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A review by couldbestephen
A Memory Called Empire by Arkady Martine
4.0
If you love hard science fiction, filled with deep lore, history, and culture where you follow the political machinations of an ambassador trying to keep her small station free from the grip of a large empire, you will adore this book.
The writing is so solid. There’s definitely a learning curve with all the terms and titles and names, but this book doesn’t treat you like you are any less intelligent than any of the characters. Mahit was a compelling main character, a “barbarian” from space figuring out her place in a culture she has studied and knows so well. The culture of Teixcalaan is rich and beautifully complex.
The only real issue I found was that when I was reading this, I was burning through it. When I put it down, it would take a week for me to remember, oh yeah, I’ve been reading and really enjoying this. It’s not like I wasn’t engaged while in it, but it was hard to get back in it when gone.
Still doesn’t knock my rating, this is a good freaking book that science fiction/space opera/space politics should devour.
The writing is so solid. There’s definitely a learning curve with all the terms and titles and names, but this book doesn’t treat you like you are any less intelligent than any of the characters. Mahit was a compelling main character, a “barbarian” from space figuring out her place in a culture she has studied and knows so well. The culture of Teixcalaan is rich and beautifully complex.
The only real issue I found was that when I was reading this, I was burning through it. When I put it down, it would take a week for me to remember, oh yeah, I’ve been reading and really enjoying this. It’s not like I wasn’t engaged while in it, but it was hard to get back in it when gone.
Still doesn’t knock my rating, this is a good freaking book that science fiction/space opera/space politics should devour.