book, "Sex'', in Bermuda's stores.

A book of erotic photographs by rock star Madonna, "Sex'' is set to hit stores' shelves next week.

It will be restricted to adult buyers and wrapped in tough plastic to prevent peepers. But religious storekeepers want it banned.

In 128 pages, the $55 book features explicit images of bondage, domination, lesbianism and group sex. It shows Madonna hitchhiking nude, swimming nude and even eating pizza nude.

"She's not a madonna, she's a cheap pornography model, that's all,'' said Mrs. Josie Ray of the Bermuda Bible Society bookstore, Pembroke.

"They've tried to ban the book in England and it should be banned here. I don't think we should bring pornographic material into the Island at all.

"I feel that a lot of this vile type of literature incites men to crime. It degrades women.

"I've heard it's absolute filth. I think it's a very, very poor example for our young people.'' News of the book's imminent arrival shocked Mr. Darrin Foster, of the Christian Book Store in Hamilton.

"They're not going to allow that in Bermuda, are they?'' he asked.

"It's going to cause controversy. You might as well make all the pornography magazines legal and put them on the bottom shelf.

"It should not be allowed on the Island. It's not right. If someone looks up to somebody like that, it's not a good example.

"It's not Biblical or moral or a good standard.'' But at the Book Rack in Hamilton's Washington Mall, staff have already had more than 50 requests for "Sex''.

"We've got it ordered, but we don't know when it's going to be here,'' said a spokesman. "Our suppliers couldn't get hold of any.

"We've had a lot of people asking for it -- all year people have been expecting it, telling us to make sure they get one when it comes.'' He said all kinds of people were interested -- except parents who had heard what it was like.

He was not worried about selling such material. "It's sealed very well, and we're going to have a waiver form for people to sign so we aren't implicated in any way.'' For the first time at the store, customers would have to sign a declaration of their age.

"We want to make sure we don't get into any trouble with the law, if kids got hold of it through their parents. We want to prove we didn't sell it to any children.'' Similar measures will be taken by the Bookmart in the Phoenix Centre, Reid Street.

Mr. Ward Young, president of the store's parent company, said: "We have 25 copies coming shortly, probably over the weekend.'' He said the seal on the book was adequate protection. "But we're keeping it above six feet to prevent children getting it, which is the law. We will make sure we sell to the right people.

"I think there will be people who want to see it because of the publicity.'' At Bermuda Book Store, Queen Street, a spokesman said no decision had been made on whether to stock "Sex''.

"We haven't had any demand for it,'' he said.

In an introduction to the book, Madonna says: "This book is about sex. Sex is not love. Everything you are about to see and read is a fantasy, a dream, pretend.'' Worldwide, it is a publishing phenomenon. A hundred copies went in under an hour in one Los Angeles bookstore.

Most major outlets in Paris reported the book sold out. In London, more than 150 rain-soaked people waited for bookstores to open at midnight for a special "Sex'' sale.

But reviewers have been unimpressed.

"'Sex' is boring!'' proclaimed the front page of the tabloid New York Post, commenting that was the real reason the book was sealed from peepers.

Said The New York Times: "It's just hard to understand why people would want to shell out $49.95 to see a bunch of grainy photographs of Madonna cavorting with men and women who are wearing things like dog collars, harnesses and nipple rings.

"Whereas Madonna's videos and shows once celebrated sex as a liberating, joyful force, this laboured, calculated book carries the grimmer message that sex is about power, domination and pain.'' HOT ITEM -- A Madonna lookalike flips through a copy of the singing star's controversial new book which threatens to cause a storm in Bermuda.