Zip It!

'My Impression of Society: “SEXSEXSEXSEXSEXNUDITYFORNICATIONSEXSEX”'
--Matt Walsh, on Superbowl ads

I don't think of myself as a prude. As a reader of urban fantasy, however, I've found myself increasingly put off by the nonstop boning. Not that I gave the matter much in-depth thought-- I consigned it to the 'I dislike filler that bogs down the plot' bin-- until my fiancee introduced me to the show Lost Girl.

For those of you who don't follow Canadian TV, Lost Girl is an urban fantasy series featuring a succubus named Bo as the main character. For obvious reasons, this means lots of sex. Given my annoyance This got me thinking-- why do I find Bo's adventures interesting, while Anita Blake makes me want to barf?

My conclusion is that it comes down to character development and consequences. By character development, I mean that the people Bo 'feeds' on are independent characters with their own backgrounds, needs, and agendas. They don't exist for her gratification, but rather intersect with her life as they run around doing their own things. Furthermore, they also use her to further their aims.

Consequences are a direct outgrowth of this character development. Specifically, because the other characters have their own lives (and are not simply satellites of the main character), Bo's romantic and sexual encounters quickly end up becoming entanglements. There are hidden agendas, hurt feelings, jealousy, and the constant fear that she'll lose control of her powers and drain someone to death. To complicate matters further, she must balance her personal feelings about her friends and sex partners with her supernatural needs.

By contrast, a lot of the gratuitous sex in urban fantasy books is lacks either. The main character's partners are unnaturally hot wish fulfillment puppets who never get jealous (except when the plot requires a Big Misunderstanding), never have their own lives (except as background angst), and essentially exist for the main character. The result is humping that makes no meaningful contribution to the plot or to our understanding of the characters.