resolution review - administration series

[wook77]

I've been reading The Administration series of short stories, novels and novellas. It's original homoerotic sci-fi fiction featuring an unlike(able)ly hero who happens to be a professional torturer and a computer programmer. It's featured in a future period where the government is The Administration and it rules every aspect of life. Anti-Administration feelings or sentiments are quickly squashed and should you actually act on any of it? You get to meet Toreth, a "para-investigator". He's not perfect though no one should expect him to be what with his job and all. He's a moody bastard, afraid and virtually unable to connect to other humans but, somehow, Warrick (the computer programmer) connects with him. The relationship doesn't go smoothly, Toreth isn't capable of that.

I'm not a fan of dystopian worlds. To be honest, most of the time, they depress me and annoy the fuck out of me. This one, though, it works and I think that it's because of the way that the author writes it - it's not dystopia for the sake of dystopia.

Heavy on the BDSM and D/s, sometimes graphically violent, the books and stories are amazing in the way that they show the characters, warts and all. Toreth isn't at all likeable but I found myself cheering for him throughout, moaning at his falls and cheering when he caught himself. I wouldn't like him in real life but I wanted him to succeed regardless.

I highly recommend the series to any and all who want an engrossing and lengthy ready because once you read the first book, you'll want to keep tearing through all of them and there are a lot of them. Because some of the books contain so many "triggers" - there is a separate disclaimer/warnings page.

And because the various bibs and bobs I've read are now published in three book forms, I shall take this as three books for my new year's resolution.

ETA: Some general spoilers in the comments. Nothing that gives away major plot points.

Also - for those interested mannazone looks to be the fan community for this series. and mannazone_news for updates on when the books come out/new works/etc.

Comments

[oconel]

I'm still reading the short stories (and waiting for books 2 and 3 to arrive!) but I'm enjoying these series a lot :D

[wook77.livejournal.com]

I got through all of them and oh man. SOOOO good. The entire series was brilliant. I'm going to order the books soon so I can get the extra stories not on the website.

[oconel]

I love Toreth's denial and how dysfunctional their relationship is. :D

[wook77.livejournal.com]

oh man. me too. The best is when he sticks through, though, yanno? The way that he sticks it out when he just wouldn't, normally, except that it's Warrick. (and me thinks I should now add warnings for spoilers, yeah?)

[oconel]

I've read up to the "Game, Set, and..." story, so I've seen a couple of those reactions (though I'm sure there's plenty to come) :D

[wook77.livejournal.com]

oh ok :D. And it just gets better. My favorite in the series is the last novel. I really wish there were more in this series but I can see where the author might be "ok, I've really exhausted my thoughts in this universe" as the stories are all soooooo good and diverse.