A Memory Called Empire

Stunning sci-fi debut. An ambassador from a small space station has to survive in the capital of a galactic empire where everyone seems to want her dead. Add in a great will-they-won’t-they wlw romantic interest. Awesome -- Rick Riordan
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
Arkady is one of the best new voices in speculative fiction -- Adrian Tchaikovsky
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
An intricate, layered tale of empire, personal ambition, political obligations and interstellar intrigue. Vivid and delightfully inventive -- Aliette de Bodard
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
An exceptional first novel recommended for fans of Cherryh, Leckie, Banks, and Asimov -- Elizabeth Bear
A cunningly plotted, richly imagined tale of interstellar intrigue that does something new with space opera -- Ken MacLeod
In A Memory Called Empire Arkady Martine smuggles you into her interstellar diplomatic pouch, and takes you on the most thrilling ride ever. This book has everything I love: identity crises, unlikely romance, complicated politics, and cunning adventurers. Super-fun, and ultra-fascinating -- Charlie Jane Anders
A Memory Called Empire is a murder mystery wrapped up in a political space opera, and deeply immerses the reader in a unique culture and society. I very much enjoyed it and look forward to what Martine does next -- Martha Wells
A Memory Called Empire is both deeply thought-provoking and thoroughly entertaining . . . I can’t wait to find out what happens next -- James Oswald
Exquisite and smart as hell -- Fran Wilde
Arkady Martine’s first novel is a thrillingly smart space opera with grand scope. Everything’s here: plots and counterplots, political manoeuvring, great writing, and brilliant ideas on language and empire. Like Iain M. Banks, she’s created a universe that can spawn a hundred books. Hop on now, people -- Daryl Gregory
Gorgeously crafted . . . Martine allows the backstory to unroll slowly . . . walking delicately upon the tightrope of intrigue and partisan battles in the streets to safely bring the tale to a poignantly true conclusion. Readers will eagerly await the planned sequels to this impressive debut -- Publishers Weekly starred review