Description:
Space opera's sharpest mind returns to the world of the Imperial Radch in this brilliant standalone from award-winning author Ann Leckie.
The Temporal Location of the Radiant Star has always been a source of both conflict and hope for the people of Ooioiaa. However, the imperial Radch see it only as an inconvenience, an antiquated religious site soon to be absorbed into their own, superior culture. But local politics is complicated, and the Radch have made a final concession: One last man will be allowed to join the mummified bodies in the temporal location to become a "living saint". But this decision will ripple out to affect every part of the city. Amidst a slowly worsening food shortage, riots, and a communication blackout from the rest of the Radch Empire, a religious savant will entertain visions of his own sainthood, a socialite will discover hir comfortable life upended, and a young man sold into servitude will find unlikely escape.Review Quotes: "Hugo and Nebula Award winner Leckie collects 18 stories for a stunning showcase of her talents. Leckie plays with tone... but in every borrowed style (and in the style that is deeply her own), the detailed worlds, intelligent plotting, and clear-eyed compassion make these stories stand out. ... Leckie's fans will treasure this."--Publishers Weekly on Lake of Souls (Starred Review)