Space opera fans will find much to love about this new novel by debut fiction author, Arkady Martine. Filled with intrigue, strong female characters, and LGBTQIA characters, this novel opens up an intricate galactic world which will remind readers of Ann Leckie and Yoon Ha Lee.
Lsel Station borders the Teixcalaanli Empire, chafing at the militaristic threat at their doorstep. When their Ambassador to the Empire, Yskandr Aghavn, unexpectedly dies without providing essential information to Lsel, his replacement, Mahit Dzmare, finds herself in the heart of a dangerous political situation. Soon cut off from her only source of information, Mahit must rely upon her training and few Teixcalaan allies as the body count and intrigue increase.
The world-building and the characters are top-notch in this action packed sci-fi novel. The author’s academic background is evident in the meticulous details that are ingrained in the Teixcalaanli Empire. The names and terms used in the novel are complex, which lends itself well to the audiobook narrated by Amy Landon. What makes the book standout is the fine balance it strike between presenting complex ideas such as identity and culture, with a plot that keeps the reader turning pages. Martine finds a way to interpose just the right about of world-building at any given moment without overwhelming the reader. The use of Mahit as the fish out of water helps in that respect. My personal favorite aspect of the Teixcalaan culture are the names. There is a particularly funny joke about tasteless names that is imminently relatable.
Hardcore sci-fi fans along with those readers who want to branch out will find much to enjoy in this book. It is poised to be a great entry into a series, as the second book has already been announced for publication in 2020.
Lemons & Lemonade 