Golden State

By: Ben Winters

Narrated by: Kiff VandenHeuvel

Length: 10 hrs and 26 mins

Publisher's summary

From award-winning New York Times best-selling novelist Ben H. Winters comes a mind-bending novel set in a world governed by absolute truth, where lies are as dangerous as murder.

In a strange alternate society that values law and truth above all else, Laszlo Ratesic is a 19-year veteran of the Speculative Service. He lives in the Golden State, a nation standing where California once did, a place where like-minded Americans retreated after the erosion of truth and the spread of lies made public life and governance impossible.

In the Golden State, knowingly contradicting the truth is the greatest crime - and stopping those crimes is Laz's job. In its service, he is one of the few individuals permitted to harbor untruths, to "speculate" on what might have happened.

But the Golden State is less a paradise than its name might suggest. To monitor, verify, and enforce the truth requires a veritable panopticon of surveillance and recording. And when those in control of the facts twist them for nefarious means, the Speculators are the only ones with the power to fight back.

©2019 Ben Winters (P)2019 Hachette Audio

Critic reviews

"At a time in the real world when everybody seems to own their version of the truth and phrases like "alternative facts" are used to cover falsehoods, Golden State is, no lie, a fascinating examination that takes fidelity and correctness down a freaky Orwellian path."—USA Today

"Winters has a knack\nfor creating appealing detective fictions that skew reality in\nthought-provoking ways, producing a hybrid of the familiar and the uncanny. . . As you read, you feel your perception of the world slipping and warping. Winters brilliantly imagines the quotidian\nmanifestations of a truth-obsessed culture."—Washington Post"

"Once again, Ben H. Winters creates a world cleverly skewed a few crucial degrees from our own. . . . Winters is well aware of the tropes of dystopian noir, and it is fun to watch him mix and match them to good effect. . . . The detective plot works well, but it is in its questioning of the nature of truth and falsehood that the novel excels. . . . Smart, intricate and propulsive, Golden State is proof that Winters deserves our continued attention as one of crime fiction's most inventive practitioners."—San Francisco Chronicle

Fascinating but no ending

I really enjoyed this book, finding the premise and setting fascinating. It has great worldbuilding and I found myself very intrigued - however, having just finished it, I am still intrigued. The ending didn't resolve anything, there are still so many unanswered questions. Is this planned to be a series? I hope there's more to come because it feels like there was a lot left unsaid.

wait, what?

So, there's a sequel to actually resolve this or we're just left hanging?
I was enjoying the story but it seemed to take forever to get anywhere and then suddenly they put a brick on the accelerator and I couldn't follow.

Wonderful Narration

I always enjoy this author, and I particularly enjoyed this book. But the narration was the best part.

Is this our future ?

Imaginative and the theme of truth versus lies is very relevant to our time. Loved the twists and turns and the suspense.

Very Different!

I thought I would not see this to the end. In the beginning, it was hard to get used to how dark this alternate world is and how extreme. Great story with all the twists and turns. Narration took a little getting used to but I have to say, he’s cast well for this story. Can’t imagine it narrated by someone else. Good read after the author’s other books.

Quite an interesting alternative future story

It was an original alternative future story - not a future that ever *could* happen (it involves a fantastical feature), but it does describe a society that could, indeed, get to where it had such a future. Bit of a moral/message in here, but it is not overbearing or preachy and is just a neat way to wrap up the storyline.

I like Winters' work in general - have read several others from Audible and figure they are all well work the credits (Last Policeman, Underground Airlines).

Narration is good. There is nothing graphic.

Worth it

Started off slowly but it grew on me. I recommend this for anyone. Trust me, I’d love a sequel of this

This is my new favorite noir thriller

If, like me, you dig a good parody of the noir mystery genre by turning it into sci-fi/alternative history, such as Fatherland by Robert Harris, or The Yiddish Policemen’s Union by Michael Chabon, then you’ll dig it too.

fantastic narration, uneven plot

excellent narration! the novel's plot is fascinating, but declines considerably in final story quarter.

Modern Day 1984

This book is a gem. I feel like writing anything more would be a disservice to the writing and the story. But every once in a while a book comes along and changes a bit of your life. This is that book for me and it could be for you.