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''Embassytown'' is a science fiction novel by British author China Miéville. It was published in the UK by Pan Macmillan on 6 May 2011, and in the US by Del Rey Books on 17 May 2011. A limited edition was released by Subterranean Press. The plot of the novel surrounds the town of Embassytown, the native alien residents known as Ariekei, their Language, and the human interaction with them. The novel was well reviewed and won the 2012 Locus Award for Best Science Fiction Novel. ==Plot== ''Embassytown'' takes place mostly in the city of the title, on the planet Arieka. Embassytown exists on the very edge of the "Manchmal" (from the German for "sometimes"), which is suspected to be the third iteration of the known universe, and which, given its distance from everything else, is only accessible by sailing through the "Immer" (from the German for "always"), a permanent universe with differing concepts of time and space. Embassytown is a colony of a state called Bremen; and its trade goods (precious metal and - especially - alien-influenced biotech), along with Embassytown's unique position at the edge of the known universe, make it a particularly important colony. Avice Benner Cho, an "Immerser" - a traveller on the Immer, has returned to her childhood home from her adventures in the "Out". On the planet of Arieka humans and "exots" (a term for exotic extraterrestrials) co-exist with the indigenous, enigmatic Ariekei – otherwise known as the Hosts. Few people can speak the language of the Hosts (referred to only as "Language"), as it requires the orator to speak two words at once; those humans (Terre) who can are genetically-engineered linguist twins known as Ambassadors, bred solely for this purpose. The Ambassadors speak with two mouths and one mind and as such can be understood by the Ariekei (who do not recognise any other form of communication) allowing for trade in their valuable biotechnology. The Hosts' Language does not allow for lying or even speculation; they create literal similes by recruiting individuals to perform bizarre ordeals that can then become allusions in Language. Avice herself serves as a human simile, “the girl who was hurt in the dark and ate what was given to her". Ariekei compete at Festivals of Lies to see who can most closely approximate speaking an untruth, an act both thrilling and highly taboo. The relationship between humans and Ariekei has proceeded in relative tranquillity for many years (kilohours). However when a new Ambassador arrives, named , who has not been genetically engineered to speak Language, yet can still manage to, everything changes. The speech of the new, Bremen-engineered Ambassador intoxicates the Hosts and results in the entire Ariekei population becoming addicted to the Ambassador's speech regardless of content, to the extent that they cannot live without it. As the situation deteriorates, Avice's relationship with the Hosts, as a human simile, and with one of the Ambassadors, draws her into the search for a solution. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Embassytown」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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