Title: Connection: Angel’s Pet
Series: N/A
Author: Nana G.
Genre: Gay BDSM Fantasy / Dystopia
Length: Short Story
Publisher: Smashwords Edition
Heat Level: Explicit
Heart Rating: ♥♥♥2.5 Hearts
Reviewer: Thommie
Blurb: Gay BDSM Fantasy. Adam is a submissive masochist living on a planet which systematically persecutes sadomasochists. Like other exposed sadomasochists, he has been forced into a street life. Nevertheless, he is determined to find his sir. Adam believes he is searching for a man, but his search leads him to a black winged angel. The story contains explicit material and is intended for adults only.
Warnings: Sadism/masochism, explicit sex between men, bondage, dominance, and submission.
Product Link: http://www.amazon.com/Connection-Angels-Pet-ebook/dp/B00CBYNEYC
Review: An immortal being often called an angel or God, and often referred to as monster, Camulus, visits a planet that he finds somehow weird in its society structure. While gays were once upon a time prosecuted and hunted, nowadays they are tolerated by their peers, but everyone in this world has a strong hate/disgust attitude toward masochistic submissives of any genre. Even the once that were once chased and often brutally killed have now same sentiments toward their fellow citizens due to their show of affection and need for mixing their pleasure with pain. Ironic is the fact that sadist don’t bear the same fate as they are far in between and are somewhat tolerated. Ironic is the fact that Comulus is one sadistic creature who adores masochists that are wired to thrive in pain.
When Comulus sets his eyes on Adam, a man of a rare disposition, a pure-breed masochist, he makes up his mind to stop his wandering through the starts, settle on this planet for a while, and enjoy this rarity. And this is how this story begins.
Now, the idea was too enticing for me to pass. A society so judgmental on one aspect of someone’s sexuality or sexual needs that they go into obsession and downright hatred against this small group with outrageous displays of brutality. A relationship between an Immortal and a mortal in the mists of chaos. The birth of outmost trust when fear and betrayal wait in every corner. A sadomasochistic pair whose dynamic should be wondrous to witness and explore. It has everything I require in a read, everything that grips me and make me succumb.
Unfortunately, despite the advantages, this read lacked the one thing that would make it grate. It lacked the connection between book and reader. The narration was too clinical, too detached for you to feel the characters deep in your core. The Angel, a powerful being that should have served the rise in the intensity level, lacked the mysticism of his presence. Adam’s needs and the danger level of his very existence were lost in narration and the way the story was told left you no way of feeling it or relating at a minor point with its characters.
Both Comulu’s and Adam’s introduction was hastily made, with no build up for their interaction, and there is a serious lack of passion as the story start. We only get to see more of them after the second chapter, but then again the text suffered from “telling” and the sensuality, the eroticism, and the powerful dynamics of an S/M relationship blooming were not felt. Every intimate scene was spoilt by the inner thoughts of the characters, taking you away from the scene itself until it was over and you were told the end result. All my eagerness for the masochistic streak of the protagonist was lost, as I did not feel his levels of tolerance; I did not get to lose myself in the magic of such creature and the pleasure of ultimate erotic pain. Even the air suspension scene was lost in thought about completely different things and Adam’s chance to shine was lost in the time leap. Such a shame that one was.
The end itself was in line with the start. The narrator jumped the years and gave us a mild satisfactory end where Adam gets some sort of acceptance from the one who betrayed him while he got a completely different reaction from the one who supposedly loved him. The contradiction made for a perfect example of society and human interactions. I also totally love the last final line.
But all in all, I felt this read did not explore its full possibilities and while it could be quite powerful with its idea, we got a mild, detached story.