Masquerade by Clare London

[reviews_and_ramblings]

This is an anthology of four tales but the first one spans for almost half of the book and the other three are rather short, but not for that less interesting.

Bonded: in a fantasy world, of medieval taste, Chariz is a spoilt and bored prince who spends the day doing nothing and the night making love to young servants. One day his steward brings him Oriel, a man people say can satisfy every hidden desires both of men or women. Oriel is a young beautiful man, and Chariz is captivated by him. But the gift of Oriel could be also his destroyment.

Trickery: two squires are searching their prince, but they are caught among an almost orgy helds for the pleasure of a wicked mage. The younger of the two would be interested in learning the naughty secrets of sex, but the older "save" them...

Possession: Lucas is a young and wealthy man. He could have everything in life but he is haunted by naughty dreams at night and by a voice that calls him and warns him that HE is arriving... And then Arnaud arrives, an handsome man who lures Lucas. But Lucas yearns the love of the innocent Valentine...

Threadbare: Edward owns a mill and one day he is fascinated by one of his worker, a man named Mori. Mori is pale and beautiful and with his hands he can weave an almost enthralling tapestry. But Edward feels that, when the tapestry will be done, something of strange and unthinkable will happen to Mori

All the anthology has the flavour of the old fables of my youthness. Even if in this tales our characters make passionate love. But still, the sex doesn't seem to break the aurea of fantasy and ethereal love that pervades this anthology. The first and the fourth tales are my favourite, maybe cause they are also the longer. And in the case of Threadbare I say it almost with sadness, cause it's not at all a joyous tale... but sometime I can love a story even if it makes me cry.

A very good fantasy anthology, more romantic of what you could think from the cover. Highly reccomended if you like to dreams, but also if you have a naughty sense that sometime breaks through the clouds of your daydreams.

http://www.eternalpress.ca/masquerade.htm

Amazon: Masquerade
Paperback: 118 pages
Publisher: Eternal Press (March 26, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1897559445
ISBN-13: 978-1897559444

Reading List: http://www.librarything.com/catalog_bottom.php?tag=reading+list&view=elisa.rolle