Gideon the Ninth (2019) by Tamsyn Muir is a genre-defying debut that mashes together gothic horror, dark comedy, and science fantasy into a wildly original necromantic puzzle. The story follows Gideon Nav, a foul-mouthed, sword-wielding orphan trapped in servitude to the Ninth House, a decaying necromantic cult. When her lifelong rival, the bone-witch Harrowhark Nonagesimus, is summoned by the undead Emperor to compete for immortality, Gideon is dragged along as her cavalier (bodyguard) to a haunted gothic castle on a distant planet.
What begins as a deadly trial of necromantic skill—think Hunger Games meets Dungeons & Dragons—descends into a labyrinth of skeletons, secrets, and unspeakable cosmic horrors. Gideon’s snarky narration (“I’m Gideon Nav, and I’m done with this shit”) clashes deliciously with Harrow’s grim intensity, while their toxic yet magnetic relationship drives the story toward a jaw-dropping climax.
Muir’s prose crackles with wit and visceral imagery (expect bone magic, lesbian tension, and memes-as-prayers), earning the novel a cult following. The novel was also shortlisted for the 2020 Nebula Award for Best Novel, the 2020 World Fantasy Award, and the 2020 Hugo Award for Best Novel.
