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A review by rakhya
Architects of Memory by Karen Osborne
4.0
This book should come with a warning, because it's really difficult to put down.
It wreaked havoc on my sleep routine, but it was so good I immediately dove into [b:Engines of Oblivion|53205988|Engines of Oblivion (The Memory War, #2)|Karen Osborne|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1598529532l/53205988._SY75_.jpg|80438580] afterwards.
On the surface, Architects of Memory is a dystopian space opera.
The galaxy is governed by the powerful corporations that pioneered space exploration and "saved" humanity from a dying Earth.
Salvation is relative, though, as the only hope for survival is through years of indenture for one of said corporations. Those who survive the hardships of indenture as well as the looming menace of an alien attack can hope to be granted citizen status, and the freedom that comes with it.
The book initially focuses on the hard life of indentures, the treacherous path to citizenship, and a critique of corporations that applies to reality as much as it does to fiction.
As the plot progresses, the reader starts to pick up on clues that suggest things are not exactly (or at all) like we thought they were.
It's really difficult to say more about this dramatic shift without spoiling the entire duology, so I'll have to stop here. The title itself is enough of a spoiler, even though you may not realise it until you've finished both books.
A recommended read if you're looking for something that's fast paced, clever and brutal.
It wreaked havoc on my sleep routine, but it was so good I immediately dove into [b:Engines of Oblivion|53205988|Engines of Oblivion (The Memory War, #2)|Karen Osborne|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1598529532l/53205988._SY75_.jpg|80438580] afterwards.
On the surface, Architects of Memory is a dystopian space opera.
The galaxy is governed by the powerful corporations that pioneered space exploration and "saved" humanity from a dying Earth.
Salvation is relative, though, as the only hope for survival is through years of indenture for one of said corporations. Those who survive the hardships of indenture as well as the looming menace of an alien attack can hope to be granted citizen status, and the freedom that comes with it.
The book initially focuses on the hard life of indentures, the treacherous path to citizenship, and a critique of corporations that applies to reality as much as it does to fiction.
As the plot progresses, the reader starts to pick up on clues that suggest things are not exactly (or at all) like we thought they were.
It's really difficult to say more about this dramatic shift without spoiling the entire duology, so I'll have to stop here. The title itself is enough of a spoiler, even though you may not realise it until you've finished both books.
A recommended read if you're looking for something that's fast paced, clever and brutal.