Author | Ada Palmer |
---|---|
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Genre | Science fiction, speculative fiction |
Publisher | Tor Books |
Publication date | 2017 |
Pages | 400 |
ISBN | 978-0765378026 |
Seven Surrenders is the second novel in a science fiction quartet called Terra Ignota, written by the American author Ada Palmer. It was published on November 28, 2017. It was a finalist for the 2018 Locus Award for Best Science Fiction Novel. It is preceded by Too Like the Lightning (2016) and followed by The Will to Battle (2017) and Perhaps the Stars (2021).
The Earth of the Terra Ignota quartet has seen several centuries of near-total peace and prosperity. Set in the year 2454, Seven Surrenders is the second half of a fictional memoir written by self-confessed unreliable narrator Mycroft Canner, a brilliant, infamous, and paroled criminal who often serves the world's most powerful leaders. He has been commissioned by several other characters to write the "history" that the series is presented as.
Seven Surrenders describes the final three days of Mycroft's history of the "seven days of transformation", March 27–29, 2454. What began as an oddly obvious minor crime turns out to be a revenge plot thirty years in the making, which threatens to unravel the global system of government. The centuries-long golden era has been propped up by sanctioned assassinations, the death of a few for the good of the many. But as the Hives begin to fall, everyone will have to choose a side in the impending global war.
Advanced technology has led to the advent of a near-utopian golden age. However, there are still tensions among political groups, such as distribution of land, citizens, and income. Rather than geographic nations, people can voluntarily join Hives based on values or remain Hiveless, choosing only a minimum set of laws to adhere to. There are seven Hives: the Humanists who value achievement; Cousins, philanthropy; Masons, logic; Gordians, intelligence; Europe, national identity; Mitsubishi, land and business; and Utopians, the future. There are three groups of Hiveless who each adhere to the White, Gray, and Black laws. Each Hive has its own capitol, form of government, and favored language. All are allotted representatives in the Universal Free Alliance Senate.
By default, almost all characters use gender-neutral language, with "they/them" the predominant pronoun used. Mycroft, the primary narrator, finds his world's obsession with gender-neutrality oppressive, so often uses gendered pronouns to refer to other characters, assigning genders based on the characters' personalities and roles, as they relate to traditional Western gender roles. For instance, Chagatai is referred to using "she/her" pronouns because of their fierce, lioness-like strength when protecting their nephew from attack. The author has explained that Mycroft frequently "misuses" gendered pronouns, just as people in real life often make mistakes when using gender-neutral pronouns. [1] Also, in its chapter at the start of Seven Surrenders, Sniper advises the reader to not "trust the gendered pronouns Mycroft gives people, they all come from Madame". [2] : 23 Mycroft sometimes varies the gendered pronouns he gives characters. For instance, Carlyle is mostly referred to using she/her pronouns starting with Seven Surrenders, whereas in the first book Carlyle is referred to with he/him pronouns.
Seven Surrenders describes the final three days of Mycroft's history of the "seven days of transformation", March 27–29, 2454.
Sniper awakens paralyzed inside a lifedoll box as a gift from Dominic Seneschal to Julia Doria-Pamphilli.
Ockham meets with Ganymede, Andō, and European Prime Minister Casimir Perry, to discuss what steps should be taken in the face of recent events. They propose using O.S., the nickname for the Saneer-Weeksbooth's secret system of strategic assassinations which has maintained world peace for almost three centuries.
Carlyle finds herself lured into a meeting with Dominic, her newly reassigned sensayer. The session is interrupted by the arrival of the Utopian Voltaire Seldon, who had tracked the Canner Device to Dominic's room. After breaking her down thoroughly, Dominic convinces Carlyle to work with her to harness Bridger's power for J.E.D.D. Mason. Desperate to preserve Bridger, Mycroft tries to get through to Carlyle, but she switches off her tracker before he can finish.
A flashback to thirteen years ago depicts the scene at Madame's when the world leaders decided Mycroft's sentence after his murder spree.
Mycroft finds Saladin in custody at Madame's. Cornel MASON demands an explanation about Apollo Mojave's coat and the immense number of lethal weapons stored within it. Mycroft reveals that the Mardi bash' had been preparing for global war.
After Sniper's kidnappers return it, the Saneer-Weeksbooth bash' holds a meeting of O.S. to decide whether or not to obey President Ganymede's potential hit order. Carlyle is discovered hiding and listening in. Thisbe drags her away and coerces Carlyle to confess her role as Conclave Head Julia Doria-Pamphili's pawn. Bridger sneaks into Madame's but Mycroft declines to be rescued.
At the Utopian Transit Network with Guildbreaker and Papadelias, a Cartesian set-set unintentionally reveals the breadth and depth of O.S.'s impact. Since the Saneer-Weeksbooth transit system began using Cartesian set-sets 244 years ago, they have caused 2,204 deaths and also saved the world dozens of times. Papa convinces Carlyle to share her recording of the bash's recent meeting. Weighing the consequences, J.E.D.D. Mason, Guildbreaker, Papa, and the Utopians agree to set a trap around O.S.'s next target.
Sniper visits Faust at Brill's Institute. They debate about current events and faction tensions, before finding Tully Mojave giving another soapbox speech. With millions of fans watching, Sniper joins in and supports Tully.
Julia Doria-Pamphili calls the Mitsubishi set-sets to negotiate the situation they've caused at the CFB. Carlyle is eavesdropping and confronts Julia. Papadelias arrests the Conclave Head, but not before she reveals who Carlyle's biological mother is.
The world leaders, including newly inducted Casimir Perry, assemble at Madame's. All the secrets they've been keeping from each other, including O.S., are revealed. Carlyle sneaks in and confronts Danaë. Casimir Perry reveals himself to be Merion Kraye, a disgraced European politician who assaulted Danaë and fathered Carlyle. After faking his own death and clawing his way back into power with a new identity, Perry-Kraye stole the Seven-Ten list in order to expose O.S. and destroy Andō and Ganymede. He also reveals that the Mitsubishi set-sets were originally developed to interface with the Canner Device as an alternative assassination system, before they were scattered by the Cousins and reunited by Andō and Danaë.
Perry-Kraye drags Ganymede out a window, but Sniper catches them. Perry-Kraye had lured Sniper there and ordered O.S. to assassinate the next target, falling into Papa's trap. As the world leaders and Mycroft are caught together on Sniper's ever-present cameras, the scandal of Madame's is revealed to the world.
A car crash victim's bash' destroys the backup transit system. Ockham, now Prospero, passes the leadership of O.S. to Sniper.
Martin Guildbreaker and Papadelias arrive to arrest the Saneer-Weeksbooths, but Sniper, Lesley, Sydney, and one of the Typers have fled. Thisbe and Croucher tell Papa about Bridger. He sees the similarities and realizes that Saladin is alive.
Carlyle goes to J.E.D.D. Mason's house and they discuss the latter's guest-godhood. Cornel MASON and Mycroft discuss Apollo's secrets at their tomb. An ambush by Papadelias separates Bridger from the Major.
With Sniper's help, Tully Mojave orates from the Rostra in Romanova. J.E.D.D. Mason interrupts and begins to give a report to the world. He is assassinated by Sniper, who declares that J.E.D.D. Mason posed a threat to the Hive system. Sniper escapes. Bridger appears and resurrects J.E.D.D. Mason before disappearing again.
Mycroft presents seven scenes, of the titular seven surrenders:
In the hospital, Papa updates Mycroft on the coups and informs him he is the new Anonymous. Julia Doria-Pamphilli was nearly killed. Sniper turned out to be one of Bridger's animated dolls. Dominic Seneschal is hospitalized after chasing and killing it. Cornel MASON and Madame discuss her motivations and end their relationship. J.E.D.D. Mason, having realized that death does not destroy each person's potential universe, declares that he will accept the powers given to him, orders Mycroft to kill Sniper, and decides to publish the truth about all that has occurred so everyone can make informed choices about which side of the war to join.
Mycroft finds a distraught Bridger hiding in the Sniper Doll Museum. Bridger puts on the uniform of a World War II soldier and transforms himself into the Major, who is revealed to be the legendary hero Achilles. Mycroft and Achilles mourn the loss of Bridger, then begin to plan for the war to come.
For a full list of the quartet's characters, see the main article for Terra Ignota.
People who, either by choice or by youth, are not part of any Hive.
A Humanist bash' which invented the global flying car system and has run it for almost 400 years. Their home and headquarters is in the "Spectacle City" of Cielo de Pájaros, Chile. The current members' parents and predecessors all recently died in a white-water rafting accident.
A bash' of virtuosos obsessed with war, each brilliant in their respective fields. Neighbors of Mycroft's foster bash' and the victims of his murder spree. All but one are deceased at the beginning of the narrative, but are often mentioned.
Liz Bourke of Tor.com wrote that it is "playfully baroque, vividly characterised, and possessed of a lively sense of humour," though she criticized its density. [3] Kirkus Reviews described it as, "Rich food for thought; perhaps not entirely digestible." [4] Publishers Weekly likewise praised it as "many-layered and engrossing," but convoluted. [5]
Seven Surrenders was a finalist for the 2018 Locus Award for Best Science Fiction Novel.
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Terra Ignota is a quartet of science fiction and philosophical novels by the American author Ada Palmer. The series consists of Too Like the Lightning (2016), Seven Surrenders (2017), The Will to Battle (2017), and Perhaps the Stars (2021). After three centuries of a global near-utopia, a minor crime and a miracle child begin to unravel the social system and lead the world to technologically-advanced total war. The first three books cover the events leading up to the war and the final book covers the war itself. The novels have won several awards, including a 2017 Compton Crook Award. The first novel was a finalist for the 2017 Hugo Award for Best Novel, and the series as a whole was a finalist for the 2022 Hugo Award for Best Series.
Too Like the Lightning is the first novel in a science fiction quartet called Terra Ignota, written by the American author Ada Palmer. It was published on May 10, 2016. Its sequels are Seven Surrenders (2017), The Will to Battle (2017), and Perhaps the Stars (2021). The novel won the 2017 Compton Crook Award. It was a finalist for the 2017 Hugo Award for Best Novel and the James Tiptree Jr Memorial Award.
The Will to Battle is the third novel in a science fiction quartet called Terra Ignota, written by the American author Ada Palmer. It was published on December 19, 2017. It was a finalist for the 2018 Locus Award for Best Science Fiction Novel. It is preceded by Too Like the Lightning (2016) and Seven Surrenders (2017). It is followed by Perhaps the Stars (2021).