Title: The Dominion and the Sugilite
Episode 14 | Episode 15
Author: B.J. Frazier
Publication Date: Dec 6 to 19, 2024
Genres: Erotica
Protagonist Gender: Various
If you are new to The Dominion and the Sugilite, then let me explain. No, there is too much. Let me sum up. This is a serialized erotic science-fantasy soap opera by B.J. Frazier, set on a female-ruled planet where the power exchange is the foundation of a fantasy-themed society fueled by the magic of gems known as sugilite.
As always, I will do my best to avoid spoilers, but there's only so much I can not say when we're 15 episodes in.
Although the last episode took us outside the Dominion to visit the Naturalists, it was through Naqqi, an open-minded, respectful young man who doesn't really represent the most uncomfortable aspects of their society. In Episode 14, Geo is forced to endure a meal with Obadiah, and we get to experience Naturalists' misogynistic, patriarchal, hypocritical society in all its horror.
At the same time, we get inserted into the soap opera between Jewel, her submissive Stone, and Gaius the satyr. What we see here is coercion and trickery on the satyr's part, altering the power exchange for what purpose we don't know, stripping it of love and respect, and directing it towards humiliation.
These scenes have a heavy emotional impact as you're reading them, but there's a psychological one that only comes later, in a scene between Chip and Acacia.
"You're saying that unintentional pain is not pleasurable."
"Yes! That's it exactly!" Chip smiled. "Because in the moment, there's a pleasure to the pain. But I can't enjoy something if I don't know what she's going to do."
"Yes," Acacia nodded. "That makes sense. You can't ever achieve sub space in that scenario."
In contrast to the ways in which Obadiah verbally abuses his wife and Gaius coaxes out a scene of abject humiliation, we see a Domme and a sub reflecting on a scene in an open, respectful conversation. While the uninitiated might say that whipping, flogging, and spanking are the true abuse, we're reminded of the mutual benefits they bring within a power exchange.
By contrast, Episode 15 is more reflective and mysterious as it explores the events of the last episode and seeks to shed some light on them - even as it exposes new secrets and mysteries. Aurora and Geo have a wonderfully choreographed discussion about Obadiah within an intimate expression of their power exchange, complete with submissive rewards.
Stone's story continues with a very uncomfortable scene with Cozima, his boss, which is not all that different from what he endured with Gaius in the last episode, except here there's unwanted pain added to the humiliation. Again, it's a deliberate interference in his power exchange with Jewel, but this time the counter is young Pebbles as we follow up on her training experiences two episodes ago. Here she borrows a friend's submissive and slowly, awkwardly, adorably becomes more confident in her role. It's a comic scene at times, very much echoing her lessons with Acacia, and it demonstrates the difference between dominance and abuse.
As for the mysteries I alluded to, one involves Stone, and for all that it makes me suspicious of his motives, it's hard to feel much sympathy for Cozima. Another revolves around Gaius and his situation since being interrupted with Jewel and Stone. I won't say much about that, except that my sympathy for him is tempered by my suspicion of him. The last mystery, and this is where I'm far more heavily invested emotionally, is the suggestion that Bay's motives in helping with the preparation of futa shakes is not so innocent. I loved his scene with Dvita and Ichiniko (I'd happily read a novel about the two of them!), but his final scene in the episode left me rather cross.
Rating: ♀ ♀ ♀ ♀ ♀
My sincere thanks to the author for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
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