The Infinite State

by Richard Swan

WHO GIVES YOU LIFE?
PATER AETERNUS.

Katherine Fuller’s husband is dead. As an esteemed member of Pater Aeternus—governing party of the fascist, galaxy-spanning Decurion Empire—he has left behind an estate of immeasurable wealth. And Katherine is going to inherit it.

WHO GIVES YOU PURPOSE?
PATER AETERNUS.

Life under the Eternal Father is rigidly stratified, surveilled, and controlled—each new day to be endured, not lived. But with Katherine’s newfound fortune, she is presented with a rare and dangerous opportunity: purchase a virgin world, and create a better, fairer society.

WHO GIVES YOU JOY?
PATER AETERNUS.

But the Empire cannot allow its wayward daughter to succeed. And as Katherine works in secret, recruiting allies she's not even sure she can trust, she will discover exactly how far Pater Aeternus is willing to go to stop her. Because Katherine is going to create something nobody has seen for many years.

A democracy.

Genres: Science Fiction, Dystopia, Fiction, Adult, Fantasy, Science Fiction Fantasy

416 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication August 4, 2026

About the author

Richard Swan is a critically acclaimed British genre writer. He is the author of the Sunday Times bestselling Empire of the Wolf and Great Silence trilogies, as well as fiction for Black Library and Grimdark Magazine. His work has been translated into ten languages.

Richard is a qualified lawyer, and before writing full time spent ten years litigating multimillion pound commercial disputes in London. He currently lives in Sydney with his wife and three young sons.


For updates follow him at stonetemplelibrary.com.

Reviews

[DianaRose]

beyond excited to have received a physical arc! i love any book that has comps to red rising🙂‍↕️ so i'm eager to dive in!

[Naz · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars.

This is a story of a sprawling sci-fi totalitarian empire, rife with politicking, scheming, backstabbing and manipulative control over the expendable masses; told through Richard Swan’s signature expansive, detail-rich world-building and densely layered, yet always pleasing to read prose.

The journey begins in Leonis, the crown jewel of Pater Aeternus’ and his rather Orwellian Decurion Empire. Here every citizen is born pre-stripped of autonomy, living a marionette existence, conditioned to conform to a prescribed way of life. Various ‘unproductive’ behaviours relegate individuals to second class citizens and women in general are seen as glorified broodmares.

Infinite State follows three very different protagonists, all dulled to sheer hopelessness, and complacency, whilst trapped under the cruel hand of Pater Aeternus. Katherine, a grieving upper-class Party woman, Cyprian, a drunk, jaded second-class Inspektor and Julian, a foreign hypersled prodigy. Each unknowingly finding themselves amidst the rabid scheming of ministry fractions; setting the core plot to motion.

The protagonists feel compellingly human and complex; each perspective engaging in its own way. I enjoyed the parallels between Katherine and Cyprian and how grief becomes the catalyst to acknowledging their oppression and thus desire to seek change. By contrast, Julian’s perspective is uncomfortably invasive, yet a morbidly fascinating experience of identity erosion, as someone from freedom, unused to fanatical obedience and subjugation is conditioned through fear.

Swan explores human psychology; cognitive dissonance, dehumanisation, indoctrination and conformity, which I found thought-provoking and relevant. This ability to disregard basic morality and freedoms for the pageantry of comfort, status and group belonging. There’s interesting social commentary imbedded in the narrative and an eerie parallel with extreme sentiments found in reality. Yet the story is also the search for hope, seeking selfhood and ultimately, happiness.

There’s much to unpack in this novel it’s difficult to do it justice with this review. The plot is world-hopping and vast. Swan takes unlikely protagonists and fluidly manipulates all the threads to convincingly bring them together and weave a dynamic, riveting narrative. Overall, this leads to a suitably tense and action-packed novel with a satisfying conclusion that sets up potential for further exploration of the Empire and Free Nations.

Looking forward to reading more! Thanks Netgalley and Orion Publishing for the eARC, this was an amazing read!

[Lila]

Richard Swan writing dystopian novel with Roman/Kier Eagan vibes? And I hear there are killer gorillas?

Want.

[♥Milica♥]

HELLO YES I AM SEATED!!!

[Andy Peloquin · Rating 5 out of 5]

TL;DR Review: Instantly familiar yet utterly unique sci-fi. Riveting, compelling, and entirely unputdownable.

Full Review:
Whoooo boy, what a wild ride this one was!
From the beginning, the Decurion Empire instantly evokes the hostility, suspicion, and total control of both Nazi Germany and Cold War Russia. From Empire-wide propaganda to mysterious men in black coats showing up uninvited in your bedroom at midnight, from conversation topics that can get you disappeared forever to the Handmaid’s Tale-esque emphasis on producing offspring to feed to the Imperial war machine, this place is exactly as dark and twisted as you’d imagine from an Empire that refers to itself in third person as “the Fatherland”.
We’re introduced to fascinatingly disparate cast of characters:
- The wealthy wife of a prominent “Party” member who is desperate to find meaning in the wake of her husband’s mysterious accident (which I’m still not 100% sure isn’t going to turn out to be some kind of murder). What’s she to do with the vast fortune she’s inherited when she has no one to share it with? A chance encounter at a library sets her down the path to establishing her own sovereign nation in a world she will own and rule. The question is: can she actually survive long enough to make her newly discovered dream a reality.
- The hypersled racing prodigy who is harboring a secret that would bring down everything he’s worked hard for, and which has the potential to get him and everyone around him killed—or, worse, reprogrammed. Unwilling pawn as he may be in the beginning, his is one of the most fascinating of the journeys—and filled with some of the best scenes in the book. Think Formula One racing meets the pod races from Star Wars by way of your favorite Mario Kart tracks, and you’ve got an inkling of just how exhilarating (and potentially murderous) it is.
- The disgraced, alcoholic inspektor who wants nothing more than to remain wholly unnoticed. Alas, a simple murder case quickly spirals out of control and leads to him being unwittingly caught up in a tug-of-war between the Empire’s two most powerful secret forces (a horrifying and fascinating blend of the SS, CIA, and the KBG, with the only thing separating the two entities a nominal distinction in their job descriptions). His is the most “classic” story, and easily the most relatable. And it does a spectacular job of showing the seedy underbelly of the Empire and its ruthless practices.
Their three stories could not be more different, yet fate and circumstance (and very likely, men in black leather coats and gloves) conspire to bring them together in surprising ways in the effort to found a new democratic world.
And this is yet another place where The Infinite State truly shines. Like in Empire of the Wolf, the author finds a way to take something potentially dry and make it fascinating. At no point was I bored when Katherine and co. discussed the intricacies of colonizing and terraforming a new planet, building a city, establishing a system of governance, and all the other ought-to-be-tedious-but-made-interesting minutia that is required to create this fledgling nation.
I compare it to Safehold by David Weber (one of my all-time favorite sci-fi series), which did something similar (advancing through technological eras where this one broke down the basics of government and nation-building). I didn’t go into reading this book expecting to learn, yet here I sit, far more educated while also immensely entertained.
The Infinite State demands and commands attention. It’s riveting and entirely unputdownable. Get ready for a colorful cast of complex, well-conceived, and immensely interesting characters (particularly one, who is revealed way later into the book, and really dials up the “Damn, this is messed up!” of it all), a world that is instantly familiar yet so much darker than you’d expect, and a plot that is forever unpredictable and utterly enthralling.
Get ready for a sci-fi story unlike anything I’ve read, and brace yourself, because in true Richard Swan fashion, things are going to get DARK.

[Katie Fernyhough · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Net Galley for the eARC of this book! :)

As a big fan of Richard Swan’s Empire of the Wolf and Great Silence trilogies, I was very excited to read this novel, which marks a departure from the world of the Sovan Empire and a step into the genre of science fiction. Swan’s style of writing, character development, and the themes explored in his fantasy novels really work for me, so I was hoping for more of the same on those fronts. I would say that this hope was met, while still feeling like a clear tonal shift from his previous work.

In the city of Kada Gamar, on the planet Leonis, within the interplanetary Decurion Empire, forty-something political housewife Katherine suffers the loss of her unborn child and then her husband, the latter under strange circumstances. Inheriting a fortune from her deceased husband, she is inspired by an illicit anti-establishment pamphlet, along with her own jaded feelings about the Empire and its ruling party, Pater Aeternus. Motivated by this, she sets out to found a new world based on the radical concept of “democracy.” But walking away from the structured life she has led, and the people who control it, isn’t going to be as easy as she’d hoped.

The world of this book feels very 1984-ish, albeit set on a distant planet in the future where space travel and technology are far in advance of where we are today. Perhaps if Orwell had decided to write a space opera, it might have looked something like this. The suffocating oppression of the ruling party, the sense that individuals are under constant surveillance, no one saying what they really mean, and never knowing who might betray you if you speak your mind all combine to feel sharply prescient. Everybody has a highly defined role, and there is a high value placed on mothers being able to bear many children, something which Katherine and her husband have failed to do.

Katherine is one of three main POV characters through whose eyes we see the story unfold. Then we have Julian, a hypersled racer (essentially a very skilled, high-speed, anti-gravity racing sport, which I’m picturing in my head as like the pod racing in Star Wars) who is from a planet outside of the Decurion Empire but has been brought in as a publicity stunt. Julian has to adapt, with limited success, to living under the strange conditions of Pater Aeternus rule. Finally, there is Cyprian, who is essentially an experienced, grizzled old police officer. He sees the system for what it is, but goes along with it for reasons that are later revealed.

The POVs converge as the plot progresses, with the characters’ pasts and futures shown to be inextricably entwined, even as each fights to maintain their own sense of agency over events.

As Katherine attempts to found a new city on an uncolonised planet, one she purchases with her inheritance, she must navigate the unfamiliar world of planetary defence, intelligence, and city planning, all guided by an oddly well-informed university student.

She is forced to grapple with her own ingrained biases, a product of the totalitarian regime of which she has long been a part, and to accept the reality of a democratic system, where, as founding president, she may one day have to relinquish control of her fledgling nation as a result of the very process she is committed to. Rather like a parent letting a mature child leave home, something she hasn’t been able to do. In this sense, she is Gabriel’s founding “mother”, with the planet being named for her dead baby.

The pacing is relatively slow for the first two-thirds or so. If you come to this from action-packed sci-fi epics such as Red Rising hoping for something similar, you’ll probably be disappointed and may give up. That said, it remains gripping and, I have to say, extremely entertaining. I absolutely adore the dialogue between the characters, and while there are some hard-hitting and confronting moments, there are just as many that made me laugh out loud.

The climax of the book arrives in the closing stages, with Gabriel having to scramble to defend itself from outside attacks and influence from the Empire itself. Whether or not it is successful, I will not reveal here in order to keep this review spoiler-free, but an epic starfighter battle and warrior ape clones do feature.

Overall, I found this novel to be an unexpectedly philosophical and thought-provoking read. It asks some hard questions about the meaning of freedom, the reality of breaking out of a system, and explores whether it is even possible to have a government that is entirely ethical and free from corruption. The answer may be less straightforward than we might hope, as with Swan’s previous novels, this presents reality in its true tones of grey.

[Sunyi Dean · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read Justice of Kings as a netgalley arc back in the day, excited by the buzz and premise, and of course adored it. And pressured my friends to read it. It is once again my privilege to read one of his ARCs, because I loved the premise and knew that Richard would handle the topic of founding democracy with intelligenct and nuance.

It is not controversial to say that we live in turbulent times. The far-right is on the rise, and most people--apart from the far right themselves--seem able to recognise that. Like ancient evil in a fantasy book, authoritarianism never dies, only slumbers for awhile. Currently, it is waking up all over the world.

What, then, does this mean for authors--folks whose livelihood is the creation of fiction?

Personally, I think we have a duty to write stories which not only dissect and critique the world around us, but which offer a vision for how we can build better futures. Everything we create, from art to philosophy to politics to science and beyond, starts with an idea or a vision. A sense of how something could be, might exist, may emerge. This, then, is what fiction can offer us, and why I truly believe science fiction is the genre of human potential: within it, we have the capacity to imagine the futures we wish to see, as well as the future we fear to see, and how to achieve one while avoiding the other.

INFINITE STATE is such a book. Swan shows us a world that is darker than our own, but not unimaginably so. We are familiar wtih these kinds of empires from dystopia and classic SF, after all, as well as actual authoritarian states IRL.

But where INFINITE STATE shines, and where it sets itself apart, is *how* it constructs a different for an alternate future. There is no glorious revolution with a chosen one and special powers, or a grand uprising of youthful voices. (That's not a criticism of those books, by any means--I enjoy them too! But I'm clarifying how this book differs from other fight-the-fascist novels). Instead, INFINITE STATE focuses on a handful of humans who are terribly flawed in different ways, yet still trying to create something new and bold within the awful strictures which press down on them.

INFINITE STATE is concerend with the nitty gritty of what setting up democracy entails. This is not a book about making grand speeches and invoking vast uprest, though perhaps that will come later in the series. It's about honest discussions of human society: what is fair? What is free? How do we choose laws which respects boundaries but keep people safe? And most importantly of all, how far will you go to fight for a better future? Because the characters must fight; they must make terrible choices, ones that directly go against all of their ideals and goals, in the pursuit of something better.

There is no pat solution or easy answers in INFINITE STATE. Only continued discussion, continued striving, the sticky struggle of imperfect people trying to improve a terrible world, and finding endless obstacles and heartbreak in their path.

This is science fiction at its finest, doing what scifi does best: showing us how to build a better tomorrow. We need stories like this to remind us of what is possible and what is good.

READ THIS FOR: nuanced discussions on the nature of government, society, and freedom; adult characters (incld a middle aged female MC) with baggage and complicated lives; morally grey decisions and difficult choices

[ElfReads · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC of this book from the author via an Instagram promotion – thank you for the early copy!

Set in a futuristic, autocratic dictatorship (a touch of 1984 in deep space) the story follows several ordinary people who find themselves ground under the thumb of authoritarianism. Life in the Decurion Empire is lived in service to the ideals of Pater Aeternus, while those who fail to do so are labelled “unproductive”, at best second-class citizens. The book asks what if things could be different – what if through hard work, difficult choices, or sometimes no other choice at all, there could be another way of life, free from the grip of the Empire?

Swan writes phenomenally, as always. The POV characters – Katherine, Julian and Cyprian – are each distinctive, flawed but ultimately likeable, handled with emotional depth and care that makes them feel well fleshed out. Even if the names on the page were hidden it’s easy to tell whose perspective you’re reading from just from the feel of it, and switching between each kept things feeling fresh. IMO it’s so important to understand what drives characters to act and to make the decisions they do, and I always felt I understood exactly what the motivations were behind each action (even those that made me want to take the character by the shoulders and shake them!)

The pacing at the outset is a little slow, but there is a lot of ground to cover across multiple well-realised character POVs, a pervasive sense of paranoia that had me second-guessing every motive, and plenty of gripping mysteries to unravel to keep the pages turning. The intensity does ramp up continually over the course of the book, and by the last few explosive chapters I struggled to put it down at all.

Ultimately I really enjoyed this, it feels like a fresh and realistic take on the actual detailed mechanisms of breaking away from an oppressive state and forging a rebel path to freedom, free of the usual frills of fanciful heroism. The characters and their choices feel realistic, with well-earned highs and inevitable-feeling lows. And, as a bonus, I hadn’t expected instances of what is essentially F1 in space – what a fun surprise!

Additionally, living in a country which has recently had a concerning uptick in invasive surveillance, among other things I’ll gloss over to avoid a tangential rant, certainly feels like this novel is timely, especially with themes of personal freedoms and political expression, and it often mirrored my personal sentiments, just set against a much more fantastical backdrop. I also truly like that in many cases the narrative presents no one right answer, but promotes the right of individual choice. It is unflinching, thoughtful, intelligent, and still deeply entertaining.

I am much more a fantasy reader than sci-fi, and though I loved the Empire of the Wolf series I wasn’t sure whether I would enjoy this. As it turns out I needn’t have worried, and I’m already eagerly awaiting the next instalment.

[Booksblabbering || Cait❣️ · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW. This is going to become a classic. A book that sheds an unflinching light on the current state of our world. I need everyone to read this.

A wealthy widow plots to escape a fascist, galaxy-spanning regime known as the Decurion Empire by creating a free society on an unsettled planet, defying the totalitarian Pater Aeternus. Think North Korea meets Donald Trump meets 1984.

This is heavy-handed. I usually prefer more nuance, but this one slaps you in the face; it dares you to look away at its clear comparisons.

It covers a lot of theory in an approachable manner. As someone who studied Government and Politics, Law, and dystopian Literature; this fed the nerd in me. However, I can understand people bouncing off the lecturer-like nature of this novel.

These matters were not even concealed from view. They were everywhere, for those who cared to look. But a lifetime of subtle manipulation, of logical-sounding explanations issued by impressive men with polished affects in imposing uniforms, of comfortable, conforming groupthink within her privileged and wealthy social circle, had formed some sort of mental shield in which all of these things could be safely ignored.

Think of all of the dystopian classics that are being banned condensed into this sci fi book with a modern voice, reflecting on current politics and societal climate without finger pointing directly.

An empire which prizes fertility, salaries pregnancy, and rewards large clutches of children - where motherhood has stratified into a strict hierarchy.
A galaxy where there exists an Alliance different empires and planets has pledged to which is easily defied and known as being toothless.

“The citizens of the Empire believe that there is some quality to it which makes it better than every other society in the galaxy.”

An Empire where its people are prevented and discouraged from thinking about anything that make them more receptive to anything but Pater Aeternus.

These characters are trapped by helplessness and self-loathing. Surrounded by sadists who happen to be their leaders and ‘tragic accidents’.

This is a wordy book. It is heavy and dark and disturbing. I already want to reread it.

Arc gifted by Orion Publishing.

Bookstagram
Tiktok

[Rachael · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Infinite State by @richardswanauthor
🌟🌟🌟🌟💫

Thank you @netgalley and @torbooks for my advanced reader copy!

Swan's upcoming scifi is a reimagined world with all the familiar themes of a dystopian, but rebooted in a creative manner that really sets his series to stand out in the genre.

Life is to be endured. Everything is for PATER AETERNUS. Every person serves the nation's purpose and if you don't, you are labeled "unproductive". These tolatarian ideas are unsettling familiar and Swan takes his readers into the depths of a dark bleak intergalactic world.

But imagine you are given the opportunity to create a fair world, a democracy! This is the vision for hoping for a better future.

This is not your typical "chosen one" saving the day by inspiring a revolution. These are ordinary people that want more for themselves under the ironfirst of the Empire. We go through logistics of instilling fair laws and what is considered freedom to politically to set up an independent nation. All the while Swan writes with a tone that depicts the hypervigilant paranoia that exists for any individualistic thought. Surprisingly, The Infinite State is also hilarious. The interactions between characters who are constantly under surveillance is ironically funny. I think it really makes for a great contrasting vibe by allowing humor to incorporate acts of levity to balance out the poignant setting.

That is not to say these characters don't experience such loss and grief. These are flawed characters trying to make a brutal world better but constantly met with severe consequences that will just break your heart. Swan reeeeallllly puts his characters through the ringer in here. And what is scary is that it is realistic and totally believable. There was a chapter in here I had to literally put down because of how disturbed and haunting it left me utterly bereft.

❗️READ THIS❗️for an unconventional scifi dystopia that challenges the idea of what it is to be a hero, for themes on freedom and government, and if you like your stories grim and dark because this one isnt for the faint heart! Also if you like gorillas.

[Jensen McCorkel · Rating 5 out of 5]

An astonishing and intelligent masterpiece of science fiction.

Three lives begin to collide in a tightly controlled galactic empire built on surveillance and absolute authority. As their paths intertwine with each character more and more, they must decide what they are willing to sacrifice for freedom, power, and survival.

Swan continues to blow me away with his masterful world building. He finds a way to make the world so much more then just a back drop to build upon. Instead the world becomes the engine that moves the entire story. The civilization he creates feels vast, suffocating, and very eerily plausible. He focuses on so much more then just the battles, he gives us the power structures, the bureaucracy as well as the legal and economic systems designed to reinforce control over its citizens.

Character development is another strong point in this work. The characters seem to evolve under pressure in uncomfortable and morally gray ways so there is no clear hero. What stands out is how these characters choices and decisions affect each other. They seem to collide into one another, reshaping, and complicating one another’s lives. They are never just reacting they are being shaped by it.

This is a very dense and complex novel so be prepared. Swan is not just building a story here he is building a society from scratch. How its governed, and its economics as well as technology and culture. This isn’t a casual read, it will demand attention. It’s the kind of book that rewards patience and if you enjoy thoughtful, idea-driven sci-fi with political and philosophical storytelling, the payoff is 1000% worth the demand.

Overall, Infinite State is a bold, uncompromising, and unforgettable start to what promises to be an extraordinary series. This will not be for everyone but for the right reader, it’s deeply rewarding reading experience.

[SAM · Rating 4 out of 5]

Initially, this book gave me major Silo vibes, which really pulled me in because I love that show. Swan does a great job of capturing the hopelessness, and constant fear of living under a totalitarian regime. While the characters weren’t really “lovable”, they never felt one-dimensional either. Even though I couldn’t relate to their exact situations, Swan’s writing style perfectly depicts their harrowing experiences. The twists got me too! And they never felt forced or thrown in just for shock value. Toward the end, some parts of the writing were a bit harder to follow because of the more specific jargon and terminology being used and I had to slow down and reread a few sections to fully keep up. Nonetheless, this book does a great job of showing how thin the line between freedom and control can become without the people even noticing. This is one dystopian novel that people will certainly talk about for years to come.

[Amanda_Straw_Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was fantastic. I've never read anything by this author but I'm an immediate fan and will be buying everything he's written. This book is what I can desribe as like a fantasy/sci-fi/thriller. Red Rising vibeish, but not-it's still very very unique. Action packed from page one and not a single dull moment. The writing itself is also superb- intelligent. Worldbuilding and character building was also perfection. It kept me guessing and I loved that I didn't always know all the characters true motives or loyalties. I'll be watching for the second and third in the series. I think this book would appeal to Fantasy, thrillers, mystery and sci-fi people- Thank you so very much to TOR Publishing and Shelf-Awareness for the Advanced Reader Copy. This was a truly a really fun read.

[Liviu · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting premise but very dry uninspiring prose - even the action scenes feel scripted and there is something quite artificial about the whole setup - on the one hand an all knowing dictatorship, on the other almost independent ministries, and the whole super wealthy elite buying planets felt like a contrivance to make the plot possible. The jaded cop, the spoiled racer and the ambiguous minister of information were the bright spots and kept me reading, but while I may check the necessary sequel, I am not convinced I will continue with the series.

Overall interesting premise and potential but very unengaging execution

[Ben Thibeau · Rating 5 out of 5]

Star Wars meets 1928 meets The Expanse meets Brave New World.

This is a terrific dystopian sci-fi novel because the people and government are believably evil. There are reasons behind their that make sense for an authoritarian galactic empire, but also for the nation-states of today. It’s not evil for evils sake, it is cool and calculated evil.

The hero’s are not paragons of justice or holiness either, they are flawed, and again, believable. A fantastic read, I am already looking forward to more books in the series!

[Oliver Bennett]

I enjoyed this more than I expected. The world building is actually really creative, and there are some moments that stick with you long after reading. The way the “infinite state” idea unfolds is clever, even if a few sections drag a bit or get too abstract. I did wish the pacing was a little tighter, especially in the middle, but overall it kept me engaged. Definitely a solid read for fans of thought provoking sci-fi.

[Evan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC :)

1984 meets Speed Racer meets Blade Runner- I loved it. Not sure if this is Swan's first sci-fi, but it's pretty incredible that an author can so perfectly write Grimdark and science fiction. While it did take a few chapters to really get into, I ended up loving the deep philosophical conversations, action-packed racing scenes, and battles (three things you don't find any most stories). Can't wait to see where this series goes.

[Claudette Gabbs · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an ARC that I received from NetGalley.

At only 15% in, this book is giving me serious George Orwell's 1984 vibes. I'm not sure if that's a good thing or not. 🤔

I'm not a fan of the Dystopian type of science fiction. But...this book is keeping me wanting to know what will happen to each of the main characters.

You can read my full review here: https://rottiegirl-2.blogspot.com/202...

[Gavin Patterson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good world building, likeable main characters but just didn’t enjoy. Felt quite a drag the majority of the time.

Richard Swan is a great author, just maybe not for me.

Thank you Orion Publishing Group and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review

[Lewis Cain · Rating 5 out of 5]

Epic! I need book 2 right now!

[Ella]

dnf

[Hillary (abookishmarriage) · Rating 5 out of 5]

CRAZY good. One of the top SFF releases of 2026 for sure.

[Jonathan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gorgeously understated writing.

[Curtis Boreham · Rating 3 out of 5]

*REVIEW OF ADVANCED READING COPY*

Back to Richard Swan with ‘The Infinite state’. We follow three POV characters and their journey within the Decurion Empire - A planet with dictatorship rule reminiscent of European fascist regimes.

If you are interested in mystery, police state politics and Star Wars cruiser racing this book may be for you.

Swan is an author skilled in presenting his ideas clearly, with a varied vocabulary- requiring me to reach for the thesaurus. I would say that some words are overused ‘Nascent & Stroboscopically’ feel repetitive.

For me, this book was driven by its plot and the mystery surrounding it, with the structure following a set up to reveal with more learnt along the way. The characters in their every day dialogue felt stiff, and exposition full - which may be explained with their political climate censoring their feelings. I found those characters who were more part of the governing body (Morita & Droor) to have richer dialogue.

I found the prose to be a little rigid with shorter sentences and less conjuring than his previous work. However the book was very readable and I still enjoyed.