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This was quite similar to A Memory Called Empire, but with a lot more physical action and a protagonist who wasn't enamored with the empire she was pulled into. As a first novel it is a little rough around the edges, and there could have been more support for some of the motivations, but it was still enjoyable. Another positive - If you are striking out when trying to explain microaggressions to someone who just doesn't get it, have them read this book.

I started this last night and so far it has a political setup reminiscent of A Memory Called Empire. This book is the winner of the 2024 Compton Crook Award.

Hench is a lot more serious and deep than you'd expect from some of the flippant descriptions. I went in wanting something as light escapism. That's not what I got, but it was certainly worth a read, and I liked it far more than a few other things I've picked up recently that looked better on the surface.

Winner of the 2024 Compton Crook Award

The first half of this book reads like a very predictable standard space opera, then it takes a turn for the wild. There are a lot of great ideas here, and my only criticism is that the pacing in the second half was awkward. Tesh rushed through some segments that could have used more detail, yet lingered on other parts way too long.

Character name redacted to avoid potential spoiler. R. F. Kuang shows repeatedly that she's not a fan of English food.