Mika Sadahiro

I was blown away by volume one of this two-part yaoi series. The art was clean and beautiful, the sex frequent and the plot gritty and reflective of the prison setting and hard core yaoi. Volume two is just as good, if not a little bit better than volume one! This is still adults only as there is extreme violence, rape and drug use in the story.

Sen and Sword's unorthodox relationship is tested by a new power player at the prison, the warden. He wants Sen, but he also has some secret agenda concerning Sword. His interference causes a rift between the lovers, amplified by new developments concerning Sen's conviction, and both become victims of violence and rape. In addition, Norman's obsession with Sword causes more problems. The plot is more detailed than volume one, which was a big bonus. Ironically, as violent as the story is, this volume actually builds the "romance" between Sen and Sword. Even better, they get an HEA. How the mangaka accomplishes it is extremely well done and fits with the storyline. There is plenty of explicit sex throughout, and with other characters besides the main two.

This volume is the same size and shape as volume one (6" by 4" bunko), with a connected image across both covers when laid side by side. The retail price is still significant, but I think it's worth it considering how long and in depth the story is. Overall, this is a fantastic hard yaoi series that I will read again and again. Highly recommended.… (mere)