Gideon the Ninth

Oh my GOD did I love this book! I didn't head into it with very high hopes even, as I've been let down by highly rated and recommended books before. While initially I was a little put off at some of the Marvel-movie-esque dialogue from the protagonist, I slowly settled into loving every bit of every single character written in this universe. To the point where "turbo cancer" absolutely took me out in the best way.

Muir has done an incredible job at crafting both an incredibly in-depth world and magic system. With such beautiful and ornate descriptions let you picture every single thing in remarkable clarity. As I mentioned prior, she's also crafted so many well rounded and intriguing characters that I wanted to know more about every. single. one of them. Even the assholes. I find most authors are either good at building worlds or building characters, Muir has shown to be so amazing at both I wouldn't be surprised at all if she was two people in one body!

I'm immediately moving on to the next in the series because I cannot bear to be away from this world and the characters a day longer.

From a universe where necromancy abounds, comes Gideon the Ninth.Her home planet, the Ninth Planet, holds trials to determine who will inherit unimaginable power.

As the heir of the Ninth and the strongest necromancer on the planet, Harrow needs... a sword. Luckily, Gideon knows the sword.

Since they can remember, Gideon and Harrow have hated each other.

The moment Harrow dangles freedom in front of Gideon, Gideon knows she will have to follow through with the plan... even to the very end.

There’s just something about this book that doesn’t work for me. The first time I tried it, I wasn’t able to get into it. My second attempt was more challenging, but I got through it.

It is because of Gideon herself and the style of the book that I did not enjoy it. She sounded like she was trying way too complicated to be edgy and cool. I found the other characters to be one-dimensional - even Harrow doesn’t get much development until the end of the book. Oh, and if you are seeking a good lesbian romance, you will be disappointed. There’s nothing romantic about it.

The second problem was that it felt aimless. The start of the series seemed promising, and for a while it did. However, once it became apparent, it was going to be a pointless tournament arc with murder; I lost interest. There are no rules, only vague objectives, and it is impossible to follow the person solving the puzzle, so things just sort of... happen. The characters and style didn’t appeal to me, which would have been fine if I enjoyed it.

The third problem, I also found the world building to be vague. There was a lot of aesthetic detail on, with skeletons and bones and locked doors everywhere. Beyond that, it was hollow. Despite the brief spaceship journey at the beginning, it is not science fiction, rather fantasy.

What is the purpose of the Emperor? Are there any reasons becoming his servant is so desirable? Where do the other planets stand? What is the purpose of necromancy?

I’m not sure whether I’m going to continue.

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Wow.

Just... wow.

This was a hell of a fun ride. I love stories which just throw you into the world, and expect you to figure it out as the story goes along. That is, as long as the author can give you enough clues and description and character development to show you the world she's building.

And Tamsyn Muir is more than capable of doing just that. She is a wonderful writer, and I would read anything else she chooses to write, no matter the genre or material. Hell, even the Acknowledgements at the end of the book were entertaining.

I won't give the plot away, except to say that this is a great twist on the traditional swords-and-sorcery fantasy genre, with a bit of a sci-fi element. Her characters are modern and smart and three-dimensional. The dialogue is crisp and funny and sometimes poignant and always moving forward. The characters are well developed and in full 3D, and while you have to be paying attention, it is sooooooo worth it.

There's a reason why this book was nominated for a Hugo and a Nebula. There are a million worse ways to spend your reading time and dollars, and while there may actually be one or two better ways, I can't think of any.

This book is the most original fiction I have read since picking up The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin. It's not as flawless as the previously mentioned book, but it's different for sure.

Theoretically it's science-fiction, but the science part only comes up in passing. There is mention of planets, shuttles, spaceships, a galactic empire, but that's not what we experience in this novel. Instead we get a necromantic version of And Then There Were None by Agatha Cristie, the seven heirs to the necromantic houses of the Empire, and their respective cavaliers stuck in an ancient building, trying to figure out how they can ascend to the role of Lyctor, an important position to the Emperor. While they explore the crumbling ruins, there are mysterious deaths and scary bone monsters.

Our protagonist is the somewhat unwilling cavalier Gideon the Ninth, who is an orphan in the Ninth House which excels at bone magic. Her necromancer Harrowhark and Gideon kinda hate each other since their childhoods, and the whole cavalier gig is Gideon's ticket to freedom from the Ninth. Gideon herself is a delight. She's queer, foul-mouthed and extremely good at swordfighting.

The book is uneven. The pacing of the first third before the arrival at Canaan House is not great, and the world-building is confusing. Yet the rest of the book kicks so much ass and is so fascinating, in a unique writing style that I can't but love it. There are glimpses of a bigger world at the end of the book and I want to learn more. Can't wait for the next book, Harrowhark the Ninth.