Michael Dunellen on Books

Note to science fiction fans who read this review: I read this in the '80s from a Science Fiction standpoint. This time I am evaluating it from an BDSM Romance standpoint. And this is spoilery so be careful if you haven’t read this yet.So, to recap where we left off: Terrilian led the assault on the Chama of Vediaster and she and her Rebel Alliance were successful. Only then she found out that by beating the Chama she had become the Chama, Tammad tells she can no longer be his, She is so distraught that when she is grabbed by her former Slave Master she almost gives in, and then she rides into the woods to kill herself only to be spirited away by agents of the Amalgamation.Of course, she doesn’t remember any of this because when she wakes up on New Dawn her memory of everything going back to when she was woken up by an unenveloping quadriwagon has been erased and she has been conditioned to serve as breeding stock for a forthcoming Army of Empaths. As you might expect, she is quickly unconditioned, shown off, punished and claimed by a Blonde-Haired Blue Eyed Alpha who plans to use her to achieve his own personal goals. Like that has never happened to her before.After some forced Submission and a Torture Session with a Sadist, she eventually escapes, has a run-in with some Rejects, and eventually is rescued by the man who set most of these wheels in motion.And that’s only the first half of the book. I had vaguely remembered her being held at the facility but had completely forgotten just how bad it was. I didn’t remember much of all after that. I never mind watching the guy suffer a bit of rejection so I wasn’t bothered a bit that Tammad had to go through some. Karma is a wonderful thing. Frankly I thought the final explanation as to what happened was a little too Deus Ex Machina. And I really wanted her parents to hear the whole story start to finish - all the rapes, beatings, abandonments, etc. - but maybe it was for the best that they and her brothers didn’t. It was amazing that Len actually figured out he had a spine. Speak of Lenham... the explanation for Len’s behavior from the Real to the Liberty Scene to the Hamarda Rape Scene to the Palace Rape Scene and all the various and sundry other events was that he was trying to boost her ability and torturing her was the best way to accomplish it. Okay. And the fact that he had a way to phone home but let Terry suffer for we don't know how long in the grasp of the Savages and the Hamarda needed a bit more explaining.I really liked how she never actually gave up the Chama title. I think that could prove handy in the future. I know she isn't interested in power, but I would think the Chama might want to go say hello to her old friend Kednin at some point - preferably with a sizable force of w'wenda with her."Indeed are you changed from the woman I knew, changed in a manner I had not thought would please me. No longer do you accuse me of all manner of odd doings, no longer do you seek to disobey me in all things, no longer do you deny the love you feel. And I, I am fully as changed as you, for no longer do I feel your obedience necessary to my happiness, and no longer do I wish to discount what council you give me as foolishness. Much pain did we both need to suffer to accomplish these ends, yet have we finally and in truth accomplished them." - Only fair to point out that not only did she suffer most of the pain, but he inflicted a good deal of it."I don't care for the idea of being spanked again." - It was switching for the first two books and then Tammad gave up and called them beatings like she did after that. And it wasn't until this book that she was actually spanked. So, technically, even though he had beaten her many times he had only spanked her once.So the final question that is often raised in the reviews: Why did she accept so much? Was it Stockholm Syndrome or what?My theory is that it was the Mental Conditioning that the Amalgamation had put her through along with her isolation. She really was very unhappy - staying totally aloof from everyone around her. And I wouldn’t be surprised if they didn’t have some sort of post-hypnotic suggestion regarding giving control to whoever spoke the activation word to her - I have a feeling that Murdock knows more than he is saying on that point. So it isn’t a great answer but it does explain some things.Of course there were a few dangling plot threads at the end: The Real and Terry’s friend who had been enslaved by it? Where did Farian and her pet null come from? Why did Hestin seem to know more than he was saying? Why did Hestin remind her of the slave? Did Sandy ever get the quadriwagon to envelop?...