EmbassytownEmbassytown
Score Modern
What it's about
On the distant planet Arieka, humans live in Embassytown alongside the Ariekei, aliens who speak with two mouths at once and cannot lie. Only specially bred human twins, the Ambassadors, can speak with them. Avice, a space traveler who grew up there, returns home just as a new Ambassador arrives whose voice affects the Ariekei like a drug, and the whole society begins to collapse.
Why it's worth reading
It was a finalist for the Hugo and the Nebula. It's one of the most original first-contact novels ever written, about language itself.
You'll love it if you liked
The City & the City
The Left Hand of Darkness
Perdido Street StationGood to know
The first chapters are confusing, with invented terms and jumps in time. Stick with it.
By the numbers
- Readers25 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics43 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller37 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz1 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #205 of the 313 science fiction books we rank
- #1111 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #2052 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Thought-provoking, Dark, Adventurous
More by China Miéville
The ScarThe City & the CityPerdido Street Station
Iron CouncilIf you like this, read next
Point Counter Point
Barrayar
Infinite Jest
The Road
Anathem
Cloud AtlasExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is Embassytown worth reading?
Yes. It was a finalist for the Hugo and the Nebula. It ranks #2,052 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 63.3 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Embassytown about?
On the distant planet Arieka, humans live in Embassytown alongside the Ariekei, aliens who speak with two mouths at once and cannot lie. Only specially bred human twins, the Ambassadors, can speak with them. Avice, a space traveler who grew up there, returns home just as a new Ambassador arrives whose voice affects the Ariekei like a drug, and the whole society begins to collapse.
How long does it take to read Embassytown?
About 10 hours (405 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Embassytown?
If you liked it, try The City & the City by China Miéville, The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin or Perdido Street Station by China Miéville.