This is first-class space opera, with added spycraft, diplomatic intrigue and scary aliens, along with interesting explorations of perception, ways of communicating, and what makes a person -- Guardian
A dizzying, exhilarating story of diplomacy, conspiracy, and first contact in the powerhouse sequel to her Hugo Award-winning debut . . . This complex, stunning space opera promises to reshape the genre -- Publishers Weekly starred review
Martine weaves a dramatic and suspenseful story of political intrigue and alien first contact . . . each character is rendered in exquisite detail -- Booklist starred review
Culturally rich and profound . . . It is an exquisitely written book. Martine is a master at language, character building, and history, and that mastery is evident in every facet of the story -- Grimdark Magazine
A worthy successor to A Memory Called Empire. It is simultaneously in argument with science fiction's history of empires as protagonists, in conversation with familiar ideas such as hive minds and first contact . . . while all the time managing to tell an entirely original story -- Strange Horizons
You will be endlessly surprised . . . I can't recommend this enough if you're ever looking for something more cerebral, tense and rich -- FantasyHive
Entertaining and intelligent speculative fiction. Martine's fiction embraces soaring fantasy mixing imagination with politics . . . One of the best and most imaginative first contact fictions yet to be written -- FantasyBookReview
Here's hoping Martine isn't finished playing in this particular sandbox. Highly recommended -- FantasyLiterature
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 on A Memory Called Empire
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 on A Memory Called Empire
An intricate, layered tale of empire, personal ambition, political obligations and interstellar intrigue. Vivid and delightfully inventive -- Aliette de Bodard on A Memory Called Empire
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 on A Memory Called Empire
An exceptional first novel recommended for fans of Cherryh, Leckie, Banks and Asimov -- Elizabeth Bear on A Memory Called Empire
A cunningly plotted, richly imagined tale of interstellar intrigue that does something new with space opera -- Ken MacLeod on A Memory Called Empire
