"A Memory Called Empire" is a densely-packed, detailed story of interstellar palace intrigue. Those expecting shoot-em-up action need to slow it down a little here. It's a very thick story that takes a while to be fully revealed. One of the central themes is past lives memory in the form of imago machines much like the past lives of Frank Herbert's Bene Gesserits and often a struggle for mind domination with a ghost from the past. Other themes involve how a minority culture on a distant frontier maintains its political and cultural independence in the face of a world-devouring empire that swallows up planets and absorbs the planet's technology and culture, spitting it back out as part of the empire's culture much as the world Hellenized under Alexander the Great or Romanized under the Roman Empire. Most of all, it's a story of a barbarian ambassador entering the empire's capital and learning slowly but surely how to negotiate the treacherous politics of an empire whose heart is being ripped asunder by internal strife and struggles for succession of an aging leader. Amazingly, it's a very interesting journey without a whole lot of bombs bursting in the air - well, maybe one or two.

Many thanks to the publisher for providing a copy for review.

There's a new ambassador for the Lsel System to the Teixcalaanli Empire, Mahit Dzmare discovers her predecessor was murdered. Then is seems others want to wish the same upon her. It's a great scifi thriller.

A Memory called Empire is one of my top reads for 2018, but sadly it's not out until next year! I can't wait for this to come out and have people pick it up, I have a feeling/hope that it will be racking up award nominations.

It is exquisitely paced and the narrative tension and world building slot together to craft one of the best political mysteries I've ever read. The characters are fully realized and complex, even the major players who have little page time. You'll find yourself aching and feeling with them. If you're a fan of books like the Goblin Emperor or Ann Leckie's work, this is something I highly suggest you pick up..

As a fan of Ann Leckie's Ancillary series I have been looking for new books with a similar feel. This was an excellent read. Enough of a mystery to keep me reading into the evening. I read this in one day. I could not put it down.