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A Desolation Called Peace

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A Desolation Called Peace

By: Arkady Martine
Narrated by: Amy Landon
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About this listen

A Desolation Called Peace is the spectacular space opera sequel to A Memory Called Empire by Arkady Martine, winner of the 2020 Hugo Award for Best Novel.

An alien terror could spell our end

An alien threat lurks on the edges of Teixcalaanli space. No one can communicate with it, no one can destroy it, and Fleet Captain Nine Hibiscus is supposed to win a war against it.

In a desperate attempt to find a diplomatic solution, the fleet captain has sent for a diplomatic envoy to contact the mysterious invaders. Now Mahit Dzmare and Three Seagrass - both still reeling from the recent upheaval in the Empire - face an impossible task. They must attempt to negotiate with a hostile entity, without inadvertently triggering the destruction of themselves and the Empire.

Whether they succeed or fail could change the face of Teixcalaan forever.

'All-round brilliant space opera, I absolutely loved it' - Ann Leckie on A Memory Called Empire

'A cutting, beautiful, human adventure . . . The best SF novel I've read in the last five years' - Yoon Ha Lee on A Memory Called Empire

 Military Science Fiction Space Opera

Critic Reviews

A Memory Called Empire perfectly balances action and intrigue with matters of empire and identity. All-round brilliant space opera, I absolutely loved it (Ann Leckie on A Memory Called Empire)

A cutting, beautiful, human adventure about cultural exchange, identity, and intrigue. The best SF novel I’ve read in the last five years

(Yoon Ha Lee on A Memory Called Empire)

An intricate, layered tale of empire, personal ambition, political obligations and interstellar intrigue. Vivid and delightfully inventive

(Aliette de Bodard on A Memory Called Empire)
An elegant and accomplished example of the subgenre of subtle scheming with a background of stars. A delightful read. I couldn’t put it down (Jo Walton on A Memory Called Empire)
An exceptional first novel recommended for fans of Cherryh, Leckie, Banks, and Asimov (Elizabeth Bear on A Memory Called Empire)
A cunningly plotted, richly imagined tale of interstellar intrigue that does something new with space opera (Ken MacLeod on A Memory Called Empire)
All stars
Most relevant
A beautiful and interesting follow-up to memory of empire. Both books are a lovely exploration of what it means to be a person and what it means to belong.

Sometimes the sequel is an improvement on the original…

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At university, I took a semester of Post-Colonial Literature, where we examined the concept of “in-betweenness”. This book, and its predecessor, is a masterful study of this concept. It is a meditation on losing your sense of Home. You will always be a foreigner in the place your heart so desperately wants to be at home, which paradoxically also makes you a stranger in your own place of birth. I related to Mahit’s heartbreak so much, because it reminds me of my own immigrant background. Her relationship conflict with Three Seagrass encapsulates the eternal dance of feeling Othered.

The third time I’ve listened to this series

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I didn’t think it could get better then the first book, but this somehow did it! 10/10 recommend

Stunning story

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If you enjoyed A Memory called Empire you will enjoy this. A fun rom p.

Great follow-up

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Very enjoyable story switching through many perspectives and exploring ideas of selfhood and identify. A worthy follow up in this series.

Excellent

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