Mandy Roth's books abound with the supernatural: faerae, lycans, werewolves, vampyres, ghost cats, demons, gypsies, curses and sirens, to name a few of her not-so-ordinary characters. So when she adds a little note to her title page saying that Cyber Sex : Prepared To Please is a departure for her, a "bit of a stretch," one really does not know what to expect.

Expect this: a futuristic space fantasy of unrequited lovers who have their wires crossed. Destiny and Roman. Fortunately, they love each other. Unfortunately, they don't know it and aren't likely to find out. A bit more drama and conflict would have earned this little story another half-quill, but let's be clear: even as is, this story does what it does quite well.

I can tell you this much: it is set in the future, and there are no other- worldly spectres that cannot be explained by scientists. However, on board the Expedition Vessel Eight, headed toward the Fargonie galaxy, there are two technologically created characters--holographic images named Destiny-211 and Parker-69--who are integral to the plot, complicating the lives of the virile Captain Roman Parker and his ever-so-desirable Lieutenant Commander Destiny Stewart. I bet you can guess who looks like whom.

There's nothing that the captain and the lieutenant want more than each other. But they're each laboring under a certain delusion, and . . . well, what can I say? Aboard Vessel Eight, a computer system that generates sexually interactive artificially intelligent holographic images really does make life interesting. Especially when mix-ups happen.

This is a graphic short story that has everything you might wish for in a piece of short erotica: a fast pace, two sets of lovers (virtual and real) where fantasy meets reality in a whole new way. A fast, hot read, and one that just might overload your circuits.

Reviewed By Maitresse
© March 2005