Science Fiction· United States
A Desolation Called Peace
by Arkady MartineAggregate Editorial Score69/100
★Hugo Award
Published 2022496 pagesEnglish
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A Desolation Called Peace by Arkady Martine is a landmark work of science fiction, first published in 2022. Three-Seagrass and Mahit Dzmare investigate alien contact—a first-contact situation with an incomprehensible species—in the sequel to A Memory Called Empire. Martine's second Hugo Award winner deepens the universe and its meditation on empire and communication. Themes of first contact, empire, communication run through the work. The book has received recognition from Hugo Award 2022.
Book Details
About the Category
🚀 Science Fiction
Speculative fiction exploring technology, space, the future, and society.
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🇺🇸 United States
This book is part of United States's rich literary tradition.
Explore books from United States →Editorial Assessment
Arkady Martine published A Desolation Called Peace in 2022, and it has since become one of the more widely recognised works of science fiction from United States. The book's treatment of first contact, empire, communication, alien species accounts for much of its enduring reputation.
Critics and institutions have consistently placed A Desolation Called Peace among the notable works of its period. Among its recognitions: Hugo Award 2022. Our aggregate score of 69/100 is compiled from 1 editorial sources that range from Nobel and Booker committees to leading literary journals.
What distinguishes A Desolation Called Peace is how it handles its central concerns — first contact, empire, communication, alien species — without reducing them to neat conclusions. The book invites close reading and holds up well to it.
Arkady Martine's role in the literature of United States is well established. A Desolation Called Peace can be read as both a standalone achievement and as part of a broader national literary conversation about identity, history, and the possibilities of narrative form.
About this assessment: Editorial scores are aggregated from 1 independent sources including major literary prizes, critical surveys, and leading publications. Our editorial team reviews and contextualises this data. Rankings reflect critical consensus, not personal opinion or popularity metrics. Learn about our methodology.
Awards & Recognition
Hugo Award
winner · genre
202267
Arkady Martine is a celebrated author from United States known for influential works of science fiction.
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