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gongwon's review against another edition
3.0
3.9 ⭐️ okay, i was reallly bored last night when i found this and it ended up not being that bad. YOU KNOW WHAT ION EEM KNOW Y IM EXPLAINING MYSELF YALL KNEW WHAT TYPE OF PERSON I WAS WHEN I GAVE HUMAN OMEGA 5 STARS IDGAF IDGAF IRDGAF AHHHH
anyways the book was INTERESTING, the writing was okay but not so ass i needed to dnf. There was basically no plot until the end but it wasn’t boring like okkk slave stockholm syndrome slice of life. for such a short ass book it didn’t feel rushed (until when kai like accepted the situation, but even then it wasn’t THAT jarring)
now the endings … purrr like it gagged and im alr like a few chapters in to book 2 BYEBYE
anyways the book was INTERESTING, the writing was okay but not so ass i needed to dnf. There was basically no plot until the end but it wasn’t boring like okkk slave stockholm syndrome slice of life. for such a short ass book it didn’t feel rushed (until when kai like accepted the situation, but even then it wasn’t THAT jarring)
now the endings … purrr like it gagged and im alr like a few chapters in to book 2 BYEBYE
vjallison1974's review against another edition
3.0
Ms. Aaron is a talented author. She can take you to a world that you've never seen before and make you believe in it and its characters.
It is with regret that I had to stop reading The Slave at 42% completion, due to my own shortcomings as a reader. I liked the story and where it was going at first, but after a while, Tamelik's repetitive thoughts on his master and his love for him, why he was happy as a slave, and everything else got to me. It was like he was trying to convince himself as well as Kai that he had a fantastic life, and was ultra happy being a sex object to a man who obviously didn't love him, but he was in love with. His jealousy of Kai is natural, completely understandable.
Certain things did get on my nerves too, with the actions of the characters. I know Tam's a slave, and he's supposed to obey his master, but certain things were a little too nasty in my opinion. His master is supposed to be "one of the good ones" yet I thought he was cruel to both Tam and Kai in one or two spots.
Since I cannot finish reading this one, I doubt I'll be reading the other two in the series. Sorry Ms. Aaron.
It is with regret that I had to stop reading The Slave at 42% completion, due to my own shortcomings as a reader. I liked the story and where it was going at first, but after a while, Tamelik's repetitive thoughts on his master and his love for him, why he was happy as a slave, and everything else got to me. It was like he was trying to convince himself as well as Kai that he had a fantastic life, and was ultra happy being a sex object to a man who obviously didn't love him, but he was in love with. His jealousy of Kai is natural, completely understandable.
Certain things did get on my nerves too, with the actions of the characters. I know Tam's a slave, and he's supposed to obey his master, but certain things were a little too nasty in my opinion. His master is supposed to be "one of the good ones" yet I thought he was cruel to both Tam and Kai in one or two spots.
Spoiler
The sex scenes were good, but too plentiful in just the first third of it - more than enough to cement the fact Tam was having a lot of sex with his master. Forcing Kai to give Tam an orgasm by using Tam's obvious distress from being ultra stimulated was the final straw for me, especially after "Master" promised he wouldn't force anyone into anything they did not want to do at first.Since I cannot finish reading this one, I doubt I'll be reading the other two in the series. Sorry Ms. Aaron.
lau_ro's review
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.0
Tam is the flatest character I've ever read to the point I barely understand why this first person POV. I understand how the character's lack of personality works in universe since he was a slave since childhood (which gives me the ick concerning his relationship with "The Master" even in gay romance), but the only reason I even finished the book was to get to the other two more interesting characters. Sad to say, as soon as Tam was not the POV, I wanted to edit him out completely.
The writing itself is okay. There's some inconsistencies and repetitions I wish I could edit, but I like romances that build so I'm not mad.
The writing itself is okay. There's some inconsistencies and repetitions I wish I could edit, but I like romances that build so I'm not mad.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Slavery
Minor: Adult/minor relationship and Kidnapping
To expand on Adult/child relationship: nothing happens! Butlarkin_vale's review against another edition
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
kallania's review
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Slavery
Moderate: Violence and War
Minor: Adult/minor relationship
__kai__'s review
DNF at 36%
I was expecting this book to go into a completely different direction. When I read the synopsis about one slave sent out to buy another one, I thought it would be more about the new slave helping him understand that the live he lives is in fact not "good" and them planning to escape together. But I was wrong.
I hate all 3 characters and how they are portrayed. Tam is understandably brainwashed, but even then him constantly telling Kai that he shouldn't be upset about becoming a slave was driving me crazy. He was also always saying how "kind" the Master is, even though every scene he was in, it was proven completely false.
The Master is also constantly giving speeches of how good he is, and that he would not force someone, and how Kai should be grateful, etc. Then proceeds to humiliate Kai and force him to have sex with Tam by threatening to continue hurting Tam. And the worst part is that Kai starts agreeing after like day 3? One day he's crying about how it's no way to live and now they have to future, and the next day he's telling Tam that it's actually not so bad, and even better than outside live. He should be angry and resentful based on his earlier characterization, but for some reason he's quick to switch for literally no reason. It's not even that the Master was in fact kind to him. He made him sleep on the floor in cold room (justifying it as his own fault for "not valuing things he's given"), humiliated him by making him call him Master (justifying it as "respect"), and forcing him to have sex with Tam (justifying it as him actually wanting it himself). He's not really different from other people he threatens Kai with, I'm not sure if we're supposed to like him at this point, but doesn't look like he changes later on based on other comments.
I keep questioning why doesn't Kai ever actually get mad. He occasionally snaps at Tam or Master, and they say something to convince him that he's actually in good position, and he's like "yeah, you're right"???
I was hoping for revenge plot where Tam and Kai put the Master in his place, but looks like that's not where this is going so I'll stop reading for my sanity
I was expecting this book to go into a completely different direction. When I read the synopsis about one slave sent out to buy another one, I thought it would be more about the new slave helping him understand that the live he lives is in fact not "good" and them planning to escape together. But I was wrong.
I hate all 3 characters and how they are portrayed. Tam is understandably brainwashed, but even then him constantly telling Kai that he shouldn't be upset about becoming a slave was driving me crazy. He was also always saying how "kind" the Master is, even though every scene he was in, it was proven completely false.
The Master is also constantly giving speeches of how good he is, and that he would not force someone, and how Kai should be grateful, etc. Then proceeds to humiliate Kai and force him to have sex with Tam by threatening to continue hurting Tam. And the worst part is that Kai starts agreeing after like day 3? One day he's crying about how it's no way to live and now they have to future, and the next day he's telling Tam that it's actually not so bad, and even better than outside live. He should be angry and resentful based on his earlier characterization, but for some reason he's quick to switch for literally no reason. It's not even that the Master was in fact kind to him. He made him sleep on the floor in cold room (justifying it as his own fault for "not valuing things he's given"), humiliated him by making him call him Master (justifying it as "respect"), and forcing him to have sex with Tam (justifying it as him actually wanting it himself). He's not really different from other people he threatens Kai with, I'm not sure if we're supposed to like him at this point, but doesn't look like he changes later on based on other comments.
I keep questioning why doesn't Kai ever actually get mad. He occasionally snaps at Tam or Master, and they say something to convince him that he's actually in good position, and he's like "yeah, you're right"???
I was hoping for revenge plot where Tam and Kai put the Master in his place, but looks like that's not where this is going so I'll stop reading for my sanity
a_reader_obsessed's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 Stars
Anyone who knows me knows I typically don’t do ménage, and slave fics aren’t high on the list either. However, I’ve had this on my TBR shelf glaring at me for forever, and I finally took the plunge.
This definitely has its merits. If you’re up for a tantalizing slow burn as Tam the slave brings home a new member for the Master’s household, showing Kai all the ways and rules, then I think many will love this.
Beware a lot of existential contemplation about being a slave, embracing slavery, resisting slavery, the loss of free will, what is truly freedom, love and fidelity but also the idea that under a very kind master, life can be oh so fulfilling, pleasurable, and wonderful despite the invisible barriers that keep these three men from truly being together… for now. Know that this also ends on a cliffhanger, where the next two books are in the POV of Kai, and subsequently the Master, before we can have a true happy ending.
Overall, I’m glad I checked this off my list. There were many wonderful aspects to this despite the above noted tropes not being close favorites. It remains to be seen if I have the desire or curiosity enough to continue but regardless, if you want an erotic exploration and undoing then this will not disappoint!
Anyone who knows me knows I typically don’t do ménage, and slave fics aren’t high on the list either. However, I’ve had this on my TBR shelf glaring at me for forever, and I finally took the plunge.
This definitely has its merits. If you’re up for a tantalizing slow burn as Tam the slave brings home a new member for the Master’s household, showing Kai all the ways and rules, then I think many will love this.
Beware a lot of existential contemplation about being a slave, embracing slavery, resisting slavery, the loss of free will, what is truly freedom, love and fidelity but also the idea that under a very kind master, life can be oh so fulfilling, pleasurable, and wonderful despite the invisible barriers that keep these three men from truly being together… for now. Know that this also ends on a cliffhanger, where the next two books are in the POV of Kai, and subsequently the Master, before we can have a true happy ending.
Overall, I’m glad I checked this off my list. There were many wonderful aspects to this despite the above noted tropes not being close favorites. It remains to be seen if I have the desire or curiosity enough to continue but regardless, if you want an erotic exploration and undoing then this will not disappoint!