The Erotic Muse

by Rajeev Singh

'The Erotic Muse' is the story of K, a young porn-addicted college-dropout who shies away from relationships and harbors dreams of becoming a writer. Full of anguish, he is given to self-abuse. One evening, while masturbating to his favorite erotic muse, Fanny Leone, sprawled on the cover of an underground porn magazine, K finds himself magically transported to a parallel world where all sexual desires and perversions are fulfilled, although with the price that he might remain trapped in this unique pleasure-hell all his life – unless he can find a way out. This 'way out' is his redemption, a journey studded with heart-stopping adventure, life-threatening danger, nerve-wracking horror, and a brush with true love.

*Warning: This book contains graphic descriptions of a sexual nature, some of them involving rape fantasies. Readers who are bothered by such scenes may choose to skip it.

*Universal Book Link (Amazon/Kobo/Nook/Apple/Angus & Robertson/24 Symbols):
https://books2read.com/u/3k0aDR

Genres: Horror, Fantasy, Erotic Horror

412 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 12, 2018

About the author

I'm a compulsive reader, not-so-regular writer, introverted dreamer, onanist, fetishist, occasional weirdo and a movie enthusiast with a hankering for great ideas and demolition of creative boundaries - which, incidentally, also applies to what I read and write. I've a preference for the shocking and what most people would call disturbing. Think of the axe-murder in A Serbian Film and the accident-fetish in J G Ballard's Crash and you get the drift.

However, I can appreciate the brighter side of life too - like your neighbourhood serial killer with the face of a choir boy. I've read Nobel laureates like Mario Vargas Llosa with the same passion that I have for a splatterpunk master like Wrath James White. I straddle two worlds, it seems.

I get my rocks off on erotic horror, dabble in pornhub when life gets too boring (onanist, remember?) and am still writing three days a week since publishing my first novel, The Erotic Muse, in 2018. I sublimated a truckload of pre-middle-age angst in writing it and it shows, albeit in a less autobiographical way than a Charles Bukowski or a Henry Miller.

I give out free copies of my work all the time. Anyone interested may contact me at rajeev.writer1985@gmail.com. I'm also open to chats of a no-holds-barred nature.

My Amazon author profile where you can find my books:

https://www.amazon.com/RAJEEV-SINGH/e...

Reviews

[Briar's Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Erotic horror is not a type of book I see often, but man did Rajeev create one interesting story within that genre!

I wasn't really sure what to expect from this book. The synopsis sounded awesome, and a mix of erotica and horror (two genres I like to read) could have gone very sour if not done right. I think this book is definitely a niche market and isn't suitable for all readers. That being said, it is really well written!

K, our main character, follows an interesting yet dark story line full of porn and sex, into rape and fantasy, and ending on a higher note than where he begins. It's a unique take on a hero's journey to recognizing more about themselves and growing as a character. The theme (yes, somehow there is a theme in an erotic horror novel!) also was intriguing - do you stay motionless or fight your demons? How can one rise above the negatives?

This book felt like Alice in Wonderland meets Black Swan meets Fifty Shades of Grey on steroids. The twists and turns will leave you breathless (and slightly confused at times, but that's a good thing) and will keep you on edge. I think Rajeev is one talented author, because this book boggled my mind! I didn't know what would happen next (which I love, I hate guessing the endings) and I had to think a lot to grasp what this novel was portraying. If you don't read into it, yeah... it seems kind of weird... but you can take a lot out of it.

Would I recommend this book? Yes. I definitely think you need to research this book before jumping into it, because it's not for the lighthearted by any means. It's R rated and brutal at times. But, it was still a great novel! I love the fact that it was so different from my typical read and opened me up to a new genre. Essentially, I want to read more by Rajeev Singh - he's creative!

Four out of five stars!

I received a free copy of this book from the author Rajeev Singh in exchange of an honest review.

[Angel Gelique · Rating 5 out of 5]

"What if an imaginer could populate an entire city with the force of his lust...?"

Ketan ("K") is a young college dropout supporting himself by writing erotica. A porn addict and compulsive masturbator, K is at home, busy doing what he does best, when suddenly--in the midst of his climax--he experiences a most bizarre falling sensation. When he regains his senses, he finds that he is no longer within the haven of his bedroom but somewhere else entirely--somewhere that looks eerily familiar. He finds that his surrounding area is remarkably similar to the background scene depicted on the magazine cover displaying his favorite fantasy woman, his erotic muse, Fanny Leone.

Transported to a mysterious world ("...a new world where all desires have an end at the cost of a few globules of semen and loads of regret that somehow always haunt a post-coital man"), K finds Fanny in the flesh and soon discovers that he has the opportunity to fulfill all of his sexual fantasies. It's thrilling at first, but before long, he realizes that he is entrapped by his all-consuming lust.

"What was desire anyway? Wasn’t desire a well that never filled to completion?

Desperate to escape the prurient prison-land, K finds an ally and they embark on an epic journey, one fraught with danger and horrors but also enlightenment and romance.

"...their bodies began to meld as if they were coloured effigies of wax making love in a bed on fire."

This book truly impressed me, not just with its brilliant writing but also because it presented a unique, highly-imaginative, profound and thought-provoking story. Singh's rich, intoxicating prose placed me right beside K and enabled me to experience his feelings and dilemmas. His use of figurative and descriptive language is absolutely flawless and poetic.

"...a smile that didn’t please K at all but fed the tapeworm of anxiety crawling in his gut."

The tension...the mounting dread...the suspense....

Singh is an incredible storyteller whose book had me thoroughly engrossed. I don't envy him, though. This masterpiece will be a tough act to follow. Yet, somehow I have a feeling that his next novel will be just as riveting. I can't wait to read it!

[Lisa Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Erotic Muse is an epic erotic horror journey written in flowing prose. It is rich in philosophy and cultural representation as it follows the adventure of one man's struggle through an erotic hell that manifests the darkness in his own mind and life. I am not going to go into the plot more than that for two reasons:
1. The synopsis blurb is true to the story.
2. Other reviews offer interpretations of the storyline.

Reminiscent of the works of Clive Barker, this novel rides the line between bizarro and psychological horror. Lengthy, daring, and intelligently written, this is a thinking reader's novel. The sex scenes are bold and the philosophy is deep. It is not light reading. It is not graphic horror. How "scary" one may find it depends on one's personal mind frame. For the most part, the horror is in the psychological and symbolic detail of the story, but some may find it truly disturbing in some places.

5 Stars for this genre-blending erotic philosophical horror that brazenly challenges the mind.

[Clare Lune · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story follows protagonist K in a psychedelic mindscrew of an adventure through erotic worlds. I enjoyed the prose (some of it was lengthy, but mostly in a positive way) and the plot was original and entertaining. I'm really glad to see a full-length novel in the erotic horror genre--it was a delight to read. I hope the author will produce more work like this.

Singh's work is reminiscent of Clive Barker and Lucy Taylor, so if you enjoy those authors, pick this up. It was intense. Sort of like taking X. Whoa.

[Pinaki Ghosh · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Erotic Muse’, a fiction written by Rajeev Singh, includes mystery, adventure, thrills, horror, heart racing moments and, last but not the least, love.

The story revolves around Ketan who has shortened his name to K. He had almost got a degree in literature but an unfortunate turn of events makes him a college dropout.

He leaves his house and struggles to stay afloat. He is frustrated and becomes a porn addict.

It could have been different if he was not so choosy about his job but then he finds every possible job boring.

As a last resort bid, he finds a way to earn his a living by writing erotica for magazine.

One fine day he finds himself transported to a parallel world. A parallel world where all the deep seated and hidden sexual desires are fulfilled.

But nothing comes without a price. Here the price was his freedom. He was trapped and the only way out was through ‘redemption’.

That’s where the main plot of the story comes to life. The adventures of K as he struggles to find a way out of the parallel world
.
The flow of the story is quite good.

It keeps on getting increasingly interesting and the unexpected turn of events, the twists and turns are sure to leave the reader’s heart rate racing.

[Michael Sorbello · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow! I've never been a fan of erotica, but this was truly something else. It was grotesque, it made my skin crawl, and the vulgarness of it all was scathing with a touch of dark humor. It felt like less of an erotic daydream and more like a perverted dissection of a nasty, rotted body. I would absolutely recommend it to horror fans, even to those that despise erotica with a passion.

[Pari · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ketan (aka K) hates his name. He hates his father. He has an altercation with his English teacher and end up losing his degree in English literature and also, his home. He shifts to a rented house that he hates. And, he feels that his landowner treats him like trash. His search for a job to keep a roof over his head and his head over his shoulder leads him to a day job in a department store while writing erotica for a website at night.

Masturbating to one of the pictures of Fanny Leone’s, he gets transported to a parallel universe where all the whims and fancies of a person can be sated. There K meets Leone who explains that the place is actually a maze built on unalloyed carnal desires of the human mind.

But, there is no way out of the room that contains just his muse and some extreme sensual paintings!

K decides to abstain from surrendering to his longings so as to find a way out of the mess. But, he is chased by a ghoul – Lion Mane – who threatens to kill him if he do not complete the sexual acts created by the paintings! Torn between the decision to go ahead with his musings or to save his childhood affection, he must set on an adventure that brings him face to face with danger and death throughout the course of the book.

[S.P. Oldham · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thoughtful, intelligent horror-porn with a deep philosophical bent. This is a very different read for me, one I thought I would explore as an 'arm' of horror generally, which is my chosen genre for the most part.

If you are looking for trashy, shlock-horror porn then this book is not for you. This is extremely well-written, in the literal sense, intelligent and at times even philosophical writing.

Set against an Indian background, there is a definite fantasy element, whereby a young man is inadvertently drawn into a pornographic image of a woman he lusts after. From there on, K as the main protagonist is known, experiences voyeurism; brutal, sadistic and even violent sexual pleasures stemming from his own deviant desires. These desires are so repressed, hidden even from himself, coming from his own subconscious mind or from a part of him he has previously managed to quell.

The amount and frequency of actual sex acts performed by K tail off considerably after the initial chapters. At this point, the story becomes more about the psychological and emotional depths of sex, fantasy and all that goes along with such things. The focus shifts markedly from the physical porn to the psychological, seeking meaning to the acts of depravity, attempting to explain or even justify it.

K meets a girl (woman?) in this fantasy realm of his own devising, and together they work to escape to reality. This is made a great deal harder by the evil, menacing presence of a demonic character, Lion Mane, who is after their blood. If K does not perform some form of sexual act with the women he meets in this netherworld, however wanted or unwanted it may be, Lion Mane will attack or kill him or others who populate this world. Lion Mane himself commits brutal sexual acts against unwitting victims, including two teenage girls.

It is K’s task to defeat the demon and return to his own version of normality. There is a second, troublesome character K meets early on, the somewhat aptly named Fanny, who is able to change form to suit his erotic needs. I won’t say more for fear of spoiling the story for you.
K does seem to have a preoccupation with breasts, especially the cleavage and this is an area that is (literally) explored to some extent in the story. Likewise, several woman are described as having ‘drugged eyes’ whilst have sex, whether consensual or not. I would point out that the story includes rape, one scene of which is quite graphic and drawn out, though well observed. There is also reference to the burgeoning realisation of sex in childhood and a brief, somewhat subtle touch upon lesbianism.

This is intelligent and at times quite deep stuff. If you are after quick, cheap thrills with lots of blood and gore thrown in, then this is not perhaps the book for you. This is more a slow burn, with plenty of food for thought. There is horror porn, but it is well within the context of the overall story and is set out at a steady pace, so to speak.

I won’t comment on the ending for the same reason as I stated earlier. Make of it what you will, but I would say that the author’s epilogue adds a tantalising little twist to the story.

I gave this four stars for the very high standard of writing and the use of language and imagery.

[Lucy Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Obsessed with erotic film star Fanny Leone, the narrator K finally meets her in person--and soon finds himself in a parallel world of endless sensuous delights. His only problem--will he ever be able to leave?

[A.R. Kingston · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m still not entirely sure how I should feel about this book. It reads like a delightfully odd combination of an 80’s horror movie and an adult entertainment flick. So if you are uncomfortable with the pleasures of the flesh and the human body I recommend you stay away from this book.
Our protagonist Ketan has a slight addiction to porn and masturbation, and oddly enough supports himself by writing erotica. One day he awakes in a strange world where he can fulfill all his fantasies of the flesh…well until he realizes that he can’t escape his lust. The rest of the book is an erotic journey of growth, self-discovery, and redemption.
While I do enjoy my erotica a bit more on the vanilla side, I did find this book to be delightful in other ways. I thought it was an exciting look into the human psyche and how things can leave profound impressions on us. Moreover, while I cannot recommend this book to everyone, I can say that if you are not put off by excessive pornography, then you can surely find this book a surprisingly enlightening read.

[Kay Oliver · Rating 5 out of 5]

First and foremost, Singh is an absolute wordsmith. This book is beautifully written with lush and rich words. Second, I have never and would have never read this genre, but this book blew my mind. It is unique and fresh in it's plot as well as its characters. I devoured each and every page with driving hunger for more. Singh is very talented and I look forward to more from him.

[Rebecca Winkler · Rating 5 out of 5]

My review – Hold on to your hats folks, it’s a wild ride
‘The Erotic Muse’ by Rajeev Singh, is a story of K.

K falls into a parallel world where Fanny Leone, his erotic muse and favorite porn star, becomes his guide, meeting him in a room with paintings on the wall—paintings that depict his deepest desires, even the depraved ones. He begins his journey when he stares at the first painting long enough for it to establish a connection with his psyche.

“It panders to the sickest parts of my mind.” K finished. She [Fanny] nodded. “Creating the scenario you had longed for at some point in time, letting you fulfil your darkest passions.”

While in this parallel world, K visits the source of an encounter that seeded sexual repression, embarrassment, shame and guilt as a boy. Now a man, he reflects and relives his own coming of age story of lusts and depravities where he must act them out, and discovers his desperation for redemption. ‘The Erotic Muse’ deals with K’s psyche and is deeply emotional in many parts. I am so glad Rajeev Singh included some humor in his writing of this type of story.

From here…hold on to your hats folks! It’s a wild ride through his journey, where K faces life altering questions about his humanity and learns the rule of human existence.

Did not expect the ending, but I loved it!

[Thomas Jr. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Beautiful writing, but needs an editor

The Erotic Muse is quite a book. It's long and complex. In places, the prose absolutely scintillates but in others, it drags. The plot is not new - an earth man is transported to a strange world from which he must escape, but in this case, the world is populated with the protagonist's mastubatory fantasies gone wild, which are often malevolent. It's written in a rambling, stream of consciousness style which often makes it hard to follow. Some of the images are graphic and shocking. My biggest problem with the book was that I couldn't get comfortable reading it because just as I found a section I liked, it would change and become tedious again. I think the biggest flaw is the lack of editing. The Erotic Muse is a good book, but at half the length, perhaps it could be a great book.

[Destiny Bridwell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book for a fair and honest review. I have not been reading much erotica since I started this blog, but I was offered this book by the other and decided to give it a chance. The book was wonderfully written but still needs a few edits. That did not stop me from enjoying the book. It is a about a college drop out that is all caught up in his world of lust and sexual fantasy. So far that he gets trapped in a world that is all about that and more. It at first is all that he could dreams for and even meets the girl who is his truest sexual fantasy, but he starts to realizes there is more to living then his lust and now he needs to escape his lustful prison. Does he escape and get back to that dream of being a writer? You will have to grab a copy and find out for yourself. 

[Bara B · Rating 5 out of 5]

Where do I start?
If Nin, Miller, and Lovecraft had a child, blessed by Baudelaire, raised by Kafka, and educated by de Sade, you would have "The Erotic Muse." There is something of Ryu Murakami's brutality in it, too. Definitely, unusual...
There is almost something scientific in the dissection of K's feelings, desires, emotions.
The language is exquisite. My suggestion? Read this book. If not for the storyline, then for the literary craft. It is well worth the read. If you are a fan of the genre, that is. Because the plot... is strange and out there, for the lack of better words. It's a brilliant work of a crazy and beautiful (in its own way) mind. Clever, intricate, explicit, brutal, raw, rich—you will be taken on a wild adventure into the world of the deepest desires and fantasies.

[Rashmi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book from the author for an honest review. All opinions are solely mine and I have not been given any benefits, monetary or otherwise, to post my review here or anywhere else.

The author Rajeev Singh has attempted something bold and unconventional with a powerful plot -- I bet you've never read anything like it before. It sucks you in from the first page. The tale is descriptive, intense and eerie in places, never ceasing to capture the reader's attention.
Highly recommended if you don't get queasy easily. I agree with another reviewer here who called the author an absolute wordsmith. The prose is haunting and will stay with you long after you've finished reading the book. Highly recommended.

[Clota · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was given a free copy of this book to read and review. Here are my thoughts on this rather lengthy novel:

The basic premise of this story is about a sex-obsessed man named Ketan (or K as he is known throughout the book) who suddenly finds himself drawn into a dream/fantasy world where he is chased by what I suspect is his alter-ego, a giant with a head that resembles a lion. In as far as I can figure, the goal is for K to perform out his fantasties in order to escape this giant. But then he is stunted by the appearance of a certain lady for whom he realizes a deeper level of emotions.

I have to admit that this book is not easy to review. While Singh is clearly a master of the written language - his prose and beautiful usage of words is stunning, his tendency to go on and on has often left me bored to tears, and I found myself skimming through huge chunks of the story, simply because so many "thought-trains" or description of scenes, backgrounds, etc, went on for too long. Because of that, it took me so long to finish this book.

I also wasn't sure exactly what I was reading - erotica? horror? fantasy? philosophy? A mix of all four, perhaps?

I gave this book 3 stars out of five, mostly because it IS well-written, beautifully at times, as far as prose goes, but the story itself just fell short for me.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Normally this is not my type of read. I took a plunge and read it.

Now with that being said at first I didn't understand the story line. If you take out all the porn and erotica, reading further and further the book is more about an addict and his struggles to personally get past that addiction. It is of the man's personal struggle and the thoughts that race through his head and the inner battle that he goes through. It is a little longer than most but it is a great read!

Now I can not recommend this book to everyone but I will recommend it to ones that I know will truly understand the meaning of the book!

[C.F. Rabbiosi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Only a third of the way done, but this book is HOT. Super good writing and engaging plot that I've never come across before. Full review to come : )

[Denise · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not for me

Strange book. Couldn't really get into it.was hard to follow. Not even sure what it was about. Just not my thing .

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

**Received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for a review.**

I will start off by saying that I don't really read these kinds of books. No real reason, just something that I don't choose on a regular basis. The summary of the story caught my attention. The story is about K, Ketan, who has a highly unhealthy addiction to porn. Filled with self loathing, including just hating his own name, K uses porn and his writing to escape reality. While masturbating to one of his magazines, K finds himself in an alternate universe where every sexual fantasy, even ones that he never knew he had and is almost downright disturbing, is real - along with his favorite porn star, Fanny. Now, K has to find away to escape this world...if possible.

There's a hell of a lot more to this story, but I don't want to give anything away. Let me just say this, the story has a deeper meaning than the title says. Yes, it happens to be about porn addiction, but you know what? Demons are still being fought and addiction to porn is no exception to the fight.

"People create new worlds inside their minds, imagine their object of desire gaining flesh and form and yet, when they see it for real, they reject it as falsehood, hallucination, figment...whatever you call it. I wonder why humans behave like that."

I had to highlight this quote. It is so accurate. Can you imagine someone you've used in your deepest fantasies saying that to you?

"Self-abuse. It encompasses all the negativity your narrow-minded world has created around masturbation. You fuck a woman, it's okay; you jerk off to her picture, it's not. Why so?"

Why is that so...I wonder.

It took me a little while to read the story because there are some parts I'm not fond of reading, especially when it comes to sensitive subjects. And also...it'll take me a while to get the whole meaning of a 'pearl necklace' out of my head.

The story has a deeper meaning than just addicted to porn and living out fantasies. The ending really ties the story together and I was actually satisfied with it. To know more...you'll have to go through K's world and see how he finally escapes.

[LucyLui · Rating 1 out of 5]

The Erotic Muse by Rajeev Singh

Title: The Erotic Muse
Genre: #Errotic Horror
Pages: 412
Price on Amazon: Kindle: £0.99
ASIN: B07BDF7GW4

This story follows K, a young porn star addict who dreams of becoming a writer. One evening while masturbating he finds himself transported to a parallel world where all his sexual preferences and perversions come true. This comes at a cost though.

This book is not my usual type of book, but I was contacted by the author requesting a review so I gave it ago, always open to trying new things.

Unfortunately, this book was not for me. I just couldn't get on with it.

It was too erotic for me, don't get me wrong we all enjoy a bit of a sexy romance in our novels but this one was a bit too explicit for my liking...

Unfortunately, I was unable to finish this book and therefore I am unable to give it a full review.

Thank You to the author for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Rating - One out of Five Stars
Would I Read Again? - No
Would I Recommend? - No
Would I read other books by the same author? - Yes

Reviews for this book can be found on:
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Goodreads,
Net Galley (If a NetGalley Book)
My Blogs at http://www.readingbeyondobsession.co.uk/

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