To Serve and Submit

Set in a vaguely Nordic world that eventually comes into better focus, Wright's tepid erotic fantasy, the first in a two-book series, follows the adventures of Marja, "born a wild child of the fens," who willingly leaves her backwater home to become a pleasure slave. True to formula, Marja falls in love with her master, Lexander, who returns her love and eventually sets her free. Marja seeks help from a young noblewoman, Silveta, to whom Marja brings both salvation and misfortune. When Silveta's chieftain husband is murdered, our heroes must undertake a journey to save Silveta from the foul warlord Birgir Barfoot. A climactic battle proves more exciting than most of the carnal encounters, which are oddly coy, nearly sexless and brief. One can only hope that Wright (Slaves Unchained ) will turn up the heat in the sequel. (Apr.)