I just received my copy of “S” Volume 3:  Split, and all I can say is… wow.  I previously rated this as a 4 out of 5 stars but this volume makes it a 5 star series all the way.  We are pulled further into the underworld of gun smuggling but this volume also delves further into who killed Shiiba’s sister eight years earlier.  There are twists and turns around every corner and just when you think it couldn’t get any more intense, it does and in a big way.  The ending leaves us on a bit of a cliff hanger but volume 4 is right around the corner and is the finale to this wonderful and thrilling series so I am glad it ended the way it did.

One thing I liked about this volume is that it further developed the character of Shiiba’s widowed brother-in-law which adds a lot of the tension throughout the story.  I am really intrigued to see how his character turns out in the final volume.  I also like the fact that Shiiba and Munechika’s relationship is further cemented as they both fall deeper for one another.  We are introduced to two new characters who will continue into the final volume and we learn more about Munechika’s past and his mysterious relationship with his half brother. 

If you haven’t read any of the books in this series, you must.  It is by far my favorite yaoi novel series to date.  I have also reviewed volumes 1 and 2 so feel free to read those to get a better feel for the story.

Buy Now!

 Buy Now!

This review is of the yaoi novel titled “S” Volume 1.  If you haven’t tried a yaoi novel yet, you need to.  I was into manga originally and then accidentally bought a novel and was blown away.  VERY erotic and in a different way from manga.  Anyway, I digress.  “S” is a novel about a police detective undercover in the red light district known as Shinjuku.  Our main character is Masaki Shiiba, a 28 year old detective specializing in intelligence gathering specific to arms trafficking.  The “S” in the title is short for “spy” and Shiiba’s spy (informant) in the story is Andou, who is a member of the local crime syndicate.  The story revolves mainly around Shiiba, Andou, a Chinese arms dealer and a “mysterious” stranger Shiiba first meets on an elevator.  If you like a little story to go with your smut, then this is the story for you.  It is very detailed but it has some delicious sex scenes that are beautifully written.  The book itself has a sexy cover along with a VERY erotic color illustration as the very first page of the book.  The rest of the story includes ten black and white illustrations scattered throughout that are well drawn and the men are drawn in a masculine fashion.  There is a second volume to this story that was just released (and that I have eagerly waiting for me) so we’ll get to see more of this one including volumes 3 and 4 that have yet to be released (but are available for pre-order on Amazon.com).  

Buy Now!