Rogue Reviews Digest No. 39 - May 22, 1999
NOTICE
If you are easily offended, not of the required legal age, or
material of an erotic nature is illegal where you are, then do not
read what follows.
CONTENTS
Mailing List Information
Ratings
Note
Reviews
"At Home Dares" by Maria Gonzales
"Aunt Jessica" by Al Steiner
"Bringing Home the Boss" by Lambchop
"Haircut" by Sidney Durham
"The Hut Behind the Garage" by Joanna
"Next Door" by Looney
"Paying For It" by J. Boswell
*****
MAILING LIST INFORMATION
I send my reviews individually, when I finish them, to the
Rogue Reviews Mailing List. If you are interested in joining
there is a form for doing so on my home page.
* Home Page - http://www92.pair.com/leevine/rogue-reviews/
* E-Mail - santiago@switchboardmail.com
*****
RATINGS
Part 1. OBJECTIVE ANALYSIS
SCORE = AROUSAL SCORE + [PLOT & CHARACTERS SCORE + EDITING SCORE]/2
AROUSAL SCORE
0 Not
1 Barely
2 A Little
3 Somewhat
4 Very
5 Extremely
PLOT & CHARACTERS SCORE
0 Nonexistent
1 One but not the other is present, and what is there is defintely lacking
2 Has plot and characters, but either the plot is very poorly conceived or
all the characters are types and don't seem realistic
3 The plot and characters have been crafted with some care, but either the
plot doesn't flow very well or seem to follow a logical progression, or
the some of the characters don't seem realistic
4 The plot and characters have been crafted with some care, but there is
still a little something missing from the plot or in the characters
5 Beautifully crafted plot and characters; the plot flows smoothly
and follows a logical progression and the characters seem realistic
EDITING SCORE
0 If this story was edited then I'm the tooth fairy
1 This story may or may not have been edited, it is hard to tell considering
all the spelling and grammtical errors I found
2 This story may have been edited, but obviously needs more editing
3 Several spelling or grammatical errors
4 A few spelling or grammatical errors
5 No spelling or grammatical errors
Part 2. SUBJECTIVE ANALYSIS
Not Good = This was a waste of my time, don't bother reading it
Good = This is a good attempt, but I don't recommend it
Very Good = If you have the time or like this variety of story then I
recommend this story, otherwise I would go with something that I rate
as Excellent or Outstanding
Excellent = I recommend that you read this story, and I really liked it, but
it did not give me the same feeling that an outstanding story does.
Outstanding = This story was not only enjoyable, but it also gave me a
special feeling that I cannot describe
~~~
Note that there is not necessarily a direct correlation between
the objective analysis and the subjective analysis. On the other hand
the terms objective and subjective as I have used them are relative and
not absolute terms. In other words the objective analysis is more objective
than the subjective one, and vice versa. This new system may not work in
the long run, but for the moment I am going with it.
This still does not get to one of MichaelD38's criticisms, which is how
much better is an Outstanding than an Excellent, and Excellent than a
Very Good, etc. To be perfectly honest I'm not sure myself. All I
know is that I like Outstanding stories better than Excellent ones, etc.
I have a hard time quantifying "like", or "love" for that matter. I
can tell you if I liked something better than something else. I can
tell you why I did. I can't put on a number on it however and say that
I liked it 20% more or twice as much. That just does not work for me.
BTW you may have noticed that I have dropped Grudgingly Good from my
rating system. That rating really represented a case where I did not
like a story, but only because I was revolted or disgusted by the subject
matter. With the new system I'll just say under the Subjective Analysis
that a story was Not Good. The Arousal score is somewhat subjective, so
that score may suffer, but I think that I can recognize good writing
even when it revolts me.
*****
REVIEWS
-----
Rogue Review No. 370 - May 11, 1999
The Hut Behind the Garage by Joanna
Code(s): M/F
Theme(s): Exhibitionism and Voyeurism; Teenagers; Mystery and Romance
Length: 15,100 words
Objective Analysis: 9.0 (out of 10)
Arousal: 4/5
Plot and Characters: 5/5
Editing: 5/5
Subjective Analysis: Very Good
SUMMARY
Tony gets a visit from Beth, his childhood friend that he hasn't seen
in fifteen years. He reminisces on their teen and preteen years as
she explains to him why she has come back to see him after so many
years.
COMMENTARY
This is a very arousing story. There is a lot more foreplay and
teasing in this story than there is actual sex. Beth's dilemma and
their discussion of the apparent solution to her dilemma certainly
contributed to the level of arousal that I reached.
I think this is a very well written story for two basic reasons. The
first being that the story is not written with sex as its raison
d'etre. Sex plays a prominent role, but there is more to the story
than just sex. The other reason is that the characters seem
realistic. It is worth noting that Beth is more vividly drawn than
Tony is, despite the fact that he narrates the story. In one sense
it is Tony's story, but in another sense it is Beth's story.
The plot is well paced. The author uses flashbacks to give
background information. While I like to see this technique used and
think that this author uses it effectively, one thing that I would
have preferred to have seen in conjunction with flashbacks, or for
that matter any change of setting, is a visual reminder in the text.
By this I mean, for example, something such as '* * *' separating the
last paragraph that takes place in the past and the first one that is
set in the present.
This was a fun read. It had me guessing most of the way through. I
was taken in by the story and the ending surprised me a bit. If you
like something a little more mysterious and romantic then you should
like this one. If you are just looking for stroke material then I
don't think you will enjoy this one as much. I have given it a Very
Good.
LINKS
The Hut Behind the Garage
* http://www.deja.com/=gh/getdoc.xp?AN=470519638&fmt=raw [1/3]
* http://www.deja.com/=gh/getdoc.xp?AN=470521260&fmt=raw [2/3]
* http://www.deja.com/=gh/getdoc.xp?AN=470521304&fmt=raw [3/3]
-----
Rogue Review No. 371 - May 15, 1999
Aunt Jessica by Al Steiner
Code(s): M/F
Theme(s): Teenagers; Incest (Nephew-Aunt)
Length: 7,100 words
Objective Analysis: 7.0 (out of 10)
Arousal: 2/5
Plot and Characters: 5/5
Editing: 5/5
Subjective Analysis: Not Good
SUMMARY
Jason gets an STD after fucking the high school slut. His Aunt
Jessica helps him avoid having to tell his parents about his
problems.
COMMENTARY
This story was a little arousing. It read a bit more like a public
service announcement than it did an erotic story. The descriptions
of what Jason was going through made me cringe a bit.
The story itself is very well written. The plot flows well. Both
characters seem realistic. I cannot think of anything negative to
say about the writing.
I did not care for this story, but that was primarily because of the
focus on Jason's problem. I would not call this a stroke story. I
have given it a Not Good.
LINKS
Aunt Jessica
* http://www.deja.com/=gh/getdoc.xp?AN=454493877&fmt=raw
* http://www.qz.to/erotica/assm/Year99/20528.txt
-----
Rogue Review No. 372 - May 16, 1999
At Home Dares by Maria Gonzales
Code(s): F/M, F/F
Theme(s): Teenagers; Exhibitionism; Voyeurism; Blackmail
Length: 24,900 words
Objective Analysis: 8.0 (out of 10)
Arousal: 4/5
Plot and Characters: 3/5
Editing: 5/5
Subjective Analysis: Excellent
SUMMARY
Lisa gets blackmailed by Adam, her classmate and neighbor. First
he makes her pose for nude pictures and then he expects her to be
his girlfriend.
COMMENTARY
This story is very arousing. At times Lisa seems to be in
control of Adam, and at others he seems to be the one calling the
shots. That, coupled with the exhibitionist and voyeur elements
are what made the story enjoyable and arousing, for the most
part.
This story is well enough written, but I had some problems with
it. I wasn't terribly impressed with the plot. It was too
quickly paced. Everything flowed too smoothly. Through the
first four chapters, the character development was realistic
enough, but in the last two chapters the momentum of the story
got turned around. It seemed like the author changed her mind
about how she wanted the story to end. The ending was too
facile.
I enjoyed this story quite a bit. In its favor it is very
arousing and well enough written. Strikes against it are a
perceived lack of consistency in the transition from the first
four chapters to the last two, and the fact that the plot flows
too quickly. I was a bit disturbed by the blackmail scenario,
but I enjoyed this story enough that I am willing to ignore the
problems I had with it and give it an Excellent.
LINKS
At Home Dares
* http://members.aol.com/Maria1971/dares.txt
-----
Rogue Review No. 373 - May 17, 1999
Haircut by Sidney Durham
Code(s): M/F
Theme(s): --
Length: 4,300 words
Objective Analysis: 10.0 (out of 10)
Arousal: 5/5
Plot and Characters: 5/5
Editing: 5/5
Subjective Analysis: Excellent
SUMMARY
Sidney is getting his haircut by Marie, when she brings up the
subject of blowjobs.
COMMENTARY
The author takes his time and allows the tension to build between
Marie and Sidney. Marie teases Sidney. Sidney is painfully
aroused. I felt his pain. This story is extremely arousing.
This story is very nicely put together. For the most part, it
consists of two elements, (a) a running conversation between
Sidney and Marie and (b) Sidney's nonverbal asides. Both were
nicely done; neither of them felt forced. The conversation goes
a long ways towards fleshing out the two characters. The asides
added a little more to Sidney's character and were humorous at
the same time. There is some sex at the end of the story. This
is a very well written story.
I loved this story. It is both extremely arousing and very well
written. I like stories with dialogue in them, and this one has
plenty of it, but it is more than the quantity of the dialogue,
it is the quality of it. I have given it an Excellent, under
Subjective Analysis.
LINKS
Haircut
* http://www.deja.com/=gh/getdoc.xp?AN=470778986&fmt=raw
-----
Rogue Review No. 374 - May 18, 1999
TITLE: Bringing Home the Boss
AUTHOR: Lambchop
LENGTH: 3,700 words
MAIN CHARACTER: Female
COMBINATION(S): Threesome (2 Females, 1 Male)
ORIENTATION(S): Heterosexual (Male, Female)
Homosexual (Female)
RELATIONSHIP(S): Married Couple
Employer-Employee
KINK(S): --
SETTING(S): Home
CAUTION(S): --
SUMMARY: Leslie has become a workaholic. John, her husband, has
become a couch potato. Sharon, her boss, comes up with a plan to
resolve her employee's marital problems.
COMMENTARY: This is a rather direct story, but I still found
myself aroused by it. The author does a great job showing the
evolution of Leslie's feelings as she goes from despair to shock
to arousal at the proposal her boss makes. This is a very
arousing story.
This is a well paced story. It is obvious where the story is
going from early on, but it is still a fun ride. The characters
are more than adequate for this sort of story. Each was clearly
defined and more than just a body. It would have been nice if
there was a little more to the plot, but over all this is a well
written story.
I enjoyed reading this story. It is both well written and very
arousing. This is more of a male fantasy than a female one, so I
may be somewhat biased. This is an Excellent story.
OBJECTIVE ANALYSIS: 8.5 (out of 10)
- Arousal: 4/5
- Editing: 5/5
- Plot and Characters: 4/5
SUBJECTIVE ANALYSIS: Excellent
LINK(S): Bringing Home the Boss
- http://www.deja.com/=gh/getdoc.xp?AN=435572569&fmt=raw
- http://www.qz.to/erotica/assm/Year99/19257.txt
Lambchop's Erotic Stories
- http://www.asstr.org/~Lambchop/
-----
Rogue Review No. 375 - May 20, 1999
TITLE: Paying For It
AUTHOR: J. Boswell
LENGTH: 7,500 words
MAIN CHARACTER: Female
COMBINATION(S): Twosome(1 Female, 1 Male)
ORIENTATION(S): Heterosexual (Male, Female)
RELATIONSHIP(S): Infidelity
Married Couple
Prostitute-Customer
KINK(S): Role Playing
SETTING(S): Home; Car; Hotel
CAUTION(S): --
SUMMARY: Jessie and her husband, Tim, develop this game where she
has to "earn" her money. Its all just a game until Tim is gone
for a few weeks on a business trip and...
COMMENTARY: The author does a good job of putting the reader
inside Jessie's head. She experiences a wide range of emotions.
Often it was hard to tell what the she was going to do from one
scene to the next, even though she is the one narrating the
story. This made the story both exciting and arousing. On the
whole the story is extremely arousing.
This is a well written story. The plot is well paced and flows
nicely. The characters are well drawn, although Jessie is the
only character that gets the full treatment. The story, taken in
its entirety, seems to be about more than just sex. It is also
about how a role-playing game can affect one's sense of reality
and possibly alter one's life. The only problem with the story,
that I could find, is in the transition from the first to the
second half. I'm not sure exactly what happened. I think that
possibly something got left in that should have been cut out.
I enjoyed this story tremendously. It is both well written and
extremely arousing. The author's skill in handling Jessie's
character through her various experiences is what made this story
a joy to read. I don't think there is anything too kinky or
extreme in here, and I recommend it to all. I have given it an
Excellent.
OBJECTIVE ANALYSIS: 9.5 (out of 10)
- Arousal: 5/5
- Editing: 4/5
- Plot and Characters: 5/5
SUBJECTIVE ANALYSIS: Excellent
LINK(S): Paying For It
- http://www.deja.com/=gh/getdoc.xp?AN=259576229&fmt=raw
- http://www.qz.to/erotica/assm/Year97/2267.txt
-----
Rogue Review No. 376 - May 22, 1999
TITLE: Next Door
AUTHOR: Looney
LENGTH: 13,200 words
MAIN CHARACTER: Male
COMBINATION(S): Twosome (1 Female, 1 Male)
Twosome (2 Females)
Group (Females, Males)
ORIENTATION(S): Heterosexual (Male, Female)
Homosexual (Female)
RELATIONSHIP(S): Infidelity
Neighbors
KINK(S): Bondage & Discipline
Sadomasochism
Watersports
SETTING(S): Home; Car; On the Town
CAUTION(S): Blackmail; Humiliation
SUMMARY: A man blackmails his neighbor, Sandy, into being his sex
slave by showing her pictures he took of her screwing a delivery
man.
COMMENTARY: This is a somewhat arousing story. It is not
constant sex from the first paragraph, but its not too far from
that either. Stories that involve elements of domination and
submission can be quite arousing, but usually they are more
arousing when both characters are willing participants.
It is apparent that the author has put forth some effort in
writing this story. I have a problem or two with it. On the up
side the story is reasonably well paced. On the down side the
story doesn't seem to develop all that much. Each chapter
basically consists of Sandy being forced to do things she does
not want to do, by her neighbor. The author is somewhat
successful in showing the reader how both Sandy and her tormentor
are feeling. The world in which they live, unfortunately, did
not seem very realistic.
I am not wild about this story. It is somewhat arousing and the
author has obviously put forth some effort, but it still does not
suit my tastes. I don't usually care for stories that have
humiliation and blackmail in them, this story was no exception.
I also prefer stories that revolve around more than just sex.
Unless you like stories that have non-consensual elements in
them, I advise you skip this story. I have given it a Not Good.
OBJECTIVE ANALYSIS: 7.0 (out of 10)
- Arousal: 3/5
- Editing: 3/5
- Plot and Characters: 5/5
SUBJECTIVE ANALYSIS: Not Good
LINK(S): Next Door
- http://www.deja.com/=gh/getdoc.xp?AN=476244638&fmt=raw [1/3]
- http://www.deja.com/=gh/getdoc.xp?AN=476244671&fmt=raw [2/3]
- http://www.deja.com/=gh/getdoc.xp?AN=477142991&fmt=raw [3/3]
*****
5/22/99