A Memory Called Empire (Teixcalaan, #1) by Arkady Martine

If sci-fi as a genre was laid out on a table, with page turning galactic battles on one end and space opera’s on the other… then this book would put its feet on the table while rolling its eyes¹.

That said, it’s still closer to Asimov’s Foundation than Peter Hamilton, but the point stands: it does things differently than expected — than accepted, in fact.

This should be a boring book. If I tried to explain it at a party, people would be sad for my entertainment low bar². But just like British drama, you can get away with so much when the characters are good.

And that’s the thing about A Memory Called Empire, I made friends and enemies of the characters, so I was along for the ride. Will absolutely read the next in the series when it’s out.

As recognition this book just won award for best novel.↩︎
As my best man and Robie’s godfather once said: you’re easily amused.↩︎