|
Return To the Celestial Review (This does NOT open a new window) Return To the Index (This does NOT open a new window) Note, to make reading multi-part stories easier, story links (links with dejanews.com or www.qz.to, NOT the review or profile links) will open up a new browser window. When you are done reading the story, or section of the story simply CLOSE the story window. |
|
"Psion" by Leanna (sci-fi sex) 9, 9, 9
"Psion" by Leanna (leanna1@hotmail.com). Guest review by Sandman (sandman@bitsmart.com). Well, here I go, doing an unsolicited review of a well publicized story from a well known author. Chances are Celeste has already marked this for review. Still it never hurts now and again for a story to get two reviews. Such things tend to point out the power of perspective and reinforce the concept of caveat emptor - that is you (the buyer) had better beware. Anyway, I read the story. It's one of the very, very few I've read of my own accord lately and I think I'd feel naked if I read a story and didn't do a review. {GRIN} This author gets off on the wrong foot right away by labeling the story sci- fi, thus completely alienating those who don't like sci-fi; then she alienates the sci-fi crowd by stating in her notes that it's not all gadgety and doesn't involve big, slimy aliens. Personally I never had a problem with big slimy aliens -- slippery sex is one of my turnons. This probably has a lot to do with a really BAD B movie I saw in my youth where a woman was slithered upon by a giant slimy worm. Of course she was terrified at the beginning, but right before the worm devoured her she sounded like she was having a whole lot of fun. Really though, all pointless tangents aside, the reader should just ignore the authors schizophrenic headers and just plunge right into this interesting story. Raira is a teenaged orphan who has been captured by the Baig -- a nefarious, evil race of aliens who, unlike most nefarious, evil alien races has actually managed to succeed in their megalomaniacal ambitions and take over not only their world, but the entire galaxy as well! Ah but taking over the world, er galaxy, is easy unless you're a genetically altered lab mouse with a POINT dim assistant NARF! Keeping it is quite another matter, and thus they need spies to help them maintain their evil, iron grip on their empire. Thus their need for Raira. By implanting a chip she can be given psionic powers allowing her to read the thoughts of their enemies and spy for them. An interesting twist is that Raira is a natural psi and doesn't really need the chip. Well needless to say Raira is not overjoyed at her new job title, but it does have a perk in that she gets to meet really interesting guys - even if everyone she ends up liking dies a horrible death. One of the guys she meets happens to be one of the psionic spies who managed to escape from the evil clutches of the Baig. Being psychic and all, they skip the usual mating rituals where the guy brags outrageously about how rich and interesting he is and the woman pretends to be interested. Nope, they already know how hot they are for each others bods and go straight to some very, very well described sex. And golly, I thought sex between us mere mortals was fun! These guys not only get to experience their own orgasm but their partner's as well! The story ends on a rather tragic note that seems to be a commentary on the futility of trying to change the system. The story as a forum for the most excellent sex scene is acceptable, the story without the sex would have very little to say. I would have really wished to have my sex and have the underdogs overthrow the evil Baig, or failing that (it is a short story after all) inspire the seeds of revolution by their martyrdom - Babylon 5 took this route with the Byron character and it wasn't even a short story! This story is a challenging read, what's there is well written but the concepts demand an active participation by the reader to keep up with the strange politics of this world. Fortunately once the sex starts though, the only thing demanded of the reader is to have a good ride. "Psion" isn't the best story I've read but it most certainly isn't the worst either. I think, if pressed, I'd classify it as interesting. Ratings for "Psion" Athena (technical quality): 9 Venus (plot & character): 9 Sandman (appeal to reviewer): 9 |