Book Review: Wishbone by Lauren P. Burka

Wishbone, by Lauren P. Burka
$5.95 ebook
Torquere Press
BDSM m/m science fiction romance

Reviewed by Kelly Kinkaid

To describe the relationships in Lauren P. Burka’s Wishbone as intense is certainly an understatement. Wishbone, our charming titular character, is uprooted from his life of prostitution by a shih-aan. The shih-aan, an alien race who bloodily warred with and defeated humans a decade prior, are looked upon as “demons” by Wishbone’s fellow men, yet he finds himself enthralled and exhilarated by his newest client—and soon-to-be master.

The relationship between Wishbone and “Sir” delights in the intimacies wrought by the struggles of dominance and submission, with a decidedly delicious shade of sadomasochism. The power play here is more than just a cheeky nudge and wink; the heavy erotic edge to all the interactions between the two men reveals shifts in trust and intimacy, each scene unfolding a new facet to and between the characters. The pace is believable as the chemistry is scorching.

Even outside the bedroom, the characters are endearing. Wishbone shows his teeth when being ordered around on more than one occasion, but when he does submit, it’s with a charming eagerness; and even then, Burka does not neglect to showcase his spunk. Sir, elegant and refined with a side of snark, is a joy to follow as he trains Wishbone in the ways of proper shih-aan decorum. Even Terefar, who could have been a throwaway character in the hands of a clumsier author, has a charisma of his own in being another of Sir’s servants. It’s particularly refreshing that his own service is differentiated from Wishbone’s, and that neither character condescends to the other about the virtues of different kinds of submission.

There is more to the plot than sex, of course. When Sir reveals himself to be a spy for his people, a palpable tension manifests in the suspicions between humans and shih-aan. This paranoia is explored masterfully, as Sir’s job grows more dangerous for himself and Wishbone when those who disapprove of their relations make themselves known. The shih-aans’ question of human sentience is particularly chilling. Burka crafts this world with other fascinating details: the systemized violence associated with shih-aan bets; the history of Terefar’s kind, the wathara; the differences in customs among races; and so on. All this is revealed to the reader not in boring exposition, but throughout the text in careful doses that do not overwhelm the reader with information so much as they intrigue. Those adoring of fantasy or science-fiction climates will not be disappointed in Burka’s world-building.

While the shih-aan’s decision as to the fate of humanity is not completely resolved, Wishbone ends on a satisfying note; that this thread is left hanging feels more natural than it does frustrating.* The political issues and conflicts are well-explored, and Wishbone and Sir’s shows of devotion for the other progress convincingly. Readers should know that the pain play is indeed heavy, and that Wishbone and Sir are not committed to each other alone. Yet the dominant and submissive elements of the relationship forge a unique bond between the two, and it is pleasing that each relationship in the book indeed possesses its own flair differentiated from the others. Readers can expect to be charmed by Wishbone’s curious culture and earnest cast of characters as they will be electrified by its erotic edge.

Interested readers can take in a sample of the book or purchase it at the website of the publisher: Torquere Press.

*Editor’s Note: Ms. Burka is currently at work on a sequel.