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F. Paul Wilson

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An Enemy Of The State Paperback – February 1, 1984

by F. Paul Wilson (Author)

4.2 98 ratings

Book 1 of 5: The LaNague Federation

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Wilson's novel, the foundation of the increasingly popular LaNague Federation series, deals with the bloodless revolution that leads to the establishment of the Federation

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Berkley Books (February 1, 1984)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 272 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0425068331
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0425068335
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 8 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 7 x 1 x 5 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #4,923,285 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #32,174 in Space Operas

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4.2 98 ratings

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F. Paul Wilson

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I was born toward the end of the Jurassic Period and raised in New Jersey where I misspent my youth playing with matches, poring over Uncle Scrooge and E.C. comics, reading Lovecraft, Matheson, Bradbury, and Heinlein, listening to Chuck Berry and Alan Freed, and watching Soupy Sales and horror movies. I sold my first story in the Cretaceous Period and have been writing ever since. (Even that dinosaur-killer asteroid couldn't stop me.)

I've written in just about every genre - science fiction, fantasy, horror, young adult, a children's Christmas book (with a monster, of course), medical thrillers, political thrillers, even a religious thriller (long before that DaVinci thing). So far I've got about 55 books and 100 or so short stories under my name in 24 languages.

I guess I'm best known for the Repairman Jack series which ran 23 novels. Jack is out to pasture now, but I may bring him back if the right story comes along.

THE KEEP, THE TOMB, HARBINGERS, BY THE SWORD, and NIGHTWORLD all appeared on the New York Times Bestsellers List. WHEELS WITHIN WHEELS won the first Prometheus Award in 1979; THE TOMB received the Porgie Award from The West Coast Review of Books. My novelette "Aftershock" received the 1999 Bram Stoker Award for short fiction. DYDEETOWN WORLD was on the young adult recommended reading lists of the American Library Association and the New York Public Library, among others (God knows why). I received the prestigious Inkpot Award from San Diego ComiCon and the Pioneer Award from the RT Booklovers Convention. I'm listed in the 50th anniversary edition of Who's Who in America. (That plus $3 will buy you a coffee at Starbuck's.)

My novel THE KEEP was made into a visually striking but otherwise incomprehensible movie (screenplay and direction by Michael Mann) from Paramount in 1983. My original teleplay "Glim-Glim" first aired on Monsters. An adaptation of my short story "Menage a Trois" was part of the pilot for The Hunger series that debuted on Showtime in July 1997.

And then there's the epic saga of the Repairman Jack film. After 20 years in development hell with half a dozen writers and at least a dozen scripts, Beacon Films has decided that "Repairman Jack" might be better suited for TV than theatrical films. (We'll see how that works out.)

I've done a few collaborations too: with Steve Spruill on NIGHTKILL, A NECESSARY END with Sarah Pinborough, THE PROTEUS CURE with Tracy Carbone, and the Nocturnia series with Thomas Moneleone. Back in the 1990s, Matthew J. Costello and I did world design, characters, and story arcs for Sci-Fi Channel's FTL NewsFeed, a daily newscast set 150 years in the future. An FTL NewsFeed was the first program broadcast by the new channel when it launched in September 1992. We took over scripting the Newsfeeds (the equivalent of a 4-1/2 hour movie per year) in 1994 and continued until its cancellation in December 1996.

We did script and design for MATHQUEST WITH ALADDIN (Disney Interactive - 1997) with voices by Robin Williams and Jonathan Winters, and the same for The Interactive DARK HALF for Orion Pictures, based on the Stephen King novel, but this project was orphaned when MGM bought Orion. (It's officially vaporware now.) We did two novels together (MIRAGE and DNA WARS) and even wrote a stageplay, "Syzygy," which opened in St. Augustine, Florida, in March, 2000.

I'm tired of talking about myself, so I'll close by saying that I live and work at the Jersey Shore where I'm usually pounding away on a new novel and haunting eBay for strange clocks and Daddy Warbucks memorabilia. (No, we don't have a cat.)

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4.2 out of 5

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Judith

Uncanny Forecast of Current Fiscal Crisis

Reviewed in the United States on July 5, 2010

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This is the most incredible book I've ever read (barring the Tolkien Trilogy), and I'm a huge Repairman Jack fan and this isn't a Repairman Jack book. It's not even a horror story, unless you consider our current economic crisis a horror. Years ago Wilson figured out that the way to topple a government, and, indeed, an entire planet, was through economic manipulation. This is the story of a very patient people who hatched a plan that took years to implement. Every time I read a page I would look up at the news on TV then back down to the page and say, that's us! This is the book that started the KYFHO craze. The only clue I'll give is that KYFHO represents a phrase that starts with the word "Keep." You figure it out. Better still, buy the book. I've already bought several to send to friends. Political warning: F. Paul Wilson is a dedicated Libertarian. You will know this is you have read any of the Repairman Jack books. Progressives and Liberals may find Wilson's political premise distasteful. Libertarians, Republicans, and Conservatives will love it. If you are a Glenn Beck fan you will love this book, For those of the more liberal persuasion, the story is still intriguing and even you might find it hard to put the book down. Although the book deals with Earth outer space planetary colonies, it is not a science fiction book, so fans of horror and sci fi might be disappointed. If you like this book and haven't read any of the Repairman Jack series, I suggest them wholeheartedly. Just bear in mind that the RJ series is a horror series, especially in the beginning and, I have a feeling, at the very end (which hasn't been published yet).

6 people found this helpful

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Michael Gallagher

Good Believable Story That Could Apply to USA Events Now

Reviewed in the United States on April 20, 2011

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I picked this up for free over a year ago and just now got around to reading it (my to-be-read pile on the Kindle is becoming quite large).

I use a modified version of the Baen criteria in judging science fiction: the technology and plot lines needs to be believable, you have to be able to relate to the characters, and if there are aliens don't gross me out or overly confuse me with strange names and abilities. This one hits meets all of my modified interpretation of the Baen criteria.

This book - while written a few decades ago - seems to have a lot of today's details involved with its plot: a government growing larger and larger, increasing unemployment, an ever-increasing public debt, and inflation growing unchecked. All combined with a growing discontent with the public and radical change being initiated.

I thought it was pretty good, and have the next one in the series but will wait a while to start it. While I picked it up for free, I think it is well worth the $2.99 Kindle price (pricing as of April 20, 2011).

5 people found this helpful

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DrPat

Read This When the Price of Gold (and Gas, and Bread) Rises!

Reviewed in the United States on March 7, 2013

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If you've ever found yourself dismissing the power of inflation to harm the quality of your life, Wilson's An Enemy of the State will provide a swift kick where it will do you the most good!

Peter LaNague, the enemy of the novel's title, takes the concept of Robin Hood to a new (an more accurate) level by exposing how state-driven inflation - the printing of money - drains value from currency. Simple examples of people coping with - or crumpling under - this change help to illuminate this vast theft of wealth from all. But it is the flyers dropped by the fictional revolutionary LaNague (nearly every chapter opens with one) that really lend power to that kick I mentioned.

As with almost all of Wilson's work, the story comes first. But underneath the story is a troubling economic truth difficult for non-economists to grasp. LaNague's flyers - and Wilson's novel - put easy-grip handles on it.

3 people found this helpful

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Mark cf60

Interesting but variably written

Reviewed in the United States on October 3, 2014

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An interesting book that just didn't reach it full potential as it lost it way in parts. The underpinning thesis of non-violent revolution against a bureaucratic system makes for a great story-line and it it is one many can relate too. Hopefully the second book is presented in a more even written style.

One person found this helpful

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John K. Reese

Missing Three Chapters!!!

Reviewed in the United States on April 27, 2010

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I love F. Paul Wilson's LaNague Federation series of stories, and I was overjoyed to find that they had finally been made available for the Kindle. However, I was extremely upset to find that the last three chapters of the book were left out of the electronic version of the book. Chapters 19, 20, and 21 are absent from the book, which is odd, as the Epilogue managed to be included. So we have this odd jump to the end and I can't believe people who read this version weren't scratching their head and asking questions.

The only acceptable solution for this is for the company that did the translation to ebook format go back and fix it.

UPDATE: Amazon has worked with the publisher to get the missing material added. I was very happy with how Amazon responded to this issue, and I only hope they continue working to get the highest quality ebooks for their customers.

15 people found this helpful

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RHG

F Paul Wilson has always been a favorite author

Reviewed in the United States on January 1, 2020

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This book stands the test of time and is still a great read. I strongly recommend these books as a fun adventure on the first read and and interesting philosophy on the second read.

Reviewed in the United States on January 27, 2015

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I picked up this book because of the author not knowing what it was about. I was not disappointed. Wilson drew a new set of world's with an old theme. Almost as if Luke Skywalker had fought the empire with economics instead of lightsaber. A fun read and worth the time.

One person found this helpful

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J. Hopkins

Vintage Wilson

Reviewed in the United States on November 30, 2014

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As much a primer on Libertarian economics and philosophy as a narrative. I swallowed it whole as a young adult, and am a bit more skeptical as a middle-aged guy. That said, the characterization and plotting is far ahead of most science fiction of the time. The main character seems like a near-super-hero to others, but the reader is privy to his doubts and failings, and the plot is short on "magical" solutions and full of the errors and accidents of real life. The villain is as human as the hero, and we see his motivation, dreams and failings clearly. Worth the read. I may need to read and/or re-read the rest of the "LaNague" books, now that I'm reminded how much I like Wilson's writing.

One person found this helpful

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Top reviews from other countries

ASwann

Five Stars

Reviewed in Canada on April 22, 2018

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Great libertarian novel!

manbearpig

Repairman Jack In Space

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 20, 2006

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One of FPW's early books, this is a great story driven by what I see as a sci-fi prototype of the popular Jack character of Wilson's more recent books. Peter LaNague is the central protagonist, and this is essentially an account an extremely long and patinet "fix" designed to bring down an entire government.

The book is full of clever and understated glimpses into this future earth and its outposts; the "holo-suits" and skull caps that ensure a perfect nights sleep being two of my favourite examples. Also, LaNague has a very special and unusual relationship with a small tree...

Beyond the sci-fi though this is also a moral tale...LaNague's uncompromising philosophy of KYFHO is not outlined in detail, and instead we are left to infer its principles from LaNague's remarkably consistent actions. The central character becomes a futuristic Robin Hood, but in sharp contrast to Jack, LaNague goes to great lenghts to avoid hurting or killing anyone.

Everything about the book is very subtle...nothing is forced upon the reader, and it is blissfully linear and to the point. Not a word is wasted...although I also like FPW's other early novel The Keep, I would have to say that it begins to look bloated in comparison to this work. There is nothing extraneous to the plot, and as such Enemy of the State is a wonderfully condensed and concentrated shot of raw FPW.

This is one of the most philosophical works of fiction of the Twentieth century, with Alan Moore's Watchmen being the nearest thing I can compare it too for raising genuine ethical questions. LaNague's rational yet fearless approach to life is highly contagious, and will force many readers into questioning their actions(or lack thereof). Reading this book could seriously change your life, and I doubt that could be said about many books available on this site...

2 people found this helpful

John

Four Stars

Reviewed in Canada on September 23, 2014

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after 30 years I finally had all 3 books

Shaun H

Enjoyable but slow paced

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 17, 2011

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Once upon a time the out-worlds were ruled from Earth, but that changed many years ago. In its place is the Imperium, a giant government machine that over the last couple of hundred years has become almost a replica of the hated Earth government that it replaced.

Peter LaNague is an enemy of the state; a revolutionary. This revolution though will be different from most as it is based entirely on economics. Planned and refined over decades, and with the resources of two non-Imperium planets behind it, the plan is sure to succeed - but men and computers and simulations can't predict everything - can they?

Written over 30 years ago and set in a far (but unspecified) distant future, this novel is probably more relevant today than it has ever been. The economic crisis and the huge top heavy government machine described in the story have quite clear parallels today.

Technology very much takes a back seat in this book, as it mainly deals with people and economics, but one prediction did stand out to me - the book makes an almost perfect prediction of GPS assisted Augmented Reality.

I enjoyed this book, quite a lot in fact, but did find that in places the storyline felt rather slow. This was echoed by the fact that it took me quite a lot longer to read than I would normally expect of a novel of this length.

At the end of the story there are also two bonus short stories also set in the world of the LaNague Federation. "Ratman" is a short story about a pest controller who uses space-rats to catch other rats. "Lipidleggin" is a short story about bootleg milk and eggs in a society where health concerns about what you eat have gone slightly too far! These are both fun little stories and actually relate to the main story (this is explained in the preface to the main story).

Kindle presentation is perfect - for example the "Robin Hood Reader", a leaflet used several times in the story is perfectly readable as a picture and an important part of the plot to get right.

Overall: 4 stars - An enjoyable but slow paced read that is probably more relevant now ever before.

One person found this helpful

Flowers

Five Stars

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 11, 2014

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Splendid.

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