Book Review: Deep Inside: Extreme Erotic Fantasies by Polly Frost

Every Monday, I'll be doing spoiler-free, bite-sized book reviews.

Deep Inside by Polly Frost is described as supernatural erotica on the cover and in my opinion, this collection reads more like an erotic collection with supernatural elements rather than a supernatural collection with erotic elements--which should set expectations from the get go. There are ten stories in the book and most of them are titillating--but I'm a hot-blooded male in a Catholic-dominant country and nine of these stories features a female protagonist so I don't know whether this is the author simply appealing to male fantasies or something that applies across the board. Frost's language is simple and easy to get into, leaving no room for vagueness. Writing style is quite functional, giving you the basic details and expounding on the erotica scenes. All the stories have a speculative fiction element to it, whether it's aliens, conspiracies, or some sci-fi plot device. Overall it was an enjoyable read, perhaps more in the guilty pleasure sense and along the lines of watching a porn film. Having said that, there were some stories that stood out for me, mainly due to the horror element and the ambiguity Frost provides when it comes to the ending. The first is the opening story, "Threshold", which is a sexual coming-of-age narrative with unique twists along the way. Frost focuses on characterization in this story and while it's not a full-blown delve into the character's psyche, it provides a sturdy backbone. Another notable story is "The Pleasure Invaders" which is anime porn personified but written with a crime angle. Here, Frost captures a bit of the private-eye noir tone while remaining serious and sensual. The last is "Viagra Babies", another coming-of-age story of sorts revolving around a science fiction concept and the only story told from a male viewpoint.

As long as you have no illusions what to expect from this collection, you'll do fine. Frost covers in my opinion a very marketable niche and writes kinky erotica. One of my complaints is that there's little variation in Frost's writing style or technique so this is one of those times where you'll either be hooked by the author's formula (either in large or small doses) or you won't. If you want face-value erotica, buy this book.

Rating: 2.5/5.

Rating System:

1 - There are better ways to spend your time.
2 - Ho hum books, usually typical of its genre. Probably only recommendable to die-hard fans.
3 - A cut above the rest, usually with one or more elements that sets it apart from the norm.
4 - Highly recommended and is easily a pioneer of the genre.
5 - A classic or it will be.