Binti
The Binti trilogy, Book 1
Nnedi Okorafor
Tor
Fiction, Sci-Fi
****+ (Good/Great)
DESCRIPTION: On a future Earth, sixteen-year-old Binti defies her family and her Himba tribe's traditions when she leaves home for Oomza University, on another planet. Her mathematical gifts and abilities as a harmonizer have earned her a rare scholarship from the interplanetary school, a chance to become much more than Earth or her family's astrolabe business can offer, and she knows she cannot turn her back on this opportunity even with what it will cost her. But the journey to Oomza is interrupted by the Meduse, jellyfishlike aliens known for wanton slaughter - and Binti alone may stand between them and the annihilation of the university.
REVIEW: I've heard nothing but good things about this trilogy and this author, so I figured I should give it a try. Happily, it lives up to the hype, with a strong, intriguing heroine in a far-future world where advanced science borders on being indistinguishable from magic (if I may paraphrase Arthur C. Clarke.) Binti's tribal origins and mathematical gifts mark her as unique even among humans, yet they ultimately empower her, giving her an original perspective that becomes key to the plot. The novella reads fast - I cleared it in under two hours, not counting interruptions - and wraps up enough to feel mostly complete on its own. I expect I'll grab the next book sooner rather than later.
You Might Also Enjoy:
The Leopard's Daughter (Lee Killough) - My Review
Old Man's War (John Scalzi) - My Review
Otherland: City of Golden Shadow (Tad Williams) - My Review
No comments:
Post a Comment