Hee. For a lot of these "blast from the past" recs I am having to overlook that kind of thing, because stories that are seared into my brain from 8 or 10 years ago are not always at the level of writing the authors are at now--but I usually have a nostalgic love for them anyway, and can overlook that kind of thing. (But I agree with you that that first scene is *supposed* to be technical and non-sexy rather than erotic).