Code and Codex

In Yoon Ha Lee's thrilling space opera, the Censorate enforces a strict language regime under the rule of the formidable Peacock, Aurelia, who wields the terrifying power of panopticon to control minds. High-stakes intrigue unfolds as Valentina, Aurelia’s oath-sister tasked with erasing foreign languages, navigates a world where even the forbidden languages can threaten their empire’s authority. As Aurelia seeks to unleash the deadly Basilisk, a prisoner rendered immune to her commands, tensions rise in this battle against an oppressive regime determined to rewrite history.