Customer Reviews

Bent

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This is the slow evolution of a dominant man,Marcus, bringing a sub into his own (even though Jim doesn't know he is a sub)
Well written with good backstory of Jim, given to the reader in small morsels which keeps us interested.
Personally,(and I don't know why) I didn't like, Marcus,(the character that was created by Sean Michael). I think I felt him too over-the-top in his initial meeting of Jim i.e. you need to be spanked (and does it!) and then in a couple of days of meeting Jim..taking him for tatoos, then piercings, and then moving in..all in the space of 2 weeks!
I wish there was more of a 'courtship' if you will with Marcus getting to know Jim and his emotional problems.
I didn't feel I knew Marcus and I wish there was more of a description and perhaps background.
For me it was too much too soon IMO.
I need more of a chase, more personal interaction, more build up of heat.
I didn't feel any heat between the two until over half way through the book..and I think it was because I finally got more of a feel for Marcus.
If you are a gay man...perhaps this is your world and so this is a hot book for you.
So I only took off a star because Marcus turned me off so much.
The writing is excellent as ever Sean Michael can deliver.

What defines "normal" anyway? What's right for one man (or woman) is not necessarily ideal for another. If everyone were the same and lived the same kind of life, then the world would be a mighty boring place to exist in, wouldn't it? Perhaps we should celebrate our individuality, whether this leads to us following what would be defined as a "normal" lifestyle or one that might be considered somewhat alternative. In Sean Michael's novel Bent, his characters deal with this very issue. This is a story about accepting and even embracing who you are in spite of any fears about the real or imagined perceptions of others.

This novel is very typical of Mr. Michael's work. It is well-written and very sensual, and it focuses on the characters and their internal conflicts rather than any external source of tension. The story is told in a set of scenes separated by time. Each scene is a mini-story of its own, documenting a milestone in their relationship, whether it be a step forward or a step back.

Mr. Michael's unique narrative style pulls you into the minds of the characters, so we watch their struggles on two different levels - as observer and as participant. We experience the confusion on each of the two main characters parts as they try to reconcile their fears and emotions and work to build a relationship based on love and the BDSM lifestyle. Jim has been broken down through the events in his past and has lost his self-confidence to a point where he must keep himself on a strict schedule just stay sane and feel like he is in control of his life. His lifestyle balances on the edge of self-abuse. When he meets Marcus, he is stretched so tightly that it feels as if he'll snap should any more tension be placed on his shoulders. Marcus's intervention in his life pulls him out of what has become an unhealthy environment. He teaches Jim that he is anything but worthless and weak and that there are people out there who will appreciate and care about him regardless of societal "norms."

In Bent there is no question that the reason this alternative lifestyle works for Jim and Marcus is due to the love, trust, and respect that they feel for each other. This is not just one man whaling on another one. As the two characters explore each other sexually, it is extremely clear that this is a consensual act that involves limits. There is a safe word involved, and as soon as that word is invoked, all activity stops immediately and without question. Although we may not find this particular style of sexual interaction to be our preference, we can't help but respect the choices that are made by the characters. Rather than appearing creepy or uncomfortable, the rules and bondage and spanking seem to be right for these two.

The story ends without a physical resolution to the main external conflict in the story. At first, I felt some disappointment in this. However, upon reflection, I see that in Jim and Marcus's world, this issue ceases to exist as soon as Jim makes an emotional peace with it. It's quite clever, really, and shows just how far Jim has progressed in his journey to regain his identity and self-worth.

Fans of Mr. Michael's writing with doubtless enjoy Bent. Those new to his work will need to check their inhibitions at the door, open their mind a little, and prepare to be charmed by the characters as they go on an intense journey of self-discovery.

What I liked:
--The sex was hot and kinky--just the way I like it!
--There was very little outside conflict--all the conflict came from within Jim, the sub, and his difficulty reconciling his needs with his beliefs.

What I didn't like:
--The sex was too frequent. In fact, I'd go so far as to say that out of nearly 500 pages, perhaps 50 was actual plot.
--The dialogue was stiff and unbelievable. In fact, I think the only thing this author wrote well was the sex.
--The editing was terrible. The grammar and spelling mistakes were distracting. ESPECIALLY the punctuation.
--The lack of variation in word choice got distracting after a while, but that's a pet peeve.

Out of the three "gay fiction" books I've ordered, this is the one I enjoyed the least. If porn without plot is what you want, I say go for it. If you're not distracted by poor word/grammar/spelling usage, then I say go for it. If you want a plotty, well-written, well-edited, tastefuly executed piece of fiction that you'll enjoy reading again and again...well, maybe this isn't for you. It certainly wasn't for me.

Warning: This review might contain what some people consider SPOILERS.

Rating: 8/10

PROS:
- Michael does a good job of creating sub characters who really BENEFIT from domination (as opposed to simply being turned on by it). Poor Jim is established very soon into the novel as being in a really bad place in life. Once he meets Marcus, that slowly but surely changes.
- There's tons of sex in this book, but I liked it because the sex is used to show the characters' evolving attachment to each other as well as Jim's blossoming as a sub and the gradual calming of his frenetic temperament.
- The sex starts almost immediately, as is typical of this author's books, but Marcus waits to actually penetrate Jim until about a third of the way through the book, which I liked. That scene doesn't occur until the two of them have built up some trust and have begun to develop deep feelings for each other.
- The two characters have a natural chemistry that translates into scenes where it's obvious that they're comfortable with each other and enjoy each other's company. There's a scene where Marcus and Jim go grocery shopping that had me giggling for about 5 straight minutes.

CONS:
- The first time Marcus takes Jim home and gives him a spanking, Jim is adamant about not wanting to do that. But because he doesn't have a safe word, Marcus just ignores Jim's protests. Marcus's first thought about safewords comes after they've already done 2 or 3 scenes, and it's several scenes later before they actually get around to selecting a safeword and using it. Overall, Marcus has a problem with not listening to Jim, especially since Jim is a total newbie to the BDSM scene.
- There were several plot threads that weren't wrapped up to my satisfaction at the end of the book. The story here is basically just little scenes here and there of the two men's life together, but a few times, one of the guys would bring something up (the idea of Jim being collared, for example), and that "something" would never come up again; thus, some things I was looking forward to seeing I never got to see.
- I think it's sweet that Marcus calls Jim "baby," but he goes a bit overboard on it sometimes, saying it a little too often for my taste.

Overall comments: I liked this book, as I like most BDSM works by this author. Marcus is a super pushy Dom; I think SOME of that is a result of arrogance, but I also think sometimes he's just entirely clueless about how his actions will be perceived by other people. For the most part, I didn't mind his pushiness, but some readers might very well hate him.

The patience is the strong men's virtue. Or women... Since to read Bent by Sean Michael you need to have a lot of patience, it's a 400 pages book and so, patience, time and a comfy chair. That is, if you are like me and usually you want to finish a book in the same day you start it.

Jim was a college teacher. Gay but maybe not so out, he was involved in a scandal when one of his female student accused him of rape. Obviously Jim was innocent, but nevertheless he lost his work, his home and also his partner. And so now he is a grumpy man, who sticks to an obsessive routine to not fall apart.

Marcus is a Dom who is deeply involved in the life. When he meets for the first time Jim, he knows that the man is a natural sub and needs a Master in his life to help him to rebuild what he has lost. Even if Jim has never felt the pull to the D/s lifestyle, he has all the symptoms: he needs a routine to focus, he needs someone who gives him rules to respect, and he sometime needs to break the rules to be punished.

It's pretty hard to read of how Jim submits to Marcus in every side of his life; Jim is a very clever man, with an independent life (even if ruined) and was taught that a man is the master in the couple. Plus he has always tried to "hide" what he is, avoiding public display of his homosexuality. What he suffered during the scandal was a real "mental" raping, being exposed to stranger eyes in every intimate details. And so embrace the D/s lifestyle is hard, since it's not only a thing he can share with his partner in the intimacy of his house; and even if they avoids the "scenes", little details betray their real relationship in front of stranger eyes.

So yes, I like the book, above all I like the tenderness between Marcus and Jim, and the fact that Marcus is not always a big bad Dom, he is able to address Jim to the right path without crashing him under his own personality. What I have problem to like is when Jim asks to be left alone, and instead Marcus forces him to face all the trouble together.

Sean Michael has a very particular style; it's difficult to explain, but the images and the dialogue are like flashes or lightnings, a non stop bombing that always takes the reader in alarm. The use of short chapter helps in this sensation of rollercoast, since reading them, you have a pick after the other, in small sequences.

Dear god, this was awful.

This is the story of an ill-defined TPE (total power exchange), and it's done poorly. Most of the intimate scenes rang as more abusive than loving or tender, and I don't like seeing what is essentially abuse marketed as BDSM.

The only positive thing I can say about is that there were very few grammatical or spelling errors, though the narrative was choppy and simplistic. I've never seen a narrative like this, where the whole book is like a stream of consciousness. It's annoying, distracting, and unsatisfying.

It was pages and pages of sex sex forced sex sex more breaking of trust of boundaries more sex sex and more pointless sex.

It found the book insulting, difficult to get through, and completely unsatisfying as money spent.

Marcus Goodfellow is heavy into the BDSM lifestyle. He can spot a submissive a mile away. Moments after meeting Jim he knew Jim was a man who needed to be dominated. Marcus could tell that Jim needed focus, direction and discipline but most of all Jim needed to believe in life again. What started out with Marcus wanting to help Jim turned into Marcus loving Jim.

Jim Upton's life was turned upside down after being falsely accused in a scandal. Jim cut himself off from life and he now has things under control or so he believes. The last thing he needs is for Marcus to come and confuse him and make him want things that don't fit into the half-life he's been living. Jim quickly see that Marcus is not one to take no for an answer and Marcus shows Jim that Marcus is just what he needs.

Bent is an incredible story. It's almost four hundred pages long, but it's so engrossing that I sat down and read it in just a few hours non-stop. Jim and Marcus are quite a pair, through them Sean Michael allows his readers to see the mechanics of a BDSM relationship. He shows us that a D/s relationship is not defined by who is stronger and who is weaker, and that it's not all about pain. Jim was not a weak man but he was hurting and he hid his hurt by living in a shell and not letting people close. Marcus slowly introduced him to the BDSM life and showed him that it took a strong man just as himself to allow someone to dominate him. Marcus showed Jim how to use pain to derive pleasure. There was great chemistry between these two and I loved the even paced growth of their relationship. Although I wished there was more closure to a certain aspect of Jim's life, the overall story of Bent was fantastic and a must read for Sean Michael fans.

Ley
Reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed

Sean Michael's at his best with this enticing exploration of need. The characters are strongly written, giving the reader insight into each man's needs and what it takes to meet them. The progression of the relationship is a powerful force, with elements ranging from tenderness to submission. If you're a Sean Michael fan, buy the book. If you'd like to try an intro to the dominant/submissive literary world, buy it.

Overall
This book is classic Sean Michael material, meaning it's heavy on sex and light on plot. It's also extremely long, which is probably why many people get half way and give up. Not much happens during the course of the book action-wise, but there are character changes over the course of the novel. The focus of the novel is Jim's issues and Marcus' attempts to help Jim overcome his issues, accept who he is, and deal with the complications he faces in life.

Fans of Sean Michael's works will probably enjoy this, but most readers will probably find its too long, too slow, and too much sex. Many people also voiced complaints about Jim being forced into the situation, and there is a fuzzy section in the beginning when the consent is questionable, but nothing is non-con or dub-con really. Although this novel tries hard to really explore Jim's mind and the ways of the lifestyle, it went on for a little too long to really keep my interest. Although I know the focus of Michael's books is the sex, I felt fewer sex scenes would have been more poignant.

Strengths
Michael's Doms tend to always be right and know what's best for the sub. Marcus is no exception, although in one instance he says something that angers Jim enough to make him safeword and be truly angry (not just throwing a hissy fit). I liked this moment because it really humanizes Marcus and doesn't make him out to be a strong, perfect being who can do no wrong.

The exploration of Jim's issues and his slow progression over those issues is interesting. I also have to give some props to the author for taking the time to make the advancements timed realistically and there were no magical moments when everything was better. In fact, progression takes place over a long period of time and advancements are not always forward as events trigger old thoughts and behaviors. This felt more realistic than the stories where a problematic sub is instantly fixed by the know-it-all dom, even if it did lead to a rather lengthy story.

Weaknesses
While the length of this story isn't automatically a weakness, the length in addition to the slow (and somewhat lacking) plot, leave the reader trudging through the events. While not miserable, it probably leads many readers to give up since there is very little incentive to continue. This story would best be read when in a very mellow mood or read in small pieces to space out the slight monotony.

While I understand sex is a focal point of Michael's books, I felt with the length of this one, more copy (aka, sex scenes) could be cut without interrupting Jim's emotional progression, thus making a quicker, smoother read. The story dragged out for a very long time with very little climactic tension, etc, and while some readers may enjoy the story purely for the sex scenes, those who need a bit more will find this novel lacking.

This is one of the first BDSM books that I've read and I have to say I enjoyed it thoroughly. The only problems I had with it were the overload of sex scenes (which is wonderful in moderation, but the dialogue and plot seemed more like breaks between scenes than anything), and the lack of plot and realistic dialogue. A good amount of it was repetitive and kind of cheesy, but it's not too difficult to ignore. Overall a good book. I recommend it.