A Memory Called Empire (Teixcalaan, #1) in Do Better: SFF without Sexual Violence

Jun 05, 2020 Silvana rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: mine-mine-mine, sff-2020-reading-challenge, lgbtqia, z-2020-sf-novel-novella, reading-with-friends, z-2020-wotf-challenge, female-nonbinary-authors, sci-fi, series-i-abandoned

Quick review this time! Tons to read! Arrghhh!

Plus: The political intrigue that kept me guessing. Some of the world building especially the naming convention. The supporting characters like Three Seagrass. The ending that promised an exciting plot for the sequel.

Minus: It could be super dense at times, I struggled in the first half. Pacing was a bit uneven. Too many telling not showing for my taste.

3.5 stars rounded down.

*runs to the next book*

29 likes · Like · see review

Nov 21, 2020 Cobwebs-Iced-Across-SpaceTime rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: a1-netgalley, a1-i-own-books, all-sci-fi-my-challenge, authors-female-sf-my-challenge, 2020_a-z_h-a, 2020_around-the-world_terror-trip, 2020_arc_apocalypse, 2020_netgalley, 2020_reading_divergence, 2020_reads

A MEMORY CALLED EMPIRE is Book 1 of
Teixcalaan, an award-winning novel: intellectual Science Fiction with a Byzantine coloration. The Empire rules, indeed the language holds only one word for "world," the word for "Empire." The newest ambassador from a tiny asteroid station must learn to balance the social politics of Empire while solving the murder of the prior ambassador, whose personality she carries as an imago in her brain stem, and preventing her own assassination. ...more

8 likes · Like · see review

Jan 05, 2020 Princessjay rated it really liked it

Enjoyable read, mostly engrossing. An interesting change to see a galaxy-conquering space empire based on Aztec culture, although--probably due purely to my own ignorance--parts of it carried an oriental air as played out in my mind's eye.

Mahit arrives on The City to represent Lsel, a small series of space stations strategically located for mining purposes just beyond the far edges of Texcalaan. (view spoiler) Enjoyable read, mostly engrossing. An interesting change to see a galaxy-conquering space empire based on Aztec culture, although--probably due purely to my own ignorance--parts of it carried an oriental air as played out in my mind's eye.

Mahit arrives on The City to represent Lsel, a small series of space stations strategically located for mining purposes just beyond the far edges of Texcalaan. (view spoiler)

I enjoyed the background, the contrast of the created cultures and differing values, the characters, the plot movement. However, I was always a little confused by the level of power and hierarchy. For an ambassador from a tiny little mining concern, Mahit gets to see the emperor and his senior confidantes with astonishing ease. And, for all that Texcalaanlitzlim are described as inward-looking and xenophobic, individual characters seem to accept Mahit pretty much immediately and with very open minds.

These are minor nits. I love when SF/F mixes competently with politics and mystery genres. Highly recommended. ...more

5 likes · Like · see review

Jan 21, 2021 max rated it it was amazing

Shelves: read-lgbtq, faves, read-sci-fi-and-fantasy, read-space-operas, leftist-fiction, imperialism-and-language

Holy shit that was so good and I have Feelings

Mostly: obsessed w imago-lines representing generational knowledge that imperialism threatens, and how three seagrass shows how someone can be endearing and smart and good but still embody imperialism

Especially: since I, too, embarrassingly had an ugly crush on three seagrass and /hated/ myself for it. “what you love makes you despicable.” god bless mahit for ultimately rejecting her + the empire + and all their shitty logic and morality

(holy shit, ...more

1 like · Like · see review

Jan 17, 2020 Caroline rated it really liked it

I'm usually not much for political-type, royal house books, but this prose is so deft and the worldbuilding so luscious, I couldn't stop. Funny and tragic by turns, with implacable horror at times. ...more

Like · see review

Mar 29, 2021 Rosie rated it really liked it

Very thought-provoking book about an ambassador to an empire. Raises questions about imperialism, colonialism, identity, collective memory. Heavy on the power machinations, which is not my favorite trope. I didn’t always enjoy reading it, but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t a great book!

Like · see review