"Electric staff" - now definitely

Book cover Electric State. Source: Amazon

I think many people know the digital artist Simon Stalenhag , who tells in his works a little strange but bewitching adventure story of a girl and a yellow robot in some post-apocalyptic / cyberpunk world.

More than once or more than once it was possible to see discussions on the topic "how to correctly translate the word state?".

And I thought: why not ask the author himself?

And he wrote a letter to him with the following content: “Mr. Simon, we, the fans from Russia, can’t understand in any way how to correctly, because in our language this word is translated both as“ state “, and as“ state “, and even as“ level “Or“ rank “. Please explain what you meant. ”

It's nice that Simon found the time, and only an hour later I received an answer. Here it is:

“Hi Oris.

The title “The Electric State“ could be interpreted in two ways. First: It's the colloquial term for the (fictitious) state of Pacifica - the place where most of the book takes place. In the world of the book, Pacifica is a merged "superstate", occupying the same geographical area as the states of California, Oregon and Washington. Also in the world of the book, the US is divided into five such “superstates“, something that might have happened after some kind of high technological war that took place in the late 60s and 70s. The word “Electric” would then refer to the neurographic network of Pacifica, and all the wires and towers littering the landscape because of it.

But “The Electric State” could also be interpreted as the neurological state (as in condition) that people end up in after using the Mode 6 Neurocasters - the „zombie“ state, but it could also refer to the kind of state that Michelle's brother is in while controlling the yellow robot.

I hope this helps.

Thanks for reading my book!
All the best,
Simon ”

For those who don’t like / don’t know a foreign one:

“ Hello, Oris.

The Electric State header can be interpreted in two ways. Firstly, it is the common name for the fictional state of Pacific, the region in which most of the events of the book take place. In the world of the book of Pacific, there is the result of the merger of the territories of the modern states of California, Oregon and Washington into one “superstate”. Also in this story, the United States was divided into five such “superstates,” which could have occurred as a result of some high-tech war in the sixties and seventies. The word “electric” is a reference to the Pacific neurographic network, all these wires and towers, preserved in the form of ruins after the war.

But, secondly, Electric State can also be understood as a neurological state (if we translate state in this way), in which people are after using neurocaster of the sixth type - it’s kind of like “zombie”, but at the same time the state that the brother falls into Michelle, while controlling the yellow robot.

Hope this helps.

Thank you for reading my book!
All the best, Simon. ”

I am glad that I was finally able to close this question.