About the Book:
Xích Si: bot maker, data analyst, mother, scavenger. But those days are over now-her ship has just been captured by the Red Banner pirate fleet, famous for their double-dealing and cruelty. Xích Si expects to be tortured to death-only for the pirates' enigmatic leader, Rice Fish, to arrive with a different and shocking proposition: an arranged marriage between Xích Si and herself.
Rice Fish: sentient ship, leader of the infamous Red Banner pirate fleet, wife of the Red Scholar. Or at least, she was the latter before her wife died under suspicious circumstances. Now isolated and alone, Rice Fish wants Xích Si's help to find out who struck against them and why. Marrying Xích Si means Rice Fish can offer Xích Si protection, in exchange for Xích Si's technical fluency: a business arrangement with nothing more to it.
But as the investigation goes on, Rice Fish and Xích Si find themselves falling for each other. As the interstellar war against piracy intensifies and the five fleets start fighting each other, they will have to make a stand-and to decide what kind of future they have together...
My thoughts:
I love a great scifi and I love Aliette de Bodard's work. Sentient Spaceship love! Spaceships who have lives and artificial forms to interact with the humans who work and live on board them. And a pirate sentient spaceship? Fabulous. A pirate spaceship that needs a new wife? There are so many layers to this story. Xich Si is a scavenger who is captured by pirates. Rather than the death she expects she is offered a different choice. To marry for protection. Rice Fish is the leader of the Red Banner pirate fleet. She can protect Xich Si in exchange for her technical skills. But the life of a pirate is one of constant danger. There is betrayal and love and more betrayal in this story. The pirate banners are working at cross purposes and the government is after them. Betrayal will come from an unexcepted source. A romance will rise and fall. Battles abound and potential death lies around every corner. Xich Si has a child she must save. Rice Fish's child is full of anger. When the attack begins decisions must be made or all is lost. Another fabulous scifi story from a wonderful author. Loved it.
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