“Countess” by Suzan Palumbo
A queer, Caribbean, anti-colonial sci-fi novella in which a betrayed captain seeks revenge on the interplanetary empire that subjugated her people for generations.
Virika Sameroo lives in colonized space under the Æcerbot Empire, much like her ancestors before her in the British West Indies. After years of working hard to rise through the ranks of the empire’s merchant marine, she’s finally become first lieutenant on an interstellar cargo vessel.
When her captain dies under suspicious circumstances, Virika is arrested for murder and charged with treason despite her lifelong loyalty to the empire. Her conviction and subsequent imprisonment set her on a path of revenge, determined to take down the evil empire that wronged her, all while the fate of her people hangs in the balance.
Review
I enjoyed this a lot. It does have a slow start that is a little frustrating but it’s worth it once the story picks up speed. Despite being rather short there is a lot going on in the story and with a lot of details and world building. The characters are great too and I really liked how the story flowed and progressed to the ending. The ending makes sense for the larger concepts within the books. The fight for freedom is always an ongoing struggle no matter what happens.
Warnings and additional reviews are available on the StoryGraph page for “Countess”
Book Details
- Author’s Website
- Suzan Palumbo
- Publisher / Date
- ECW Press, September 2024
- Genre
- Science Fiction
- Page Count
- 163
- Completion Date
- December 7, 2024