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Marginalia
Bailey likes to cut people—in a purely consensual way—which makes his work as a surgical technician with cosmetic enhancement corporation SirenCare his dream job. His recreational pursuits, however, would displease his employer, so he lives his personal life on the margins of Sydney, away from SirenCare’s corporate enclave, taking his chances in a city without water or power.
Quint is one of his chances, an illegal resident who pulls beer and breaks up fights. Quint’s not used to corporate men with the means to buy water, but he could get accustomed to being with Bailey and Bailey’s friend, Flynn, who engineers new and addictive body mods for SirenCare.
When Immigration incarcerates Quint as an illegal resident, only intervention by a corporation can free him. Can Bailey, with Flynn, persuade SirenCare that a disreputable bar tender is carrying experimental body mods, and should be rescued from detention?
Originally published in the Spiked anthology.
Quint is one of his chances, an illegal resident who pulls beer and breaks up fights. Quint’s not used to corporate men with the means to buy water, but he could get accustomed to being with Bailey and Bailey’s friend, Flynn, who engineers new and addictive body mods for SirenCare.
When Immigration incarcerates Quint as an illegal resident, only intervention by a corporation can free him. Can Bailey, with Flynn, persuade SirenCare that a disreputable bar tender is carrying experimental body mods, and should be rescued from detention?
Originally published in the Spiked anthology.
ebook
First published July 9, 2013
17 people want to read
About the author
Laney Cairo
25 books45 followersLaney lives in a queer commune with three of her favourite people and two of her favourite dogs. When not writing, she teaches university students about apostrophes, scientific methodology and visual culture. In her spare time she photographs fjords and works on being kinder.
In her previous professional incarnations she has been a masseuse, owned a genre bookshop and dipped her toes in the civil service. In her long distant past Laney has undertaken nude modelling, been a fairy-for-hire, run murder mystery nights and been a breastfeeding educator; but not all at the same time.
Laney likes to tell stories about people who could be real, imagined into the future or an alternate reality.
Laney would rather curl up with a pot of tea and her laptop than speak to a group of people. Laney’s favourite word is ‘utterly’ and her long-suffering editor often has the task of restricting her to one per story. If you find an extra one she’d be utterly, utterly delighted to hear from you at laney [at] laneycairo [dot] com.
In her previous professional incarnations she has been a masseuse, owned a genre bookshop and dipped her toes in the civil service. In her long distant past Laney has undertaken nude modelling, been a fairy-for-hire, run murder mystery nights and been a breastfeeding educator; but not all at the same time.
Laney likes to tell stories about people who could be real, imagined into the future or an alternate reality.
Laney would rather curl up with a pot of tea and her laptop than speak to a group of people. Laney’s favourite word is ‘utterly’ and her long-suffering editor often has the task of restricting her to one per story. If you find an extra one she’d be utterly, utterly delighted to hear from you at laney [at] laneycairo [dot] com.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
June 10, 2024
I read this last year and it's still worming about in my brain I loved it so much
July 24, 2013
review written for http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com/
Bailey is a cutter in a corporation and has the opportunity if a privileged life in a world where water, power and other stuff is all restricted and for the wealthy. He chooses to live in the outside world not the corporate world because he likes the touch of another man, he can afford some of the conveniences most can’t.
Quint is a bartender and an illegal, but he refused to join the military to get a real identity and job so he takes his chances. He is surprised when he finds out his newest sexual conquest is a corporate and interested in him for more than just a one night fling. But can a corporate and illegal have anything else? You will have to read and find out!
I have to say at the beginning I got pretty confused, and during the book I had to ponder some of the slang, some I never quite figured out. I think a simple prologue giving us the gist of the timeframe and more about the characters would have helped immensely. Eventually I figured where the setting was( this also solved a bit of the slang) but still not why this was happening or what the characters are, since there was allusions that not all are human, I also wasn’t sure what these implants were or why so many was wanting them ( a couple were easy to guess). But I read on and was glad. The story is very interesting and the characters very intriguing. I liked what I knew of this new world jus to would have liked to known more about it and a little more about the characters, but the story was sweet, intriguing, suspenseful and very hot. The ending very satisfying!
Recommendation: If you like futuristic stories, post-apocalyptic ( my favorite sci-fi), intriguing characters, a bit of mystery a good romance and very hot sex I highly recommend this book!
Bailey is a cutter in a corporation and has the opportunity if a privileged life in a world where water, power and other stuff is all restricted and for the wealthy. He chooses to live in the outside world not the corporate world because he likes the touch of another man, he can afford some of the conveniences most can’t.
Quint is a bartender and an illegal, but he refused to join the military to get a real identity and job so he takes his chances. He is surprised when he finds out his newest sexual conquest is a corporate and interested in him for more than just a one night fling. But can a corporate and illegal have anything else? You will have to read and find out!
I have to say at the beginning I got pretty confused, and during the book I had to ponder some of the slang, some I never quite figured out. I think a simple prologue giving us the gist of the timeframe and more about the characters would have helped immensely. Eventually I figured where the setting was( this also solved a bit of the slang) but still not why this was happening or what the characters are, since there was allusions that not all are human, I also wasn’t sure what these implants were or why so many was wanting them ( a couple were easy to guess). But I read on and was glad. The story is very interesting and the characters very intriguing. I liked what I knew of this new world jus to would have liked to known more about it and a little more about the characters, but the story was sweet, intriguing, suspenseful and very hot. The ending very satisfying!
Recommendation: If you like futuristic stories, post-apocalyptic ( my favorite sci-fi), intriguing characters, a bit of mystery a good romance and very hot sex I highly recommend this book!
August 27, 2015
Bizarrely fascinating. Or fascinatingly bizarre.
Set in a dystopian Australia in which corporations own and control virtually everything, and Riley works for one of the biggest: a company which installs high-tech body-modifications. Because of his job, he has access to a lot of luxuries that most people don't: water for showers, a private apartment, etc.
He meets Quint who's an illegal working as a bartender. Their relationship is cinderella-like enough to make my fairy-tale-loving heart happy enough to overlook all of the disturbing or creepy things in the rest of the story.
Set in a dystopian Australia in which corporations own and control virtually everything, and Riley works for one of the biggest: a company which installs high-tech body-modifications. Because of his job, he has access to a lot of luxuries that most people don't: water for showers, a private apartment, etc.
He meets Quint who's an illegal working as a bartender. Their relationship is cinderella-like enough to make my fairy-tale-loving heart happy enough to overlook all of the disturbing or creepy things in the rest of the story.
August 15, 2013
I was attracted to this book by the fact that it was m/m erotic romance set in a dystopian future, which sounds right down my alley. I also loved the edginess aspect, with contraband body mods, etc. It delivered on some of these aspects but I felt it wasn't dark or edgy enough for my tastes, though I suspect most people would consider it plenty dark and edgy. I was just disappointed that it didn't push the boundaries of decency quite far enough.
July 18, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews