Countess [Paperback]

A queer, Caribbean, anti-colonial sci-fi novella in which a betrayed captain seeks revenge on the interplanetary empire that subjugated her people for generations

Virika Sameroo lives in colonized space under the Æcerbot Empire, much like her ancestors before her in the British West Indies. After years of working hard to rise through the ranks of the empire’s merchant marine, she’s finally become first lieutenant on an interstellar cargo vessel.

When her captain dies under suspicious circumstances, Virika is arrested for murder and charged with treason despite her lifelong loyalty to the empire. Her conviction and subsequent imprisonment set her on a path of revenge, determined to take down the evil empire that wronged her, all while the fate of her people hangs in the balance.Suzan Palumbois a Trinidadian-Canadian dark speculative fiction writer and editor. Her short stories have been nominated for the Nebula, Aurora, and World Fantasy Awards. Her debut dark fantasy/horror short story collection,Skin Thief: Stories, is out now from Neon Hemlock. She lives in Brampton, ON.“Palumbo’s debut novella, following the story collectionSkin Thief, is a satisfying story of revenge and revolution that stokes the fire in readers.” —Library Journal“Readers of Rebecca Roanhorse and Becky Chambers will be invested in this Afrofuturist novella.” —Booklist“Palumbo’s post-colonial space opera take on Dumas’s novel moves at a whiplash-inducing pace ... fans of speculative revamps of classics will find plenty to enjoy.” —Publishers Weekly“Suzan Palumbo’sCountessis an exceptional science fiction remix ofThe Count of Monte Cristo. It explores the same themes, but takes them in new and exciting directions … she has quickly proven herself a force to be reckoned with in speculative fiction.” —RlC!