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mrbear30021's review
4.0
After reading this book, I should go back and change my original review slightly. I think I described it as "fun". Well... I think "entertaining" is a better fit. There is humor, and what I would call a smattering of satire, but it just doesn't feel right to call a well-thought-out and eminently readable (so far) series about living in a world nearly destroyed in a nuclear holocaust as "fun.
The characters are, in my opinion, as far from cookie-cutter as you can get. Yet, they are as stereotypical as you can think of. Contradiction much? It is one of the reasons, I think, that it works so well. What better way than having your characters be standard non-conformists in a world of organized chaos?
The story picks up not too long after our two friends and newly minted lovers, have been separated. Arthur is on his way to the front to collect back taxes from the slavers and Rabia has been pair with Dinner, the child Arthur collected on an audit in the previous story.
If you're wondering why a young girl would be named Dinner, then you really should go read book #1: A Happy Bureaucracy first. You'll laugh. You'll cry. You might pick up a few tips for when you do your next tax return, but more likely you'll just laugh and cry. But I digress...
Without giving anything away, something happens that sets Rabia off on a cross-country, whirlwind journey to reach Artur before he can come to harm. Meanwhile, Arthur is learning some things about himself that he didn't know he had it in him to do.
We learn more back story about our new beloved characters and by the end of this installment, we learn that as bad as the situation seems to be, it just might be far worse than is generally known. Enemies just might be friends. Friends might be enemies. And what's over the horizon might lead to either one.
As before I highly recommend The Happy Bureaucracy Series to anyone who enjoys a thoughtful read, with tons of dumb luck, a touch of silliness here and there, cannibalism on the menu, and pretty necklaces made from the fingers of one's enemies. Or you could just read it because it is a good story and entertaining to read.
The characters are, in my opinion, as far from cookie-cutter as you can get. Yet, they are as stereotypical as you can think of. Contradiction much? It is one of the reasons, I think, that it works so well. What better way than having your characters be standard non-conformists in a world of organized chaos?
The story picks up not too long after our two friends and newly minted lovers, have been separated. Arthur is on his way to the front to collect back taxes from the slavers and Rabia has been pair with Dinner, the child Arthur collected on an audit in the previous story.
If you're wondering why a young girl would be named Dinner, then you really should go read book #1: A Happy Bureaucracy first. You'll laugh. You'll cry. You might pick up a few tips for when you do your next tax return, but more likely you'll just laugh and cry. But I digress...
Without giving anything away, something happens that sets Rabia off on a cross-country, whirlwind journey to reach Artur before he can come to harm. Meanwhile, Arthur is learning some things about himself that he didn't know he had it in him to do.
We learn more back story about our new beloved characters and by the end of this installment, we learn that as bad as the situation seems to be, it just might be far worse than is generally known. Enemies just might be friends. Friends might be enemies. And what's over the horizon might lead to either one.
As before I highly recommend The Happy Bureaucracy Series to anyone who enjoys a thoughtful read, with tons of dumb luck, a touch of silliness here and there, cannibalism on the menu, and pretty necklaces made from the fingers of one's enemies. Or you could just read it because it is a good story and entertaining to read.
amia's review
4.0
Can you imagine living in a dystopian world so horrible that children are born and raised for food? I suppose it's possible for you to imagine but then you have to add the nightmare of the IRS wanting their "fair share" of said food and any others assets. Then you must be able to top all of that horror with a huge dollop of humor, yes, humor to get this horrific, yet occasionally hilarious tale from M. P. Fitzgerald's sick and twisted imagination. And I state that in a very complimentary way! I highly recommend it but please do yourself a favor and read book 1 in the series first. You will never read another dystopian tale like it. Be prepared to gasp in horror and laugh with tears running from your eyes.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this ebook from the author and this is my honest and freely given opinion.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this ebook from the author and this is my honest and freely given opinion.
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