Laura Antoniou Books

Finally Ms Antinou is back with her fantastic Marketplace series. Initially I was uncertain that I would like this book due to the fact that it was a series of short stories rather than a complete novel. However, the individual short stories are held together by a plot line dominated by a political battle within the Marketplace that defines it's very essence. This subplot helps maintain coherence and moves the novel along very well.

The only other fault that you may notice is that some of the references are dated (such as describing the coming return of Hong Kong to China). But nothing serious enough to ruin the enjoyment of well written prose.

For those readers that fell in love with the BDSM classic, the Story of O, there has finally come a series that treats BDSM as more than just a cheap trick to sell poorly written porn. This book is well written, has identifiable characters and an interesting premise. Lara Antinou is a frequent guest at many BDSM conferences. I believe that her premise taps into the desire of many of BDSM scene (whether they go the events or just dream at home) that there is a group of people out there that take the leather scene a little more seriously than your average S&M aficionado. It is just a little exciting to think that if you can shine as a truly powerful Master or well behaved slave, that you may be allowed into a special clique of true devotees.

In addition to her well conceived premise, the characters in the book are well developed and interesting to read about. And while you may or may not identify with the disciplined Chris Parker or the self indulgent Michael, they sure would be a lot of fun to meet in the proper setting.

Just one note of caution, if you are not comfortable with male bisexuality then you may not enjoy this book. Otherwise I think that you find it is a welcome break from aggressive, badly written fare that passes for BDSM novels.

Laura Antoniou had a great idea: her Marketplace series was so popular and fans wanted so much more, why not continue the story but also allow others to create their own Marketplace pieces? The result is the wonderful story of the Marketplace worldwide meeting with the intriguing Kris Parker as the main character. We also meet older slaves, trainers, and owners, and those somewhere in between at the Asia meeting. Not only do we find out more about Kris Parker but we also get the wonderfully varied works of sevearl well-known and fairly new erotica authors other than Antoniou. Almost every taste and every orientation and every combination is covered as we go from formal slavery in Asia and England to the new age of California and the proper victorian style households. I enjoyed it greatly; only wished I could have written a story for it too.

The Academy: Tales of the Marketplace is set in Japan. We find Chris Parker, among other reader favourites, at the Marketplace's annual gathering, The Academy. Chris is to present a proposal that may cause some waves within the organization. Michael LaGuardia has accompanied Chris to this annual event and we watch him as he continues to struggle to become a Trainer. Of course, the book is filled with all the wonders of The Marketplace, such as pony and dog slaves, pleasure slaves, and other specialty slaves.

If you ever wanted to know about Parker, this book is definitely for you. We learn quite a bit more about how Parker came to be as well as a few other interesting bits about other Marketplace favourites. I couldn't put the book down (but then again, I couldn't do it with the first three either). At first, Parker wasn't my main focus, but by the time I reached The Trainer, I was hooked. I needed to know more and was in agony until I found that a fourth novel was coming out, The Academy. I prayed that I would finally be put out of my pleasant misery with more tidbits about Parker. My begging was answered.

As an interesting twist, Antoniou has invited authors Karen Taylor, david stein, M. Christian, Cecelia Tan, and Michael Hernandez to contribute a series of short stories. Each story is it's own, but blends nicely and gives us more glimpses of The Marketplace.

My only disappointment was Michael's role in the novel. When Anderson reveals to Parker what she feels Michael's most likely outcome would be. I laughed, thinking it was surely a joke. But when I saw her prediction played out in a few very short pages, I was very let down...cheated. I didn't like Michael at the beginning, but I grew to like him, even started following him more closely. I felt my time invested in him was a waste.

Lifting my spirits at the end was a glimpse of Antoniou's next book, The Reunion. Once again, I feel anxious. Must have Parker.

This book is a common type in the science fiction area where guest authors add stories on a theme to a skeleton set by the main author. Not only does this require strong co-authors but a strong and skilled main author which role is filled admirably by Laura Antoniou.
The Academy its self is a meeting of trainers with slaves that are good enough that their owners want to show them off. While there is good erotica here the main plot centers on Chris and his goal of being a slave and Anderson's sale of him. The other major plot concerns his proposal to rate trainers and only give full rating to those who have served as slaves under a master trainer for at least two years. Michael from The Trainer is still around and Chris has improved him to the extent that he appears human and has started to understand service; in fact he gets an award as "most popular with men women and sled dogs".
Unlike some standard erotic fiction these books by Laura Antoniou have plots, humor and good character development with interesting characters.

This book was awesome. I loved the way differnet writers did different stories and then Laura worked her magic to weave them all together. I could not put it down. I HIGHLY recommend it to everyone.

This book would be a great tool for someone who was not in the lifestyle of BDSM or what the book refers to as Non-SMers. This book answers alot of the questions someone not in the lifestyle would have about specific terminology and WHY people are drawn to desire pain and power exhange. It clears up alot of the myths about the relationships between people who find pleasure in SM or power exchange situations. If your partner has expressed desires in this area or if you are simply curious about your own unexplored desires, this is a very good resource book to that will provide you with a good basic knowledge of exactly what is involved in this type of alternative lifestyle enhancement.

Should I review this? Afterall I have a piece in this collection. But yes, I think I should review this anthology because as one of those real women who do "BDSM" I can say that these narratives rang a bell in my mind, each and everyone of them. Written from the heart, you'll find all manner of issues addressed in this collection and walk away wondering if the woman next day or your co-worker is one of these "women".

Some women is one of the best books I've read in my years in the scene. The essays are wonderfully written, some made me laugh, some of them brought tears to my eyes, but all of them were wonderful. I would reccommend this book to anyone wanting to learn and understand more about women in the 'lifestyle'.

Laura Antoniou has done it again; putting together a wonderful collection of very hot stories. It was nice to see another story by fellow Jersey girl Jen Johnson, and wish she'd come out from under whatever rock she's been hiding under and pick her writing pen back up!
Kudos to Ms. Antoniou for a riveting read.

Stop singing the Same Old, Same Old Blues! It's the Leather Muse to the rescue, with an anthology of Something Completely Different. Distinguished author/editor Antoniou (_The Catalyst_(see FL Vol. II), the Marketplace trilogy, _No Other Tribute_, _By Her Subdued_, _Some Women_) challenged her contributors to ditch the Top 40 and spin some World-Beat. Not to satisfy a multi-culti mandate, but for the sake of variety. They obliged with a funky mix of klezmer, salsa, reggae, "beer crying Western music," a little punk, and a whole lot of soul.

We're away from the chateau, there's not a dungeon monitor in sight, these are not the usual suspects, and sometimes they don't even know that they're doing S/M. But whatever it is, they know they can't live without it. Who needs a toy bag when a walk in the country provides an ear of corn, a garter snake, an electric fence and a railroad track vibrating from the oncoming locomotive? We're also away from apologies. What's most refreshing is the lack of anguished soul-searching over the nature of sadomasochistic desire. Here, it's as primal as romance and requires as little justification.

Do read the Introduction, if you have the least inclination ever to pen a leather tale of your own. In an intimate tour of her slush pile, Antoniou relates the musts to avoid, and makes a plea for plots: "Pornographic fiction...still remains storytelling," She wants to know "What's *different* about this time?" Even the standards (security check at an Israeli airport, commitment piercing ceremony, Biker raunch) have outstanding attributes: characters that convince, description from a different point of view, lyrical language.

Like giving a spanking, it's not what you do, it's how you do it. Here's a hot waxing: "I became lost in the rhythm of slow tilt and swift heat, punctuated by his harsh sounds." (Yes, there are a few biological guys here, mostly on the bottom). Here's a flogging: "...hammering her cheeks with warmth and surges of pressure..." The Jamaican mentor/white trash tale referenced above, "Tina and Gin," is narrated with a twang and cadence from deep in the holler: "I just needed to know if she was fakin', gonna make fun of me for doin' as I was told." Here's an orgasm: "Screaming floated to my ears, my lungs ripped. All of me convulsed...she watched, held my rope from the horizon."

Traditional folkways and religious rituals are reinvented to serve the leather goddess. An Amish bundling dress ("Nacht Ruck") is worn to celebrate a teenager's initiation by a single, older woman who works leather into saddles and lashes for buggy whips. A Jewish couple scrupulously adapt an ancient piercing rite, once used to bond a Hebrew slave who refused to leave her master.

A modern day fable finds a tattooed goddess at a strip show ("Mistress Butterfly"), who performs a simultaneous infibulation and husbandectomy on a wife dragged there by her piggish partner. This moral tale does some good work on body image: "It hugged her curves-including the curve of her belly, which embarrassed her because it made her feel fat." In a languid memoir of Cuba ("Julio") a naïve American university student is mentored by a Santeria wizard. Julio is the Trickster in a tale brimming with Sexual Magic. Initiations are a major theme here and two more are performed by a worldly Chinese businesswoman and a leather daddy. A changeling boy-toy gets his first kiss of the whip in the fun-loving "Cat's Play."

Warning: these stories may spoil you for the majority of existing product. _Leatherwomen III_ is a triumph of creativity and a celebration of the craft of writing. These stories are gems, cut and polished until they shine.

A great look at how this extraordinary porn writer influenced his peers, through their own words. The book includes fiction, essays, and true stories that brought me to tears, laughter, and a warm feeling between my legs. A good book for the person who understands that erotica is a literary form

I was really quite pleasantly surprised by this story of the training of four would-be slaves. It was on the order of Anne Rice's Sleeping Beauty books, but focused more on the characters of the slaves than on the sex (as compared to the Rice books--there's still plenty of sex & kink). Anyway, a surprisingly complete read.

Having been involed in the lifstyle for some 5 years this makes for interesting reading. Yeah we know it's fiction with a twist of fantacy, but it does have a fair level of the correct mindset needed by those that are portrayed. The contents of this book will challenge some, placate others and generally entertain most. Laura? well done great job and a great writing style, I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the series.
SJB

This is the first book in Laura Antoniou's renowned Marketplace series. It focuses in on four candidates who have come to the Marketplace to be trained as slaves. This is NOT a feel good, PC version of S/M, but a harsh, sometimes brutal look at consensual slavery. There is some wonderful sex, but the focus of the book is more on the psychological and physical adaptations that all four of the main characters must make in order to become the true slaves that they wish to be.
This is one of my very favorite BDSM books for one reason only; it is an enthralling read. The characters are well fleshed out (except for the enigmatic Chris Parker, whom one doesn't get to know very well until much further in the series). The plot flows well, and it is a very compelling read.
The short story alone at the end of the book, which bridges books one and two very well, is worth the price of this book!
Caveat; if you do not like scenes of corporal punishment and very graphic, heavy S/M, this book is probably not for you.

This is the first in a now five-part series about a system of buying and selling human beings who enter with their eyes open and their options limited. There are four people who enter the Marketplace and begin their training, or re-training in one case, in order to be sold into voluntary slavery. The characters are fascinating and their intense psychological study makes for an 'I couldn't put it down' reading. Once I discovered the series I couldn't wait to read them all so I could start back at the beginning and re-read them.

The development of the story is never slow, the characters have flesh and blood and are not cookie-cutter versions of the BDSM life. There is love, hate, envy, lust, brutality and sexuality in liberal doses in them all and they continued to capture my imagination. There is plenty of sex to satisfy everyone but their main accomplishment is their interesting characters and lifestyles.

My only complaint, and it is a constant one throughout the five books, is the editing and proofing. It is abysmal; it is more than a little distracting to have to insert words that are left out, re-read sentences several times to figure out what it should have said, misspelled and incorrectly used words all over the books. It is not hard to get a good proofreader, I'm one. I began to proof the pages and was astonished at how many marks I made on them. Get a proofreader and your books will be first class.

Laura Antoniou is, in some circles, considered to be one of the best authors of sadomasochistic fiction. And that isn't much of a surprise, since she really has mastered the art of creating intense sexual scenarios mixed with beautiful ways of writing. The Marketplace, the first part of her (at least within the BDSM scene) famous Marketplace-series, was originally published in 1993, and has all over the kinky and fetish world been celebrated as one of the best creations ever when it comes to the genre known as BDSM erotica. Since 1993 Antoniou has written four sequels, and these days not too many people argue against the fact that she's become one of the leading authors of BDSM literature.

The book focuses on the four slaves Robert, Brian, Claudia, and Sharon, who all get accepted into a rigorous training program under Master Grendel and Mistress Alexandra on a beautiful estate in the countryside. Grendel and Alexandra are representatives for an international organization devoted to trading in submissive slaves, and Marketplace - the name of this organization - is the largest but also most secretive organization in existence for people with these unique interests. For a few weeks the four slaves are drilled into being perfect servants, and throughout the book steaming sex is mixed with moving portraits of people with but one goal in life: to become the perfect servant to a Master or a Mistress.

And these people are: Robert, a shy, heterosexual man with great capacity but low self-esteem; Brian, a homosexual who has never doubted his own excellence; Sharon, an erotic bombshell used to being able to pick and choose any man she ever wanted; and Claudia, who already serves under Mistress Madeleine but nonetheless is sent to the Marketplace in order to improve her skills.

The Marketplace is a book that both beginners and more experienced people within the BDSM scene can enjoy tremendously, partly because it doesn't contain any off language or terminology that only the initiated will understand, but also because it isn't all about sex all the time. True, people have sex to the left and right, but the book also contains very interesting characters whose growth is quite fascinating to follow.

This might not be the first book to give to your spouse's parents for their anniversary, but if you want some exquisite inspiration for your exploration to the world of kinky sex and role-playing, then The Marketplace comes highly recommended indeed!

I LOVE this book. The whole series is amazing!!! It is very crude which I love. If love the BDSM scene and can handle strong scenes then i completely recommend this book! My (not sure if i can mention on this site) and i have the whole series and fine it such a joy and enhances our play time 10 fold.

I enjoyed the first book in this series, The Marketplace, so I had to look for the second.

The Slave focuses on one slave, Robin, as she undergoes training by the enigmatic Chris Parker, experiences her first sale in the Marketplace, and her life as a slave.

The training includes intensive interviews, in which we learn how Robin learned that she was submissive and her attempts to find a true master.

This is erotica, so it's obviously full of sex, but the sex is almost secondary to Robin's emotional journey. The flashbacks in the interviews provide the emotional background of the early disappointments and confusion, but what's most affecting is the training. By agreeing to the training and formally entering the Marketplace, she has to be certain it's what she wants, and that's challenged quite a bit initially. And she has to decide whether she's after submission or kinky sex--a decision that's brought home to her by the fact that her trainer never has sex with her, and the fact that her first sale is into a household of gay men, where she basically continues her career as an art buyer.

Then there's the emotional journey of settling in to life as a slave, and what happens when things go bad--which they do, quite dramatically.

The sex is unquestionably hot and exciting and creative, but what really sets this book (well, the whole Marketplace series) apart is that it's all plot-driven. It's not just a string-of-pearls (heh) plot, describing one sexual escapade after another--every sex scene marks an emotional milestone or turning point.

I'm doing a poor job of explaining. Suffice to say that it would be a fascinating book even without the sex scenes. The characters are real and intriguing, and I was thrilled to discover that Chris Parker plays a prominent role in the next book in the series, The Trainer.

You really get into this one. Excellent writting, can almost feel it. Well worth the read... or two... or three.

Having read the first book, The Marketplace, I was keen to get stuck into The slave and I was not disapointed in anyway. The writing style of Laura is very easy to read and of course as the subject is of great interest the chance to get some more insight into this part of the lifestyle was invaluable. Fiction? yes, Fantacy? maybe, but lots of valuable gems for future reference. I would highly recomended the two books I have read so far. The Trainer is about to be opened.
SJB

With The Slave Laura Antoniou establishes herself at the top of the erotic heap. This book is an excellent example of the MS genre of BDSM, Ds etc. Truly excellent and if you have been disappointed with books in this sub genre then this may change your mind. Robin has wanted to be a slave for years and had two semi successful SM relationships when Chris (from The Marketplace) agrees to train her for auction as a slave in two weeks. Chris and Robin are two of the main characters of the series which is notable for well drawn and compelling characters. The plot is good and there is notable humor as when Robin dates Greg in college and after all but writing "blindfold me tie up and be a pirate" he, being thick as a brick and about as sensitive, just brings condoms! The scene where Chris turns up to start her training is also good--he's wearing black jeans, engineering boots, motorcycle jacket with a dress shirt and tie--Robin thinks Ivy-league Angels their motto is, Think Yiddish, Dress British, and Ride American. There are a lot of humorous monuments as when Robin finds out who she is sold to. Lots of well written erotic scenes including same sex.

This is written nonlinearly and Laura Antoniou is very successful in pulling it off and making the stile aid telling the story instead of being a cutesy pooh gimmick.

Very well done and overall excellent, even if you have been turned off by some of the material this bock could change your mind.

I couldnt put down. More story about your beloved Robin and Chris, everything develops quietly interestingly with different points of view with several characters. I couldnt put it down. very hot!

After avidly reading through the first four Marketplace Series by Laura Antoniou, I got to the fourth book in her series, I found out she had another one that was published, and had to have it! This book really was fantastic in introducing more characters and following through each one's experiences, thoughts, fantasies, while on some vacation/Rest and Relaxation time. Chris Parker is at his best here! You, like me, when done with this part of the Marketplace Series, will want to know as soon as the next book, "The Inheritor" comes out! I was soooo impatient about that fact, that I even emailed the author, Laura Antoniou herself, and inquired if not already published, when the next book would be available for sale. My response from Laura, and I treasure it, was.... "As Chris Parker would say my dear, 'Be Patient'" I loved this book and am anxiously looking forward to the next in her series!

Barbara

This is the fifth in the Marketplace series and it does not disappoint at all. The characters that we have come to love are all there and they are all entertaining us with Antoniou's amazing ability to build characters, suspense and story line. I loved all the books and would like to read a dozen more about the same people and system of taking people out of the normal world and inserting them into one of enslavement, sex and bondage. They are great. Reading about Robin and Chris hot and heavy in the sack made me have to go take a shower. You are rooting for them to find themselves and to satisfy each other through four previous books and this makes it all worth waiting for. Chris is one of the most complex and satisfying characters I have ever read about and each book leaves you wanting to know more and more about him and his relationship with the Trainer.

That being said, what is the deal with the editing of this whole series? It is more than a little annoying to have to try to figure out what is happening when words are left out, misspelled, misused and generally sloppy proofing makes you wish you could take Chris' strap to the publisher. And for crying out loud, what is the deal with this font size? I could hardly read it and it gave me a headache every time I tried. If you are worried about your book being too long, shorten it, don't reduce the font size until you can't read it. The book is not too long; you have an audience hooked on them that would read a book twice this long. Get a new editor, get a proofreader and get a font that is large enough for us to read!

Other than that, when is the next book coming out?

The Reunion is the best of the Marketplace series al of which are good. The two main characters from the rest of the series are Chris (trainer in service) and Robin (trying to decide whether to stay in or get out after her previous owner Monica fell for another woman and didn't renew). It isn't necessary to read the other books in the series first but I still recommend them as they are all very good reads. The Reunion is a weeks vacation for slaves, their SOs and children. This sounds a bit like one of those grade school papers "what I did on my summer vacation" but its nothing like that at all. Some of the characters include AL and Lloyd (xs) longtime lovers and friends of Lisa and Richard and their two kids Todd and Amy; Carol(xs) been out for 12 years and wants to get back in; Chandra(pleasure Slave), Azziz(trying out on the butler staff as a change from the Waiters') and Mackenzie (senior client and butler). The interwoven plots include these and more well drawn characters and includes Chris' and Robbins affair, Chris' recruiting Lord and Lady Southerby for the regents (to say that Lord Southerby is unenthused about being a slave for two years is a real understatement), and a paparazzi name of Nigel who is trying to get the goods on the market place. The characters are deftly handled as are the carefully interwoven plots. There is some humor here as when Chris says to Robin "you'll have to move over or I won't spank you when we get there." And the reaction to Chandra's pajama party. In the genre this is the book to measure all others by. Now if you don't like same sex sex, VBDSM, MS, Ds, or have problems with transsexual issues this may not be for you but it is very well written erotica and stands above the others even The Slave and Safe Word.

Laura Antoniou writes the most deeply gratifying erotica I have ever read. It is like nothing else that has ever been written. Her books have made me weep with gratitude. If she ever stopped writing, ten thousand lights would go out.

This is the third book in the Marketplace series of BDSM erotica, following The Marketplace and The Slave.

The focus this time is on Michael, who was introduced to the world of the Marketplace through his uncle, who owns a couple of slaves. Michael doesn't have the wherewithal to purchase a slave of his own, but thinks he's found a shortcut by becoming a trainer. After a disastrous attempt to train a sex partner as a slave and introduce her to the Marketplace, he convinces everyone he wants to do better and secures a place with Anderson, the trainer of trainers.

This is actually all stuff we learn later on in the book--it opens with Michael arriving at Anderson's house and screwing up almost immediately, setting the stage for the rest of his stay there. Not only is Michael not the star pupil he imagined himself, but he's upstaged continuously by Anderson's houseguest, the enigmatic trainer Chris Parker. Even worse, nobody will tell him what to do, or what he's doing wrong.

Normally, I'm not a fan of stories that start in the middle and have flashbacks along the way, but in this case, it starts in the right place, and those flashbacks make a nice contrast with Michael's present journey.

Michael is a very unlikeable character--he's spoiled and impatient, and The Trainer is as much about him learning a few hard lessons as it is about the Marketplace. Most importantly, he learns to value the slaves, the value of servitude, and the true meaning of being a master--not simply someone who gets sex on demand, but someone who's also responsible for the slaves' wellbeing. The implications of his lessons stretch beyond kinky sex into everyday life--parent/child relationships, employer/employee, even general respect due between people of different socioeconomic stations.

Anderson's theory of training likewise applies to parents and bosses--that you must first be able to do before you can teach, as well as the concept that the better you know someone under your command, the better you'll be able to train them. It also has implications for even vanilla sex lives, focusing on respect, caring, and knowing your partner well.

The sex scenes (this is erotica after all) are integral parts of the story--they're not just inventive titillating scenes, but demonstrate turning points in Michael's journey, as he goes from focusing solely on himself to also caring about his partner.

And of course we get a couple more fascinating tidbits of information about Chris Parker. I peeked enough to know that he figures prominently in the next book in the series, The Academy. I'm looking forward to it.

Though I did enjoy this book, it was a little disappointing when compared to the first two books in the series. I am not sure I would have paid as much for this book as I did if I had known it was going to be this predictable...

The third in the series is as good as the previous two, fiction and fantacy but with a good dollop of reality. I have ordered the remaining two in this series so we'll see if Laura can live up to what has been so far some very enjoyable reading.
SJB

When I frist start reading this book, I thought that I would be reading another Master and Sub book. This was not so. I found this book looking into another site of hold a Real Master have what it take to be a Real Master. I enjoy this series, due to the factor it takes it from our time not years ago in a far way place.

The main character here, Michael is a egocentric Californiacated yuppie with a lack of observation of others that is truly remarkable in someone over the age of 16. He has been rated as a trainer by Hegel who runs his training house more like a dating service than anything else and Michaels lack of training eventually leads to Chris' proposal in The Archenemy. It is also our first sight of Anderson another of the series major players. I find Michael's character rather off-putting but this is still a good read. I would give it 3.5 but the system doesn't allow for that.

Unlike some standard erotic fiction these books by Laura Antoniou have plots, humor and good character development with interesting characters.

I was lucky enough to find this book sitting on the shelve in my local gay and lesbian bookstore and quickly snapped it up. The stories are erotic and the writing is superb. You won't like every story in the book but you'll like the majority of them. This book has something for everyone in it. It's bedtime reading to assure happy dreams.

As long as you have an open attitude towards sex (not tomention a taste for kinkiness), you won't regret reading this.

This is a book for very specialized tastes. The stories range from mild to extreme, but they are always interesting and will keep you yeaning to read more. This is a book I recomend very highly, mainly because I enjoyed it oh-so much =) Opium Poppy Fields

I enjoyed the collection of short stories in Leatherwomen. The book was a gift and I took it on a backpacking trip. After a long day, we lay around the campfire and I read several of the stories aloud. Some of the stories are brutal, like the prison rape scene. Some of them are tender in their eroticism. All of them elicited a interesting response from my appreciative audience. Definitely a nice beginning read for those intrigued by BDSM and the attached culture.

This book is written by Lesbians most likely for Lesbians. But I am a Hetrosexual Dom male, very heavy into BDSM. So why am I reading it? Because I found the book to be very good for helping me gain insight into the female mistique. The stories are all presented from a silightly different angle and so each one is fresh. While it is written by Lesbians I rate it a must read for males that practice bdsm with women. Signed Petruchio (www.petruchio.com