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!
(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, but when the action starts, it's formidable.
(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.
(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 its development is at the heart of the novel.
(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.
"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)
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.
"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"?
JustMe
Michael Pusateri
Jules