"Don't stop, thinking about tomorrow,
 Don't stop, it'll soon be here ..."
                          -- Fleetwood Mac

Did y'all miss me?

I know it has been a while, but sometimes life gets hectic, even for
Dragons.

I've been following, with some interest, the threads (read
flamewars) regarding reviews, and such. Even whilst being indirectly
attacked as a non-creative moron, I can live with that -- I have
thick scales, as any author around here probably should.

Normally, I would merely ignore the silliness, but I thought that I
really ought to re-iterate my purpose in creating and posting these
reviews -- a view from the inside, so to speak. There appears to be
some confusion as to why anyone might post public reviews.

Feedback.

As authors (yes, I do actually contribute original stories to the
newsgroups when I'm not writing reviews), most of us desire feedback
on our writing, since there aren't really any other measures of
success or failure or effectiveness. These reviews are merely my
chosen manner of providing that feedback, for I am realistic enough
to know that I will neither take the time to write individual notes,
nor participate in worthy endeavours such as the Fish Tank. I'm not
doing this for some sort of strange power trip; I'm certainly not
doing this for the glory -- despite what certain unnamed individuals
might believe, reviewing is a lot of work to waste on such
trivialities. I anguish over even slightly negative reviews that I
must write (ask Denny).  Sometimes, even while I don't enjoy writing
them, negative reviews are necessary -- otherwise, the reviews
become dishonest. I try to remind myself that I'm merely giving
feedback to the authors here in the only way I can, but even then,
it can be difficult. I believe that most authors *want* the
feedback. To be criticised, by association because I choose to
review, for actually providing feedback? That's a new one ...  but I
really don't mind. After all, these are only opinion, including
those that denigrate or question reviewers as a population.

Having said that, I don't mean to hurt anyone -- I'm really not that
kind of Dragon. While it perhaps is not always clear, and I cannot
promise anything, if anyone politely requested that I not review
stories by them, or requested only positive and/or glowing feedback,
I would gladly avoid such stories as best I could. In fact, I
self-censor if I notice that a certain author is constantly
receiving poor reviews, or takes serious offence to any of my
feedback, unless that author specifically has asked for review. It
is far too much work to write reviews for authors who only wish to
be told how great they are, or wish no feedback at all. While I
can't fathom the attitude or even the fragility of ego that causes
this, I certainly can be sympathetic to these kinds of concerns by
avoiding such stories.

Now, these are only my intentions based partially on my
understanding gleaned from my double role as an author and a
reviewer, but honestly I've never asked.

At the risk of extending an already silly flameware topic:

Are these reviews desired? Are they useful to anyone?

In terms of feedback to the authors involved in these reviews:

Is this working?

Best wishes,
 - Crimson

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The missives below are merely opinions, publicly stated, but only 
opinions. Dragons may be immortal, but they are not infallible. Read the 
stories for yourself, and form your own opinions. Then, let the author 
know what you thought. Celeste's blowjob principle isn't smoke in the 
wind.

 - Crimson Dragon ([email protected])

/~Crimson_Dragon
http://members.tripod.com/~Dragon_Of_Crimson

Review Archives:
/~Crimson_Reviews

Thanks to Denny for checking over the reviews for obvious
bungles, though ultimately any errors herein are mine and mine 
alone.
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------


Story Summary:
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Watching Shelly -- Kenny Gamera
    (MFF video)
    [9,10,10,10]

Kalisha Breaks and Enters -- Kalisha Connors
    (FF,MMFFF,exhib,d/s)
    [9,10,10,10]

The Best Sex You Ever Had -- nuj baf
    (m/f, wife)
    [5,7,5,5]

The Return of Dacia -- ElSol 
    (MF, Hetero, REPOST)
    [10,10,10,10]

Too Late -- Dryad 
    (Mf, inc, rape, viol)
    [10,0,10,10]

Images : 0009 -- Generic Joe
    (MFFF BDSM Fdom Voy)
    [10,10,8,10]

Angel of the Night -- oosh
    (caution)
    [10,10,10,10]

The Snoozer -- Mat Twassel
    (MF, rom)
    [10,10,10,10]

Reviews:
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Watching Shelly -- Kenny Gamera
    (MFF video)

Story:
http://assm.asstr.org/Year2003/43121

Author's Site:
/~Gamera/

Ken is sitting in a college bar, bored, watching Fred play tonsil
hockey with some over-endowed coed. Shelly is due to arrive in ten
minutes. Shelly shows up early, and they have a drink before she
needs to go to work.

Work, for Shelly, means making a website porn video that pays the
bills and gets her through her courses. Ken professes not to mind
her chosen line of business. However, when Dirk shows up and tells
Shelly that the shoot is off, she has to scramble to find another
guy to fill in or lose her rent money. No ... not Ken, but what
happens when our tonsil jockey Fred is the only guy available on
short notice?

I really liked this story. My only real complaint is that there
might have been a little too much description in the sex (I like a
bit left to the imagination), but given the themes, it was
appropriate. So, not much of a complaint, huh?

What I really liked was the characterisations. Shelly and Ken shone
through. The small plot deviations. The details.  I felt like I was
right there with Ken, watching Shelly along with the world they live
in. Kenny (the author) walked a fine line here. It would have been
*very* easy to forget about story and slip into heavy sex mode. You
know the type -- the guy slathering over his dizzy porn star
girlfriend, joining the action at the first opportunity, encouraging
her to fuck everything in sight as much and as often as possible.
Instead, Kenny found a nice middle ground here, touching on deeper
issues in this kind of relationship. I believe Kenny. I care about
Shelly, and Ken, and even Krystal and Fred, and for this kind of
story -- that's an achievement.

Great characters. Different story.

Thanks, Kenny.

Technical       :    9
Eros            :   10
Character/Plot  :   10
Crimson         :   10

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Kalisha Breaks and Enters -- Kalisha Connors
    (FF,MMFFF,exhib,d/s)

Story:
/~Kalisha/Kalisha4.html
http://assm.asstr.org/Year2003/43111

Author's Site:
/~Kalisha/

This story is actually part of an ongoing saga, but as Kalisha says
in the introduction, it does stand on its own.

A very few mortals have been chosen by the ancient gods -- Thor,
Luna, Aphrodite (my favourite), Odin, Hades -- you get the idea.
Well, when the Chosen of Odin appears in Kalisha's strip club
demanding his eye, Kalisha reluctantly agrees to try and retrieve it
in exchange for lessons. But finding the lost eye, and enhancing her
natural powers in the process, proves to be a scary and fun
proposition.

I wasn't sure that I was going to like this story, given the story
codes, but this is a shining example of why one sometimes needs to
read the story, rather than trust in codes. While there is certainly
an element of D/S and exhibitionism, it is the muted type that I
actually do enjoy in a story. In other words, there is more to the
story than sex and girls chained naked to walls. Kalisha tells a
compelling yarn here, that certainly passes for erotica, but
actually tells a story with plot and character and all that good
stuff that I review for.

The formatting on the newsgroup copy was a little difficult to read,
but that was more likely the ASSTR auto-conversion software.
Kalisha drops a couple of words, here and there, but nothing to
worry about. We all miss words occasionally.

Truthfully, I have to confess that I picked up the story because
during my break, I read "Elaine and the Dragon" (which I can only
recommend highly as well). I commented privately to Kalisha, but
will probably include a public review in a later issue. But I
digress. I liked her easy storytelling style, and so I wanted to
know if she could pull it off twice.

Kalisha can pull it off. (The story, people; focus.) And she does.
Sexy and fun.

A delight to read.

Technical       :    9
Eros            :   10
Character/Plot  :   10
Crimson         :   10

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------
The Best Sex You Ever Had -- nuj baf
    (m/f, wife)

Story:
/~nujbaf/Bestsexever.txt
http://assm.asstr.org/Year2003/43095

Author's Site:
/~nujbaf

Our narrator is sitting in the same old boring cafe, eating the same
old boring food, when a convention rolls in. Service slows down as a
huge line forms. Our narrator is in no hurry, so this development
doesn't bother him. Suddenly, Joe walks over to the table and asks
if he may join our lonely and bored friend. Our illustrious narrator
shrugs and agrees, thus forming an instant bond.  What is always the
first question that a stranger might ask you after being kindly
invited to save an hour wait for a table, you might ask?

"What is the best sex you ever had?"

That's the first question *I'd* expect, anyway.

However, our narrator doesn't see anything odd here, and proceeds to
relate a sexual encounter with one of his worker's wives in Taiwan.
Joe drinks up the story as raptly as one might expect -- awe and
desire fairly oozing from his pores.

I wish that I could say the same for the casual reader.

[ I couldn't believe that I {have} nearly eaten every entrée in this 
  coffee shop/bar/restaurant adjacent to ...]

This is never a good sign -- mixed tenses in the very first
sentence. Oh well. There are similar technical issues throughout the
story, but honestly, they aren't all that serious.  Distracting for
me, but not everyone is as sensitive to such things.

But seriously. nuj baf does write an interesting tale here, even if
it does kind of stretch the limits of my willing suspension of
disbelief. He describes a fun interlude, male fantasy -- a dull
business trip, a disappointing change in plans which turns around
into a sexy woman in his bed. The description of the scenes
revolving around the sexual interlude are clear and not overly
explicit. I would have liked to see a little more character and
believability, but for what it is, the story isn't badly written.

I have a couple of suggestions for nuj, though ultimately the
presentation of the story, of course, is his choice.  Nuj relates
what amounts to a third person story through a first person dialogue
in a crowded cafe to a stranger.  I'm not sure what elements this
added to the story (maybe a slight exhibitionistic thrill, talking
to a stranger?) It wasn't clear from the story, but it seemed to be
an extra layer of complexity that wasn't required. As authors, we
need to find the best point of view to relate stories, and that
sometimes isn't the easiest thing in the world to accomplish.
Ultimately, it is nuj's choice, but I think straight third or first
person here would have worked better.

I suspect the point of this story really was merely an accounting of
the fantasy of terrific sex with another man's wife, and in that, it
works at least to a degree.  With a little more effort at setting
and story, I think I would have been more inclined to identify with
the character.  As it stands now, I didn't feel the same things as
the narrator, so for me, it wasn't even really average sex, much
less the best sex of my life. However, for others, perhaps those
that secretly or openly lust after Taiwanese married women, and
would inherently understand the subtext, it might be better.

Technical       :    5
Eros            :    7
Character/Plot  :    5
Crimson         :    5

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------
The Return of Dacia -- ElSol 
    (MF, Hetero, REPOST)

Story:
http://assm.asstr.org/Year2003/43125

Author's Archive:
/files/Authors/The_Cycle_of_ElSol/

On a quiet rush hour train, David sits and watches the old men who
stare at nothing, swaying only with the motion of the car. For
eighteen months, David has travelled this route performing his tasks
as a contract IT wizard. That is, until the fateful day, that fifth
day of the nineteenth month, when Dacia returns.

I don't quite know how to describe this story, it operates on so
many levels. ElSol brings to writing what his character brings to
the guitar. It is soulful, important, and touching from Dacia's
beauty, grace and strength, to Elizabeth's quiet pain, to David's
haunting guitar and implicit understanding of the world around him.

[ "I think you should consider Michael for the permanent position{.}"
  I told the IT manager. ]

Merely a note to ElSol: I noticed a number of places where dialogue,
as above, should have been punctuated with a comma instead of a
period. The rest of you, ignore this -- it isn't important.

Only the story here is important. This is powerful writing that
grips you, and won't let go. The sex is uncommonly heated, and the
combination of characters and storylines here are nearly
unparallelled. Not a story easily forgotten.

If nothing else here, go read it.

Technical       :   10
Eros            :   10
Character/Plot  :   10
Crimson         :   10

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Too Late -- Dryad 
    (Mf, inc, rape, viol)

Story:
/~Dryad/toolate.html
http://assm.asstr.org/Year2003/43197

Author's Site:
/~Dryad/

Connie hasn't had the best life in the world. She's from a small
town, and even while she should have had an idyllic life, sometimes
small towns have their dark secrets.

And so, Connie finds the courage and the bravery to escape.

This is unusual style for Dryad. Her stories are usually much, much
lighter. This story is heavy, and laden with character and meaning,
darkness and hope. It's not an erotic story, nor should it be.  That
zero below, is actually a compliment. Some stories shouldn't be
erotic, and this was one of them. Instead, we get a realistic view
into a troubled girl's life, and that's exactly as Dryad intended,
and how it should be. Don't be looking here for hot sex -- but if
you want a good story ...

It's powerful. It's different, and I highly recommend it.

It's never too late.

Technical       :   10
Eros            :    0
Character/Plot  :   10
Crimson         :   10

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Images : 0009 -- Generic Joe
    (MFFF BDSM Fdom Voy)

Story:
/~genericjoe/images/image0009.html
http://assm.asstr.org/Year2003/43214

Author's Site:
/~genericjoe/

On a break from her chores, Amy hears a woman scream. She slips into
the hidden observatory, and peeks out to see a naked guy playing the
piano, a naked woman bound and perched atop it. You get to read the
image to find out what they are doing, and why.

I like these kinds of flash pieces, though it is difficult to
adequately portray character and plot in so few words. Often, the
image is only meant to invoke a quick emotion, or a feeling, like
the venerable Suki's images did in times past. I think, given this
purpose, that Generic Joe has done Suki proud here, as that is
exactly what this image did, at least for me. Sometimes we don't
really need heavy character or plot, do we?

It's sexy, in its own BDSM-type way.

Technical       :   10
Eros            :   10
Character/Plot  :    8
Crimson         :   10

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Angel of the Night -- oosh
    (caution)

Story:
/~oosh/nightangel.html
http://assm.asstr.org/Year2003/43203

Author's Site:
/~oosh/

How to describe this story? I always have trouble with oosh stories.
They are all different, and new, and exciting, and ethereal.

We join Sally who lives with her grandparents. And night by night,
an angel joins her. Except the angel ... isn't quite what one might
expect.  Meanwhile, Granny is dreaming of an angel -- of freedom,
and awareness.  And Grandpa ... well ... Grandpa isn't quite what he
appears.  You'll really have to read this story to know what I mean.

Oosh has a gift for prose. This story winds around and interconnects
in such wonderful ways that one can't help being amazed by the sheer
talent behind the words.

Yes, be cautious of this story -- as oosh says, don't read it while
you are eating dinner. And I tend to agree. I can't believe that I
could be so angry and disgusted, and still find a story worthwhile.
But oosh knows exactly what she's doing, and it all has purpose.  Oh
yes. Oosh pulls you along, and doesn't let go, through the worst and
the best of humanity.

Technical       :   10
Eros            :   10
Character/Plot  :   10
Crimson         :   10

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------
The Snoozer -- Mat Twassel
    (MF, rom)

Story:
http://assm.asstr.org/Year2003/43204

Author's Site:
/~twassel/

Joe and JoJo (how's that for a name pair?) stop off at a garage
sale. There, they find an alarm clock -- one of those that have
the 'snooze' buttons atop. How I like 'snooze' buttons.

Anyway, this reminds Joe and JoJo of their honeymoon when they
put that snooze button to good use, and missed a few continental
breakfasts along the way.

Mat has this way of describing ordinary objects and situations
so that they come to life. We can identify with it all, and that
makes all the difference in the world.

Romantic. Sexy. What else do you want?

Technical       :   10
Eros            :   10
Character/Plot  :   10
Crimson         :   10

Editorial Note:
    Mat did not code this story, nor is he required to. The story codes
    above are merely an approximation created from the fevered mind
    of a half-asleep Dragon.

Editorial Note (II):
    This story may only be available for a limited amount of time
    as a free story. Normally, I don't review stories that have an
    archive time limit and aren't available elsewhere for free. In 
    this case, I read it before I realised the nature of the post.
    Be warned that the links to the story may not work in the future.
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------