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Infomocracy

Book 1 in the series:The Centenal Cycle

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Infomocracy by Malka Ann Older is a political science fiction thriller set in a future world where countries are replaced by units of 100,000 people called centenals, practicing micro democracy. The story explores the implications of this new political system, intertwining espionage and political maneuvering within a world driven by pervasive technology and connectedness. The plot is complex, with conflicting perspectives and motivations, and the author's writing style combines elements of futuristic world-building with a focus on political intrigue and societal structures.

Characters:

Characters are primarily characterized by their roles in a politically charged environment, with the main protagonists being more developed than secondary figures.

Writing/Prose:

The writing style is clear and engaging, effectively blending thrilling action with in-depth exploration of political themes.

Plot/Storyline:

The narrative focuses on a future world where microdemocracy reigns, with a thrilling backdrop of an impending global election marked by intrigues and attempts to sway the voting process.

Setting:

The story takes place in a future where traditional nations have been replaced by localized governing units, supported by advanced technology that manages communication and political structuring.

Pacing:

While the pacing starts off slow, it accelerates significantly as the story unfolds, resulting in a dynamic reading experience.
The sign on the defunct pachinko parlor proclaims 21STCENTURY, but the style—kanji in neon outlined in individual light bulbs? Who does that?—suggests it was named at a time when that was a bold look ...

Notes:

The story is set in a near future where the world is divided into micro democracies called centenals, each consisting of 100,000 people.
Information, a corporation likened to Google and Wikipedia, controls the flow of information and oversees elections.
Elections occur every ten years, and various types of governments compete for voter support in each centenal.
The narrative follows multiple characters, primarily Mishima, who works for Information, and Ken, who is involved with a political party called Policy1st.
The book explores themes of misinformation and political manipulation, drawing parallels to modern events.
The pacing picks up after an initial slow start, where readers are introduced to the complex world and characters.
The characters have diverse backgrounds, emphasizing a global perspective on politics and governance.
Mishima is portrayed as a capable operative who engages in non-violent action scenes, reflecting a refreshing take on conflict in science fiction.
The story incorporates technology and social media as integral parts of the political landscape, reminiscent of current debates in society.
Malka Older, the author, has a background in political science which informs the realistic depiction of future politics and governance.

Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings

Content warnings include themes of political corruption, conspiratorial violence, and the ethical implications of information manipulation.

Has Romance?

There is a moderate presence of romance, primarily through the developing relationship between two main characters, Ken and Mishima.

From The Publisher:

Read Infomocracy, the first book in Campbell Award finalist Malka Older's groundbreaking cyberpunk political thriller series The Centenal Cycle, a finalist for the Hugo Award for Best Series, and the novel NPR called "Kinetic and gripping."

A Locus Award Finalist for Best First Novel

The book The Huffington Post called "one of the greatest literary debuts in recent history"

One of Kirkus' "Best Fiction of 2016"

One of The Washington Post's "Best Science Fiction and Fantasy of 2016"

One of Book Riot's "Best Books of 2016 So Far"

It's been twenty years and two election cycles since Information, a powerful search engine monopoly, pioneered the switch from warring nation-states to global micro-democracy. The corporate coalition party Heritage has won the last two elections. With another election on the horizon, the Supermajority is in tight contention, and everything's on the line.

With power comes corruption. For Ken, this is his chance to do right by the idealistic Policy1st party and get a steady job in the big leagues. For Domaine, the election represents another staging ground in his ongoing struggle against the pax democratica. For Mishima, a dangerous Information operative, the whole situation is a puzzle: how do you keep the wheels running on the biggest political experiment of all time, when so many have so much to gain?

Infomocracy is Malka Older's debut novel.

THE CENTENAL CYCLE

Book 1: Infomocracy

Book 2: Null States

Book 3: State Tectonics

PRAISE FOR INFOMOCRACY

"A fast-paced, post-cyberpunk political thriller... If you always wanted to put The West Wing in a particle accelerator with Snow Crash to see what would happen, read this book." -Max Gladstone, author of Last First Snow

"Smart, ambitious, bursting with provocative extrapolations, Infomocracy is the big-data-big-ideas-techno-analytical-microdemoglobal-post-everything political thriller we've been waiting for." -Ken Liu, author of The Grace of Kings

"In the mid-21st century, your biggest threat isn't Artificial Intelligence-it's other people. Yet the passionate, partisan, political and ultimately fallible men and women fighting for their beliefs are also Infomocracy's greatest hope. An inspiring book about what we frail humans could still achieve, if we learn to work together." -Karl Schroeder, author of Lockstep and the Virga saga

At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

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About the Author:

MALKA OLDER is a writer, aid worker, and sociologist. Her science-fiction political thriller Infomocracy was named one of the best books of 2016 by Kirkus, Book Riot, and the Washington Post. The Centenal Cycle trilogy, which also includes Null States (2017) and State Tectonics (2018), is a finalist for the Hugo Best Series Award of 2018. She is also the creator of the serial Ninth Step Station, currently running on Serial Box, and her short story collection And Other Disasters will come out in December 2019. Named Senior Fellow for Technology and Risk at the Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs for 2015, she has more than a decade of field experience in humanitarian aid and development. Her doctoral work on the sociology of organizations at Sciences Po Paris explores the dynamics of post-disaster improvisation in governments.

 
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