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.