Shejidan / Podcast with Arkady Martine on CJ

**Posted by Aja Jin** 6/30/2025 6:04 pm

VERY highly recommended.

The announcement:

"At least 10% Cyteen by weight, & processed in a facility that also processes Dragonriders of Pern: @byzantienne.bsky.social joins us for a conversation on 40,000 IN GEHENNA, historiographical SF, thorny ideas, and Cherryh's style & influence."

https://ancillaryreviewofbooks.org/2025/06/30/a-meal-of-thorns-27-40000-in-gehenna-with-arkady-martine/

Last edited by Aja Jin (6/30/2025 6:05 pm)

**Posted by Surtac** 6/30/2025 7:13 pm

I shall definitely be listening to that. Thanks mahe!

I'm sure I mentioned hereabouts at the time I first read Martine's A Memory of Empire that I was sure I'd found a very subtle nod to Cyteen in that book. But checking my records, I see that was back in October 2021, so finding the thread could be a challenge now.

**Posted by Surtac** 6/30/2025 7:35 pm

Found it. From a post of mine 3 November 2021 in the What Have You Been Reading thread:
---
Right.

The reference in Memory that I was referring to comes early in chapter 16, page 261, location 4610 on the kindle. Mahit is thinking ''she likes the taste of processed fish-flake powder on her breakfast porridge and they are repulsed'',

My brain immediately flashed to an early scene in Cyteen. Chapter 2, part ii, Ari Senior is dining with the Family: "Ari smiled gently across the table, across the salad with vinaigrette, product of their own gardens, and dusted it liberally with a spoonful of Keis, synthetic cheese, a salted yeast, actually: spacer's affectation. Her mother had used it. Ari still liked the tang of it, and imported it downworld at some little trouble. Most of the Family abhorred it.

Well, maybe it's just me, but that's how my brain works sometimes. So it goes.

**Posted by Aja Jin** 7/05/2025 6:58 pm

‘tac, post this on Bluesky and ask her. Shes typically quite responsive. And she looooves Cyteen.

**Posted by Surtac** 7/05/2025 11:51 pm

Good idea. I shall go do so.

**Posted by starexplorer** 7/09/2025 11:13 am

Surtac wrote:
Found it. From a post of mine 3 November 2021 in the What Have You Been Reading thread:
---
Right.

The reference in Memory that I was referring to comes early in chapter 16, page 261, location 4610 on the kindle. Mahit is thinking ''she likes the taste of processed fish-flake powder on her breakfast porridge and they are repulsed'',

My brain immediately flashed to an early scene in Cyteen. Chapter 2, part ii, Ari Senior is dining with the Family: "Ari smiled gently across the table, across the salad with vinaigrette, product of their own gardens, and dusted it liberally with a spoonful of Keis, synthetic cheese, a salted yeast, actually: spacer's affectation. Her mother had used it. Ari still liked the tang of it, and imported it downworld at some little trouble. Most of the Family abhorred it.

Well, maybe it's just me, but that's how my brain works sometimes. So it goes.

Excellent pickup, whether she confirms or not!

**Posted by starexplorer** 7/09/2025 11:14 am

Aja Jin wrote:
Thanks for this! Good excuse for me to go finish Empire, which I was enjoying before I got distracted!
"At least 10% Cyteen by weight, & processed in a facility that also processes Dragonriders of Pern: @byzantienne.bsky.social joins us for a conversation on 40,000 IN GEHENNA, historiographical SF, thorny ideas, and Cherryh's style & influence."

https://ancillaryreviewofbooks.org/2025/06/30/a-meal-of-thorns-27-40000-in-gehenna-with-arkady-martine/

Thank for this - excellent excuse to go back and finish Empire, which I was enjoying before I got distracted!

Last edited by starexplorer (7/09/2025 11:15 am)