The Best of All Possible Worlds: A Novel

About this book

NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY BUZZFEED Karen Lords debut novel the multiple-award-winning Redemption in Indigo announced the appearance of a major new talenta strong brilliantly innovative voice fusing Caribbean storytelling traditions and speculative fiction with subversive wit and incisive intellect. Compared by critics to such heavyweights as Nalo Hopkinson China Miville and Ursula K. Le Guin Lord does indeed belong in such select companyyet like them she boldly blazes her own trail. Now Lord returns with a second novel that exceeds the promise of her first. The Best of All Possible Worlds is a stunning science fiction epic that is also a beautifully wrought deeply moving love story. A proud and reserved alien society finds its homeland destroyed in an unprovoked act of aggression and the survivors have no choice but to reach out to the indigenous humanoids of their adopted world to whom they are distantly related. They wish to preserve their cherished way of life but come to discover that in order to preserve their culture they may have to change it forever. Now a man and a woman from these two clashing societies must work together to save this vanishing raceand end up uncovering ancient mysteries with far-reaching ramifications. As their mission hangs in the balance this unlikely teamone cool and cerebral the other fiery and impulsivejust may find in each other their own destinies . . . and a force that transcends all. Praise for The Best of All Possible Worlds An engrossing picaresque quest a love story and a moving character study . . . Karen Lord is on a par with Ursula K. Le Guin.The Guardian A fascinating and thoughtful science fiction novel that examines adaptation social change and human relationships. Ive not read anything quite like it which makes it that rare beast: a true original.Kate Elliott author of the Crown of Stars series and The Spiritwalker Trilogy Reads like smooth jazz comfort food deceptively familiar and easy going down but subtly subversive . . . puts me in mind of Junot Dazs brilliant novel The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao.Nalo Hopkinson Los Angeles Review of Books If you want to see science fiction doing something new and fascinating . . . then you shouldnt sleep on The Best of All Possible Worlds.io9 Rewarding science fiction for emotional grown-ups.Mysterious Galaxy A marvelously formed universe.The A.V. Club A rewarding touching and often funny exploration of the forms and functions of human culture.SFX The Best of All Possible Worlds . . . poses an interesting question: What parts of you do you fight to preserve when everything you know suddenly changes?Associated Press