A Desolation Called Peace

In the gripping sequel to the Hugo Award-winning 'A Memory Called Empire,' Arkady Martine plunges readers into a high-stakes diplomatic crisis that threatens to unravel the Teixcalaanli Empire. A mysterious, incommunicable alien armada has appeared on the fringes of imperial space, posing an existential threat. Fleet Captain Nine Hibiscus, facing impossible odds, calls upon the expertise of Mahit Dzmare, the former ambassador to Lsel Station, and her Teixcalaanli counterpart, Three Seagrass. Still reeling from the political turmoil of the previous book, Mahit and Three Seagrass are thrust into an unprecedented mission: to establish communication with an utterly alien intelligence before war erupts and millions die. Their success could either save the empire and enable its continued, often rapacious, expansion, or it could lead to a transformation far more profound and unpredictable than anyone can imagine. 'A Desolation Called Peace' is a brilliant exploration of communication, cultural identity, and the perilous dance between survival and conquest.