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Too Like the Lightning

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Too Like the Lightning is the first novel in the Terra Ignota series by Ada Palmer, published in 2016 CE.

In-Universe Context[]

In the context of the fictional Terra Ignota universe, the 4 books were written by Mycroft Canner in the 2450s CE, & edited or supplemented by various other characters. Books 1 & 2 were released to the public on 2454 June 28, around 3 months after the events they describe.

List of edits made to Mycroft's first two books[]

  • The text was approved and/or edited by many Hive leaders & VIPs. These edits are summarized at the start of each book.
  • As revealed in Book 3, 9A deleted some of Mycroft's encounters that seemed to be hallucinations. 9A likely also gave a general tidying to the text as a whole.
  • 9A also translated some Latin to English, in secret from both Martin & Mycroft (see TLTL ch 21). These parenthetical translations may or may not be present in the version published to the fictional public.
  • Certain secret edits & omissions in the books are not revealed to the reader until Book 4. These include the Damnatio Memoriae of the Masons.
  • Furthermore, the fictional public received another version of these books with the most inflammatory passages removed.

Chapter Summaries[]

  1. A Prayer to the Reader
    • Mycroft apologizes for writing the book in eighteenth century style despite living in the twenty-fifth century. He further apologizes for deviating from this style by skipping any description of himself.
  2. A Boy and His God
    • Carlyle accidentally witnesses Bridger doing miraculous things. Thisbe and Mycroft swear him to secrecy and he agrees to help them with spiritual counseling in future.
  3. The Most Important People in the World
  4. A Thing Long Thought Extinct
    • Mycroft discusses the Canner Device with Ando & Danaë of the Mitsubishi. Mycroft notifies Danaë that Carlyle is her child.
  5. Aristotle's House
    • Carlyle returns to the Saneer-Weeksbooth bash. He discusses set-sets with Eureka. He & Mycroft discuss Bridger. End of March 23.
  6. Rome Was Not Built in a Day
    • Censor Vivien Ancelet takes Mycroft to the Censor's Office where they study demographic trends & tensions
  7. Canis Domini
  8. A Place of Honor
    • Mycroft, Vivien, & co. attend the annual Renunciation Day ceremony, celebrating the origins of the Hive system.
  9. Every Soul That Ever Died
    • Carlyle discusses spiritual questions with Bridger & the soldiers.
  10. The Sun Awaits His Rival
  11. Enter Sniper
  12. Neither Earth nor Atom, But ...
    • Five Hive leaders make plans about the Saneer-Weeksbooth investigation, & discuss the absent European & Utopian factions.
  13. ... Perhaps the Stars
    • Mycroft chases violent drunks away from two Utopians
  14. The Interlude of the Interview with Retired Black Sakura Reporter Tsuneo Sugiyama, as Related by Martin Guildbreaker
    • Written by Martin. Interview about the Seven-Ten List. End of March 24.
  15. If They Catch Me
    • Mycroft, Bridger, & the soldiers discuss how to hide from the investigation.
  16. Thou Canst Not Put It Off Forever, Mycroft
    • Flashback to the morning. The Saneer-Weeksbooth bash runs a security drill in their basements. JEDD Mason investigates & discovers traitors among the staff by mysterious means. Dominic is discovered to be still hiding in the house.
  17. Tocqueville's Valet
    • Mycroft, Bridger, the soldiers, Thisbe, & Carlyle discuss JEDD. Thisbe & Carlyle start an informal investigation of JEDD, in case he is a criminal or cultist.
  18. The Tenth Director
    • Mycroft, JEDD Mason, Ando, & the other Mitsubishi leaders discuss the Canner Device & inter-Hive politics.
  19. Flies to Honey
    • Carlyle & Thisbe learn that JEDD's house was once a church, & contains near-illegal religious items.
  20. A Monster in the House
    • Dominic ransacks Bridger's rooms & almost catches him. Carlyle (& the reader) learns Mycroft has a horrifying past.
  21. That Which Is Caesar's
    • Mycroft is summoned to the Masons' court to discuss the Seven-Ten List & other recent political events with Emperor Cornel MASON, JEDD Mason, & 2 guest Utopians. MASON values the car network.
  22. Mycroft Is Mycroft
    • Bridger defends Mycroft to a shocked Carlyle. Sensayer Julia Doria-Pamphili introduced.
  23. Pontifex Maxima
    • Carlyle syncs up with his boss Julia. They are politically active, seeking stability, pro-Cousin, anti-Mitsubishi.
  24. Sometimes Even I Am Very Lonely
    • The criminal Saladin, whom Mycroft loves, says Tully Mardi is back. Saladin wants to resume the murder spree, but Mycroft protests. Police Commissioner Papadelias does not catch Saladin. He & Mycroft chat - once enemies, now friends.
  25. Madame's
    • Carlyle & Thisbe enter Madame's, a brothel with historical clothing that lacks modern values. Mycroft protects them.
  26. Madame D'Arouet
    • Carlyle & Thisbe discover that most of the Hive leaders frequent the brothel with the conspiratorial Madame.
  27. The Interlude in Which Martin Guildbreaker Pursues the Question of Dr Cato Weeksbooth
    • Cato is miserable & wishes he were a Utopian. Suspicious deaths have happened around Cato.
  28. The Enemy
    • Flashback to Mycroft's childhood. In the present, Tully Mardi, survivor of Mycroft's past, gives a speech saying war is coming. Mycroft hates this. He outs Mycroft to the crowd. Rescue by Utopian dragons.
  29. Julia, I've Found God!
    • Julia & Dominic have sex & exult in their irreverent spiritual perspective. Julia gives Mycroft to Dominic as a captive. Dominic has kidnapped a toy soldier.
  30. DEO EREXIT SADE
    • Many Hive leaders & Madame discuss set-sets. JEDD vouches that all present were not guilty in the Seven-Ten List theft. They all agree to grant European leader Casimir Perry access to the inner circle.
  31. Dominant Predator
    • Bridger is on the run. Found by Saladin in Apollo's old cloak. They fear each other but make alliance against Dominic. Dominic is torturing toy soldiers & leaving threatening evidence for Bridger.
  32. That There Are Two
    • Outside the Saneer-Weeksbooth bash, an angry mob accosts Servicers, looking for Mycroft. Carlyle defends them. The Servicers are bringing Bridger & his (inanimate) toys to safehouses. Bridger & JEDD seem similar. Carlyle seeks JEDD despite being hunted by Dominic.
  33. Martin Guildbreaker's Last Interlude: "The Utopians Aren't Dirty like the Rest of Us"
    • Martin & Papadelias review evidence & discover that the Saneer-Weeksbooth bash has been systematically murdering dozens of people, to intricately manipulate world politics for great humanitarian benefit.
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