Book Review The XXX Files Episode 1

The XXX Files Episode 1

Lexi Maxxwell
ASIN: B007QM9NW6

You can get a copy of this book for free here. 

"They stayed for a few more minutes asking questions that led nowhere. Brad couldn't shake the feeling that Willow was hot for him - like scorching. He woudn't say anything to Grayson since she would've thought it was his ego yelling like it always did, but there was something more and he could feel it. Sure, Brad thought most girls were hot for him because they usually were , but he could practically smell it on Willow Monroe"

I'd be interested in some other other opinions of this first book of this series. Lexi Maxxwell is a competent writer, though I am guessing (this is the first of her books I have read) that she is a man, so the book has a flavour of trying to cynically dupe the reader right from the start. It's not that I have a problem reading erotica written by a man, nor do I have a problem with alternate identities when writing erotica, It's just that Lexi herself (in the blurbs about her and in the forward) reads like a male fantasy, and while that has its place, its a stereotype that has been done to death, and can be a little dull in its transparency, particularly when it lacks irony. The XXX files was capably written (typo in the first line of the book not withstanding) but it seemed like a young male saying "erotica will make me rich because I'm smarter than everyone else" right from the start. 

The tone is very brash and much more suited to a 1950's gangster parody than a piece of X Files fan fiction, and I would have preferred, Lexi choose one or the other, rather than combine the two, as I think the separate genres could comfortably be different series. There is no X Files tone here at all. Having said all that, if you can get past those problems, it is an engaging piece of writing, with a strong plot line, and interesting side characters. 

The main character. Brad Hammer is a bit dull, and again a total stereotype (just how many references to enormous penis' do there have to be in erotica, plus his obvious performance anxieties barely masked by his incessant bragging are a bit of a cold shower) and it would have improved the novella greatly if we'd had a chance to hear from his female counterpart, Grayson a little more. Her perspective was missing and more of that right from the start would have lessened the sledge hammer approach of the main character. According the plot line, a persuasive drug that seduces everyone unconditionally into wild (pedestrian) sex scenarios is does not affect her at all, and seeing as random women in bars, or even women not physically present race toward this man tearing their clothes off, it seems odd that his partner doesn't even register and seems to just fade out of the story. 

The XXX Files is free, and I'd be really keen to hear what other people have to say about this novella. It's a fast read and some of the sex scenes are titillating. If you have a read, let me know what you think in the comments below.