I loved the many references to Black cultures, the many words taken from various African languages, as well as the African food. The culture, new as it might be, felt real and deep.

At times, I found the slow pace irritating and some exposition too on-the-nose. But, like "Babel", this novel isn't particularly for me, a white person - something I have to remind myself of.

Go read this great afrofuturist novel and the sequels!

#SweepOfStars #Books2023

(4/n, n=4)

It doesn't let them by a variety of means, which makes work for the large and diverse cast of characters: they're investigating the wormhole, possible Aliens, the bombing of an embassy, the sickness of a child, and the death of a community leader, all of which seem to be somewhat connected.

"Sweep of Stars" starts slow, easing its way into the culture, its archievements as well as its potential points of failure, bit when the action starts, it's formidable.

#SweepOfStars #Books2023

(3/n)

We're in Muungano, a community built by African people and people of African descent, based on traditional African* religions and arts, but also steeped in American and other Black cultures. Fiber arts, poetry and music are highly valued; as is "togetherness", community, and finding the uniquely Muungano way of doing things. Of course, Earth doesn't quite let them.

*Africa isn't a country, but here, influences from different countries come together.

#SweepOfStars #Books2023

(2/n)

So, @MauriceBroaddus' "Sweep of Stars", the first volume in a trilogy of Space Opera.

It builds a world somewhat similar that the one of #TheExpanse - an impoverished Earth, inhabited Moon, Mars, and Titan, mining in the Asteroid Belt and an alien-made portal object (in this case, a wormhole) on the solar system's edge.

The culture inhabiting Moon, parts of Mars and Titan, however, is /very/ different and it's development is at the heart of the novel.

#SweepOfStars #Books2023

(1/n)

"Power wasn’t about hurting others. Power was about being a shield, to protect others from harm."

That's a really interesting and,well, powerful thought.

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"O, sweep of stars over Harlem streets,
O, little breath of oblivion that is night.
A city building
To a mother’s song.
A city dreaming
To a lullaby.
Reach up your hand, dark boy, and take a star.
Out of the little breath of oblivion
That is night,
Take just
One star."

Langston Hughes, Stars (1921)

#Poetry

#SweepOfStars #Books2023

A comparison of the Belters in #TheExpanse ans the Nguni in "A Sweep of Stars" would be /very/ interesting. Two very different takes on a community with similar tasks.

One based on exploitation and company towns, with simple things a luxury; the other self-owned, proud of their heritage, lavish in decorations and food.

#SweepOfStars #Books2023

"On O.E., they prefer to label and drug their people. On Muungano, we treat only the aspects of behaviors that keep people from functioning in the community, making sure they harm neither others nor themselves. After that, we embrace their gifts as just a different way of seeing. Different realities. Different ways to come at truth. We need all the different eyes we can get to see a problem."

Sounds lovely enough in an IDIC way, but who decides what's "functioning"?

#SweepOfStars #Books2023

I think apart from #TheSpareMan , all #SF I've read this year has programmable matter and nanobots. In a very similar way. Huh.

#SweepOfStars #Books2023

Interesting take on that Arthur C. Clarke quote: "They want to believe that magic is simply science too advanced for them. What they don’t want to hear is that science is diluted magic."

Let's see what comes out of this.

(I'm... skeptical of such claims. I believe in science and the enlightenment so hard, it's pathetic.)

#SweepOfStars #Books2023

Character asks habitat AI:

"Maya," Jaha turned to a wall, "can you display all the fucks I have to give?" <You have zero fucks to give.>

Yeah, you'd do to that, wouldn't you.

#SweepOfStars #Books2023

Literal warrior-poets! And warrior-librarians! 💙

No fighting with their pre-military skills (yet) though.

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"She always felt uneasy about the whole idea of forced chain of command. The notion that she could say something and those under her would snap to obedience." YES, that's scary. The responsibility, but also the trust involved. Leading is scary.

#SweepOfStars #Books2023

This is a weird reading coincidence this year so far, but... ANOTHER couple with a child where the father is the primary caregiver, and the mother's dedication to her work puts a strain on the relationship?

One could start feeling paranoid there.

(Although my partner isn't the primary caregiver,we're pretty much 50:50 there)

#SweepOfStars #Books2023

Weird thought, but that's how my brain works: "A Sweep of Stars" sounds like the titles from "A Song of Ice and Fire". You know, "A Game of Thrones", "A Storm of Swords".

So, winter is coming, how about escaping Westeros to space? Wildfire's got to be good for something! What might /these/ cultures be like?

#SweepOfStars #Books2023

Also maybe "starting to move into space after Earth becomes less inhabitable" may be somewhat of a trend and theme. There's "The Expanse", @maryrobinette's "Lady Astronaut" series, "Seveneves", even "Machinehood" and "Level Five" have it to a degree.

#SweepOfStars #Books2023

There are interesting comparisons to both #TheExpanse and Ian McDonald's #Luna series here: sublight travel in the solar system, people living on the Moon, on Mars and in the Belt, impoverished Earth. "Luna" also has cultures derived from African ones, though "The Expanse" doesn't.

#SweepOfStars #Books2023

I wonder if the culture of "Young people benefited from being constantly tested", as a character puts it, has something to do with the constant awareness and vigilance necessary to live in hostile environments like space. Belter culture in "The Expanse" is a bit similar...

#SweepOfStars #Books2023

@YorkshireCarly I would suggest 'Sweep of Stars' by Maurice Broaddus or 'Binti' by Nnedi Okorafor
#binti #nnediokorafor #sweepofstars #mauricebroaddus #scifi #scifibooks #blackauthors