Book Log 2020 #24: A Memory Called Empire by Arkady Martine

The new ambassador from a small, independent mining station to the Teixcalaanli empire has a lot on her plate. She has to figure out how the previous ambassador died (no one will say it, but it seems like he was murdered), avoid being killed herself, navigate a looming succession crisis (the current emperor is quite old, while his likely successor is a child), and prevent the empire from taking over her station. She has to do all of this while protecting a state secret and trying to get used to living in a technologically advanced society where language and status are prized.

That all of this can be done in a book that's so entertaining is quite a feat. It also explains why this won the best novel Hugo in 2020. Martine's academic work focuses on the Byzantine Empire, which is put to good use here. If you are at all interested in science fiction you should read this book.