Season of Infidelity: BDSM Tales From the Classic Master
By Oniroku Dan
Translated by Chris Violet
Vertical Inc. 2010
Copy supplied by Publisher
Review by Linda Yau
Controversy and intrigue may surround the topic of eroticism and nudity. It is quite the lucrative business. There’s an audience, and for those who corner the niche in the SM market, infamy occurs. Sadomasochism is not for the fainthearted and it has carved a place in Japanese society.
Season of Infidelity is a first person autobiographical and literary tale of Oniroku Dan who was a very popular author of SM novels. By the time this book was released in English, Dan had passed away due to health reasons, it is an assumption that his passing is felt by many fans, but many may still see his legacy in books and film. Indeed many of his works has become pink films, a softcore pornographic film that works around the Japanese censorship.
Oniroku in Seasons of Infidelity, writes of his relationships with leading erotica film actresses, in particular regards to Naomi Tani. He also writes of how he found himself getting into this illicit world, a college homosexual experience, and a retelling of his own marriage/divorce. While some parts may or may not be embellished to be sensational, this book provides a viewpoint of a world that is quite different from the norm. With a recent wave of popularity in 50 Shades of Grey, the world of erotica is making its way into mainstream United State’s knowledge, so Seasons of Infidelity is an insightful look into another culture and gender. Who’s to say that the seeking of pleasure can’t be a stinging one?
