A review by mariahaskins
Infinity Gate by M.R. Carey

5.0

Set in a multiverse where each world we see is a variation of Earth - evolution, politics, history, playing out in different ways. There's a whole machine-intelligence vs biological lifeforms conflict plus subtle and obvious parallels drawn to Earth's colonialism when worlds use other worlds for resources. I really appreciated the depth of the worldbuilding here in a story about two empires clashing in a multiverse. As a big fan of the Andor show, this book gave me a bit of that vibe, of seeing the nittygritty details of life in an empire, and also a closeup view of the bureaucratic and military machine needed to uphold a vast empire.

There is quite a bit of heavy science info to digest at times, but Carey does it well, partly because of a very effective choice of narrator. That narrator, and the mystery surrounding them, definitely added to my enjoyment of this book. There are some unforgettable scenes in this book: a rabbit-humanoid outwitting one cyborg-soldier and kicking the crap out of another thug, for example. Rabbit-girl Paz and her companion robot really got to me, as did Hadiz Tambuwal, the scientist who outsmarts everyone, over and over again. Great cast of characters, including a big-tall cat-woman/augmented soldier who swears a lot and who I imagined as a Khajit-like character.