Customer Reviews

Mr. Benson: A Novel

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

 

 

As a young gay man within the leather and bdsm community, this book moved me. The emotions, the story, the setting and the description, it feels as almost of the reader is there with our aspiring slaveboy Jamie. But this isnt some trashy domestroe paperback novel, no, it is a love story of the deepest kind. It reveals that even within a Master/slave relationship, the need to for intimicy is still ever present and needed by the parties involved. S&M is just a paler form of true intimicy, the level of whcih we all seek and need some time in our lives.

Mr. Benson is without question an iconic work of fiction. I've seen the book reviewed as a must have for anyone interested in BDSM and as the blurb mentions, has become a cultural symbol. The paperback is on many, many keeper shelves and remains a classic, much discussed story. What's interesting is that Mr. Benson doesn't actually try to be a story based in reality or a how to for BDSM fans. Instead the story delves into the ultimate fantasy and the psychological impact of heavy slavery and sadomasochism. The writing is raunchy, raw and delights in being stroke fiction while also offering a pretty cheesy and flat out bad mystery. Yet none of that matters for those that read this because the intimate look at the emotional, physical and mental desires of hard core BDSM participants remains fascinating. You don't read this for a well crafted story per se - you read this for the glimpse into the heads of those who desire, crave, and fantasize about BDSM. Some may recognize their own desires within while others may understand the subculture better.

Jamie is a cute twink cruising gay bars looking for the perfect Master even though he doesn't realize that's what he's after. He encounters the near silent Mr. Benson in a leather bar and goes back to his wealthy penthouse within minutes of meeting. Soon Jamie has pledged to be Mr. Benson's slave and gives up his life entirely to be at the whim of his Master. What follows is Jamie's sexual journey as a slave with a side trip into a bad mystery before a happy ending and tacked on epilogue. Of course Jamie wasn't called a twink back then but he also makes some incredibly bad decisions that likely would have left him dead, maimed, or diseased if the setting was more modern. So right away the story is over the top in many ways and a fantasy. Frankly that works well since it's trying to show a mentality and a culture more than anything else.

Jamie is the narrator as he describes his journey from hapless cruiser to well trained sex slave. His thoughts and observations are biased and focus more on the sexual aspects than the emotional. Jamie lives out his sexual fantasy in its entirety while indulging in just about every kink - water sports, fisting, branding, piercing, and masochism to name a few. Jamie also gives up his job, apartment, friends, family, and entire life to be submersed into the life of a 24/7 sex slave. This is part of Jamie's ultimate fantasy and the narration luxuriates in such raw, brutal sex. Jamie is branded almost immediately and there is never a discussion of limits, desires, wants, or needs. There is only Mr. Benson and his immutable will. The lack of responsibility on Jamie's side allows him to revel in his sexual fantasies. This delves into the mentality of a masochist and the more extreme desires and hidden longings.

Jamie is not perfect and questions, theorizes, and misinterprets a lot of what goes on. This is later contrasted beautifully in the epilogue written from Mr. Benson's point of view where his mentality comes through strongly in mere pages. His strong desires and needs aren't questioned and wondered, merely accepted point blank. He also explains the hard work and mindset of a sadist that is not out simply to use and abuse. The contrast is startling and a perfect ending to the book. The epilogue is especially nice since the last quarter of the book or so deals with the somewhat obvious and silly kidnapping mystery. This portion of the book is definitely not the highlight and thankfully by the time this aspect gets going, the strength of the writing, characters, and story are well defined.

Overall Mr. Benson delivers exactly what it is supposed to be - a tantalizing look at hard core BDSM participants that gets readers questioning, wondering, and squirming. Not all of the kinks are easy to read or imagine and the writing pulls no punches with the raw, blunt language. Some may find these aspects difficult to handle while others may be frustrated at the mystery portion, but most will be fascinated by the glimpse into the minds of Mr. Benson and Jamie. Even written over twenty five years ago, the themes, concepts, and portraits depicted have lasting impact. If you haven't read this iconic work, you must.

Taken from the cover this best sums up this great story of bdsm, master/slave, love and the dynamics of it all.
"Nowadays I laugh when I think of the guys in the bars who used to complain about their lovers. They talked about what a hard time they had on a weekend when their man was in a bad mood or about what marks were left once a month when they got the workout they'd been seeking for four weeks.They didn't know about masters.When I first came out I thought Butch was an insurance salesman in a flannel shirt...Mister Benson changed all that.
They never met Aristotle Benson. He is my master and I am his slave."
A good read.

Deinitely a propduct of its time (pre-AIDs), it's a quick read, but sort of off-putting even for a non-judgemental, non-prudish gay reader who isn't into the scene the narrator is. Lots of sex, with more emphasis on pain and humiliation than sex since it is a first-peson account by a slave who seems to have found the perfect master. The end wound up in an unconvincing white-slave-market plot that really showed some poor writing.

There will be no "follow-ups" to Mr. Benson, because John Preston passed away. However, his works include several more excellent volumes of erotic work involving men and their passions for SM and each other. See also "Looking for Mr. Preston", a tribute anthology to the man and his writing

I really enjoyed this book except for the ending mystery story (those who read it will know what I mean.)I found that kind of lame but otherwise it was a book I could not put down. It is very graffic and some with weak tastes may not like it but those who fantasize (or participate) in very heavy S/M will enjoy it. I did.

Jamie, in his mid twenties, much older Topman Mr Benson describes him as a cute little clone boy with an unformed personality, he saw him as a challenge; and one weekend was enough for Jamie to know that he wanted to be Mr Benson's boy, his slave - permanently. Mr Benson took some convincing but eventually took him on, and trained him and formed him into a masochistic, very devoted and willing slave.

But there is more to the story than the Master slave relationship between Mr Benson and Jamie. Gay boys, particularly blonde gay boys, are disappearing in numbers. Mr Benson and his circle are concerned, but a plan to track down those responsible puts Jamie and his friend barman friend Rocco in serious danger of becoming slaves for real and against their will.

This classic novel of gay BDSM is an engaging read, filled with man on man action, most consensual but some not so. The two main characters are both appealing, Jamie who narrates the story is so desperate to serve and be a good boy; the very wealthy Mr Benson is the perfect Master, strict but in his own way considerate, he falls in love with his boy. There are several other interesting characters including Rocco, another wannabe slave, and Mr Benson's fellow members of the Topman Club who include a black cop, two very beefy and handsome construction workers who are partners in business and life, and a big fair haired German.

Mr Benson is a tough, touching and erotic story, a story of love, trust and loyalty, but in the case of one character of betrayal. It is though more of a fantasy of a Master/slave relationship that the reality (I imagine!), but that in no way detracts from the book.

Mr Benson by John Preston was possibly one of the most challenging books I've read in a while, but the depth of feeling, trust and sense of belonging was so worth the ride. I have to agree with a comment made to me about the latter parts of the book, which did end up a little bit like something out of Five Go Mad in Dorset. However, by the time I'd actually reached this point in the book I did not really give a rats as I was up at some ungodly hour reading it. I just wanted to see what happened. I think the final chapter was what really set me on my ear. Mr Benson is not BDSM lite, it is the full banana and then some. One of my top reads of the year.

for me, Mr Benson introduced to me to leather sex - it was educational , entertaining and insightful. Well done Preston - how about a follow up

Another "BDSM" erotica classic! A must read for those who love submissive men or dream of dominant men -- like both then you'll be doubly pleased. The only problem is that the plot tends to drift off from the training to a police drama at the mid-point.