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Absolute Perfection
When Prince Taza flees two female sea horses trying to impregnate him, he's chased by a human who plans to gain immortality by eating him. When Astika the Naga god saves him, Taza does the only smart thing and pledges himself to the Naga. For life. Since they're stuck with each other, Astika eventually decides he might as well see what it's like with a sea horse. Together, out of the wildest circumstances imaginable, the two lovers find and build Absolute Perfection.
149 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 14, 2010
4 people are currently reading
243 people want to read
About the author
Stephanie Burke
162 books126 followersStephanie is a multi published multi award-winning wife and mother of two whose unparalleled imagination causes her no end of trouble. From sex shifting shape-shifting dragons to under sea worlds, up to sexually confused elemental fey and homo erotic mysteries, all the way to pastel challenged urban sprites, Stephanie has done it all, and hopes to do more.
Stephanie is co-founder of the charitable organization Write 4 Hope, Co Creator of the Japanese Culture and Anime Convention Mikomicon, Home-school Mom, English Tutor, an Orator on her favorite subject of writing and world building, a sometimes teacher when you feed her enough coffee and donuts, an anime nut, a costumer, and a frequent guest of various sci-fi and writing cons where she can be found leading panel discussions or researching more and varied legends and theories to improve her writing skills.
Stephanie is known for her love of the outrageous, strong female characters, believable worlds, male characters filled with depth, and interracial that make the reader sit up and take notice.
Stephanie is co-founder of the charitable organization Write 4 Hope, Co Creator of the Japanese Culture and Anime Convention Mikomicon, Home-school Mom, English Tutor, an Orator on her favorite subject of writing and world building, a sometimes teacher when you feed her enough coffee and donuts, an anime nut, a costumer, and a frequent guest of various sci-fi and writing cons where she can be found leading panel discussions or researching more and varied legends and theories to improve her writing skills.
Stephanie is known for her love of the outrageous, strong female characters, believable worlds, male characters filled with depth, and interracial that make the reader sit up and take notice.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
February 8, 2011
2.5 Stars
Okay, this book had so many draws for me. One mythological creature, another unique fantasy creature, vampires as secondary characters, a male with a DOUBLE PENIS!!! Plus the cover is gorgeous.
So, how did this fail? Several reasons.
First, portions of the book which could have come across as ominous and foreboding, or just character building were reduced to silliness with a type of slapstick humor that took away from a story that was already in need of help.
Second, the editing was questionable. Sentence structure was horrible but there were also such amazing things as a man whose hands were bound behind his back that was soon having sex and clinging to his lover with nails digging into his lover's shoulders. The same bound man had been so fearful of heights through the whole book that he would become paralyzed and unable to speak when he was even one floor above ground level. But once he was saved from the baddie, he completely lost his fear of heights (and hand restraints) for a wild sex act on the second floor of a building. The people in the book changed personality to fit the author's scene until they just became these generic figures by the finish.
One word review: Meh...
Okay, this book had so many draws for me. One mythological creature, another unique fantasy creature, vampires as secondary characters, a male with a DOUBLE PENIS!!! Plus the cover is gorgeous.
So, how did this fail? Several reasons.
First, portions of the book which could have come across as ominous and foreboding, or just character building were reduced to silliness with a type of slapstick humor that took away from a story that was already in need of help.
Second, the editing was questionable. Sentence structure was horrible but there were also such amazing things as a man whose hands were bound behind his back that was soon having sex and clinging to his lover with nails digging into his lover's shoulders. The same bound man had been so fearful of heights through the whole book that he would become paralyzed and unable to speak when he was even one floor above ground level. But once he was saved from the baddie, he completely lost his fear of heights (and hand restraints) for a wild sex act on the second floor of a building. The people in the book changed personality to fit the author's scene until they just became these generic figures by the finish.
One word review: Meh...
tbr2_read-now_tip-top-pile
January 8, 2015Extract from the blurb:
Prince Taza flees two female sea horses trying to impregnate him...
Now this, I gotta see for myself. :D
October 18, 2010
There is one word that truly describes this book: unique. This will be something you have never read before.
By a twist of fate, royal naga Astika saves the little sea horse Taza when he is being followed by a crazy human who believes that eating a sea horse will give him immortality. And everyone knows that's just a fairy tale, right? Anyhow, by saving Taza's life, Astika is bound to him forever. They are destined to be mates for life. Astika's dreams of having a naga mate to lay a clutch for him to protect and look over are instantly destroyed. But even his divine parents cannot help him in this matter. He will have to make the best out of it.
I have never read any story about paranormal sea creatures before, and after Absolute Perfection, I can certainly say, I'm a fan. It's amazing to read a story that is so different from all the standard paranormal literature out there, to have a completely new lore to dig in and new creatures to get to know. The downside of this is that, because I had never heard about all these deities before, it was hard to keep track of them all. The author has included a summary of them, but I didn't really feel like looking them up while reading, because that would take the pace out of the story. It would be nice if there had been more time to get to know them. From what we can see in Absolute Perfection, those gods seem like an interesting bunch.
Even though you cannot relate to the main characters at all, their story is incredibly touching. It's really cute how they get attached to each other and find out that their fate isn't that bad at all. I fell in love with the tiny sea horse immediately and found his view on humans hilarious. I laughed out loud when he was telling about his adventures in trying to fit in into human culture. Absolute Perfection has a nice balance between touching and emotional scenes, and light, funny scenarios.
There is also a small amount of extra plot building around their blooming relationship. I thought this was done nicely, the plot enhancing their bond and giving them a reason to grow together. It gave the story a comfortable pace, making you want to keep on reading, without giving it a rushed feeling.
Basically, this is a male/male romance story. With the accessory sex. And some scales, sea foam and split tongues thrown in. This sounds like an awful and incredibly gross combination, but in this book, it actually works. It was quite sexy. Of course, this is only for the open-minded among us. But if you are open-minded and you let the story unfold, you can see the brilliance of it. The scales and long blue hairstyles almost make sense, and you can enjoy the refreshingly different love scenes. They are a little bit silly at times, but still remain a certain amount of credibility, and also very important, a certain hotness.
This book is not for you if you are looking for a serious book. You need to have a liking for this kind of weirdness that makes this book so good. If you cannot enjoy this, you will not be able make sense of it and you will probably hate it. If you think the idea of a sea horse paired up with a naga is awesome, you will thoroughly enjoy Absolute Perfection.
This book was reviewed for The Romance Reviews
By a twist of fate, royal naga Astika saves the little sea horse Taza when he is being followed by a crazy human who believes that eating a sea horse will give him immortality. And everyone knows that's just a fairy tale, right? Anyhow, by saving Taza's life, Astika is bound to him forever. They are destined to be mates for life. Astika's dreams of having a naga mate to lay a clutch for him to protect and look over are instantly destroyed. But even his divine parents cannot help him in this matter. He will have to make the best out of it.
I have never read any story about paranormal sea creatures before, and after Absolute Perfection, I can certainly say, I'm a fan. It's amazing to read a story that is so different from all the standard paranormal literature out there, to have a completely new lore to dig in and new creatures to get to know. The downside of this is that, because I had never heard about all these deities before, it was hard to keep track of them all. The author has included a summary of them, but I didn't really feel like looking them up while reading, because that would take the pace out of the story. It would be nice if there had been more time to get to know them. From what we can see in Absolute Perfection, those gods seem like an interesting bunch.
Even though you cannot relate to the main characters at all, their story is incredibly touching. It's really cute how they get attached to each other and find out that their fate isn't that bad at all. I fell in love with the tiny sea horse immediately and found his view on humans hilarious. I laughed out loud when he was telling about his adventures in trying to fit in into human culture. Absolute Perfection has a nice balance between touching and emotional scenes, and light, funny scenarios.
There is also a small amount of extra plot building around their blooming relationship. I thought this was done nicely, the plot enhancing their bond and giving them a reason to grow together. It gave the story a comfortable pace, making you want to keep on reading, without giving it a rushed feeling.
Basically, this is a male/male romance story. With the accessory sex. And some scales, sea foam and split tongues thrown in. This sounds like an awful and incredibly gross combination, but in this book, it actually works. It was quite sexy. Of course, this is only for the open-minded among us. But if you are open-minded and you let the story unfold, you can see the brilliance of it. The scales and long blue hairstyles almost make sense, and you can enjoy the refreshingly different love scenes. They are a little bit silly at times, but still remain a certain amount of credibility, and also very important, a certain hotness.
This book is not for you if you are looking for a serious book. You need to have a liking for this kind of weirdness that makes this book so good. If you cannot enjoy this, you will not be able make sense of it and you will probably hate it. If you think the idea of a sea horse paired up with a naga is awesome, you will thoroughly enjoy Absolute Perfection.
This book was reviewed for The Romance Reviews
October 3, 2010
This is a whacky idea that makes for a cute story if you can read it with a sense of ridiculous. The premise is of a male sea horse fleeing from a pre-arranged future that meets a Naga that doesn’t want a mate. Of course the two fall in love and get on with the happy baby making after a few false starts and some outside influences. The writing is very choppy and unpolished with several awkward information dumps and repetitive dialogue. The sex scenes are pretty over the top but everything about the story is.
This reads almost like fan fiction though I’ve no idea what universe it’s from so that didn’t bother me at all. Instead the world building seems to be missing quite a bit of detail and the writing tends to be over the top and exaggerated. The beginning is the best part with some great touches of humor and entertainment. Unfortunately this falls apart quickly and the end drags the resolution out. The sense of ridiculous gets more and more outrageous and the story loses its humor sadly.
For something totally different with moments of great humor, this story isn’t bad. It’s too exaggerated though and doesn’t have a strong plot and direction so it wanders too much. If you’re looking for something totally different in shifter erotica, this will definitely be an eye opener.
This reads almost like fan fiction though I’ve no idea what universe it’s from so that didn’t bother me at all. Instead the world building seems to be missing quite a bit of detail and the writing tends to be over the top and exaggerated. The beginning is the best part with some great touches of humor and entertainment. Unfortunately this falls apart quickly and the end drags the resolution out. The sense of ridiculous gets more and more outrageous and the story loses its humor sadly.
For something totally different with moments of great humor, this story isn’t bad. It’s too exaggerated though and doesn’t have a strong plot and direction so it wanders too much. If you’re looking for something totally different in shifter erotica, this will definitely be an eye opener.
September 28, 2010
A good book that started off funny but petered out at the end. Seahorse shifter Prince Taza is running from a human that wants to eat him. Taza runs directly behind the Naga Snake shifter Prince Astika who saves Taza from his human predator thus becomming his mate according to the law. A battle of wills ensues which is quite funny. It's an interesting take on shifters even with an ending that could use some polish.
March 16, 2023
A Joyfully Jay review.
3.5 stars
This is a silly, fluffy — or should I say sea-foamy — romp of a book. It’s as light as air, as deep as a puddle, and a lightning-quick read. And it’s fun. Taza is all emotion and impulse, having run away from his palace because he didn’t want to be a baby factory for whichever powerful female seahorse managed to get him pregnant, especially since getting Taza’s consent isn’t high on their list of priorities. He has no idea how to live on dry land, no idea how to live on his own, and no idea what he’s doing. But it’s fine! He’s a prince and a powerful seahorse. He’ll … figure it out, or something. Luckily for him, Taza ends up with a seven-foot tall mate who happens to be good at knowing things, like what shoes are.
Read Elizabeth’s review in its entirety here.
3.5 stars
This is a silly, fluffy — or should I say sea-foamy — romp of a book. It’s as light as air, as deep as a puddle, and a lightning-quick read. And it’s fun. Taza is all emotion and impulse, having run away from his palace because he didn’t want to be a baby factory for whichever powerful female seahorse managed to get him pregnant, especially since getting Taza’s consent isn’t high on their list of priorities. He has no idea how to live on dry land, no idea how to live on his own, and no idea what he’s doing. But it’s fine! He’s a prince and a powerful seahorse. He’ll … figure it out, or something. Luckily for him, Taza ends up with a seven-foot tall mate who happens to be good at knowing things, like what shoes are.
Read Elizabeth’s review in its entirety here.
March 11, 2023
What Did I Just Read ? . . .
Prince Taza, a seahorse of the fifteenth dynasty of Coushrin, is the king’s heir to the throne. Because seahorses mate for life, two female seahorses are after him to determine which one will impregnate him and become queen. But an even worse fate awaits him if the human who is likewise chasing him can overpower him, because the huge man thinks he can gain immortality if he eats him, so he doesn’t have to be gentle in catching him!
There is only one crazy, insane solution to his serious problem. Taza escapes to a vampire bar on the surface and runs in a Hindu Naga god, Astika, who saves him from the human who plans to have him for dinner – and not as a guest! And the vampire children prepare to instead snack on the human. So when Astika has rescued him, Taza pledges himself to the god for life which solves his problems. And Astika now has a forever mate so they decide to make the best of it and give it a try! The End.
This is the craziest story I have ever read. But you will still probably find something likable about these characters, so don’t give up on them. There just may be a HEA waiting for them once they figure everything out!
Prince Taza, a seahorse of the fifteenth dynasty of Coushrin, is the king’s heir to the throne. Because seahorses mate for life, two female seahorses are after him to determine which one will impregnate him and become queen. But an even worse fate awaits him if the human who is likewise chasing him can overpower him, because the huge man thinks he can gain immortality if he eats him, so he doesn’t have to be gentle in catching him!
There is only one crazy, insane solution to his serious problem. Taza escapes to a vampire bar on the surface and runs in a Hindu Naga god, Astika, who saves him from the human who plans to have him for dinner – and not as a guest! And the vampire children prepare to instead snack on the human. So when Astika has rescued him, Taza pledges himself to the god for life which solves his problems. And Astika now has a forever mate so they decide to make the best of it and give it a try! The End.
This is the craziest story I have ever read. But you will still probably find something likable about these characters, so don’t give up on them. There just may be a HEA waiting for them once they figure everything out!
March 5, 2023
Just when I thought there were no new shifters for me to read about, Absolute Perfection by Stephanie Burke, proved me wrong, as it stars a seahorse shifter. There are numerous other paranormal beings as well. I’m not sure in all the vampire books I’ve read that I remember one with vampire children from vampire parents. And said children are actually cute and funny in their bloodthirsty way in their father’s bar. This was the introduction to Hindu god Astika and Prince Taza of the seahorses. It was a fun meet-cute. I enjoyed Astika saving Taza from all his perils. And of course this is a different pairing. I learned a lot about seahorses I did not know other than they carry the eggs once they’ve mated. And I liked seeing some of Astika’s secrets revealed when the pair have sex. Watching Astika grow into the position of mate, despite his initial reluctance, made for an entertaining story. The way he took care of Taza’s enemies was pure fun. And the epilogue was enjoyable too. I received an ARC of Absolute Perfection by Stephanie Burke from Changeling Press and I leave a review voluntarily.
March 9, 2023
This was definitely a different experience to read, with lots of interesting creatures. Astika and Taza end up mated, despite one being a snake and the other being a seahorse. They could not be more different, and yet they are instantly drawn to one another. The new couple doesn't have time to rest, however, with power-hungry family members knocking on their door, female seahorses in need of a male mate, and a human man set on eating our poor little seahorse in the pursuit of eternal life. The two just can't seem to catch a break!
Absolute Perfection was an overall enjoyable read. It was short and fast paced which made it easy to read. The writing was a little confusing at times, but I really enjoyed the the Lore surrounding the two MCs. Definitely not a book for everyone, but I found it to be entertaining.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Absolute Perfection was an overall enjoyable read. It was short and fast paced which made it easy to read. The writing was a little confusing at times, but I really enjoyed the the Lore surrounding the two MCs. Definitely not a book for everyone, but I found it to be entertaining.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
March 18, 2023
4-
Stephanie Burke is a new to me author and I am still processing what I recently read. I liked that the author uses hindu deities intertwined with seahorses who are so different from what we now but with characteristics from real life in there.
Taza , seahorse, and Astika, snake like mediator for gods e.a. are both inline for their reapectives thrones. They are strong characters, but both have not the best relations with their families. Ofcourse there is some drama several people wanting to have Taza as a breeding 'mate/ partner' seen as a disposable 'thing'. Astika saves Taza for a second time and now they after that they find their hfn/hea.
One thing that baffels me is why Astika needs Taza to have offspring, whilst he can become pregnant himself as well especially with a goddess mother who rules fertility. The strong point for me in this book was the very unusual pairing and storyline.
I was kindly provided with a copy of this book and I leave my honest and personal review.
Stephanie Burke is a new to me author and I am still processing what I recently read. I liked that the author uses hindu deities intertwined with seahorses who are so different from what we now but with characteristics from real life in there.
Taza , seahorse, and Astika, snake like mediator for gods e.a. are both inline for their reapectives thrones. They are strong characters, but both have not the best relations with their families. Ofcourse there is some drama several people wanting to have Taza as a breeding 'mate/ partner' seen as a disposable 'thing'. Astika saves Taza for a second time and now they after that they find their hfn/hea.
One thing that baffels me is why Astika needs Taza to have offspring, whilst he can become pregnant himself as well especially with a goddess mother who rules fertility. The strong point for me in this book was the very unusual pairing and storyline.
I was kindly provided with a copy of this book and I leave my honest and personal review.
March 4, 2023
I loved the unique pairing of characters in this story with a royal seahorse shifter and a Naga (god, snake shifter), but the plot was thin, some things didn't make sense to me (why was Astika so distraught about not getting children when HE himself could bear children?), and the OTT sex scenes did not appeal to me. I missed the romantic, getting to know each other parts. Instead, it was mostly a cave-man type possessiveness that was just meh. I did enjoy Taza's sense of humor, especially when learning about the sex toys and things. He was a bit of an ingenue which was entertaining. So, ok story, but not one I will return to.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
March 16, 2023
"International diplomatic nightmare."
This was definitely a unique and interesting read. This was my first seahorse shifter, so I was excited to read about Taza, and I love Nagas, so Astika being his match was something I had to read. The predicament Taza found himself in- being chased by two female seahorses vying to impregnate him and become queen, and a crazy human trying to eat him to gain immortality, Taza runs into a vampire bar for help and literally plasters himself to Astika. I liked the characters and the story had some very humorous moments. An interesting read. 3.5 stars.
This was definitely a unique and interesting read. This was my first seahorse shifter, so I was excited to read about Taza, and I love Nagas, so Astika being his match was something I had to read. The predicament Taza found himself in- being chased by two female seahorses vying to impregnate him and become queen, and a crazy human trying to eat him to gain immortality, Taza runs into a vampire bar for help and literally plasters himself to Astika. I liked the characters and the story had some very humorous moments. An interesting read. 3.5 stars.
May 28, 2015
2014 Re-read:
I seem to be in the vast minority here again, but to me this mix of myth and parody and romance is just lovely. And fun and touching at the same time. Raunchy in all the right ways, too. XD
I think I was much more eloquent on the subject the last time I read this (and I really wonder why it took me so long to repeat the experience).
I’ll admit that the writing has its issues. There’s definitely bad editing (grammar and homophones).
And something that irked me a little are the messy viewpoints. I just didn’t get an omniscient vibe from the narrative until later in the story, otherwise it would have made more sense that we randomly dive into the thoughts of the other protagonist while the first one is the main focus.
With the way this is written it sometimes because really difficult to tell whose head we’re in, and the owners of possessive pronouns are often not clear.
In the grand scheme of things there’s a lot that could be worse. Still, this seemed worth mentioning.
Maybe another rather pertinent question came up. Why exactly is Astika so devastated over being mated to a male and the implied lack of offspring when
Either way, this was a pure delight to read and it restored my sense of wellbeing. <3
Maybe it is important to stress, though, that I liked this because it is so different from the usual fare and breaks all sorts of rules. If you can embrace that and enjoy the myth-like yet contemporary quality of it, you’re probably good to go.
2010 Review:
Whoa. Amazing. Just whoa.
When I read the dedication and was informed of the contents I was not really interested but intrigued anyway, so I breezed through the first two chapters. They turned out to be extremely funny but maybe not exactly romantic, as in the protagonists were not very likeable. The whole thing was like a parody.
Then, near the end of the second chapter there was a hint of genuine pain amidst the hilarity and with the beginning of chapter three that was reacted to by the other… protagonist (I can’t call him a man and even guy sounds wrong; they’re both mythical creatures and in this book that’s actually not just an excuse for a human with extra powers). And that touched me deeply. I was hooked.
So I went back, read slightly more carefully over the first chapter and a lot more the second and started really reading from there.
It still retained elements of parody but in any event it was just completely hilarious and funny and quirky and just so different from any other gay romance I have ever read. The gay thing? It did not even play into it, except for the whole sea horse fertility thing. So I can’t actually call this a gay romance. It was more like… a wildly funny, romantic and freakishly hot foray into mythological fantasy. Contemporary, seeing how the setting here was urban. (And that was so much fun, too. XD)
Man, the sex? They did not even have sex until the very end, though they certainly did get off before that point. But hell, it was amazing. Explosive and intense and just immense. And even within the story poking fun at itself and everything else the sex wasn’t ridiculous. I totally bought it all because these two creatures were simply not human at all. Yes, first time for me to actually revel in the almost animalistic parts that came with Astika at times shifting into his primary form of a freakingly awesome naga. It just all seemed so… right.
I loved this. I really think it was pure fantasy in the end, but in the best of ways.
Having gods as protagonists definitely demands the feel of ancientness as well as power and non-humanity. It so often goes completely wrong, trust me. Whenever I’ve read about angels or demons or, heck, even the devil himself, they just seemed too human and the extent of their sheer power and the difference of their very nature never really worked out. ’Kay, so a few books did great with custom species that they created. But this here? Astika’s a god and he’s been around for a while. And can you imagine combining the extreme hilarity with that sense of impressive power and animal instinct, that is not quite animal in nature because it’s naga instead, and not failing horribly?
This was written well in the sense that it had a story feel to it. Not an epic, this was simply the story of Astika, the naga god, and Taza, the sea horse prince, and their mating. But that does not mean it did not have dimension. I loved Astika’s mother, for example. Loved also the . That was awe-inspiring. And Taza’s mother? What an incredibly horrible… bitch.
You see, all the sad and funny and powerful was blended perfectly. I laughed so much and found myself caring so deeply and all this over a book I expected the worst from. I went into this thinking it’d be bad, possibly the fan-fiction level, and utterly stupid as far as the storyline went. And here I am with a new beloved book. Huh.
… Oh and better yet? The gods were real. I mean, actual Hindu gods/sages, which might explains why the back-stories rang so true and cruel. The author obligingly gives a bibliography at the end.
Seriously. This is a good book. Gotta make sure to read this again. <3
I seem to be in the vast minority here again, but to me this mix of myth and parody and romance is just lovely. And fun and touching at the same time. Raunchy in all the right ways, too. XD
I think I was much more eloquent on the subject the last time I read this (and I really wonder why it took me so long to repeat the experience).
I’ll admit that the writing has its issues. There’s definitely bad editing (grammar and homophones).
And something that irked me a little are the messy viewpoints. I just didn’t get an omniscient vibe from the narrative until later in the story, otherwise it would have made more sense that we randomly dive into the thoughts of the other protagonist while the first one is the main focus.
With the way this is written it sometimes because really difficult to tell whose head we’re in, and the owners of possessive pronouns are often not clear.
In the grand scheme of things there’s a lot that could be worse. Still, this seemed worth mentioning.
Maybe another rather pertinent question came up. Why exactly is Astika so devastated over being mated to a male and the implied lack of offspring when
Either way, this was a pure delight to read and it restored my sense of wellbeing. <3
Maybe it is important to stress, though, that I liked this because it is so different from the usual fare and breaks all sorts of rules. If you can embrace that and enjoy the myth-like yet contemporary quality of it, you’re probably good to go.
2010 Review:
Whoa. Amazing. Just whoa.
When I read the dedication and was informed of the contents I was not really interested but intrigued anyway, so I breezed through the first two chapters. They turned out to be extremely funny but maybe not exactly romantic, as in the protagonists were not very likeable. The whole thing was like a parody.
Then, near the end of the second chapter there was a hint of genuine pain amidst the hilarity and with the beginning of chapter three that was reacted to by the other… protagonist (I can’t call him a man and even guy sounds wrong; they’re both mythical creatures and in this book that’s actually not just an excuse for a human with extra powers). And that touched me deeply. I was hooked.
So I went back, read slightly more carefully over the first chapter and a lot more the second and started really reading from there.
It still retained elements of parody but in any event it was just completely hilarious and funny and quirky and just so different from any other gay romance I have ever read. The gay thing? It did not even play into it, except for the whole sea horse fertility thing. So I can’t actually call this a gay romance. It was more like… a wildly funny, romantic and freakishly hot foray into mythological fantasy. Contemporary, seeing how the setting here was urban. (And that was so much fun, too. XD)
Man, the sex? They did not even have sex until the very end, though they certainly did get off before that point. But hell, it was amazing. Explosive and intense and just immense. And even within the story poking fun at itself and everything else the sex wasn’t ridiculous. I totally bought it all because these two creatures were simply not human at all. Yes, first time for me to actually revel in the almost animalistic parts that came with Astika at times shifting into his primary form of a freakingly awesome naga. It just all seemed so… right.
I loved this. I really think it was pure fantasy in the end, but in the best of ways.
Having gods as protagonists definitely demands the feel of ancientness as well as power and non-humanity. It so often goes completely wrong, trust me. Whenever I’ve read about angels or demons or, heck, even the devil himself, they just seemed too human and the extent of their sheer power and the difference of their very nature never really worked out. ’Kay, so a few books did great with custom species that they created. But this here? Astika’s a god and he’s been around for a while. And can you imagine combining the extreme hilarity with that sense of impressive power and animal instinct, that is not quite animal in nature because it’s naga instead, and not failing horribly?
This was written well in the sense that it had a story feel to it. Not an epic, this was simply the story of Astika, the naga god, and Taza, the sea horse prince, and their mating. But that does not mean it did not have dimension. I loved Astika’s mother, for example. Loved also the . That was awe-inspiring. And Taza’s mother? What an incredibly horrible… bitch.
You see, all the sad and funny and powerful was blended perfectly. I laughed so much and found myself caring so deeply and all this over a book I expected the worst from. I went into this thinking it’d be bad, possibly the fan-fiction level, and utterly stupid as far as the storyline went. And here I am with a new beloved book. Huh.
… Oh and better yet? The gods were real. I mean, actual Hindu gods/sages, which might explains why the back-stories rang so true and cruel. The author obligingly gives a bibliography at the end.
Seriously. This is a good book. Gotta make sure to read this again. <3
February 14, 2023
Interesting story (to say the least). Funny and different. There were some grammatical errors, but it didn’t really take anything away from the story. It’s just a bit of light reading, with a mix of unusual, MM and wit
March 7, 2017
This was funny and entertaining. Naga and royal seahorseshifter, what a pair. The one thing I didn't like was the ending, it was rather abrupt and unsatisfactory.
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April 30, 2011In the chaos that was my reading list this last year, I almost forgot this book, and that would have been a big mistake. I’m an early admirer of the M/M sci-fi/fantasy novels by Stephanie Burke, and I’m still eagerly waiting for the third instalment in her Space Opera series; Stephanie Burke was among the first, and few, authors of mpreg stories I read, and the quality of her stories are always well above the average. Even if her novels are funny and light romances, you can clearly understand that there was a good research and plotting behind it, a thing that is proved in this same book, at the end you will find a good bibliography helping you understand where Stephanie Burke took inspiration for this original M/M romances.
The story is for sure out of the ordinary: in a fantasy/futuristic world, Astika, a mythological creature from India with the upper body of a man and the lower body of a snake, who can shift in a secondary fully human form, meets his mate in Baltimore (how I like the combination of an ordinary city with fantasy characters); Taza is a sea horse, who can, like Astika, shift in a fully human form, preserving some characteristic from his original form: pretty and huge eyes, long colourful mane and the ability to carry children!
Basically Astika is the unwilling savior of Taza, he was simply talking in a bar when Taza decided that Astika’s back was the right place to attach himself and hide from the man who is hunting him. When Astika, trying more to defend himself than Taza, helps the bartender kicking out the villain, Taza decides Astika is his savior: between the married and un-dead bartender and the unmarried and handsome Astika, the choice is simple and logic. No matter that Astika doesn’t want a mate, he saved Taza and now he is responsible for him. And when it comes out that Astika is as much as noble as Taza (the only heir to an undersea kingdom), the arranged marriage is sponsored also by Astika’s parents, he has no escape.
Truth be told, nor Astika or Taza are really strong and independent heroes, actually they resemble more spoiled rich brats and together they are a pair that will lead for sure to funny situations, while trying to running away from different types of pretender and at the same time spending their “honeymoon” exploring their body differences. The story was mostly light, at times arousing, and for sure original; even if you are usually not a fan of sci-fi/fantasy genre, if you like pretty twinkies, I recommend this one, even if one of the twinkies (Astika) is 7 feet tall!
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004BLK798/?...
The story is for sure out of the ordinary: in a fantasy/futuristic world, Astika, a mythological creature from India with the upper body of a man and the lower body of a snake, who can shift in a secondary fully human form, meets his mate in Baltimore (how I like the combination of an ordinary city with fantasy characters); Taza is a sea horse, who can, like Astika, shift in a fully human form, preserving some characteristic from his original form: pretty and huge eyes, long colourful mane and the ability to carry children!
Basically Astika is the unwilling savior of Taza, he was simply talking in a bar when Taza decided that Astika’s back was the right place to attach himself and hide from the man who is hunting him. When Astika, trying more to defend himself than Taza, helps the bartender kicking out the villain, Taza decides Astika is his savior: between the married and un-dead bartender and the unmarried and handsome Astika, the choice is simple and logic. No matter that Astika doesn’t want a mate, he saved Taza and now he is responsible for him. And when it comes out that Astika is as much as noble as Taza (the only heir to an undersea kingdom), the arranged marriage is sponsored also by Astika’s parents, he has no escape.
Truth be told, nor Astika or Taza are really strong and independent heroes, actually they resemble more spoiled rich brats and together they are a pair that will lead for sure to funny situations, while trying to running away from different types of pretender and at the same time spending their “honeymoon” exploring their body differences. The story was mostly light, at times arousing, and for sure original; even if you are usually not a fan of sci-fi/fantasy genre, if you like pretty twinkies, I recommend this one, even if one of the twinkies (Astika) is 7 feet tall!
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004BLK798/?...
October 2, 2010
Yes, Absolutely Perfection is just as wild, crazy, and eccentrically beautiful as the book blurb makes it sound.
The book starts out on a dark note, with a bar interrogation scene that could be taken from any prime time drama - except for the fact that the bartender is a vampire, and his interrogator is a Hindu snake-god in human guise. The banter is very well done, and the introduction of the vampire's family provides our first glimpse of the surreal elements that drive the story along. When Taza comes barelling into the bar, fleeing a human who has mistaken the seahorse for a mermaid and deemed him lunch, the story launches into full-on camp absurdity.
What develops from there is a fairly standard romantic comedy involving unwilling partners who, despite their intentions, fall deeply, madly, and passionately in love. Of course, as much as the plot device is standard, the characters certainly are not. With Tika and Taza we have to non-humans taking on human guises that are bordering between cute twink and effeminate boy. To confuse matters further, both are capable of bearing young, and are equally certain that the other will fulfill that role in their relationship.
The book's one minor failing is that it's so frantic, and so deep with the alien biology of mythological creatures, that the reader can get lost at times. The sex scenes are particularly confusing, especially when Tika is wavering between his natural serpent self and his human guise. In the end, though, the love story is so strong and so rewarding that the reader is more than happy to take the time to go back and reread a few paragraphs.
Ultimately, this is a story unlike any other you're likely to read this year. Novelty aside, it's also wonderfull written, which characters you will almost immediately become invested in.
The book starts out on a dark note, with a bar interrogation scene that could be taken from any prime time drama - except for the fact that the bartender is a vampire, and his interrogator is a Hindu snake-god in human guise. The banter is very well done, and the introduction of the vampire's family provides our first glimpse of the surreal elements that drive the story along. When Taza comes barelling into the bar, fleeing a human who has mistaken the seahorse for a mermaid and deemed him lunch, the story launches into full-on camp absurdity.
What develops from there is a fairly standard romantic comedy involving unwilling partners who, despite their intentions, fall deeply, madly, and passionately in love. Of course, as much as the plot device is standard, the characters certainly are not. With Tika and Taza we have to non-humans taking on human guises that are bordering between cute twink and effeminate boy. To confuse matters further, both are capable of bearing young, and are equally certain that the other will fulfill that role in their relationship.
The book's one minor failing is that it's so frantic, and so deep with the alien biology of mythological creatures, that the reader can get lost at times. The sex scenes are particularly confusing, especially when Tika is wavering between his natural serpent self and his human guise. In the end, though, the love story is so strong and so rewarding that the reader is more than happy to take the time to go back and reread a few paragraphs.
Ultimately, this is a story unlike any other you're likely to read this year. Novelty aside, it's also wonderfull written, which characters you will almost immediately become invested in.
March 3, 2011
Stephanie Burke's tale of sea horses, crazy humans and weird vampires is just the beginning of Absolute Perfection. This reviewer found herself laughing at the antics of the characters. Taza and Astika are memorable and lovable. Absolute Perfection has it all sex, action, and preternatural creatures. The author did such a phemonal job in creating the story. From start to finish I enjoyed the tale wishing it didn't end. I recommend this book and plan on re-reading it in the future. Reviewed by Katrina
Absolute Perfection was a perfect read on a cold wintery night. Astika and Taza come together in the oddest way, yet quickly find they have found what they are longing for. They don't worry about being two different species, sizes or anything. They just simply enjoy each other. This story will make you laugh and learn how easy it can be to love someone if you let yourself.
Stephanie Burke deserves 4.5 divas for this nice smutty tale with a twist. The ending truly made me smile. Review by Christine
DIVA RATING: 4.5
HEAT RATING: Flame
Link:http://www.deviantdivaseroticbookrevi...
Absolute Perfection was a perfect read on a cold wintery night. Astika and Taza come together in the oddest way, yet quickly find they have found what they are longing for. They don't worry about being two different species, sizes or anything. They just simply enjoy each other. This story will make you laugh and learn how easy it can be to love someone if you let yourself.
Stephanie Burke deserves 4.5 divas for this nice smutty tale with a twist. The ending truly made me smile. Review by Christine
DIVA RATING: 4.5
HEAT RATING: Flame
Link:http://www.deviantdivaseroticbookrevi...
April 4, 2014
Okay. The writing wasn't great, and the story was somewhat rushed and wonky. The characters fell in love way too fast and the way that one of them went from completely rejecting the relationship to being all for it happened fast enough to make my head spin. The characters, major and minor alike, were not fleshed out, and for the villains it was largely a bunch of mwahaha and fufufu. These are all major pet peeves of mine. I should have hated this book.
But my god did it keep me amused.
The characters' traits were absurd, the setting made very little sense, and the plot was predictable, but I laughed. I smiled. The zoological attributes given to the characters' humanoid "secondary forms" were entertaining. The quirkiness of the characters made the story. The amorphous sea-foam blob was random as hell and served almost no purpose besides making the reader chuckle and weirding out the non-sea-dwelling characters. The bantering between the characters? Hilarious.
So this wasn't what I'd call a great read, but it was great for some lighthearted reading. Frivolous and fun. Enjoyable despite its flaws.
But my god did it keep me amused.
The characters' traits were absurd, the setting made very little sense, and the plot was predictable, but I laughed. I smiled. The zoological attributes given to the characters' humanoid "secondary forms" were entertaining. The quirkiness of the characters made the story. The amorphous sea-foam blob was random as hell and served almost no purpose besides making the reader chuckle and weirding out the non-sea-dwelling characters. The bantering between the characters? Hilarious.
So this wasn't what I'd call a great read, but it was great for some lighthearted reading. Frivolous and fun. Enjoyable despite its flaws.
February 6, 2011
I had no idea what to expect when requesting to review this book. Other sites had said that there was a big humor element to it, so I requested it on faith of that, and the book delivered! I was giggling almost constantly while reading, even the sex scenes have a small element of humor to them, and so I was really able to enjoy this book for that reason.
The plot itself was very straightforward, and the characters' personalities were fairly consistent and easy for me to grasp; I was never left wondering what they might do or why they'd done something.
The writing style itself and the editing are the reasons for the lower score, because although I enjoyed the book (and the cover art—so pretty!) there were mistakes here and there and the writing felt like I was reading something I'd found online.
Still, the book's humor pulled me through and I was able to look forward to and finish reading the book, so don't let yourself be dissuaded from reading because it's not an expensive book so it's worth it for the giggles.
The plot itself was very straightforward, and the characters' personalities were fairly consistent and easy for me to grasp; I was never left wondering what they might do or why they'd done something.
The writing style itself and the editing are the reasons for the lower score, because although I enjoyed the book (and the cover art—so pretty!) there were mistakes here and there and the writing felt like I was reading something I'd found online.
Still, the book's humor pulled me through and I was able to look forward to and finish reading the book, so don't let yourself be dissuaded from reading because it's not an expensive book so it's worth it for the giggles.
December 8, 2014
I have mixed feeling about this one.
It was an interesting concept of the world and its various creatures. The seahorse's peculiarities were incorporated well in the human form of the shifters as well as in their culture. Naga was interesting too, there aren't many books with snakelike creatures (and if there are some, they're rarely positive characters).
I didn't like much Taza and Astika. They kept changing from page to page and as much as I can understand the evolution of the character (and I do apreciate it too) here I got the feeling they had split personalities or some other mental issues.
Anyway, it was rather intersting but not very well written story.
And the main villain... he was one poorly developed character...
It was an interesting concept of the world and its various creatures. The seahorse's peculiarities were incorporated well in the human form of the shifters as well as in their culture. Naga was interesting too, there aren't many books with snakelike creatures (and if there are some, they're rarely positive characters).
I didn't like much Taza and Astika. They kept changing from page to page and as much as I can understand the evolution of the character (and I do apreciate it too) here I got the feeling they had split personalities or some other mental issues.
Anyway, it was rather intersting but not very well written story.
And the main villain... he was one poorly developed character...
September 30, 2023
This was completely over-the-top and such fun. Some very unique ideas and characters, I've never encountered before. A totally different approach to recent more 'serious' or dark shifter stories. I enjoyed this, a little blotch of psychedelic color. The reason this is not a full 4★ for me is partly due to the lenght, I think. It's to much for this short story, scenes felt stripped-down, I was not really able to appreciate things, get into a mood or feel connected, before it was already over, replaced by the next moment, and the next and next. Each fun or interesting in itself, but never long enough to really 'see' or ' feel' it. The connection was always interrupted right before it really clicked.
November 28, 2013
I really, really wanted to like this book. It had unique species, mpreg and other reviews said that it was humorous. I thought I would like it. However the entire book had waaaaaay to many contradictions.
For example, Taza at one point says how much he really always wanted to try out human underwear. But later in the book he wishes that he had worn some of the underwear that Astika had tried to foist on him. Huh?
The POV switching got confusing and the story in general felt far too disjointed for my liking.
I am disappointed because it had so much potential. :(
For example, Taza at one point says how much he really always wanted to try out human underwear. But later in the book he wishes that he had worn some of the underwear that Astika had tried to foist on him. Huh?
The POV switching got confusing and the story in general felt far too disjointed for my liking.
I am disappointed because it had so much potential. :(
March 18, 2014
Taza is cute (a seahorse, looks like a mermaid & clingy! haha ) but Astika uhhhh... he reminds me too much of a scary rumored half human half snake here in our country (named Robinson), it was weird haha and uncomfortable when I was on the part where his non-human form was being described (◍•﹏•). Another weird thing was the double_____ (☉ω☉) uhh yeah you'll know when you read it. What attracted me to read this was there will be a mpreg but I was disappointed there was none, just an idea （￣□￣；）.
It took me a long time to finish this sooo 2 stars and that's for Taza.
It took me a long time to finish this sooo 2 stars and that's for Taza.
January 31, 2011
I'm not sure how to rate this book.
It's cliche, not really developed, ridiculous by some aspect...
but I liked it. Bizarre.
The bigger problem it's that I clearly had the impression that this book was part of a larger universe or series that was not published or that it's a fanfiction of a obscure manga.
What surprise me it's that, even when Astika and Taka are caricatural I love them and I found myself cheering for them.
Not a bad book, just not excellent.
It's cliche, not really developed, ridiculous by some aspect...
but I liked it. Bizarre.
The bigger problem it's that I clearly had the impression that this book was part of a larger universe or series that was not published or that it's a fanfiction of a obscure manga.
What surprise me it's that, even when Astika and Taka are caricatural I love them and I found myself cheering for them.
Not a bad book, just not excellent.
December 25, 2013
re-read Dec 2013
I had forgotten this one and felt like rereading the book. I started remembering the book almost immediately and found my second reread just as sweet.
That describes this book perfectly - sweet and a little goofy.
If your in the mood for a little light hearted fluff then read this book for a smile. I personally wish it had another 10,000 words and the story could have really become much more interesting.
I had forgotten this one and felt like rereading the book. I started remembering the book almost immediately and found my second reread just as sweet.
That describes this book perfectly - sweet and a little goofy.
If your in the mood for a little light hearted fluff then read this book for a smile. I personally wish it had another 10,000 words and the story could have really become much more interesting.
May 24, 2013
3.5 stars
I very very much enjoyed this book, it was very refreshing from the normal stomps through shifter stories. I absolutely adore that they didn't fall in love immediately! That there was actual progress in a relationship, not oh my mate I shall love you from the moment I set eyes upon you.
That being said, I felt that the end portions of the book were slightly rushed and could have been played out better. Still a great book, very little grammar issues and a fun read all around.
I very very much enjoyed this book, it was very refreshing from the normal stomps through shifter stories. I absolutely adore that they didn't fall in love immediately! That there was actual progress in a relationship, not oh my mate I shall love you from the moment I set eyes upon you.
That being said, I felt that the end portions of the book were slightly rushed and could have been played out better. Still a great book, very little grammar issues and a fun read all around.
July 23, 2016
3.5 stars
This book was selected for me through the "Pick It For Me Challenge" I can honestly say that I would have never picked this book for myself. I struggled at first because even though I read paranormal books, fantasy ones with sort of mythological creatures was hard to get into, but once I did it was an enjoyable read, humorous in parts and I liked how the relationship between Astika and Taza developed and grew.
This book was selected for me through the "Pick It For Me Challenge" I can honestly say that I would have never picked this book for myself. I struggled at first because even though I read paranormal books, fantasy ones with sort of mythological creatures was hard to get into, but once I did it was an enjoyable read, humorous in parts and I liked how the relationship between Astika and Taza developed and grew.
May 19, 2015
The writing in this made my eyes bleed, the plot was almost nonsensical but still it was funny and the characters and their interactions were very entertaining. Disappointed at the lack of actual mpreg tho.
February 16, 2011
2.5 stars.
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