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Q-Faq
Q-FAQ follows the erotic adventures of Afaik, a gay Arab alleged terrorist, in the near future. Bombed out of his Manhattan home by rightwing federal agents who create “terrorist” acts to continue their campaign for the newly installed Puritan Party, Afaik escapes into the arms of Aces Bannon, a surly soldier with a few special replacement parts. Together, the pair zooms across the Divided States of America and discovers and underground network of hunky pilots, arms dealers, and circuit party orgies in this thrilling ride of sex and science fiction satire.
205 pages, Paperback
First published June 20, 2006
4 people want to read
About the author
Tom Bacchus
9 books4 followersTom Bacchus is the author of 'Doin' the Town: a naughty nautical novella,' the erotic story trilogy 'Bone,' 'Rahm' and 'Poke,' the scifi erotic satire 'Q-FAQ,' and 'DOGZ, a novel.'
Fiction anthologies which include Bacchus' short stories: Happily Ever After: Erotic Fairy Tales for Men (Kasak), Best American Erotica 1998 (Cleis), Stallions and Other Studs (PDA Press), Obsessed: A Flesh and the Word Collection of Gay Erotic Memoirs (Penguin), Kink: Takes of the Sexual Adventurer (StarBooks, 2004), The Best of the Best Meat Erotica (Suspect Thoughts, 2004), Wicked: Sexy Tales of Legendary Lovers (Cleis, 2005), His Underwear (Haworth Press, 2006).
Translated story collections include:
Sueños de Hombre, Spanish translation of Rahm (Boys Press, 2001)
Zeiten voller Lust, German translation of Rahm (Bruno Gmunder, 2005).
Fiction anthologies which include Bacchus' short stories: Happily Ever After: Erotic Fairy Tales for Men (Kasak), Best American Erotica 1998 (Cleis), Stallions and Other Studs (PDA Press), Obsessed: A Flesh and the Word Collection of Gay Erotic Memoirs (Penguin), Kink: Takes of the Sexual Adventurer (StarBooks, 2004), The Best of the Best Meat Erotica (Suspect Thoughts, 2004), Wicked: Sexy Tales of Legendary Lovers (Cleis, 2005), His Underwear (Haworth Press, 2006).
Translated story collections include:
Sueños de Hombre, Spanish translation of Rahm (Boys Press, 2001)
Zeiten voller Lust, German translation of Rahm (Bruno Gmunder, 2005).
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
July 6, 2008
Author Tom Bacchus' futuristic novel, Q-FAQ, is a satirical account of our world-to-be, if the Puritans continue to rise to power at their current rate and succeed at completely eliminating even the slightest trace of homosexuality from our planet.
The narrator, Afaik, is an openly gay and suspected Arab terrorist whose home is destroyed by rightwing federal agents, acting on behalf of the newly installed Puritan Party, who orchestrate acts of terror to rid society of undesirables. Afaik survives the attack, but finds himself at the mercy and servitude of Aces, a subversive crusader-of-sorts who is part-man, part-robot. And so begins their journey across the country, referred to as the Divided States of America, on a mysterious mission. The fact that Afaik is not privy to the details of this quest is seemingly irrelevant.
The novel itself is a journal-like account, from Afaik's point of view, of the bizarre, colorful creatures they encounter, the ludicrous situations they find themselves in, as well as blog and news excerpts from ongoing current events, which attempt to help both the reader and the protagonist determine where the duo are headed and why. The most important clue is an advertisement from a gay.com-like website, appearing over and over, announcing its sponsorship of the grand reopening of a once-famous bathhouse, an event which is expected to attract masses of sexual deviants. Is this gathering of the masses just another gala circuit party-type event, and might it have something to do with why Aces is compelled to race across the country?
While the answers to these questions may be of some interest to the reader, the author clearly paints an even more vivid picture of the relationship (for lack of a better word) that evolves between Afaik and Aces. The two experience sex at its most erotic, hardcore and sadomasochistic - more often than not Aces invites at least a third to join or watch him and Afaik. In any case, because Afaik's retelling of these events is so matter-of-fact, not only is he portrayed as a willing participant, but enthusiastically so.
It's difficult to say whether or not I enjoyed this novel. Granted, some of the themes the author introduces are certain to give pause, and the ridiculousness of the circumstances is undeniably hilarious on occasion. Still, the end result is a bit of jumbled mess; and only a creator of science fiction and fantasy could get away with it.
The narrator, Afaik, is an openly gay and suspected Arab terrorist whose home is destroyed by rightwing federal agents, acting on behalf of the newly installed Puritan Party, who orchestrate acts of terror to rid society of undesirables. Afaik survives the attack, but finds himself at the mercy and servitude of Aces, a subversive crusader-of-sorts who is part-man, part-robot. And so begins their journey across the country, referred to as the Divided States of America, on a mysterious mission. The fact that Afaik is not privy to the details of this quest is seemingly irrelevant.
The novel itself is a journal-like account, from Afaik's point of view, of the bizarre, colorful creatures they encounter, the ludicrous situations they find themselves in, as well as blog and news excerpts from ongoing current events, which attempt to help both the reader and the protagonist determine where the duo are headed and why. The most important clue is an advertisement from a gay.com-like website, appearing over and over, announcing its sponsorship of the grand reopening of a once-famous bathhouse, an event which is expected to attract masses of sexual deviants. Is this gathering of the masses just another gala circuit party-type event, and might it have something to do with why Aces is compelled to race across the country?
While the answers to these questions may be of some interest to the reader, the author clearly paints an even more vivid picture of the relationship (for lack of a better word) that evolves between Afaik and Aces. The two experience sex at its most erotic, hardcore and sadomasochistic - more often than not Aces invites at least a third to join or watch him and Afaik. In any case, because Afaik's retelling of these events is so matter-of-fact, not only is he portrayed as a willing participant, but enthusiastically so.
It's difficult to say whether or not I enjoyed this novel. Granted, some of the themes the author introduces are certain to give pause, and the ridiculousness of the circumstances is undeniably hilarious on occasion. Still, the end result is a bit of jumbled mess; and only a creator of science fiction and fantasy could get away with it.
April 8, 2008
This was pretty disappointing, particularly the ending, which got so preachy that it felt like the author really meant to write an angry op-ed rather than a sci-fi novel. The book is set in a nightmarish future where the religious right owns the government, the gays have been mostly driven underground, and a small and determined band of gay terrorist commandos fights back. All of this could have been a springboard for a great story, and the book is definitely a page-turner, particularly the first two-thirds of the book. The two lead characters are traveling across the country on some mysterious mission, and Bacchus definitely builds up anticipation as he gives you hints about the nature of their mission. But ultimately the resolution is unsatisfying, and it feels like the plot is just a device in the service of Bacchus' rant at the end. I wasn't impressed.
Incidentally, there's a lot of sex in the book. That's not altogether a bad thing. But still, for anyone interested, you have been warned.
Incidentally, there's a lot of sex in the book. That's not altogether a bad thing. But still, for anyone interested, you have been warned.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews