Ricochet by Xanthe Walter

[reviews_and_ramblings]

Yes, I'm aware this novel is set in the BDSM universe that the author first created in the "General & Doctor Sheppard" fanfiction community. Yes, I bought this book, I don't mind to pay for a novel once the author decides to re-use the setting for a standalone novel.

Paraphrasing one of the supporting characters, describing an hypothetical alternative reality to their own (our reality), Ricochet is ""is a sort of sci-fi thing - an alternative universe in which everybody identifies as dom or sub. The author tried to do it as a sort of high-minded exploration of how such a society would work. People identify as dom, sub or switch. They have weddings, but they use wedding collars instead of rings. When couples in a romantic relationship became serious they often started sharing a plate, with the dom hand-feeding the sub."

Being a Dom or a sub is something you are born to be; the majority of people is bisexual, the few "monosexuals" are an exception. Same sex marriage is as common as heterosexual marriage; giving birth or using a surrogate mother is more or less the same, some same sex couples (or singles), have "temple born" children, meaning that they participated to a ceremony were priests are like "natural donors".

Once you enter in the "alternative reality" the characters are living in, the novel becomes an "ordinary" show business romance, pretty much comedy like. Rick and Matt play two FBI agents, and subs, in a very popular fiction; but in real life only Matt is a sub, Rick instead is a Dom. They are also friends, even if prim-and-proper Matt is sometime exasperated by Rick's laissez-faire attitude. Of course they are really in love with each other, and all their colleagues are aware of that other than them. When Rick proposes to help Matt to "train" for a very intense sex scene, the sparks between them become a full fire.

I think the most interesting side of this novel was how the author managed to turn a not ordinary scenario (D/s relationships) in something so natural that the reader was almost forgetting about it; there is no reluctance at all in the characters, on the contrary, they felt lost when their routine is mined.

Amazon Kindle: Ricochet
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.

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

Comments

[glitteryv]

I bought this about a day or so after it came out. Have yet to read it. Still, your review makes me think that I'll most definitely like it. Xanthe is one of those writers whose stories are a complete joy to read.

Chances are I won't get to 'crack open' this book until late December, but, if anything, it's deffo something to look forward to.

Great review, Elisa! :)

[reviews_and_ramblings]

the BDSM universe that is an ordinary thing was probably the most interesting side of this novel.

[nithu]

Thanks for the heads up on this one. I'd never heard of this author before, but the story sounded interesting in your review so I bought it. I have just finished it and absolutely loved every word :)

[reviews_and_ramblings]

Also for me the author was completely new, and I think it was a good book for a first timer.