The Potency of Ungovernable Impulses by Malka Older
When a former classmate begs Pleiti for help on behalf of her cousin—who’s up for a prestigious academic position at a rival Jovian university but has been accused of plagiarism on the eve of her defense—Pleiti agrees to investigate the matter.
Even if she has to do it without Mossa, her partner in more ways than one. Even if she’s still reeling from Mossa’s sudden isolation and bewildering rejection.
Yet what appears to be a case of an attempted reputational smearing devolves into something decidedly more dangerous—and possibly deadly.
The Investigations of Mossa and Pleiti
The Mimicking of Known Successes
The Imposition of Unnecessary Obstacles
The Potency of Ungovernable Impulses
The Centenal Cycle
Infomocracy
Null States
State Tectonics
At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
Praise for this book
Praise for the Investigation of Mossa and Pleiti series
"My favorite detective couple since Holmes and Watson."—SciFi Mind
"Brilliant on all counts."—First Clue
"A great read in what promises to be the best sci-fi , mystery crossover series of our time."—Deadly Pleasures Mystery Magazine
“Every once in a while, a book comes along that is both a comfort read and a rousing, fist-pumping adventure, and The Mimicking of Known Successes absolutely is both of those things. An utter triumph.”—Charlie Jane Anders
"Older has created a wonderfully sci-fi take on the gaslamp mystery. Add in the wry depiction of academia and the warmly authentic portrayal of a relationship in the process of rekindling, and this is exactly my kind of story!"—Freya Marske
"A magnificently imaginative setting, a nicely developed and satisfyingly resolved mystery, a beautifully understated central romance, and a lot of thought-provoking ideas make this an immensely satisfying read [that] does more at novella length than many books manage in three times as much."—K. J. Charles
“Malka Older has created a far-flung speculative winner that is as much hard science fiction as it is gritty xenobiological noir, with characters you want to see get closer. . .to the possible killer and each other. I am absolutely in love with this world and these characters.”—Fran Wilde
“Mixes Holmesian mystery, Sapphic romance, petty academic politics, and post-apocalyptic speculative ecology into a delightful and unexpected concoction. The perfect book to curl up with when the wind is howling outside, even if it's only a Terran blizzard rather than a Jovian superstorm.”—Ruthanna Emrys
"A quiet masterpiece, an intimate character study, a tender queer romance, a satisfying mystery, and a unique take on many genre clichés in a short form."—Ancillary Review of Books
"The writing technique is excellent, the worldbuilding interesting and poetic, the characters enjoyable to spend time with, and there’s tea.—Smart Bitches, Trashy Books
“Fans of The Centenal Cycle will be astonished by the breadth of Older’s range.”—Book Riot
"A novella that more than lives up to the idea of cozy, it takes the literary connotations of that word further by creating a delightful mashup of science fiction and cozy mystery, with a delicious side of sapphic romance."—Autostraddle
"Mystery and science fiction are rarely this satisfying when mixed, and rarely this much fun."—Hugo Book Club Blog
"Older gives us many delightful details about life on the Giant, as the inhabitants call Jupiter. . .All of these quotidian details make the novel a fascinating read."—Asimov's
"I heartily recommend The Imposition of Unnecessary Obstacles for those long, dark winter evenings—a spiritual, intellectual companion for moments when the state of politics is distressing, and a balm for those seeking recognition of the longings of the heart."—The Horror Tree
"Highly recommended for fans of Becky Chambers as well as adventurous cozy mystery readers."—Booklist, starred review
"It’s hard to pull off a novel that attempts to have equal footing in two genres—never mind three—and typically one of the genres ends up taking on a minor role . . . but The Mimicking of Known Successes, a work of speculative fiction, a traditional mystery, and a romance, is a walloping success."—First Clue, starred review
"Older packs a punch in this slim volume, delivering a romantic sci-fi mystery replete with ruminations on environmentalism and the importance of adapting to change. . . . Combining an old-timey aesthetic and a powerful message, this sapphic genre bender is a treat."—Publishers Weekly, starred review
"Reading this novella was an absolute delight . . . I can imagine further stories set in this world; if I’m very lucky, they will feature Mossa and Pleiti."—Locus
"Recommended for readers who enjoy a bit of mystery mixed with their SF . . . and anyone who cannot resist a Sherlock Holmes pastiche."—Library Journal
About the Author Malka Older is an author, a humanitarian, a sociopunk, and a practitioner of speculative resistance and evidence-based creativity. Her political science fiction thriller Infomocracy was named one of the best books of the year by Kirkus Reviews, Book Riot, and The Washington Post, and with its sequels, Null States and State Tectonics, was a finalist for the Hugo Award for Best Series. Her Investigations of Mossa and Pleiti series of mysteries set on a gas giant planet begins with the acclaimed The Mimicking of Known Successes. She has also written numerous serials, short stories, poetry, and essays, and published the collection …And Other Disasters. She is a faculty associate at Arizona State University, where she teaches on predictive fictions and hosts the Science Fiction Sparkle Salon. Her opinions can be found in The New York Times, The Nation, Foreign Policy, and NBC THINK, among other places.
Title: The Potency of Ungovernable Impulses
Author(s): Malka Older
Volume: 3
ISBN: 9781250396075
Copyright 2025
Release Date: June 10, 2025
Publisher: Tor Publishing Group
Countries: United States, Canada | Learn more about available countries
Language: English
Format: None available | Learn More about our supported formats
Dragonmount is a proud provider of DRM-free eBooks. By purchasing any eBook from our store, you are not only helping support our website, but you are helping small businesses thrive in a market traditionally dominated by large companies. Learn more in our eBook FAQ.
About The Potency of Ungovernable Impulses by Malka Older
A brand-new entry in the Hugo, Nebula, and Ignyte Award-nominated sapphic, cozy space-opera mystery series The Investigations of Mossa and Pleiti, which Charlie Jane Anders calls "an utter triumph."
When a former classmate begs Pleiti for help on behalf of her cousin—who’s up for a prestigious academic position at a rival Jovian university but has been accused of plagiarism on the eve of her defense—Pleiti agrees to investigate the matter.
Even if she has to do it without Mossa, her partner in more ways than one. Even if she’s still reeling from Mossa’s sudden isolation and bewildering rejection.
Yet what appears to be a case of an attempted reputational smearing devolves into something decidedly more dangerous—and possibly deadly.
The Investigations of Mossa and Pleiti
The Mimicking of Known Successes
The Imposition of Unnecessary Obstacles
The Potency of Ungovernable Impulses
The Centenal Cycle
Infomocracy
Null States
State Tectonics
At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
Praise for this book
Praise for the Investigation of Mossa and Pleiti series
"My favorite detective couple since Holmes and Watson."—SciFi Mind
"Brilliant on all counts."—First Clue
"A great read in what promises to be the best sci-fi , mystery crossover series of our time."—Deadly Pleasures Mystery Magazine
“Every once in a while, a book comes along that is both a comfort read and a rousing, fist-pumping adventure, and The Mimicking of Known Successes absolutely is both of those things. An utter triumph.”—Charlie Jane Anders
"Older has created a wonderfully sci-fi take on the gaslamp mystery. Add in the wry depiction of academia and the warmly authentic portrayal of a relationship in the process of rekindling, and this is exactly my kind of story!"—Freya Marske
"A magnificently imaginative setting, a nicely developed and satisfyingly resolved mystery, a beautifully understated central romance, and a lot of thought-provoking ideas make this an immensely satisfying read [that] does more at novella length than many books manage in three times as much."—K. J. Charles
“Malka Older has created a far-flung speculative winner that is as much hard science fiction as it is gritty xenobiological noir, with characters you want to see get closer. . .to the possible killer and each other. I am absolutely in love with this world and these characters.”—Fran Wilde
“Mixes Holmesian mystery, Sapphic romance, petty academic politics, and post-apocalyptic speculative ecology into a delightful and unexpected concoction. The perfect book to curl up with when the wind is howling outside, even if it's only a Terran blizzard rather than a Jovian superstorm.”—Ruthanna Emrys
"A quiet masterpiece, an intimate character study, a tender queer romance, a satisfying mystery, and a unique take on many genre clichés in a short form."—Ancillary Review of Books
"The writing technique is excellent, the worldbuilding interesting and poetic, the characters enjoyable to spend time with, and there’s tea.—Smart Bitches, Trashy Books
“Fans of The Centenal Cycle will be astonished by the breadth of Older’s range.”—Book Riot
"A novella that more than lives up to the idea of cozy, it takes the literary connotations of that word further by creating a delightful mashup of science fiction and cozy mystery, with a delicious side of sapphic romance."—Autostraddle
"Mystery and science fiction are rarely this satisfying when mixed, and rarely this much fun."—Hugo Book Club Blog
"Older gives us many delightful details about life on the Giant, as the inhabitants call Jupiter. . .All of these quotidian details make the novel a fascinating read."—Asimov's
"I heartily recommend The Imposition of Unnecessary Obstacles for those long, dark winter evenings—a spiritual, intellectual companion for moments when the state of politics is distressing, and a balm for those seeking recognition of the longings of the heart."—The Horror Tree
"Highly recommended for fans of Becky Chambers as well as adventurous cozy mystery readers."—Booklist, starred review
"It’s hard to pull off a novel that attempts to have equal footing in two genres—never mind three—and typically one of the genres ends up taking on a minor role . . . but The Mimicking of Known Successes, a work of speculative fiction, a traditional mystery, and a romance, is a walloping success."—First Clue, starred review
"Older packs a punch in this slim volume, delivering a romantic sci-fi mystery replete with ruminations on environmentalism and the importance of adapting to change. . . . Combining an old-timey aesthetic and a powerful message, this sapphic genre bender is a treat."—Publishers Weekly, starred review
"Reading this novella was an absolute delight . . . I can imagine further stories set in this world; if I’m very lucky, they will feature Mossa and Pleiti."—Locus
"Recommended for readers who enjoy a bit of mystery mixed with their SF . . . and anyone who cannot resist a Sherlock Holmes pastiche."—Library Journal
About the Author
Malka Older is an author, a humanitarian, a sociopunk, and a practitioner of speculative resistance and evidence-based creativity. Her political science fiction thriller Infomocracy was named one of the best books of the year by Kirkus Reviews, Book Riot, and The Washington Post, and with its sequels, Null States and State Tectonics, was a finalist for the Hugo Award for Best Series. Her Investigations of Mossa and Pleiti series of mysteries set on a gas giant planet begins with the acclaimed The Mimicking of Known Successes. She has also written numerous serials, short stories, poetry, and essays, and published the collection …And Other Disasters. She is a faculty associate at Arizona State University, where she teaches on predictive fictions and hosts the Science Fiction Sparkle Salon. Her opinions can be found in The New York Times, The Nation, Foreign Policy, and NBC THINK, among other places.
Title: The Potency of Ungovernable Impulses
Author(s): Malka Older
Volume: 3
ISBN: 9781250396075
Copyright 2025
Release Date: June 10, 2025
Publisher: Tor Publishing Group
Countries: United States, Canada | Learn more about available countries
Language: English
Format: None available | Learn More about our supported formats
Dragonmount is a proud provider of DRM-free eBooks. By purchasing any eBook from our store, you are not only helping support our website, but you are helping small businesses thrive in a market traditionally dominated by large companies. Learn more in our eBook FAQ.
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