Customer Reviews

Slaves of the Empire

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

 

 

Saylor, an editor for a number of soft-core gay porn magazines in the 1980s under the name of Aaron Travis, retained his pen name for the erotica published by Richard Kasak in his BadBoy imprint. The original novel was serialized around 1980, in Drummer magazine I believe. It's explicit SM fiction that follows the erotic adventures of an arena warrior subjugated by the Roman upper class as well as other warriors. Saylor knows his Roman history (as he reveals in his novels about the Roman "detective"), and writes better in this format than most of his fellow pornographers. Ironically, the graphically portrayed sexual abuse of slaves is probably more accurate of their actual condition than in the Quo Vadis-type bestsellers, which romanticized their Christian conversion (as late as the film adaptation of Spartacus in 1960, Kubrick had to cut direct allusions to sex between masters and slaves). Ultimately the book isn't up to much, and it's unlikely anyone will ever do a dissertation on Saylor's work, but it's a fun weekend read. A note to anyone interested: get it now, because BadBoy is letting many of these books go out of print.

"Slaves of the Empire" launched the career of Steven Saylor (writing at this time under the name "Aaron Travis"). It's easy enough to see why: Unlike most erotica, this work is primarily a historical fiction novel first and erotic a distant second. Most erotica writes the sex, and then tacks on, in the most unappealing way, the story and characters. "Slaves of the Empire" does not. These are fully-fledged and portrayed people, acting in character during a time of great social, economic and political upheaval. Saylor/Travis is a stickler for historical accuracy, and it shows here. Thankfully, that historicity doesn't get in the way of the story or sex, as it does in many other historical erotica novels. Intead, Saylor/Travis uses the historical realism to add to the erotic potential of the sex scenes.

Most people will buy this novel because of the sex scenes. In that regard, Saylor/Travis thinks far outside the box. Absent are the typical pornographic BDSM tropes which litter lesser works of erotica. Saylor/Travis is one imaginative BDSM afficionado! His understanding of the dynamics of BDSM sex -- the power relationships, the sexual relationships, the need for proceed slowly (for that alone can be its own torture), the need to structure sexual attention over time (rather than fulfill fantasy in one scene) -- rank far and above those of most BDSM and erotica writers. Coupled with the historicity of the novel, and the reader's growing (and horrible) realization that "this could have really happened", make for some very powerful erotica.

This work has long been recognized as one of the premiere efforts in the genre of BDSM erotica, and any erotica (for the matter). It is a joy to see it back in print. It is a novel no serious student or fan of gay erotica should be without.

I have read many novels on bdsm,S&m,master and slave, etc. But Aaron Travis, without a doubt has taken his story to the highest level of imagnative bdsm,erotic sex I have ever read in a book!
The exquisite torture,breaking and using of the captured Germanic twin boys owned by the brutal general Marcellus incorporates all the elements of bdsm,etc.but applies them to the Roman time period. The twin boys are valued because they are twins, beautiful and different.These slaves are as unique and precious as gems and Marecellus uses them, dresses them and hands them out as gifts and bribes. They are a status symbol.
He rewards them, for one night, to Magnus, a former galley slave,and now a highly respected gladiator. But Magnus may get more than he bargained for in the deal!
And therein lies the other best part of this book. A great story.A lush description of Rome,the other slaves,the general Marcellus.
This is a fabulous pornographic novel woven into a story! Which makes it all the more wonderful because of the flow of one sexy scene into another. Even the description of the drape of the minimal clothing Marcellus dresses his twin slaves in is erotic and sexy!
Aaron Travis(Steven Saylor) shows his skill as writer when he can combine the two elements in an erotic story of brutality,exquisite torture,unrivalled depravity, erotic debauchery, a very cruel master and beautiful twin slaves in Rome.
A perfect story.

Aaron Travis writes historical novels about Imperial Rome under his real name, and his love for and knowledge of that period shows in this classic... novel. Within this genre, "Slaves of the Empire" ranks just below John Preston's "Mister Benson", Wiliam Carney's"The Real Thing", and the classic novels of Larry Townsend. Alas the Badboy edition does not have the hot erotic drawings that the original had.

This was definitely an erotic story. Hot gladiators, and Roman depravity make an exiciting mix. And, as it dealt with slavery, I expected rape. However, I was disappointed that that was all there was. Plus, this was a VERY short book, 109 pages with slightly large type. A novella. This will teach me not to look at the page count. This is not to say novellas can't be worth the money ("Cat Toy" by Ilian Obidian was well worth the $10)

Gladiator Magnus finds himself longing to free twin boys from abusive slavery (and have them himself, of course). Which begs the question what would they do together if they could get free? The reader never finds out. The book's conclusion, while not a screaming cliffhanger, ends just as things could've gotten really hot, not to mention have a storyline.

So, considering how short it is, I would NOT recommend paying $10+ for this. If you can borrow it, or get it used cheap, it was worth a quick read-but not worth buying.

This is the story of Magnus, gladiator in the Romain Empire and of his erotic gay SM adventures. This is not a course of history, but the plot is very good and the SM scenes are arousing.

A tour de force of psychological/sexual exploration, and a masterpiece of Sadean literature. Not a single word is wasted as the author penetrates to the core of the existential crisis facing his gladiator hero. And it's very, very hot!

First of all a word of caution: this short novel is not for everyone and will not suit everybody's tastes: it deals not only with explicit gay sex but also with s/m and sheer, gory violence.

It might therefore be offensive to sensitive and or conservative readers, both gay or not.

Mr Travis takes a rather deep plunge into masochistical sexual relationships.

He seems to know very well that many people, while publicly rejecting submission and violence -even among consenting adults- still may feel compulsively attracted to it and play with this weakness presenting us with extreme violence, rape and blodshedding.

Gay men, being men in the first place, therefore educated to be or at least to try to appear strong and self confident, possibly feel the lure of these topics even more strongly and fiction can be a safe and legal way to indulge in these inclinations, if it is a good prose at least.

Our author, probably aware of all the above, seems scared though about giving in too fully to these topics or was possibly hindred by the original destination of it, gay act magazine.

Be it as it may he is rather prone to withdrawing the figurative offending hand and to superficiality.

It is a pity. Provided a reader is not easily offended by these topics, the conflict of Magnus, the main character, a strong, self sufficient, famous gladiator torn between his pride, sense of personal dignity and his submissive tendencies, between the savage beast within and the decent human being without could have been most interesting if treated with the necessary attention.

This being an erotic novel, this conflict could have been even sexually arising.

The proficient writing demonstrates that it is not lack of skill that prevents this novella from being good or longer, much longer and much more satisfying.

The Roman setting serves the purpose well, the late empire having been after all notorious for its cruelty and debauchery.

Nasty, short, and not too bad. Truly, I was disappointed on how short this book is; also it contains some things that I was better not reading (bad taste in the sex and erotic scenes, including some coprophillic stuff, and an insane obsession for big penises).

Also, to be fare: it is very well written; hot (when is not disgusting), the plot is consistent and well done, and the internal dilemma of the main character is very nice (but short), and the end I like it just fine.

So...

I think I would have been happier if not for the price and the shortness (no pun intended).

Do not approach this book with the idea that you are seeing what it was like to be a slave in the Roman Empire; this book won't really tell you that. But it is a well plotted, well paced, and well sexed novel which gets us interested and following one main character. Sympathy is strictly for the slaves in this books, so masters beware.