Embassytown
| Embassytown | |
|---|---|
 UK first edition cover |
|
| Author(s) | China Miéville |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Genre(s) | Science fiction |
| Publisher | Pan Macmillan |
| Publication date | 28 April 2011 |
| Media type | Print (Hardcover) |
| Pages | 404 |
| ISBN | 978-0-2307-5076-0 |
| OCLC Number | 769982453 |
| Preceded by | Kraken |
| Followed by | Railsea |
Embassytown is a science fiction novel by British author China Miéville. It was published in the UK by Pan Macmillan on 6 May 2011, and in the US by Del Rey Books on 17 May 2011. A limited edition was released by Subterranean Press. The plot of the novel surrounds the town of Embassytown, the native alien residents known as Ariekei, their Language, and the human interaction with them. The novel was well reviewed and won the 2012 Locus Award for Best Science Fiction Novel.
Contents |
Plot [edit]
Embassytown takes place mostly in the title city, on the planet Arieka. Embassytown exists on the very edge of the "Manchmal" (from the German for "sometimes"), which is suspected to be the third iteration of the known universe, and which, given its distance from everything else, is only accessible by sailing through the "Immer" (from the German for "always"), a permanent universe with differing concepts of time and space.
Avice Benner Cho is an "Immerser", a traveller on the Immer, who has returned to her childhood home from her adventures in the "Out". Arieka is a planet on which humans and "exots", a term for exotic extra-terrestrials, co-exist with the indigenous, enigmatic Ariekei — otherwise known as the Hosts. Few people can speak the language of the Hosts (which is referred to only as Language) as it requires the orator to speak two words at once; those who can are genetically-engineered linguist twins known as Ambassadors, bred solely for this purpose. The Ambassadors speak with two mouths and one mind and as such can be understood by the Ariekei, who do not recognise any other form of speech, allowing for trade in their valuable technology. Embassytown is a colony of a nation called Bremen; and these trade goods, along with Embassytown's unique position at the edge of the universe, mean that it is a colony of vital importance to them.
The relationship between humans and Ariekei has proceeded in relative tranquillity for many years, however when a new Ambassador arrives, named EzRa, who has not been genetically engineered to speak Language, yet can still manage to, everything changes. The speech of the new, Bremen-engineered, Ambassador intoxicates the Hosts and results in the entire Ariekei population becoming addicted to the Ambassador's speech regardless of what is said, to the extent that they cannot live without it.
Characters [edit]
- Avice Benner Cho — Embassytown native and Immerser, husband to Scile and lover of CalVin.
- Scile — non-native linguist and husband to Avice; believes that Language should remain as it is regardless of the consequences.
- CalVin (or CalVin) — Ambassador of high standing, lover of Avice Benner Cho.
- MagDa (or MagDa) — head Ambassador.
- EzRa (or EzRa) — new, Bremen engineered, Ambassador consisting of two non-identical people. Also known as the "God Drug".
- Bren — ex-Ambassador still living in Embassytown and advisor to Avice, one half of the "cleaved" Ambassador BrenDan.
- Ehrsul — an "autom" (from automaton), best friend of Avice.
- Wyatt — Bremen's contact on Embassytown.
- Hasser — a human "simile" used by the Ariekei as part of Language. Killer of SurlTesh-echer.
- SurlTesh-echer (or Beehive) — the most successful Ariekei liar ever. Is murdered by Hasser during the Festival of Lies.
- Spanish Dancer — an Ariekei with markings reminiscent of a Spanish dancer who is interested in the similes and a follower of SurlTesh-echer.
- YlSib (formerly SibYl) — ex-Ambassador living in the Host city; Bren's contact.
Development [edit]
The Ariekei have two speaking orifices and utter their language through both simultaneously; for them, language, thought and reality are inseparable, hence they cannot understand the speech of individual humans, tell lies or speculate.
Miéville originally had the idea for the Ariekei at aged 11, in "an early draft of what became Embassytown", written while he was in school.[2][3] They next featured in a short story he wrote eight years later, which Miéville intended to get published in Interzone magazine.[3] In attempting to portray an authentically "alien" alien race, Miéville commented that he finds it almost impossible, stating "if you are a writer who happens to be a human, I think it's definitionally beyond your ken to describe something truly inhuman, psychologically, something alien."[4]
Publication history [edit]
- 2011, UK, Pan Macmillan ISBN 978-0-2307-5076-0, pub date 28 April 2011, Hardback
- 2011, USA, Del Rey Books ISBN 978-0-3455-2449-2, pub date 17 May 2011, Hardback
- 2011, USA, Audible, pub date 27 Jun 2011, Audiobook
- 2011, USA, Subterranean Press ISBN 978-1-5960-6410-2, pub date 30 Sep 2011, Signed limited edition hardback[5]
- 2012, UK, Pan Macmillan ISBN 978-0-3305-3307-2, pub date 5 Jan 2012, Paperback
- 2012, USA, Del Rey Books ISBN 978-0-3455-2450-8, pub date 31 Jan 2012, Paperback
Reception [edit]
Ursula K. Le Guin, reviewing the book for The Guardian, wrote "Embassytown is a fully achieved work of art...works on every level, providing compulsive narrative, splendid intellectual rigour and risk, moral sophistication, fine verbal fireworks and sideshows, and even the old-fashioned satisfaction of watching a protagonist become more of a person than she gave promise of being."[6] Publishers Weekly said "Miéville's brilliant storytelling shines most when Avice works through problems and solutions that develop from the Hosts' unique and convoluted linguistic evolution, and many of the most intriguing characters are the Hosts themselves. The result is a world masterfully wrecked and rebuilt."[7] The Scotsman stated that "Embassytown features aliens that are genuinely and thrillingly alien" and suggested "a book fundamentally concerned with the role of language as an imaginative liberation. Miéville has taken the theoretical and philosophical insights of thinkers such as Jacques Derrida and Paul Ricoeur and turned them into story. It is not, however, a tract. There is a genuine emotional transaction at the novel's climax."[8]
Awards [edit]
- 2012:
- Winner of the Locus Award for Best Science Fiction Novel.[9]
- Nominated for the Kitschies for Best Novel.[10]
- Nominated for the Arthur C. Clarke Award[11][12]
- Nominated for the Nebula Award for Best Novel[13]
- Nominated for the Hugo Award for Best Novel.[14]
References [edit]
- ^ Bledsoe, Alex. "EMBASSYTOWN by China Miéville | Kirkus Book Reviews". Kirkusreviews.com. Retrieved 2012-06-26.
- ^ Jordan, Justine (2011-05-14). "A life in writing: China Miéville | Books". The Guardian. Retrieved 2012-06-28.
- ^ a b "Take Five with China Mieville, Author, Embassytown « Del Rey and Spectra". Suvudu. 2011-05-24. Retrieved 2012-06-28.
- ^ "A Brief Interview with China Mieville, Author, Embassytown « Del Rey and Spectra". Suvudu. 2011-05-25. Retrieved 2012-06-28.
- ^ Embassytown at Subterranean Press
- ^ Le Guin, Ursula K. (May 7, 2011). "Embassytown by China Miéville – review". The Guardian. Retrieved May 9, 2011.
- ^ "Fiction review". Publishers Weekly. 2011-03-21. Retrieved 2012-06-27.
- ^ Kelly, Stuart (April 26, 2011). "Embassytown by China Miéville – review". The Scotsman.
- ^ "Locus Online News » 2012 Locus Awards Winners". Locus. 2012-06-16. Retrieved 2012-07-01.
- ^ "The Kitschies: 2011 Finalists". Pornokitsch. 13 January 2012. Retrieved 13 January 2012.
- ^ Lea, Richard (March 26, 2012). "China Miéville heads Arthur C Clarke award shortlist – again". The Guardian. Retrieved March 27, 2012.
- ^ "2012 Shortlist". Arthur C. Clarke Award. Retrieved March 30, 2012.
- ^ "2011 Nebula Awards Nominees Announced". Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America. February 20, 2012. Retrieved March 30, 2012.
- ^ "2012 Hugo Awards". The Hugo Awards. Retrieved April 9, 2012.
External links [edit]
- Embassytown title listing at the Internet Speculative Fiction Database
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