Circus Maximus: SSBB Yes, And #3
Circus?! Do I have a shitty picture from Juggling Fest to use? You bet I do!
Circus Maximus is Shousetsu Bang*Bang’s third issue of their Yes, And edition. Usually SSBB is male/male smut only, but twice a year they open the doors a bit, once for their female/female edition, which I faithfully do not read, and once a year for their anything-goes Yes, And edition.
You can maybe guess from that statement that I’m one of those…those people who don’t read the lady-love as all-consumingly as I read the M/M stuff. And it’s true. I don’t turn away from it if I happen upon it, but it’s just not really my boat. But anyway, enough about be being an asshole. This isn’t the Girls Club edition, but rather the What the Fuck Did I Just Read? edition. In a good way. Mostly.
A Sucker Born Every Minute (and Three on the Doorstep), by Yin Twig: A guy “wins” the chance to have his greatest wish come true, and three circus men appear to try and make that happen. They manage to both succeed and fail at the same time. Features a transgender character (FTM).
Private Show, by Auriel Naughtwell: The leader of the circus and the leader’s two lovers after the show. I realize that pronouns are a loaded topic in this issue, but I was especially confused about who was …I mean, I know who was what (inasmuch as we’re supposed to know), but I guess what they were doing was…I just spent most of this story really, really confused, until the sex started and I just skimmed to get the gist of it.
Kaleidoscope, by Sparklebeard: An intriguing snapshot of an inter-species relationship with one human, and one alien of a sort that’s really turned on just by colors.
Suspension, by shukyou: This one had maybe the most interesting gender angle, wherein everyone was considered to be a woman until you wanted to sleep with him, at which point he became a man. So two women who are friends meet a man, and all three men have a pretty hot threesome, which does not include three cocks.
International Dissertation Avoidance Day, by Kimyō Tabibito: Some guy writing his dissertation gets distracted by their roommate discovering it was National Fisting Day. I believe the MC is trans? It was a decent, if not terribly memorable, story.
The Bearded Girl and the Silksmith, by Mar Gyorin: This was the only 2-part story. I did not get that far. And I don’t think my intolerable confusion can be blamed only on poor pronoun choices this time, either. I stopped somewhere around when it began to seem like someone was missing fingers? Not because they were missing fingers, but because I hadn’t a flippity-fucking clue what was going on.
Long Distance, by Iron Eater: This was a clever one about a…something that joins an interdimensional dating website, and then goes on a couple of dates with a human, even though that human uses their mouth for all sorts of things, and not just eating.
You Just Might Get It, by juou no zen: A couple goes to dinner with the wife’s old girlfriend, and then two of them end up acting out the fantasies of the third. I might say this was the hottest of the bunch, even if I’m not usually into the ladies.
The Funambulist, by Hikaru Yamaguchi: A guy goes to meet up with his friend who works in the circus, and there meets a certain someone…and then again the ….you know, this isn’t one I can describe while being coy. Man. Goes to circus. Lusts after contortionist. Sleeps with contortionist. Returns to circus. Meets a card magician. Lusts after magician. A good read.
Ludi, by Rin Katta: This was set in Rome? But more modern Rome? Because they had electric lights, but still had chariot races. It was…interesting. Another FTM, but without anything like surgery to aid in the transition. But the writing was a little on the confusing side again. Or maybe it was just getting late, I don’t know.
The Queen’s Dancing Girl, by Reddoraion no ōjo: A queen and her lover role play with their favorite dancing girl and slut. I’m not sure I liked the language they used with the girl, but she didn’t seem to mind. And maybe it’s just that I’m not used to seeing those terms used?
An unexpected stay in Highbridge Town, by Hyakunichisou 13: A traveling circus’ road is washed out, forcing them to stay in Highbridge town longer than they’d planned. But while they are there strange things start to happen. Very strange things, indeed.
