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 Æerbot 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 Palumbo's profile page

Suzan Palumbo is 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.

“This is a gripping, intense story of loyalty and betrayal, against a vivid backdrop of an interstellar rebellion through labor solidarity. I can’t wait to see what Palumbo writes next!” — Martha Wells, bestselling author of The Murderbot Diaries and Witch King

“Furiously compelling. Palumbo paints her star-spanning universe and its cast with fluid, natural strokes, then jams a meteor between imperial teeth and dares them to bite. A harrowing space opera journey of injustice and revenge worth every tensed nerve and desperate hope.” — Hailey Piper, Bram Stoker Award-winning author of Queen of Teeth

“Palumbo has woven a richly textured, beautifully complex tapestry of betrayal, anger, and revenge. The keen edge of justified rage against colonization and colonizers is wielded with great skill in this dark, intense retelling.” — Premee Mohamed, World Fantasy and Nebula Award-winning author

“I love Suzan Palumbo’s short fiction, so when I heard she had a novella, I jumped at the chance to read it. Countess is a space adventure that maintains the hurtling energy of a pulp while highlighting the cultural complexity of diaspora and empire, the cruelty of a colonial future, and the bite of injustice. Grab it!” — Derek Künsken, author of The Quantum Magician and The House of Styx