Customer Reviews

A Journey Round a Darker Sun

5 star:		(21)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(8)

 

 

A Journey Round a Darker Sun is an wonderfully written erotic novel based on a story about the beautiful and coquette Claire who's charm and exuberant seductive nature snares any male she meets. She has the upper hand in the lives of several men, toying with them to her heart's desire, until she meets Paul and falls under his inescapable spell.

Utterly in love and vulnerable to Paul's unyielding rules on proper behavior, Claire's journey into submission is beautifully described by the author, both psychologically and erotically. Yet she is not the only person to be guided by Paul's domination. Her closest friend of the moment, Tristan, learns first hand of the consequences of Claire's training as he, in turn, is slowly forced into becoming her groveling pet.

And there are more characters in the plot who evolve with the trio Claire/Paul/Tristan. Paul's household maid and sexual object, Rachael, is the brunt of several punishments which include hand, cane as well as more intimate chastisements. Claire's childhood friend, Beth, irked by Tristan's disrespect, gives into her sadistic tendencies and undertakes his education with fervor...

The book is beautifully written. The psychological ups and downs of the characters are so well described that they seem real. I think it is an exceptional novel and hope to see more from the author very soon.

A Journey Round a Darker Sun may be categorised as erotica with a D/s theme, but it's much, much more than that and a million miles from the standard BDSM offering with its implausible plot and unrealistic characters. Dark Sun is wonderfully written for a start: poetic, witty and full of vivid imagery. The story compels you to keep reading and the characters are so true to life and well realised that you'll recognise aspects of yourself and those around you on every page.

Dark Sun tells the story of Claire, a beautiful and much-pursued twenty-two year old. She's also self-centred, manipulative, and a tease. She's never had to try to catch a man; she does the choosing, picking men up and then discarding them when they prove too malleable, too eager to please. Her hopelessly lost and lonely friend Tristan is the most eager of all, and he's used as a confidante, cleaner, baby-sitter and even as a warm-up act before Claire's dates with other men. When Claire meets Paul however, she's forced to change. Too magnetic to resist, too much of a prize not to be fought for, Paul is also too assured to put up with her games. Outclassed for the first time, Claire begins her journey into submission.

This journey is highly erotic of course, but it's also perfectly paced, with each step developing naturally from the characters themselves. And power play is explored at every level, from the ever-shifting hierarchy of Claire's friends and hangers-on to the complete power exchange of her relationship with Paul. It's this richness that makes the book so satisfying - it's not just a series of D/s scenes strung together but a journey that changes every character. It's also a great read, even if D/s isn't usually your cup of tea.

Five years in the making, this is a remarkable book. But it is only Volume 1. The author says he will write volume two, but, he cautions, "I will spend as long on Volume 2 as it takes to get it right, because I intend to tell this story well."

Part of me wants him to spend the time, because Volume 1 is so well-written. Another part of me wants Volume 2 NOW! Even so, I'll wait. Mr. Lowrie's patience shows in the novel. Unlike many authors, he doesn't rush through the mundane to get to the action. And the mundane is anything but mundane.

This is the first book I've read in a long time that made me reluctant to put it down and sorry to finish it. This is partly because the story is so compelling, but the biggest reason I wanted to keep reading was that the writing was so good.

Simon Lowrie tells us a story of a bright, beautiful, self-assured but still uncertain young woman named Claire, and the beginnings of her infatuation with a mysterious man named Paul, who has been taught by his father that women are to submit to men. Yes, the theme of this book is of a D/s relationship, but there is so much more in it than that.

There is Tristan, a young man who is so infatuated with Claire that, as one reader said, "he just makes you want to slap him." Tristan seems so hopelessly smitten that it's easy to understand why he does all the things he does -- essentially anything Claire wants him to do -- to help her comply with Paul's demands of her. However, you will need to watch Tristan carefully. There's more to him than you might at first suspect. A lot more.

There are other, more shadowy, characters in this tale, and they are nearly as compelling as Paul, Claire and Tristan. Indeed, one should watch them carefully as well.

I might try to summarize the novel for you, but the author does it so much better: "DarkSun, though black as pitch, is not a bdsm novel in the tired old sense; one of those books where 'the plot' consists of a string of implausible excuses to be sadistic. It is about love and hate and hope and fear and feelings that do not have names. It is the only story I will ever write, because it is the only one inside me."

Yes indeed. You should read this book, even if the D/s theme isn't your "thing."

And I sincerely hope there are more stories inside Simon, stories he just hasn't found yet.

A Journey round a darker sun is a beautifully written and highly disturbing book. A story about control and the need to be controlled. If, like me, this is not your usual scene, you might be tempted to pass this one by. My advice to you is DON'T! This is a book that demands to be read. A masterpiece of its genre. It is so deeply erotic that you will find yourself unable to put it down because it orders you to find out what happens on the next page. Simon Lowrie is an artist whose words are his paint, and the readers imagination his canvass. I can only say I'm glad he wrote this story. It has left a lasting impression within this reader's mind.

i loved this book. Most of what's out there is marginal, at best. What a delicious surprise. Thank you, Simon Lowrie, for the wonderful, highly erotic read.. And now....when is Volume Two expected???

i was drawn in by the characters (most especially Paul, Claire and Rachael) and by the conflicted but steady progression of Claire's submission. Let us remember that this is a novel, a fantasy, the opportunity to wander further than W/we might in reality. As well as being a thoroughly pleasurable read, i found Journey to be rich enough in plot and character development to delightfully stimulate my own mental wanderings.

A marvelous D/s tale. Not it to be missed, particularly by those with an interest in BDSM....a tale of love, pain, service, Dominance, submission, humiliation, bondage (by voice restraint alone) and discipline.

Again, i thank you, Simon.

Journey is a beautifully written tale of unrequited love, obsession, narcissism, and the psychological side of bdsm. Claire is a beautiful, if not slightly naive woman. Her beauty warrants the attention of many men, some who are literally lining up to do anything she wishes of them just for a peek at her long legs.

Submission in a man isn't what she's looking for, and puppy-dog eyes aren't the way to her heart. She finds herself slowly sinking into an unstable relationship with a man who inspects the state of her legs and spanks her for any faults, whereas the other men in her life breathe their every breath in the hope of a glimpse at her legs.

Unlike many other books featuring bdsm, Journey doesn't involve the theatrics of leather, handcuffs and clamps. The domination and submission in Journey is deeply psychological, and that makes it all the more chilling and effective. These characters aren't cracking out the whips for some sexual fun, this is the way they live their lives day in and day out. And even without leather and whips, that makes the book deeply erotic to its core.

i loved this book. Most of what's out there is marginal, at best. What a delicious surprise. Thank you, Simon Lowrie, for the wonderful, highly erotic read...

i was drawn in by the characters (most especially Paul, Claire and Rachael) and by the conflicted but steady progression of Claire's submission. Let us remember that this is a novel, a fantasy, the opportunity to wander further than W/we might in reality. As well as being a thoroughly pleasurable read, i found Journey to be rich enough in plot and character development to delightfully stimulate my own mental wanderings.

A marvelous D/s tale. Not it to be missed, particularly by those with an interest in BDSM....a tale of love, pain, service, Dominance, submission, humiliation, bondage (by voice restraint alone) and discipline...

I bought this after seeing it called better than one of my favorite novels, Elizabeth McNeill's 9 1/2 weeks. I am glad I caught that review, because it turned out to be one of the most exciting books I have come across in a long time. This is a delicious and intelligent story about a love triangle, with some extraordinary scenes and characters so warm and alive they could be in the room. The plot itself is simple enough: Claire has to be totally submissive to Paul or face the consequences, and she compensates internally by dominating Tristan. What gives the book its unique flavor is the wonderful way these relationships are explored and the sheer sensuality of the writing.

Like 9 1/2 Weeks this is a very tactile book that plays on all your senses. It also wraps an extremely kinky story in a romantic and convincing framework, which I wish more books could do. In other respects these two accounts of grand obsession could hardly be more different. McNeill spares the reader nothing to create a mesmerizing atmosphere of twisted love and danger. Lowrie captures the same shocking intensity of feeling while leaving many events behind closed doors, and I never felt Claire risked more than heartbreak and the conventional forms of punishment. People looking for mainstream erotica or romance should probably check it out carefully first, because this is a subtle and multi-layered book that will either entrance you or cause acute disappointment, depending on where you stand and what you like. No opinion is worth more than another when it comes to books, but for me this was a rare and special treat and I hope there will be more.

In her very special universe, Claire is the sun, orbited by adorers. Twenty-two years old, every inch a sensual, irresistible beauty, Claire takes it for granted that even the men she rejected keep kissing the ground she walks on.

Her only problem is that no man is really good enough for her - until she meets Paul and falls so deeply and devastatingly in love that there is no escape. Paul is a black hole. Once she has crossed the event horizon, Claire is lost. Even when he shows the dark side of his character, Claire can't help loving him all the more for his disturbing strictness. Humiliated to the core, Claire turns to Tristan, whose devotion is balm on her bruised behind and solace for her shattered soul. But as much as Tristan idolizes her, he can never win her heart. And so Claire is left with no choice but to jeopardize her status and her self-esteem by setting out on a journey into total submissiveness.

Claire's ever-growing dilemma as she, the dominantgoddess, experiences power play from the opposite side, is masterfully described by Simon Lowrie, who has created a genre within the genre: the drama. As Claire oscillates between obedience and rebelliousness, Lowrie's poetic language and intelligent sense of humor give this book a depth that enhances its sensuality.

I'd like to bring a truly excellent book to your attention:"A Journey Round A Darker Sun" by Simon Lowrie. Succinctly put, the story is compelling and the authorship is stellar.

"AJourney Round A Darker Sun" was chosen as the Erotica Readers Association's October 'Book of the Month', and subsequently placed in our 'Permanent Collection' of choice titles. The truly remarkable thing about this book is the fact that it is a vivid trip into domination and submission (so popular these days in erotica) without using the typical author tricks and trappings of this particular type of plot.

The story flows smoothly, effortlessly - and is shockingly erotic. D/s stories seem to multiply like mosquitoes; way too many and mostly annoying. They have a sting, create an itch and that's the end of them. But "A Journey Round A Darker Sun," because it's rather more a mind trip into dominance and submission then simply graphic master/slave nonsense, is disturbingly real.