which was a kidnap scenario and escape, but the repetitive elements of relaying events or feelings, the same events from 4 different individuals and none of the details change was boring. The story slowed down to a crawl and honestly, I'm not sure why I finished reading it. Some aggressive editing to eliminate the duplicate info dumps and speed up the pace, and this story would have been a 3.5-4 star read. As it is, it squeaks to the finish with a 2. 

O/s by Jane Davitt and Alexa Snow

3.5 Stars

BDSM Group's October Book of the Month 


This book definitely has me leaning towards freewill over government oversight.

I liked the concept of a professional subsitter. Jax is a professional. He is a service Dom. He attends to submissives during their Owners absence, in the manner that has been contracted. Often, these are not Jax's preferences, but the job isn't about what he wants, but what the clients wants and expects.

Not part of the shadows, this arrangement is heavily regulated by government oversight, everything from house checks to monitoring collars. We meet a few of Jax's clients, but it isn't until Layne and his sub Brysen that we see things that ring those uneasy bells. And it's not just the sadism, though this contract that has that focus; it's the whispers and inconsistencies that Brysen exhibits when Layne leaves.

So, Layne is not just your average a$$hole Dom finding a way to abuse a sub and the system. There are dark moments, but the real story is how both Brysen and Jax rehabilitate after the events. The end was a bit controversial for some readers in our group, but I liked it. This is more clinical than I enjoy in my stories, but I really appreciate thinky power plays, constructing and deconstructing power--so rating this 3.5 star rounded up for GR to 4 stars. 

ACCIDENTAL ABDUCTION by Eve Langlais

3 Stars

Playful and amusing. 

Working off of stereotypes, two opposites attract and take on the galaxy in between their own aggressive negotiations which start with taunting and end with sighs.