Rating: 
Summary: The wait was worth it.
Review: After too many years of waiting for the 4th MarketPlace book to come out, Ms Antoniou has gifted her fans with a continuation of her entertaining, thought-provoking, and mentally stimulating world of a fictional modern day consentual slave market. There are new characters to get to know and love or hate. Characters from previous books are re-visited and details gone into about some of the more intriging personalities. The novelogy style of the book works well, and the transition from story to story and author to author is done in such a way that it doesn't interfer with the reader's enjoyment of the various tales of politics, self discovery, and yes, the occassional orgy, though not quite like what one might think. It's much better. If your tastes are to sit back with a series of stories about things that could really happen, that you might have wished would happen, and dream might happen to you one day, this book as well as the other MP books, are for you. This book pulls you in, brings you into the character's lives, and makes you care about them. Everything a well written book, no matter what the subject matter, should do. Laura Antoniou gives her readers writings of substance, a meal instead of a light snack.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent new literature in cutting-edge genre
Review: Although I've read (and contributed to) Laura Antoniou's anthologies, this was the first Marketplace novel I read. I must admit that I'm now eager to "start at the beginning," and am thrilled that the first three books are returning, and a fifth is on its way -- the tantalizing inclusion of the first chapter of the next novel was wonderful! For first time Marketplace readers, I found this to be a book that thoroughly immersed me in an exciting, erotic world of Owner/slave relationships, and the behind-the-scenes machinations that make such a world exist. The short stories were marvelous, and added new voices to the main theme. Antoniou's writing is excellent; I look forward to more from her in this series.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent new literature in cutting-edge genre
Review: Although I've read (and contributed to) Laura Antoniou's anthologies, this was the first Marketplace novel I read. I must admit that I'm now eager to "start at the beginning," and am thrilled that the first three books are returning, and a fifth is on its way -- the tantalizing inclusion of the first chapter of the next novel was wonderful! For first time Marketplace readers, I found this to be a book that thoroughly immersed me in an exciting, erotic world of Owner/slave relationships, and the behind-the-scenes machinations that make such a world exist. The short stories were marvelous, and added new voices to the main theme. Antoniou's writing is excellent; I look forward to more from her in this series.
Rating:
Summary: Laura's Latest!
Review: Finally it's here! Ms Antoniou's talent to weave excitingreality into her sensuous characters is applauded once again with herunique Novelogy "The Academy; Tales from the Marketplace". The stories are hot and tingly fruit for the imagination and the vivid descriptions of scenes and places put me there with all the senses in my imagination! The weaving of the other excellent stories by various authors throughout the tales as 'sides' is skillfully done and strengthens the plot. Her ability to hold interest by teasing with little bits and pieces of mystery scattered throughout the tales, makes it hard to put down and already has me wanting answers from the next book! This book has class, as do the Marketplace Tales and Ms Antoniou, and everyone should read it! I love it and will read this one twice, too! Thank you, Laura.
Rating:
Summary: Laura's Latest!
Review: Finally it's here! Ms Antoniou's talent to weave excitingreality into her sensuous characters is applauded once again with herunique Novelogy "The Academy; Tales from the Marketplace". The stories are hot and tingly fruit for the imagination and the vivid descriptions of scenes and places put me there with all the senses in my imagination! The weaving of the other excellent stories by various authors throughout the tales as 'sides' is skillfully done and strengthens the plot. Her ability to hold interest by teasing with little bits and pieces of mystery scattered throughout the tales, makes it hard to put down and already has me wanting answers from the next book! This book has class, as do the Marketplace Tales and Ms Antoniou, and everyone should read it! I love it and will read this one twice, too! Thank you, Laura.
Rating:
Summary: Laura's Latest!
Review: Finally it's here! Ms Antoniou's talent to weave excitingreality into her sensuous characters is applauded once again with herunique Novelogy "The Academy; Tales from the Marketplace". The stories are hot and tingly fruit for the imagination and the vivid descriptions of scenes and places put me there with all the senses in my imagination! The weaving of the other excellent stories by various authors throughout the tales as 'sides' is skillfully done and strengthens the plot. Her ability to hold interest by teasing with little bits and pieces of mystery scattered throughout the tales, makes it hard to put down and already has me wanting answers from the next book! This book has class, as do the Marketplace Tales and Ms Antoniou, and everyone should read it! I love it and will read this one twice, too! Thank you, Laura.
Rating:
Summary: A Good Book in a Great Series
Review: Finally Ms Antinou is back with her fantastic Marketplace series. Initially I was uncertain that I would like this book due to the fact that it was a series of short stories rather than a complete novel. However, the individual short stories are held together by a plot line dominated by a political battle within the Marketplace that defines it's very essence. This subplot helps maintain coherence and moves the novel along very well. The only other fault that you may notice is that some of the references are dated (such as describing the coming return of Hong Kong to China). But nothing serious enough to ruin the enjoyment of well written prose. For those readers that fell in love with the BDSM classic, the Story of O, there has finally come a series that treats BDSM as more than just a cheap trick to sell poorly written porn. This book is well written, has identifiable characters and an interesting premise. Lara Antinou is a frequent guest at many BDSM conferences. I believe that her premise taps into the desire of many of BDSM scene (whether they go the events or just dream at home) that there is a group of people out there that take the leather scene a little more seriously than your average S&M aficionado. It is just a little exciting to think that if you can shine as a truly powerful Master or well behaved slave, that you may be allowed into a special clique of true devotees. In addition to her well conceived premise, the characters in the book are well developed and interesting to read about. And while you may or may not identify with the disciplined Chris Parker or the self indulgent Michael, they sure would be a lot of fun to meet in the proper setting. Just one note of caution, if you are not comfortable with male bisexuality then you may not enjoy this book. Otherwise I think that you find it is a welcome break from aggressive, badly written fare that passes for BDSM novels.
Rating:
Summary: A Good Book in a Great Series
Review: Finally Ms Antinou is back with her fantastic Marketplace series. Initially I was uncertain that I would like this book due to the fact that it was a series of short stories rather than a complete novel. However, the individual short stories are held together by a plot line dominated by a political battle within the Marketplace that defines it's very essence. This subplot helps maintain coherence and moves the novel along very well. The only other fault that you may notice is that some of the references are dated (such as describing the coming return of Hong Kong to China). But nothing serious enough to ruin the enjoyment of well written prose. For those readers that fell in love with the BDSM classic, the Story of O, there has finally come a series that treats BDSM as more than just a cheap trick to sell poorly written porn. This book is well written, has identifiable characters and an interesting premise. Lara Antinou is a frequent guest at many BDSM conferences. I believe that her premise taps into the desire of many of BDSM scene (whether they go the events or just dream at home) that there is a group of people out there that take the leather scene a little more seriously than your average S&M aficionado. It is just a little exciting to think that if you can shine as a truly powerful Master or well behaved slave, that you may be allowed into a special clique of true devotees. In addition to her well conceived premise, the characters in the book are well developed and interesting to read about. And while you may or may not identify with the disciplined Chris Parker or the self indulgent Michael, they sure would be a lot of fun to meet in the proper setting. Just one note of caution, if you are not comfortable with male bisexuality then you may not enjoy this book. Otherwise I think that you find it is a welcome break from aggressive, badly written fare that passes for BDSM novels.
Rating:
Summary: The Academy: Tales of the Marketplace
Review: Finally some insight into Chris Parker! Laura Antoniou pleases her readers by continuing her series set in the world of the "Marketplace" which many of those in the SM community wish existed, I'm sure. If you've read the first three books in this series, you'll be well equipped you jump into the Academy and learn along side the trainers and spotters. Many questions from the previous novels are answered in intelligent and arousing ways. Even better, the format, a novel with short stories interwoven into it, allows one to easily return to a section or two to enjoy over and over if one wants a more immediate form of gratification. Kudos to Ms. Antoniou for this novel and these short stories! It was well worth the wait.
Rating:
Summary: Academic Free Dommes
Review: Grumble, grumble. TammyJo beat me. I mean er, she beat me to it with her review of "The Academy" before I finished reading the book. Laura and her co-authors use a unique "novelogy" format, a series of short stories which can be enjoyed independently or read in sequence to form the novel. The "frame story" is a multinational gathering of trainers and slaves at a luxury resort in Okinawa. Well, pervs will be pervs, and there is something for every taste here, with all possible pervmutations of gay, lesbian and het male and female tops and bottoms. Authors include Laura and her wife Karen Taylor, david stein, M. Christian, Cecilia Tan and Michael Hernandez. Personally, I thought the book could have used a lot less plot and a lot more *hot lesbian sex.* Still, fans of the "Marketplace" series and pervs in general will find it a very sexy addition to their BDSM fiction bookshelves. Your Humble Jester, Philip the Foole .... do not conform to [stereotypes.] Know that they're there - and then use them like any other tool. They are made to be tampered with, stretched, pasted in to fill empty spaces, plastered over little gaps. Stereotypes are the Silly Putty of writing. Beware of making them the duct tape. - Ancient Kung Foole Proverb by Laura Antoniou (Leatherwomen III)
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