The $64,000 Question: Why Is Sci-Fi Sexy?
by Patricia A Knight
In the time-honored tradition of storytelling, I will try to illustrate with words why Sci-Fi is sexy. Here are a couple of paragraphs that came hot off the keyboard.
Clear your mind. Settle into your chair and relax. Now imagine this:
It was late, but the joint was packed. A good local band had played tonight. I chatted with Max, the bartender, and sipped my girly mixer with the pineapple on a stick and a cheesy little umbrella. I was always too embarrassed to order one in front of my sophisticated former boyfriend but I was a sucker for anything coconut.
Max’s head lifted and his eyes shot to the door to draw my attention to the new arrival. I would have known, regardless. I felt it when he walked in. Because of my seniority with the Office of Extra-terrestrial Assistance, I’d been assigned as personal, cultural liaison to the Vortian. You know, prevent any social faux pas, educate the alien on how earthlings behave, that sorta stuff. I just didn’t realize how intimately he wanted to liaise. I hoisted my cocktail and tried not to stab my eye out with the umbrella as I gulped the entire contents.
“It’s the Vortian, Darla. Back to work.”
“Yeah, Max. I know.”
I ran shaky fingers through my page-boy hair cut. First putting my brunette locks behind my ears, then pulling the hair back to cover the blush that heated my cheeks.
I did know. I could feel the Vortian’s arousal. I could feel the blood pounding into his groin. I could feel the expansion of his male, ah, parts . . . yeah, you heard right, parts. See, that was the thing. I didn't imagine I felt it. I really felt it. That mind telepathy stuff made the male delegates from Vortus a real hit with us earth ladies. Well, that and the extras that wrapped around and tickled your, ahem, while they, ah, stroked inside with the other, ah, thing. I picked up my bar coaster and started to fan my face.
And then I was looking at me through his eyes. I could see my slender body perched on the barstool, my miniskirt barely decent, my four-inch stilettos caught on the wrung of the stool. I inhabited his body – a body that was, whoa, gorgeous, and equipped with that little something, ah, extra. And all the time there were these erotic images of what he wanted to do to me rolling through my mind like classy porn – memories of what I had looked like coming apart underneath him the last time he’d done me. Holy multiple orgasms! Take me to your leader.
I shoved the empty fruit-drink toward Max.
“Maxie, I need some ice water, fast.”
The closer he came, the hotter I got. The bar stool I was sitting on was getting a little slippery from all the extra moisture down there, if you know what I mean. I knew, without even turning around, when he reached out to touch me. I could see it through his eyes.
“Darla.” The deep whisky velvet of his voice added to the sensory overload and I turned with a brilliant smile.
“Ulrik.”
“Are you ready?”
“Absolutely.” Oh, lordy, the things a woman will do to save Earth.
~ ~ ~
There! Now, dear reader, you are going off to have sex with a telepathic alien with vibrating parts. Can you get THAT on earth? ( If you can, will you please give me his number? )
Pages: 349 pages
Publisher: Troll River Publication on June 2013
Form: E-book (from tour for an honest review)
Genre: Erotic Romance, Sci-fi/futuristic
Series: Verdantia #1
Amazon: Buy / $3.99 (Kindle) ( EU price, click to see yours )
Kobo: Buy / $2.00 (E-book)
"Conte Camliel Aristos deTano, Ari, has long spurned the marriage forced upon him. Princess Fleur Constante, his contractual bride and the beautiful future queen, though young and inexperienced, is willing to risk everything – including her own sanity – to save her planet.
The inhabitants of the sentient planet, Verdantia, are poised on the precipice of extinction following a brutal invasion by an off-world, nomadic horde. Verdantia’s capital, Sylvan Mintoth, must have its failing energy shield restored, or the planet is doomed. The Elders know the shield can draw energy from only one thing—a very arduous and grueling coupling of two specific people pre-chosen by the planet, Herself, and promised by prearranged marriage contract.
Verdantia draws strength from the duo, but the sentient planet whispers to Ari that a third is necessary – Ari’s aide de camp, Visconte Doral deLorion, an angelically handsome, skilled assassin who silently surrendered his heart to Ari long ago.
The trio struggles to make this surprising partnership harmonious, pushing through pride, scars of past abuse, fears of inexperience and distrust. To save Verdantia, they must overcome their individual weaknesses and realize their full potential. Only the tetriarch and their combined synergy, can harness Verdantia’s immense power to shield its citizens from invasion." ~ From Goodreads
The blurb pretty much says it all. But instead of sci-fi and futuristic that it promises this is pretty much fantasy for me, how you ask? It's the language they use, the hierarchy they have, the horse transportation, the archaic society, it was so fantasy, you just missed the elves. So you can imagine me expecting one thing and getting another took some adjusting. And we all know by now that I have issues with books promising one thing and delivering another. It's a pet peeve.
The sex was a little weird. There I said it. They used sex to be this higher connection to a sentience of the planet to protect them against an evil space race. Nothing wrong with that, it's not far fetch for me as my brand of spirituality includes tantric sex. But boy is it odd in this. There is a lot of shouting stop and crying and all kinds of weirdness that just wasn't sexy to me. At least she got tied up, that was interesting. ;)
The romance between Ari, Fleur and Doral was like mentioned in the blurb tough and Fleur's sheltered character didn't help matters, luckily as the book went on we begun to see courage and strength in her as well.
I got to say I acknowledged the excellent writing by Ms. Particia A. Knight, she's got the storytelling and world building done to a t, and that takes great effort and courage and she sure made it happen. She's also got a nag of making supporting cast credible and real, props for that! :)
I know I'm bit on my own in this review, as there are tons of 4 and 5 stars ratings for this at Goodreads, but all I can say is I expected sci-fi, and when I get something else I don't take it well. I imagine if I had expected fantasy I would have a whole lot of different stuff to say. Just my two cents.
Rating :
