State-Sponsored Lies and the Fragility of Reality

Many of the Gate’s early consolidation of power comes in the form of euphemism and rhetoric. The violent revolutionary era is called, in a lovely turn of phrase, the “First Storm” (9). The violently-suppressed protests are called the “Disgraceful Events” (6). Powerful state forces are called the “Quell Force,” or the “Deterrence Force,” very formal, elevated language (8, 89). The Gate’s appearance is heralded by a short speech from the country’s ruler in which he describes “the necessity of reigning in the situation,” which is a rather vague description for a change in governmental structure (31). State seizure of private assets is given convoluted and positive language: “To pay for the cost of printing all the documents it needed, the Gate deducted a portion of everyone’s salary. This way it could ensure a system of the utmost efficiency, capable of implementing...