Gideon the Ninth
Locus Award 2020.
Tamsyn Muir's Gideon the Ninth unveils a solar system of swordplay, cut-throat politics, and lesbian necromancers. The result is a heart-pounding epic science fantasy, the most fun you'll ever have with a skeleton.
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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Tamsyn Muir
Tamsyn Muir's voice stands out in the speculative fiction landscape as something uniquely dark, inventive, and emotionally charged. Born in 1985 in New Zealand, Muir’s writing career is an unexpected yet thrilling journey from the quiet beauty of her homeland to the high stakes of intergalactic necromancy. Now residing in Oxford, Muir continues to weave complex, multifaceted stories that defy easy categorization.
Her breakout series, The Locked Tomb, burst onto the scene with Gideon the Ninth in 2019, capturing readers with its sharp wit, twisted necromantic world, and a set of characters that are anything but ordinary. The series blends genres with fearless abandon—mixing dark humor, science fiction, and gothic horror into a potent brew that keeps readers on the edge of their seats. Muir’s exploration of death, identity, and loyalty within this universe has garnered her critical acclaim, earning the 2020 Locus Award for Best First Novel and nominations for both the Hugo and Nebula Awards.
The Locked Tomb
The Locked Tomb series invites readers into a universe where necromancy is not just an art, but a means of survival. At the heart of this tale is a cast of outcasts, anti-heroes, and reluctant warriors who are bound by secrets far darker than they could ever imagine. Starting with Gideon the Ninth, Tamsyn Muir creates a world where death isn’t the end—it’s only the beginning of a terrifying, witty, and utterly unpredictable journey.
The Locked Tomb consists of three primary books, and includes one additional book that complement the series but is not considered mandatory reads — series is set to expand with the upcoming release of one more book. The current recommended reading order for the series is provided below.
