她是亂源、天生的叛徒、媚外者、被心中所愛視為「野蠻人」的局外者；
也是孤獨的流亡者、旅人、三個靈魂的異端、不被任何地方接納的自由之人。
瑪熙特熱愛「他方」。文明的泰斯凱蘭帝國，那裡光輝燦爛，有詩歌、水源、四季；她出生的萊賽爾太空站只有貧瘠、匱乏、單調，所以有機會以「外交大使」身分派駐帝國時，她興奮得忘了危機──故鄉正遭無孔不入的泰斯凱蘭文化浸透，勉強維持獨立，也因此研發出一項科技「憶象傳承」，利用植入體內的機器，讓珍貴技能、經驗和文化得以保存和流傳，抵抗吞噬。
得到了「前任外交大使」的憶象，瑪熙特肩負起保護故鄉的責任。然而，抵達後的現實戳破了幻想──前任大使神祕身亡、無人聞問；帝國皇帝命在旦夕、各方蠢動。美好的文明滿是謊言，人們有禮的態度下全是歧視，她的憶象甚至半途毀損、資料過時，連故鄉都藏有敵人。
瑪熙特領命前往心愛的帝國，被捲入前任大使的死亡，遭逢社會動亂及暗殺。她奮力調查，發現前任大使之死和帝國內亂有關，甚至和垂垂老矣的皇帝有關……

"Review of Adolph Hitler's 'Mein Kampf'" is an essay of George Orwell. "Mein Kampf" ("My Struggle" or "My Fight") is a 1925 autobiographical manifesto by Nazi Party leader Adolf Hitler. The work describes the process by which Hitler became antisemitic and outlines his political ideology and future plans for Germany. Volume 1 of "Mein Kampf" was published in 1925 and Volume 2 in 1926. The book was edited first by Emil Maurice, then by Hitler's deputy Rudolf Hess.

Shevek, a brilliant physicist, decides to take action. He will seek answers, question the unquestionable, and attempt to tear down the walls of hatred that have isolated his planet of anarchists from the rest of the civilized universe. To do this dangerous task will mean giving up his family and possibly his life—Shevek must make the unprecedented journey to the utopian mother planet, Urras, to challenge the complex structures of life and living, and ignite the fires of change.