Seven of Infinities (Xuya Universe)

by Aliette de Bodard

Vân is a scholar from a poor background, eking out a living in the orbitals of the Scattered Pearls Belt as a tutor to a rich family, while hiding the illegal artificial mem-implant she manufactured as a student. 

Sunless Woods is a mindship—and not just any mindship, but a notorious thief and a master of disguise. She’s come to the Belt to retire, but is drawn to Vân’s resolute integrity.

When a mysterious corpse is found in the quarters of Vân’s student, Vân and Sunless Woods find themselves following a trail of greed and murder that will lead them from teahouses and ascetic havens to the wreck of a mindship--and to the devastating secrets they’ve kept from each other.

• ISBN10: 1596069767
• ISBN13: 9781596069763
• Publish Date: 31 October 2020
• Publish Status: Active
• Imprint: Subterranean Press
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 176
• Language: English
• Special: Numbered Signed

Reviews

[annieb123]

Originally published on my blog: Nonstop Reader.

Seven of Infinities is a novella set in the Xuya universe by Aliette de Bodard. Released 20th Oct 2020 by Subterranean Press, it's 176 pages and available in hardcover and ebook formats.

Well written speculative fiction has the ability to engage, to inform, to inspire, and to take us out of ourselves. This is beautifully written SF and combines many of my Favorite Things - science fiction, intellect, beautifully written prose, appealing character driven plot, and a solid murder mystery.

Although part of a wider fictional setting, I read this one as a standalone and had no trouble inserting myself into the story. The author is adept at providing the necessary context without spoon feeding or info-dumping. In fact the writing is sublime, with well rendered 3 dimensional characters subtly and realistically drawn. It's no surprise, the author has collected an impressive list of awards and accolades from the public and her peers (multiple Nebulae, BSFA, etc). Although her first language is (apparently) French, she writes in English and indeed, quite impressively well and subtly.

This was one of my best reads for 2020 and I fully intend to go at once and find the other ancillary books. Gorgeous and well written. Although the plotting is completely dissimilar and I dislike comparing authors, a lot of the most beautifully wrought phrasing contained here reminds me of the same things which appeal to me in the short stories of Cat Rambo.

Really exceptionally good. More, please.

Four and a half stars.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.