by jfinn
Okay, so I left a public comment on first submission out of this group only yesterday, when i first started reading. And now, here I am this morning at the end of the story, and I am glad thats about all i did yesterday was read! I loved it, elegant, sweet, emotional, erotic, intense. It had all the elemants of a good story. Hell, it was almost a novel. Very impressed, and very glad i took the time. Thank you for writing a beautiful work of fiction, i look forward to reading more from you.
Nikki
Very heartwarming and poignant. I sat for hours reading a great story that I just couldn't tear myself away from for hours.
This is the best story I've read on Lit. Tears were in my eyes and I never, ever cry. Wonderful. I wish it could have gone on and on.
Your story is absolutely wonderful. Incredible. Breathtaking. Beautiful. Sincere. Romantic,,,and it felt oh-so-real. Thank you for such a beautiful love story. I really feel invested in these characters. WOW. You get a 10++++ in my book!
I should have been in bed 2 hours ago - I have work in 6 :) This story is amazing!
I read this story from my friend's recommendation, and ever since I started to read, I couldn't stop, lol... it took me almost two days to finish reading it :)
anyway, great story, great job... I couldn't think of anything else but bravo for you :)
I read the whole series in one go, it is great, the emotions are so real simply loved it. Please keep writing!
xxx
That was absolutely amazing! It's a very beautiful story. Thanks for writing it.
The story was long, but it was worth it in the end. Maybe the development of the characters was what made the end that much more special.
I've always been a little skirmish with anything gay associated, so i decided to read a gay themed story. Luckily I picked yours to read...I really don't think I've read any story that would ever top this one. I just wish that this story can never end...it is too beautiful to end. I hope you can continue writing because you obviously have a great gift.
Poignant and as well written as any hardback I'd picked up at the bookstore.
I've spent the last 5 hrs reading The Human Condition and I assure that this is not a story I will easily forget in the future. Mike and Joe are etched in my heart and I thank you for taking time out of your life to breath life into these haunting characters. I write as well and I know that it is a solitary and often difficult task.
I wish you the best in the future-hopefully a bestselling novel :P
Loved your story. Great story line and great development! Pls. write more... It's a cliff hanger for me. ;)
I agree... this story of yours is too beautiful to end. Thank you for sharing your truly amazing talent with the rest of us.
I've been surfing Lit for a cople of years now, and this is the first gay male story I've ever read fully, and only because I found 'Amys's Smiles' and thoroughly enjoyed it. I can't say that I found gay sex any more to my taste than previous to reading this story, but this story drew me in - the characters of Mike and Joe were so realistically drawn that I couldn't help become invested in what happened to them both. You are a great writer, but I notice that you haven't posted anything on Lit for years now, so I guess the chances are that you have either lost interest in Lit, writing, or are doing something completely different for your life. Nevertheless, amongst the crap that sometimes overwhelms this site, your work is amazing and I could only hope that you will someday post another story. I know that I, for one, will contine to check to see if you turn up anything new...here's hoping =)
I just had to read Human Condition again. It was just as beautiful the second time around. Thank you for sharing this amazing story. I will cherish it forever.
This was a long story oh my gosh I stay up only 16 hours to read it. I couldn't put it down. I am a straight woman and I love and enjoy reading about bi and gay sex stories.This the second best story I read that had me in tears, in laughter, and joy for the men in this story. Keep on writing this was very good.
BIGSWEET
This is THE BEST gay male story on this site! It was beautiful. :) -Mantha114
Wow!! I really loved this story. It is obvious that you took a lot of time to write these stories and really got to know the characters. I have been up all night reading these chapters, and the only thing I am sorry about is the fact that its kind of a cliff hanger. I really hope that you finish it soon. I really am looking forward to it. Thanks and keep up the good, no the wonderful work :-)
Jerk, you had me on the verge of crying!
Can I take a picture with you? Something to remember by...
Pretty damn spectacular story, written carefully and with so much thought.
Wow... I'm so incredibly happy I found this story. It was absolutely amazing; the development of story line and character were so moving! I hope you are doing well in life where ever you've chosen to go! I'd love to know if there's a place to find more of your writing...
great story, it made me horny, made me laugh and made me cry! Being a straight female, I thought I was somewhat an enigma liking gay male submissions. By the previous comments though, obviously not. Again, congrats. I hope you consider professional writing.
The story was amazing. I could go on and on about how great it is.
But I saw that this is only Book 1!
I really really wish that you write Book 2 at one point. It would be a shame not to finish this amazing story (AND Amy's Smile!).
Fantastic work!
I read this straight through from 10 at night to 3:30 in the morning. I'll be exhausted at work, but it was SO worth it. I'll be reading your other work. Thank you for this beautiful thing.
Every few months this story calls out to me and I read it again. I've probably already said it here but this is truly a spectacular story about friendship and love and the journey it makes. Gifted writer, beautiful story!
I stayed up a whole night reading this and it was worth every second. Your writing is briliant, always interesting; properly constructed; it was easy to relate to the chracters then eventually fall in love with them... it was beautiful.
Dont stop writing.
One of the best i ever read.... i't toock me in a rollacoster of emotions, keep the great job... and if you tell me how every one took the news ;D...
Gosh, that was the longest 4 nights I've ever spent reading on lit. I felt oh so connected to them especially since they were in Michigan, my home state. :) There were quite a few more grammar errors in this chapter, but I still understood it. Wish there was more though. ^_^
I loved this story so much I read it through twice in a row. (Also, somehow I skipped the chapter about Mike moving into his flat and all the male bonding and it made the whole story confusing). I really enjoyed the character development and the style you chose to tell the story. I will say that the ending seemed unfinished but I forgive you because the rest was so great. I do hope you are still writing and being creative!
This was the best story I've ever read on literotica. I fell in love with the characters and your writing. Not even going to lie, the end had me crying with joy and my heart was pounding. Definitely keep writing.
This story was amazing. I've read lots of romantic stories on the website but this was by far the best. I love it you're and amazing writer. You should probably get a new editor though. Please write something new soon.
Okay, I can tell by the way things ended in this chapter, that this isn't the end of the story, and that you just left it unfinished at a cliffhanger. It's been almost a decade since you posted this chapter, and I was curious as to whether or not you'll finally finish this (as well as Amy's Smile), y'know, before the Mayans say that the world is gonna implode?
I'd really like to read the rest of the story, provided you decide to actually finish it. You're one of the best writers on this website, but this seems to be a pattern with your stories. It would be a pretty HUGE waste if you decided to just forsake completing these two stories.
Your fans want an ending, pretty please! :(
really enjoyed this story. I really hope that there's more to come!
Oh my gosh I just loveeeeee it very well written I may add but pls you really need to finish the story the cliffhanger is a killer sniff :'(
Is it just me, or is the beginning of every chapter a piece of a very long epilogue to this great story? We find out the boys end up together, know they're happy, and we even get a great big slice of a day in their future. Feels finished to me, people.
To the author: I loved this story, the characters are wonderful! I'm sad to see you haven't posted anything new in a long time, I think you're very talented.
Okay so I've read so many of these multi-chaptered stories (and stand alones) and this is by far the best! Not only HOT, but actually good to read! Bravo!
Loved it. Such adorable characters. A well balanced story with no boring bits. Can't wait to see what else you put together.
Seriously, that was brilliant. It could actually be a book or a film or something it was that good! These gay love stories are the best, the ones where it's not all about the sex, and this is the best of the best. I mean it babs, you've got talent.
Keep it up!
Loved the story, characters and well, just about everything! Thank you!
I am compelled to tell you that this is the best erotic short story I have ever read. Really extraordinary - reading this was a lovely gift and I thank you for it.
i'm not sure what else i could add. i really enjoyed this story. beautifully written, with wonderful characters and a good story development. aside from your writing skills and the general awesomeness of this tale, an added bonus is that i can relate to it. i was in love with my best friend for years. finally we tried to give it a go - it didn't. but this story, despite being fiction, has managed to restore my hope in love a bit. thank you for that!
Getting to the end of it, I probably have to say I loved this all the more not only because it was written really, really well, and the character progression was so true, but, in addition, I probably loved it just a little more than I thought I would because I live in that area of Michigan, and it's just like being able to look out the window and see everything so easily! Great writing, excellent story, awesome location.
Can I give it 6 stars! I've lost more hours of sleep this week because I couldn't stop reading!
One of the best stories i've read on here! Thank you so much for writing it! (:
SOOOOOOOO good!! I wish that there was more to read. You are seriously one of the best writers on here and i wish that you would continue on. i know im not the only one who thinks this so i do hope u read all of these comments.
Wow! Absolutely amazing. A very very great story. I couldn't stop reading until the end :-)
3 times i read this and every single time i cried it was a very well written and touching story.....you really defined the characters' emotions and thoughts to a t as if this whole story was your own life and with that i give you a five star review JFinn
Write a continued saga or something about these 2
i wanna read more
It was the best story I have read. I kept reading each chapter until my eyes were bleary. I couldn't stop because the story was so good. Joe and Mike are a perfect couple. This is true love. Like another person said, it would be good to read more about these two. I hope you do decide to write more chapters of this story.
I really, really enjoyed this story. The time jumps, the storyline, the pacing, the character development. This was amazing!
I'm not sure you even read old reviews, but if you do, thanks for posting.
Seriously, I know lots of people, including myself, who would pay good money to read a love story like this. It was so amazing! You should seriously consider getting it published!
Wow, I don't think there are words to describe how exciting this story is. It's 5 a.m. and I stayed up all night to read it because I just couldn't stop. Bravo!
I've read this story 3 times...so far. Yeah I plan on reading it again and again. Too bad I can only give it five stars at a time.
so here I am, another one stayed reading this up unti 5.30 AM. I should have done -- things; my life had been somewhat blank today.
And what else to say; kudos, sir, for making a story good enough to-- distract me. (OKAY not that hard ooh what is that two guys fucking ooh).
No; 'enough' wasn't enough. It's.... very awesome.
I like a lot of things;
How you give a soft poke on most porn stories, for instance.
How you avoided most tropes in gay porn stories -- while diving HARD onto the other -- in the best way possible.
How Cam wasn't being depicted as either the jerkass boyfriend or the twotiming one -- just another human being trying -- and failing -- to be happy.
How it does not feel too-- choking; too torturing for continuation (after all we did know what happened from the beginning. No?). Yet...
How it's still very compelling; to know what happened. And we do get to see the buildup. We get -- to see how it all happened. And the payback was all very satisfying.
I honestly almost passed over the smut parts; except the last one. I get the gist with Cam and Saul and Kevin (theirs are probably one of the most 'new' part I'd ever read, and there are a lot of porn stories. That being said; personally it's still one of the weakest parts; the feeling that it's out of the blue is-- there.), but the last one was.... yummy yums.
I personally want to read more of their post-love confession life; what had happened AT LEAST after that, but I know that's pretty much a narrative factor.
I know this is long; but for a romance work, this is..simply awesome. One of the best I'd read, definitely.
Last night, or should I say this morning, I had to stay up till 6am to finish chapter 10, and I was too exhausted to keep reading chapter 11, but I knew it'll turn out to be a great ending and well, a great ending deserves to be read when in full consciousness... Anyway, best story, so real, so good and should be remembered.
I spent the entire day reading, finishing this story. The only time I broke away was for toilet break or some food.
At first I chose this story for good old fashion fun but found so much more. Such a beautiful story that melted my heart and truly moved me. At moments I had tears in my eyes and other moments I was bursting out loud with laughter.
I even found myself talking to my friends about the story as if Joe & Mike were real people!
This is my first comment on this website but just had to express my thoughts. Truely a wonderful read! Thank you x
I love this story. So I'm gonna read it again. BTW....why can it stay in the top spot in the HOF?
I'm serious. I have nothing to say because its all been said. This is not a porno, its a romance, and one of rhe best I have ever read. Any praise other than that will demean it. Hats off to you.
This story was sooo amazing, all I can say is WOW,simply WOW!!
One of the best stories I've every read!!!
I loved the entire thing, spent most of my day reading and well into the night until after 4am finishing it. I liked the style you used. We knew that everything turned out fine by giving us a glimpse of the future but at the same time, the journey was suspenseful and heart-breaking at times.
I saw some comments saying that the last chapter was a cliffhanger and I can see how that view can be interpreted but I also see chapter 11 as the end the way it was written. If you write another chapter that would be great and maybe help to bring some closure but I can also consider this the end and be happy.
I see you haven't written in a long time I hope everything is alright and that you will post again in the future.
Thanks again for an incredible story. I can see myself reading this over and over in the future.
Loved it !!! Just wish there was a proposal and a wedding but I guess in that time it was unheard of ......:( and did you know that your stories among all the published ones on the Internet with the name human condition is the 5th webpage listing from other blogs !!! That just explains everything. .........:):):).
"It felt like the rest of my life." I love that. Such a good story.
From another reader who began chapter 1 and couldn't stop until the story was over, this was one of the best I've ever seen. You are sorely missed here at Literotica, but if you had to write one truly great story at this site [and not saying your others aren't as good], you couldn't have done better than this. Four years of longing by Mike and confusion for Joe transported by fate into a H.E.A. life 13 years later to show us they're still together, in love and thriving. Kudos for this amazing tale.
wonderful.....i cryed laughed and loved all the way through.. this is the number ONE story on this site...WELL DONE this could be a film. xxxxxxxx keep up the writing .. however i doubt even you could better this story......
There are probably 7-8 stories on this site that are so good they are beyond the normal accolades for anything else written. Excellent, wonderful, perfect- doesn't even do them justice. This story includes every human emotion in the most realistic sense, and the slow but sure footsteps of Mike and Joe's paths to finding each other can't even be described. This is a story I could read over and over without getting bored. Thank you, jfinn.
This story is wonderful, just when you are reading every chapter you are already thinking of yhe next. Im so happy that id have found this story! So Very well written! Kudos to you! I enjoyed it i coed over it, i will treasure this story! Write more please! U are marvelous!
I truly waS drawn into the story and lost sleeping forging ahead to get through just another chapter. Loved it. Could easily have enjoyed more that brought us on them getting through life in grad school as a dr and lawyer. Definitely many more chapters you could add. Including them moving into family mode.
...good! Has to be, since I rarely get these withdrawal symptoms when there are no more pages left to read in a story - except when the story is really good. Want more!
I never knew it would be this good."
I smiled. "What? Gay sex?"
Joe shook his head slowly. "No. Sex with the person you truly love."
"It felt like the rest of my life."
-----------------------
good stuff- though i thought the sex was a bit too soon- and mike was too much of a horn dog_ he shoulda been more concerned about scaring joe off by having sex with him- they should have talked a lot more b4 sex- and when joe first came back and they were still on the couch crying/hugging- mike didn't need to have an erection then- it really cheapened the importance of the reunion_ oh well= it was still a fascinating story
This story series is by far the best I have read. Not just on this site, but in general. I hope you are persuing a career in writing, as you have a talent. Just wonderful.
Just read this for the 2'nd time and you still manage to surprise me with your words. Thank you for sharing your talent with us, hopefully you will give us more in the future.
My second time too and I loved it even more. They are so cute together and got to love happy endings
I've read this story a couple times now and never commented and for that im sorry. I absolutely love this story I hope one day we get to see more stories
I have read this story so many times over the years. It's so beautifully written. It is truly one of those stories that becomes a friend. You don't want it to end.
It is the mark of a great writer that these characters speak so genuinely to so many. And that so many return.
I love this story, but I never do see a place where we find out if Joe's father gets to be a grandfather.
"It felt like the rest of my life"
*sigh*
Beautiful story.
wish there was more
I really didn't want the story to end. It was well written, and addicting. Your characters were very developed and the plot was awesome. It's something that I know I come back to read again.
The best series here..
and I've read quite a lot to know so...
Read It Three times over and I still can't get enough... Thank You jfinn (^.^)
Don't stop writing .. . .
That was amazing!! I mean the characters are so real, flawed and all. they made mistakes, they learned. I think it was a beautiful story.
Jayne,
Thank you for allowing us into your amazing creative writing world. Your story was great! The past and present aspect was a wonderful touch. We as the readers KNOW they will be together and how epic their relationship will be. The past journey they experience was brilliant, tragic, and exciting. Thank you for your story. I can not wait to read more of your other stories but I put my life on hold these past few day. Every time I put my tablet down, to get some work done, I would think about Mike and Joe and be right back on the couch reading. When a story consumes my whole world, I absolutely know its a great story and written by a great writer. Thank you and your friends who helped, keep them coming.
Your new fan, Lee
The story is so beautiful, i cried. I hope we'll be getting a new volume though :'( :))) so happy I was able to read this <3 love you jfinn :*
I have read this so many times and I agree the way you leave it without re-capturing the beginning begs the question When is the part 2 coming???
I can not add to anything more than what others have already stated. So amazing. I would have liked to have finished up with what was happening in real time. Maybe for another story? Also would have like some sort of closure with Andy (his brother right?) and the whole homophob issues.
Again...wow!
TM
What a bittersweet feeling. Finally being able to see how they resolve their issues with a happy ending, but that fact that this ended is upsetting. This was one of the best stories I've ever read, and I can't imagine why it's not up in the top alongside other gay stories. This deserves to be in the top of the hall of fame. It's filled with an amazing plot, love, and of corse sex. I love how this doesn't even contain a huge amount of sex described, it has the perfect amount. I loved this story, thank you. Even though it's been over a decade, I hope that one day you change your mind and continue to write for this story. But anyways, thank you for this amazing story.