Sorry for the delay in response. I wanted to reread Chapter 8.

I still don't think it is more fair to characterize either of the story's sexual dynamics as more poorly written for the sake of fetishism. If you're going to charge the author and more importantly the audience with being problematic in consequence of one but not the other, there still remains work to achieve the goal, because as I noted in a nearby comment the writing is mediocre at best, invariably didactic and workmanlike, frequently an outright slog. This is true in all sex scenes also, no more one than any other.

> I'm sorry you had to go through that.

Don't try to speak to that. You don't know how. The point is that you don't know how and I would like you please to stop trying. It makes sense to me why people would become uncomfortable when they are titillated by writing that deliberately strives to titillate, but you're supposed to think about it, not call for a book burning.

I'll say that again. You're supposed to think about it. Not call for a book burning. And certainly not in my name!

I'm pretty sure no one here is anything like my father, who never knew shame for anything he did. I'm pretty sure the author of this mediocre but nonetheless compelling work of high-concept science fiction is nothing like my father, also. I don't blame the author disappearing given the fundamental misunderstanding he must have known his work would meet, or maybe saw it meet; I read it when it still earned the name "novel," but didn't take much interest in the contemporary analysis, which I found little less superficial then than now. In any case its author must have known it would cause a moral panic among people afraid of being accused of not caring enough for victims of pedophilia. He would also remember the McMinnville trial, better indeed than I, who was then actually suffering the real equivalent of what always develops when these ignorantly prurient fantasies get out of hand.

What you do to each other I could care very little less about, and with effort. But actual victims also suffer in every moral panic, and we, at last, deserve better. Someone therefore needs to check this behavior, and I see no one else bothering.

So here I am, in any case the genuine article, a "victim" by anyone's standard though I will not wear that term other than for argument, and as such I hereby confer permission to talk about the work, rather than how embarrassing everyone finds it to have had a phase of fascination with what, honestly, is chickenshit. Honestly. I could tell you about the reality but it has made people retch before and I know no ill of you. This is your pass, and everyone's. This thread has been blessed. You all can chill.

Ask your damned questions, even, which I would never normally encourage. Better pester me than whoever in your life I've brought to your mind just now, who you could ignorantly hurt. Ask me instead! Whatever you like. I promise to answer honestly and completely or not at all. If you think that constitutes generosity, try me.