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The Last Rebellion
Rho is a prisoner of war. Miller is the man who intends to break him.
Warnings: contains scenes of violence, torture, and non-consensual m/m sex.
Warnings: contains scenes of violence, torture, and non-consensual m/m sex.
49 pages, ebook
First published September 1, 2013
23 people are currently reading
1739 people want to read
About the author
Lisa Henry
104 books2,281 followersI like to tell stories. Mostly with hot guys and happily ever afters. They gotta work for it though. No free lunches on my watch.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 204 reviews
September 22, 2021
⭐️ 2.2 “The Last Rebellion? More like the last brain cell I just lost” stars ⭐️
TWs: discussion of sexual abuse and graphic torture via quotes.
Truly a head-scratcher.
By the time I was done with the story, I couldn’t figure out whether I disliked it and found it awful, or was intrigued by it and considered it compelling, glaring issues and all. So I’m settling for a two-star rating instead of a one. Compromise, folks.
I already knew the storyline would be vague, with talk about some kind of dictatorial Government —whose goal was never clarified—, and as the title implies, a Rebellion that opposed it—but don’t ask what exactly they’re rebelling against either, because it’snonexistent classified intel.
There was also a rather poor attempt at a Stockholm Syndrome story, with the prisoner MC who was tortured and repeatedly raped falling for the man in charge of interrogating him. But don’t worry, the interrogator himself only technically rapes him once and it’s implied that he used some kind of lube, so clearly how could you not fall in love 😍 The post-apocalyptic equivalent of a bouquet of flowers.
Shut up,Dean Jensen, you clearly don’t understand how true love works 🙄
Bottom line, this had some interesting moments, several lackluster events, and a few *Karen voice* “Excuse me, I’d like to speak to the editor” oopsies. Yet I was still sort of entertained 🤷♀️ It’s all about the graphic torture that really adds that extra oomph, if I were to pinpoint the exact reason.
In case you were still doubting my judgment, however, have an example of the engaging content we’re dealing with:
🥺 When your love interest electroshocks you to the point of incontinence 🥺
Everyone reading this review, probably.
Anyway, it’s the littlehorrifying details like that one that made me round up the rating. But don’t you dare call me morbid…
because there’s no need to state the obvious.
TWs: discussion of sexual abuse and graphic torture via quotes.
Truly a head-scratcher.
By the time I was done with the story, I couldn’t figure out whether I disliked it and found it awful, or was intrigued by it and considered it compelling, glaring issues and all. So I’m settling for a two-star rating instead of a one. Compromise, folks.
I already knew the storyline would be vague, with talk about some kind of dictatorial Government —whose goal was never clarified—, and as the title implies, a Rebellion that opposed it—but don’t ask what exactly they’re rebelling against either, because it’s
There was also a rather poor attempt at a Stockholm Syndrome story, with the prisoner MC who was tortured and repeatedly raped falling for the man in charge of interrogating him. But don’t worry, the interrogator himself only technically rapes him once and it’s implied that he used some kind of lube, so clearly how could you not fall in love 😍 The post-apocalyptic equivalent of a bouquet of flowers.
Shut up,
Bottom line, this had some interesting moments, several lackluster events, and a few *Karen voice* “Excuse me, I’d like to speak to the editor” oopsies. Yet I was still sort of entertained 🤷♀️ It’s all about the graphic torture that really adds that extra oomph, if I were to pinpoint the exact reason.
In case you were still doubting my judgment, however, have an example of the engaging content we’re dealing with:
“Rho was wrenched from sleep, the light shoved in his face, his ruined eyes watering, and it’s not a cock inside him. It’s something bigger, something unyielding. It’s cold, metallic, and it burns.
No.
Please.
The electricity courses through him then. A few seconds last forever, and Rho collapses onto the mattress. It’s wet with his own piss. His body twitches and shakes. He has bitten his tongue, and his mouth is full of blood. He can’t move. Can’t think.
Hurts. Hurts. Hurts.”
🥺 When your love interest electroshocks you to the point of incontinence 🥺
Everyone reading this review, probably.
Anyway, it’s the little
March 9, 2014
lord ha'mercy.
that ending was such a surprise I actually took my hand off my cock and said 'oh!'
because, just like Rho, I hadn't let go.
har, har—of my doubts, not my dick.
i hadn't. not fully. not until that moment.
the last one.
in the beginning, when the sneaking suspicion bloomed in me that this was not unfolding as it appeared—I didn't let go.
in the middle, watching the slippage of boundaries, remembering who the author was, and how often she'd fooled me in the past only to give me something I didn't even know I'd wanted—I didn't let go.
toward the end? when I was muttering out loud as I slid my pajamas down for a good wank, and one unutterably scandalous thought stilled my hand on my cock:
"holy shit. is this... is this actually a romance?"
I didn't let go.
but Rho did. he finally let go.
I followed him.
and the answer to my question was even more delicious than I had supposed.
recommended.
that ending was such a surprise I actually took my hand off my cock and said 'oh!'
because, just like Rho, I hadn't let go.
har, har—of my doubts, not my dick.
i hadn't. not fully. not until that moment.
the last one.
in the beginning, when the sneaking suspicion bloomed in me that this was not unfolding as it appeared—I didn't let go.
in the middle, watching the slippage of boundaries, remembering who the author was, and how often she'd fooled me in the past only to give me something I didn't even know I'd wanted—I didn't let go.
toward the end? when I was muttering out loud as I slid my pajamas down for a good wank, and one unutterably scandalous thought stilled my hand on my cock:
"holy shit. is this... is this actually a romance?"
I didn't let go.
but Rho did. he finally let go.
I followed him.
and the answer to my question was even more delicious than I had supposed.
recommended.
June 19, 2016
I...I'm creating a Lisa Henry shelf right now... *lets out shaky laughter*
Treadmill terror visualized
Two weeks later. I was just going through my Kindle notes to finally construct a review. But before I knew it I was punched in the gut once again by my highlighted quotes and then couldn’t stop rereading whole parts, dammit!
However, this time around I skipped the first pages. Those were a bit hard to swallow, even for a proud Black Coffee Crowd member like myself *cough*. So! Free goodies usually make me go all drooly-greedy and shiny-eyed, but The Last Rebellion effectively nipped all that in the bud: this is not romanticized dub/non-con ending in fireworks and love babies, but the nasty and nauseating real stuff. Please consider yourself forewarned.
Okay, so maybe that’s not entirely true. This book had fireworks, alright. The kind that's spectacular to the point of overwhelming and burns your lungs with smoke, leaving you gasping for air.
The Last Rebellion opens by zeroing in on Rho, an injured young man held captive in a filthy prison cell where he is raped and tortured daily. Anything basically to get him to break and spill his secrets and betray his people. The odd thing is, Rho doesn’t break. He endures. And so his mind-churning treatment is prolonged, intensified. Throughout all this, I was both understandably horrified and...annoyed. The latter due to Rho’s "All American Hero" complex, which I just didn’t consider very intelligent behavior given his situation. My frustration with his attitude was quickly replaced however when rumors of the "unbreakable" captive reached the higher military ranks and eventually earned Rho a visit from the unnerving Mr. Miller...
Sucker as I am for mindfucks, this is the point where I got completely hooked on the author’s clever psychological game and couldn’t put The Last Rebellion down anymore. So thank you, Lisa, for keeping things short and for not screwing with my night’s sleep too much. And damn you, for writing a mere 45 pages, when I craved a much slower paradigm shift and a more thorough exploration of the calculated, twisted Miller’s antics.
Oh man, so many conflicting emotions! I wanted death and destruction to end everyone’s suffering, but at the same time I wanted...more?! I needed Miller to creep closer, to touch, stroke and be tender to Rho and..GASP! Surely I didn't crave more torture porn?! But I also wanted to run him over with a Bigfoot truck. I disgusted myself by secretly wishing for blossoming romance, even in the form of Stockholm Syndrome. But I was relieved when I didn’t get any of that. Or did I? Whatever the case, I was absolutely hypnotized by this story from beginning to end. It kept me on edge throughout the ride.
6/19/16 ETA: I'm pasting on that fifth star, because even after a reread I'm left with the same swirl of conflicting emotions. IMHO, it's possibly Lisa Henry's best work to date.
Treadmill terror visualized
Two weeks later. I was just going through my Kindle notes to finally construct a review. But before I knew it I was punched in the gut once again by my highlighted quotes and then couldn’t stop rereading whole parts, dammit!
However, this time around I skipped the first pages. Those were a bit hard to swallow, even for a proud Black Coffee Crowd member like myself *cough*. So! Free goodies usually make me go all drooly-greedy and shiny-eyed, but The Last Rebellion effectively nipped all that in the bud: this is not romanticized dub/non-con ending in fireworks and love babies, but the nasty and nauseating real stuff. Please consider yourself forewarned.
Okay, so maybe that’s not entirely true. This book had fireworks, alright. The kind that's spectacular to the point of overwhelming and burns your lungs with smoke, leaving you gasping for air.
The Last Rebellion opens by zeroing in on Rho, an injured young man held captive in a filthy prison cell where he is raped and tortured daily. Anything basically to get him to break and spill his secrets and betray his people. The odd thing is, Rho doesn’t break. He endures. And so his mind-churning treatment is prolonged, intensified. Throughout all this, I was both understandably horrified and...annoyed. The latter due to Rho’s "All American Hero" complex, which I just didn’t consider very intelligent behavior given his situation. My frustration with his attitude was quickly replaced however when rumors of the "unbreakable" captive reached the higher military ranks and eventually earned Rho a visit from the unnerving Mr. Miller...
This isn’t affection. This is just another, subtler form of torture. They both know it.
Sucker as I am for mindfucks, this is the point where I got completely hooked on the author’s clever psychological game and couldn’t put The Last Rebellion down anymore. So thank you, Lisa, for keeping things short and for not screwing with my night’s sleep too much. And damn you, for writing a mere 45 pages, when I craved a much slower paradigm shift and a more thorough exploration of the calculated, twisted Miller’s antics.
Oh man, so many conflicting emotions! I wanted death and destruction to end everyone’s suffering, but at the same time I wanted...more?! I needed Miller to creep closer, to touch, stroke and be tender to Rho and..GASP! Surely I didn't crave more torture porn?! But I also wanted to run him over with a Bigfoot truck. I disgusted myself by secretly wishing for blossoming romance, even in the form of Stockholm Syndrome. But I was relieved when I didn’t get any of that. Or did I? Whatever the case, I was absolutely hypnotized by this story from beginning to end. It kept me on edge throughout the ride.
6/19/16 ETA: I'm pasting on that fifth star, because even after a reread I'm left with the same swirl of conflicting emotions. IMHO, it's possibly Lisa Henry's best work to date.
Read
September 3, 2013** Review by the author **
Edited to add: Thanks to the wonderful Nancy, there are now links to the epub and mobi versions on my blog as well.
So, I'm not actually going to review a story I wrote. Seems kind of pointless, right?
If you read it, I hope you like it.
This is offered as a FREEBIE via my blog, since it would never get past most publishers. Heed the warnings, guys.
And if you want to ask me anything about The Last Rebellion, here's the place to do it.
Edited to add: Thanks to the wonderful Nancy, there are now links to the epub and mobi versions on my blog as well.
So, I'm not actually going to review a story I wrote. Seems kind of pointless, right?
If you read it, I hope you like it.
This is offered as a FREEBIE via my blog, since it would never get past most publishers. Heed the warnings, guys.
And if you want to ask me anything about The Last Rebellion, here's the place to do it.
February 24, 2015
***6 Tortured StArS***
In that Filthy DARK Rancid fu@ked up recess of my mind, this was what I've been craving for...for a long while. Oh Boy did I enjoy it!!!
This is extremely well written, and had me enthralled from beginning to end.
Tonight after just finishing this amazing short story I know whose VOICE I'll be hearing in my head when I'm in that cloud of semi-consciousness of sleep..... MILLER'S
Be warned this has as dark theme of rape and torture, whether you would call this a romance of sorts...I don't even wonna go there.
In that Filthy DARK Rancid fu@ked up recess of my mind, this was what I've been craving for...for a long while. Oh Boy did I enjoy it!!!
Held captive Rho craves he's own death....it's better than the hell he's going throu.
Miller is the man who intends to break him.
"Why Me?" Rho whispers suddenly into the darkness
Miller shifts"Because I couldn't break you....
You only wanted the SKY.
The empty SKY"
This is extremely well written, and had me enthralled from beginning to end.
Tonight after just finishing this amazing short story I know whose VOICE I'll be hearing in my head when I'm in that cloud of semi-consciousness of sleep..... MILLER'S
Penertrating. Slow. Taunting. Intimate. Sure. Calm. Measured.
Now tell me whose been mind fu@ked
Be warned this has as dark theme of rape and torture, whether you would call this a romance of sorts...I don't even wonna go there.
September 7, 2021
that was intense and fucked up but i’m kinda into it
October 17, 2018
Damn. {{Deep breaths.}} That was an intense 19K words. Every one of them, intense.
I almost put this one down. Not because the writing wasn’t outstanding — it was. Not because it hit my limits — it didn’t. (But, caveat, it will for many people. Heed the warnings.)
I almost put it down because I just couldn’t envision a single scenario that would have made the story redeem itself, that would have made the evil… I'm having trouble finding the right term, here… what’s a word that means “not tolerable but somehow barely this side of unconscionable?”
You know when you’re in a relationship — lover, friend, colleague, any type of relationship — and things happen that make you say to yourself, “I’ll never be okay with this person again. That was a point of no return.” That kept happening in my relationship with this book.
And then, it turned. Lisa Henry broke me and then put me back together.
I almost put this one down. Not because the writing wasn’t outstanding — it was. Not because it hit my limits — it didn’t. (But, caveat, it will for many people. Heed the warnings.)
I almost put it down because I just couldn’t envision a single scenario that would have made the story redeem itself, that would have made the evil… I'm having trouble finding the right term, here… what’s a word that means “not tolerable but somehow barely this side of unconscionable?”
You know when you’re in a relationship — lover, friend, colleague, any type of relationship — and things happen that make you say to yourself, “I’ll never be okay with this person again. That was a point of no return.” That kept happening in my relationship with this book.
And then, it turned. Lisa Henry broke me and then put me back together.
September 4, 2013
If you liked my prompt from the Love Has No Boundaries Event and wanted to read the story of the amazing guy with the piercing eyes - download this free story and SAVOR IT!
This short story hits all the high points that I described. Rho is everything I could have hoped he'd be: fierce, unwavering, strong, and with enough F-You attitude that you know he does not yield willingly. Miller is even more - aware, intelligent, knowing, and sure of himself and his capabilities. This is not a smooth ride - it is bumpy as hell. There is little black and white here - it is gray in all its glory.
In the end I cannot promise you'll like Miller - but you will, I think, understand. There is pain, suffering, torture, and a measured pace that ends in a spot you won't see coming. I would love to read more of Rho and Miller but where they end up absolutely fits that the journey could absolutely not be easy. I've read it twice and can say it is one of the best short stories I've read in quite some time!
Rho:
This short story hits all the high points that I described. Rho is everything I could have hoped he'd be: fierce, unwavering, strong, and with enough F-You attitude that you know he does not yield willingly. Miller is even more - aware, intelligent, knowing, and sure of himself and his capabilities. This is not a smooth ride - it is bumpy as hell. There is little black and white here - it is gray in all its glory.
In the end I cannot promise you'll like Miller - but you will, I think, understand. There is pain, suffering, torture, and a measured pace that ends in a spot you won't see coming. I would love to read more of Rho and Miller but where they end up absolutely fits that the journey could absolutely not be easy. I've read it twice and can say it is one of the best short stories I've read in quite some time!
Rho:
December 18, 2015
Just what I expect from Lisa Henry, a dark, but morally complicated story. Not an easy read, but well worth it.
May 14, 2019
4 stars!
”I am tired of war. I am tired of petty distinctions and hatred based on nothing more than geography. I am tired of the role I have asked to play.”
”I am tired of war. I am tired of petty distinctions and hatred based on nothing more than geography. I am tired of the role I have asked to play.”
October 11, 2016
It's not easy to achieve the transition from a non-con to a real BDSM love story. But Lisa Henry did it.
At first I wasn't very convinced, it was too dark, there was too much abuse. I honestly didn't see any romance in the torturer-tortured relationship. Miller struck me as a sadistic bastard, or at least, as an impassive person who has seen too much violence and, as such, he can't ever be moved by real emotions anymore.
Psychologists and psychiatrists who learn how to break minds instead of curing them freak me out.
But I ended up liking it pretty much.
How?
Well, for starters, there is a change, from the fascination towards someone who refuses to be broken to a fascination for something more he manages to see in Rho. Miller meets a POW who has survived for so long he wonders what's different in him. Days pass and Rho gets under his skin, Rho is someone he wants for himself, so he saves him and bends him to become his. Rho resists at first, but there is a compulsion that complies him to finally give in, to finally submit, to this man.
That's why I liked. Regardless of how wrong it sounds, how twisted the circumstances are, how depraved the situation is, there is a beautiful relationship in its infancy which is already life-changing in the most basic and essential of senses.
From pain and despair, to warmth and safety.
And surrender.
Is it even possible?
*****
You can read it for free here.
At first I wasn't very convinced, it was too dark, there was too much abuse. I honestly didn't see any romance in the torturer-tortured relationship. Miller struck me as a sadistic bastard, or at least, as an impassive person who has seen too much violence and, as such, he can't ever be moved by real emotions anymore.
Psychologists and psychiatrists who learn how to break minds instead of curing them freak me out.
But I ended up liking it pretty much.
How?
Well, for starters, there is a change, from the fascination towards someone who refuses to be broken to a fascination for something more he manages to see in Rho. Miller meets a POW who has survived for so long he wonders what's different in him. Days pass and Rho gets under his skin, Rho is someone he wants for himself, so he saves him and bends him to become his. Rho resists at first, but there is a compulsion that complies him to finally give in, to finally submit, to this man.
That's why I liked. Regardless of how wrong it sounds, how twisted the circumstances are, how depraved the situation is, there is a beautiful relationship in its infancy which is already life-changing in the most basic and essential of senses.
From pain and despair, to warmth and safety.
And surrender.
Is it even possible?
*****
You can read it for free here.
October 11, 2016
Another gruesome, violent, sadistic story. Rape and mindfuck. Stockholm syndrome. AWESOME!
BTW
The first time I saw "Miller", it instantly reminded me of Heinrich Müller, chief of the Gestapo. He is the most senior member of the Nazi regime whose fate remains a mystery, no trace of him has ever been found after May 1, 1945. Just like Miller wanted to disappear (never mind the dates or circumstances).
BTW
The first time I saw "Miller", it instantly reminded me of Heinrich Müller, chief of the Gestapo. He is the most senior member of the Nazi regime whose fate remains a mystery, no trace of him has ever been found after May 1, 1945. Just like Miller wanted to disappear (never mind the dates or circumstances).
August 12, 2018
Bruh.
this shit is good.
For a book that is less than 100 pages, this book conveys every single emotions perfectly. I loved it.
Blog : I have a blog
Youtube : and also a youtube channel where I post random shitz
this shit is good.
For a book that is less than 100 pages, this book conveys every single emotions perfectly. I loved it.
“I can break you, Rho.”
Rho shakes his head again.
“I can break you a hundred different ways.” Miller slides his hand over Rho’s hip, and reaches over him to grip his limp cock. “A thousand. But I would always put you back together.”
Blog : I have a blog
Youtube : and also a youtube channel where I post random shitz
September 4, 2013
Beautiful...in the way a rattlesnake coiled on a rock in the sun is.
Dangerous, and at any moment it could go so very, very badly. This story is an amazing, mindfu@cking terror because it makes you believe by the end. Miller makes you believe. So much textbook and then he takes it off road and out of bounds. You know where it's going, Rho knows, but it just unravels and reweaves so perfectly that it is awesome in the traditional sense of terrifying.
I've read a few of Henry's books and they've always circled this issue of non-con that is twisted and transformed into a true relationship. Every rational part of the mind screams NO! But, in my opinion this is the best, most successful manifestation yet attempted. Bloody brilliant.
I hope this a foreshadowing of what Henry will deliver in the future because it is powerful and certainly demonstrates a paradigmatic shift in craftsmanship.
Dangerous, and at any moment it could go so very, very badly. This story is an amazing, mindfu@cking terror because it makes you believe by the end. Miller makes you believe. So much textbook and then he takes it off road and out of bounds. You know where it's going, Rho knows, but it just unravels and reweaves so perfectly that it is awesome in the traditional sense of terrifying.
I've read a few of Henry's books and they've always circled this issue of non-con that is twisted and transformed into a true relationship. Every rational part of the mind screams NO! But, in my opinion this is the best, most successful manifestation yet attempted. Bloody brilliant.
I hope this a foreshadowing of what Henry will deliver in the future because it is powerful and certainly demonstrates a paradigmatic shift in craftsmanship.
September 1, 2013
Deep breath.... wow. A dangerous read, this one will swallow you whole. Smell it, taste it, and absolutely feel it. No recourse, no escape.
This battle of will's, the razors edge of sanity. Doesn't matter what's right or wrong, immoral, amoral, Ha! It just is what it is!
Happy ending? Fuck if I know, read it at your own risk and then you tell me.
;P
This battle of will's, the razors edge of sanity. Doesn't matter what's right or wrong, immoral, amoral, Ha! It just is what it is!
Happy ending? Fuck if I know, read it at your own risk and then you tell me.
;P
Read
April 18, 2021Often I can't explain why I choose to read what I do. For all that I've said about my aversions to certain topics/themes/tropes/what-have-you, occasionally I'm in the mood to try something that pushes my boundaries. Recently I found myself in one of those weird moods, and for reasons I can't explain because I don't understand them, decided I very much wanted to read -- no, make that re-read -- a book that is not this book.
More info about that book at the end.
This book was just going to be a warmup for that other book. But despite being 49 pages long, it took me weeks to read. The journey went something like this:
first 30%: Brilliant writing. I totally believe in the existence of these characters and their situation. So totally, that it makes me hate the entire human race for being creatures who torture and rape and laugh while they're doing it. All human beings should die. The human species should go extinct. I'm through with you, humanity.
a 2 or 3 week break: Meditations on evil. (And I'm too old for this, folks! It's not like I haven't trod this ground plenty of times before, when I was younger and trying to figure out life. Plus, "evil" just isn't a term I normally use or think about. But.) Pondering: Who is more evil, the torturer who loves his job, or the torturer who hates his job? What about the torturer in this book, who's disenchanted with his cause and no longer has a real motivation to keep doing what he does, but eh, what the hell, keeps torturing and destroying people, one-on-one, anyway -- because why not? That's the ultimate evil, in my opinion.
girding my loins and returning to the book, until 55%: AYFKM???? (My new acronym.) Suddenly we're in D/s land? Where the hell did that come from, and how is taking the torturer/victim relationship in that direction valid? I'm talking about Miller wanting to see Rho on his knees, and all that blabbler about how Rho "needs" it. That "needs it" stuff is D/s-speak (in fiction, I have no idea in real life) that makes me recoil whenever I encounter it, because it sounds like magical mystical bullshit to me. And magical mystical bullshit is the worst bullshit. It completely threw me out of the story.
onward to the end: I was left permanently disconnected from the characters by that development. Even though Moony and I discussed it and she offered me an alternative interpretation, I still couldn't regain my investment in the characters or the story. Also, the sex. I did not believe. For a moment.
So that's the saga of my journey with this book -- which, like I said, was only intended as a quick warmup for the book I really I wanted to (re)read, Susan R. Matthews' An Exchange of Hostages. That story is also about a government torturer during a time of war and rebellion. It's not m/m, alas (although I'm not entirely sure there's not something going on in that department -- I'd have to stick with the series to know for sure). The MC there is a humane, buttoned-up medical doctor who gets recruited, much against his will, to torture prisoners (for the greater good, of course). To his horror, he discovers that not only is he gifted at it, but he LOVES it.
Thus concludes the very long and drawn-out story of my experience with The Last Rebellion. Well-written? YES. A good read? Not for me. While the first 30% affected me powerfully, I lost my investment in it before the end, and concluded by being sorry I'd spent any of my time reading it. That's a very personal reaction, however, and I can't imagine it would affect anyone else in exactly the same way.
More info about that book at the end.
This book was just going to be a warmup for that other book. But despite being 49 pages long, it took me weeks to read. The journey went something like this:
first 30%: Brilliant writing. I totally believe in the existence of these characters and their situation. So totally, that it makes me hate the entire human race for being creatures who torture and rape and laugh while they're doing it. All human beings should die. The human species should go extinct. I'm through with you, humanity.
a 2 or 3 week break: Meditations on evil. (And I'm too old for this, folks! It's not like I haven't trod this ground plenty of times before, when I was younger and trying to figure out life. Plus, "evil" just isn't a term I normally use or think about. But.) Pondering: Who is more evil, the torturer who loves his job, or the torturer who hates his job? What about the torturer in this book, who's disenchanted with his cause and no longer has a real motivation to keep doing what he does, but eh, what the hell, keeps torturing and destroying people, one-on-one, anyway -- because why not? That's the ultimate evil, in my opinion.
girding my loins and returning to the book, until 55%: AYFKM???? (My new acronym.) Suddenly we're in D/s land? Where the hell did that come from, and how is taking the torturer/victim relationship in that direction valid? I'm talking about Miller wanting to see Rho on his knees, and all that blabbler about how Rho "needs" it. That "needs it" stuff is D/s-speak (in fiction, I have no idea in real life) that makes me recoil whenever I encounter it, because it sounds like magical mystical bullshit to me. And magical mystical bullshit is the worst bullshit. It completely threw me out of the story.
onward to the end: I was left permanently disconnected from the characters by that development. Even though Moony and I discussed it and she offered me an alternative interpretation, I still couldn't regain my investment in the characters or the story. Also, the sex. I did not believe. For a moment.
So that's the saga of my journey with this book -- which, like I said, was only intended as a quick warmup for the book I really I wanted to (re)read, Susan R. Matthews' An Exchange of Hostages. That story is also about a government torturer during a time of war and rebellion. It's not m/m, alas (although I'm not entirely sure there's not something going on in that department -- I'd have to stick with the series to know for sure). The MC there is a humane, buttoned-up medical doctor who gets recruited, much against his will, to torture prisoners (for the greater good, of course). To his horror, he discovers that not only is he gifted at it, but he LOVES it.
Thus concludes the very long and drawn-out story of my experience with The Last Rebellion. Well-written? YES. A good read? Not for me. While the first 30% affected me powerfully, I lost my investment in it before the end, and concluded by being sorry I'd spent any of my time reading it. That's a very personal reaction, however, and I can't imagine it would affect anyone else in exactly the same way.
October 26, 2013
I don't know what it is about the word "torture" that acts like a beacon. And here I am, a wimpy little moth, that gets drawn to this deadly light. I know I shouldn't. That there are consequences. But that's my brain talking, and really, who listens to that logical voice when dealing with decisions of the (literary) heart?
So yes, this story has torturous rape and other acts of violence. Though if it helps, the "overt" rape (I know, kind of like being a little bit pregnant) isn't done by the interrogator, Miller. But this is the reality of things for prisoner of war, Rho.
For the first half of this short story, I wasn't too impressed. You get a lot of back-and-forth between Miller and Rho - basically, Miller knows what he wants, and Rho doesn't. But the second half is what did it for me. It made something shallow and physical into something more visceral. Self-discovery, acknowledgement and even acceptance. And in a world ridden with war and two men who have lived by the rules of war, what more can you hope for?
So yes, this story has torturous rape and other acts of violence. Though if it helps, the "overt" rape (I know, kind of like being a little bit pregnant) isn't done by the interrogator, Miller. But this is the reality of things for prisoner of war, Rho.
For the first half of this short story, I wasn't too impressed. You get a lot of back-and-forth between Miller and Rho - basically, Miller knows what he wants, and Rho doesn't. But the second half is what did it for me. It made something shallow and physical into something more visceral. Self-discovery, acknowledgement and even acceptance. And in a world ridden with war and two men who have lived by the rules of war, what more can you hope for?
November 18, 2013
I have my twisted friends Loederkoningin, Rachel and Vivian A to thank for this. Ticket to Stockholm indeed! Oh Rho, you are tough and beautiful, and I want dignity and relief for you. Miller, I don't trust you further than I can throw you, yet maybe you have something to offer Rho? Was that ending a HEA, HFN or just a total mindfuck? Not sure, but I definitely will be checking out more Lisa Henry books.
January 8, 2015
4 Stars for the Chocolatey Goodness. I want to lick it all off Miller tho.
I still think they should go for Sensory Deprivation it is more effective and elegant than all that mighty ass-plowing. They were trying so hard to break the prisoner's back-door plumbing. Mayhap it's the theme and genre of this book as well as its premise that prompted such acts to be included. I just thought the back-door torture scenes was a little over enthusiastic. Note that I am only referring to the quantity. There are afterall, many ways to break a prisoner than sexual torture. Like Miller says... "The isolation was enough to make most men desperate to talk. Otherwise, there was starvation or torture or rape. There was water. There was electricity. There was, in every man, a desperate crawling need to say anything to just make it stop."
My take on the Characters:
The tortured prisoner-of-war MC, Rho Smith is as stubborn as a mule, prideful and suffering a one-track-mind mentality with an overly bravado attitude. Rho's bravado is only a shield of his choosing to sustain himself throughout his tortured captivity. He sees it as his only defense. Nevertheless a shield based only on anger alone isn't the best defense especially when it was countered by a sociopath interrogator with a demented set of logic like John Miller, best known as The-Silhouette-Man.
Miller was drawn to Rho's case when he received reports on an unbreakable prisoner of eighty-four days captivity which is an unprecedented record. He was fascinated with Rho's resilient spirit and was obsessed with unraveling it by all means possible, for his own personal gain.
This is Miller's brand of interrogation technique:
“Every time they fuck you,” the man says after a while, “I will be here.
Sometimes you will see me, sometimes you will not. I may talk to you. I may stay silent.
But you will feel me, Rho. Even when I don’t touch you, you will feel me.”
Rho needs a different approach than most men.
Most men, Miller would reward for answering, but he is reluctant to do that with Rho.
He is unsure how much is instinct and how much is the sheer fascination of seeing that body twist in pain.
Regardless, it was a kindness.
This way, Rho is allowed to hold onto his anger, the source of all his strength, for just a little longer.
Miller will take it when he’s ready, but not until he’s decided what he can replace it with.
Miller certainly has a warped sense of kindness. He is wayyy more fascinating than Rho. Rho is much easier to define and he is quite a flat-character and we only get to see another side of him towards the end of the story. Miller on the other hand is a multi-faceted character. At least, I had fun trying to define and identify his motives. Sometimes Miller is very much like a young child fascinated with a peculiar bug, enjoying experimenting with it; pulling its legs off one by one watching it struggle piteously to get back up again.
In essence, Miller is a sociopath. He is charismatic, manipulative, domineering, self-serving, self-justifying and lack of true remorse or guilt. Empathy really isn't his forte. I am seriously doubting what he did for Rho was actually love without recompense.
I had to say, this Miller guy is so much better than that Toreth guy in The Administration by Manna Francis as an interrogator. Although he might not be as cunning and intuitive as Warrick.
I failed to see how Miller would even find Rho to be fascinating when he is plainly predictable and nondescript. His bravado can be a little tiresome at times too. It feels like Rho isn't the main lead in this story as he is more of a supporting character. I guess Miller's strong presence and eccentricity overshadowed even Rho's hardship.
Frankly, Miller is the one holding my attention throughout the book. Rho is just a broken man waiting to be dispatched for good since he had only one goal ever since his incarceration; he prayed for eternal oblivion as he could no longer see any way out from his current hell on earth. Hence, there isn't much to look forward to when a character has already given up. He isn't cowing to his oppressor but he has effectively chosen death from the very beginning. That's why he would feel this way at the ending:
Moments that made me go Ooh, Aah and Yeowch!:
- Swooning much from the above passage alone.
“Stubborn.” Miller puts a hand around Rho’s throat and presses his
thumb into his windpipe. Gentle at first, and then with increasing pressure.
Slowly cutting off his air...
- Woah, asphyxiation edgeplay.
He’s turned again, shoved against the wall again, and flinches as the man rips the zipper up. He stands there, panting, so fucking relieved that his dick didn’t get caught in the zip.
- This actually made my heart skips a beat. I know I don't have those dangling bits but I just can't help cringing at this paragraph. O.o Weird that this little scene here is affecting me more than those rapes. *perplexed*
Wrapping up:
There is much gray areas in this controversial pair's relationship which I think is a good thing for us readers as it serves to intrigue us, making us want to read on just to find out more. To me, this is what a good engaging book should do. Makes life more interesting than black and white.
I truly enjoy Miller's way of taming Rho. Drawing forth his submissiveness slowly, silently, albeit surely. Here, I am only referring to the mindfucking part, not the excessive despoilment utilized to break him as that serves no purpose other than to humiliate him and in my opinion would only further fuel his stubbornness. Such a method is counterproductive for a man like Rho. I am impressed by Miller's use of...
I am actually quite conflicted on the rating part as I don't care for first half of the book much. It's the last half that did it for me. I was going to go with either 3 to 3.5 stars initially. What raised the bar for me was the eroticism in the last quarter of the book heating up the pages. It was delicious. I appreciate it very much that I had to declare a 4 stars rating cos of it.
This book would suit those who loves twisted-love and psychological games; the bending of one's mind to the will of another. Would Stockholm be a better word for it? Read it and decide for yourself.
BOOK DETAILS
Title: The Last Rebellion
Author: Lisa Henry
Publication Date: September 1st, 2013
Type: Short Story (approximately 18,922 words) - FREE READ
Genre: M/M, Gay, Romance, Contemporary, Abuse, Torture, Dominance-Submission, Dubcon, Noncon, Hardcore
Description:
Rho is a prisoner of war. Miller is the man who intends to break him.
Warnings: contains scenes of violence, torture, and non-consensual m/m sex.
Read
August 30, 2015Read in September, 2013
The first thing to say is that at the time I felt very sorry for Jo *Smut-Dickted* that her prompt hadn't been filled. So learning that Lisa took that prompt, and wrote her the story she wanted, is quite fabulous!
The next thing I have to state is that this story is very well-written, hits the points asked for in the prompt at an inordinately high degree and is well-constructed. Going by Jo's reaction to it, it's pretty much exactly what she wanted.
Still, I can't rate this. If I want to stay true to myself, it would end up with a much lower rating than this deserves as wish fulfillment, as a well-written story and as a freebie. Can't do that. Now let me explain why ;). No it wasn't the rape or the torture at all.
Within moments of starting to read this I disliked Rho so much I was gnashing my teeth. It didn't get better either, I never came to like him, I did not respect him, at times I wished he'd die already, so it would be over and done with. Yes, that's really not the reaction to have towards a torture victim!
I do know of course why my reaction was what it was. I'd already noticed this in the prompt, but when put into writing it became exactly the thing I can't abide: bullshit masculine "values" straight from the American masculine box. I can't say how much I loathe the mindless, useless, idiotic macho stance as displayed by Rho without getting too far into lavatory language. To me there is nothing heroic or admirable in the way he behaved. It's simply a sign of his distinct stupidity and lack of self-awareness, as well as a complete absence of solid values or intelligent reactions.
As a result I disliked him, couldn't latch onto why Miller was fascinated and attracted, and was rather unmoved by the story itself. This, I need to state again, has nothing to do with the writing, or plot. It's just that I can't admire someone like that, or even just like him or empathise with him.
I found Miller the easier of the two characters to relate to. He's an apparatchik almost straight out of the text-book, endowed with enough cold-blooded sadism to be most useful to any totalitarian society. You know the sort: they tortured political prisoners in the cellars of the Lubyanka, and managed concentration camps like Dachau or Auschwitz, being all good citizens.
The story itself did nothing for me, I'm afraid. I didn't consider it erotic, it didn't tickle any of my kinks, the non-con was far too mechanical and repetitive to reach me, and turning someone against their will needs to be accompanied by emotions to move me. And again, I was far too exasperated by Rho and his lack of logic and consequence to attach myself to the victim. Miller got what he wanted and that was that.
However, I'm really happy that Jo finally got her story!
The first thing to say is that at the time I felt very sorry for Jo *Smut-Dickted* that her prompt hadn't been filled. So learning that Lisa took that prompt, and wrote her the story she wanted, is quite fabulous!
The next thing I have to state is that this story is very well-written, hits the points asked for in the prompt at an inordinately high degree and is well-constructed. Going by Jo's reaction to it, it's pretty much exactly what she wanted.
Still, I can't rate this. If I want to stay true to myself, it would end up with a much lower rating than this deserves as wish fulfillment, as a well-written story and as a freebie. Can't do that. Now let me explain why ;). No it wasn't the rape or the torture at all.
Within moments of starting to read this I disliked Rho so much I was gnashing my teeth. It didn't get better either, I never came to like him, I did not respect him, at times I wished he'd die already, so it would be over and done with. Yes, that's really not the reaction to have towards a torture victim!
I do know of course why my reaction was what it was. I'd already noticed this in the prompt, but when put into writing it became exactly the thing I can't abide: bullshit masculine "values" straight from the American masculine box. I can't say how much I loathe the mindless, useless, idiotic macho stance as displayed by Rho without getting too far into lavatory language. To me there is nothing heroic or admirable in the way he behaved. It's simply a sign of his distinct stupidity and lack of self-awareness, as well as a complete absence of solid values or intelligent reactions.
As a result I disliked him, couldn't latch onto why Miller was fascinated and attracted, and was rather unmoved by the story itself. This, I need to state again, has nothing to do with the writing, or plot. It's just that I can't admire someone like that, or even just like him or empathise with him.
I found Miller the easier of the two characters to relate to. He's an apparatchik almost straight out of the text-book, endowed with enough cold-blooded sadism to be most useful to any totalitarian society. You know the sort: they tortured political prisoners in the cellars of the Lubyanka, and managed concentration camps like Dachau or Auschwitz, being all good citizens.
The story itself did nothing for me, I'm afraid. I didn't consider it erotic, it didn't tickle any of my kinks, the non-con was far too mechanical and repetitive to reach me, and turning someone against their will needs to be accompanied by emotions to move me. And again, I was far too exasperated by Rho and his lack of logic and consequence to attach myself to the victim. Miller got what he wanted and that was that.
However, I'm really happy that Jo finally got her story!
February 25, 2015
Intense, brutal, dark, mind fuck, but beautiful and so well written, just like I craved it!!
Recommended but read it at your own risk.
September 2, 2013
Wow - no reviews yet?
Alright- ill take off my lazy shoes for this one. It's only right, given the lovely piece Henry chose to gift us with. So, if you haven't read this, and haven't read the warnings, go do that. Hmmm.. not sure where i read them, but they were there. rape, torture, etc. I'm not going to recap the plot, because I think it's better if the reader just experiences it as it unfolds. For those of you wanting to know how bad the content really is.... Well it's hard to say. The bad stuff is certainly present, and gritty, but doesn't have the same reality or sense of presence that say... Nunn's works do. Which isn't a negative- the author's tone and representation of the "bad" tithings fit perfectly within the story.
For all of you that remain, this was really a lovely, haunting piece. Can I say lovely for a story that contains the aforementioned content? Too bad- deal with it, because it really was. Lovely. Lisa Henry writes in a haunting, almost surreal , or removed tone for this story. Every word essential, necessary to the story- but beyond that, placing the reader in a state similar to that (which must be) experienced by the MC. Confusion,..rebellion, revulsion, a need for a connection- for humanity. A desire for tenderness. More confusion. And certain.. Disconnectedness. Where the story truly succeeded was in pulling the reader in to experience that same ethereal floaty quality where things do t necessarily make sense. But do they have to?
I loo once stories that address or play with the psychology associated with kidnapping, torture, or rape, and this story does exactly that, without spelling every single detail out for the reader. Sometimes the mystery or allusion is where all the fun is.
So yes-I'm struggling to put the experience into words. So just read it. I highly recommend it.
Alright- ill take off my lazy shoes for this one. It's only right, given the lovely piece Henry chose to gift us with. So, if you haven't read this, and haven't read the warnings, go do that. Hmmm.. not sure where i read them, but they were there. rape, torture, etc. I'm not going to recap the plot, because I think it's better if the reader just experiences it as it unfolds. For those of you wanting to know how bad the content really is.... Well it's hard to say. The bad stuff is certainly present, and gritty, but doesn't have the same reality or sense of presence that say... Nunn's works do. Which isn't a negative- the author's tone and representation of the "bad" tithings fit perfectly within the story.
For all of you that remain, this was really a lovely, haunting piece. Can I say lovely for a story that contains the aforementioned content? Too bad- deal with it, because it really was. Lovely. Lisa Henry writes in a haunting, almost surreal , or removed tone for this story. Every word essential, necessary to the story- but beyond that, placing the reader in a state similar to that (which must be) experienced by the MC. Confusion,..rebellion, revulsion, a need for a connection- for humanity. A desire for tenderness. More confusion. And certain.. Disconnectedness. Where the story truly succeeded was in pulling the reader in to experience that same ethereal floaty quality where things do t necessarily make sense. But do they have to?
I loo once stories that address or play with the psychology associated with kidnapping, torture, or rape, and this story does exactly that, without spelling every single detail out for the reader. Sometimes the mystery or allusion is where all the fun is.
So yes-I'm struggling to put the experience into words. So just read it. I highly recommend it.
September 22, 2013
There's something hypnotic about this dark story that once started I couldn't put down. Rape, torture and humiliation are thrown at Rho ( and of course at you ) in the first few pages and oh yeah, its brutal and degrading but then Miller is introduced and even though he's a cold bastard your inner voice starts to try to persuade you that perhaps now the story will start to lighten up a tad because surely Lisa cant put Rho through anything worse...can she?
Well actually yes she can because next the psychological torture starts and gets mixed in alongside the physical in a double whammy assault on the senses and Voila! we have Mind Fuckery 101, the story pulls you in and you can't look away!
Finally I think it's up to you to decide if this is actually a sadistic case of Stockholm syndrome or is it two jaded war weary men fated to finally meet under the most dark and extreme circumstances, which had the tables been turned, would still end up saving each other in a bizarre romantic twist? Lisa Henry cleverly takes your perceptions and turns them inside and out in this short but seemingly much longer free story.
Personally to talk myself out of the possibility that my psyche has darker tendencies than I thought, I'm going with the bizarre romance angle . Just makes me feel a bit better about thinking the words Wow! And ' enjoyed '......and the urge to go back and read it again!
July 30, 2015
Hmm. I'm not convinced that the same woman who domesticates a possum which she then names Ramona, is capable of writing delightfully fucked up but utterly absorbing books such as this one.
Click on the spoiler for a genuine, honest to goodness image of Lisa Henry and Ramona. You would not believe the lengths I had to go to in order to capture this. You're welcome.
September 2, 2013
4.5 DARK STARS
WARNINGS: POW, Rape, Violence
Wow! Lisa, I love your dark side. Sensational, interesting/entertaining dark read. I love a five star, free read. It could have been a little longer to get a little deeper into the MCs' heads. That's my only complaint.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED FOR DARK EROTIC THRILLER READERS!
WARNINGS: POW, Rape, Violence
Wow! Lisa, I love your dark side. Sensational, interesting/entertaining dark read. I love a five star, free read. It could have been a little longer to get a little deeper into the MCs' heads. That's my only complaint.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED FOR DARK EROTIC THRILLER READERS!
August 11, 2016
Definitely one of Lisa Henry's best works. Disturbing, thought provoking and very well done.
Tis a shame I picked the wrong time and place to read it. I should have read this in private, with the lights turned off when all is quiet. I could have squeaked, wept and chewed on my fingers without scaring all the children and their parents at the indoor plastic playground. My bad.
I owe this one a re-read and a proper review at some point ...
Tis a shame I picked the wrong time and place to read it. I should have read this in private, with the lights turned off when all is quiet. I could have squeaked, wept and chewed on my fingers without scaring all the children and their parents at the indoor plastic playground. My bad.
I owe this one a re-read and a proper review at some point ...
November 6, 2013
Wow that was novella worth reading!
Lisa Henry certainly knows how to write a dark book which is my sort of book.
I cannot believe it is free online! It seems such a shame that she isn't paid for it :(
If you like books with darker elements I would definitely rec this one to you and it is only short :)
Lisa Henry certainly knows how to write a dark book which is my sort of book.
I cannot believe it is free online! It seems such a shame that she isn't paid for it :(
If you like books with darker elements I would definitely rec this one to you and it is only short :)
September 19, 2013
Wonderfully written piece that makes you sad for Rho and hands down one of the best pieces of torture porn I've read. I don't know why Lisa's work always just gets to me, guaranteed. Just the right amount of angst and abuse and darkness. Love it.
November 27, 2013
I hate short stories. I really do. I rarely read them because I like a story I can sink my teeth into. I like a narrative, world-building, character development, sexual tension. I've never really felt that any story less than 150 pages could pull that off. Oh holy jesus, I was wrong.
September 9, 2021
2.3 "head-scratching" stars.
Rho, a prisoner of war, is imprisoned and tortured for over a hundred days. He doesn't break during this time. Miller, also known by the sinister sobriquet, the silhouette man, is the interrogator who is brought in to oversee his case. He is fascinated by Rho's resistance and is determined to break him. Rho is supposed to be part of some shadowy Rebellion, whose origins or purpose are not explained. Miller and Rho's relationship is an extreme power imbalance situation: captor vs captive, interrogator vs subject. And the overarching theme of Miller wanting to break Rho, is repeated over and over again with all the subtlety of a beating drum.
We don't know what war is being fought, who the opposing sides are, and where the action is taking place. The story gives new meaning to the term abstract. It felt like I was watching one of those avante garde black and white movies, but since this is a book, being all abstract and vague doesn't quite have the same effect. For one, it just left me annoyed. And since there's a lot of graphic torture and rape, it ended up feeling gratuitous, like it was meant more for shock and awe purposes. Because we don't understand to what end the torture and brutality is--whose purpose/side does it serve?
Finally, to add insult to injury, the sex isn't even hot.
Rho, a prisoner of war, is imprisoned and tortured for over a hundred days. He doesn't break during this time. Miller, also known by the sinister sobriquet, the silhouette man, is the interrogator who is brought in to oversee his case. He is fascinated by Rho's resistance and is determined to break him. Rho is supposed to be part of some shadowy Rebellion, whose origins or purpose are not explained. Miller and Rho's relationship is an extreme power imbalance situation: captor vs captive, interrogator vs subject. And the overarching theme of Miller wanting to break Rho, is repeated over and over again with all the subtlety of a beating drum.
We don't know what war is being fought, who the opposing sides are, and where the action is taking place. The story gives new meaning to the term abstract. It felt like I was watching one of those avante garde black and white movies, but since this is a book, being all abstract and vague doesn't quite have the same effect. For one, it just left me annoyed. And since there's a lot of graphic torture and rape, it ended up feeling gratuitous, like it was meant more for shock and awe purposes. Because we don't understand to what end the torture and brutality is--whose purpose/side does it serve?
Finally, to add insult to injury, the sex isn't even hot.
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