Gap Cycle

The Gap Cycle by Stephen R. Donaldson is essentially Richard Wagner's Ring Cycle in space. The setting is in a dystopian future where Earth is dependent on the resources of deep space and governed by a man who is in control of both the police [UMCP] and the biggest company in human history [UMC]. Most of the plot is driven by an Evil Plan of the UMCP director, seeking to undermine the control of the UMC CEO.


 * Aerith and Bob: Weird names are everywhere
 * Crapsack World: The characters are trying to avoid this.
 * Consummate Liar: Hashi Lebwohl makes no distinction between Truth and Lies.
 * Fiction 500: Holt Fasner owns most bigger Enterprises, the Police and buys the World Governments support whenever he needs it.
 * Insufferable Genius: Hashi Lebwohl and Lane Harbinger
 * Living Lie Detector: Warden Dios prostetic eye enables him to read IR emissions and detect signs of stress associated with lying.
 * Magnificent Bastard: Warden Dios
 * Moral Event Horizon: Most of the cast dances around it, YMMV if anyone actually crosses it.
 * One Nation Under Copyright: Most of humanitys corporations and half of the government are ruled by the United mining Companyies
 * Sesquipedalian Loquaciousness: Not as bad as in the Covenenat novels, and depending on the perspective. Hashis chapters are full of it, while Davies or Morns are comparatively simple.
 * The Dragon: Cleatus Fane is the Dragons Dragon.