17. An Alternative VIEW : Nexus Books ~ Deep Blue ~ Aishling Morgan

Title: Deep Blue

Author: Aishling Morgan

Publisher: www.nexus-books.co.uk

Genre: Erotic / Fantasy

Publication date: 2001

ISBN: 0-352-33600-5

Pages: 242

Edition: Paperback

Deep Blue ~ Aishling Morgan

Every picture tells a story!

Blonde bobbed, Lily Tompkins, is an architect in the middle of a degree on Bronze Age temples, which is lucky because she finds herself drawn to a Bronze Age burial mound, on Aldon Head, near Ness Beach, Tawmouth. With no family or friends she becomes involved with Ed Gardner, a ferry customs officer and a sadistic bully who, through her weakness, she lets treat her as a sex object and maid for both him and his friend.

When Joe meets bikini clad raven-haired Thomazina on Tawmouth Beach, he soon realises there is something strange about her surprisingly old fashioned talk, yet refreshing willingness to please him, anyway she chooses. So, as to not miss a second go, he invites her to the solstice party at Wythman, with no idea what trouble lies ahead. Who is this woman who calls herself Tammy? Why does she have a tattoo of an octopus on her bum?

When Tammy goes into an antiques shop with a 400 year old coin to sell, the shop keeper gets suspicious it’s stolen property and decides investigate the beautiful stranger. Enlisting the help from the local police officer, Sergeant Perkins, they begin a hunt for the mysterious woman. Meanwhile, they hear reports of a group of impish women, playing havoc with the residents of Tawmouth. Tammy matches the description of one of them. Connecting her to the forthcoming Summer Solstice party they delve into the mysteries surrounding the barrow, where elemental forces far beyond their own imaginings threaten to turn the lives of Tawmouth residents, out of control. But they're not the only ones who are digging!

The controversy of the burial ground is well known. Not everyone agrees with paganism, as the research of a Christian psychiatrist has tried to prove. Claiming paganism is damaging to mental health, citing Tawmouth, he connects a growing the popularity of solstice parties with a rise in reports of disturbing dreams, and possibly drug taking, as the cause.

However, Nich Mordaunt, a researcher of the pagan occult, is completing his own studies and discovers the strange dreams are only happening to women in Tawnmouth and none of the larger gatherings, such as Stonehenge and Glastonbury. He suspects a link between the barrow (a burial ground for the God, Sigodin- Yth) and a treatise of exotic Celtic art where an octopus-headed man is said to call women to him, to increase the faith and ultimately his power. Will anyone discover the hidden truths before it is too late?

One thing I do think deserves a mention, if the publishers are listening: a personal gripe, if you will. On the back of the book there’s a blurb, which quotes ‘The Perfect Beach Read!’ This is true, but I have a slight problem with the fact that I’m not brave enough to be seen anywhere in public with a book that has such a pornographic front cover! Could it be more marketable if it wasn’t treated as an equivalent to a dirty magazine? Or does sex really sell that much? I ask innocently. I can’t help thinking how some nice cover art would be more appropriate, appealing to a broader, more universal range of erotica readers. Maybe, it’s just me, and my woman’s point of view!

However, cover aside, I would like to add, that in no way should my feelings about something as trivial as a cover, put you off from buying this book! It’s the written word which predominately counts, and is the first of four more erotic books to follow. Aishling Morgan has many fans who would agree whole-heatedly with me, when I say this author has an ingenious way of tying a fantasy storyline, full of mystery and suspense, plots and subplots, with some deeply bizarre sexual moments between man, woman, octopus, and the occasional anemone, (obviously keeping in line with the fantasy thread, of course. And it works!). Deep Blue is intelligently written, showing signs that a great deal of research has gone into finding out about paganism, Bronze Age burial sites and mythical deities, to name but a few interesting topics. The further I read, the more I discovered little clues that finally pull together in one big, shocking but enjoyable climax. One of many, I might add!

This is a captivating fantasy with plenty of lewd scenes to keep the erotic reader happy. I am looking forward to reviewing the next of the four books in the series, Saturn's Slut. But you should see the cover!