It is autumn 1845, and Elizabeth Bennet is a part of the second generation embarking on a centuries-long flight to Alpha Centauri, working in the signal room and studying engineering aboard a massive centrifugal ship. When she is thrown into the orbit of the conventional Mr. Darcy, Elizabeth finds him haughty and intolerable.
But then her younger sister elopes. For all of their progress in the new society of the ship, a woman can still be ruined by an imprudent attachment. Can Elizabeth and Darcy save Lydia’s reputation, learn to like each other, and avoid being convicted of murder?
Aether and Ego is a steampunk retelling of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, with the addition of space travel, dogs, and accidental death.
Joanne Merriam is a writer and poet from Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. She is the author of the poetry collection The Glaze from Breaking and her poetry and fiction has appeared in dozens of magazines and journals, including Astropoetica, The Baltimore Review, Escape Pod, Pank, Per Contra, Pictura, and Strange Horizons. Find her at joannemerriam.com and @joannemerriam.bsky.social.
“Aether and Ego is enormous fun and a worthy tribute to Austen. It left me dreaming of a better world.”
Kate Heartfield, author of The Embroidered Book
“A skillful reimagining of Pride and Prejudice with a speculative twist that casts familiar characters in a whole new light and breathes fresh life into a classic tale. Aether and Ego repeatedly subverts expectations and yet every twist feels utterly earned. Masterfully done!”
A.C. Wise, author of Wendy, Darling
“Elegant, smart, and transportive. Aether and Ego will delight Pride and Prejudice fans and alternative history readers alike.”
Laura Stanfill, author of Singing Lessons for the Stylish Canary
