Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

The Starving Years

by Jordan Castillo Price (Goodreads Author)

4.15 of 5 stars 4.15 · rating details · 190 ratings · 43 reviews

Imagine a world without hunger. In 1960, a superfood was invented that made starvation a thing of the past. Manna, the cheaply manufactured staple food, is now as ubiquitous as salt in the world’s cupboards, pantries and larders.

Nelson Oliver knows plenty about manna. He’s a food scientist—according to his diploma, that is. Lately, he’s been running the register at the loc...more

ebook, 286 pages

Published March 5th 2012 by JCP Books LLC

more details... edit details

Get a copy:

More…

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Lists with This Book

Best M/M Romance Published in 2012

66th out of 583 books — 1,179 voters

Best M/M Books Covers With No Sexual Overtones

13th out of 277 books — 210 voters

More lists with this book...

Community Reviews

(showing 1-30 of 529)

filter | sort: default (?) | rating details

Feb 10, 2013 Val Kovalin added it

The Starving Years starts with humor and intrigue. We’re in an alternative-history version of our contemporary world. Nelson attends one of those awful job seminars with a roomful of other desperate hopefuls willing to do team-building exercises and compete like trained seals to get their resumes to the attention of the powers-that-be at Canaan Food Products. Nelson, who works at a video store, seems like a slacker who just wants to get laid…but then you realize that he’s a brilliant scientist....more The Starving Years starts with humor and intrigue. We’re in an alternative-history version of our contemporary world. Nelson attends one of those awful job seminars with a roomful of other desperate hopefuls willing to do team-building exercises and compete like trained seals to get their resumes to the attention of the powers-that-be at Canaan Food Products. Nelson, who works at a video store, seems like a slacker who just wants to get laid…but then you realize that he’s a brilliant scientist. Somewhere in his short life, he must have fallen far.

He meets aloof copywriter Javier, who is also more than he seems. Javier, blinded in one eye, wears an eye-patch. He still hasn’t emotionally recovered from the scars of his past. Also, he couldn’t be less impressed by Nelson’s cheerfully aggressive flirting. Rounding out their table of job seekers is assertive Marianne, plus the very straight and somewhat self-centered Randy, who delivers some of the funniest lines. Both Marianne and Randy will evolve greatly through the story.

The job seminar turns into a power failure and Nelson and his group stick together through the panicked evacuation of the building. It seems that all of Manhattan is dissolving into anarchy, and it has something to do with Canaan Food Products. Fortunately, Javier manages to steal some proprietary information to give to an online contact whom he has never met, a whistle-blowing hacker named Tim.

When Tim rescues Nelson, Javier, Marianne, and Randy from the chaos in the streets, the group must travel across Manhattan, trying to survive as they unravel the mystery of what is going on. It also paves the way for what has to be the best m/m/m I’ve ever read (and I’ve read a lot). Nelson is so joyfully sexual, Javier is so brooding and wounded, and Tim – my favorite – is so endearingly sensitive (as well as a closet submissive).

What makes the emerging relationship delicious is that each man of the three starts out attracted to the one least interested in him. Nelson wants Javier, who finds him immature. Javier wants Tim, who doesn’t find him heroic enough. And Tim wants Nelson, who finds him too earnest. These guys have to work for their balanced three-way relationship, and it’s VERY hot when they earn it.

But that doesn’t mean the external plot falters when the romance comes to the front. The pace remains tight and fast, and the surprises just keep coming. Manhattan is very vivid, and the research that must have gone into this story (e.g., food chemistry, computer hacking) must have been phenomenal, but is effortlessly woven into the action. The heart of the story is about ordinary people who find the strength to go to heroic lengths to save their family of choice.
(less)

like 15 likes · see review

Mar 08, 2012 Lauraadriana rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites, interracial, fave-authors, lmao, m-m-m, loved-it

As always Jordan Castillo Price just carves out her own place in this genre, and makes you come to her.

She is like a one woman awesome show. She writes, promotes, creates on her own terms, no compromises, and for this reader, it works like a friggin charm...This story was like nothing I have read in this genre as of yet, smart, edgy, kind of horrific at times, blunt and with a substantial dose of OPEN YOUR EYES BAD SHIT HAPPENS A LOT!!!.

Nelson Oliver is sitting at an atrocious job fair snooze fe...more

like 14 likes · see review

Oct 24, 2012 Akansha rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: m-m, menage-a-trois, dystopia-post-apocalyptic, romance

4.25

One of the better books I've read this year and a definite page-turner.

The book is set in a dystopian future where Manna, a cheaply manufactured packaged food that comes in every flavour imaginable, has replaced everything else and has completely monopolized the food sector. The companies making Manna have been accused of everything, from human rights violations to buying off high ranking government employees and cutting corners on health codes. The story kicks off in NYC at a recruiting/p...more 4.25

One of the better books I've read this year and a definite page-turner.

The book is set in a dystopian future where Manna, a cheaply manufactured packaged food that comes in every flavour imaginable, has replaced everything else and has completely monopolized the food sector. The companies making Manna have been accused of everything, from human rights violations to buying off high ranking government employees and cutting corners on health codes. The story kicks off in NYC at a recruiting/promotional event of one such company where all hell breaks loose with a riot and throws the protagonists together for survival who have to work with each other to unearth the root of the riots.

The book is as much character driven as it is plot driven, even though it falters a little bit on the plot front in the last 20%. The strongest suit of the book is its distinctly drawn and three dimensional characters that don't seamlessly blend into each other as is often the case with most books in this genre: Nelson, the ostensible horndog and extrovert of the group who is also a PhD holding food scientist, Javier, the eye-patch wearing standoffish enigma and then there is Tim, introvert, sweet and a computer genius. The world building is interesting and detailed and Price gives each of her characters a unique voice and an elaborate background, deftly avoiding the slippery slope of exposition. Even the secondary characters, especially Marianne are as compelling as the three MCs. At its heart, it is a fast paced and action packed mystery which unfolds quite thrillingly over the course of the story.

But what cost the book a five star rating was the denouement and the lack of focus and development of the three way romance. Their relationship felt very rushed and I wish that it was a little more fleshed out, instead of being told that they were together, I would have preferred to see it happen. Also, the denouement is a little underwhelming. The tension builds and builds towards a crescendo and I was expecting something spectacular or explosive. Unfortunately, it was anti-climactic and everything is resolved quickly and neatly. If only the story were longer, maybe the relationship and the conclusion would have been more convincing. Nonetheless, Price's writing and story telling is a cut above most of the authors' in the genre and it's definitely one of my favourites this year.(less)

like 8 likes · see review

Mar 29, 2012 Teagan rated it 5 of 5 stars

Yay, a new (to me) JCP! Can't wait!

(I'm one of those people that wait for the TV show to come out on DVD so I can marathon the entire thing in a weekend.)

Edited to add:

Wow. Loved this so much. Great characters, great plot, very moving... and so exciting! I couldn't put it down. (Of course, this is what I've come to expect from this author and why she's an auto-buy for me.)

like · see review

Apr 11, 2013 ARe Cafe rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: are-top-picks, vals-picks

The Starving Years by Jordan Castillo Price opens in an alternate universe Manhattan at a corporate recruitment seminar. Scientist Nelson sits in a roomful of the desperately unemployed, who are all pathetically willing to do pointless team-building exercises to win a chance at getting a job at Canaan Food Products. Refusing to compete, Nelson starts aggressively flirting with copywriter Javier, who shares his table.

A power failure forces the job seminar to evacuate the building. Nelson and his...more The Starving Years by Jordan Castillo Price opens in an alternate universe Manhattan at a corporate recruitment seminar. Scientist Nelson sits in a roomful of the desperately unemployed, who are all pathetically willing to do pointless team-building exercises to win a chance at getting a job at Canaan Food Products. Refusing to compete, Nelson starts aggressively flirting with copywriter Javier, who shares his table.

A power failure forces the job seminar to evacuate the building. Nelson and his group (Javier, self-centered Randy, and principled Marianne) stick together as they venture into the city, which is dissolving into rioting, looting, and panicked anarchy. It all has something to do with Canaan Food Products, from which Javier has managed to steal some proprietary information. Javier plans to give the information to Tim, a hacker whom he knows online but has never met in person.

When Tim rescues Nelson and the others from the chaos of the streets, the group struggles to survive while figuring out what action has been committed by Canaan Food Products, how it could break down society, and what to do in the aftermath of destruction.

The Starving Years is a true original, different from anything else out there in the gay romance genre. The third-person viewpoints alternate chapter to chapter between exuberant Nelson, brooding Javier, and sensitive Tim. The three men start out each wanting the one who is least interested in him.

Nelson wants Javier, who thinks he’s shallow. Javier wants Tim, who finds him underwhelming. Tim wants Nelson, who thinks he’s too earnest. The story’s non-stop action moves them into each other’s orbits for a realistic, balanced ménage relationship. Meanwhile, the story incorporates elements of satire, erotica, action-adventure, science fiction, and horror to evolve toward its breathless conclusion.

The research into computers and biochemistry that this story required must have been phenomenal, but it is woven flawlessly into a contemporary thriller-type romance. What makes the story special is the evolution of the characters, who all are more than they initially seem, and their interactions with each other as they go to heroic lengths to protect their families of choice.

Val for AReCafe(less)

like · see review

Dec 23, 2012 leigh rated it 3 of 5 stars

This is a long and involved story which is, after all is said and done, queerly limited in scope. It starts with a great scifi premise and hook: the invention of a superfood product called manna, a spongy tofu-like substance which is sold cheaply enough to have eradicated global hunger. Almost nobody bothers to cook real food anymore.

The world has plenty of other issues, however. Overpopulation, unemployment, enforced legal limits on childbirth, and inflated prices on non-food products such as m...more This is a long and involved story which is, after all is said and done, queerly limited in scope. It starts with a great scifi premise and hook: the invention of a superfood product called manna, a spongy tofu-like substance which is sold cheaply enough to have eradicated global hunger. Almost nobody bothers to cook real food anymore.

The world has plenty of other issues, however. Overpopulation, unemployment, enforced legal limits on childbirth, and inflated prices on non-food products such as medicine. And just lately, peculiar health problems have begun cropping up.

Our heroes are three men from different backgrounds who each come to suspect that these problems may be caused, deliberately or inadvertently, by the manna produced by a particular Big Evil Corporation. They set out to investigate and expose this while the world around them descends into a kind of semi-apocalypse. Meanwhile, each is having hot-and-tingly feelings about the other two. And along for the ride are two additional supporting characters.

There's a lot going on here, and the novel is long, but there's a bit too much going on and it's not quite long enough. We get great, engaging details about flavors of manna and how people live now, but when the "apocalyptic" events start unfolding our viewpoint characters are holed up and although they frequently have internet, they are so removed from other people that the reader gets little sense of what the apocalypse is about. Part of this is intentional, but for me it created a sense of always waiting for them to leave their bolthole and find out what's going ON, and this never happened. They foray out to find out what happened to specific loved ones, but they don't hear about larger trends.

Among the larger population there is death, injury and strange disease, and we get bloody, gritty glimpses of this, including some affecting children. Eventually, our heroes figure out what the Evil Corporation has been up to and succeed in breaking the story. There is a lot of action, and all five of the main characters are likable enough. But there wasn't enough time spent to develop the feelings between the members of the love triangle. We're told they're all lusting after each other, but these flashes occur while they're busily engaged in computer hacking, evading police, performing first aid, and worrying about the fates of loved ones. The emotional hooks never developed for me, and the sex scenes were minimal.

As customary with JCP, the writing quality is first-rate, and the narrative does engage the reader. I had no trouble finishing the book, but it was not an emotionally affecting experience for me.(less)

like 1 like · see review

Mar 26, 2012 Mike rated it 3 of 5 stars

While the novel was well-written and different to anything I have read in the MM genre, there were a few problems with it for me.

Firstly, the story is heavily plot-driven, rather than character driven. Although this made it a fast-paced read, it didn't really give me the opportunity to connect with the characters, despite the fact that they are interesting and unusual.

Secondly, part of the plot hinges on a lot of biochemistry. The author's constant errors in basic chemistry became so distractin...more

like 1 like · see review

Mar 20, 2012 oceankitty rated it 5 of 5 stars

There's one thing I've wanted to do for a very long time. And that is to perform open brain surgery on Jordan Castillo Price. I itch to find out how that brain works. Might there be several brains stuffed into that skull of hers? Needless to say I'm way impressed with how her mind comes up with one novel and original idea after the other. As far as I can tell she's way out there among the best of them. Not only does she write sexy and titillating M/M stories in a wide variety of genres but she...more
There's one thing I've wanted to do for a very long time. And that is to perform open brain surgery on Jordan Castillo Price. I itch to find out how that brain works. Might there be several brains stuffed into that skull of hers? Needless to say I'm way impressed with how her mind comes up with one novel and original idea after the other. As far as I can tell she's way out there among the best of them. Not only does she write sexy and titillating M/M stories in a wide variety of genres but she has me Googling right and left and taking notes in the process. Who knew reading M/M could be so much fun and so educational?

Jordan Castillo Price wrote The Starving Years as a serial, but you can hardly tell that from the resulting book. The story starts out pretty slow, but fear not, you're in for the ride of your life! Our heroes are faced with not only a mystery, but also the challenge of love. While a riot threatens to make Manhattan into a war-zone, Nelson, Javier and Tim and their friends have to figure out why the riots started in the first place, and then find a way get the truth out to people.
While they struggle to find the truth and protect the people they love, the three men have to come to terms with the attraction they feel toward each other. But not even love turns out to be an easy feat. Nelson falls for Javier, Javier falls for Tim and Tim only has eyes for beautiful and promiscuous Nelson. Can they ever solve this Gordian knot of emotions?

In all JCP's stories there's more underneath the surface than first meets the eye, and this story soon twists and turns into surprising new directions. I always have this déjà vu kind of feeling while reading JCP's books. It is like a series of small detonations inside my mind going pop-pop-pop. She has this way of phrasing things that leads me to instant recognition. She puts words to things I have been thinking about without knowing (or remembering) that I have been thinking about them. It's like meeting a long lost friend after years of separation, you've become strangers but still know each other inside and out.

I enjoyed The Starving Years so much that I read it all in one go, unwilling to stop even when I knew I'd get only four hours of sleep before getting up to go to work. My boss wasn't too happy with my performance the next day-not only was I sleepy but my head was still with Nelson and co. And it has been there ever since. (less)

like 4 likes · see review

Mar 08, 2012 Molli B. rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: m-m, novel, read-in-2012

I've yet to read a story of Jordan's that I didn't enjoy. I wasn't familiar with this, or that it had been done as a serial, and I'm kind of glad that I read it as a completed novel, because I'm sure I would have been impatient and anxious for updates.

She always creates such believable, likable characters, and the three protagonists of this one are no different. Each is quirky in his own way with his own personality, history, and set of goals. I'd be hard-pressed to say whom I liked best... but...more

like 1 like · see review

Mar 06, 2012 Gloria rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: m-m-m-romance, dystopia, science-fiction, lendible-pm-me

To be blunt, this is a really awesome book which I highly recommend for everyone. Calling it an "action-packed adventure" would force me to put a dollar in the cliché jar, but it's true. Right from the beginning we a shoved out of the corporate world of job fairs and into a riot severe enough that it shuts down Manhattan... or is there another reason? The three mains complement each other fantastically, their chemistry is amazing. Tim is an incredibly awkward computer-genius determined to bring...more

like · see review

Mar 09, 2012 Lisa rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary, glbt, menage, alt-reality, m-m-m

Many, many...way too many years ago than I care to remember, I watched a movie called Soylent Green, starring Charleton Heston. Set in a dystopian future, in a horrifically overpopulated New York City, Heston played an NYPD officer investigating the murder of one of the higher ups in the Soylent Corporation, a company that had developed a new source of food in the form of a wafer called, what else, Soylent Green. Even with this new source of nutrition, however, food was still at a premium and ri...more

like 5 likes · see review

Apr 15, 2012 ttg rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: m-m, favorites, reviews

The Starving Years is an enthralling sci-fi story, one that is very hard to put down once you get into the thick of things.

Set in an AU New York City, TSY's setting is very similar to today, but with some specific changes. For one, the creation of "manna," a food supplement has basically eliminated starvation, and manna is everywhere, and seems to be a big staple for most people. (Think Soylent Green, but it's made from alfalfa, not people.)

Starting at a job fair for one of the more prolific ma...more The Starving Years is an enthralling sci-fi story, one that is very hard to put down once you get into the thick of things.

Set in an AU New York City, TSY's setting is very similar to today, but with some specific changes. For one, the creation of "manna," a food supplement has basically eliminated starvation, and manna is everywhere, and seems to be a big staple for most people. (Think Soylent Green, but it's made from alfalfa, not people.)

Starting at a job fair for one of the more prolific manna makers, and then shifting to a sudden riot outside, the reader follows TSY's core group of five characters as they stumble along together, first searching for safety from a violent environment and then searching for answers when cell phones stop working and the news reports nothing of the madness they just witnessed. (A confusing and scary outcome that seems unfortunately believable after the chaos of events like 9/11 or that huge summertime power-outage that hit NYC years ago.)

One of the keys to TSY's characters, including the core three POVs of Nelson (lusty and forward, totally up for using a riot as a chance to hold your hand), Javier (eye-patched, tight-lipped and contained), and Tim (awkward and shy), is that no one is what they initially seem, and as you progress through the story, layer upon layer of character motivation and understanding, emerge, and you quickly sink in with their thoughts, feelings, and fears.

It's that evolution that adds a lot of tension and depth to the story. As the reader, you're finding things out as they pop up, often at the same time as the characters do. There's a "real time" sense to the story (like a white-knuckled episode of 24.)

TSY also reminded me of films like Dawn of the Dead or 28 Days Later—it doesn't have a zombie angle like those do, but there's a similar anxious, survivalist feeling that something bigger is happening, at the edges, not yet explained, but you see the effects of that Something early on, and more and more fearful breadcrumbs are dropped along the way as the characters try to figure out what's going on.

There is a menage or m/m/m angle in the story that I was a little wary about, not having read m/m/m before, but JCP is a great writer who excels at creating characters that you care about, and I had faith that it would be an interesting and satisfying reading experience, so dived in anyway.

And it's actually kind of amazing to read through the book, and see how growingly connected the characters become, even beyond the core three. Part of it is the response to stressful and scary situations—wouldn't you hope that your instinct would be to not let go of that person's hand amongst the mob? That suddenly your survival might weigh entirely on that stranger not letting go of you? You feel that intensity along with the characters, and it's neat to see how they evolve and respond to each other in those hours and days after the job fair.

And that was probably the most surprising thing of all--how when you started the book at the job fair and watched as characters half-heartedly participated in terrible team building exercises, you might not think that you would grow to so viscerally care about what they wanted, or who they loved, or who they wanted to protect, but by the last page, that's exactly what I felt.

Another interesting feature is that this novel originated as serial, and readers were allowed to vote for some of the plot progression. This is a method that could easily backfire, but the author shaped an engaging story that always made sense while at the same time was surprising and often moving in unsuspecting directions. At the end of the book, there are some neat notes about the voting and what users asked for.

So, if you're up for a well-written modern-day sci-fi survivalist mystery saga, with some romance included, this may hit all your buttons and more. It's a challenging read, but not because it's hard to read. It's just something you don't see every day. Different in a good way. Recommended.(less)

like 1 like · see review

Mar 07, 2012 Emanuela ~plastic duck~ rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: menage, mmm, rainbow-gay, glbt, post-apocalyptic-dystopian

This is so amazing!

Manna is the cheapest food available, it is manufactured by big companies, which engineer its taste. And effects. Everybody wants to work for them and its during a recruiting event that Nelson, a food engineer with a gazillion of degrees working as a video rental employee, meets Javier, Marianne and Randy. During the event, a riot force them to band together to escape the ordeal and once they are on the street they are picked up by Tim, who had arranged this meeting with the...more This is so amazing!

Manna is the cheapest food available, it is manufactured by big companies, which engineer its taste. And effects. Everybody wants to work for them and its during a recruiting event that Nelson, a food engineer with a gazillion of degrees working as a video rental employee, meets Javier, Marianne and Randy. During the event, a riot force them to band together to escape the ordeal and once they are on the street they are picked up by Tim, who had arranged this meeting with the mysterious Javier. Tim is a computer geek and the secret blogger for The Voice of Reason, a site which denounces the shady affairs of manna manufacturers. The riot and the roadblocks make impossible for these people to go back to their homes, Nelson is fighting one of his migraines, so they go to Tim's place to wait for the situation to clear and Nelson to recover. In the mean time Tim and Javier try to follow their original plan to infiltrate Canaan Food's database, to uncover what's happening with batches of manna which are being hastily recalled.

The plot has many twists and turns and even when the protagonists are stuck into a confined space, there's still a lot happening. Their trips to the outside are timed perfectly to give a breathing space, but in my opinion it's when the protagonists are crammed in small confines that the book reaches the peak of intensity. The three point of views also help to see the story from many different angles and the different personalities contributes to different kinds of tension, worry, humor, desire, longing.

The characters are wonderful. Each one of them has a trait that stands out, but they also have much in common, because even if Javier has trust issues, Tim is insecure, Nelson seems to be unable to focus, they find in their collaboration a common ground, which stems from sexual attraction and turns to admiration and then friendship and then more. At the beginning each one of them is more attracted to the guy who is pining for someone else, but slowly it's as if the other guy creeps under their skins, until they become a single entity. Tim explains at a certain point that even if Javier and Nelson are two persons, in his brain they sort of coalesce into one. At the end of the book, if you try to think of them by couples, you realize that they'll always miss something without the third. The menage becomes not only believable, but the only way their relationships can work.

I must admit I am partial to Nelson. He seems to breeze through life and he has this easy attitude that makes people come together (even in that sense, ha ha!). He's incredibly sensual, he is shameless, but with a touch of innocence. He insinuates between Tim and Javier, touching them both, taking possession of their bodies, giving up his own. He's a sexual magnet, but he's also a good, generous man, even with his trust.

I also liked Tim, his sense of justice, but also his insecurity. It's as if he wants to belong somewhere and he wants to be liked and appreciated, but he is at the same time self-conscious and he wears his heart on his sleeve, and it takes Javier's bossy attitude and Nelson's seduction to make him open and blossom.

Javier was fascinating, but he was also the one with the most impervious personality. At the end what he learn about him are snippets of his previous life, partial and cloudy as his impaired vision, we see a man that wears his intimate hurt also on the outside.

The secondary characters, Randy and Marianne, were both funny and helped in bringing the story forward and providing humor and solutions.

I adore this author, I love her vision, her imperfect and layered characters, the subtle humor she weaves into the story, making her characters vivid without being caricatures of themselves. I know that when I'm reading one of her stories, I will always be engrossed and surprised, and I'll want more.(less)

like 11 likes · see review

Mar 08, 2012 Johanna rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: ebook, m-m, romance, jordan-castillo-price, favorites

I wasn't there when this book was written and published little by little in Jordan Castillo Price's monthly newsletter. Shame on me, because I didn't get to influence by voting how the story developed. But in a way it really is a relief to read the whole story at once and not to be tortured by reading it one month at a time. I've never been very good with TV series either - I rather watch the whole season afterwards from DVD. Anyway, this book would make a wonderful action movie! Only some of th...more I wasn't there when this book was written and published little by little in Jordan Castillo Price's monthly newsletter. Shame on me, because I didn't get to influence by voting how the story developed. But in a way it really is a relief to read the whole story at once and not to be tortured by reading it one month at a time. I've never been very good with TV series either - I rather watch the whole season afterwards from DVD. Anyway, this book would make a wonderful action movie! Only some of the action in the movie would be extremely hot and it would involve three stunning guys...

The story starts in a delicious way by Nelson attending a horrific seminar with absolutely frustrating team building exercises. Haven't we all attended one of those awful events sometime? And haven't we counted the long, agonizing seconds until we managed to make our escape? I love the way Jordan Castillo Price creates situations with such a strong emotional charge - whether the feeling in question is boredom, excitement, panic... anything, really! So, we start the journey with Nelson stuck in the stagnant atmosphere of the Canaan Products job fair, but soon enough we are dragged through all these drastic situations hand in hand with Nelson and his buddies. I was really impressed how the tension was building throughout the story very thriller-like. The plot kept me on my toes (oops, gotta put an euro in my cliché jar) all the way. :)

I was charmed by Nelson's easy going, uninhibited, childlike personality from the first pages of the book. And I'm also charmed by Jordan Castillo Price's skill to gently reveal aspects about her characters as the story proceeds. This book has fantastic characters with flaws and strength and development. Their interactions with each other are varied and complicated, but very satisfying for a reader to monitor. It all begins with Nelson being attracted to Javier, Javier fancying Tim and Tim falling for Nelson. And as the author so nicely puts it: "Three was a much more complicated combination than Tim would have imagined. It wasn't a hundred and fifty precent of two. It was like magic. Times three."

The book has very beautiful moments when each of the guys are described through their actions and through each other's eyes: The way Javier with his damaged eye often sees the situations more clearly than others and the way independent Nelson is forced to rely on other people. I enjoyed hugely following Tim's train of though, when the time stops for him almost every time while he is hypnotized by Nelson's presence. I also thought that the chapter with Nelson's incoherent medicine affected dream was brilliant. And let's not forget about the electricity and mind blowing sex between these three guys.

In a way all the characters (including the great secondary characters Randy and Marianne) learn a lot about themselves during their journey. And in the end it all comes down to this: These three guys simply belong together, because together they bring out the best in each other (cliché jar, again?). And they become something else altogether - it's chemistry, right? A new molecule, maybe? A beautiful one, too. With three lovely atoms.

Thank you for this intriguing story, JCP! You made me laugh and took my breath away and made my toes curl. And hey, I would love to read more about Nelson, Tim and Javier in the future!
(less)

like 3 likes · see review

Nov 08, 2012 A rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: on-my-kindle

I saw this book on my recommendations so many times before I actually bought it. And I think the reason I passed it by so many times was because of the cover, which actually is one of my favorite things about it. I guess maybe I thought it would be too dark, when actually it's just the right amount of dark. The guys seemed scary (and, yes please! I'm in love with all of them). And the title seemed a bit too Appocalypsy, but really it stuck a good balance between a plot driven by this fantastic w...more

like · see review

Mar 11, 2012 Cris rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: m-m, romance

This is my favorite JCP book by far! A great story and amazingly clever idea. I love the way the world is built in tiny increments, a throw-away line here, a passing comment there. Just fantastic.

I really hope this world, and these characters, are visited again - but since the main plot threads were pretty much completely wrapped up, I'm not sure that they will be, though I do have some questions about the why and how of a few things like Nelson's employment situation, but that's predominantly b...more

like 1 like · see review

Aug 02, 2012 Fangtasia rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: the-ll-s-word-rec

Other reviewers have given pretty good summaries of the main plot points, and more or less voiced my opinions on the story, probably much better than I could.

Still, I have to say, this lady is incredibly talented. The story was originally serialized, and based on reader survey answers, to make it interactive. Not only did she write a gripping, realistic, fascinating dystopian world, grabbing the reader by the neck with horror and hope in equal measures, she did it from reader prompts. She wrote...more

like 1 like · see review

May 06, 2012 Celine rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: e-book, m-m, fantasy-scifi

so this started out really good, finally some more scifi on my plate and the kind I like! it did get a little tedious at times, maybe the fact the book was originally written as a WIP and people can decide what happens next? it seemed as if the actions took over the story, if you know what i mean? i would have like to learn more about the 3 boys, i really liked the beginning when they juggle their mutual attraction and they find themselves attracted to each other but not necessarily the one they...more

like · see review

Oct 28, 2012 Absynthe rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: crime-thriller-suspence, m-m, sci-fi

You just expect more from some authors. You know they won't regurgitate formulaic crap. Chances are pretty good they'll have at least one new original concept in their book that's important and thought provoking. And they'll keep you riveted to the page in wonder and horror.

JCP never disappoints. Another fantastic book. Amazing world building (!!!), excellent writing, fascinating characters, horrifying plot. A recommended read.

like 3 likes · see review

Apr 01, 2012 K added it

Shelves: read-in-2012

I had first read the Starving Years when it came out as part of Jordan’s monthly newsletters, and the wait (and anticipation) between installments was pure torture :p

What I like about JCP is that her stories are always full of original ideas, and this one is no exception. The plot is chock full of action, with plenty of thrills, a dash of sci-fi, and lots of unexpected turns. The rotating POV between Nelson, Tim and Javier meant that as soon as I thought I had a bead on a character, I am shown...more

like · see review

Mar 20, 2012 BD Whitney BookWenches rated it 5 of 5 stars

Jordan Castillo Price hits a home run with her novel The Starving Years, a science fiction adventure set in a futuristic Manhattan. This story blends an attention-grabbing thriller, complex characters, and a believable version of an alternate reality with a dash of GLBT romance. This book captured my imagination, and I enjoyed every page.

Full review: http://www.bookwenches.com/march12rev...

like · see review

Nov 11, 2012 Natalie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: sci-fi-fantasy-futuristic-or-au, three-or-more

Well written and unique, but the character development I wanted never happened. This is heavy on plot and light on romance, which is fine--I don't need hearts and flowers. But for a story about three men forming an alliance and finding out they're all attracted to each other, just a little more time spent on their relationship would have made a huge difference.

like 3 likes · see review

Jul 20, 2012 Page Crusherz rated it 5 of 5 stars

JCP is an auto-buy for me, and this was a great one. Very plot driven and action packed, and a lot of great characters. I liked the MMM aspect, and the way it was sort of a vehicle for getting/giving what was needed. I would love to get to know even more about these ppl. I wouldn't cry over a sequel...hint hint

like · see review

Apr 14, 2012 Antonella rated it 5 of 5 stars

Jordan Castillo Price never ceases to amaze me. This is another awesome book. Other people wrote extensive reviews, so just check them. A word of encouragement for people not caring for threesomes (like me ;-)): don't let this keep you away from this book, the m/m/m thing is brilliantly and cleverly developed.

like 1 like · see review

Mar 07, 2012 Addicted2M/M rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: features-adventure-travel-roadtrip, features-angst, features-suspense-thriller-mystery, features-great-secondary-characters, intense-stressful-or-dark-reads, m-m-contemporary, sex-very-little, kindle-already-lent

3.5

Interesting twists. Would have liked more on the continuation of the menage relationship, as well as the relationships with Marianne & Randy. (view spoiler)

like · see review

Mar 22, 2012 Dev Bentham rated it 5 of 5 stars

I read this when it first came out and it's been haunting me ever since. I love this book. The characters are full, rich and interesting (including the minor characters), the plot moves, I mean moves, and the premise is chilling. I highly recommend this book - it really is something different and wonderful.

like · see review

Nov 30, 2012 Ashke rated it 5 of 5 stars

The synopsis of this book gave the impression it was going to be a GLBT themed Soylent Green, and I was a bit wary going in. After having read Price's Zero Hour, though, I should have probably had more faith. Because this is a meticulously researched, greatly unique, and occasionally terrifying and disturbing story. It embodies what the sci-fi genre is about and what it should be like, and throws in a few added elements like three dimensional, likeable characters, and relationship dynamics that...more

like · see review

Jun 22, 2012 Con Riley rated it 5 of 5 stars

I just read this book again recently and was struck, for the second time, at how well JCP writes secondary characters. Add that to the inventive plot, the pace, and the compelling writing, and I loved it all over again.

like · see review

Dec 20, 2012 Leanne rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: best-of-2012, dystopia, favorites, menage, mm, horror

I'm so blown away that I can't find the words to do this story justice but there are some brilliant reviews that do a far better job than I could anyway.
Gosh, this is such brilliant, effortless writing....I realise I haven't read nearly enough Jordan Castillo Price.

If you're feeling the teeniest bit bored and jaded with the same ol' same ol' MM tropes this should shake things up nicely. Now I sort of feel like Oliver holding up my empty bowl- more please?

like 2 likes · see review

Jan 18, 2013 Helen Shaw rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 6-stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

like · see review

« previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 … 17 18 next »

new topic
Discuss This Book

There are no discussion topics on this book yet. Be the first to start one »

Recommend it | Stats | Recent status updates

combine
Other Editions (1)

Genres

Romance > M M Romance

46 users

Erotica > Menage

14 users

Science Fiction

12 users

Menage > M M M

9 users

Science Fiction > Dystopia

7 users

Romance

7 users

Fantasy

5 users

Horror

3 users

Fantasy > Urban Fantasy

3 users

Glbt

3 users

See top shelves...

Readers also enjoyed similar books

About Jordan Castillo Price

Jordan Castillo Price spent her formative drinking years in inner city Chicago, and is now writing paranormal thrillers from her home in small-town rural Wisconsin.

Jordan is best known as the author of the PsyCop series, an unfolding tale of paranormal mystery and suspense starring Victor Bayne, a gay medium who's plagued by ghostly visitations.

More about Jordan Castillo Price...

Books by Jordan Castillo Price

More…

Share This Book

Facebook Twitter Your website

Trivia About The Starving Years

No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »

title link	preview: The Starving Years
avg rating	preview: The Starving Years Goodreads rating: 4.15 (190 ratings)
small image	preview: click here [close]
med image	preview: click here [close]
BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13508141-the-starving-years?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1330710707l/13508141.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13508141-the-starving-years?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]The Starving Years by Jordan Castillo Price[/url]

The Starving Years

Friend Reviews

Community Reviews

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website