Wednesday, September 9, 2020

SciFi/Fantasy Book Review: Beyond Shame by Kit Rocha


Beyond Shame is the first in a self published series of erotic fiction novels by author "Kit Rocha" ( a psuedonym for authors Donna Herren and Bree Bridges), set in a dystopian post-apocalyptic world.  The series came to my attention after Rocha published under a mainstream press the first in a sexy romantic science fiction series, Deal with the Devil (Reviewed Here), which I enjoyed a lot - the perfect blend of fun dialogue and characters and steamy sex scenes, to go along with a fun SF plot.  And with the first book in this series available free from online ebook retailers, I couldn't help myself in giving it a try, figuring hey, I enjoyed the sex scenes in that book, how about a book in which they're the primary focus, and the SF the background?

And uh, yep, Sex is definitely the primary focus of this novel, with the science fiction aspects limited entirely to the deep background.  Fortunately, the sex scenes in this novel, making up something like 80% of the novel in its entirety, are ridiculously fun.  The lead characters - a young woman from a sheltered rich city where sex is heavily restricted who wants far far more and a lieutenant to the top gang in an area outside the city who is far far more accustomed to the many pleasures of sex - are really well done, as are the secondary characters as the more experienced lead guides the other through the pleasures of the flesh.  I will probably be back for more of this series, because well....sometimes this is what you want, and damn is it good.

Note:  If you couldn't tell from the description as an erotic romance series, this book is entirely graphic and quite pornographic, so if somehow you just want romance with a little bit of sex, this won't be for you.


------------------------------------------------Plot Summary------------------------------------------------------
Noelle Cunningham could've been safe within the walls of Eden, the city of the wealthy still standing after solar storms destroyed most of society.  The daughter of a councilman, all she had to do was follow the rules, be a good moral girl, and safety and security was assured.

But Noelle didn't want that.  Noelle wanted to be bad.  And when her father and the authorities found out about her attempt to experience pleasure - "Fornification" they called it in their charge - they threw her out of the city, into the Sectors that surround it, where only the strong survive.

Thankfully for Noelle, before anything can happen to her, she is found by Jasper, a lieutenant of the O'Kane gang that rules Sector Four, and taken to safety....well as safe as one can be in the lawless worlds of the sectors.  There Noelle discovers a world of pleasure and sex like she could never have imagined, and people like Jasper and the rest of the O'Kanes, for whom the question is never about morality, but only about desire.

But to truly find her place in Sector Four, amidst the pleasure Jasper and the others show her, Noelle will need to learn the courage to assert her own self even when they might go against the pleasures and desire laying before her......
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Each book in the Beyond series seemingly centers around a single couple/grouping of characters, within the same setting, in sexual explorations and more.  In this novel, that's Noelle and Jasper, mainly really Noelle, as she gets to explore for the first time sex and her sexuality in ways she never could have in the restricted Eden and finds herself loving every bit of it.  Every so often we get a chapter from a side character's point of view to get their perspective on the happenings, but really this is about Noelle and Jasper.  Or really, Noelle mostly.  Mind you, the other characters here, from righteous gang leader Dallas, to the woman he loves who is the only one who won't bow to his authority Lex, to Jasper's friend a tattooist Ace, all the way on down, are all really really well done, and I'm excited to see where the series goes once it switches its focus to each of those characters in turn.  But they're not the point here (although again, I kind of love Lex after this all).

Because again this novel is about Noelle and her exploration of sex as she leaves a place where any bit of it outside of approved sex for the rare purpose of childbirth (everyone in this world has for whatever reason - drugs, atmosphere, whatever, it's not totally clear - become unable to have children without the aid of certain rare and expensive drugs) for a place where there are absolutely no rules.  And for the O'Kanes, while their gang provides some structure for ordinary life in Sector Four under their head Dallas' rule, no rules means basically anything can go with regards to sex as long as its consensual.  Anyone not marked in a way to tie them to another can have sex with whomever they want, in any particular ways, with sex toys, or more often just ordinary objects repurposed as sex aids (chains, benches, ties, pearls, etc.) and assistance from other people being more expected than not.  Their idea of parties may be an orgy as often as not, and when Noelle at one point asks what the dress code is for a celebration, she's told "clothes" and that specification is meant literally, because in other circumstances, those would be entirely optional.

It's a lot for Noelle to take in, and it leads to a ton of absolutely fantastic scenes of sexual exploration, as Jasper and others guide Noelle through the possibilities.  These scenes frequently involve more than one other partner, with Jasper rivaled for Noelle's affection by Lex - who seems extremely tempted to claim Noelle for herself for good - and aided in helping her explore the possibilities of sex by others like Dallas and Ace.  And the book takes sheer pride in the "filthiness" of it all, as none of the characters find anything wrong or unusual mouthing the obscene and enacting it, instructing another as to a blow job and deepthroating right from the get go, and absolutely more.  And these are so so good.

But what makes it all so satisfying in the end, beside the outrageously good and fantastic sex scenes, which I won't quote here only because for the most part this blog is PG-13, is how it finishes with Noelle's journey towards reclaiming herself and the right she has to say no.  Like I said, a big theme of the novel is that Dallas' gang refuses to do anything without consent, and Jasper refusing to take advantage of Noelle desperately wanting more and more without knowing what limits she might want.  But by the end, despite that desire, Noelle is able to claim herself for herself, even as she pairs up for a dangerous but sexy and rewarding life in the gang with Jasper.  And it's oh so good.

A note:  While Noelle and others appear to be bisexual in this novel, with F-F sexual relations occurring normally throughout the narrative, there isn't really any sign of any other queer persons or relationships through this book - there's no talk of men pairing up, or of women full time pairing up without men (although Lex is really Jasper's main rival for Noelle's affection, but Lex is a bit of an exception to all the rules).  There are no non-binary individuals or trans people either.  And while the O'Kane gang is led by a man who insists upon the autonomy and worth of women, the gang is structured around the men, even with women who are important parts of the organization.  For a novel that is otherwise an utterly progressive sexual exploration, it's a notably regressive part of the setting that I hope doesn't continue.  Otherwise, i see the next two books can be obtained in a collection for $1.99, so you can expect to see me picking them up soon enough.
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