A Memory Called Empire by Arkady Martine

Shortlisted for the 2019 Goodreads Choice AwardsĪmbassador Mahit Dzmare travels to the Teixcalaanli Empire’s interstellar capital, eager to take up her new post. It's like a space opera murder mystery combined with all the political parts of Dune.Winner of the 2020 Hugo Award for Best Novel

'An exceptional first novel recommended for fans of Cherryh, Leckie, Banks, and Asimov.' - Elizabeth Bear, author of Hammered The best SF novel I've read in the last five years.' - Yoon Ha Lee, author of the Machineries of Empire trilogy 'A cutting, beautiful, human adventure about cultural exchange, identity, and intrigue. Vivid and delightfully inventive.' - Aliette de Bodard, Nebula Award-winning author of the Xuya Universe stories and The House of Binding Thorns 'An intricate, layered tale of empire, personal ambition, political obligations and interstellar intrigue. ' A Memory Called Empire elevates space opera to poetry―clever, deep, sometimes tragic, sometimes violent, always transcendent poetry that shines like the edge of a knife.' - Delilah Dawson I very much enjoyed it and look forward to what Martine does next.' - Martha Wells, author of The Murderbot Diaries ' A Memory Called Empire is a murder mystery wrapped up in a political space opera, and deeply immerses the reader in a unique culture and society. Daring, beautiful, immersive, and often profound.' - Malka Older, author of Infomocracy

Martine creates an elaborate and appealing culture against which to play out this story of political intrigue, assimilation, and resistance. 'A taut murder mystery entwined with questions of technological ethics, A Memory Called Empire is also an evocative depiction of foreignness. I couldn't put it down.' - Jo Walton, Hugo and Nebula award-winning author of Among Others 'An elegant and accomplished example of the subgenre of subtle scheming with a background of stars. This book has everything I love.' - Charlie Jane Anders, author of All the Birds in the Sky All around brilliant space opera, I absolutely love it.' - Ann Leckie, author of Ancillary Justice ' A Memory Called Empire perfectly balances action and intrigue with matters of empire and identity. Politics and personalities blend with an immersive setting and beautiful prose in a debut that weaves threads of identity, assimilation, technology, and culture to offer an exceedingly well-done sf political thriller.' - Library Journal Readers will eagerly await the planned sequels to this impressive debut.' - Publishers Weekly Martine allows the backstory to unroll slowly, much as Mahit struggles with her intermittent memories, walking delicately upon the tightrope of intrigue and partisan battles in the streets to safely bring the tale to a poignantly true conclusion.

A Memory Called Empire by Arkady Martine