Worthy by Lia Black
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

3 Stars for the effort and for being a good diversion to pass the time.

A sweet and caloric slavefic fairytale. Enjoyable at first bite, unfortunately it only makes you hunger for something more sustainable than a sugar fix. (See this? I could write short reviews too)

Dare I stop my review here? I could, couldn't I? I maybe should too. Because what comes after this is a product of my over analyzing.

Nudge me if you wish for my trademark long-ass review.


*Edits 10/12/13 @ 11.03pm:
I have just answered some fun and interesting questionnaires on this book over at the Goodreads BDSM Group . I thought maybe I should share it here as well:

[spoiler]

1. Do you have a favorite character? Why?

Maybe Demetrie. His way of enjoying Sev's body excites me. Just like Sev, I am taken with Demetrie's commanding air and finding him hard to resist. That's something rare for me as I usually see myself from the perspective of the dom rather than the sub.

I wished I could like the protagonist better but to me, Sev is not a well developed character. For someone who has known joy of family even only an adoptive one and used to having his own freedom, Sev does seem to give up on his identity and self worth quite easily. Many times he feels much like a puppet without free will and lacks sense of self preservation. This was observed even at the early stage of Demetrie's ownership of him. He does not even question internally on Demetrie's demanding request of him. He is too naive and trusting to be a street smart boy with a nomadic tribe upbringing. This doll like quality of his is rather disturbing.

2. Does a particular scene stick in your mind? Or a quote? What resonated with you?

I like Demetrie's blindfold punishment for Sev. Very interesting way of training trust. Just like one would apply to an animal like a horse. I just read one femdom story on human pony training that applies such technique too. Fascinating. >:D

3. Homogeneity is important to Athena. What was your reaction?

A place that lacks originality and individuality. No wonder Demetrie is so bored of his life there. In real life homogeneity is also known as racism ;)

In the olden days, aristocrats tends to put very high standards on pure blood marriages. This might also still be true till this age and time.

4. This is a highly stratified society with roles strictly delineated. Do you think our society is similar? Maybe we don't acknowledge it, but it exists?

Yes it does exist in our real world. Look around you. The poor is still dirt poor and the rich is still filthy rich. Who will have the more power? Money makes the political world goes round. What would that means to the lower income class? We feel such oppression daily.

Athena seems to be a place that discourages change in order to maintain firm control over its citizen and resources. Those who refused to conform would be ousted like Demetrie as a safeguard to its system.

This unfortunately leads me to question the plotline whereby Demetrie gave his title and name to Sev when he decided to leave Athena as an outcast. I mean how could this possibly be done when Demetrie himself is to be stripped off his title even to the extend that his assets will be seized just because he wouldn't fulfill his obligation as an aristocrat? There is simply no reason whatsoever for Athena or its aristocratic members to honor Demetrie's transfer of his title and name to Sev a mere dreg with zero rights or even simple recognition as a human being? To me, this plotline is OTT and does not conform with the oppressive and autocratic universe created by the author.

5. What did you think of Demetrie's plan?

Childish and fanciful, borderline idiotic. It shouldn't even be successful or plausible if the plots were tight enough and if the characters are well built. Yes I am saying it IS unrealistic. It is contradictory to the strict caste system of Athena. Think politically... would Demetrie's rebellious, traitorous way of escaping the system be ignored by his autocratic government? Wouldn't it be wiser for them to curb it at its stem before it becomes a precedent?

This quote sums up Athena for us:

Michael nodded. “I heard that Athena cleared out another section of her ghetto last night. What are they calling it these days? Oh yes, ‘progressive beautification’.” He shook his head slowly. Soon there would be no ghettos; the dregs would be buried under swimming pools, shopping centers, and aristolitical complexes. The sign of a thriving society was its lack of a lower caste, and since raising dregs up economically, socially, and politically would create a strain on the wealthy, it made far more sense to eliminate the problem more permanently by eliminating those who suffered it.

6. Do you think the author's story answered the member's photo and prompt?

Firstly, I am excited a photo of the bookcover from one of my favorite M/M Psychological Thriller graphic novel was used In These Words by Kichiku Neko & TogaQ. TogaQ's art is to die-for. And Kichiku Neko writes awesome psychological thrillers of the erotic kind.

Okay back to the prompt. I think it was answered quite well. The author even incorporated the limberness of the slave in the picture into the story and the cards strewed across the floor was also applied to the story. I dig the sex scenes too. It was sensual and erotic.

7. Do you wish something different was done or incorporated into the story?

Not really. The author tried her best to deliver according to the prompt and she has succeeded in that goal alone. I hope that by reading the honest reviews of her readers, she would be able to improve her writings further, especially in terms of character development and making tighter plotlines. I could see that she has lots of potential to excel. All she needs was more experience and constructive feedbacks.

[/spoiler]

BOOK DETAILS:

Title: Worthy
Related: Love Has No Boundaries, Don't Read in the Closet Events
Author: Lia Black
Publication Date: June 15th, 2013
Type: Short Story, 47,228 words
Genre: Dystopian, Alternate Universe, M/M, Gay, Romance, Erotica, Consensual, Light BDSM
Tags/Keywords: Master/Slave, One-time Threeseome, Cross-dressing, Bondage, Dominance-Submission, BDSM, Acrobat, Contortionist, Circus Performer, Gypsy, Slave, Pleasure/Sexual Slave, Willing-slave, Chastity device/belt, Orgasm-denial, Whipping/Flogging, corporal Punishment, Rough Sex, Maledom, Interracial, Master/Pet, Menage, Threesomes, Romance, Young Man, Adored Pet/Slave, Age gap, Alpha Dominant Male, Alternate Universe, Anal Sex, Oral Sex, Hand-job,Androgyny, Bareback, Collaring & Leash, Cute Adorable Character, Effeminate Male Character, Erotica, HEA, Loving adoring partner, Piercing, Possessive Master, Twink, Restricted Freedom, Rich Wealthy MC, Rimming, Sensual, Slave Market, Slave Training, Submissive protagonist, Voyeurism, Fluffy


Description:
Dear Author,
This is a dystopian class-based society where being a slave boy is a prized position. For those not born into the wealthy class, there are few options for work. A position as a slave boy means security and safety from a life of poverty and the danger of the streets.
Dystopian - set in a world similar to ours but with a few tweaks. Usually a bit darker or a more frightening version of what our society could become.

Photo Description: (Click here to view the photo)
An agile young slave is bent backward over the knees of his doting master; his bindings are loose and their arrangement is “in the cards”.

This story was written as a part of the M/M Romance Group's "Love Has No Boundaries" event. Group members were asked to write a story prompt inspired by a photo of their choice. Authors of the group selected a photo and prompt that spoke to them and wrote a short story.



WHERE TO GET THIS BOOK:

This is a FREEBIE in conjunction with the Goodreads M/M Romance group's Love Has No Boundaries event for year 2013.




* Reviewed on December 10th, 2013

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