Pustina zvaná mír – Martine Arkady (2023)

The continuation of the acclaimed space opera A Memory Called Empire from the diplomatic circles of a distant galaxy. On the borders of the powerful Teikskalán, a space fleet is struggling against mysterious aliens in ring ships that appear from nowhere. Commander Devaterá Ibiška turns to the Ministry of Information to send a negotiator from the center of the empire. Thus, the envoy of the Triple Posidonia arrives on the flagship and also asks her friend Mahit Dzmarová for help. Mahit, who returned from Teikskalán after a short time as the ambassador of Lsel, fears that the guardians of the legacy will punish her for her behavior in the City. She accepts the offer of Triple Posidonia and escapes directly to the war front. But how is she supposed to find common ground with the aliens when even communicating with her friend, for whom she has somewhat mixed feelings, is a tough nut to crack? And is it even possible to communicate with a civilization that uses a language so repulsive that merely listening to a short recording makes people feel nauseous? It seems that the cultural clash between the stationers and the Teikskalán is a mere stroll through a hydroponic garden compared to what is looming.