Maurice Broaddus's Sweep of Stars is the first in a trilogy that explores the struggles of an empire. Epic in scope and intimate in voice, it follows members of the Muungano empire – a far-reaching coalition of city-states that stretches from O.E. (original earth) to Titan – as it faces an escalating series of threats.
"The beauty in blackness is its ability to transform. Like energy we are neither created nor destroyed, though many try." - West African Proverb
The Muungano empire strived and struggled to form a utopia when they split away from old earth. Freeing themselves from the endless wars and oppression of their home planet in order to shape their own futures and create a far-reaching coalition of city-states that stretched from Earth and Mars to Titan.
With the wisdom of their ancestors, the leadership of their elders, the power and vision of their scientists and warriors …
Maurice Broaddus's Sweep of Stars is the first in a trilogy that explores the struggles of an empire. Epic in scope and intimate in voice, it follows members of the Muungano empire – a far-reaching coalition of city-states that stretches from O.E. (original earth) to Titan – as it faces an escalating series of threats.
"The beauty in blackness is its ability to transform. Like energy we are neither created nor destroyed, though many try." - West African Proverb
The Muungano empire strived and struggled to form a utopia when they split away from old earth. Freeing themselves from the endless wars and oppression of their home planet in order to shape their own futures and create a far-reaching coalition of city-states that stretched from Earth and Mars to Titan.
With the wisdom of their ancestors, the leadership of their elders, the power and vision of their scientists and warriors they charted a course to a better future. But the old powers could not allow them to thrive and have now set in motion new plots to destroy all that they've built.
In the fire to come they will face down their greatest struggle yet.
Amachi Adisa and other young leaders will contend with each other for the power to galvanize their people and chart the next course for the empire.
Fela Buhari and her elite unit will take the fight to regions not seen by human eyes, but no training will be enough to bring them all home.
Stacia Chikeke, captain of the starship Cypher, will face down enemies across the stars, and within her own vessel, as she searches for the answers that could save them all.
Good ideas but a lack of narrative consistency (constantly switching between 1st, 2nd and 3rd person, for instance) makes it hard to follow.
It's a shame because I was totally sold on the "Black Panther meets The Expanse" premise: the Muungano civilisation, built as an alternative to the predatory and capitalistic one at work on Earth, sounds absolutely amazing.
However, the setting is told, not shown, and in lore drops that often happen at the worst possible moment. A missed opportunity for me, but it didn't help that I had to read it very fast. Still think it would be better if it was 100 pages shorter.
I've really enjoyed reading Afrofuturism recently, so I thought I'd give this a go. The author handles world-building entirely through context clues and oblique references to interstellar politics. I didn't understand the purpose of the parts of the book written in the second person. This art is for someone, but it wasn't for me.
I've really enjoyed reading Afrofuturism recently, so I thought I'd give this a go. The author handles world-building entirely through context clues and oblique references to interstellar politics. I didn't understand the purpose of the parts of the book written in the second person. This art is for someone, but it wasn't for me.
