I Read Books: Gideon The Ninth

 

Gideon The Ninth

It’s Lesbian necromancers in space. Gideon wants to leave the Ninth House, one of the planets/noble houses/character classes of the Empire, and her best way out is to become a soldier. She’s instead coerced into becoming the cavalier – bodyguard – of Harrowhark, the heir to the Ninth House. The two are summoned to the First House along with other pairs from other houses at the command of the Emperor, who wants new Lyctors – his most powerful immortal servants.

As might be expected, every quirky character arriving at the haunted palace/laboratory/sea-steading has their own secrets. And they’re all spooky, with their own variety of necromancy. Gideon herself, faithful yet rebellious, obsessed with swordplay, foul-mouthed, appears very different on the outside, made up with skull make-up and acting as a silent nun until allowed to speak.

It's a clever novel that conceals the many layers of mystery and strangeness under a brash, no-nonsense, briskly paced surface plot, only for the weirdness to emerge from the depths at the worst possible moment - for the characters.

Read This: A fun thriller with clever mysteries and a deep lore
Don’t Read This: The dead should be left alone and certainly should not travel between worlds