Smoke & Cameras

The Administration #5.5

by Manna Francis

Another short story in The Administration series.

Genres: M M Romance, BDSM, Dystopia, Romance, Short Stories, Science Fiction, LGBT

ebook

First published March 11, 2002

About the author

I'm the author of The Administration Series, a near-future SF dystopia published by Casperian Books. You can find the series in paperback, e-book, or (partly) on line at the Mannazone website.

I've been writing original slash since 2002 — or homoerotic fiction, m/m romance, yaoi, as you prefer. Original slash is my personal term of choice because I feel it best represents my writing in terms of style and what readers can expect to find there. Individual stories may or may nor be sexually explicit.

Reviews

[Penny Well Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked it.

I remain addicted to this series.

My reviews of The Administration series’ books:
Book 1: Mind Fuck - 3 Stars
Book 2: Quid Pro Quo
Book 2.1: Unlucky Break - 2 Stars
Book 2.2: Friday - 3 Stars
Book 2.3: Pancakes - 5 Stars
Book 2.4: Surprises - 4 Stars
Book 2.5: Family - 4 Stars
Book 2.6: Mirror Mirror - 4 Stars
Book 3: Games & Players - 5 Stars
Book 3.1: Game, Set - 4 Stars
Book 3.2: As Long As It Lasted - 3 Stars
Book 3.3:Fuck of the Day - 3 Stars
Book 3.4: Wine, Women and Cushions - 2 Stars
Book 3.5: Playing with Fire - 5 Stars
Book 3.6: All Work and no Play - 3 Stars
Book 3.7: Gee - 2 Stars
Book 3.8:Shopping & Fucking - 5 Stars
Book 3.9: Pool School - 3 Stars
Book 3.95: Without the Game - 4 Stars
Book 4: Control - 4 Stars
Book 4.2: Wait For It - 4 Stars
Book 4.3: Caged - 5 Stars
Book 4.4: Unaccustomed as I Am... - 3 Stars
Book 4.5: Helen - 4 Stars
Book 4.6: Shopping, No Fucking - 4 Stars
Book 4.7: Losing It - 4 Stars
Book 4.8: Coming from America
Book 5: Quis Custodiet - 3.5 Stars
Book 5.2: Gratuitous Kink - 4 Stars
Book 5.3: Then and Now - 4 Stars
Book 5.4: Friends in the Right Places - 2 Stars
Book 5.5: Smoke & Cameras - 4 Stars
Book 5.6: Sunday - 3 Stars
Book 6: First Against the Wall - 4 Stars
Book 7: For Certain Values
Book 7.1: Family Values
Book 7.2: Boy's Toys - 3 Stars
Book 7.3: Make it a Surprise
Book 7.4: Prodigal
Book 8: Blood & Circuses
Book 9: Corpora Delicti
Gratuitous Epilogue

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

”Now I know it’s part of me. There is no why.”

A SimTech celebration turns into a night of danger for Warrick and Toreth. The lights go out and sparks fly!

I love to watch Toreth and Warrick work as a team. They click, fit, calm, and feed off each other with humor, ingenuity, intelligence, and strength. Makes me smile. Hell—Warrick even made a joke…

”The light came from Warrick’s penknife. It really does do everything, doesn’t it? Toreth said.

Everything except cook and fuck.” Hehe...

My favorite part though *sigh* is the little signs of tenderness and emotion. The interlacing of fingers is one of my personal favorites. A tangle of fingers, squeeze, and touch. My heart skips a beat every time the sociopath does it! Every time.

Smoke & Cameras is your typical night out with Toreth and Warrick. :D A night filled with adrenaline, champagne, striping, the arousing thrill of danger, and revelations. It is amazing what we can see in the dark.


Just one of my favorite moments:

”When Toreth opened his eyes, the first thing he saw was one of Warrick’s lazier, more satisfied smiles. Enough to drive any lingering unpleasant thoughts away. With his face smudged with smoke, his hair messy and his eyes closed, Warrick looked wonderfully dirty and used.”

[Sun · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one was fun. I loved it.

“I could’ve lost him, Toreth thought, the idea shockingly sudden. He could’ve fallen and fucking died, and then…oh, Christ, what the fuck would I have done then? Unbearable…”

You love him. You love him. You love him.

[Sheri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kink & fear will guarantee a memorable party
Warrick has much to celebrate. Big news at SimTech and they have a fancy bash to announce the news. Little bit of bad luck with a power outage and of course the boys have to find trouble.
"I fuck you, not your job," Warrick said, cool and precise."
hmmmm are we sensitive about it now Warrick? He hasn't changed since you've met him, well only to actually have a tiny bit of a conscience about it now. Oh dear, I didn't mean it..still got your back Keir.
After a frightening 'almost' they are both shaken and find comfort (which is hot loving for them) in each others arms.
"I could've lost him, Toreth thought, the idea shockingly sudden. He could've fallen and fucking died, and then...oh, Christ, what the fuck would I have done then?"
tell him you shitbag...just 3 little words..it won't kill you, promise

[Joy · Rating 5 out of 5]

The adrenaline charge from the near disaster heightened the orgasm as it burned through him. Perfect, coming perfectly together, with Warrick quiet for once, almost choking, twisting against Toreth as he pulled him close. Toreth panted for breath as the waves receded, leaving him aware of the stink of smoke in Warrick's hair against his open mouth.

I could've lost him, Toreth thought, the idea shockingly sudden. He could've fallen and fucking died, and then...oh, Christ, what the fuck would I have done then?

Damn, this is great writing-- re-reading series

[Mel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Toreth and Warrick are insatiable and incorrigible. The "I could have lost him", and Dilly's approval (finally!) gave the story that extra spark.
Btw: if this is really Dillian's exit, then I'm not getting all the hating.

3,5 stars

[DayDreamer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome.

[Trix · Rating 4 out of 5]

I feel like I should read this all over again.

For the entire length of the book, I kept believing everything had been orchestrated by Warrick in some elaborate plan to surprise Toreth with a new variation of their game. Even after finishing the chapter, I was still wondering.

The most impressive thing by far was Toreth's fear of losing Warrick. The fact that he acknowledged it. Sure, he put it aside since the crisis had been averted but it warmed my heart to see Toreth bravely rush to Warrick's help. And I loved how perfectly well they worked together as a team. Toreth made sure to watch out for Warrick, while Keir hid his fear of heights just to ensure they made it out safely. And the little handjob at the end was just like them. Relieving a bit of pressure. Of course, leave it to Toreth to embarrass Warrick by a possible public display.

The second impressive thing was Dillian actually thanking Toreth for looking out for Warrick and going to Mars again. It's like the author heard all the complaints readers had about her and decided to ship her far away from the main attraction of the series. Hope she won't be back soon.

[Irina Elena · Rating 3 out of 5]

Maybe it's just the fact that this is the first TA story I picked up after a long break from the series?
...But no, because technically I should have been blasted in the face by the awesomeness.
I don't know, but this story felt kind of random. And a bit pointless. And kind of mild, compared to the previous stories.

I'm just... unimpressed.
That doesn't mean this one doesn't have its little flashes of brilliance too, because it does. Short insights in Toreth's mind, a tiny show of affection (more or less explicit) from him and all that jazz. But tbh, it's starting to be a bit too little.
I'm not getting bored as such. But.

[Mir · Rating 3 out of 5]

At a SimTech release party, Toreth and Warrick are trapped in a lift during a fire. In a high-security, high-tech building that apparently has some crappy design issues.

I'll raise it one star if it later turns out to be sabotage rather than coincidence.

[Marina · Rating 5 out of 5]

"I could've lost him, Toreth thought, the idea shockingly sudden. He could've fallen and fucking died, and then...oh, Christ, what the fuck would I have done then?
Unbearable."

[LenaRibka · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was Okay but I don't share the overwhelming excitement of the most readers about this sequel.

[Ellen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very short novella, but I really liked it because once again Toreth realizes how important Warrick is to him (of course he doesn't verbalize it to Warrick) when a particular situation happens and Torrick could have lost him.

[Em · Rating 3 out of 5]

I couldn't lost him, Toreth thought, the idea shockingly sudden. He could've fallen and fucking died, and then ... oh, Christ, what the fuck would I have done then?

[Pianisuparse · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 'There is something about these two, I can't even put it into words. Seeing Toreth experience the eye opening revelation that he could not bare to lose Warrick ... priceless' stars.

[AtenRa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it!
It's the first time Toreth expresses any kind of emotion, almost, gasp! affection towards Warrick (only in thought of course) and I'm holding on to it with both hands!

[Simple · Rating 4 out of 5]

Much fun and interesting.

[Trio · Rating 5 out of 5]

A near death experience brings the guys closer together, and Torreth gets to play the hero.

[Danny Tyran · Rating 3 out of 5]

I hoped that something serious had happened. But then, that was just an excuse to f*ck in a fire refuge. Entertaining anyway. So I give it 3½ stars.

[Mich · Rating 5 out of 5]

So...so...Good!!

[ShilvaH And her books · Rating 4 out of 5]

Manna Francis

[La*La · Rating 5 out of 5]

First read on December 20, 2014.
Re-read on July 11, 2015.

I loved this one! Partly due to the fact that Warrick's business finally took off)) Yay for the sim production))

[Milyd · Rating 4 out of 5]

Warrick and Toreth working together <3