Book Review -:- Douglas Kent's Complete Shibari Vol 1: Land

I purchased 4 bondage books (and one book that's not exactly about bondage) from a list that Master put together. I've since received four of the five, and figured, hey - why not write about 'em.

Especially since they really struck a good chord with me just from reading the first few pages.

The first 17 pages of Complete Shibari Vol 1 are focused on safety. Picking the correct rope for the right rigs, understanding the limitations of both the person doing the tying, and the person being tied. It's emphasizes safety and communication above all things. Pressure points, and locations where weight and tension should be avoided whenever possible are illustrated. Responsibilities of the Top and the Bottom are covered as well, an added benefit for people unsure what they should or shouldn't point out.

The next few pages cover some basics concerning knots, and the legend key used for the rest of the book. There's also excerpts of real life situations (positive and negative) that have occurred while in the midst of shibari demonstrations and such. There's an emphasis on keeping a positive attitude, and understanding that while precautions can and should be taken not all injuries are 100% avoidable.

One in particular made me chuckle a little when I read it:
"During a Shibaricon class, Dov tied Terri in a hogtie and had her kneeling so the class could see. She fell forward.
"Oof."
"Did I hurt you?"
"No, sir. Floor hurt me."(Land 15)"

It illustrates that mistakes happen even with the best of us, and a nice calm way to handle said mishaps as well.

Half the book covers safety, knots, basic ties and frictions, and helps you to get familiar with what the back half of the book covers - Harnesses, positions, origins of some Shibari poses, and different ways you can do them to add your own flair. It's only 95 pages long, but there's a lot of information packed into the full color, well illustrated and plainly written book.

For people who've been tying other people up for years you're probably not going to get much out of this at all, but for anyone who's struggling with where to start, this book is awesome. It's really good for people just starting in bdsm in general as well. It's not a relationship guide, but the pointers, tips, and information applies in a lot of situations, not just rope scenes. (i.e. having water, blankets and pillows handy for post-scene cuddles!)

I honestly didn't realize I had so much to say about the one book on it's own! I'll review the others later, but for now, sleep ^_^

http://www.completeshibari.com/