Claimings, Tails and Other Alien Artifacts by Lyn Gala

Title: Claimings, Tails and Other Alien Artifacts

Series: N/A

Author: Lyn Gala

Genre: MM / Sci-Fi / BDSM/Space Opera

Length: Novel

Publisher: Loose Id (January 29th, 2013)

Reviewer: Thommie

Heat Level: Moderate

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥4Hearts

Blurb: Liam loves his life as a linguist and trader on the Rownt homeworld, but he has ignored his heart and sexual needs for years. He won’t risk letting anyone come too close because he won’t risk letting anyone see his deeply submissive nature. For him, submission comes with pain. Life burned that lesson into his soul from a young age. This fear keeps him from noticing that the Rownt trader Ondry cares for him.

Ondry may not understand humans, but he recognizes a wounded soul, and his need to protect Liam is quickly outpacing his common sense. They may have laws, culture, and incompatible genitalia in their way, but Ondry knows that he can find a way to overcome all that if he can just overcome the ghosts of Liam’s past. Only then can he take possession of a man he has grown to love.

Product Link: http://www.loose-id.com/claimings-tails-and-other-alien-artifacts.html

Review: This book brought such a smile on my face my cheeks still hurt. What a beautiful world Ms. Gala created here, how very fascinating. This story is located on Prarownt, the planet of a reptile-like species called Rownt. Rownt are traders at core, everything in their life is seen in pure logic and calculation in order to gain outmost profit. Their entire take on life, their beliefs and life structure is often not even conceived by human logic.

Liam job is to trade with the Rownt and learn as much as possible from them, about them. He loves his job, he adores this planet, but unfortunately his new Commanding Officer is threatening his life here. His CO’s abuse is taking its toll on him and affecting his trading. Rownt trader Ondry, one of Liam’s favorite, notices his discomfort and changes his entire attitude toward Liam. In his five years on the planet, Liam has never seen such display, never has a Rownt came too close to him and never, ever has one attempted to touch him. Confused he might have somehow unintentionally insulted Ondry, Liam’s control is fast slipping from his hands. His CO’s public confrontation and insults does nothing to help the situation and suddenly Liam find himself in the inexplicable position of being chained in Ondry’s bed.

Confusion, panic, fear and hurt claim Liam’s mind. While the Rownt tries to explain to him that Liam’s new status is to be his palteia, a new term that gives him no explanation at all, Liam only finds his mind drifting to darker places of his past. Back when he was used, abused and shattered to pieces. Burying his sexuality for years this new situation not only awakens him, but it terrifies him. His longing for a strong man who will provide safety and love and his inability to let go and trust has him nearly torn in half. The fact that human and Rownt concepts are so very different do not help at all and Ondry has to find a way to get in his mind and make Liam see life through his eyes. If only Liam would give up and trust him his sanity.

And I am not doing a good job in my attempt to tell you what this story is about. How could I, this book approach so many things. Perhaps if I were to tell you that this books focus is more toward the relationship and feelings aspects than the sexual one. After all, Rownt and Human biology are not compatible. Rownt are a species that do not use sexual intercourse for pleasure, nor intimacy. They do not display such behavior and only use sex to reproduce, the very act being somehow brutal in human eyes.

This book focuses more into D/s relationships, on how a Dom and a sub react, what they expect and what they give, seen from different perspectives. The Rownt logic that sees things human would call brute as normal and vice versa. How one’s status is scorned from some societies and adored from others. How the beauty is in the eyes of the beholder so to speak.

For me this was a lovely read. A great Science Fiction with a wonderful take on BDSM and especially on D/s. I totally loved it, it was brilliant and I strongly recommend it.