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cheshiresnickersnack 's review for:
Seven Surrenders
by Ada Palmer
This is the second half of the story begun in 'Too Like the Lightning'. Many of the mysteries introduced in the first book are revealed. The initial shock and awe of the 'Too Like the Lightning' that I experienced upon first exposure to the world of Terra Ignota's 25th century is lessened in 'Seven Surrenders'. Instead, the second book requires less world building, and so more attention is paid to the intricate plot, moments of high, (perhaps over the top except that its all an 18th century style narrative by Mycroft Canner) drama, duels, witchcraft, metaphysical speculation, scandal, death, and chaos.
There was one moment that I especially loved near the end of the book, where we learn about the Utopians surrender to Madame D'Arouet. It reminded me of the song 'One Tin Soldier'. Madame has taken Mushi Mojave as her first Utopian hostage, and demanded Mushi's visor, which she then puts on:
“It’s normal!” She exclaimed as the vizor settled in place. I have Utopia’s permission to expose this secret, reader; it is sad to let the mystery die, but better that than let you think that all Utopians have their vizors engineered for war and combat, as Apollo did. “The world’s unchanged!” She gazed about at arm, walls, ceiling. “I expected everything would look like your coat.”
Mushi squinted against the bare air’s unfamiliar cold. “We would hardly work so hard for our utopias if we let ourselves live in the illusion that they are already real.”
She smiled at that. “What are all these floating tags on things?”
“Select one to zoom in. They’re things you can fix or improve: stains or damage, litter, blank walls waiting for art, subjects for research, mysteries, hazards to life or health, clumsy technology waiting for a better alternative.”
Update 10/26/2021: I re-read Seven Surrenders in order refresh my memory in preparation for Perhaps the Stars, and it was *even better*. 6/5 stars.
Spoiler
There was one moment that I especially loved near the end of the book, where we learn about the Utopians surrender to Madame D'Arouet. It reminded me of the song 'One Tin Soldier'. Madame has taken Mushi Mojave as her first Utopian hostage, and demanded Mushi's visor, which she then puts on:
“It’s normal!” She exclaimed as the vizor settled in place. I have Utopia’s permission to expose this secret, reader; it is sad to let the mystery die, but better that than let you think that all Utopians have their vizors engineered for war and combat, as Apollo did. “The world’s unchanged!” She gazed about at arm, walls, ceiling. “I expected everything would look like your coat.”
Mushi squinted against the bare air’s unfamiliar cold. “We would hardly work so hard for our utopias if we let ourselves live in the illusion that they are already real.”
She smiled at that. “What are all these floating tags on things?”
“Select one to zoom in. They’re things you can fix or improve: stains or damage, litter, blank walls waiting for art, subjects for research, mysteries, hazards to life or health, clumsy technology waiting for a better alternative.”
Update 10/26/2021: I re-read Seven Surrenders in order refresh my memory in preparation for Perhaps the Stars, and it was *even better*. 6/5 stars.