Lonely as a Cloud

Crimson Dragon

Albert meets Hannah on the African savannah. Hannah has travelled to Africa in an ill-fated attempt to defeat Writer’s Block. You see, Hannah writes Sex Poetry -- perhaps a little like you or I. Albert’s views suffer culture shock as Hannah reveals who she is, and contrasts her life with his.

This story is a telling exposition of the cultural and societal differences between Western and African civilisation. This isn’t the first time that Bradley has found meaning in opposing viewpoints, exposing the fallacies and the differences between the cultures. Indeed, this is much more than mere interracial sex.

Overall, another meaningful, contrast exposition.

Love is Blind

RedHairedandFriendly

A pretty little ‘E’ sits on the description line of this heart touching story of a woman who runs through her memories as she wakes up in the morning and spends some love with the she loves and adores. A soft read of passion and commitment. A love many would find odd, but probably sweet. A blind woman and the man she adores probably won’t make you “get off” but I don’t believe that was the point… it was something deeper, or else, something just plain sweet. Enjoy this short story. 

Naked on the Train

Crimson Dragon

Emerald is travelling to her all-girls school in the English countryside. At first, she hopes that she might maintain her train compartment to herself, perhaps to pleasure herself thinking about her imminent return to school, with her liberal friends populating her fantasy. But at the next stop, Beatrice ducks in -- completely naked. You see, Beatrice, too, is returning to her all-girls school, but Beatrice’s school is a naturist paradise. Ironically, Beatrice, the naked one, is the innocent party here, and Emerald works herself around to becoming naked herself, and enticing Beatrice to discover the other joys of being naked.

There is a remarkably subtle eros here, brought forth both by sexual content and simple characterisation of the girls. We can see the setting and the plot unfold with crystal clarity. Truthfully, I was a little upset at Emerald’s sometimes shallowness, but I’m also sure that Bradley intended for me to be. In that, it works.

I didn’t see any technical faults here. The story captures you and gives you a sexy romp. I particularly liked the endnotes, and Bradley gives us a nice preamble that includes a story synopsis before you even read it. Nice features, but it’s really the story that counts here, and it certainly is worth reading.

Night Out

Tainted Lime

At the outset of this story, Bunny and her mother are screaming at each other. Bunny’s mother doesn’t care for Bunny’s revealing clothes, but Bunny doesn’t give a fuck what her mother says - she’s going out with her gang.

Bunny’s gang of girls hangs out in the park, sucking cocks for cigarettes and beer. They are a raucous, lewd bunch, and when Steph, one of the proper girls from school, happens by, one of the posse pisses on Steph’s shoes.

Bunny is embarrassed by the pissing incident, though. And the next day, as the rest of the gang skips school to recover from their hangovers, Bunny apologizes to Steph. They even have a decent conversation. Bunny begins to feel a tug of arousal for the good-looking girl from the right side of the tracks.

This is an interesting story. Bunny’s gang is brash, obscene, and shocking. Bunny’s attraction towards Steph is a classic attraction of opposites. How the attraction works itself out is a great idea for a story.

It’s a good story, and the ending is spectacular.

(This review is taken from The Tainted Lime Reviews Issue #24, by [email protected] (http://www.asstr.org/~TaintedLime/)).

Party Slave

Crimson Dragon

The solar system is a different place in the future. Machines do the lion’s share of the work. Unemployment is rampant. Society has its rich and its poor. Hmmm. Maybe the solar system isn’t so very different.

Zee, a black girl recently out of school, travels to Theseus, located on the outer edge of the solar system. There she visits Anastasia, an old flame from college. Out on the distant edges of colonisation, Zee is unusual not only for her skin colour, but for her dress and her more conservative sexual upbringing. You see, Zee isn’t used to open orgies, incest and totally casual sexual experience despite her college escapades with Anastasia. But she can get used to the idea.  But when Zee discovers Themira, Anastasia’s sex slave, the sexual “liberation” begins to seem excessive and Zee has second thoughts.

I found this story a little heavy. All right, I’ll be honest. I found this story exceptionally heavy. The “caution” code is certainly appropriate here. Bradley touches on a huge number of social and sexual issues in this tale.

There is certainly sexual content here. I have to admit to being uncomfortable with some of the genres that aren’t really mentioned in the story codes, including incest, anal, MM, toilet sports, heavy BDSM and sexual slavery. The sex isn’t really the focus of the story, but for some readers the sexual content might be a wee bit extreme if unwarned. Then again, some will really like the multitudes of experiences portrayed. Too much for me, but I’m a relatively conservative Dragon.

I’m also unsure if I liked the ending. I know what Bradley was trying to show, but I found it oddly unsatisfying, if also scarily realistic. I think that’s what Bradley was going for, and so, I believe he’s succeeded in his endeavour. It did make me think.

As with all Bradley Stoke stories, this is certainly worth reading -- just be prepared for a heavy tale.

Peace Returns

SelenaKittyn

Peace Returns earned a lovely green “E”, so I had to check it out. A dark look into the darker world of addiction lived entirely backwards. This story is strangely disembodied, although it’s appropriate for the theme. I didn’t necessarily enjoy it, but it’s not one of those stories you read to enjoy. Not light summer reading.

People are Strange

Crimson Dragon

Bradley takes us behind the scenes, where Moss, Miguel, Laura and Sylvia are making a European stag film. Moss watches and waits not so patiently for his turn at the action. Meanwhile, the girls, together, and then with Miguel, play their parts for the camera, the audience, and the director.

This story combines a number of interesting elements. Bradley takes us backstage, presenting a rather different perspective on the entire porn film genre. The combination of the character, and the setting shows, perhaps, a rather bleak outlook on the production of these films. Overall, it was different and didn’t seek to needlessly glamorise what must surely occur behind the scenes.

And I can’t help comparing to what we all do here. Why do we write as we do? The answer is simple.

People are strange.

(But what about Dragons?)

The Price of Prejudice

Crimson Dragon

In the war-torn Third Reich, two girls find each other amidst confusion of passion and prejudice. Tanneka and Erika live in an unspecified occupied country, and through the fragmentations of that time, they end up at the same school. There, Erika’s fair Aryan looks attract the darker Tanneka. And one night, after curfew, while studying Nazi propaganda, the two girls fall into each others’ arms and find out what love is all about.

Well, that is until one of them is forced to choose between ideology and love. The result might surprise you.

I liked the story, even though the themes were exceptionally heavy, even for Bradley. Bradley certainly makes us think. Some of the images in this story aren’t going to leave me for a while.  As is often the case, the themes of prejudice and hate and sheer cruelty of our brethren are difficult to overcome, even at the best of times. I can’t say that I liked some of the underlying messages in this story, but that doesn’t matter.  You see, what Bradley has written here is realistic, even if it isn’t an entirely happy story. Read it. You’ll see what I mean.

The Scarlet Parcel

Yotna ElToub

Bradley excels in giving the feel of an English village: its delights, controversies and prejudices. I grew up in such a village and this is so finely observed I think our author may also have done. Heather, an enforced singleton with a young daughter, feels the isolation that only a truly well honed circle of disapproving ex-friends can enforce. Despite this she revels in waiting for Gerry’s arrival. Although isolated and disapproved of, our heroine (and I use the word advisedly) is not beaten, and she keeps her beloved cottage and life-style at the centre of her pragmatic approach.

I swear Bradley walked through my village, and I expect anyone who has lived in a village would feel the same. Both from the physical surroundings and the sniffy indifference of the ‘gossiping’ classes. The feeling that Heather is a threat is nicely done. Although it was her partner who up and left, she would be an ‘available’ and a ‘dangerous woman’. You can almost hear the snorts of disgust and hastily muttered comments. Curtain twitching at its best.

Sliding Sideways

Daniellekitten

Okay, this one is different, not a premise I’ve read before which is a fact that I can appreciate. The idea of sliding sideways into another parallel universe and stepping into the body you are in that universe where you don’t know who runs the government or if you are married or single, or even if you have a home. It’s a wild idea that is done well in this storyline, and is very enjoyable. If I had any problem at all with this two Lit page story it is that it ended much too quickly. I would have enjoyed more of the story. Great job. It ranked a five from me.

The Tally

Tainted Lime

Amy is an anal retentive sex worker who keeps a detailed diary of her sexual statistics. She has bedded more than 3000 men and women in ten years, and she takes great pleasure in the records she has made of each encounter.

And then one day a new woman shows up at the sex club where Amy works. Lucinda is different. When not on stage, she dresses plainly. She is aloof. She doesn’t do men. All of which makes Amy crazy with lust. While they fuck aggressively on stage, Lucinda refuses every advance to get together after work.

Amy becomes obsessed and follows Lucinda after work one day. And what do you think happens when they finally meet away from the club? Read the story to find out!

The Amy character is compelling and artfully drawn. I liked the way Amy’s obsessions with sex and Lucinda are revealed.

Bradley Stoke is a talented author, and this story was an enjoyable read.

(This review is taken from The Tainted Lime Reviews Issue #24, by [email protected] (http://www.asstr.org/~TaintedLime/)).