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Sex in the System: Stories of Erotic Futures, Technological Stimulation, and the Sensual Life of Machines
Every form of technology humankind has invented has been co-opted for two warfare and getting off. Electricity, internal combustion, the telephone, the Internet — there's no reason to think this trend will stop as we move into the future of nanotechnology, neuroscience, and space travel. However, whether the future is a Gernsbackian vision of flying cars and cloud cities, or a gritty gray cyberpunk world, there is always a need for sex.
Award-winning authors such as Joe Haldeman, Nalo Hopkinson, and Catherine Asaro are among the leading lights of science fiction and erotica who contribute to this book, as well as Paul DiFilippo, Sarah Micklem, Bruce Sterling, M. Christian, Thomas S. Roche, Saachi Green, and many others.
Award-winning authors such as Joe Haldeman, Nalo Hopkinson, and Catherine Asaro are among the leading lights of science fiction and erotica who contribute to this book, as well as Paul DiFilippo, Sarah Micklem, Bruce Sterling, M. Christian, Thomas S. Roche, Saachi Green, and many others.
304 pages, Paperback
First published June 25, 2006
About the author
Cecilia Tan
204 books598 followersSusie Bright says, "Cecilia Tan is simply one of the most important writers, editors, and innovators in contemporary American erotic literature." Since the publication of Telepaths Don't Need Safewords in 1992, she has been on the cutting edge of the erotic form, often combining elements of fantasy and science fiction in her work. She is also founder and editor of Circlet Press.
RT Book Reviews awarded her Career Achievement in Erotic Romance in 2015 and her novel Slow Surrender (Hachette/Forever, 2013) won the RT Reviewers Choice Award and the Maggie Award for Excellence from GRW in 2013. She has been publishing Daron's Guitar Chronicles as a web serial since 2009 and her Secrets of a Rock Star series (Taking the Lead, Wild Licks, Hard Rhythm) is published by Hachette/Forever. In 2018 Tor Books will launch her urban fantasy/paranormal series, The Vanished Chronicles. In her other life, Cecilia is also the editor of the Baseball Research Journal and publications director for SABR, the Society for American Baseball Research.
RT Book Reviews awarded her Career Achievement in Erotic Romance in 2015 and her novel Slow Surrender (Hachette/Forever, 2013) won the RT Reviewers Choice Award and the Maggie Award for Excellence from GRW in 2013. She has been publishing Daron's Guitar Chronicles as a web serial since 2009 and her Secrets of a Rock Star series (Taking the Lead, Wild Licks, Hard Rhythm) is published by Hachette/Forever. In 2018 Tor Books will launch her urban fantasy/paranormal series, The Vanished Chronicles. In her other life, Cecilia is also the editor of the Baseball Research Journal and publications director for SABR, the Society for American Baseball Research.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
January 27, 2010
The Internet is for porn. You’ve all heard the song, right? Did you laugh your ass off? Forward it to several of your friends? Then you just might be a geek. It’s okay, so am I. I’ve been fascinated by the relationship between computers, the Internet, and sex ever since I double-clicked my first mouse. So when I was browsing the erotica section of my favorite bookstore and came across Sex in the System, I snatched it up without hesitation. If the lascivious cover picture, depicting two computer mice doin’ it doggy style wasn’t enough, then I only needed to look as far as the subtitle to know that this was right up my alley. Stories of Erotic Futures, Technological Stimulation, and the Sensual Life of Machines. It made the geek in me shiver in anticipation. Finally, a collection of great stories for nerdy perverts just like me. And you!
First, the basics. Sex in the System is a collection of technology-themed short story erotica, edited by Cecilia Tan and including authors such as Paul Di Filippo, Joe Haldeman, Lynne Jamneck, Shariann Lewitt, and many other names I admittedly have never heard of. As I began to read, I discovered why I may not be familiar with these names. With a few exceptions, these were science fiction stories with an erotic spin, written by science fiction writers. Sure, I am a closet Trekkie, but I don’t normally gravitate toward sci fi in my reading selections. Yes, sometimes, the marriage of sex and science was a smashing success, as with the tale of The Book Collector by Sarah Micklem, in which a dedicated and lonely programmer falls in love with her own creation, a handsome AI character, and uses a computer chip implanted in her brain to experience a physical relationship with him. Other times, however, the sex fell flat or just felt like an afterthought, as in Beth Bernobich’s Remembrance, in which a lesbian couple communicates across planets using experimental and top secret government technology. The collection seems to have fallen victim to the same problem that I’ve seen in many other themed erotica collections: the stories tend to focus more on the collective theme - in this case technology and science fiction - than on the sex. For science fiction fans, that may work out just fine. The stories are interesting and well-written (with one exception that I couldn’t even bear to finish). But for those of us that are looking for something to get us off, it’s a bit of a let-down.
While I was disappointed by the lukewarm eroticism of the book as a whole, I did enjoy several of the stories immensely. G. Bonhamme’s The Program, a story about a man that goes through an experimental brainwashing program to make him a better lover, got me so hot I had to read it one-handed. This is actually a piece that I’ve seen in at least one other erotica collection, and it was just as hot the second time through. I was also captivated by Paul Di Fillipo’s Pinocchia. In this retelling of the story of Pinocchio, a Real Doll gains consciousness and goes in search of the Blue Fairy to turn her into a real woman so that her owner will fall in love with her. More like a novella than a short story, Pinocchia leads us through a fascinating and erotic futuristic world where science has created whole societies of new and exotic species who all want to experience each other sexually. This epic was so remarkable, in fact, that I couldn’t wait to finish masturbating so that I could tell all of my friends about the amazing story I’d just finished reading. And that twist at the end…woah!
For the average science fiction lover that is trying to get a little heat in their collection, I’d say this could be a very good read. But for erotica fans who are looking to mix a little technology into their porn, I’m afraid this book may be a bit of a disappointment. I do think that some of the more remarkable stories, such as those I’ve mentioned, make the book worth adding to your collection. Just know that you may have to skip around a bit for the good stuff.
First, the basics. Sex in the System is a collection of technology-themed short story erotica, edited by Cecilia Tan and including authors such as Paul Di Filippo, Joe Haldeman, Lynne Jamneck, Shariann Lewitt, and many other names I admittedly have never heard of. As I began to read, I discovered why I may not be familiar with these names. With a few exceptions, these were science fiction stories with an erotic spin, written by science fiction writers. Sure, I am a closet Trekkie, but I don’t normally gravitate toward sci fi in my reading selections. Yes, sometimes, the marriage of sex and science was a smashing success, as with the tale of The Book Collector by Sarah Micklem, in which a dedicated and lonely programmer falls in love with her own creation, a handsome AI character, and uses a computer chip implanted in her brain to experience a physical relationship with him. Other times, however, the sex fell flat or just felt like an afterthought, as in Beth Bernobich’s Remembrance, in which a lesbian couple communicates across planets using experimental and top secret government technology. The collection seems to have fallen victim to the same problem that I’ve seen in many other themed erotica collections: the stories tend to focus more on the collective theme - in this case technology and science fiction - than on the sex. For science fiction fans, that may work out just fine. The stories are interesting and well-written (with one exception that I couldn’t even bear to finish). But for those of us that are looking for something to get us off, it’s a bit of a let-down.
While I was disappointed by the lukewarm eroticism of the book as a whole, I did enjoy several of the stories immensely. G. Bonhamme’s The Program, a story about a man that goes through an experimental brainwashing program to make him a better lover, got me so hot I had to read it one-handed. This is actually a piece that I’ve seen in at least one other erotica collection, and it was just as hot the second time through. I was also captivated by Paul Di Fillipo’s Pinocchia. In this retelling of the story of Pinocchio, a Real Doll gains consciousness and goes in search of the Blue Fairy to turn her into a real woman so that her owner will fall in love with her. More like a novella than a short story, Pinocchia leads us through a fascinating and erotic futuristic world where science has created whole societies of new and exotic species who all want to experience each other sexually. This epic was so remarkable, in fact, that I couldn’t wait to finish masturbating so that I could tell all of my friends about the amazing story I’d just finished reading. And that twist at the end…woah!
For the average science fiction lover that is trying to get a little heat in their collection, I’d say this could be a very good read. But for erotica fans who are looking to mix a little technology into their porn, I’m afraid this book may be a bit of a disappointment. I do think that some of the more remarkable stories, such as those I’ve mentioned, make the book worth adding to your collection. Just know that you may have to skip around a bit for the good stuff.
May 19, 2011
Interesting but somewhat uneven collection. "The Book Collector" by Sarah Micklem, a story of a depressed game designer who falls in love with her own creation, was my favorite in the book. The pieces by Elspeth Potter and Lynne Jamneck were also strong. And I was pleasantly surprised to see a (mostly) hetero story by the versatile M. Christian in here, too.
There were some disappointments, though. The longest story, "Pinocchia" by Paul Di Filippo, had some innovative elements but the plot was as hackneyed as any Penthouse Forum letter. And several of the other stories suffered from the erotica vs. everything else problem. I define erotica as a story which has a double purpose: to be a good story, and to be sexually provocative or compelling. When the actual sexual content of a story is marginal, that's no longer erotica -- it's just a regular old short story that mentions sex. In plain terms, if I can't imagine anyone wanting to whack off to it, it's not really erotica.
The two Joe Haldeman pieces bracketing the book did manage to convince me that I need never read one of his books, so in that sense it was quite educational.
There were some disappointments, though. The longest story, "Pinocchia" by Paul Di Filippo, had some innovative elements but the plot was as hackneyed as any Penthouse Forum letter. And several of the other stories suffered from the erotica vs. everything else problem. I define erotica as a story which has a double purpose: to be a good story, and to be sexually provocative or compelling. When the actual sexual content of a story is marginal, that's no longer erotica -- it's just a regular old short story that mentions sex. In plain terms, if I can't imagine anyone wanting to whack off to it, it's not really erotica.
The two Joe Haldeman pieces bracketing the book did manage to convince me that I need never read one of his books, so in that sense it was quite educational.
January 20, 2013
A good mix of erotica and sci-fi, with different stories changing the ratio of the two.
A bit of everything from poetry, to updates to children's stories, to second person perspective, from present day to the future, heterosexual to homosexual.
A bit of everything from poetry, to updates to children's stories, to second person perspective, from present day to the future, heterosexual to homosexual.
January 27, 2010
Interesting science fiction, bad erotica
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews