Out of the Dungeon by S.M. Johnson

[reviews_and_ramblings]

Hard-core BDSM stories are not really my cup of tea, and so I was a little “scared” to read this novel about the ménages a trois between a 14 years old couple, Roman and Jeff, who are living in a 24/7 Master/slave relationship, and the third “odd man” out, i.e. Dare, the new addition, an addition that was strongly wanted by Roman (from what I understood) and barely accepted by Jeff.

But already from the beginning I realized this novel was analyzing the issues I have with these types of story, without underestimating it; a preface told us that at least one of the three men involved in the ménages a trois (probably Jeff or Dare) are no more comfortable with their arrangement, even if they still find comfort in the “contract”.

From that moment on, the story will take three separate paths: Dare questioning his decision to enter a D/s relationship and the boundaries he can accept and those he doesn’t want to accept; Jeff, in the aftermath of an accident who has left him temporarily immobilized, who is revaluating the concept of “bondage”, what is comfortable and what is not, what he wants in his future and what he cannot no more accept; and also Roman, and his role as “Master”, is he still able to play that role? Or has he to step back and learn again the concept, maybe with different rules?

As in the warning, “Life is messy, and Out of the Dungeon contains depictions of M/M, F/F and F/M couplings”, Out of the Dungeon is almost an excursion on all possible declination of a BDSM story, and how each independent man can relate to it. The solution will not be easy and it has to be “common”, conciliating three or more men (and a woman). Less erotic than expected and way more brainstorming, this novel was not easy but engaging.

Amazon Kindle: Out of the Dungeon
Publisher: SM Johnson (October 24, 2011)

Series: Dungeon Series
1) Above the Dungeon: http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/1075174.html
2) Out of the Dungeon

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

Comments

[lee-rowan.livejournal.com]

That sounds interesting. I've tried reading a couple of BDSM stories and have always found myself annoyed that the scenario seems to be 'neurotic dom finds man who has no BDSM experience at all, declares him to be a 'natural submissive,' and rushes him into an abusive 'contract' with no explanation of the situation, no warnings about what might happen (and, sorry, viewing a room of paraphenalia is not an explanation...) and, in general, the sub is abused until he leaves and then decides to come back -- and that is the end of the story. I have yet to read one where the dom didn't come across as an arrogant, abusive jerk.

I'm sure there have been better things done and this might be one of them, but in my opinion leaving a story at the going-back stage is kind of a cheap stunt to sell the second book -- which doesn't work for me. Not my genre, I suspect.

[elisa-rolle.livejournal.com]

I read book 1 a long ago, and this is book 2: there is one character that, to my opinion, was dragged into the relationship, and that is the same character who, indeed, back up in this book. In a way he is the one you describe, the one entering a D/s relationship well knowing that is not what he really wants, he wants to play not to be a slave 24/7