Books › Gideon the Ninth
Gideon the Ninth
496 pages
A wildly irreverent, bone-crunching gothic mystery wrapped in internet humor and devastating queer longing.
What it feels like
Reading this book feels like being trapped in a decaying gothic cathedral with a protagonist who won't stop making inappropriate jokes while the walls close in. It is a wildly chaotic, deeply atmospheric experience that balances visceral body horror with laugh-out-loud irreverence. The prose is a bizarre, brilliant alchemy of dense, macabre worldbuilding and anachronistic meme culture, creating a texture that is entirely its own. As the claustrophobic locked-room mystery unfolds, the initial snark gives way to a surprisingly tender and devastating exploration of toxic codependency and fierce loyalty. It is perfect for readers who want their dark fantasy dripping with atmosphere, sword fights, and deeply messy, unforgettable queer dynamics that will leave them staring blankly at the wall when it ends.
- Mood
- gothic
- claustrophobic
- dread-soaked
- chaotic
- Tone
- irreverent
- sarcastic
- macabre
- wry
- Pace
- brisk
- Themes
- toxic codependency · duty and sacrifice · enemies to allies · mortality and decay
- The writing
- A wildly unique collision of dense gothic atmosphere, visceral anatomical horror, and anachronistic internet slang.
- The arc
- Moves from cynical, rebellious detachment to a devastating, heart-wrenching commitment to another.
- Who it's for
- Readers who love their dark fantasy served with a heavy dose of snark, complex magic systems, and deeply messy queer relationships.
Content notes
- graphic violence
- gore and body horror
- suicide
- child death
- terminal illness themes
About the book
"The Emperor needs necromancers.
The Ninth Necromancer needs a swordswoman.
Gideon has a sword, some dirty magazines, and no more time for undead nonsense.
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 arcane revenants. 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."
Description from Open Library.
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