Nerve surprised me. It gave me more than I was expecting from an erotica magazine. For one thing, the zine is full-bodied and fleshy. Additionally, it is (as it boasts) truly “literate smut.” Here is a perfect blend of the thoughtful and the sensual.

I was particularly impressed with the initial navigation page, one of the best on the web. The reader has an illustration of a parlor room table top, with various objects signifying different sections of the zine. For example, the photograph on the table is the link for “Skin: Uncensored Photography.” Other sections of the magazine include “Roles: Personal Essays,” “Threads: New Fiction,” “Pedantry: Sex and Culture,” “Smut Cut: Reviews,” “Ex Libris: Erotic Excepts,” “The Pile: Archives,” “Globe: Table of Contents,” and “The Bar: Reader Feedback.”

This erotic magazine is not only comprised of stories and pictures, but of thoughtful and entertaining discussions as well. One particular roundtable discussion, hosted by a panel of “guest,” focused on puberty, which I found enjoyable (the discussion, not puberty). It was a bit like “Crossfire,” only without the shouting.

I must admit I didn’t read much of the fiction. Erotica is not my preferred genre, not by a nautical mile, and there’s only so much of it I can stomach. If you like erotica, though, Nerve has it all. It’s a no-holds-barred and well-written magazine.

All in all, I was very impressed by the variety of material provided and its presentation. Nerve is a slick mag. Erotica fans should take a venture into this parlor. You never know what you might find.