Here is my review of A Fire Born of Exile by Aliette De Boddard- exciting space opera.
The Scattered Pearls Belt is a string of habitats under tight military rule . . . where the powerful have become all too comfortable in their positions, and their corruption. But change is coming, with the arrival of Quynh: the mysterious and enigmatic Alchemist of Streams and Hills.
To Minh, daughter of the ruling prefect of the Belt , Quynh represents a chance for escape. To Hot, a destitute engineer, Quynh has a mysterious link to her own past . . . and holds a deeper, more sensual appeal. But Quynh has her own secret history, and a plan for the ruling class of the Belt. A plan that will tear open old wounds, shake the heavens, and may well consume her.
Review
I really enjoyed A Fire Born of Exile by Aliette De Bodard- a thrilling space opera about one woman’s quest for revenge.
I received a copy for a free and unbiased opinion.
This descriptive science fiction is a at it’s heart a story of betrayal and revenge set in complicated society where the criminals and their descendants pay a steep price at the whim of those in power.
The world building is exquisite and rich with its East Asian inspired society, clothes and food. This is a whole of sentient ( and angry) ships, personalised bots, avatars and extremely complicated ways of communicating. But in all this tech, the story and characters remain deeply human. Minh, is the teenager desperate to be free from her controlling mother, Hoa a woman who can’t help falling in love and Quynh, a woman chasing revenge no matter the cost to her and the people who care for her.
There is plenty of romance and political intrigue and the pace gradually picks up before a final and dramatic conclusion.
This is the second book is set in the Xuya universe, but it is a standalone book and it did take a few pages for me to get into the tech and world building but not reading the first book didn’t hinder my experience. But I have added the first book, The Red Scholar’s Wake to my list of books to read.
Perfect for Fans of
Space Operas with political intrigue .
Series Book Lover 