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michaeljpdx's review against another edition
3.0
Master Class is the newly released (by Riptide) prequel to the Sublime collection of BDSM shorts. It covers the very start of the relationship between the submissive Nicky and his dom Devon. The short-short novella (or longish short story) opens with the first meeting between the two, and it's love, or perhaps lust, at first sight.
Nicky is a true masochist who seems addicted to punishment, and goes out of his way to provoke it from his doms. For his part, Devon seems to be a true sadist, although we're give some insight into his doubts about how far he can go with Nicky. Devon sees through Nicky's attempts to manipulate him and believes there's a deeper reason the young man seeks out pain and humiliation. A large portion of the book is taken up with Devon's torture of Nicky to get him to break down.
It can be a difficult read. The BDSM action was a bit much for my taste, which is one of the reasons I didn't rate the book higher. I also felt the book was a bit too short, and could have benefited from a bit more character development so we can have a better context for the revelations that come out. Finally, there was some niggling little issues with continuity. The characters occasionally do things that seem physically improbable. For example, Devon sits on a sofa, leaving Nicky standing in front of him. But then the next thing you know, Devon slaps Nicky hard in the head. Either Nicky is very short or Devon has very long arms. I find such things jar me out of the visual scene I've built in my head when reading and really distract from the story. There aren't a lot of such issues in this story but enough to mention.
Nicky is a true masochist who seems addicted to punishment, and goes out of his way to provoke it from his doms. For his part, Devon seems to be a true sadist, although we're give some insight into his doubts about how far he can go with Nicky. Devon sees through Nicky's attempts to manipulate him and believes there's a deeper reason the young man seeks out pain and humiliation. A large portion of the book is taken up with Devon's torture of Nicky to get him to break down.
It can be a difficult read. The BDSM action was a bit much for my taste, which is one of the reasons I didn't rate the book higher. I also felt the book was a bit too short, and could have benefited from a bit more character development so we can have a better context for the revelations that come out. Finally, there was some niggling little issues with continuity. The characters occasionally do things that seem physically improbable. For example, Devon sits on a sofa, leaving Nicky standing in front of him. But then the next thing you know, Devon slaps Nicky hard in the head. Either Nicky is very short or Devon has very long arms. I find such things jar me out of the visual scene I've built in my head when reading and really distract from the story. There aren't a lot of such issues in this story but enough to mention.
eimreads's review
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
scarlett_r_90's review
4.0
The sex is a bit too rough for me - edging on excessive violence I think, but I still really enjoyed it and I'm looking forward to reading the short sequels.
evil_jj's review
4.0
I love these guys and after seeing them together in [b:Power Play: Resistance|13484184|Power Play Resistance (Power Play, #1)|Rachel Haimowitz|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1329195964s/13484184.jpg|19019159], I was happy to find this novella about how their relationship began. Devon is a complete asshole when he's playing Dom, and I love it. Fortunately for him, Nicky does too, and is finally able to truly give up control with Devon.
I'd give it 5 stars if not for lack of character development, which I just don't think is feasible given the short length of the story.
I'd give it 5 stars if not for lack of character development, which I just don't think is feasible given the short length of the story.
scarlett__r90's review
4.0
The sex is a bit too rough for me - edging on excessive violence I think, but I still really enjoyed it and I'm looking forward to reading the short sequels.
lauraadriana78's review
2.0
I wished I could have liked this book more. I like BDSM books, specially because I feel these stories delve into fulfillment of needs and desires that are very hard to express, finding balance and the different ways in which people can be loved and feel loved in return.
I don't mind raw and hard BDSM, I can read difficult scenes, IF I feel like I can understand the characters and their need for them. I did not understand Nicky. I never got the impression he understood himself. Devon was also a character that I felt was incredibly contradictory, his first encounters with Nicky left me kind of out of sorts, and it was hard for me to get past it. And after that I could not buy his insistence that he had a 'sense of responsibility' regarding boundaries.
This book just felt like too much, it was not for me.
I don't mind raw and hard BDSM, I can read difficult scenes, IF I feel like I can understand the characters and their need for them. I did not understand Nicky. I never got the impression he understood himself. Devon was also a character that I felt was incredibly contradictory, his first encounters with Nicky left me kind of out of sorts, and it was hard for me to get past it. And after that I could not buy his insistence that he had a 'sense of responsibility' regarding boundaries.
This book just felt like too much, it was not for me.
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