Kneel to Me, edited by Lauren P. Burka (Circlet Press, 2010).

Reviewed by Jean Roberta. 1,130 words.
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This e-book of seven stories of BDSM erotica contains fantasy worlds peopled with believable characters -- the kind of thing the late U.S. poet Marianne Moore called "imaginary gardens with real toads in them." Stories like this were pioneered by Circlet Press, which still leads the field. (And Circlet founder Cecilia Tan is an ardent baseball fan, as was Marianne Moore - make of that what you will.)

In her introduction, Lauren Burka explains what these stories are not:

"Let's call her Cindi.

"She is a habitue of the slush pile, arriving in a story titled 'Cindi's Journey' or similar. She has a body with unlikely measurements, no history worth mentioning, and no special talents except the ability to walk in 6 inch heels while burdened by disproportionately large breasts. She lives in a future society indistinguishable from ours except that it supports some form of contract slavery that exists without political or economic rationale. . . You won't find Cindi or her masters in this book."

There are no cliches in these stories, but there are traditional BDSM roles and scenarios characteristic of fantasy literature: a world at war, a corporate dictatorship in which almost anything can be bought (and in which BDSM is both part of the political structure AND an illegal form of rebellion which is investigated and punished), a world in which knowledge is both power and status. And there is a delicious plot twist in almost every story.

In "The Lord of Misrule" by Kannan Feng, for instance, the narrator introduces the reader to an institution of higher learning in which he has distinguished himself:

"I earned the right to walk the halls of Atia Selene when I was sixteen, and even at that age, the masters of the Veiled University knew that I would one day join their ranks. I was a prodigy, I was brilliant, and unfortunately for the younger students and the servants around me, I was a holy terror."

This scholar seems to have a greater degree of self-knowledge than the average person in a position of power; how did he acquire it? A hint appears when the narrator's inscrutable male servant shows up. Another hint appears when the narrator tells us that Christmas is celebrated in the old-fashioned way, during twelve days which culminate with a "Feast of Fools" (Twelfth Night or the Feast of the Epiphany) when the servants and the masters trade places. The ruler for one night is the Lord of Misrule, and he (never a she?) can be someone who doesn't usually give commands.

Clearly, the narrator is destined for an educational experience that will be more memorable than anything on the official curriculum. Even if it is not a complete surprise, the new relationship is satisfying for the reader as well as for all the characters. The sex is well-paced, and although this story is not exactly a romance, mutual love can be read between the lines.

"KATT" by smotp is the tale of an artificial intelligence or a sex toy in the form of a teenage girl who was given to her master when he came of age. A disaster threatens her continued existence unless she can send a message to her master from the desert planet where she is stranded. This is a fast-moving, well-written romp about communication in various forms.

"Romans" by Joe Nobel could be crudely described as a "menage" or M/f/f story, but the three-way relationship defies expectations. In the context of an empire like that of ancient Rome, a master must leave his female slave temporarily, and she feels abandoned. In the place where he has business, he meets a woman gladiator who has had to give up her vocation or find almost certain death in the arena. The emotions of all three characters are almost palpable. Is there a way for each of them to get the acceptance, the companionship and the ecstasy they each want? With enough creativity and forgiveness, anything seems possible.

"Raiders from the Stars" by Jay Starre is about a breathlessly excited young man who hopes to join the legendary Raiders aboard an immense space ship, the Alabaster Swan, which is described as a planet unto itself. Taro, the young novice, is chosen by Glyn, a Master in Training who clearly enjoys the services of a personal attendant, yet the mission of the Raiders is so much larger that Glyn must risk hurting his beloved boy emotionally in order to show him why they are both there.

"Exceptional Acts" by Argus Marks takes place in a corporate world full of acronyms, in which anyone who causes trouble for the ruling corporation can simply be "Reeducated" and "Relocated." The heroine of this story has lost her father to such a process. After complaining openly, she applies for employment as a corporate slave, hoping for a chance to gain knowledge and payback, but she can't hide her past. The man who interviews her as a potential Exceptional Specimen seems to be acting in the service of the COUP (Committee of Upper-level Producers) - or is he? This tale is the funniest in the collection, but there is plenty of lust mixed with the political satire.

In "Personal Benefits" by Elizabeth Thorne, a woman who seems to wield immense corporate power is shown to be frustrated by a perceived lack of control -- and therefore she requires a female slave who will serve in a different way from the boss-lady's employees. At first Cara, the executive, is annoyed by the appearance of the slave-girl who is sent to her, but then it becomes clear how well-suited they are.

"Scenes in a Beijing Hotel" by Jason Rubis is set in an actual place, a former palace turned into a luxury hotel. In this microcosm of the world, Carl Schell, interplanetary tycoon and long-term participant in on-line role-playing, has contracted an illegal slave-trading service to help him "disappear" and become a slave. Roma, a trainer, shows up to find him. There follows a complicated cops-and-robbers chase involving a scam operation, seduction by various means, and the specialized police force whose mandate is to find and arrest slave-traders. You would never guess who turns out to be the hero of the day: someone who has been hiding in plain sight.

Each of these stories could be expanded into a novel, but all of them together form a slim anthology of just 130 pages. If you want to sink into an imaginary world (or several) of sex, adventure and discovery, but you don't have much time to read for pleasure, this book would be a good investment -- and the purchase-price won't go to an Evil Corporate Empire.

Reviewed by Jean Roberta

The review as it appears on Goodreads
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