"Fun, interesting, wild sex on another planet in another dimension"

From the first page of the book: 'Warning: The following material contains strong sexual content meant for mature readers. [It] has been rated NC-17, erotic . . .' They're not kidding, gentle reader. If you are not interested in an off-the-charts level of sizzle/sex/erotic writing/sensuality, whatever you want to call it, then stop here. This book is about sex -- fun, interesting, wild sex on another planet in another dimension. Lots of voyeurism, exhibitionism, group sex, sex with all the in-laws, sex at the dinner table. Luckily for my tastes, there is NO bondage or S&M or male/male sex -- all things that turn me off. (Be aware that there are a few short female/female scenes.) This is definitely women's Erotica with a capital E.

This story is a combination of romance, erotica, futuristic fantasy, science fiction, a bit of mystery, and a LOT of humor. You have to view the whole thing as an outrageous romp, and don't expect it to fall neatly into the rules for any particular genre.

Synopsis: Normal, middle-class accountant Kyra Summers and her best friend Geris Jackson are just leaving a weeklong meditation retreat, where Kyra was trying to reduce the stress in her life and come to terms with her sister's mysterious disappearance a year ago. In the parking lot, they are approached by two huge, gorgeous, barbaric-looking men -- seven-and-a-half feet tall, massive muscles, eerily glowing blue eyes. Kyra is overcome by chilling sensations and feels one of the men take control of her body and mind. She awakens on his gastrolight space cruiser to discover that she is the fated Sacred Mate of Zor Q'an Tal, "High King of Tryston, Emperor of Trek Mi Q'an galaxy, Guardian of the Sacred Sands, and the most feared man in six hundred galaxies and seven dimensions". Quite a lifestyle change; no one seems to pay any attention to whether she WANTS to be the Queen/Empress and live on another planet and never see Earth again. However, due to the pre-ordained emotional 'recognition' and 'joining', Kyra does come fairly quickly to accept and love Zor.

What she has a harder time accepting is the very different Trystoni culture. Taking a mate from outside their race or planet is not unusual. There are ten times as many warriors (adult free males) as there are women in Tryston. Women are highly prized, treated like treasured toys or pets, and not expected to do anything except pleasure their mate and breed heirs. This is a theme that I usually hate. But I found it bearable in this book, I think because it becomes clear that a mated warrior finds himself totally attached to and emotionally dependent on his mate -- whether he expected or planned to feel that way or not. So the women end up with a lot of influence, even though they don't hold jobs or have any official positions in government. And although it isn't developed much in this book, Kyra has some definite thoughts on how a feminist movement could improve Trystoni society.

A lot of the story deals with Kyra's adjustment to the nuances of her new life as a Trystoni woman and the Queen -- plus constant, continual sex in many variations. Women's clothing is completely transparent, and they aren't permitted to wear anything at all when alone with their mate. Consummation feasts takes a bit of getting used to -- think completely wild and over-the-top bachelor parties involving both sexes and lots of sex. Many of the 'women' who provide intimate services to the males are actually not real people -- they are constructed of magical sand and have no real emotions or thoughts.

There is an absolutely hysterical scene where Kyra escapes the palace and visits a low-class bar in a nasty part of the city. When the palace guards find her, they are totally confused by the incomprehensible 'primitive dancing rite' involving chanting and body contortions: Kyra is swigging moonshine and teaching a group of vicious-looking space pirates the lyrics and dance motions to the Village People's 'YMCA'. The Trystonis have to do as much adjusting to Kyra as she does to them.

There are several subplots that keep the action moving: Zor's brother Dak decides that Kyra's Earth friend Geris might just be his own Sacred Mate; several other royal brothers show up with their own problems; there is a rebellion going on and someone in the palace is conspiring with the bad guys.

I adored the romance between Zor and Kyra. It is a real love relationship, not just sex! (To me, that is the line between erotica and porn -- is there emotion beyond the physical connection.) Zor is infatuated with his mate and willing to do almost anything to make her happy. When Kyra refuses to see or speak to him for three days after a Trystoni ritual that she finds particularly offensive to her Earth sensibilities, he is incredibly miserable and depressed, torn between wanting to please her and needing to help her understand that he cannot change the whole culture for her. When he mistakenly thinks that she has made love with another man, he is grief-stricken and jealous, but his response is NOT anger at her -- instead, he makes passionate love to her in order to reinforce their bond and remind her how much they love each other.

The science fiction and fantasy elements of the book have to be taken with a grain of salt. We get glimpses of this alien world and culture, but it is not fully developed. There is not the in-depth 'world building' that one would expect within a true science fiction novel -- this is pure fantasy romance. Some things don't make a lot of sense. For example, once Kyra is on Zor's planet, her body in some unexplained way starts to function like a Trystoni rather than an Earthling -- she ages at one-tenth the Earth rate, and she 'hatches' babies after a pregnancy only a few weeks in length.

Reviewed by Raelene Gorlinsky
Courtesy Sensual Romance
Posted July 1, 2001

Also available in paperback (ISBN 0972437703).