As well-read as you may be, you’ve probably never heard of this obscure subgenre before. Yes, “dinosaur erotica” is dedicated to the niche world of dinosaur fetishes and mythical beast penchants, with some of its titles including “Mating with the Raptor,” "Taken at the Dinosaur Museum,” and “Ravished by the Triceratops“. Yikes.

Suddenly "Fifty Shades of Grey" seems as innocent as "The Hungry Caterpillar." But what’s the appeal of this bizarrely specific fetish?

The Huffington Post asked Alara Branwen, coauthor of several dinosaur erotica books, about what she felt the appeal of fantasy dino-sex was. “I think it’s because dinosaur erotica appeals to our more base, carnal natures,” she said. “Some people also probably like the idea of a big, powerful, massive male roughly having sex with a smaller female. It’s like the ultimate sexual experience with an alpha male, which is something that we are all inherently wired to enjoy.”

“She wasn't sure if her sudden arousal was because of her earlier thwarted climax in the cool stream, or if she was just desperate for one last pleasant sensation before being torn limb from limb by the great, scaly beast” - In the Velociraptor's Nest.

^{Image credit: Christie Sims}

The genre does appear to have a strong heterosexual female following, although unsuprisingly, there’s very little data of the demographics. While intense masculinity may be the appeal to some, Clarissa Smith, a culture studies professor and editor of “Porn Studies” journal, told The Guardian she believes the allure is more to do with absolute escapism.

“There are a number of pleasures potentially on offer here – the fact that this is really fantasy,” she said. “Even if there is evidence that dinosaurs existed, we don’t know masses about them, and they have mythological qualities. The idea of having sex with one is outside the realms of possibility. It’s a bit like ‘magic’, where all rules become suspended, and for that reason it may well allow… for kinds of imaginative risk-taking impossible in more standard couplings.”

Hey, whatever floats your boat.