I do have a thing for vintage gay pulp. I’ve already read Meat, Locker Room Lovers, Bound for Pleasure, and Adventures of a High School Hunk (Parts 1 – 4!), as well as a few others.
I recently added a new one to my collection. You can probably guess why I got it.
Unfortunately, while it was a relatively literary read (meaning there was an actual attempt at a plot), the fact there were many underage guys in it is frankly deplorable. I’m not sure what it is about gay pulp books from the 1970’s, but many of them include underage guys (Adventures of a High School Jock had a younger brother character as well). I find it difficult to believe at any modern time period, but it’s especially unacceptable now. It may have something to do with the fact that being young is a time when coming of age and sexuality, but in a porn setting, it comes across as predatory at best. While I still read it, I had to keep telling myself it was purely fiction, and imagined the characters were all of legal age to even make it palpable at all.
Even that aside, this particular book has not aged well. Don’t judge me, I’m just the reporter, but so you know what I read, the plot is as follows: High school teacher Carl, married and with a teenage daughter, abducts and keeps young (like 13-16yo) boys chained to a wall naked for abuse and sexual servitude. They have names, but he mostly refers to them by numbers. Tommy, their newest acquisition at 15 years old, is Number Five. (Yeah, all pretty uncomfortable to read.) In the book, he pulls this off by keeping them in a separate apartment, and has the help of two older (about college) guys that aide in procuring and keeping all the slaves in check. They are not brought there willingly, which makes it even worse. When not abusing and berating his slaves (he never shows them any kindness whatsoever except to complement them on their sexual skills and uses), he teaches.
On day at school, he catches Coach Adams, a man he’s never liked, getting a blowjob from a hot male student. Apparently shocked, he promises not to tell on the Coach as long as he gets to use him himself. He does the next night, and the Coach is totally humiliated. Later, he takes Number Five to a “customer” to be used. The customer, David, abuses Number Five verbally and sexually, but also does show him some sincere kindness afterwards, and decides to keep him. Tommy agrees, seemly also in love. Oh, and in the meantime, the college guys coincidentally find the hot student and bring him in to appease Master Carl. Turns out the hot guy is his daughters hunky boyfriend Jack! But that doesn’t seem to phase Carl, who immediately puts him on a rack face down and tortures and sexually uses the guy. Afterwards Carl leaves, and Jack is able to make an escape thanks to another slave who was able to sneak the key away from one of the college guys. Not long after, Coach Adams returns with Carl in tow, and he exacts his revenge on Carl, who suddenly finds himself on the other end of the Master/slave relationship, and doesn’t seem to like it. Then the cops show up (alerted by Jack), and all culprits are arrested and slaves are returned to their homes. The end.
Okay, so I’m going to say again, the underage thing is unacceptable, as is the fact that essentially nothing in this book is done consensually. I mean I get it’s a fantasy, but come on. Carl is given no redeeming qualities at all, and is cruel to everyone he meets–a real sadist, and a psychopathic one as well. It was difficult to read. But the one thing I will say about it, and the reason I kept reading it, is it’s a glimpse into gay history. In one context, I wonder if it was a bit ahead of its time in the sense that if it had all been consensual and of legal age, it would read like much of what you see in the kinky world today. Also, I do have to say the cover is hot, and the guy doesn’t appear underage to me… in face, he could pass as late 20s or early 30s. I thought the book would reflect that. I realize it’s called The Boy Master, but largely the community uses the term “boy” as a young, but still legal age, guy. So I didn’t think that much of it.
If you enjoy even just the covers of gay pulp (they make great phone wallpaper!), check out these older posts here, here, and here.
Oh, and I’m still looking for a copy of this book shown below! If anyone has it, please let me know!
I am interested in these vintage books. Where do you find them?
Mostly online (ebay), but a store in San Fransisco, called Kayo Books is exclusively pulp books and magazines. It’s open by appointment only, and I’m not sure what they’re doing to accomodate for covid.