Customer Reviews

To Serve Two Masters (Idol Series)

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(3)
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It is always revealing to review erotica as the comments give away as least as much about the reader as the book, however the chance to recommend this book should not be passed over.

As an exploration of the gay male fantasies about slavery this book is second to none that I have read. Unusually for this kind of writing the characterisation is plausible and detailed. The device of the two brothers to explore different sides of the psyche that is drawn to sm sex works well and the main character Rock contains many of the elements that will be familiar to gay men who have an interest in slavery and sm sex , whether that interest is purely fantasy or not.

Aside from all that, the sex bits of the book are great and will prove 'stimulating' to a wide range gay men. They are well written and erotic and do not fall into any of the crass, cliched traps that so much 'homoerotic writing' falls into.

Gordon Neale is a master (pardon the pun) of his craft and I cannot reccomend this book too highly.

If you liked the Tristan and Laurent scenes in the _Sleeping Beauty_ novels by Anne Rice, you'll like this even better - there's none of the philosophizing and the author gets down to brass tacks immediately. In the imaginary country of Illyria, the slave Rock is sold to two young brothers, Dorian, a gentle youth, and Carlos, his cruel older sibling. But who is really the slave and who is really the master? Probably the best novel of its type I have ever read.

There are two reasons to buy explicit sexual writing. The first is to get off on. Neale's "To Serve Two Masters" is well suited to this tasks because his descriptions are explicit without being repetitious. There are a few brief het scenes but 98% of the sexual encounters are between men. The other reason to buy erotic literature is because sex can be a great way to explore human life. This book is not an erotica masterpiece. While there are some plot twists, overall the book seems to jump around too much, especially when the main characters go in search of another slave. The philosophy promoted in this book is pretty standard: you must first know how to serve, to be humilated before you can dominate -- a pretty common view in gay male porn. I have the "idol" edition of this book so you may get the "virgin books" edition instead if you order it.

I got this book as I have an interest in this topic. I have read Anne Rice's Sleeping Beauty series, and do consider this almost up to her standards. The character developments were just fine, the story line was excellent, and I could almost hear the screams, the passions, the pleasures, and be in the scene. It is terriffic.

Rock, in his mid twenties is about to be sold at the annual slave market on the island of Ilyria, along with fellow slaves Justin and Theo. His master has trained him well but also been fair, and now Rock and his companions face the unknown. Rock's only hope is that the beautiful and sensuous young stranger, Dorian, who was a visitor at his master's house the night before the auction, will be his new owner; this despite the fact that the stranger's brother Carlos, handsome but viciously cruel, would be his joint owner. Carlos has until now cruelly and mercilessly treated his younger brother Dorian as a slave, how will a new arrangement work if they are jointly to be masters of Rock?
While Dorian deeply loves and cares for his new slave, Carlos takes the violent upper hand. But then outside events take over, and the established roles become blurred. Eventually after some serve training and punishment new roles and relationships are established, and the essence of the relationship between master and slave becomes clearer.
This is an interesting story, generally imaginatively developed, although occasionally predicable, but definitely ranking among the better of its kind. The plot is not too heavily burdened with explicit sex and slave/master action, as can so often be the case, but here it seems well balanced and not overblown and for that it is the more erotic. Along with the physical/sex action there is also a love story and a story of loyalty among companions.

Loved the masters and slaves on the brutal island of Illyria where slaves are treated no better than cattle. Herded into pens, put on display for potential owners to feel,prod and 'test them out', then put on the auction block. Can we say yummy. The gorgeous Rock hopes someone kind will buy him. The really gorgeous slaves can be brutally used as sex slaves in any number of capacities. There are no rules on Illyria.
He is bought by two brothers. One is as kind as the other is horribly cruel.
The story was good, the players erotic, the cruelty bad, o so bad.
Loved it!