Golden State

Golden State

by Ben H. Winters

4.0 (556)

4.0 stars from 556 reviews. Top 94% of Thriller books we track.

336 pages~5.6 hr readPublished by Thorndike PressPublished 2019-01-01

$2.99Deal75% off peak

Last checked: Jun 29, 2026

Price history: $0.99 $11.99

Good deal — this title is discounted today.

Price range: $0.99 $11.99

Buy on Amazon - $2.99

0 readers are tracking this book's price

Fans of these authors will like this...

  • Margaret Atwood
  • George Orwell
  • China Miéville

Fans of these books will like this...

  • 1984
  • The Handmaid's Tale
  • Parable of the Sower

Perfect for you if...

  • You enjoy dystopian thrillers that explore surveillance and control through a fresh conceptual lens rather than action sequences.
  • You're drawn to premises that ask difficult questions about truth, power, and what we're willing to sacrifice for certainty.
  • You appreciate Ben H. Winters' puzzle-box plotting and appreciate novels that reward close attention to detail.

Maybe not for you if...

  • You prefer fast-paced crime procedurals with clear villains and straightforward resolutions.
  • You want your dystopias dark and unrelenting rather than thoughtful explorations of systems and complicity.
  • You need a lot of emotional connection to characters; this book prioritises ideas over intimate character development.

About this book

Golden State is set in an alternate society that prioritizes absolute truth, where knowingly spreading falsehoods is treated as a serious crime. The story follows Laszlo Ratesic, a nineteen-year veteran of the Speculative Service, who works in the Golden State—a nation occupying the territory where California once stood. This nation was founded by like-minded Americans who retreated after the erosion of truth made public life and governance untenable. In this world, Laz's job is to identify and stop those who contradict established truth. As a Speculator, he is one of the few people permitted to harbor untruths and speculate on alternative scenarios. However, the Golden State's commitment to truth comes at a cost: maintaining it requires extensive surveillance and recording systems. When those controlling the facts manipulate them for their own purposes, the Speculators become the only force capable of opposing them.

Get the best deal every time

We track price drops, sale patterns, and predict when this book will go on offer next.

Price History

Kindle price over time. Green zones = periods when the book was free.

Sign up to unlock
Free$6.00$11.99Mar '20Dec '21Jul '23Mar '24
$0.99$11.99

Currently on sale at $2.99 — 75% off peak. Price has dropped 10 times over the last 6 years. Goes on sale roughly every 231 days. Typically stays discounted for 16 days.

Sales Rank

Amazon sales rank: lower number = better selling book. #1 is the bestseller.

Sign up to unlock
#16,112#645,188#1,274,263Oct '18May '22Aug '23May '26

Currently around #206K in the Kindle store — a niche title. Sales have softened 55% recently.

Rating & Reviews

Purple line = star rating over time. Blue area = total review count growth.

Sign up to unlock
3.5★4.3★5.0★Jun '23Sep '23Jul '24Jun '26RatingReviews

Currently 4.0★ from 556 reviews

Gaining approximately 2 new reviews per month. Rating has remained stable at 4.0 over the tracking period.

Sale Prediction

Sign up to unlock
Free$6.00$11.99Mar '20Dec '21Jul '23Mar '24PredictedJun '26

Actual Predicted

This book is currently discounted at $2.99. It typically returns to around $11.99.

Prices shown in USD from Amazon US. We continuously pull new data to improve tracking. If dates look old, it usually means there has been no significant change since the last data point.

Never miss a deal on this book

Create a free account to unlock full price history charts, sale predictions, and get notified instantly when the price drops.

Ben H. Winters

1 book on Vagrant Press

View all books →

More Thriller books you might like

View all Thrillerbooks →
The Godfather: 50th Anniversary Edition
The Godfather: 50th Anniversary Edition

by Mario Puzo

$9.99Deal
4.8 (27,179)
$1.99$13.99
To Die For (6:20 Man)
To Die For (6:20 Man)

by David Baldacci

$11.99Deal
4.6 (37,570)
$1.99$14.99

Today's Best Deals

View all deals →
The Gathering Storm (Winston S. Churchill The Second World War Book 1)
The Gathering Storm (Winston S. Churchill The Second World War Book 1)

by Winston S. Churchill

$12.99Deal
4.6 (2,224)
$1.99$19.05
Wolf.e (The Soldiers of Bedlam Book 1)
Wolf.e (The Soldiers of Bedlam Book 1)

by Paisley Hope

$1.99$7.99Deal
4.4 (19,147)
$1.99$7.99
The Maze Runner (The Maze Runner, Book 1)
The Maze Runner (The Maze Runner, Book 1)

by James Dashner

$5.99Deal
4.4 (46,209)
$1.99$8.99
Lord of the Flies
Lord of the Flies

by William Golding

$8.99Deal
4.5 (55,017)
$1.99$11.99
Buy Golden State on Amazon - $2.99

Affiliate link. We may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.