Rating: 
Summary: Compelling..
Review: 'A Journey Round A Darker Sun',is not for you,should you be looking for a clammy furtive quickie of instant gratification, or indeed simply a voyeuristic foray into a cliched world of Domination and Submission,whippings and welts..handcuffs and characters,who merely overpower or capitulate at will, within the first chapter and continue ad nauseum to the end.
There are many alternatives for such appetites..
Simon Lowrie personally took me, on a subtle and cerebral erotic literary journey,lyrically and in prose, where i neither wanted to love nor hate the characters.I was transfixed by them as i realised it felt as though i knew aspects of them intimately, and recognised traits that quite simply 'are',those of people i have known,loved and hated in my own reality.
Such for me at least, was the consumate skill and powers of descriptive foreplay and illustration in this book..
That of plausibility, connection and recognition.
I could neither forsee nor predict the outcomes or intricate twists in the relationships portrayed so very adroitly, between Claire,Tristran and Paul initially; or indeed as they entwined and evolved with the added satellites of Rachel and Beth and the shadow spectres of Sabine and Luke, bygone templates or catalysts for current behaviours..
We are all as we individually are..
We are all unique composites of our own life experiences..
So whether in fact you empathise or indeed detest the individual personalities,the dynamics are compelling,if you will only allow yourself to be transported by the very individual linguistic excellence of Simon's style,to experience such..
to truly journey round that darker sun and be touched by all that your own imagination, heart and soul are open to experience,and as lightly or as deeply as your wish is for them, to be touched and you can allow it.
Sad for you if you are disappointed..
But i wasn't..
This is one journey i will not forget in haste.
Rating:
Summary: An extraordinary and erotic novel
Review: A Journey Round A Darker Sun is an extraordinary book. Unlike much erotica, it isn't about sex, it's about people, about their relationships, their power over each other, and why they do what they do.I don't mean there isn't sex in the book - there is plenty - and it is very erotic. But this is eroticism with class, eroticism for people who think. Claire is a beautiful and intelligent young woman who is very much in control of her life and her friends, till she meets Paul, handsome, rich, and in need of a beautiful girl to do his bidding. Tris is hopelessly in love with Claire, will do anything for her, however menial. Yet often, does Claire control him, or does he control her? And then there's Beth, Claire's lifelong friend. What does she get out of it all, who does she control in the dance of power and love? But if believable, real and subtly changing relationships are not enough, if you want more than dominance, submission and sex, you will also find treasures in the writing. For much of this book, written in prose of power and clarity, is really poetry, and can affect you, control you in the same way as good poetry. Yes, A Journey Round A Darker Sun is an extraordinary book full of subtlety and half-hidden treasures. Buy it, read it, and then read it again, or you will miss a treat.
Rating:
Summary: Waiting for the sequel...
Review: 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.
Rating:
Summary: A perfect 10 if you like SM romances!
Review: 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.
Rating: 
Summary: Love it or Hate it?
Review: I can't decide whether I should love this book or hate it. It is a VERY compelling read in psychological submission and humiliation. The lives of the characters become bizzarely intertwined as the book progresses.
The supposed heroine, Claire, is moved slowly but surely toward utter submission to a boringly rich, handsome, and typical Dom figure (Paul). However, I found the whipping boy -- one Tristan, a hanger-on from Claire's youth -- to be a far more interesting study. He moves from friend, to friend-with-favors, to outcast as Claire's universe gradually adjusts to revolve around Paul. It's quite unclear, however, if the ending is a disaster or triumph for poor Tristan, as he seems to find his greatest glory in being mistreated by Claire (and later, Beth).
I was slightly put off when I learned that the characters are all in their early 20's. While this might be believable for naive characters such as Claire and Tristan, it was utterly unbelieavable that Paul could radiate a fully-established identity (one of raw power, sex, and knowledge) at the tender age of 23. While on the surface, he might come across as a "dream" Dom, his sudden rages were a complete turn-off. Furthermore, Paul's motives and background were very poorly explored, and his persona came through as being flat and uninteresting.
Read it, but only so that you can commiserate with me.
Rating:
Summary: Intelligent, erotic...i loved it.
Review: 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.
Rating: 
Summary: BORING!
Review: Simon Lowrie is a master at writing erotica for intelligent people, definitely not typical S/M, there are no leather toys, whips, restraints, if you're looking forward to a sexual act on every other page, don't waste your money on this book, you'll be disappointed. Although there are some very hot sexual scenes, most of the D/S takes place on a psychological level using humiliation to control, and involves perspectives from a number of characters, subs & doms both, males & females. Actually, this book is hard to categorize, first and most of all it is a love story told in a style really witty and verbose, also it has the feel of sci-fi or occult fiction, perhaps because the emotional highs in this book are mixed with fear and absolutely removed from the real world. The author's way of comparing people to luminaries and satellites is interesting, some lighter or darker suns with lesser satellites revolving around them who in turn may have satellites of their own. Claire is a breathtakingly beautiful & shapely young woman, good job, young son, many friends, she is popular with both women and men. Only 22, Claire is somewhat of an airhead and a real tease, used to having men worship her, some like Tristan even willing to clean her house and do her shopping in return for just a glimpse of her bare upper thigh. She meets Paul, handsome, rich, well traveled & well dressed, impressive car, Claire is the envy of all her friends for having caught such a man. Privately, Paul is a sexual dominant, demanding and bossy, who introduces her to a thrilling world of discipline and intense sex such as she's never imagined possible. As Claire submits to Paul, perhaps to seek a sense of balance, her domination of Tristan becomes more overt, and he is trained to serve her needs and those of her friend Bev who participates in Tristan's humiliations. A rare find in the Erotica selections.
Rating:
Summary: explores the dark side of submission
Review: This book goes beyond the realm of the usual mind-games found within BDSM and into a much darker place. The characters mess with each other simply for the sake of messing with each other. I found myself morbidly fascinated, reading on if only to see what new cruelties could be heaped upon these people by their so-called friends, not out of any sort of enjoyment. The scenes are few and far between - there's much more detail of the mind-games than anything else. I came away disturbed from reading this - it's titled very appropriately.
Rating:
Summary: BORING!
Review: This book is boring and so poorly written. There is some good stuff regarding the relationships of people but if you are looking to get turned on, forget it.
Rating: 
Summary: Where's the erotica???
Review: This must have been the most boring book, I've ever read in my life. Sadly the author of this book, KNOWS NOTHING about erotica. This book is not about the content, it's about the LACK of content. He sure knows how to put a reader to sleep though! There is no story and the characters one dimensional, and annoying. There's not a modicum of eroticism in this book at all! I forced myself to read on though, hoping and PRAYING for something interesting to happen, but it never came. The more I read, the angrier and sleepier I got. I finally had to throw it into the trashcan before I wasted any more time. It makes me wonder if I happened to get the wrong book with the cover slapped on it. I'm baffled at the reviews that gave it 5 stars. SAVE YOUR MONEY and buy a different book.
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