AoD Review: Say Please

[The Pirate Queen]

Review
Released By: Aurora Publishing, Inc.
MSRP: 12.95
Pages: 192
ISBN: 978-1934496176
Size: B6
Orientation: Right to Left
Release Date: 04/2008

[sunflower33]

This is the first book in Kano Miyamoto's Rules universe, not necessarily connected by story but by character. Hikaru is one of the main characters whose life is followed through the series, from his dissolute beginning through tragedy to eventually finding love in an unexpected place. This series is her best I think, full of rich realistic characters. Anyone tired of the standard happy pretty high school or college BL and wanting something with meat to it would do well to pick up this series.

Unfortunately, not all the books of the series have been licensed, especially Rules, which holds the main story. But Lover and Souls has been, by Aurora, and it's the second major part.

A lot of the background to the story is also told in doujinshi form. They're worth looking for if you enjoy the other books. ^_^

[The Pirate Queen]

Originally Posted by sunflower33

This is the first book in Kano Miyamoto's Rules universe, not necessarily connected by story but by character. Hikaru is one of the main characters whose life is followed through the series, from his dissolute beginning through tragedy to eventually finding love in an unexpected place. This series is her best I think, full of rich realistic characters. Anyone tired of the standard happy pretty high school or college BL and wanting something with meat to it would do well to pick up this series.

Unfortunately, not all the books of the series have been licensed, especially Rules, which holds the main story. But Lover and Souls has been, by Aurora, and it's the second major part.

A lot of the background to the story is also told in doujinshi form. They're worth looking for if you enjoy the other books. ^_^

Hmm - sounds like it could get more interesting. This book didn't work well for me as a standalone book, but more character exploration might change my mind. I'll check out her other books in the future.

[Noodle]

Read this last night; I kinda liked it, actually. Not love as a favorite, but at least more than you did, for sure. I liked the broken Sakura finding solace in Ryoichi, and how Ryoichi realizes it from the start. I felt the non-con scene was a bit disturbing, in that it really was non-con, and not the resisting-but-acquiescing sort of non-con. Probably the only part I didn't like.

I found the short story to be really, really good but that relationship was the creepy-ish one to me. I really, really liked the friendship the two shared AND that Ryu chose to stay in the end. It made the story much more realistic to me, but at the same time, that serious, realistic feeling only made the whole "older man seducing a high school boy and inviting him away" creepy. That didn't sit right with me at all, and had he actually left with him, I'd have been really bothered by it.

Oh also: I also really loved this cover art. So pretty. It's what actually swayed me, after reading your thoughts on the story. Heh. I wish the color plate had been included.

[Bullet]

Even a die-hard Miyamoto Kano fan would agree that Say Please isn't one of her strongest works. She's created several complex, interwoven storylines/universes that depict fascinating, deeply flawed yet lovable characters. She does tortured soul like no other and sure loves them rent boys. If you're looking for something beyond the usual fluff, I'd definitely recommend Lovers & Souls due out in Nov.

Now, the nit-pick; JP tank contains 2 pages of post script & about that's been omitted in the US version. This is a big no-no in my book and something that I'd thought we moved beyond.

[The Pirate Queen]

Originally Posted by Bullet

If you're looking for something beyond the usual fluff, I'd definitely recommend Lovers & Souls due out in Nov.

Good to know - I'll definitely check that out when it comes out. I really wanted to like this one more than I did, but it just hit me the wrong way.

Now, the nit-pick; JP tank contains 2 pages of post script & about that's been omitted in the US version. This is a big no-no in my book and something that I'd thought we moved beyond.

That's...upsetting. And kind of odd - both Seduce Me After the Show and Yakuza in Love (both from Aurora, and awesome books) contain the post-volume extras, which makes me wonder what was different about this one.