Infinitus

by Christiane Joy Allison, Joy Anne Vaughn

The Global Fellowship rescued the Earth from the chaos of hundreds of nations at war. Now, united in peace, all Community citizens have free access to food, housing, education, and medical care. In return, for a few hours a day, they contribute their brain power to the worldwide computer system known as the GRID. Those who don't contribute are the disconnected, shirkers who live destitute and on the edge of starvation in a world where GRIDcoin is beyond their reach. Gina Mallorey is a young freedom-loving tech dealer living in the Dregs on her own terms, hiding her disability from the Community. When an explosion forces her into the GRID, powerful forces make her a target. The Community operative sent after her hides a genetic secret of his own, but only time will tell if he'll choose to be friend or foe.

459 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 30, 2020

About the author

Christiane Joy Allison is a multi-award-winning author from Alaska. She is President of the Alaska Writers Guild, a participant with the Alaska Chapter of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, and an active NaNoWriMo participant.

Christiane's first published children's picture book, Why Can't Uncle Come Home?, was released in 2017-2018 and has received 5 Honorable Mentions in the 2018 Purple Dragonfly Book Awards for Best Cover Design, Best Illustration, Family Matters, Picture Books 5 & Younger, and Picture Books 6 & Older. As a story for children struggling with the wrongful conviction of a loved one, this book is the first in a series of books designed to help children struggling with issues related to conviction and incarceration. The second book, Timmy and Kate Go To Visit, was published in 2019, in part through support from a Rasmuson Foundation 2018 Individual Artist Project Award grant.

Christiane's first sci-fi, dystopian, cyberpunk novelette, The Global Fellowship, was released in August 2019. It is the prelude to The Infinitus Saga and includes a brief award-winning excerpt of Book 1, Infinitus, in the back. Infinitus was released in August 2020. Christiane was honored to receive the AWG's 2018 Lin Halterman Memorial Grant for use in her pursuits moving The Infinitus Saga to print.

Christiane maintains a #blog through AllisonPublishing.com and a blog about her family's experience with the Alaska Corrections system at JocelynnsDaddy.blogspot.com. Her books can be purchased directly through AllisonPublishing.com (where more of the revenue goes directly to the author), or through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and many other major online retailers. You can get an inside look, and support her work, through Patreon.

Reviews

[Jan Allen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Initially I didn't think I would like this book because it isn't my favorite genre, but a few chapters in, I found myself engrossed in the lives of the characters and I found it difficult to put down. Can't wait for the next book to see what happens.

[Nikki · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fresh and inventive take on the dystopian landscape. Feeling both familiar (the government knows best) and new (she took the time to explore the world of the disenfranchised faction and give one of the main characters a back story from there), the level of world-building is not only detailed but immersive. I will admit that it took me at least 25 pages to "get into" the present tense narrative, but after that it was a non-stop ride until the very end. The two main characters, Gina and Hawk, are fully developed. She alternates POV between the two and there is a definite difference in "voice" between them. I did enjoy Hawk, overall, more than Gina but I really want to know what happens in the next book to everyone I met along the way. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed and recommend you clear your weekend before diving in.

[Connie Mixson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This author takes her readers by the hand and leads them skillfully and jarringly into a scary, dark, and very possible world of the future. She is especially efficient in drawing out the personality of her characters so that the reader is able to get inside the character's head, understanding the decisions as well as all the possible ramifications. As an elderly reader with decades of experience living through varied eras of history, just as intriguing as the characters is the world she places them in. Ms. Allison gives us a prescient view of what our future could hold, possibly ushered in by chaos such as exhibited in our present day; a choice of either all-encompassing control in an absolute control-infused society, or a life of extreme hardship for those who can't endorse it. It will be interesting to read her future books continuing the saga.

[S.E. Anderson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Despite the fact that the premise was solid, sadly, this one wasn't for me.

I really loved the concept of a world where attachment is seen as a disorder. It added to the solid worldbuilding that was well established right from the get-go. As a matter of fact, the entire first act was really exciting and drew me right in: I loved the characters, the stakes made sense, and I was looking forward to exploring this world. The ownvoices representation was also a really powerful addition and, having a friend with EDS, I was excited to see her represented.

But then it just didn't really develop from there. The characters end up in these really weird sexualised situations and just never left them. From one cringy situation to another, with sex trafficking, disgusting pimps, degrading situations... In a world where sex is seen as a commodity, sex work is decriminalised, hookups encouraged... why is everything still so scummy? And why does the book spend three quarters of its time having the MC in all these degrading situations where there's unwilling consent and the main stakes are whether or not she'll come out the other side without her body being used by disgusting men?

It just didn't feel like the book I was reading in the first act. The fact that most of the novel takes place in so many brothels just threw me off. It didn't fully deliver for me.

Loved the bat though.

[Denise -Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dystopian Science Fiction - understanding the limits of the human body, pursuing justice and surpassing the limits expected of you - in everyday life. Action Packed Adventure!