Des milliards de tapis de cheveux (The Carpet Weavers) by Andreas Eschbach
Probably the first German scifi novel I read (Die Haarteppichknüpfer is the original title). Its originality lies primarily in its constructions and the thread (no pun intended) that drives the narration. We discover at the beginning that on a particular planet, some men devote their lives to weaving carpets made of their wives and concubines' hair. The carpets are then sold to merchants so that ultimately they can decorate the Emperor's palace. But there are rumours from off-planet that there's been a revolution and maybe the Emperor is no more. Gradually, as the story progresses, we start viewing things from further and further away, all with a single narrative thread: that of discovering why these carpers are really made. It's really good, and I loved reading it although if I'm entirely honest, the resolution is not quite level with the expectations created. Still, very pleased to have read it.
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