Reader’s Picks: Dormiria
I’m a he/they somewhere on the borderline between millennial and gen z. If anyone’s ever heard of me it’s because of the hypnosis-themed photomanips I used to post on Deviantart, one of many hypno-hobbies I picked up as a teen. I fancy myself an aspiring MC writer, though I’ve yet to produce anything I think is worth submitting for publication. I’ve been reading stories on the Archive for many years. I like m/f stories (both maledom and femdom) and f/f stories. I tend to prefer stories where the mind control is more of a process rather than some kind of magical on/off switch. Long, drawn-out induction sequences with plenty of interiority to the sub’s perspective are catnip to me. If some sexy stuff happens that’s great but I’m really here for the mind control. I also prefer stories with strong characterization. It’s hard for me to get excited if the characters don’t feel like real people, you know? And if there’s a compelling plotline to the stories, that’s just the perfect icing on the MC cake. Obvs 321 and Mesmerciless are great for this, but their best stories have already been picked a number of times, so for now I’m going to focus on other writers.
This is probably the best “pure-MC” MC story I’ve ever read. There’s no “traditionally-sexy” stuff but it’s still sooo hot!
A Boy and His Toy by scifiscribbler
Normally roboticization/dollification isn’t necessarily my favorite, but the mind control is so good. The first chapter kinda makes it seem like it’s going to be a bit of a slow burn, but then every chapter after that escalates much farther than I would’ve expected. It works surprisingly well and I return to this story often. I hope it gets a continuation.
Crossed Swords by scifiscribbler
A pretty convincing Star-Wars-like that’s just original enough not to seem plainly derivative. It’s got solid drama and action where needed but also heaping helpings mind control sexiness.
Server Maintenance by scifiscribbler
I do enjoy video games as a vector for mind control, and a VR headset is right in that sweet spot between video game peripheral and mind control device. This one is maybe a little heavy on breeder kink but not enough to get in the way of the hypno. I hope this one gets picked back up too.
A Message From Your Sponsor by scifiscribbler
As an avid podcast listener myself, I really enjoy the idea of a hypnotic podcast that ensnares listeners one episode at a time. It’s interesting seeing the different ways the various subs are affected by the podcast based on their listening style and grasp of English. Yet another one I wish would continue!
This one’s fun because it’s kind of a love letter to hypnofetishism itself. Because one character is using her powers to satisfy the fantasies of the hypnofetishist character, there’s a delightfully meta aspect where it feels like you, the reader, are being rewarded for being a fan of this stuff.
I think it’s safe to say this is Kallie’s magnum opus. Now, Kallie’s stories can be a bit dark for my taste. There are some parts of this story that are so brutal that I kinda wish I could un-read them. But I find the plot and characters utterly compelling. And the mecha action (this story is a mecha anime btw) is incredible.
A Matter of Taste by Doctor Blank
I like this story’s approach to mutual mind control. It’s fairly comedic in a way I find charming. I don’t think it’s easy to play this stuff for laughs while still keeping it sexy so that’s impressive to me.
Proving Her Right by Giggling Goblin
This story takes a little time to get going, but once it does it’s some really solid femdom/malesub. The fantasy setting is well-realized too, and the characters are believable. It’s not your typical Giggling Goblin story but it is probably my favorite.
Mixed In The Tape by Selene Sokal
To be honest, I don’t know if this story quite lives up to the others I’m recommending but I think this writer shows a lot of potential. The basic premise is a pretty creative mashup of two classics: a succubus summoning and a subliminal mind control tape. Overall it’s a pretty impressive routine even if it doesn’t quite stick the landing. I hope to see more from this writer someday.
This one is a longtime favorite of mine and I think it still holds up 15 years later. I love the POV character’s oblivousness as she’s subtly hypnotized alongside her friend. An absolute classic.
A Demon’s Devotion by Mesmerciless
I’m hoping that by recommending this I’ll draw some attention to it and encourage Mesmerciless to resume it. I think it has the potential to be the next Vox Dominus. Normally I’m not too into humiliation stuff but the chemistry and tension between the two leads is so good. I honestly think this one has the makings of the proverbial “better love story than Twilight.” For now we’ll just have to wait and see.
The Truth About MegaWoman by scifiscribbler
Although scifiscribbler has lots of great superhero stories, this one is probably my favorite. Stories where the heroine secretly has a mind control fetish are some of the best things out there imo, especially when it’s done this well. I kind of wish this one had a happier ending but it’s not a dealbreaker.
An underrated Sammynona story imo. The POV character’s experience of pleasure-based trance is so well-rendered here that it’s easy to get swept up along with it. I could see how this story might be too squicky for some readers but imo I’m kind of a wimp when it comes to that stuff and I find the titular worms to be ethereal and energy-based enough that it doesn’t wig me out.
The Sanguine Convent by Kallie
Another one that I hope by recommending I encourage a continuation of it. I think the vampire/nun thing just works so well and I think this story has a lot of potential.
Brief Brainwashing Bits by 321
It’s super rare that I ever even bother to read anything less than 2000 words, so I hope that gives you some idea of just how damn good I think this anthology of hypno flash fiction is. Perhaps that’s no surprise coming from one of the best writers in the genre working today, but there it is. It’s hard to even pick a favorite from among them to recommend as a starting point. Maybe “Come to Me” or “Countdown”