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.
The series
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.
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The series is as much about the bonds between its characters as it is about the macabre universe they inhabit. In a society ruled by necromancers and their immortal legions, every corner hides a betrayal, and every revelation seems to sink the characters further into a labyrinth of twists and turns. The Locked Tomb is drenched in mystery, offering readers an intricate, labyrinthine world of space tombs, deadly secrets, and an ever-deepening conspiracy that challenges the very concept of life and death.
At its core, the series explores identity, loyalty, and the haunting specter of the past. Through sharp dialogue and dark humor, Muir brings to life characters like Gideon Nav—a sword-wielding, snarky fighter with a complicated past—and Harrowhark Nonagesimus, a brilliant necromancer struggling with her own darkness. Their evolving relationship drives the narrative forward, each book unraveling more about who they are and who they might become.
In The Locked Tomb, Muir blends science fiction with gothic horror, creating a world where the fantastical meets the grotesque in ways that feel both exhilarating and eerie. The atmosphere is thick with tension, and as the series progresses, the stakes grow ever higher, pushing the boundaries of genre fiction.
If you're looking for a series that feels like it’s been crafted from the darkest, most brilliant corners of the mind, one that bends genre norms and defies expectations at every turn, then this tale of necromancers, haunted tombs, and endless betrayal will haunt you long after you’ve turned the last page. The Locked Tomb is a bold, unforgettable journey—one you won’t want to miss.
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