Robert is the narrator and central character of this fifty-six page short story. He lives in Fort Lauderdale, FL, where the story opens. While at a caRobert is the narrator and central character of this fifty-six page short story. He lives in Fort Lauderdale, FL, where the story opens. While at a cafeteria style sub restaurant, Robert observes a young man who appears to be still a teenager. The kid catches him staring, and a confrontation ensues. The boy actually is nineteen, and his name is Tim. He threatens Robert, telling him that he has an older brother who is a cop, and he informs Robert that he must service him (Tim) sexually or his older brother will make Robert the target of a traffic ticketing sting.
Reluctantly Robert follows Tim to an adult bookstore where they have oral and anal sex in one of the video porn booths.
A few days pass, and Robert gets a call from Tim, informing him that he is to rendezvous with Brian, Tim’s older brother. Robert meets Brian and follows him home where Tim is waiting. Robert is then used sexually by the brothers, and while this is occurring, it becomes apparent to Robert that the relationship of the two brothers is quite unusual. Brian dominates his younger brother, and more-or-less treats him as a personal slave.
The entire story is a series of sexual encounters, each one a bit more exaggerated than the previous. The sex scenes incorporate forced oral sex, anal sex, bondage, menage’, intensely graphic homophobic verbalization, rape, incest, scat, smegla, whipping, and humiliation.
Clearly the intent of this story is to provide a one-handed read. The fantastical and unrealistic presentation of these hyperbolic sex scenes would be laughable were they not to be so patently offensive. Initially Tim is presented as a dominator and aggressor, but his character evolves and is ultimately presented sympathetically as a victim. I’m not sure if this metamorphism is intentional or if it is the result of the author’s expansion of his initial sexual fantasy.
The climactic sex scene involves Brian and three of his buddies from work. The four men get together to watch a football game and order young Tim and Robert to be their personal slaves. During the scene they degrade their slave boys verbally and force them to be domestic servants. Then they make the boys masturbate, place them in bondage, and rape them orally and anally. Each of these aggressors supposedly is heterosexual, and they all openly hate homosexuals. They call the boys names such as “bitch, faggot, pansy, and queer”, all the while they are having sex with them.
If this story is approached as pure erotica and the reader is fully aware that the sexual fantasy is written to titillate and provide purely erotic entertainment, the story may be quite successful. The reader would need to be one who has tolerance for humiliation and degradation, and perhaps a fetish for objectification. If, on the other hand, the reader is looking for a story which contains romance and a multi-layered plot, this may not be the best choice.
In my opinion, the author demonstrates an undeniable talent for writing man-on-man action. His writing style is likely to be most appealing to gay men who are looking for literary porn. I’m fairly certain that the intent of this story is not to send any kind of meaningful message other than that it is fun to fantasize about having sex with domineering, cocky, and abusive straight men.
I’d suggest that if you obtain this book, save it for when you’re in the mood for some over-the-top sexual fantasy, and be prepared for some eye-popping, graphic fetish.
Highly erotic and extremely graphic story about an ex-military dominant Top who turns a prep school athlete into his bitch-boy. This story is unapologHighly erotic and extremely graphic story about an ex-military dominant Top who turns a prep school athlete into his bitch-boy. This story is unapologetically D/s and a treat for those who enjoy hardcore BDSM.
Warning: contains non-consensual sex
Merged review:
Highly erotic and extremely graphic story about an ex-military dominant Top who turns a prep school athlete into his bitch-boy. This story is unapologetically D/s and a treat for those who enjoy hardcore BDSM.
It's taking me awhile to get through this series, partially because it is so huge, but also because it has such meaty world building. There is so muchIt's taking me awhile to get through this series, partially because it is so huge, but also because it has such meaty world building. There is so much to absorb, and I am reading other books in between the series in order not to get overwhelmed by this amazing, superbly written fantasy.
I find myself liking the protagonist, Rand Al Thor more with each book. He's a bit arrogant, but I like arrogant heroes. And the author kind of kicks him in the balls a few times to keep him humble. Of course, he's a reluctant hero, which is typical. And he shoulders a lot of guilt and self doubt. So overall, he comes across very nuanced, as do most of the main characters.
My criticism throughout the series has been that I just cannot keep up with the name-dropping. There are so many second and third and fourth and fifth tier characters that I can't keep them straight. And they are not easy to read, either, because they have very unusually spelled names for which the pronunciation is unclear.
I think this one is my favorite book so far, but I have pretty much thought that about all of them. Onward and upward to book 8...and the six more after that....more
Well, I don't get it. I'm not smart enough to understand why this word salad is worthy a Pulitzer Prize and considered one of the greatest pieces of AWell, I don't get it. I'm not smart enough to understand why this word salad is worthy a Pulitzer Prize and considered one of the greatest pieces of American literature of the 20th century. To me, it was a hot mess. I mean, yeah, I get that authors don't want to be too on the nose with their characterization and dialogue, and I even can understand using plot devices like non-linear timelines and flashbacks and other techniques that are at times confusing. But this book took confusion to a whole other level.
I have read some of the positive reviews, and to be honest, they leave me scratching my head. And I just wonder if some readers (or critics) just pretend to like things like this because they think they are supposed to. Or maybe because they are proud of themselves for sussing out some deeper, hidden meaning from a pile of gobbkedygook. I just can't be that pretentious, no matter how hard I try.
This is a disturbing story, and it is told in a nonsensical way. Not one of the characters is sympathetic, and it feels almost like a mockery of their culture, speech, and worldview. As for the stream-of-consciousness writing style, I've heard Trump speeches that made more sense.
Not my cup of tea, but I am certainly no authority on classic literature. Lots of people way smarter than me have loved it....more
Set in the mid 19th century, The Confidence Man tells the story of a cast of diverse characters traveling on a steamboat down the Mississippi River frSet in the mid 19th century, The Confidence Man tells the story of a cast of diverse characters traveling on a steamboat down the Mississippi River from Missouri to Louisiana. Assuming various identities, wearing many costumes and masks, a conman engages with the variety of people he encounters and uses a range of tactics to manipulate them into giving him money. He appeals to their greed, their piety, their loneliness, their desperation, their fear. He uses their xenophobia and their yearning to be healed of illness and even their altruism and philanthropy to make very loquacious, convincing arguments. He convinces them that he himself is the answer to each of their problems and urges them to give him their confidence. He's the ultimate grifter and snake oil salesman, and at times the grandiloquent, flowery language even pulls the reader into his lies. It all sounds so truthful.
Some have compared him to politicians, one in particular who was the United States president for four years, and I can understand where they see parallels, but this fictional character was brilliant. He was no buffoon pretending to possess knowledge. He was a narcissist, though, and clearly had no conscience.
It's a challenging read, and those much smarter than me can probable glean far more from the classic novel than I could suss out. But I'm glad I read it. It's disturbing and thought-provoking, and it's the kind of story I'm sure to think about for years to come....more
I can see how some readers might find this style of literature therapeutic, but to me the cynical, sardonic voice of this first person narrative is deI can see how some readers might find this style of literature therapeutic, but to me the cynical, sardonic voice of this first person narrative is depressing. I get that the author is a satirist, and that being said, I'm probably not the best person to review his work objectively. I just don't like it much, and it's entirely a personal preference. I also didn't find any depth in the characters. In fact, the cast of characters was very limited, and the secondary characters (like Tinder's caseworker, his agent, even his siblings) were not even given names. And the story was completely void of feeling. No genuine connection on an emotional level, and I don't know, maybe that was supposed to be the point. This person was raised in such an abusive environment that he was stripped of all feelings, all empathy, and definitely any possibility of romance. Plus, the dark humor crossed some lines I'm not comfortable with, like the main character running a suicide crisis intervention line where for entertainment he encourages callers to kill themselves. I just couldn't like him, not after that. I guess I did see him as a sympathetic character, but not because I liked him. I pitied him. And the ending...well, in a word, it sucked. But then I guess it's kind of open to interpretation. If you want to give this guy a happy ending, I suppose mentally you could imagine it so, but to be honest, I didn't even care at that point.
But in spite of all my criticism, the writing talent of this author is mindblowing. For me, it's not so much what he writes, but the way he writes. This author's mind is so full of facts. I mean, he just tosses out nuggets, peppering the narrative with zingers. Some of them are literally laugh-out-loud hilarious. Trivia. Bible Verses. Etiquette. Stain removal instructions. History. Pop culture. I just wonder if he does a ton of research or actually has all this stored in his brain.
I'm not sure if I'll read another one of his books because I feel like the depressing tone is going to leave me with a hangover. But who knows, I might find myself in the mood for the dark humor and give it another try....more
Can't believe I waited so long to read this, but it's definitely going in my "favorite books of all time" category. Hysterically, laugh-out-loud funnyCan't believe I waited so long to read this, but it's definitely going in my "favorite books of all time" category. Hysterically, laugh-out-loud funny. Poignant and heartbreaking. A very nuanced presentation of southern hospitality, racism, homophobia, traditional values, community, and family....more
I'm confused by the rave reviews and high ratings for this book. I liked it. It was a sweet love story, but I'd say the style in which it was written I'm confused by the rave reviews and high ratings for this book. I liked it. It was a sweet love story, but I'd say the style in which it was written is at most a fourth or fifth grade reading level. There were multiple chapters which were nothing but short paragraphs. It was double-spaced, and the dialogue was repetitive and juvenile. I honestly don't get why it won so many awards, not when there are so many beautifully written, literary-quality YA stories that go completely unnoticed. I feel that perhaps because it was so well promoted, it became one of those things where everyone just expected to see something spectacular, and decided they loved it without even reading it. Or I'm just an idiot, because I don't get it....more
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