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Message-ID: <38137asstr$1031145004@assm.asstr-mirror.org>
From: Crimson Dragon <dcrimsonp@nym.alias.net>
Subject: {ASSM} {REVIEW} {Reviews} Crimson's Top Stories - August 2002
Date: Wed,  4 Sep 2002 09:10:04 -0400
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Newsgroups: alt.sex.stories.moderated,alt.sex.stories,alt.sex.stories.d
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For convenience, I've included the reviews for the top stories this
month, below the list summary. Hope this helps.

As always, this top story list is only my opinion of the best stories
posted in the preceding month or so -- it is not based on technical 
merits, or erotic content, but rather my relative personal enjoyment of 
the varying stories presented for whatever reasons. It is not a 
popularity contest or a vote, nor is it a definitive guide. Your tastes 
likely differ from mine.

As always, thanks to all the authors out there for all the stories.

- Crimson (dcrimson@yahoo.com)

http://www.asstr-mirror.org/files/Authors/Crimson_Reviews/www

http://www.asstr-mirror.org/files/Authors/Crimson_Dragon/www
http://members.tripod.com/files/Authors/Dr/wwwagon_Of_Crimson

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                 Crimson's Top Stories - August 2002
------------------------------------------------------------------------

# 1   Anglo-Saxon Chronicles Part One -- smilodon 
# 2   Catharsis -- Hammon Wry/E. Howe 
# 3   Koochy -- Bradley Stoke
# 4   Roundabout -- Lord Malinov 
# 5   Eros in Love -- Oke 
# 6   Bird Watching in French Lick -- Mat Twassel 
# 7   The Case of the Extortive Escort Service -- Souvie 
# 8   The Girl with the Goodbye Eyes -- Erin Halfelven
# 9   Rising to the Occasion -- smilodon
#10   Panic Attack -- Dryad

------------------------------------------------------------------------

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Anglo-Saxon Chronicles Part One. -- smilodon (Historical, No Sex, Caution)

http://assm.asstr-mirror.org/Year2002/38010
http://www.asstr-mirror.org/files/Authors/Smilodoings/

I really didn't quite know what I was getting into when I began this.
First of all, I don't normally review multi-part stories. Then there
was no sex, and a caution in the banner. But this was smilodon, and
I felt like reading it. Don't be dissuaded by what I presupposed.
For starters, the story stands on its own -- the "Part One"
refers to a continuing anthology, but doesn't indicate, at least
for this story, any requirement to read further.

This is historical fiction, carefully crafted and believable. I must
admit to a weakness towards middle English history, and this story
satiated my thirst. It is the story of a soldier, or rather the
son of a noble, fighting the Danes circa 870 AD. What results is a
masterful telling of heroism, and love, and history. While even the
author claims to have taken liberties, the resulting fiction is
fun and readable and probably for the most part accurate. The characters
come alive; personally, I really enjoyed the narrator, Beate, and Ivar
(more truthfully, I hated Ivar as much as I was supposed to). The plot 
moves along drawing the characters together in medieval England.

As advertised, there isn't much sex here, and what is here seems 
almost necessary for the plot. However, there's an underlying eros
here, especially in the subtle heroism. Eros doesn't have to come
from graphic sex scenes. If pumping hydraulics are what you're looking 
for, then this story may not be for you, but if you are looking for an
entertaining story, with some eros adjusted to the times underlying it, 
smilodon does a wonderful job.

And, any story that mentions dragons, can't be bad:

[ The great axes smote them. The golden dragon banner flew
  above our heads; we roared our war-shout in defiant unison, ... ]

Smilodon, I'm sure that history has warped the real red-hued dragon
into this golden facsimile. I know. I was there. <grin>

Truly worth reading.

Technical       :   10
Eros            :   10
Character/Plot  :   10
Crimson         :   10

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Catharsis -- Hammon Wry/E. Howe (MF Dom/Humil Vag Fist Anal Safe)

http://members.cox.net/ehowe/catharsis.html
http://members.cox.net/ehowe/DBIndex.html

Dr. John Carter. Are you sure we aren't talking ER? Nevermind.

Doctor Carter and Sergeant Totten are in bed, but something 
didn't happen quite correctly. She is seething, unsatisfied,
angry. Cigarette angry. And he seems to mock her, teasing her,
goading her. She erupts, and they fall into an animalistic
ritual, that almost guarantees arousal by the end.

I'm not sure why this piece works, but it does. There is anger,
and rage, and violence, and all sorts of otherwise nasty things
happening in the story, but Hammon manages to present them in
such a way that it is believable, and arousing, and safe.

It may not be for everyone, but I have to say that given the themes,
it surprised me. It's raw. It's realistic. It's passionate. And
it's very well written.

Technical       :   10
Eros            :   10
Character/Plot  :   10
Crimson         :   10

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Koochy -- Bradley Stoke (FF)

http://www.asstr-mirror.org/files/Authors/Bradley_Stoke/05%20Koochy.txt
http://www.asstr-mirror.org/files/Authors/Bradley_Stoke/www/
Author's FTP archive (is more up-to-date than his web site)
http://www.asstr-mirror.org/files/Authors/Bradley_Stoke/

Sex. Drugs. And rock and roll -- er -- house music. Bradley follows
Janine and Edie, two friends, into a North London house party where
the drugs flow freely, the music pounds heavy, and the scent of
sex is in the air.

Janine loses Edie temporarily while dancing in a rhythmic fog, 
then finds Edie holed up with an anonymous guy. Shocked and hurt, 
Janine begins wandering, and finds Molly, a shaven-headed, pierced 
occupant of the house, where she finds solace, and maybe revenge, or 
maybe something else.

I honestly didn't think I'd like this story. It's only me -- some
weird aversion to heavy drugs and heavy house music. I know. I know. 
I'm reviewing sex stories, right? Focus. The London/French slang is 
daunting, and sometimes tough to follow for those not into the scene.

But you know what? 

It doesn't matter.

This is a glimpse into a different world, at least for me. Bradley 
brings it alive, and the girls, the party, the atmosphere comes to 
life for the reader in a way that I honestly didn't think would be 
possible for me. In that, I have to admire what Bradley has done here.

The sex is hot -- definitely more than stroke fiction. The characters
and the plot are all in place. I didn't see a single technical
flaw.

Bradley surprised me with this. This is an excellent tale, and
even with my prejudices, or perhaps because of them, I have
to say that overall, I really liked this story.

Technical       :   10
Eros            :   10
Character/Plot  :   10
Crimson         :   10

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Roundabout -- Lord Malinov (MF voy rom)

http://home1.gte.net/res0cmkt/malinov69/Roundabout.txt
http://home1.gte.net/res0cmkt/malinov69/index.html

An illuminated window in a sea of darkness. A neighbour, Jane,
young, and desirable, caught in its glare. A young man,
watching, watching, desiring, loving from the next yard,
night sounds surrounding her voice: "Fuck me." The 
consequences melded with the twists of time.

[ I reached for a stool she need at the same moment she reached, 
  bringing us for one instant ... ]

I'm not sure what happened in this sentence, but this was the
only issue in the entire story that jarred me. Perhaps a leftover
from a draft?

The language that Malinov uses is liquid and flowing and lyrical, 
drawing you into the story and holding you there. I loved the cycle
of time, and I loved the use of the language. I loved the characters. 
Truly inspiring.

Technical       :   10
Eros            :   10
Character/Plot  :   10
Crimson         :   10

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Eros in Love - Oke (M/F, rom, dialogue involving rape) 

http://assm.asstr-mirror.org/Year2002/38004

David, a photographer by trade, attends his accountant's stag party
at a strip club. He's only there for the watered down beer, but
Ashley, a new stripper, finds him, and naked, introduces herself. 
Ashley doesn't look very comfortable in her surroundings, but the 
two of them talk. Turns out David needs a new model, and Ashley 
is sort of willing, apparently needing the money.

Ashley isn't everything she seems. First of all, she's really
named Katherine, and David gets to know her while she models
for him. She's a complex girl, with a past that is painful and
heart-rending. In other words, Katherine/Ashley is a human
being even if she takes her clothes off for a living, and better 
than that, David seems to realise this. We follow David and 
Katherine as they spiral ever so carefully towards each other. 
You'll have to read this to find out what eventually happens, 
but overall, this is a wonderful, touching, romantic, human tale 
with all the elements that make a story -- character, humanity, 
plot. It's all about trust and relationships, and the choices that 
we all make every day. I thoroughly enjoyed every choice that Oke 
made writing this.

The story is very well written. It could use a little clean up,
but don't let this throw you. The story more than makes up for
any minor technical issues. I'll point out a few representative
phrases, mostly for Oke's benefit:

[ "No, you were good...very good{.}" he stammered. ]

This quote problem shows up a little too often to be accidental.
That period inside the quote needs to be a comma if the sentence
is qualified after the quote. I know it seems like a complete
sentence inside the quotes, but nevertheless, a comma is
appropriate here. Check any grammar site.

[ ... but Jake's using it for his wedding next {sunday}, so 
  I'm staying here." ] 

Sunday is a weekday and should be capitalised.

[ ... eyes, the tip of his nose.  {her} hands made their way down to 
  his chest, sliding slowly over his neck and shoulders, and back up 
  his muscular arms.  ]

Sentences always need to be capitalised. While Oke doesn't slip like
this as a norm, I did see it often enough through the story to mention.
This is something really easy to fix that would immeasurably improve 
the writing.

[ cereal into his mouth.  They were eating breakfast now that 
  {katherine} had showered.  She was wearing a pair of running 
  {shortts} that were two sizes too big and a sweatshirt, both 
  borrowed from David. ]

I'm sure they're only typos, but a good proof-read should catch
them next time.

[ "'Eros and Psyche'.  You probably saw it at the apartment.  {Its}
  from a series I did of sculptures at the Louvre in Paris.  {this}
  sculpture is of Eros, the god of love, who revives Psyche, who was 
  put to sleep eternally ... ]

These, again, are only typos, but 'its' should be the contractive
form, and 'this' should be capitalised.

Again, the technical issues are correctable with a little extra
time proofing, and they don't really distract from a wonderful
story. The character is wonderful, the plot is beautiful, the
eros anticipatory and tender. This is truly worth reading.

Technical       :    8
Eros            :   10
Character/Plot  :   10
Crimson         :   10

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bird Watching in French Lick -- Mat Twassel (MF)

http://assm.asstr-mirror.org/Year2002/37661

Rick and Annie both work. A lot. Annie's father, one night,
amongst old records, old books, and a wonderful dinner, suggests
that the couple renew themselves, a second honeymoon perhaps,
at a condo in Larry Bird's old hometown -- French Lick.

And so, despite Rick's gruelling schedule, Annie and Rick end up
in French Lick, and Annie finds things to do. They simply might not
be entirely what you expect.

The pace of the story is wonderfully sedate, and we get to know
Annie intimately. The intriguing part of this story is the details:
the inner workings of Annie, and the world surrounding her. The wasps 
in the locomotive, the taste of the wine, the view from the balcony. 
This piece is sensuous in its very language and presentation, the 
characters rich with subtle eros and settings. This is a very
well crafted story. Enjoy.

Technical       :   10
Eros            :   10
Character/Plot  :   10
Crimson         :   10

------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Case of the Extortive Escort Service -- Souvie (FFF toys oral)

http://www.asstr-mirror.org/files/Authors/Souvie/www/escort.html
http://www.asstr-mirror.org/files/Authors/Souvie/www/

Trudy is a bored investigative reporter. By the end of this
tale, Trudy wishes that she had remained bored. Her boss
sends her on an undercover assignment to infiltrate an escort
service looking for a potential blackmailer. With misgivings,
Trudy accepts the assignment and begins the hunt. Along the
way, she's pulled into some ... er ... tight situations.

This is a very entertaining little tale -- a really nice
change of pace. A well written mystery, with some hot sex
thrown in for good measure. I had some misgivings when I
began it, though I have no idea why. I suppose that it was
only the cliche of using an escort service. But I was wrong.
Dead wrong. Souvie did a wonderful job of convincing, and
the story worked.

Technically, it is very clean. Only a dropped quote in one
sentence, and perhaps a missed comma or two. Nothing serious
at all.

[ "Hey!" I protested.  "I gave {you} Priscilla my word I'd
  stay while she smoothed out everything with her dad. ... ]

Oh, and something left over from draft stage here. I think it
might be an extra 'you'.

Anyway, this is a really fun story. Go read it.

Technical       :    9
Eros            :   10
Character/Plot  :   10
Crimson         :   10

------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Girl with the Goodbye Eyes {Erin Halfelven} (lovers interlude)

http://assm.asstr-mirror.org/Year2002/37596

We all know the lovers with the eyes that say goodbye, even while
their lips whisper everything we desperately want to hear. Erin
touches on that in this short story, the emotional impact reaching
up and grabbing.

I didn't see any technical issues, Erin's revisions seem to have
caught any problems in the prose. The sex is wonderful and subtle,
but this isn't about the sex. Not really.

It's not the happiest story in the world, but sometimes we have
to enjoy what we can. And this story is very much like that.

Technical       :   10
Eros            :   10
Character/Plot  :   10
Crimson         :   10

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rising to the Occasion -- smilodon (M/F, Rom)

http://www.asstr-mirror.org/files/Authors/Smilodoings/
									   Rising%20to%20the%20Occasion.txt
http://www.asstr-mirror.org/files/Authors/Smilodoings/

Ben has a problem. A problem that men, well, don't like to talk
about. First there was Chloe. Then Rachel. Then Emma. Then
Sarah. And with each, eventually, Ben's, er, performance failed.

Now, Ben is reasonably healthy, no physical reason for his lack
of sexual prowess. Gay? Unlikely. And so, off Ben goes to the
local head shrinker, nervous, and a tad uncomfortable. Worse,
Jane, the bespectacled psychologist isn't exactly the old Freudian 
image that Ben was expecting. 

Jane makes progress, but you'll have to read the story to figure
out how.

This story is excellent, a love story, intermixed with passionate
sex, and a sensitive plot. Smilodon provides a wonderful story
here (though I have no idea why it's in there twice ...). Go read 
it.

Technical       :   10
Eros            :   10
Character/Plot  :   10
Crimson         :   10

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Panic Attack -- Dryad (MF oral)

http://www.asstr-mirror.org/files/Authors/Dryad/www/panicattack.html
http://www.asstr-mirror.org/files/Authors/Dryad/www/

Perhaps it has merely been one of those weeks, but I know exactly
what Kim was going through. "Where the hell are my keys?" Scream
therapy can be wonderfully effective. Well, Bill shows up and
calms Kim down, convincing her that the committee meeting can't
be all that important. The keys are by her purse, but does she
really need to go? What follows is truly how to calm down
a frazzled lady complete with bath, candles, fireplace, scented
oil, music and a wonderful stress relief at the end.

Now, I have to admit that I'm a fan of Enya, and even the mention
of her music is bound to make me shiver. It sets the mood for
this romantic story, and I found myself lost in it, seeing
exactly what was going on, and understanding the characters,
truly experiencing with all my senses.

As I said, it's been one of those weeks.

Technically, the story has a few issues that I'll mention
below, but don't let it throw you. Dryad writes a compelling
story here -- the technical issues didn't jar me, and shouldn't
jar the average reader. I look for them, but if you don't
the story will swallow you, and keep you.

[ "You aren't presenting, right?" he looked at her questioningly. ]

Dryad has an odd dialogue style. Sometimes, we get the above where
I think the 'he' should have been capitalised as a
separate sentence. The dialogue wasn't 'looked', it was spoken.
The second phrase is a separate thought, and probably warrants
a second sentence. In other places, Dryad gives us the second
sentence, but arguably shouldn't. I'm not sure what is going on
with that, but I suspect it is only confusion about which style to
use.

[ She kicked {of} her shoes, taking a deep breath. ]

'Off', I think.

[ "{Its} probably the committee." She sighed heavily. ]

Here, Dryad means 'it is'. The contractive form here should be
"it's". Dryad makes this error in a number of places. If it had
only been a typo, I probably wouldn't have mentioned it.

One thing that I did notice, and that I do mention in the opposite
case a fair bit: Perspective. It would have been so easy for
Dryad to fall into the trap of switching back and forth between
Kim and Bill throughout the story. Dryad resists temptation. The 
story remains firmly planted in Kim's experience, and I have to 
admit that I liked it even more because of that. 

Overall, though, while the technical issues should be resolved,
they don't taint the story at all. It is still mighty easy to
descend into the story and soak it in. 

Technical       :    8
Eros            :   10
Character/Plot  :   10
Crimson         :   10

-- 
Pursuant to the Berne Convention, this work is copyright with all rights
reserved by its author unless explicitly indicated.
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