Help me remember the book series - from the 90s?

[JoeSchmuckatelli]

Back around 1997 while on Float in the med, I discovered a series of books that were really well written.  Sort of a near-future dystopian (but not fantasy dystopian like many of the recents).  Kind of like a pragmatic, unfun Communist takeover of Europe / NA - but I don't remember that being quite so explicit.

Basically everyone lived in these huge cities where the walls were essentially sprayed plastic.  Or plastic sprayed over a frame that then hardened.  Everyone lived in apartments.  (Not like Niven & Pournell's 'Oath of Fealty' but there are elements/themes that are similar).  The government was essentially the bad guy, but they were distant, controlling and not fun.  IIRC the action focused on several characters resisting the heavy hand of the government.

My mind tells me that the author either was an Asian American or had an Asian surname - but I could be wrong.  If I can remember - it was at least 3 books, maybe as many as 5.

By the time I was reading them in '97 they were all in paperback.

Striking a chord with anyone?

Edited March 13, 2023 by JoeSchmuckatelli