Rating: 
Summary: A Serious Erotic Thriller
Review: "Topping From Below" bridges the gap between a serious thriller of a novel and explicit erotic fiction. It is an admirable, perhaps audacious, first novel by Laura Reese. It is more than an exciting "fast read" and has a depth that deserves merit.This is a shocking mystery novel opening with a first person account by the main character, Nora Hibbs, of the sadistic death of her sister Franny. The author grabs the attention of the reader in a graphic first paragraph and succesfully builds the tension all the way to the end. While the primary plot is attention grabbing, the enduring tension is artfully developed by an underlying, highly erotic, pcychological exchange of power between Nora and M. The author has masterfully used sadism and masachism as a method of playing with human emotions and exchanging physical and mental control between the two main characters. The result is a gripping novel. The erotic scenes are explicit and may be offensive to some readers. Most involve S&M, but all of them are integrel to the story and changing the lives of the characters. They are not merely thrown in to tease or shock the reader. This is a serious novel with good character development and a devilish plot that could be real. My only disappointment was with some of the author's over-use of description of the physical environment. Some of the description was lengthy, unnecessary, and unrelated to the plot. This is a thrilling, very readable first novel. It is also one of the very few legitimate, quality novels that successfully includes explicit erotic scenes that are integral to a very real story. I hope the subject matter does not hinder the author's opportunity for future success.
Rating: 
Summary: Offensive and Sick
Review: I would have to agree with some of the criticisms that were listed earlier. I, myself, am not into S & M, but even if I were I would find this put pretty sick--and I consider myself to have a high tolerance level (I read "The Story of O").
Without giving away too much of the novel, there were certain elements in the book that bothered me. One was the narrator's character. I hate reading a novel where the lead character's actions don't make any sense. For most of the novel, she blamed her sadistic lover, "M", for her sister's death. So, to find the evidence she needs to get him arrested, she enters into a similar affair with him. She allows herself to be abused and subjugated to the same sexual deviancy her sister suffered, including bestiality and being urinated on. Yeah, that makes sense.
Nor did I like the way the novel ended. I felt the book's ending was unsatisfactory and inconclusive, and the way "M" was punished was totally illogical, borderline on stupid.
Sorry-but I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone else. This is the kind of novel a person would reach for if they wanted immediate and cheap porn, a quick fix--beneath my taste, personally. Don't waste your time.
Rating:
Summary: This is NOT BDSM; It's Abuse
Review: Perhaps I shouldn't write a review, because I was only able to get through the first three chapters before giving up in distaste, but I'm going to anyway.
As a BDSM player myself, I was turned off and disgusted by the relationship described here. I'm afraid this book will contribute to some of the negative stereotypes about SM held by the vanilla public. The relationship depicted here is one between a pathologically sadistic, selfish, immature jerk and a pathetic, insecure, unformed young woman with no self-esteem.
The activities the author recounts are abusive and manipulative, not a mutually-enjoyable, informed and consensual dynamic between two consenting adults. Any Top who would treat a bottom this way would quickly find himself alone, as most young female players have more than their share of potential partners within the established Scene.
I would not compare this novel to the classic "Story of O" (which many others in BDSM also find offensive) because "O's" Tops ALWAYS ask for her informed consent before proceeding, and she seems to enjoy her distess and pain on some level. The bottom in this novel never gives her consent, is pressured into activities she doesn't want to do, and is manipulated into believing this is regular, normal sexual behavior, rather than a lifestyle choice that must be considered carefully.
Perhaps this is a good novel that I'm not giving enough of a chance. If you read it, however, be aware that this is NOT what BDSM is all about.
Rating:
Summary: Take A Walk On The Dark Side - A Beautifully Written Novel!
Review: "Topping From Below" is one of the best psychological thrillers I have read in a very long time, and is reminiscent of the work of Alfred Hitchcock - minus the obvious sexual content. This novel is usually billed as BDSM erotica which really limits the readership. I find this sad because as a novel it is excellent and deserves to be enjoyed by a wider audience. While many potential readers will shy away from a novel with a BDSM theme, they certainly enjoy novels like "Silence of the Lambs," many novels by Stephen King, and suspense thrillers involving serial killers like Jack the Ripper. Although the latter books have little or no sexual content, they are usually much more violent in nature than this spellbinding mystery, suspense novel by Laura Reese. For those who are not familiar with the terminology, BDSM describes a number of related patterns of human sexual behavior. The major subgroupings are described in the acronym "BDSM" itself - bondage and discipline, domination and submission. The book's intriguing title, "Topping From Below," refers to a rebellious dynamic in which the submissive, (the bottom), partner manipulates the dominant mate (the top).
Nora Tibbs, an attractive, successful, 30-something journalist is obsessed with the mysterious murder of her younger sister Franny. Franny's decomposing body was found bound, gagged and mutilated on the floor of her living room. There was no evidence of breaking and entry, so it is speculated that the victim knew her killer and voluntarily allowed him/her to enter her home. The coroner, after the autopsy is completed, is unable to determined the cause of death.
Nora is haunted by her sister's death and is determined to find the murderer. While looking through Franny's papers, she finds a diary on her sister's PC detailing the victim's BDSM relationship with a man called "M." Always believing she knew her sister well, she is shocked that Franny would even consider entering an "abusive relationship." The more she reads the more convinced she becomes that "M" committed the heinous act which ended her sister's life. The police have checked out this potential suspect, thoroughly investigated him, and found no evidence involving him in the case. The relationship between Franny and "M" was between two consenting adults, and the BDSM lifestyle is not a crime. Nora continues to believe "M" is guilty and is determined to prove it. She finds his home and work address and literally stalks "M," a talented musician and music professor with very unusual sexual proclivities, (to say the least!), until finally the two meet. He knows from the beginning who Nora is, but is intrigued by her and the possibilities of forming a relationship with the sister of his former lover.
From the very first page to the last sentence the suspense and the tension increase. The writing is superb and the three main characters, Nora, "M" and Franny are intriguing, well defined and developed. The conclusion is a knock-out! I really couldn't put this book down.
I feel it necessary to warn potential readers that this book is for a mature audience. There are extremely graphic sex scenes, not all of them pleasant. However, none of the sexual material is gratuitous. All of it plays an important role in the plot and the development/decline of the characters. The novel could be compared, in a sense, to the "Story of O," but the storyline is quite different.
If you're intrigued but in doubt, check it out at a local bookstore. If you're just plain interested - go for it! Take a walk on the dark side. It is an excellent read! Highly recommended.
JANA
Rating: 
Summary: sexy suspense
Review: mystery & erotica. this book will keep you on your toes with great sexual scenes & awesome story line. i didn't want it to end but the ending was awesome.
Rating:
Summary: thriller, yes; erotic, no
Review: As a psychological thriller, this book would get 5 stars. It has a great plot, lots of twists and suspense, and the characters were well developed. I really felt Franny's pain. As an erotic novel, I would give it 1 star. Now, i'm no prude, I like a good spanking scene as much as the next girl, but parts of this book made me want to vomit. If bestiality (sp?) is your thing, read it, if not you may want to stay clear. So depending on what you are looking for, you may enjoy it, but it was a bit too hardcore for my tastes.
Rating:
Summary: YOU WON'T PUT IT DOWN
Review: I am certainly not a prudish miss, (if I were, I would not have ordered this book) but I found this story disturbing and the references to adding farm animals to sex play totally nauseating. Not entertaining or erotic, by my standards.
|
