The Sleeping Beauty Trilogy - A. N. Roquelaure

[Twilight_Faerie]

I was just wondering if anyone has read the series and what you think of them. And of course to suggest them to anyone who hasn't read them.

I just finished 'the claiming of sleeping beauty' and I have to say I was a little unsure about it to begin with. I am not a fan of Ann Rice's other works (A. N. Roquelaure is her pen name for this series) and so was hesitant when they were recommended to me.

However I have thoroughly enjoyed the first book - spending the vast majority of the short time it took me to devour it squirming in my seat. I'm going to order the next book as soon as possible!

I am also going to give some more of the 'Story of O' a read too as the Beauty series are based upon that and I had started that first only to get sidetracked by Beauty's initiation into the world of BDSM.

Beauty lies sleeping,
Cast under a spell, she can only be
woken by the kiss of a handsome prince.
Cutting through the thorny vines
that cover the castle walls, past the
still bodies of the men and women
of the old court, the prince enters the
topmost bedchamber, in search of
the Sleeping Beauty who waits within.

 

[Stella_Omega]

Totally squirmy and wet-making, embarrassingly ridiculous fantasy fodder!

Anne Rice hates to admit it now, but she and her hubby were part of the Society Of Janus back in the day, one of the very first groups to actually get together and map out the dynamics of BDSM. All those big macho bottoms with "L" in their names-- based on her man. He must have been a hoot!

One thing that kept throwing me out of those stories was the "never break the skin" rule, considering all the internal damage they could have been wreaking. But-- dayum.

 

[Sir_Winston54]

From *my personal point of view,* The Claiming was the high point of the series. From there, the series seemed to me to go downhill. I almost wished I hadn't read the remaining books.

But then, I'm picky, and oriented toward the heterosexual, male-dominated viewpoint, and the sequels included quite a bit of male-male homosexual and female-dominant story lines, which didn't "float my boat" nearly as much, from what I recall (it's been a number of years since I read them).

Others here may well have vastly differing opinions. That's just *my* $0.02 (U$) worth.

ETA: O was a pretty good read. Not as much for me to not be happy with

 

[Stella_Omega]

From *my personal point of view,* The Claiming was the high point of the series. From there, the series seemed to me to go downhill. I almost wished I hadn't read the remaining books.

But then, I'm picky, and oriented toward the heterosexual, male-dominated viewpoint, and the sequels included quite a bit of male-male homosexual and female-dominant story lines, which didn't "float my boat" nearly as much, from what I recall (it's been a number of years since I read them).

Others here may well have vastly differing opinions. That's just *my* $0.02 (U$) worth.

Yup, for me was exactly opposite

 

[WriterDom]

The first few chapters really changed my whole outlook on sexuality. This was 1995 or so and I only read it because at the time I was reading all her stuff. Once the Prince turned her over to the Queen I pretty much lost interest.

 

[graceanne]

There's a bdsm book discussion thread in the cafe, and I think we've done some of these books and reviewed them, if you're interested. There's a index of sorts on the first page so you can just jump to the beauty reviews.

 

[Prettywilling]

I never knew these books existed, I quite like her other stuff because it's pure escapism. Will have to look for these.

 

[graceanne]

Once the Prince turned her over to the Queen I pretty much lost interest.

Yep, me too.

 

[caela]

I enjoyed them as pure escapist, fantasy fodder. I read them before I was even looking into BDSM and didn't know anything more than that being tied up during sex was fun sometimes...lord was some of it shocking to me then!!! May have to re-read them sometime just to see what I think of them now that I'm older and more experienced lol.

 

[sereneone4u]

Was it similar to "O" because I just could not get into that. It was too brutal for my tastes.

 

[Lizzie_Borden]

From *my personal point of view,* The Claiming was the high point of the series. From there, the series seemed to me to go downhill. I almost wished I hadn't read the remaining books.

But then, I'm picky, and oriented toward the heterosexual, male-dominated viewpoint, and the sequels included quite a bit of male-male homosexual and female-dominant story lines, which didn't "float my boat" nearly as much, from what I recall (it's been a number of years since I read them).

Others here may well have vastly differing opinions. That's just *my* $0.02 (U$) worth.

ETA: O was a pretty good read. Not as much for me to not be happy with

I did prefer the first one as well.. I think there probably should have been one more book rather than 2, to me it seemed to get a bit... dwadling and was there just for the sake of being there.

However, I haven 't read them for a few years, so it might be worth a revisit.

I did enjoy, and yes, it did make me hot, and yeah, I did recognise it as pure fantasy, but what the hey, there's nothing wrong with that.

 

[hiddenfreak]

The End of Beauty's Release is the only part I really enjoyed. When Laurent comes to take her away. The rest of the books... meh. But I didn't really care for The Story Of O, either.

 

[chelleb]

I read them a few years ago, and like many have said, took it as fantasy rather than reality. I agree the high point was Beauty being claimed. I read the second book, and started the third. I lost interest somewhere in the third book, but don't really remember where or why.

 

[Twilight_Faerie]

Bdsm book discussion

There's a bdsm book discussion thread in the cafe, and I think we've done some of these books and reviewed them, if you're interested. There's a index of sorts on the first page so you can just jump to the beauty reviews.

Thank you - I'll have a look. I'm still very new here so I hadn't realised.

 

[Twilight_Faerie]

Story of O

Was it similar to "O" because I just could not get into that. It was too brutal for my tastes.

It is similar but I don't think it is as brutal. The first book is definitely worth a read.

 

[FurryFury]

I didn't like the first one. That's why I haven't read any of the other ones in the series.

 

[graceanne]

Thank you - I'll have a look. I'm still very new here so I hadn't realised.

It's okay, I wasn't mad or anything, I just thought you'd like to check it out, too.

 

[ecstaticsub]

I read The Story of O and all 3 Sleeping Beauty books after I met my PYL, but before I became his submissive. I was completely new to BDSM. All of them I found very arousing. Even though they are far out fantasy I really enjoyed them.

 

[Stella_Omega]

The first few chapters really changed my whole outlook on sexuality. This was 1995 or so and I only read it because at the time I was reading all her stuff. Once the Prince turned her over to the Queen I pretty much lost interest.

Yep, me too.

It was pretty obvious to me that the writer wasn't comfortable with sex with another woman. Where the male sexuality is described so lushly and lustily and sensually, female-- not so much. Or anyway, not until the last book, when something clicked for her... Rice isn't very good at hiding her id from her readers...

 

[SirLeo]

From *my personal point of view,* The Claiming was the high point of the series. From there, the series seemed to me to go downhill. I almost wished I hadn't read the remaining books.

But then, I'm picky, and oriented toward the heterosexual, male-dominated viewpoint, and the sequels included quite a bit of male-male homosexual and female-dominant story lines, which didn't "float my boat" nearly as much, from what I recall (it's been a number of years since I read them).

Others here may well have vastly differing opinions. That's just *my* $0.02 (U$) worth.

ETA: O was a pretty good read. Not as much for me to not be happy with

I am pretty much ditto on SW's comments. Although I read O for the first time when I was 14. Sort of laid the foundation for my adult sexuality. I reread it and the Beauty series in my early 20's. 50 now, probably would be fun to reread O, or better yet, have m read it to me at bedtime....

 

[Etoile]

Liked the first one but not so much the following books. I seem to remember though that my initial exposure was through my parents' "locked" stash of porn before I ever got into kink myself so that may have colored my judgmen same with o actually.

 

[sb2009]

I read them a loooonnng time ago and it was my first intro into the idea that what I had been fantasizing about, half-formed, etc. So it was a huge "wow, other people think this way too" for me.

 

[Twilight_Faerie]

lol - I didn't think you were mad.

It's okay, I wasn't mad or anything, I just thought you'd like to check it out, too.

 

[buxxxom]

Beauty herself didn't interest me very much, but I love the idea of Laurent. Now, if I could just find some of that itch-inducing golden elixir.....

 

[Stella_Omega]

Beauty herself didn't interest me very much, but I love the idea of Laurent. Now, if I could just find some of that itch-inducing golden elixir.....

Ginger, of course!

Or possibly, cinnamon extract diluted in a light oil, like almond or walnut oil. You would have to compound it on your own, I imagine-- and remember that cinnamon can be really harsh stuff, even to the point of raising blisters. You could try a couple of cinnamon hots dissolved in water glycerine...