Rogue Reviews Digest No. 40 - May 29, 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

  "Change of Heart" by Virago Blue
  "Library Studies" by a.k.a. nolan
  "Michelle" by MichaelD38
  "Moving Day" by Bob Peale
  "One For All..." by Ann Douglas
  "The Ski Trip" by indy
  "What Cape?" by The Cat


*****


  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/
* E-Mail - leevine@pair.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. 377 - May 23, 1999

TITLE: Michelle
AUTHOR: MichaelD38
LENGTH: 13,200 words
MAIN CHARACTER: Male
COMBINATION(S): Twosome (1 Female, 1 Male)
ORIENTATION(S): Heterosexual (Male, Female)
RELATIONSHIP(S): Incest (Cousins)
                 Teenager-Twentysomething
KINK(S): --
SETTING(S): Home
GENRE(S): Romance
CAUTION(S): --

SUMMARY: Danny, age 22, comes home from college to visit family. 
Michelle, his 16-year-old cousin, has a crush on him.  At first 
the time he spends with her is rather innocently passed, but 
eventually their hormones get the better of them.

COMMENTARY:  This is  a very arousing story.  Most of the scenes 
that I found arousing were not ones which contained sex.  For 
that matter, there isn't all that much sex in this story.  It was
pretty clear what was going to happen between Danny and Michelle 
from early on.  What made it arousing was seeing how their 
relationship develops and some of the near misses they have 
before, well, you get the idea.

This is a very well written story.  It is very well paced.  It 
is about the evolution of Danny's relationship with Michelle.  It
does not revolve around sex, but sex does play a crucial role in 
the story.  If I were to characterize this story in a word then I
would say it is a Romance.  I say that because the author takes 
it slowly, and for another reason that I do not want to reveal 
for fear of giving away part of the plot.  The author does do a 
nice job with both Danny and Michelle.  He reveals the facets of 
their personalities both through Danny's narration as well as 
their conversations. They are both rather horny, but they are 
realistically horny and that makes all the difference in the 
world.

I enjoyed this story quite a bit.  It is both very arousing and 
very well written.  I think most people should be able to 
appreciate it, unless of course you don't like to read stories, 
and only like to read descriptions of sex.  In retrospect I 
would say it is more touching than arousing.  I have given it an 
Excellent.

OBJECTIVE ANALYSIS: 9.0 (out of 10)

         - Arousal: 4/5
         - Editing: 5/5
         - Plot and Characters: 5/5

SUBJECTIVE ANALYSIS: Excellent

LINK(S): Michelle

         - http://www.qz.to/erotica/assm/Year98/17817.txt [1/3]
         - http://www.qz.to/erotica/assm/Year98/17819.txt [2/3]
         - http://www.qz.to/erotica/assm/Year98/17818.txt [3/3]

         - http://www.deja.com/=gh/getdoc.xp?AN=418557721&fmt=raw [1/3]
         - http://www.deja.com/=gh/getdoc.xp?AN=418557735&fmt=raw [2/3]
         - http://www.deja.com/=gh/getdoc.xp?AN=418557728&fmt=raw [3/3]

         Stories Online

         - http://www.storiesonline.net/


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Rogue Review No. 378 - May 25, 1999

TITLE: What Cape?
AUTHOR: The Cat
LENGTH: 3,000 words
MAIN CHARACTER: Male
COMBINATION(S): Twosome (1 Female, 1 Male)
ORIENTATION(S): Heterosexual (Male, Female)
RELATIONSHIP(S): Married Couple
KINK(S): Role Playing
SETTING(S): Home
            Outdoors
GENRE(S): --
CAUTION(S): --

SUMMARY: Allen enjoys the games Sandy, his wife, comes up with.  
Her latest creation involves him dressing up as Batman and her as
Catwoman.

COMMENTARY: This is a very arousing story.  The way Sandy and 
Allen dress while playing their game was one reason I found this 
story arousing.  Considering how much they were showing off when 
they dressed up, I was tempted to list Exhibitionism under kinks.
The other reason I found this story so arousing is the fun both 
characters seem to have playing the game.  They really get into 
it.

I like what the author does with the characters.  The dialogue 
and narration, by Allen, seem realistic.  The plot on the other 
hand did not seem to be quite as well handled.  It seemed as 
though the author got a bit tangled in the details.  It is worth 
mentioning that there are a number of spelling errors in this 
story.

I enjoyed this story; it is a fun read.  I enjoyed it because I 
found it very arousing and to a lesser to degree because of the 
way the author handled the characters.  If you are looking for 
looking for something with a lot of plot twists or can't stand 
something that should have been run through a spell checker, then
you might want to skip this one, otherwise I recommend it.  It is
not great, but it is a fun read.  I have given it a Very Good.

OBJECTIVE ANALYSIS: 7.5 (out of 10)

         - Arousal: 4/5
         - Editing: 3/5
         - Plot and Characters: 4/5

SUBJECTIVE ANALYSIS: Very Good

LINK(S): EroticStories.com

         - http://www.eroticstories.com/


-----


Rogue Review No. 379 - May 26, 1999

TITLE: Moving Day
AUTHOR: Bob Peale
LENGTH: 8,600 words
MAIN CHARACTER: Female
COMBINATION(S): Solo (Female, Male)
                Twosome (1 Female, 1 Male)
                Group (1 Female, 3 Males)
ORIENTATION(S): Heterosexual (Male, Female)
RELATIONSHIP(S): Hired Help-Employer
KINK(S): Toys
         Voyeurism
SETTING(S): Hotel
            Public Restroom
GENRE(S): --
CAUTION(S): Nonconsensual

SUMMARY: Andrea gets some help moving and some much needed sexual
satisfaction from the three hunky guys who move her belongings 
from Washington, DC to Louisville, KY.

COMMENTARY: There are scenes in this story that I found arousing,
but the focus seems to be just a bit too heavy on the sex, to 
suit my tastes.  The characters, in particular the three guys, 
were indistinguishable personality-wise.  Descriptions of sex are
nice, but without something else to balance them out I don't find
them as arousing.

The story itself is divided into two basic parts.  The first part
describes Andrea's trip to an adult bookstore.  I was enjoying it
until towards the end she was forced to do something she did not 
want to do.  It made me cringe.  The second part of the story is 
about the move from DC to Louisville.  The plot was okay, but the
characters were definitely lacking.  In my opinion in would have 
helped if the author had not focused quite so much on the sex.  
There are also a number of spelling errors.

I did not enjoy this story.  The lack of strong characters or a 
strong plot and the inclusion of a non-consensual sex scene all 
contributed to how this story made me feel.  Unless what I have 
described turns you on, I can't recommend this story.  I have 
given it a Not Good.

OBJECTIVE ANALYSIS: 5.5 (out of 10)

         - Arousal: 2/5
         - Editing: 4/5
         - Plot and Characters: 3/5

SUBJECTIVE ANALYSIS: Not Good

LINK(S): Moving Day

         - http://www.deja.com/=gh/getdoc.xp?AN=477598570&fmt=raw [1/3]
         - http://www.deja.com/=gh/getdoc.xp?AN=477598585&fmt=raw [2/3]
         - http://www.deja.com/=gh/getdoc.xp?AN=477598596&fmt=raw [3/3]


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Rogue Review No. 380 - May 27, 1999

TITLE: One for All...
AUTHOR: Ann Douglas
LENGTH: 9,000 words
MAIN CHARACTER: Female
COMBINATION(S): Threesome (3 Females)
ORIENTATION(S): Homosexual (Female)
RELATIONSHIP(S): Friends
KINK(S): --
SETTING(S): Home
GENRE(S): --
CAUTION(S): --

SUMMARY: Stephanie and friends, Penny and Rachel, spend the 
evening watching TV and talking, until a lesbian scene in a porn 
flick, they happen to be watching, pricks her curiosity.

COMMENTARY: This is a somewhat arousing story.  Other than the 
sex scenes, I did not find myself very aroused.  I think that the
flow of the story had something to do with this.

This is a well written story with one major flaw.  It does not 
flow well; stilted at best.  It felt as though the author was 
trying to force the story in the direction she wanted it to go, 
rather than letting it flow freely.  I did not have any problems 
with the characters and the plot, but unfortunately the flow of 
the story got in the way of my being able to appreciate them 
more.

I am not wild about this story, although it is somewhat arousing 
and is for the most part well conceived.  I don't recommend it 
unless you think you can overlook what I have said about how the 
pace and manner in which the story unfolds.  I have given it a 
Good.

OBJECTIVE ANALYSIS: 7.0 (out of 10)

         - Arousal: 3/5
         - Editing: 4/5
         - Plot and Characters: 4/5

SUBJECTIVE ANALYSIS: Good

LINK(S): One for All...

         - http://www.deja.com/=gh/getdoc.xp?AN=480316559&fmt=raw [1/5]
         - http://www.deja.com/=gh/getdoc.xp?AN=480316581&fmt=raw [2/5]
         - http://www.deja.com/=gh/getdoc.xp?AN=480316605&fmt=raw [3/5]
         - http://www.deja.com/=gh/getdoc.xp?AN=480318565&fmt=raw [4/5]
         - http://www.deja.com/=gh/getdoc.xp?AN=480320091&fmt=raw [5/5]

         Ann Douglas FTP Directory

         - ftp://ftp.asstr.org/pub/Authors/Ann_Douglas/


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Rogue Review No. 381 - May 27, 1999

TITLE: The Ski Trip
AUTHOR: Indy
LENGTH: 3,700 words
MAIN CHARACTER: Female
COMBINATION(S): Twosome (2 Females)
ORIENTATION(S): Homosexual (Female)
RELATIONSHIP(S): Friends
KINK(S): --
SETTING(S): Vacation (Mountains)
GENRE(S): --
CAUTION(S): --

SUMMARY: Tanya and the nameless female narrator of this story are
pushed together by their friends.  What appears to be an awkward 
situation at first turns into a rather pleasant one for both 
women.

COMMENTARY: This is a very arousing story.  The author does a 
nice job building up to the sex.  By the time it happens, it 
seems like the appropriate thing.  The balance struck between 
story development and sex certainly makes this a more arousing 
story.  The descriptions of sex are also nicely handled, with 
the focus being on how the characters are feeling not just what 
they are doing.

This is a very well written story.  Told through dialogue and 
narration, the story is nicely paced and flows well.  Both of the
main characters are warm and realistic.  I also like the 
supporting cast.  The author does a nice job setting the scene 
and then having the story progress from there.  It does not feel 
forced.

I really enjoyed this story.  It is very arousing and very well 
written.  I can't think of how the author could improve it.  I 
highly recommend it, unless lesbian stories are a real turn off 
for you. I have given it an Excellent.

OBJECTIVE ANALYSIS: 9.0 (out of 10)

         - Arousal: 4/5
         - Editing: 5/5
         - Plot and Characters: 5/5

SUBJECTIVE ANALYSIS: Excellent

LINK(S): EroticStories.com

         - http://www.eroticstories.com


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Rogue Review No. 382 - May 28, 1999

TITLE: Library Studies
AUTHOR: a.k.a. nolan
LENGTH: 3,900 words
MAIN CHARACTER: Male
COMBINATION(S): Twosome (1 Female, 1 Male)
ORIENTATION(S): Heterosexual (Female, Male)
RELATIONSHIP(S): Fellow College Students
KINK(S): --
SETTING(S): College
GENRE(S): --
CAUTION(S): --

SUMMARY: Kevin is at the library trying to study.  At first he is
kept from his studies because he is daydreaming about Andrea.  
After she asks him for some help, he is kept from his studies by 
more than just his imagination.

COMMENTARY: This is a very arousing story.  I liked the 
descriptions of Andrea quite a bit.  They seem more sensual and 
erotic than they do sexual.  The author also makes sure to build 
up to what sex there is in the story and does not linger too long
on any one moment.

The story is well written, although there isn't much to the plot.
It does flow nicely.  I would not say the characters are deep.  
Andrea is more of a body than she is a fleshed out character.  
What make this story so well written are the descriptions and the
author's sense of timing.  He doesn't drag it out too long and he
seems to keep in mind that how Kevin feels is as important as 
what he is doing.

I enjoyed this story very much.  It is very arousing and well 
written.  It wasn't hard to see what the author was describing; 
my mind did not have to work double time envisioning the story as
it progressed in order to keep up with my eyes as they took the 
written words of the story in.  This is a very enjoyable read and
I recommend it to all, but at the same time I can see how it 
might appeal to men more than to women.  I have given it an 
Excellent.

OBJECTIVE ANALYSIS: 8.5 (out of 10)

         - Arousal: 4/5
         - Editing: 5/5
         - Plot and Characters: 4/5

SUBJECTIVE ANALYSIS: Excellent

LINK(S): a.k.a nolan's stories

         - http://members.tripod.com/akanolan/home.html

         EroticStories.com

         - http://www.eroticstories.com


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Rogue Review No. 383 - May 29, 1999

TITLE: Change of Heart
AUTHOR: Virago Blue
LENGTH: 4,400 words
MAIN CHARACTER: Female
COMBINATION(S): Twosome (1 Female, 1 Male)
ORIENTATION(S): Heterosexual (Female, Male)
RELATIONSHIP(S): Friends
KINK(S): --
SETTING(S): Indoors
            Outdoors
GENRE(S): --
CAUTION(S): --

SUMMARY: Crystal Beaureve is over at Jimmy's house.  She will be 
leaving for Hollywood soon and wants something from him that she 
can't seem to get from her boyfriend.

COMMENTARY: This is a somewhat arousing story.  My level of 
arousal fluctuated rather dramatically as I read the story.  On 
the whole I wasn't as aroused as I would have liked to have been.
That is why I have said this story is somewhat arousing.  Others 
may find it more arousing than I did.

This is a very well written story.  I really took to the author's
descriptions.  She does a beautiful job creating imagery.  There 
isn't a whole lot of plot, but I don't think that there was 
supposed to be.  Crystal is an interesting character; she knows 
what she wants and goes after it.  Jimmy on the other hand seems 
a bit limited, which is to say that that the author describes him
enough that he seems real, but does not do a whole lot as far as 
character development.  The story is about Crystal after all.

One thing that kept nagging at the back of my brain as I read 
this story is Crystal's last name, Beaureve.  It would be French 
for Beautiful Dream, except for the fact that 'beau' is the 
masculine adjective for beautiful and 'reve' is a feminine noun. 
The proper adjective should be 'belle', not 'beau'.  In other 
words her name should be Bellereve.  I say po-tay-toes, and you 
say po-ta-toes.  I'm just being picky and have not marked the 
story down for what appears to me to be an inconsistency.  I just
had to get this off my chest.

This was an enjoyable read.  I was more taken by the writing than
I was aroused.  I think this story should appeal more to female 
readers, than to male ones, but I could be wrong.  I have given 
it a Very Good.

OBJECTIVE ANALYSIS: 8.0 (out of 10)

         - Arousal: 3/5
         - Editing: 5/5
         - Plot and Characters: 5/5

SUBJECTIVE ANALYSIS: Very Good

LINK(S): Change of Heart

         - http://www.deja.com/=gh/getdoc.xp?AN=482156425&fmt=raw


*****

5/29/98