Summary
Due to the tripart agreement between the Colonial Union, Earth, and the alien Conclave, there has been peace in the galaxy for ten years now. However, some issues are simmering below the diplomatic surface. Gretchen Trjillo, Head of Analysis for the Colonial Union State Department for the Obin — a one person job — along with her Obin assistent and friend Ran are sent on a secret mission to investigate the disappearance of the off-the-record colony Unity, located inside an asteroid formerly occupied by the Obin. This experimental colony includes various species to test if they can coexist peacefully. Many of the human settlers are former Roanoke colonists, among them Dr. Magdy Metwalli, Gretchen's ex-boyfriend. Shortly before the asteroid disappeared, the Consu — the most technologically advanced aliens in known space, who typically ignore other species but have recently shown renewed interest in the Obin — were spotted in that solar system. Thousands of years ago, the Consu artificially uplifted the Obin from primitive beings to intelligent ones, intentionally leaving them without individual self-awareness. It was the humans who later granted the Obin an artificial consciousness. Gretchen's team includes representatives from all the other major factions in space.
When the expedition arrives at the site of the asteroid, there is no evidence of where it might have gone. What they find is a prism containing a single Consu. The Consu rarely condescend to speak to other races, but this one, named Kitty by Gretchen, does speak to her and agrees to tell her what happened to the colony, if she completes a special task. The Consu are on the verge of a civil war, with one faction determined to destroy the colony and Earth in their quest to "perfect" humanity. Kitty has created a groundbreaking form of spaceflight physics, which could make the Consu even more powerful and a greater threat to humans and the Conclave. Now, Gretchen must outsmart the Consu to save not just the colony, but also protect all aliens from their interference. According to Consu belief, species can only achieve perfection through violent conflict. As a result, they believe that the existing peace among the different alien races hinders the advancement of their souls. They embrace this philosophy by deliberately disadvantaging themselves in battles with other species to create a fairer fight, while also engaging in ritualistic yet fierce conflicts within their own factions.
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Reception
Publishers Weekly wrote in a pre-publication review of The Shattering Peace that while the novel was light on politics, Scalzi leaned into many other series staples, and that the book would be a treat for diehard fans. [5] Marlene Harris predicted on Library Journal that "fans, who have been waiting for this book for a decade, won’t be disappointed by the latest installment" and noted that it is "highly recommended for readers who love broad sweeping space operas and science fiction with a high quotient of dry humor and witty sarcasm". [6] Kirkus Reviews called it a "classic Scalzi space opera at its wisecracking, politically pointed, and, somehow, fiercely optimistic finest". [7]
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