Elaine U. Cho is the author of Ocean’s Godori and Teo's Durumi. She has an MFA in flute performance from CalArts and is a former film critic, former bookseller at Elliott Bay Book Company, and current associate editor for Shelf Awareness.
“Ocean’s Godori is such a thrilling, moving, transportive ride that by the end, we were dying for more. We were overjoyed that Elaine was ready to continue Ocean’s story with Teo’s Durumi and go on an ever-evolving adventure with this ragtag crew we have already come to love deeply. As ever, Elaine takes us on a twisting journey that further expands on her haunting themes around grief, memory, and sacrifice, bringing us breathlessly to the end of a story we’ll never forget.” –Lena Waithe, Rishi Rajani, and Naomi Funabashi, Hillman Grad Books “No one alive writes sci-fi like Elaine U. Cho. Yes, her futuristic worlds are as expansive as her wild imagination, yet her unforgettable characters are cozy, sensual, and crackling with irrepressible human spirit. Once again, I found myself breathlessly rooting for Teo, Ocean, and the rest of the Alliance crew as they navigate treachery, conspiracy, and romance in the stars—epic on every level!” —Justinian Huang, author of The Emperor and the Endless Palace and Lucky Seed “[T]he team dynamic continues to be strong, as crew relationships shift and romance blooms. A worthy sequel to Ocean's Godori (2024), Teo’s Durumi certainly sticks its landing.” –Booklist “As a writer, Elaine U. Cho’s gifts are many—breathless action sequences, consummate world-building, and page-turning plot chief among them. As a genre fan, Cho filters the oddball crew of a Firefly, the swagger of Buck Rogers, and the sweep of The Fifth Element through the lens of her Korean heritage to create a work unlike anything before it. Reading Teo’s Durumi reminded me why I fell in love with sci-fi.” —Aaron John Curtis, author of Old School Indian “Like Ocean’s Godori, Teo’s Durumi is daring, delightful, and undeniably romantic. There’s grace, deft and dance-like, to the car chases, the hijinks, and the high-stakes showdowns. As Teo, Ocean, and their unforgettable found-family crew navigate threats both tangible and internal, Elaine U. Cho never neglects the world-saving significance of an outreached hand, a shared meal, or a quiet drive.” —Sylvie Cathrall, author of A Letter to the Luminous Deep “Without a moment to catch our breath, Teo’s Durumi picks up right where Ocean’s Godori left off. The thrills and chills of nonstop action belie the profound questions on capitalism, colonialism, caste, family loyalty, and identity formation upon which the wildly inventive, cinematic plot is built. All this, and two achingly steamy love stories, make for a delicious, thought-provoking, can’t-put-it-down read.” —Alice Stephens, author of Famous Adopted People