A desolation called peace goodreads6/22/2023 Much like Mahit in An Empire Called Memory, who struggled to fit into her new role of ambassador to Teixcalaan, Nine Hibiscus feels a bit awkward in her role, so different from that of a captain of a single ship. Soon we learn about Nine Hibiscus, the newly appointed commander or yaotlek of the fleet sent to confront the aliens. That strikes close to all that Teixcalaan civilization holds dear – its respect for unadulterated human minds and their elaborate language and forms of communication in which song and poetry are essential. The Prelude poses all sorts of questions that can’t be answered until much later in the story, but at least we are warned that there is a very different kind of intelligence and concept of language at work among the aliens. This story begins in the mind of the aliens and at once we get a rough idea that they regard humans or other “meat” creatures as something clumsy, strange and mostly useless. And she does this through several perspectives, unlike A Memory Called Empire which limited us to Mahit’s point of view. Right from the opening of A Desolation Called Peace, Martine contrasts different ideas of language, personhood, and how minds work. And Mahit Dzamare has returned from her ambassadorship to Lsel where she faces a dangerous and uncertain future. The new emperor Nineteen Adze is taking charge in the capitol of the empire. A Teixcalaan fleet of warships has passed through the gate near Lsel to confront an alien fleet that is thus far ominously invisible and silent.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |