Meru

Divya’s (Machinehood) latest is a wholly inventive space opera full of intriguing characters, unexpected twists, and broken promises. Humans have been restricted to Earth for the past 500 years while alloys, descendants of humans, have the freedom to explore all the galaxy has to offer. When a planet like Earth is discovered, Jayanthi, a human adopted daughter of alloys, jumps at the opportunity to prove that humans can take care of a planet. Her alloy pilot, Vaha, sees this as an opportunity for personal success. The two form a bond as they hurtle across space in a journey that has the potential to forever alter alloy-human relations. Can the two succeed against impossible odds? Hugo- and Nebula-nominated Divya offers an ambitious and richly described first installment in her new “Alloy Era” series. Deepa Samuel narrates, giving a robotic, unemotional narration of alloys, which captures their inability to comprehend human emotions; alternately, she gives inflection and emotion to Jayanthi, enhancing her tenderness and grit.