A Memory Called Empire - Tor/Forge Blog

8 Books to Read After You Watch Dune: Part Two

March 8, 2024March 6, 2024Rachel Taylor8 Comments

Yeah, we’re into Dune. Dune lots of reading 📚😎

The spice must flow, and so will our sci-fi book recommendations! But what’s that you say? You’re not just looking for any space opera, you’re looking for the particular space opera that’s going to satisfy the exact reason why you’re already planning to see Dune: Part Two again? Fear not! Our recommendations are sorted by what got you excited for Dune!

By Julia Bergen

If you’re excited to see Dune because:

opens in a new windowDune seems really cool:

You should read: opens in a new windowDune: The Heir of Caladan by Brian Herbert & Kevin J. Anderson

When you need Dune, you need Dune! Dune: The Heir of Caladan is the conclusion of a prequel trilogy by Brian Herbert, Frank Herbert’s son, and science fiction legend Kevin J. Anderson. This saga began with opens in a new windowDune: The Duke of Caladan, continued with opens in a new windowDune: The Lady of Caladan, and tells the story of the Atreides family’s rise to power, and this particular volume details how Paul becomes the leader he needs to be before the events of Dune.

**opens in a new windowNo, really. Dune is the coolest and you’ll throw yourself into the maw of a sandworm if you don’t get more immediately:**

You should read: opens in a new windowPrincess of Dune by Brian Herbert & Kevin J. Anderson

When you need Dune, you need Dune! Set a few years before the events of Dune, this story explores the lives of Paul’s love Chani and his wife, the Princess Irulan. Both women will impact the trajectory of the whole galaxy as Paul Atreides brings it hurdling to its destiny.

opens in a new windowYou love crazy space monsters:

You should read: opens in a new windowTo Sleep in a Sea of Stars by Christopher Paolini

The sandworms in Dune are definitely some of the creepiest monsters in SF, and their connection to the spice is shrouded in mystery. While you wait to see sandworms on the screen, you can dive into the mystery of the creature discovered by a xenobiologist during what was supposed to be a routine survey mission on an uncolonized planet. And make sure to check out opens in a new windowFractal Noise for more tales in the same universe!

opens in a new windowYou love dudes fighting in suits in space:

You should read: opens in a new windowRed Rising by Pierce Brown

If you’re most looking forward to seeing how Villeneuve envisions the stillsuits necessary to survive on the desert planet Arrakis, and to see some sweet suit fight scenes, calm you suited bloodthirst with a book about genetically perfected superhumans wearing futuristic body armor battling it out in a Hunger Games-esque competition for the solar system’s best job opportunities.

opens in a new windowYou love PEW PEW PEW space battles:

You should read: opens in a new windowYou Sexy Thing by Cat Rambo

Perfect reading if you want to be able to practically hear that “PEW PEW PEW” noise, and maybe even a Wilhelm scream or two while you’re reading. A group of retired space soldiers gets dragged back into war when they’re forced onto a sentient ship that’s convinced it’s being stolen, and in addition must survive the machinations of a sadistic pirate king.

opens in a new windowYou love space politics:

You should read: opens in a new windowThe Genesis of Misery by Neon Yang

If you can’t resist competing galactic empires and political machinations in space, dive into The Genesis of Misery. A nobody from a nowhere mining planet becomes the center of a power struggle between dangerous players and royal families because of their forbidden powers. Plus, like Dune it’s full of prophecy and space magic.

opens in a new windowNo, seriously, you LIVE FOR space politics:

You should read: opens in a new window A Desolation Called Peace Arkady Martine

Oh, so you’re one of those, huh? No judgment, just book recommendations here, my friend. And you definitely need to feast your eyes on A Desolation Called Peace, which should give you all the space politics you could possibly want. An ambassador from a backwater planet must untangle the webs of subterfuge at the center of the Teixcalaanli Empire.

opens in a new windowYou love space politics, but not as much as you love love.

You should read: opens in a new windowWinter’s Orbit by Everina Maxwell

If you can’t wait for Dune’s space politic glory, but you’re also looking forward to scenes between Paul and Chani, then as soon as it’s on sale you need to get your hands on this romantic space opera. Two neuromodified psychics, a flirty socialite and a duty-bound soldier, find themselves at the center of a decades-old power struggle and a dangerous treasure-hunt. If they sync their minds, they might avoid life under military control, but they’d be giving up their free will. And what are these FEELINGS they’re having for each other?

Which one are you reading? Let us know in the comments!

Lists / What's New

Space (Is Gay) Operas, Assemble!

August 9, 2023August 15, 2023a cat8 Comments

Generations of scientists and philosophers have turned their gaze to the ever-blazing stars, searching for the answer to the question that pulses deep within their souls: Is space gay?

We’re here to confirm that it is, and we’ve got the gay space operas to prove it.

Check’em out 😎

opens in a new window opens in a new windowDevil’s Gun by Cat Rambo

Life’s hard when you’re on the run from a vengeful pirate-king…When Niko and her crew find that the intergalactic Gate they’re planning on escaping through is out of commission, they make the most of things, creating a pop-up restaurant to serve the dozens of other stranded ships. But when an archaeologist shows up claiming to be able to fix the problem, Niko smells something suspicious cooking. Nonetheless, they allow Farren to take them to an ancient site where they may be able to find the weapon that could stop Tubal Last before he can take his revenge.

opens in a new windowUnconquerable Sun opens in a new window & opens in a new windowFurious Heaven by Kate Elliott

Princess Sun has finally come of age. Growing up in the shadow of her mother, Eirene, has been no easy task. The legendary queen-marshal did what everyone thought impossible: expel the invaders and build Chaonia into a magnificent republic, one to be respected—and feared. But the cutthroat ambassador corps and conniving noble houses have never ceased to scheme—and they have plans that need Sun to be removed as heir, or better yet, dead. To survive, the princess must rely on her wits and companions: her biggest rival, her secret lover, and a dangerous prisoner of war.

opens in a new windowThe Genesis of Misery opens in a new window by Neon Yang

It’s an old, familiar story: a young person hears the voice of an angel saying they have been chosen as a warrior to lead their people to victory in a holy war. But Misery Nomaki (she/they) knows they are a fraud. The deeper they get into their charade, however, the more they start to doubt their convictions. What if this, all of it, is real? A reimagining of Joan of Arc’s story given a space opera, giant robot twist, the Nullvoid Chronicles is a story about the nature of truth, the power of belief, and the interplay of both in the stories we tell ourselves.

opens in a new windowOcean’s Echo opens in a new window by Everina Maxwell

Tennal is a vapid socialite with the ability to read minds, and Lt. Surit Yeni is a soldier with a chip on his shoulder who has been tasked with using his own neuromodifications to overpower Tennal’s will and conscript him into service within the space military. But Surit’s not (that much of) an asshole, so they lie to all the space soldiers with all their space guns. But then a chaotic salvage-retrieval mission upends a decades-old power struggle and also compromises the security of their falsehood. Can two unwilling weapons of war bring about peace?

opens in a new windowA Memory Called Empire opens in a new window by Arkady Martine

Ambassador Mahit Dzmare arrives in the center of the multi-system Teixcalaanli Empire only to discover that her predecessor, the previous ambassador from their small but fiercely independent mining Station, has died. But no one will admit that his death wasn’t an accident—or that Mahit might be next to die, during a time of political instability in the highest echelons of the imperial court. Now, Mahit must discover who is behind the murder, rescue herself, and save her Station from Teixcalaan’s unceasing expansion—all while navigating an alien culture that is all too seductive, engaging in intrigues of her own, and hiding a deadly technological secret—one that might spell the end of her Station and her way of life—or rescue it from annihilation.

opens in a new windowEmpress of Forever opens in a new window by Max Gladstone

The end of time is ruled by an ancient, powerful Empress who blesses or blasts entire planets with a single thought. Rebellion is literally impossible to consider—until Vivian Liao arrives, catapulted through time and space from the chilly darkness of a Boston server farm. Now, she’s trapped between the Pride—a ravening horde of sentient machines—and a fanatical sect of warrior monks who call themselves the Mirrorfaith. Viv must rally a strange group of allies to confront the Empress and find a way back to the world and life she left behind.

Lists / What's New

Our Ships Will Never Sink: A List of Tor Staffer’s Ultimate OTPs!

June 16, 2023July 5, 2023Rachel Taylor25 Comments

We have a lot of OTPs (One True Pairings) here at Tor, but today, we’re here to talk about our ULTIMATE OTPs. We asked our staff to tell us about their favorite TDA ships and they delivered.

Check them out below!

Samantha Friedlander, Marketing Assistant (she/her)

My favorite TDA OTP would have to be Esther and Cye from opens in a new windowUpright Women Wanted by Sarah Gailey. Their chemistry leapt off the page and was one of the many reasons why I loved this novella!

Yvonne Ye, Ad/Promo Assistant (she/her)

opens in a new windowThe Stormlight Archive: I ship Kaladin/therapy, and if you’ve met the man, you’ll understand why

Alternatively! For the opens in a new windowTeixcalaan duology by Arkady Martine, I ship Three Seagrass/Mahit Dzmare because I support beleaguered bureaucrat 4 beleagured bureaucrat :))))) If your OTP doesn’t have email work sessions together, do they even love each other?

a cat, Marketing Coordinator (he/him)

My TDA OTP is a match made in magic hell and it’s Talasseres Charossa from opens in a new windowThe Unspoken Name by A. K. Larkwood and John Gaius from opens in a new windowHarrow the Ninth. Tal is a rogue with a thing for garbage wizards and John Gaius, the Emperor Undying, is the garbage-ist wizard of all. This pairing is literally cursed, but so potent it must be true.

Anna Merz, Publicity Assistant (she/her)

I would like to start this off by saying I for one ship the Marketing and Publicity teams at TDA xoxo

But also I mega ship Samson and Abitha from opens in a new windowSlewfoot. A wholesome Monster/devil love of flower crowns, bees, and revenge.

Becky Yeager, Manager of Ad/Promo & Marketing (she/her)

Kadou and Evemer from opens in a new windowA Taste of Gold and Iron by Alexandra Rowland

One is a prince. The other one is a bodyguard. Could I make it any more obvious? Prince Kadou is kind, thoughtful, and anxious. Evemer is loyal, honorable, and reserved. Together they are everything I want out of a couple: a perfect balance of sweet and oh no, he’s hot. They bring out the very best in each other as they contend with conspiracies, a counterfeit crisis, and the periodic assassination attempt. If slow burn and pining are your cup of tea, then look no further than A Taste of Gold and Iron.

Rachel Taylor, Marketing Manager (she/her)

Definitely Caethari and Velasin from opens in a new windowA Strange and Stubborn Endurance by Foz Meadows. Arranged marriage trope? Queer romance? Yearning? WHAT MORE COULD I WANT?!?!?!

What is your SFF OTP? Let us know in the comments?

Lists / What's New

Political Sci-Fi of the Possible Future

January 14, 2022November 6, 2022Rachel Taylor

With far-future science fiction on the rise in film and TV, (see Denis Villeneuve’s Dune (2021) and Foundation (2021) on Apple TV+) we’re looking back and uplifting some of the great science fiction books and series on our list from the last handful of years that delve into the depths of politics and society in a possible future. Check them out here!

by a frog

opens in a new windowTerra Ignota series by Ada Palmer

opens in a new windowPerhaps the Stars, the highly anticipated conclusion to the Terra Ignota series hit store shelves on 11.2.21, and now is the perfect time to pick up this quartet by Ada Palmer. World Peace is shattered and war spreads across the globe. In this future, the leaders of Hive nations—nations without fixed location—clandestinely committed nefarious deeds in order to maintain an outward semblance of utopian stability. But the facade could only last so long. And the catalyst came in the form of special little boy to ignite half a millennium of repressed chaos.

opens in a new windowTeixcalaan series by Arkady Martine

In the Hugo Award–winning novel, opens in a new windowA Memory Called Empire, Ambassador Mahit Dzmare arrives in the center of the multi-system Teixcalaanli Empire only to discover that her predecessor, the previous ambassador from their small but fiercely independent mining Station, has died. But no one will admit that his death wasn’t an accident—or that Mahit might be next to die, during a time of political instability in the highest echelons of the imperial court.

opens in a new windowLuna series by Ian McDonald

The Luna series has been called Game of Thrones in space, and the politics between warring space-faring corporations on the Moon stands up to the comparison. Adriana has wrested control of the Moon’s Helium-3 industry from the Mackenzie Metal corporation and fought to earn her family’s new status. Now, at the twilight of her life, Adriana finds if the Corta family is to survive, Adriana’s five children must defend their mother’s empire from her many enemies… and each other.

opens in a new windowThe Interdependency series by John Scalzi

John Scalzi is known for his science fiction and The Interdependency is his latest completed series with Tor Books. This series is packed with political suspense, action, and all the great reasons we love a Scalzi novel. When the Flow, an extradimensional field available at certain points in space-time begins separating all human worlds from one another, three individuals—a scientist, a starship captain, and the emperox of the Interdependency—must salvage an interstellar empire on the brink of collapse.

opens in a new windowWinter’s Orbit by Everina Maxwell

While at its heart a romance, Everina Maxwell’s Winter’s Orbit explores the necessities of political alliances by way of marriage among the stars. Prince Kiem, a famously disappointing minor royal and the Emperor’s least favorite grandchild, has been called upon to be useful for once. He’s commanded to fulfill an obligation of marriage to the representative of the Empire’s newest and most rebellious vassal planet. His future husband, Count Jainan, is a widower and murder suspect.

opens in a new windowThe Caladan Trilogy by Brian Herbert & Kevin J. Anderson

If you loved the latest film adaptation of Dune, why not consider checking out what more the universe has to offer? Tor is in the midst of publishing a prequel series about House Atreides’ rise to power and just how they made their enemies along the way. opens in a new windowDune: The Duke of Caladan and opens in a new windowDune: The Lady of Caladan are available now and look for opens in a new windowDune: The Heir of Caladan next fall in 2022.

Which book are you reading first? Let us know in the comments!

Lists / What's New

Ready to Go on a Grand Adventure in Space…?

June 30, 2021January 23, 2024Rachel Taylor

Love is love, even (and especially) in space. We’re bringing back our ‘Gays in Space’ list, updated with some new SFF titles that feature LGBTQ+ characters on intergalactic adventures. Check it out here!

opens in a new windowYou Sexy Thing by Cat Rambo

TwiceFar station is at the edge of the known universe, and that’s just how Niko Larson, former Admiral in the Grand Military of the Hive Mind, likes it. Retired and finally free of the continual war of conquest, Niko and the remnants of her former unit are content to spend the rest of their days working at the restaurant they built together, The Last Chance. But, some wars can’t ever be escaped, and unlike the Hive Mind, some enemies aren’t content to let old soldiers go. Niko and her crew are forced onto a sentient ship convinced that it is being stolen and must survive the machinations of a sadistic pirate king if they even hope to keep the dream of The Last Chance alive. On sale 09/07/2021!

opens in a new windowLight From Uncommon Stars by Ryka Aoki

Good Omens meets The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet in Ryka Aoki’s Light From Uncommon Stars, a defiantly joyful adventure set in California’s San Gabriel Valley, with cursed violins, Faustian bargains, and queer alien courtship over fresh-made donuts. On sale 09/28/2021!

opens in a new windowEven Greater Mistakes by Charlie Jane Anderson

The woman who can see all possible futures is dating the man who can see the one and only foreordained future. A wildly popular slapstick filmmaker is drawn, against his better judgment, into working with a fascist militia, against a background of social collapse. Two friends must embark on an Epic Quest To Capture The Weapon That Threatens The Galaxy, or else they’ll never achieve their dream of opening a restaurant. The stories in this collection, by their very outrageousness, achieve a heightened realism unlike any other. On sale 11/16/2021!

opens in a new windowA Memory Called Empire by Arkady Martine

opens in a new windowGideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir

Brought up by unfriendly, ossifying nuns, ancient retainers, and countless skeletons, Gideon is ready to abandon a life of servitude and an afterlife as a reanimated corpse. She packs up her sword, her shoes, and her dirty magazines, and prepares to launch her daring escape. But her childhood nemesis won’t set her free without a service….

opens in a new windowHarrow the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir

Harrowhark Nonagesimus, last necromancer of the Ninth House, has been drafted by her Emperor to fight an unwinnable war. Side-by-side with a detested rival, Harrow must perfect her skills and become an angel of undeath—but her health is failing, her sword makes her nauseous, and even her mind is threatening to betray her. Sealed in the gothic gloom of the Emperor’s Mithraeum with three unfriendly teachers and hunted by the mad ghost of a murdered planet, Harrow must confront two unwelcome questions: is somebody trying to kill her? And if they succeeded, would the universe be better off?

opens in a new windowUnconquerable Sun by Kate Elliott

opens in a new windowEmpress of Forever by Max Gladstone

A wildly successful innovator, Vivian Liao is prone to radical thinking, quick decision-making, and reckless action. On the eve of her greatest achievement, she tries to outrun people who are trying to steal her success. In the chilly darkness of a Boston server farm, Viv sets her ultimate plan into motion. A terrifying instant later, Vivian Liao is catapulted through space and time to a far future where she confronts a destiny stranger and more deadly than she could ever imagine.

opens in a new windowSisters of the Vast Black by Lina Rather

Years ago, Old Earth sent forth sisters and brothers into the vast dark of the prodigal colonies armed only with crucifixes and iron faith. Now, the sisters of the Order of Saint Rita are on an interstellar mission of mercy aboard Our Lady of Impossible Constellations, a living, breathing ship which seems determined to develop a will of its own. When the order receives a distress call from a newly-formed colony, the sisters discover that the bodies and souls in their care—and that of the galactic diaspora—are in danger. And not from the void beyond, but from the nascent Central Governance and the Church itself.

opens in a new windowArchitects of Memory by Karen Osborne

Terminally ill salvage pilot Ash Jackson lost everything in the war with the alien Vai, but she’ll be damned if she loses her future. Her plan: to buy, beg, or lie her way out of corporate indenture and find a cure. When her crew salvages a genocidal weapon from a ravaged starship above a dead colony, Ash uncovers a conspiracy of corporate intrigue and betrayal that threatens to turn her into a living weapon.

opens in a new windowThe Sol Majestic by Ferrett Steinmetz

Kenna, an aspirational teen guru, wanders destitute across the stars as he tries to achieve his parents’ ambition to advise the celestial elite. Everything changes when Kenna wins a free dinner at The Sol Majestic, the galaxy’s most renowned restaurant, giving him access to the cosmos’s one-percent. His dream is jeopardized, however, when he learns his highly-publicized “free meal” risks putting The Sol Majestic into financial ruin. Kenna and a motley gang of newfound friends—including a teleporting celebrity chef, a trust-fund adrenaline junkie, an inept apprentice, and a brilliant mistress of disguise—must concoct an extravagant scheme to save everything they cherish.

opens in a new windowWinter’s Orbit by Everina Maxwell

Summoned before the Emperor, Prince Kiem—the Emperor’s least favorite grandchild—is commanded to renew the empire’s bonds with its newest vassal planet. The prince must marry Count Jainan, the recent widower of another royal prince of the empire. But Jainan suspects his late husband’s death was no accident. And Prince Kiem discovers Jainan is a suspect himself. But broken bonds between the empire and its vassal planets leaves the entire empire vulnerable, so together they must prove that their union is strong while uncovering a possible murder.

Lists

SFF Books with the Absolute BEST Parties

May 19, 2021May 1, 2024Rachel Taylor7 Comments

Who doesn’t love a good party? Since we’re still being cautious about in-person bashes, we’re rounding up our favorite SFF books with some truly out-of-this-world parties…for better or for worse. Check them out below!

opens in a new windowThe Beautiful Ones by Silvia-Morneo Garcia

They are the Beautiful Ones, Loisail’s most notable socialites, and this spring is Nina’s chance to join their ranks, courtesy of her well-connected cousin and his calculating wife. And that means…parties, parties, parties galore! But with a *magical* twist.

opens in a new windowA Memory Called Empire by Arkady Martine

opens in a new windowThe Chosen and the Beautiful by Nghi Vo

Jordan Baker grows up in the most rarefied circles of 1920s American society—she has money, education, a killer golf handicap, and invitations to some of the most exclusive parties of the Jazz Age. She’s also queer and Asian, a Vietnamese adoptee treated as an exotic attraction by her peers, while the most important doors remain closed to her. But the world is full of wonders: infernal pacts and dazzling illusions, lost ghosts and elemental mysteries. In all paper is fire, and Jordan can burn the cut paper heart out of a man. She just has to learn how.

opens in a new windowSix of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

Ketterdam: a bustling hub of international trade where anything can be had for the right price—and no one knows that better than criminal prodigy Kaz Brekker. Kaz is offered a chance at a deadly heist that could make him rich beyond his wildest dreams. But he can’t pull it off alone. . . .Six dangerous outcasts. One impossible heist. And a party none of them will ever forget.

opens in a new windowJonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke

The year is 1806. Centuries have passed since practical magicians faded into the nation’s past. But scholars of this glorious history discover that one remains: the reclusive Mr Norrell, whose displays of magic send a thrill through the country. Proceeding to London, he raises a beautiful woman from the dead and summons an army of ghostly ships to terrify the French. Yet the cautious, fussy Norrell is challenged by the emergence of another magician: the brilliant novice Jonathan Strange. Young, handsome and daring, Strange is the very antithesis of Norrell. So begins a dangerous battle between these two great men which overwhelms that between England and France. And their own obsessions and secret dabblings with the dark arts are going to cause more trouble than they can imagine.

Author Features / Events / What's New

On the (Digital) Road: Tor Author Events in May 2021

May 1, 2021May 8, 2024Rachel Taylor

We are in a time of social distancing, but your favorite Tor authors are still coming to screens near you in the month of May! Check out where you can find them here:

Kate Elliott, opens in a new windowUnconquerable Sun

Monday, May 3
Murder by the Book, in conversation with Martha Wells
opens in a new windowRegister Here
7:00 PM CT

J. S. Dewes, opens in a new windowThe Last Watch, Arkady Martine, opens in a new windowA Memory Called Empire

opens in a new window opens in a new window

Tuesday, May 4
Towne Book Center, in conversation with Martha Wells
opens in a new windowRegister Here
7:00 PM ET

Jenn Lyons, opens in a new windowThe House of Always

Monday, May 10
Mysterious Galaxy
opens in a new windowCrowdcast
7:00 PM PT

Tuesday, May 11
Read It Again Books
opens in a new windowYouTube
6:00 PM ET

Thursday, May 13
Tubby & Coo’s
opens in a new windowYouTube
6:00 PM ET

Friday, May 14
Poisoned Pen
opens in a new windowFacebook
6:30 PM PT

Monday, May 17
University Bookstore in-conversation with Suyi Davies Okungbowa
opens in a new windowRegister Here
6:00 PM PT

Wednesday, May 26
Read the Room: MAYhem panel with Marina Lostetter, Mirah Bolender, Nino Cipri and P. Djeli Clark
opens in a new windowRegister Here
6:00 PM PT

Author Features / What's New

Six Things I Borrowed Wholesale From History for A Memory Called Empire

February 28, 2021March 20, 2024torforge7 Comments

opens in a new window opens in a new window opens in a new window opens in a new window opens in a new window

You may not know what a Byzantinist is, and that’s okay. We didn’t either before we read opens in a new windowA Memory Called Empire, the first book in Arkady Martine’s Hugo Award-winning Teixcalaan series. The series continues with opens in a new windowA Desolation Called Peace this March.

Martine is a Byzantinist—a historian of the Byzantine Empire—and has a Ph.D. in History! Her series takes historical events borrowed from the annals of the human race, and plays them out in a galactic civilization that’s kind of like House of Cards in space.

Check out some of her inspirations below!

Six Things I Borrowed Wholesale From History for A Memory Called Empire

By Arkady Martine

In the year 1044 AD, the Byzantine Empire annexed the small Armenian kingdom of Ani. The empire was able to do this for a lot of reasons – political, historical, military – but the precipitating incident involved the Catholicos of the Armenian Apostolic Church, a man named Petros Getadarj, who was determined to prevent the forced conversion of the Armenians to the Byzantine form of Christianity. He did this by trading the physical sovereignty of Ani to the Byzantine emperor in exchange for promises of spiritual sovereignty. When I started writing this book, my inciting question was: what’s it like to be that guy? To betray your culture’s freedom in order to save your culture? Except, y’know, in space.
The number-noun naming system of Teixcalaan is a direct reference to the naming practices of the Mixtec people of Oaxaca, who, like many Mesoamerican peoples, were named for the day in the 260-day cycle of the year on which they were born: a cycle of thirteen numbers and twenty signs (animals, plants, and natural phenomena).
Extemporaneous and extremely political court poetry contests like the one Mahit attends in the City were a centerpiece of Byzantine political life during the Middle Byzantine Period (approximately 900-1204 CE), and were used in much the same way as I’ve used them: to prove an orator’s intelligence and cultural competence, and also to make political arguments. Sometimes both at once. ‘Fifteen-syllable political verse’ is a direct lift from Byzantine literature.
The acclimation by the legions of some general to emperorship – or the threat thereof – was a constant problem in the late Roman empire and into Byzantium, as imperial legitimacy was so tightly linked to military prowess, success, and the celebration of triumphs. Teixcalaan has similar issues.
Blood sacrifice for luck, promises, and the preservation of society is common in many cultures, but I specifically built Teixcalaanli religion in reference to the practices of the Mexica … and in reference to the idea of summer kings, the king being linked to the land, and whose sacrifice might be the only thing sufficient to redeem that land, which is common in European pre-Christian cultures.
Ixhui dumplings are 100% Turkish/Ottoman manti. They’re my favorite food that I can’t make to save my life, so of course I used them.

Order A Memory Called Empire in Paperback:

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Author Features / Behind the Scenes / What's New

What’s in a Teixcalaanli Name?

February 15, 2021March 20, 2024torforge9 Comments

opens in a new window opens in a new window opens in a new window opens in a new window opens in a new window

Arkady Martine’s brilliant (and now Hugo Award-winning) space opera A Memory Called Empire has a sequel coming next month and we NEED to share some of our many feelings. And our Teixcalaanli names.

That’s right. Like our protagonist Mahit, we love ourselves a bit of predatory space empire culture. That’s why we’ve all claimed names like 8 Gravity, 45 Neon, 23 Spandrel, and 13! Teapot.

Now you can join in the fun too. We’ve included our short and sweet name generator below, but if you’re ready to dig deeper for your perfect author-approved Teixcalaani name, we’ve got you covered. Continue below for Arkady’s guide to Teixcalaani names!

BASIC RULES FOR TEIXCALAANLI NAMES

By Arkady Martine

Each Teixcalaanli personal name has a number part and a noun part. Both parts have symbolic meanings.

Numbers in general:

The number part of the name is a whole integer (i.e. no negative numbers, no decimals or fractions, and irrational numbers like pi or e are only for jokes). The range of numbers is almost always between 1 and 100, with lower numbers being more common.
Numbers from 1-20 are the most common number-parts, and suggest tradition and normalcy. Think about names like ‘John’, ‘Elizabeth’, ‘Maria Jose’, or ‘Mohammed’ – names that lots of people have and aren’t unusual choices.
Numbers from 21-60 are slightly more unusual but not weird in any way – they’re just the sort of name that is a little more unique. Think ‘Nadia’, ‘Malik’, ‘Yuko’, ‘Gabriel’ or ‘Makenzie’.
Numbers from 61-99 are less common, but no one is really going to blink at them too Think ‘Fashionette’, ‘Clemency’, ‘Ezekiel’, or ‘Thor’.
Numbers over 100 are like naming your kid ‘Moon Unit’ or ‘Apple’. Except in Teixcalaan you could name your kid Moon Unit or Apple…

Numbers in specific:

ONE – achievement, aggression, singularity, primacy, solidity
TWO – balance, reflection, liquidity, succession, mirroring
THREE – aggression and balance, think of a pointy but stable triangle
FOUR – intellect, broad-based knowledge, evaluation, strategy
FIVE – speed/quickness, humanity, diplomacy, exemplar-of-type (think of five fingers on a hand)
SIX – imperial power, ambition, multi-tasking, associated with the six directions of the world (N/W/S/E plus up and down) – Teixcalaanli symbolism is full of sixes
SEVEN – life of the mind, softness, care, security, unbiased evaluation
EIGHT – twice four, intellect applied, solutions
NINE – three threes, prickly, difficult, brilliant
TEN – reliability, omnipresence, financial success
ELEVEN – subversion, cleverness, flexibility … and loyalty. Tactics.
TWELVE – two sixes, power/authority, ambition but not the dangerous kind, success in money/trade

Numbers in the Teixcalaanli writing system:

Since Teixcalaan writes in characters (sort of a hybrid of Mayan glyphs and hanzi), there are multiple ways to write each number, most of which are not the simple way which is used in mathematics. Name-numbers have specific fancier glyphs, and these can be passed down or re-used. (See Eight Loop, the Judiciary Minister, and Eight Antidote, the imperial heir, who use the same number-glyph to write their names).

Nouns in general:

The noun part of a Teixcalaanli name is always a plant, an inanimate object, or a concept (in order of likelihood). No animals and no self-propelled inanimate things – i.e. ‘boat’ is an acceptable noun, but ‘self-driving car’ is not. (Honestly, both ‘Boat’ and ‘Self-Driving Car’ are names that Teixcalaanlitzlim would laugh at.)
Teixcalaan loves flowers. A lot of plant names are flowers and trees, including some unusual ones. See ‘Three Seagrass’, ‘Twelve Azalea’, ‘One Cyclamen’, ‘Eleven Conifer’.
Object names tend to be related to the natural world (‘Five Agate’, ‘Ten Pearl’), astronomical objects or phenomena (‘Sixteen Moonrise’, ‘Twelve Solar-Flare’) or common objects, often ones which can be held and manipulated. Tools are highly represented. (‘Nineteen Adze’, ‘Eleven Lathe’). Occasionally object names refer to architecture – ‘Five Portico’ is only a little bit odd as a name. (Something like ‘Two Paving-Stone’ would be odd, but no odder than a kid named ‘Winston’.)
Concept names again tend to be astronomical, mathematical, or scientific. ‘Six Direction’, for example, or ‘Eight Antidote’.
Often the noun part of a Teixcalaanli name is where a use-name or nickname is derived from. Some examples: Three Seagrass à ‘Reed’; Twelve Azalea à ‘Petal’; Two Cartograph à ‘Map’; ‘Eight Antidote’ à ‘Cure’.

Some symbolism for nouns, of what could be a very long list:

‘Ink’ vs. ‘Inkwell’ – a person named Two Ink is someone who makes quick-thinking, indelible decisions, but a person named Two Inkwell is an endless store of new ideas. Both of these people are from traditional or tradition-minded families.
‘Graphite’ – as opposed to ‘Carbon’ or ‘Diamond’, a child named ‘Graphite’ has a parent who is hedging their bets: ‘Graphite’ is flexible, changeable, useful in all its forms, while ‘Carbon’ has suggestions of ‘unavoidable, necessary’ and also ‘ashes’, and ‘Diamond’ is ‘inflexible, strong, beautiful’.
‘Nasturtium’ – a victory flower! But also one you can eat as a delicacy. A Six Nasturtium is a name for a very ambitious child whose parent has aspirations of grand and flamboyant success … but a Two Nasturtium is a serene and delicate child whose success, while assured, does not have to be grand.

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Five Space Couples We (Space)Ship

February 13, 2021May 1, 2024Rachel Taylor

We know OTP means One True Pairing but we have so many pairings we cannot help but stan. We love action, adventure, space battles, lazer fire, galactic empire–pretty much everything about sci-fi. But we’re also suckers for a bit of romantic tension. So romantic tension in space? *Chef’s kiss* *Literal stars in our eyes*

Here’s a list of some of our favorite recent space!ships.

Kiem and Jainan from opens in a new windowWinter’s Orbit by Everina Maxwell

Two perfect cinnamon rolls. Too good for this world. Too pure. Arranged marriage turns into surprise feelings when these two space princes get married to keep a fragile alliance going between planets. They also have to solve a murder together, and what’s more romantic than that?

Mahit and Three Seagrass from opens in a new windowA Memory Called Empire by Arkady Martine

Just an ambassador, standing in front of her diplomatic attaché, there’s a body over there in the corner, but maybe this is the right time to ask for a kiss? This gorgeous space opera has so much going for it, but one of our favorite is the delightful romantic tension between Mahit and Three Seagrass. And there’s more to come with them reunited in opens in a new windowA Desolation Called Peace this March.

Gideon and Harrow from opens in a new windowGideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir

We have only one thing to say about this Necromancer and her Cavalier, which we hope will clarify our stance on this potential pairing: “One flesh, one end, bitch.”

Sun and Hetty from opens in a new windowUnconquerable Sun by Kate Elliott

We love an established couple, and Hetty and Sun just work. They steady each other, they look for each other, they revolved around each other, and all of those things are needed when half your pairing is the heir to an expanding space empire whose ambitions stretch across the stars. In a world full of inconstancies, these two, for now at least, remain constant.

Red and Blue from opens in a new windowThis is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone

Enemies to lovers? One of our favorite tropes of all time, and the chemistry/tension between Red and Blue is just…electric. Their relationship evolves through the notes they leave for each other on the battlefield, simultaneously mocking and flirty (a surefire way to woo your enemy, right?).

If you’re excited to see Dune because:

opens in a new windowDune seems really cool:

opens in a new windowNo, really. Dune is the coolest and you’ll throw yourself into the maw of a sandworm if you don’t get more immediately:

opens in a new windowYou love crazy space monsters:

opens in a new windowYou love dudes fighting in suits in space:

opens in a new windowYou love PEW PEW PEW space battles:

opens in a new windowYou love space politics:

opens in a new windowNo, seriously, you LIVE FOR space politics:

opens in a new windowYou love space politics, but not as much as you love love.

opens in a new window opens in a new windowDevil’s Gun by Cat Rambo

opens in a new windowUnconquerable Sun opens in a new window & opens in a new windowFurious Heaven by Kate Elliott

opens in a new windowThe Genesis of Misery opens in a new window by Neon Yang

opens in a new windowOcean’s Echo opens in a new window by Everina Maxwell

opens in a new windowA Memory Called Empire opens in a new window by Arkady Martine

opens in a new windowEmpress of Forever opens in a new window by Max Gladstone

Samantha Friedlander, Marketing Assistant (she/her)

Yvonne Ye, Ad/Promo Assistant (she/her)

a cat, Marketing Coordinator (he/him)

Anna Merz, Publicity Assistant (she/her)

Becky Yeager, Manager of Ad/Promo & Marketing (she/her)

Rachel Taylor, Marketing Manager (she/her)

opens in a new windowTerra Ignota series by Ada Palmer

opens in a new windowTeixcalaan series by Arkady Martine

opens in a new windowLuna series by Ian McDonald

opens in a new windowThe Interdependency series by John Scalzi

opens in a new windowWinter’s Orbit by Everina Maxwell

opens in a new windowThe Caladan Trilogy by Brian Herbert & Kevin J. Anderson

Ready to Go on a Grand Adventure in Space…?

Kate Elliott, opens in a new windowUnconquerable Sun

J. S. Dewes, opens in a new windowThe Last Watch, Arkady Martine, opens in a new windowA Memory Called Empire

Jenn Lyons, opens in a new windowThe House of Always

Order A Memory Called Empire in Paperback:

BASIC RULES FOR TEIXCALAANLI NAMES

Numbers in general:

Numbers in specific:

Numbers in the Teixcalaanli writing system:

Nouns in general:

Some symbolism for nouns, of what could be a very long list:

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**opens in a new windowNo, really. Dune is the coolest and you’ll throw yourself into the maw of a sandworm if you don’t get more immediately:**