A Desolation Called Peace
by Arkady Martine · first published 2021
67% recommend8% neutral25% critical
Why HN recommends it
Space opera set in the Teixcalaan empire and the sequel to A Memory Called Empire. It offers far-future sci-fi with a thoughtful take on society and politics, and it is best read after the first book.
Common criticism: Some critics found it weaker than the first book and didn't rate it as highly.
Summarised by Claude from recommending comments
Sequel to A Memory Called Empire. An alien armada lurks on the edges of Teixcalaanli space. No one can communicate with it, no one can destroy it, and Fleet Captain Nine Hibiscus is running out of options. In a desperate attempt at diplomacy with the mysterious invaders, the fleet captain has sent for a diplomatic envoy. Now Mahit Dzmare and Three Seagrass—still reeling from the recent upheaval in the Empire—face the impossible task of trying to communicate with a hostile entity. Whether they succeed or fail could change the fate of Teixcalaan forever.
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…were rather light urban fantasy novels. But one other mini-series stood out (potentially going to be a trilogy, but both #1 & #2 can stand alone). Teixcalaan #1 & #2, "A Memory Called Empire" and "A Desolation Called Peace" by Arkady Martine for being very different feeling sci-fi books that are not your typical western-centric fare. Highlights are the language, and that the story feels both very small and contained, and…
on “Ask HN: Books you read in 2023 and recommend for 2024” ↗…suggest at a glance. There is some good hard SF but it is 'mundane' in nature (no FTL drives, etc). I really loved Arkady Martine's first book - A Memory Called Empire - (Teixcalaan #1) and liked A Desolation Called Peace (Teixcalaan #2). These are much more speculative and far-future in nature, although the author's background as a historian gives real depth to the world she builds.
on “Why the Culture Wins: An Appreciation of Iain M. Banks (2017; by Joseph Heath)” ↗> Teixcalaan #1 & #2, "A Memory Called Empire" and "A Desolation Called Peace" by Arkady Martine for being very different feeling sci-fi books that are not your typical western-centric fare. Highlights are the language, and that the story feels both very small and contained, and…
on “Ask HN: Books you read in 2023 and recommend for 2024” ↗…Fiction: - What We Talk About When We Talk About Love by Raymond Carver - Service Model by Adrian Tchaikovsky - A Man with One of Those Faces by Caimh Mcdonnell - Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro - A Desolation Called Peace by Arkady Martine - Antimatter Blues by Edward Ashton - Where the Body Was by Ed Brubaker and Sean Philips Nonfiction: - Exiles by Preston Sprinkle - Jesus and the Powers by N. T. Wright & Michael…
on “Ask HN: What were the best books you read this year?” ↗…dead. Sure, fantasy has "corrupted" the Hugos, but there's plenty of hard science fiction, and science fiction that grapples with societal questions at large. Arkady Martine's Memory Called Empire and Desolation Called Peace, both Hugo winners, are incredibly thoughtful depictions of societies on the verge of disruption from new technology. Ryka Aoki's Light From Uncommon Stars, a 2022 Hugo nominee, while somewhat of a sci-fi-fantasy…
on “Science Fiction Is Dying. Long Live Post Sci-Fi?” ↗I'm reading A Desolation Called Peace by Arkady Martine, it's the sequel to A Memory Called Empire. I'm enjoying it!
on “Ask HN: What are you reading?” ↗A Memory Called Empire and A Desolation Called Peace are two of the best SF books I've read in the last 10 years. I loved them. Three-Body problem is one of the greatest SF books of all time, IMO.
on “Glasgow 2024 Hugo Awards Statement – 22 July, 2024” ↗I also read A Tale of Love and Darkness this year, it was great. And A Desolation Called Peace, or really that series, is one of my favorite SF reads of the last 10 years, I've recommended it often.
on “Ask HN: What were the best books you read this year?” ↗FWIW, A Desolation Called Peace is one of my favorite SF books I've read in the last 10 years. I really enjoy that series. I like Project Hail Mary, too, and it's certainly more popular because the author is far more well known, but…
on “Don't make fun of renowned author Dan Brown (2013)” ↗I recently read and liked A Memory Called Empire and A Desolation Called Peace.
on “Ask HN: Modern Sci-Fi Book Recommendations?” ↗Has anybody read either of these books (Arkady Martine's A Desolation Called Peace and Timothy Zahn's Conqueror's Pride)? Are they worth reading?
on “The Challenges of First Contact” ↗Of course there are personal tastes, so I'd simply look at large scale data. The winner for 2022 is A Desolation Called Peace. [1] As per Amazon it ended up with far fewer purchases, lower reviews amongst those who purchased it (in spite of a rather conspicuous amount of reviews that are generally critical of the book then giving…
on “Don't make fun of renowned author Dan Brown (2013)” ↗I haven't yet read the last few ones because I found the Aztec ones underwhelming. The Calculating Stars to A Desolation Called Peace was when I started feeling they were not so strong and decided I'd go read prior years instead. But I suppose the vagaries of 'winner' vs. shortlist probably take this. It is true that all those others…
on “Book Prizes Don't Work How You Think” ↗I don't think any of Blackout/All Clear, Ancillary Justice, Three-Body Problem, A Memory Called Empire or A Desolation Called Peace live up to Hugo standards (and I didn't read The Calculating Stars because I didn't think The Lady Astronaut of Mars did either). Looking at the post-2009 shortlists I think at least Anathem, Ninefox…
on “Glasgow 2024 Hugo Awards Statement – 22 July, 2024” ↗> A Memory Called Empire and A Desolation Called Peace are two of the best SF books I've read in the last 10 years. I loved them. I found them fun and engaging (I wouldn't have read the second one otherwise) but ultimately not outstanding. > Three-Body…
on “Glasgow 2024 Hugo Awards Statement – 22 July, 2024” ↗