About the Book
This listing is a two-book bundle collecting both novels in Arkady Martine's Teixcalaan series: A Memory Called Empire and A Desolation Called Peace. Both were published individually before this 2023 combined edition from Tor Books.
A Memory Called Empire follows Mahit Dzmare, the new ambassador from Lsel Station, a small, independent mining outpost, who arrives at the capital of the vast Teixcalaanli Empire and quickly discovers her predecessor was murdered. She has to navigate an unfamiliar and deeply codified imperial culture while trying to figure out who killed him and why, all while managing a neural implant that carries fragmented memories of the man she replaced. The book blends political intrigue, murder mystery, and a genuine interest in how cultures absorb or resist one another.
A Desolation Called Peace picks up after the first book and shifts scope outward. A Teixcalaanli fleet encounters something beyond the empire's edges, something that doesn't communicate in any recognizable way. The second book is broader, more explicitly science-fictional, and brings in multiple point-of-view characters where the first stayed tightly focused on Mahit.
The two books are connected but do shift in tone and focus. Listeners who come in expecting the second book to be a direct continuation of the first mystery plot may find the transition abrupt. That said, the underlying preoccupations, identity, language, empire, what it means to belong somewhere, run through both.
Narration & Audio Performance
Amy Landon narrates both books in this bundle. Her delivery is measured and controlled, which suits the material well. The Teixcalaan series is dense with invented names, honorifics, poetry fragments, and nested cultural references. Landon handles this consistently, the invented vocabulary sounds natural rather than awkward, which matters here more than it would in a simpler genre novel.
Character differentiation is solid. The cast is large across two books, and Landon keeps key voices distinct enough that listeners won't regularly lose track of who is speaking. The pacing is deliberate, which matches Martine's prose style, these are not fast-paced books, and a narrator who rushed the material would flatten it.
One thing worth noting: A Memory Called Empire is quite interiority-heavy, particularly in its first half. Landon's calm register works for that, but listeners who prefer a more expressive or dramatic narration style may find the delivery a little flat in quieter sections. Sampling the first chapter before committing is reasonable, especially given the combined runtime of two full novels.
The Audible Verdict
Amy Landon's narration is competent and consistent across both books, and the audio format handles the linear narrative structure of both novels without any real loss. The bundle format means you're getting significant listening value from a single credit. That said, Martine's prose style rewards close reading, there are passages heavy with poetic language and cultural detail where some listeners may prefer to slow down or re-read. The audio works, but it's not a case where the format adds something the print version lacks. A free trial credit is a fair call here.
Listen on AudibleIs This Book a Good Fit for Audio?
Both books have linear, chapter-based narrative structures with no charts, diagrams, or visual elements, which means the audio format doesn't lose anything mechanical in the translation. The storytelling is character-driven and dialogue-heavy in places, both of which tend to benefit from audio.
The main consideration is the density of Martine's writing. There are invented-language fragments, in-universe poetry, and extended interior monologue sections, particularly in A Memory Called Empire. Listeners who find it hard to track dense prose when they can't skim back easily may struggle with the second half of each book. If you know you tend to zone out during long reflective passages when listening, the print edition might serve you better for this particular series.
For listeners who are comfortable with literary science fiction in audio form, think Ann Leckie's Ancillary series or similar, this bundle works well as an audio experience.
Popular Listener Questions
Does this listing include both Teixcalaan novels?
Yes. This is a two-book bundle containing A Memory Called Empire and A Desolation Called Peace, both narrated by Amy Landon as a single Audible title.
Do I need to read A Memory Called Empire before A Desolation Called Peace?
Yes. The second book builds on characters and events from the first, and the bundle is structured to be listened to in order. Starting with the second book would be confusing.
Is the narration the same across both books?
Yes. Amy Landon narrates both novels, so the voice and style are consistent throughout the bundle.
Is this series complete?
As of the 2023 bundle release, the Teixcalaan series consists of these two novels. Arkady Martine has not announced a third book.
Is A Memory Called Empire suitable for listeners new to science fiction?
It works as an entry point to literary space opera, but it assumes some comfort with dense worldbuilding. It reads more like a political thriller set in space than a traditional action-heavy science fiction novel.
Similar Audiobooks
Ann Leckie's debut also centers on empire, identity, and constructed selfhood in a far-future space opera setting. Readers drawn to the political and cultural dimensions of Teixcalaan tend to respond well to this series.
A Memory Called Empire (standalone edition)
If you want to sample the series before committing to the full bundle, the first book is available individually on Audible with the same narrator.
A Desolation Called Peace (standalone edition)
Also available individually if you've already listened to the first book and want to continue without purchasing the bundle.
The Galaxy, and the Ground Within
Becky Chambers's Wayfarers series shares the literary, character-focused approach to science fiction that defines the Teixcalaan books, with a similar interest in culture and belonging over action.
Translation State
Ann Leckie's 2023 novel deals with alien contact, political negotiation, and identity in ways that closely parallel A Desolation Called Peace's concerns.
Audiobook Details
| Title | A Memory Called Empire and A Desolation Called Peace |
|---|---|
| Author | Arkady Martine |
| Narrator | Amy Landon |
| Genre | Space Opera |
| Year | 2023 |
| Publisher | Tor Books |
| Abridged | Unabridged |
| Cast | Single narrator |
| Author-narrated | No |
Ready to listen?
Both Teixcalaan novels are available as a single Audible title, if you haven't used a free trial credit yet, this bundle is a reasonable way to spend it.
Open on Audible