The Editors
by Stephen Harrison
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Pub Date Aug 13 2024 | Archive Date Aug 19 2024
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Description
“A strikingly relevant and compelling suspense novel. With the pace of a thriller and the heart of a drama, Harrison exposes the unseen battles fought in the digital trenches of today's information war." ―Taylor Lorenz, Technology Columnist, The Washington Post
Aim for Neutrality. We Need Better Sources. Anonymity is Fundamental. Keep Developing.
The editors know these principles. The editors follow them—or subvert them—every day. The editors aren’t recognized on the street, but they craft the information that is seen on nearly every internet search. Through Infopendium, the ubiquitous, crowd-sourced internet encyclopedia, the editors influence the world.
Freelance journalist Morgan Wentworth, recently laid off from PopFeed News, attends the Global Infopendium Conference in New York expecting a straightforward story to help pay the rent. But the so-called “‘pendium people” are full of surprises. PhDs rub shoulders with high school students, all quoting the project’s rules and regulations like a second language. Sure, millions of people see the facts curated by these editors, but who really cares about the free encyclopedia?
When a hacker attacks the conference and posts a cryptic message, it becomes clear that somebody does. And Morgan decides to find out who. But the path through an online information war is far from clear. Foreign governments, billionaires, and a global virus threaten to sway the truth on Infopendium.
And far from Morgan’s sight, in places as different as Beijing and Kansas, some of the editors have plans of their own . . .
Advance Praise
“The Editors is an enthralling, ambitious and sharply observed contemporary thriller - no citation needed. Already one of the best reporters of the digital age, Stephen Harrison shows he’s just as adept at fiction. Every page draws the threads of a (world wide) web of intrigue, made taught by relevance, energy, and the author’s formidable understanding.” —Richard Cooke, Contributing Editor, The Monthly
"Harrison has written the great HTML novel we've all been waiting for. The high-stakes online battles between users bring information warfare to life with verve. The Editors is essential reading for anyone interested in the nature of truth in the digital age." —Omer Benjakob, Disinformation and Cyber Reporter, Haaretz
“Thrillingly contemporary and shot through with charm and wit. The Editors is a compelling look at what drives people to seek and share the truth in a world increasingly alienated from its facts.” —Joanne McNeil, author of Wrong Way
“The Editors is refreshingly modern and instantly familiar to anyone who has worked, played, or lived online this decade. When perception is everything, the stakes for who determines our collective narrative are higher than ever. A sentiment eloquently and amusingly captured by this engaging novel.” —Jeremy Burge, founder of Emojipedia
“Beneath the visible surface of Infopendium.org is a drama of conflicting interests and conflicted motives. Can such a global project survive when well-meaning volunteers become corrupted by their own dogmatism, fear, and greed? Harrison portrays the heretofore stranger-than-fiction world of a crowd-sourced encyclopedia in a gripping tale of global intrigue." —Joseph Reagle, Co-editor of Wikipedia @ 20 (MIT Press)
“There’s a new adventure on almost every page, and it’s hard to stop reading as you fall down the rabbit hole.” —Pete Ekman, The Signpost
Available Editions
| EDITION | Other Format |
| ISBN | 9781950301676 |
| PRICE | $18.99 (USD) |
| PAGES | 412 |
Links
Available on NetGalley
Featured Reviews
DAVID J, Reviewer
To be perfectly honest, i picked this book for the cover. Even the first few chapters had me second guessing myself. However the further i went into the book the more n was spellbound by it. Overall it’s a fascinating topic with current topics of Wikipedia and state controlled media. I thoroughly enjoyed this surprise book i picked up!
I received a free advanced copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Brigit P, Reviewer
4.5☆ Highly enjoyable
An intelligent, high-stakes, technological suspense thriller about the global propaganda wars that threaten the freedom of information.
Told through multiple perspectives of various online editors who all anonymously compete for differing motives. These motives clash in a deadly frenzy as the world experiences some shocking developments.
Each character is rich with their diverse culture and personality, and I suspect a representation of neurodiversity in here too! Representation of each character was surprisingly convincing and respectful. Character interaction was immersive, the plot builds momentum quickly, and there are many twists to enjoy.
I could feel the dread seeping off the pages, particularly around that all-too-familiar resemblance to the pandemic no one wants to remember.
Highly recommend!
Thank you to Netgalley, Stephen Harrison and InkShares publishers for this advanced readers copy.
Caren M, Reviewer
Like a great roller coaster, The Editors pulls you up and into the world of Infopendium (a fictitious Wikipedia-style online encyclopedia) and the people who edit it. Once you crest the high point, clear your calendar because there’s no getting off this fabulous ride until you’ve experienced every twist and turn on the way down.
Combining the stories of a struggling independent journalist, several Infopendium editors with competing agendas, and a blossoming global pandemic, author Stephen Harrison delivers a fabulous techno thriller with great characters, a strong narrative, and a riveting plot.
Toni R, Reviewer
The Editors took me by surprise. As an editor myself, I was thinking of all sorts of editors... except the online editors of an online encyclopedia. The concept intrigued me from the start. I highly recommend this book... not only was there suspense and intrigue, but it was all delivered through our modern online world. Taking place as the pandemic rolled out, the editors faced more than one threat.
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