Reviewed by Jim Lyon
Although the book In Control is subtitled The Short Kinky Fiction of M. Christian, by today’s standards most of the 18 stories in this anthology aren’t all that kinky. That’s not to imply they aren’t well written, because they are. In fact, it would be safe to say that this collection of short stories has a decidedly cerebral and artistic flair not often found in erotica.
The themes of the book’s stories vary greatly in both style and genre – sort of a smorgasbord effect. Many are straight forward erotica, while others touch on BDSM and same sex relationships. Some are really more romantic than they are erotic, and a couple could be categorized as mood pieces with erotic overtones. My favorite is an excerpt from the novel Brushes, which is a tale about the brother of an elite artist whose resemblance to his sibling enables him to seduce numerous art students that mistake him for his famous brother. While it doesn’t contain much erotic content, it is an interesting and thought provoking read.
Whether or not readers will enjoy this book will depend largely on their sensibilities and what their expectations are. Overall it is a satisfyingly literate book that periodically includes well-crafted erotic scenarios. Masturbation fodder it is not.