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The planet Aaa has lost its star, forcing its population to live underground<\/p>\n
Mehau Kulyk\/Science Photo Library\/Alamy<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>\n
Radiant Star<\/strong><\/em> Ann Leckie has quickly established herself as a force to be reckoned with in science fiction since the publication of her stunning debut, Ancillary Justice, in 2013. Ancillary Sword<\/i> and Ancillary Mercy<\/i> came along hard on the heels of her debut. All three books in the so-called Imperial Radch<\/i> trilogy ended up heavily garlanded with top sci-fi awards.<\/p>\n Since then, except for one detour into a fantasy setting in The Raven Tower<\/i>, Leckie has turned to writing standalone novels in the Radch universe. To my shame, I haven\u2019t yet read Provenance<\/i>, but I deeply enjoyed Translation State<\/i>, particularly as it focused on Leckie\u2019s delightful and terrible Presger aliens, which like to take things apart \u2013 whether the things happen to be dead or alive. Now comes her third Imperial Radch<\/i> standalone novel, Radiant Star<\/i>, which is out this month.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Radiant Star<\/i> is set on one planet, called Aaa, but it is an unusual world. Aaa has lost its star, meaning that its population is forced to live underground in its only city, Ooioiaa.<\/p>\n As you might expect, the underground city is quite an inward-looking backwater, and its central focus is a rather arcane religious site called the Temporal Location of the Radiant Star. The site is home to many \u201csaints\u201d, who may or may not just be dead bodies. Outside the Temporal Location, the city is a very political place. The locals are fractious, and oddly reliant on onions (which becomes important later).<\/p>\n \n \u201c<\/span> Anyway, one day the Radchaii, rulers of Radch space, decide to annex the sun-less world, and a sentient spaceship called The Justice of Alba abruptly drops out of \u201cgate space\u201d to apprise Aaa\u2019s locals of the situation. On board is Governor Charak Svo, who has come to take charge of the planet with the ship\u2019s enslaved human bodies as back-ups. Without ruining the story, ruling over Aaa doesn\u2019t prove much fun for Charak when events lead to the planet being cut off from the galaxy.<\/p>\n So, is Radiant Star<\/i> any good? The short answer is: yes. Leckie\u2019s world-building, her attention to detail and her ability to quickly sketch out a character you find yourself caring about are all truly stellar. Her voice is sensationally strong and self-assured. She is extremely witty, and deft at dialogue that feels real and fresh. The drama that unfolds on Aaa, as the Radch empire implodes and famine strikes on the planet, feels fully credible from first to last.<\/p>\n That said, I think this is one for established fans, rather than new entrants to the Radch universe. Ooioiaa is quite a claustrophobic place. A lot of the action takes place in meetings. The city\u2019s warring inhabitants and its political and religious factions, while fantastically well fleshed out, don\u2019t make for the most riveting companions when set against, for example, a Presger ambassador.<\/p>\n Personally, I would much rather have spent the whole book inside the mind of The Justice of Alba, or perhaps focused more closely on one of the more engaging locals, rather than so many less lovable natives of Aaa. That said, when it comes to Leckie, I am, of course, going to take whatever I\u2019m given and be happy about it. She is one of the top-tier sci-fi writers in the business, and this is simply one of her quieter books.<\/p>\n In precis, this novel may not be the brightest star in the Imperial Radch sky, but it is a more than worthy contribution to Leckie\u2019s brilliant body of work in this universe.<\/p>\n Platform Decay<\/strong><\/em> Another instalment in our beloved Murderbot\u2019s adventures is also out this month. I now find myself reading Murderbot\u2019s inner dialogue with Alexander Skarsg\u00e5rd\u2019s voice in my head (from the Apple TV adaptation of the books), and I think it makes it even more amusing.<\/i><\/strong><\/p>\n Emily H. Wilson is the author of the Sumerians<\/i> series (Inanna, Gilgamesh and Ninshubar<\/i>, all published by Titan) and she is currently working on her first sci-fi novel. She is a former editor of New Scientist<\/i> and you can follow her on Instagram @emilyhwilson1<\/i><\/p>\n Topics:<\/p>\n<\/section><\/div>\n
Ann Leckie, Orbit Books UK<\/strong><\/p>\n\n
\n The drama that unfolds as the Radch empire implodes, and famine strikes on the planet, feels fully credible
\n \u201c<\/span>\n <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/figure>\nEmily also recommends\u2026<\/h2>\n
Martha Wells<\/strong><\/p>\n