It is formal, dual-toned and extremely specific, because to the Ariekei, words are not signifiers - they are the things themselves. Cho’s husband Scile, a linguist, is fascinated by their Language, which is at the center of this story. We see only the barest outlines of the Ariekei - they are very alien aliens, larger and stronger than humans, hoofed, winged, eyes like a fan of coral, and with two mouths that speak in unison. Cho has just married (third man, fourth time), and her new husband’s keen interest in the Ariekei, the native creatures of her home planet, propels her there with him in tow. She became an Immer - a navigator needed to guide ships jumping through space - with demi-star status that has accorded her plenty of money, adventures and lovers. Brought up by minders in the ghetto of Embassytown, Cho, through a combination of luck and talent, got out. In what we would consider her mid-30s, Avice Benner Cho, part of the far-flung human diaspora, has returned to the planet where she was born. The barrage of terms and mysterious references is a command to hop to: Intellectual challenges lie ahead. China Miéville, one of today’s most exciting fabulist writers, starts off his science fiction novel “Embassytown” in mid-story and races forward, not slowing down for explanations.
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