Today, I get to announce an exciting first for Tor.com. In 2016 we will publish Infomocracy by Malka Older, our first full-length novel. Published in partnership with Tor Books, Infomocracy will be traditionally distributed to bookstores near you.
We’re pleased to be collaborating with Tor Books on this title, and to be expanding our mission on behalf of such an intriguing book. Infomocracy is a science fiction political thriller that provides a fascinating vision of one possible future in which nation-states have died and been replaced with a globally distributed micro-democracy, overseen by an Information monopoly.
Malka Older, a debut author with years of experience in humanitarian aid and development, had this to say about her novel:
“I’m so thrilled that Tor.com is publishing Infomocracy, because it reflects a lot of the issues we see in democracies and governance today, reimagined in a complex, dangerous politics of the future. The adventure and sense of urgency in Infomocracy are drawn from my experience as a humanitarian and development worker, traveling around the world to help communities respond to, prepare for, and recover from disasters. One of the things you learn in that job is that there are many people who, for one reason or another, don’t exactly fit into their designated national borders; that even in democracies, when they are large and complex, there are always going to be people without representation. At the same time, geography seems to matter less and less, when you can conference in with people on four different continents and share events anywhere in the globe in real time. In the Infomocracy future, these trends have led to the creation of micro-democracy. Every group of 100,000 people, called a centenal, can vote to belong to any government, meaning that where you live has almost nothing to do with what nation you live in. As the decennial election rolls around though, it becomes clear that the system is far from perfect. Each of the characters in the novel is driven by a deep conviction that the difficulties and danger they face are worthwhile to make the world a better place; of course, they each have different definitions of better, and they can’t all be right. As they defy threats and sabotage, mercenaries and bureaucrats, they find that saving the world is far more complicated than it seems.”
As with all Tor.com titles, Infomocracy will also be available worldwide as ebooks and audiobooks. Keep an eye out for further annoucements about Tor.com’s novella and short novel publications.
Carl Engle-Laird is an editorial assistant at Tor.com, where he acquires and edits original fiction. You can follow him on Twitter here.
