Holy consonants and vowels, Batman! I want to listen to a snippet of the audiobook just to get a grasp on pronunciations.

Nonagesimus (how on earth do you pronounce this? No-nage-sy-muss? Nonage-see-miss?).

Here is a short list (all names are listed at the book’s beginning in a dramatis personae, so none are spoilers): I will first address the elephant in the room. I stayed up turning black-trimmed pages long past when I should have been in bed (if you’re an audio or e-book person, at least go take a look at the book in a store. Why the hell are there skeletons farming space yams? Wait, how are they raising the dead? And they sweat blood when they do it?! So while it took me a few chapters to get the feel for the writing style and setting, once we met Gideon and her nemesis/boss Harrow, I was hooked. This book drops you right in the middle of the action, so there’s a little puzzling out to do. But lemme tell you: Gideon the Ninth is unlike anything you’ve read before. I hesitated to jump right into another death filled magic story on the heels of finishing up Jay Kristoff’s The Nevernight Chronicle series. I’m sorry, “lesbian necromancers in space” is too intriguing a concept to ignore. Of course, some things are better left dead. Without Gideon’s sword, Harrow will fail, and the Ninth House will die. If Harrowhark succeeds she will become an immortal, all-powerful servant of the Resurrection, but no necromancer can ascend without their cavalier. The Emperor has invited the heirs to each of his loyal Houses to a deadly trial of wits and skill. Harrowhark Nonagesimus, Reverend Daughter of the Ninth House and bone witch extraordinaire, has been summoned into action. But her childhood nemesis won’t set her free without a service. She packs up her sword, her shoes, and her dirty magazines, and prepares to launch her daring escape. The result is a heart-pounding epic science fantasy.īrought 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. Her characters leap off the page, as skillfully animated as necromantic skeletons. Tamsyn Muir’s Gideon the Ninth unveils a solar system of swordplay, cut-throat politics, and lesbian necromancers.

Gideon has a sword, some dirty magazines, and no more time for undead bullshit. The Ninth Necromancer needs a swordswoman.

And the pages of the physical copy of this book are black trimmed which is BEYOND COOL. Skulls and swords and the powdery aftermath of battle. Cover Love: LOVE this moody, badass, intimidating scene.

Gideon the ninth goodreads