‘An engrossing picaresque quest, a love story, and a moving character study of two very different people coming to understand themselves . . . Lord is on a par with Ursula K Le Guin’ — Guardian’Equal parts tragedy and romance, psychic fantasy and soulful SF . . . The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms meets a disarmingly charming 2312′ -Tor.com This is a story of hope. Grace Delarua, a civil servant with the government of Cygnus Beta, remembers when the Sadiri arrived on their planet, a galactic hinterland for pioneers and refugees. This is a story of survival. Dllenahkh, leader of the small group of Sadiri settlers on Cygnus Beta, remembers the cool strong blues and gentle sunlight of his home world. He also remembers the moment he was told his planet was destroyed. This is a story of love. Now they must work together to rebuild his decimated population by searching for the last surviving members of his race. This is a story about finding the best of all possible worlds.’Refined, meditative and life-affirming . . . [It] confirms Lord as the natural heiress to Octavia Butler and Ursula Le Guin’ — Financial Times