Consenting Master/slave relationships come in all varieties, inspired by many different historical periods and modern subcultures. One of the wonderful things about this lifestyle is that we can create our own unique paradigm with its own rules, protocols, and vision. From Victorian to medieval, from Leather to Gorean, This collection of essays by many practitioners of M/s showcases the beauty and diversity of this demographic, and will hopefully be an inspiration to future couples and families who are only now finding their way onto this road.
Review
Ever since reading Real Service by Raven Kaldera, I’ve been strongly drawn to read more books by him. He’s phenomenal and knows what he’s talking about. I have recommended his books numerous times to others. He’s written about so many various topics, there’s something out there for everyone. Paradigms of Power: Styles of Master/Slave Relationships is the third book by him that I’ve read. It’s not really written by Kaldera, but edited by him as it’s a collection of essays written by both masters and slaves who are involved in different types of relationships. Not only did I buy this book because of Kaldera being involved with it, but also because of the topic matter.
There are so many ways to be involved in a Master/slave relationship and for me, it’s extremely interesting to read about the kind of relationships that others are in. With the internet being such a huge place, at times it can be hard to search for what you’re looking for without running into a bunch of porn links. Not to mention if it’s a rather obscure topic, you may not find anything at all. This book is a great starting point to learn about a handful of different kinds of dynamics from people who practice them. Some of the dynamics that are talked about in this book, I had no idea they even existed. While I read about them, it was so easy for me to see how and why these kinds of dynamics fit so easily with a Master/slave dynamic.
One thing I really love in this book is in the introductory essay. The author compares the different types of M/s relationships to that of a salt shaker. All salt shakers do the same thing, hold and dispense salt, but there’s no one basic type of salt shaker and they’re all made out of various materials and in different styles. To me, that is the best ever analogy for all the different types of M/s dynamics out there.
There are essays about those who are in the leather lifestyle, a wonderful essay by Submissive Guide’s own Mrs. Darling about what it’s like living a 1950’s style relationship, as well as Victorian households, Gor, Caregiver/little dynamic, spiritual discipline, as well as several others and few that don’t fit into any of the book’s categories.
Like with most nonfiction ebooks I read, I found myself highlighting several passages and taking screenshots of quotes that I want to have easily at my fingertips. I was fully engrossed in every essay and learned quite a bit about these different dynamics from this small glimpse into the lives of the authors. It was also great to get perspective from both dominants and the s-types, with several of the essays being co-written by both partners. If you’re wanting to learn more about different types of M/s dynamics that are out there(and those that are out there aren’t just limited to those that are mentioned in this book), I couldn’t recommend a better book. This is also a great way to see what things you and your partner may want in your own power exchange relationship.