Book Review: The Infinite State (Decurion Saga 1) by Richard Swan

5/5 stars. I have read all of Swan’s fantasy novels, but this is the first of his sci-fi stories that I have read. I have been anxiously anticipating The Infinite State since it was announced, and I am not disappointed in the product of Swan’s imagination. With the vibes of ‘1984’ and ‘V for Vendetta,’ a totalitarian regime, the Decurion Empire, controls its citizens, and their thoughts, through displays of power, intimidation, and fear. One woman dreams of a different life, safely away from this country and the Eternal Father (Pater Aeternus), after the sudden death of her husband, an important party member. She inherits a hefty sum of money from her husband’s estate and decides to buy her own planet.

This story does a wonderful job of distinguishing the importance of free thought and living free from the fear that a misspoken word could result in death. Katherine, our planet-buying widow, sets out to establish a country where all citizens have input into the decisions of the country. She doesn’t know that the form of government she desires is democracy until she meets a college student in the University Library, Lukah, who starts tutoring her about various aspects of governance.

What will the Decurion Empire do to stop her from founding this nation? How will they react to Katherine’s treasonous behavior? Will Pater Aeternus even allow her to buy a planet? Along the way, Katherine finds allies she could never have expected, and she must deal with events that might be more than she can handle.

Additionally, I will also highly recommend the audiobook, featuring narration by Chris Rowe, Helen Keeley, and Nathaniel Priestly for each of the three main points of view.

Swan has quickly become one of my favorite writers, particularly with his characters and the sometimes brutality of his narratives. This story is no exception. Several of these characters are ones that will be with me for a while. I highly recommend this novel, this series, and this writer. But now, I must wait a year (August 2027) for the next book of the Decurion Saga! If you have not read anything by Swan, this would certainly be an exciting place to start. Regardless, read this book!