Wednesday, June 1, 2022

SciFi/Fantasy Book Review: Sweep of Stars by Maurice Broaddus

 





Sweep of Stars is the first in a new afrofuturist space opera trilogy by Maurice Broaddus.  The trilogy features a wide range of characters and envisions a solar system a bit over a hundred years in the future in which a nation-state known as Muungano has formed, spanning between the moon, space colonies, Mars, and elsewhere in the Solar System, that is based upon African culture, communal principles ahead of individual ones, and post-colonialism.  But the story is not an example of "hopepunk" (ala Becky Chambers' Wayfarer) as the old Capitalist and Fascist form of country controls Old Earth (the "O.E.") and remains interested in expanding its reach to the peoples of Muungano, and enemies from beyond the solar system - whether they be Aliens peaking through a mysterious wormhold gate or something else - are present and a threat.  

The story in essence reminds me of the Expanse, except if the Expanse was a lot more interested in dealing with Racial and anti-Capitalist and Socialistic and Cultural themes, rather than just using such themes as backdrop, and it works really really well.  The conflicts of ideas between the characters - even those on the same side as supporters of Muungano - is very well explored, and the mysterious conspiracies and conflicts they face are really fascinating.  Really my only negative comment on this one is that it is in no way stand-alone, and that its scope is kind of too large for the book's size, which isn't that long - as such some characters don't get as much development as I'd like, nor some concepts, but a lot of this could be remedied with later books in the trilogy.  This is some really good stuff, and if you're looking for space opera that isn't just the same old, I would highly recommend this.  


-------------------------------------------------Plot Summary----------------------------------------------------
The Sovereign Territory of Muungano was born from the efforts of the Asili (Natives of Africa/Alkebulan) and Ugenini (African Diaspora peoples) who first founded a colony in the space of the solar system.  By 2015, the colony grew to encompass the space spanning from the Moon to a part of Mars to the Asteroid Belt to all the way out to Titan.  In contrast to Old Earth (known now as O.E.), Muungano was built upon old traditions which place the importance of the community over that of the self, even as it allows each individual to find their own place in their own society.  71 years after its founding, in 2121, Muungano is prosperous and its people well led, even as they are on the forefront of science, art and technology, with their technology being used to lead research on the mysterious wormhole known as the Orun Gate which was found within its territory.

But forces from outside - such as O.E. - and inside Muungano are not at all content with this situation and are making moves.  And so as an adopted member of one of the most prominent Muungano families choose she new name and starts her destiny, she and others - the captain of a famous research starship, a young militant leader of another ruling family, the music loving uncertain presumed heir to leadership, and more - find themselves facing exploding attacks both on their people's land, technology, and culture.  And with old leadership lost in the strike, it will be up to them to figure out who is responsible and how they can react without turning into the very kind of colonialist empire they have tried desperately to get away from.  

Meanwhile, through the wormhole, a special forces group of Muungano explores a strange new planet, where they find locals fighting against seemingly alien invaders....invaders who have their eyes set on the Muungano and its people....
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Sweep of Stars is told in the vein of epic space opera - with the story jumping each chapter to the viewpoints and experiences of a different character, of which there are many.  It's a sci-fi world with technology often well beyond ours - AIs, Spaceship that function upon the power of musical harmony, cyborgs, etc. - that also contain a hint of magic.  Yet very much this universe is based upon our own history and culture with the main characters striving for an African based culture and post/anti-colonial system and future, with the antagonistic other nation state being very much based upon teh trajectory of our own current Western states.  

This is not a book that often takes the time to explain concepts reference before they're used, but the familiar background and strong character voices make this still work  - forming a very strong fusion of idea and character based science fiction.  

These characters are varied in interests, beliefs, and capabilities, and one misstep aside*, they always bring fresh views and ideas and actions to the story.  So in Amachi (whose chapters are inexplicably told in second person voice), we have a woman who was lost in a useless struggle agains the colonial status quo before she was adopted and given a purpose by the leading Muungano family...and who finds herself adrift and desperate for answers when her father figure is taken from her and the woman she loved running away.  In Stacia, we have that particular woman, captain of a research spaceship who is unhappy with her husband she chose over Amachi and yet desperately protective of her son and torn between duty, family and the Muungano ideals she cherishes.  In Wachiru, you have the expected heir to the government's leadership, who prefers however music (hip-hop/rap) over trying to lead and who favors conciliation and small moves over big aggressive ones; while by contrast in Maulana you have a young leader who wants greater power because he sees the colonial world's actions and believes the only way to respond is by force, even if that makes them seem like their oppressors because otherwise their ideas won't 'survive.  And then there's Fela, the leader of a special op military force who is an outsider in her own team and tries to lead them effectively, all the while tempering them so a potential first contact doesn't result in them being the same as the colonial powers who once reached their ancestral lands and took over.  I'm missing a few characters here, but you get the point at how wide their ideas and identities allow this plot to tackle some really interesting themes.  

*One POV Character is a bit of a miss, as he serves little purpose other than to show how teens and kids being educated fit in, but things happen to him quickly enough he feels like wasted space.*

These characters may not get individually developed as much as I'd like, but they work all well enough to illustrate a plot that moves all over the solar system and beyond and becomes thrilling in its own right - as Colonial/fascist forces act both openly and in conspiracy to take over Muungano interests - and just as interestingly the Muungano characters attempt to create their own individual paths, often derived from their old cultures, without making the same mistakes in the past.  And then you have people within Muungano who feel like outsiders - whether they didn't grow up there, whether they might not be African in race, or for other reasons - who struggle in various ways in a society that is supposed to be more inclusive than the alternative but yet still reflects the cultures of specific groups.  And of course you have the potential first contact/mil-sci chapters as well, where the questions of meeting people with peace or violence or some combination is dealt with.  

It's a really strong plot filled with ideas and characters developed just well enough to keep my interest throughout and well - this is the Afrofuturist take on space opera which is pretty much what I was hoping for - picture an Afrofuturist take on The Expanse.  Really the only thing I wasn't happy about was that this is not stand alone, and it ends on a bunch of cliffhangers (Unlike the Expanse), but everything here is well worth it.  

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