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Gideon the Ninth
RECOMMENDED: Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir is $2.99! AJ and I did a lot of squeeing about this one on a podcast episode. Will you understand what’s going on? Probably not, but you’ll have a lot of fun being clueless. I also gave it a B+:
Gideon the Ninth is a unique and bloody bananapants book, and I do think it’s worth a reader’s curiosity. Gideon is an unforgettable protagonist.
Gideon the Ninth is the most fun you’ll ever have with a skeleton.
The Emperor needs necromancers.
The Ninth Necromancer needs a swordswoman.
Gideon has a sword, some dirty magazines, and no more time for undead bullshit.
Tamsyn Muir’s Gideon the Ninth unveils a solar system of swordplay, cut-throat politics, and lesbian necromancers. Her characters leap off the page, as skillfully animated as necromantic skeletons. The result is a heart-pounding epic science fantasy.
Brought up by unfriendly, ossifying nuns, ancient retainers, and countless skeletons, Gideon is ready to abandon a life of servitude and an afterlife as a reanimated corpse. She packs up her sword, her shoes, and her dirty magazines, and prepares to launch her daring escape. But her childhood nemesis won’t set her free without a service.
Harrowhark Nonagesimus, Reverend Daughter of the Ninth House and bone witch extraordinaire, has been summoned into action. The Emperor has invited the heirs to each of his loyal Houses to a deadly trial of wits and skill. If Harrowhark succeeds she will be become an immortal, all-powerful servant of the Resurrection, but no necromancer can ascend without their cavalier. Without Gideon’s sword, Harrow will fail, and the Ninth House will die.
Of course, some things are better left dead.
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A Memory Called Empire
A Memory Called Empire by Arkady Martine is $2.99! It’s the first book in a new sci-fi series and we had Arkady on the podcast. The episode focuses on narratology and I found it fascination. Did you listen to this episode? The book has impressive 4.1-star rating on Goodreads.
Ambassador Mahit Dzmare arrives in the center of the multi-system Teixcalaanli Empire only to discover that her predecessor, the previous ambassador from their small but fiercely independent mining Station, has died. But no one will admit that his death wasn’t an accident–or that Mahit might be next to die, during a time of political instability in the highest echelons of the imperial court.
Now, Mahit must discover who is behind the murder, rescue herself, and save her Station from Teixcalaan’s unceasing expansion–all while navigating an alien culture that is all too seductive, engaging in intrigues of her own, and hiding a deadly technological secret–one that might spell the end of her Station and her way of life–or rescue it from annihilation.
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Witchmark
Witchmark by C.L. Polk is $2.99! This is the first in an alternate history fantasy romance series and Aarya gave it a B- in a Lightning Review:
If you’re looking for a thoughtful and romantic fantasy with nuanced worldbuilding, then I recommend Witchmark.
C. L. Polk arrives on the scene with Witchmark, a stunning, addictive fantasy that combines intrigue, magic, betrayal, and romance.
In an original world reminiscent of Edwardian England in the shadow of a World War, cabals of noble families use their unique magical gifts to control the fates of nations, while one young man seeks only to live a life of his own.
Magic marked Miles Singer for suffering the day he was born, doomed either to be enslaved to his family’s interest or to be committed to a witches’ asylum. He went to war to escape his destiny and came home a different man, but he couldn’t leave his past behind. The war between Aeland and Laneer leaves men changed, strangers to their friends and family, but even after faking his own death and reinventing himself as a doctor at a cash-strapped veterans’ hospital, Miles can’t hide what he truly is.
When a fatally poisoned patient exposes Miles’ healing gift and his witchmark, he must put his anonymity and freedom at risk to investigate his patient’s murder. To find the truth he’ll need to rely on the family he despises, and on the kindness of the most gorgeous man he’s ever seen.
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Middlegame
Middlegame by Seanan McGuire is $2.99! I know for a lot of the Bitchery, McGuire is an autobuy author. This is a standalone fantasy about twin siblings. Readers really enjoyed the main characters, though felt the book never got into a good rhythm. Have you read this one?
Meet Roger. Skilled with words, languages come easily to him. He instinctively understands how the world works through the power of story.
Meet Dodger, his twin. Numbers are her world, her obsession, her everything. All she understands, she does so through the power of math.
Roger and Dodger aren’t exactly human, though they don’t realise it. They aren’t exactly gods, either. Not entirely. Not yet.
Meet Reed, skilled in the alchemical arts like his progenitor before him. Reed created Dodger and her brother. He’s not their father. Not quite. But he has a plan: to raise the twins to the highest power, to ascend with them and claim their authority as his own.
Godhood is attainable. Pray it isn’t attained.
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A Memory Called Empire was so, so, so good. One of my favorite finds in a long time.
From my review of WITCHMARK: “Despite the tightly packed plot, much of which involves dark subject matter, it’s kind of a sedate book, perfect when you want something that won’t stress you out. The primary mode of transportation in the story is bicycle, and that echoes the pacing—there’s a high-speed bicycle chase and even a smash-and-grab collision for excitement, but it’s subdued compared to car-chase-and-explosion standards. It’s pleasant.”
MIDDLEGAME is a mindblowing novel, a masterpiece, and I hope it wins the Best Novel Award.
That said, the author has been very clear at various places around the internet that the book comes with a MASSIVE CW for plot-relevant suicide content. It’s integral to the story, and McGuire has been diligent about letting people know that it’s in there upfront so they can make an informed choice about reading the book.
I LOVED Gideon the Ninth. It’s basically a manor house mystery, except the manor house is in space and all the house guests are murderously-inclined necromancers, and it just has this glorious crackling bonkers energy to it. I just wish it had come out when I was a teenager so I could have given it to all my moping Goth friends to cheer them up.
Would 100% recommend it to anyone sore in need of distraction nowadays, which is most of us.
Didn’t listen to you podcast – I will rectify that posthaste, but loved, loved A Memory Called Empire. The book touches on many themes, like memory, colonization and assimilation, but the plot is structured around a murder mystery. Definitely recommend!
What Kate and EL said about A Memory Called Empire!
Wow, I’ve read 3 out of 4 of these and I have a library hold on the 4th!
Gideon the Ninth – Lovelovelove this book. My spouse and I love it so much we’re going to do our first couple’s cosplay. I get to be Gideon and they’re gonna be Harrow. Wish I hadn’t gotten rid of my rapier when we moved…
A Memory Called Empire – Lovelovelove this book too! In fact I am glad I am not eligible to vote for the Hugos because how am I supposed to choose between this and Gideon? I got really excited the other day when I saw there was a sequel scheduled, and then really sad when I saw it’s not due until 2021. That’s forever from now.
Middlegame – Ehhh. I’m a big fan of Seanan McGuire but this one did not work for me. In fact it did not work for me so hard that I had to take a break from all of Seanan’s work for a while, because I feel like there’s certain tropes she’s a little too in love with. Still reading her October Daye books, but otherwise, I think it’ll be a year or two until I pick up a new book from her. I definitely agree with the idea that it never really found its rhythm.
Witchmark – I think I’ve got another 3-4 weeks until a digital copy will be free from my library.
Tor has made The Traitor Baru Cormorant free today. The ending of that book made me so angry I threw it across the room, but I know lots of people looooooooooooove it, so thought I’d call it out here.
@taffygirl–I thought I was the only one who threw books across the room. In my case it was Gone With the Wind that I read when I was around 16yo. Even though it’s long enough ago that there was no actual romance genre as we know it today, I will still sooooo upset with the lack of the HEA (that, again, I didn’t even know was a thing) that I could not stand it. Oh, the passion of youth! (And I still hate the ending of the book and refuse to accept it as a romance novel. I’ll go as far as romantic fiction, maybe.)
Binti #1 is on sale for 2.99 @ Barnes and Noble. 10/10 a spectacular series.