Drunk on All Your Strange New Words

March 7, 2022
Robson (Hearts of Oak) spins a murder mystery into a memorable exploration of the power of language and technology in a post first-contact world. Human Lydia serves as the translator for Fitz, the Logi cultural attaché to Earth. While Lydia’s not the best translator at her agency, she and Fitz work well together. Communicating in the telepathic Logisi language leaves humans effectively drunk, a side effect Fitz is sympathetic to, even standing up for Lydia after a few public debacles. Then Fitz turns up murdered in the home the two share, leaving Lydia a suspect. To clear her name, she plunges into an ever-thickening web of intrigue around Logisi language and technology—and humanity’s extraterrestrial xenophobia. Robson mines the situation for both tension and humor, and Lydia owns her story, coming across as a brash, compassionate, and incredibly persistent heroine readers will root for. Robson has a subtle touch with the futuristic technology, steering clear of excessive exposition to focus instead on how the presence of the Logi effects life on Earth. Readers looking for thoughtful, fast-paced sci-fi should check this out.

December 1, 2022

Listeners' enjoyment of Robson's (Hearts of Oak) latest will depend on their patience for the protagonist's initial dullness and slightly snarky musings on society. A certain draggy feeling is to be expected, as Lydia is isolated, overworked, lacking in self-esteem, and her job duties translating the telepathic Logi language makes her (and all other humans) feel constantly drunk. When her boss, the Logi cultural attach�, is found murdered in their secure facility, however, the action begins to heat up. Listeners may be reminded of Emma Newman's After Atlas, with its focus on mental health and an oppressive future society. There is also a dash of Arkady Martine's A Memory Called Empire, as the ensuing murder investigation is complicated by aliens, diplomacy, and language. Delivered with a pleasant British accent, Amy Scanlon's narration strikes the right note, conveying Lydia's drunkenness with startling acuity. The increasing pace and complexity of the plot allow Scanlon to show off more voices and emotion, and the story becomes satisfyingly engrossing. The conclusion will please listeners who make it to the end and make them hope for more stories of the alien Logi. VERDICT Recommend to Robson's fans and anyone who delights in bizarre but thoughtful sci-fi.--Matthew Galloway

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