‘Intergalactic Feast’ by Lavanya Lakshminarayan is a richly imagined sequel to her acclaimed novel ‘Interstellar MegaChef’. This inventive “food space opera” weaves together culinary art, memory, and intergalactic politics, placing taste at the centre of a vividly constructed universe.
At its core lies a slow-burning queer romance between two complex women, unfolding amid fame, rivalry, and rapid technological change. As the story progresses, it delves into pressing questions about AI, ethics, cultural ownership, and the politics of taste, exploring who has the authority to shape and preserve food traditions in an ever-evolving world.
Here is an excerpt from the book.
Book Excerpt: Intergalactic Feast
(This excerpt from Intergalactic Feast takes place after Serenity Ko punches a man for insulting Saraswati at a public event for their revolutionary food-sim, Feast.)
‘Nice perfume,’ Serenity Ko said, heat rising to her cheeks.
Saraswati scowled.
She stepped forward to hug her, but Saraswati crossed her arms over her chest and raised an eyebrow.
Serenity Ko braced herself, and wished she had liquid courage. ‘What have I done? You’re clearly angry with me.’
‘Are you out of your sur-fucked mind?’ Saraswati hissed. ‘Every cam-drone out there is recording us hiding in here, and every commentator streaming live is wondering if we’re fighting or making out.’
‘Let them,’ Serenity Ko said airily. ‘It’s none of their business.’
‘You seem to want to make it their business,’ Saraswati said frostily. ‘I said we’d talk later.’
‘You’re seething. You were gripping that kitchen counter like you wanted to rip it out the floor and hurl it at the wall.
And aggravating events beyond our control aside, I think I must have said or done something to add to the shittiness of the day. Shitty comments about your refugee status and absence of family aside, which I’m still sorry about—’
She stopped abruptly as a queer look crossed Saraswati’s face. ‘What is it?’
‘You really want to hear this now?’
‘At least they’ve fixed the roof to keep the rain out.’
Saraswati took a deep breath and drew herself up to her full height. Serenity Ko felt a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach, dragging her spirit with it all the way to the tips of her toes and into the soggy ground below.
‘What the sur-fuck were you thinking attacking that Wanderer, Ko?’
‘What?’
‘You punched the guy just because he was airing his opinions.’
‘Oh, that’s what you’re mad about?’ Serenity Ko’s ears rang with disbelief. ‘Nine Virtues, Saras! The man was implying all sorts of things, calling you a murderer, destroyer of worlds, et cetera.’
‘So? I’ve heard worse.’
‘And you expect me to just stand by and let my’—all the words that could possibly describe their relationship tumbled through Serenity Ko’s mind, and she found she couldn’t use any of them—‘my galactically famous, brilliant, actually nice and wholesome friend be verbally abused by some nobody rural bumpkin? Who thinks he can run his mouth just because of the planet he was born on?’
Tears filled Saraswati’s eyes.
‘Oh, no! I’ve said the wrong thing again. Fucking idiot, Ko.’
She tried to wipe her tears away, and Saraswati took a step back.
That hurt.
‘Are those happy tears or sad tears?’ she asked miserably.
‘They’re angry tears!’ Saraswati said, struggling to keep her voice down. Serenity Ko was relieved—she didn’t think she could take yelling of any sort at such close quarters. ‘Angry tears, Ko! I’m not such a nice, wholesome damsel in distress that I need you slugging someone in the face to defend my honour, or some star-fucked Ur-drama nonsense like that. I can take one irate old man being nasty to me.’
‘Oh, yeah? Sure didn’t look like that when you had your little meltdown after those interviews. When was that again? Oh yes, less than six hours ago!’
Bright red blotches appeared on Saraswati’s cheeks. ‘Do you know why I was upset? Those interviewers just assumed I was a savage. What do you think punching some guy in the face is going to tell the world about me?’
‘I’m sorry, is your fist hurting from defending yourself?’ Serenity Ko shot back.
‘Do you really think anyone will care?’ Saraswati’s eyes narrowed, and her voice shook. ‘All they’ll see is that the Earthling’s girlfriend—yes, girlfriend is what they’re all going to label you, even though there’s nothing going on between us—defended the Earthling’s honour in a display of Earthling savagery, which surely must be the Earthling’s native influences rubbing off on her.’
‘A bit self-important, aren’t we?’ Serenity Ko remarked drily.
‘Spend a day in my shoes, Ko! This is what they’re saying, every minute, every hour.’
‘That’s not my fault.’
‘No it isn’t, but today’s fistfight is! What were you thinking?’ Saraswati threw her hands up in the air, her voice rising at last.
‘I wasn’t thinking!’ Serenity Ko yelled back. ‘I was trying to save you from pain and embarrassment.’
‘Soon, all the aunties on Primus will shake their heads sadly. “Perhaps that poor Serenity Ko will finally move on from that Earthling savage.” Move on from what, exactly? Nothing, of course!’ Saraswati carried on.
‘Nothing?’ Serenity Ko’s throat went dry. ‘We’re not n-nothing. I mean, we’re not something, but… nothing?’
‘We are now,’ Saraswati said. ‘Nothing.’
‘Because other people are bullying you?’
‘Because you’re self-absorbed and you don’t care about what it’s like to be me.’
‘Right, because I was a good friend who defended you,’ Serenity Ko said coldly.
‘I don’t need saving!’
‘I’ve got the memo. Loud and clear.’
Taken from ‘Intergalactic Feast’ by Lavanya Lakshminarayan, published by HarperCollins India.
