Author Archives: Kaavyan P.

A Memory Called Empire

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A Memory Called Empire by Arkady Martine is a two book long series including the sequel A Desolation Called Peace.

A Memory Called Empire is a 2019 science fiction novel, the first book ever published by Arkady Martine. This book is based on the Teixcalaanli Empire and it’s neighbor Lsel Station.

The book follows the main character Mahit Dzmare, just 26 years old, and named ambassador to the mighty Teixcalaanli Empire. Mahit grew up on Lsel Station, (an artificial metal planetoid), next to a Teixcalaanli jump gate, allowing them to travel throughout the galaxy with ease. This book is found in the far future where Humans have expanded throughout the Milky Way and have grown different traits and looks. For example the people of Lsel Station are taller than the people of the Teixcalaanli Empire.

The people of Lsel Station have adapted a new way of conserving memory throughout the generations called a Imago machine. This gave young Mahit Dzmare access to her predecessor’s (Yskander Aghvan) memory. It would also allow her to use the decades of information gathered by her predecessors, creating long lines of knowledge. Allow though this tech would be incredibly useful to the Teixcalaanli Empire, they banned the use of neurological enhancements.

Into the story, we find out the Mahit only has the imago machine of her predecessor’s that was 15 years out of date, as well as learning that Yskander has mysteriously died. This would be followed be thrilling espionage, murder, and interstellar war to find out what happened to her predecessor had done in his 20 years in the Teixcalaanli Empire.

What I found interesting in this novel was how Martine had skillfully taken a dull topic and made into addicting action filled Young Adult book.

A Memory Called Empire by Arkady Martine is available to checkout from the Mission Viejo Library. It is also available to download for free from Libby.

A Desolation Called Peace

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A Desolation Called Peace by Arkady Martine is part of a two book long series following the first book A Memory Called Empire.

A Desolation Called Peace is a 2021 science fiction novel following it’s predecessor A Memory Called Empire. This book also won the Hugo Awards for Best Novel in 2022 just like it’s predecessor in 2020. If you have not read the first book I would advise you do before reading this as it contains spoilers of the first book.

This book was different than the previous novel made by Arkady Martine as it follows not just Mahit Dzmare but Three Seagrass, Eight Antidote, and Nine Hibiscus as well as some different side characters. Martine weaves an incredible space opera involving the Teixcalaanli Empire moving star ships into the jump gate near the station of Lsel, the former home of Mahit Dzmare, creating an astounding new alien species, and vivid detail to their culture throughout the book.

Martine also masterfully balances the idealistic views of the imperial heir Eight Antidote with the rugged and sometimes cruel thoughts of General Nine Hibiscus, creating a massive view of the story where many different things are going on at the same time, but eventually they weave together to create a beautiful story called A Desolation Called Peace.

In the story the Nine Hibiscus must somehow find away to communicate to these new aliens past the mysterious jump gate. So she requests the help of Mahit’s former liaison Three Seagrass, who eventually drags Mahit Dzmare into all the political drama caused by the many conflicting parties throughout Teixcalaanli.

I found this novel masterfully done with many plot twists and different perspectives on the war. I also found it interesting how Martine could display the culture of Teixcalaanli and the aliens so richly.

A Desolation Called Peace by Arkady Martine is available to checkout from the Mission Viejo Library. It is also available to download for free from Libby.

Book Review: These Rebel Waves

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These Rebel Waves by Sara Raasch is a two book long series including the sequel These Divided Shores.

These Rebel Waves is a fantasy book that revolves around the magical land of Grace Loray, and the religious kingdom of Argrid.

Adeluna (or Lu for short) is a soldier who helped free the magic rich country of Grace Loray from its Argridian oppressors. Devereux is a stream raider who steals the magic plants of Grace Loray to sell on the black market. Ben is the heretic prince of Argrid, who finds himself secretly interested in Grace Loray’s forbidden magic.

Adeluna grew up during the rebellion and knew nothing but how to be a soldier. Now that she helped Grace Loray overthrow Argrid she found herself lost on what to do with her life. She doesn’t need to find out because there’s trouble in the council as one of the Argridian delegates goes missing. Devereux is a raider with no alliances, one of the most notorious outlaws to walk Grace Loray, but he soon finds himself launched straight into the political mess of Grace Loray, and as he finds out that the raiders are being blamed for the disappearance of the delegate Ibarra, he agrees to help Adeluna find the missing delegate to prevent the upcoming war. Ben has only known to fear the magic of Grace Loray after his dear uncle and cousin were burned for researching magic. But when his father asked him something unbelievable, he now must find out if he is being set up to die, or can he really change the minds of Argrid.

I found this book interesting because of the endless plot twist, the frequent cliffhangers between chapters, and how you can really see what each and every character is feeling, and every character is going through in the story. I would recommend this book to age’s 13 and up.

These Rebel Waves by Sara Raasch is available to checkout from the Mission Viejo Library. It is also available to download for free from Libby.