Best Gay Erotica 2010 - book by Cleis Press Inc. - review by Naughty Student

I have never ever in the past read gay erotica so this was untrodden territory for me. I knew I enjoyed gay porn, but reading is different then seeing. I thought it would be quite a new thing for me and I enjoyed reading this book. Although I have no experience with the authors of the collection I have enjoyed some, if not most of the short erotic stories.

I think that the stories have some basic resemblances in general. I relished in the thought that each one was someones fantasy or based on a true story. I didn't like all fantasies as some seemed unrealistic and distasteful but we each have our own likes and dislikes in terms of what happens in the bedroom.

Out of the 18 short stories I think my favorite was by the author of David Holly. Out of the 18 authors one is a woman named Rachel Kramer Bussel. I was a little surprised to read a story from a female author but then again, not so much.

Obviously this is geared towards gay men. However, I think anyone in general interested in reading gay erotica for the first time will enjoy this. I knew starting off that it would not be a romantic novel but even then this book was not what I was expecting.

The authors in general have excellent writing. Some stories, the pace is quite quick while others you get lost in the descriptions but in general it was pretty good. There was no story that stuck out as having a terrible style that was to be noted. So all A's for writing style.

There doesn't seem to be a design per se. There is a really interesting forward relating to the dwindling existence of gay erotica which was somewhat educational. The introduction was quite good also, describing how erotica brings sex as we read it as coming from within our minds as we create images from what we read, which is said to be more sensual, or more human than watching porn as it is external.

I also enjoyed the section about the authors.It was nice to read a little bit on who they were. I think it is sort of interesting to read short stories which can be such deep and personal revelations after which read about the person who wrote them.

I think the book in and of itself is well made. It is a simple 192 page paper back with a beautiful photograph of two males embracing. It is not very discreet but it is very well made.

I enjoy the rimming and anal explorations but I don't like the fecal matter. Two or three stories include descriptions of men rimming and then entering their tongues in the anus to taste the feces and that was not stimulating my "horny" button in my brain, far from it.

I was shocked by the dirty, in-your-face eroticism. I wasn't expecting such hard core stuff right off the bat. The book doesn't ease you into it at all. It was more like here's the beef, now eat. But it was different. I enjoyed most stories, especially the ones including domination.

I am quite pleased with this book, I can't comment for my partner seeing as it is not his thing. I would definitely recommend this book to those interested in gay erotica.