Gideon the Ninth

By: Tamsyn Muir

Narrated by: Moira Quirk

Length: 16 hrs and 50 mins

Publisher's Summary

The Emperor needs necromancers. 

The Ninth Necromancer needs a swordswoman. 

Gideon has a sword, some dirty magazines, and no more time for undead nonsense. 

Tamsyn Muir’s Gideon the Ninth unveils a solar system of swordplay, cut-throat politics, and lesbian necromancers. Her characters leap out of the audio, as skillfully animated as arcane revenants. The result is a heart-pounding epic science fantasy. 

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.

©2019 Tamsyn Muir (P)2019 Recorded Books

Critic Reviews

"Tamsyn Muir's absorbing storytelling and Moira Quirk's immersive performance create a richly imagined fantasy world.... Quirk is at turns antagonistic, vulnerable, and hopelessly helpful as she characterizes all the participants and stewards of Canaan House.... Listeners will eagerly anticipate the trilogy's next installment." (AudioFile Magazine)

Maybe the worst book I have read.

I really tried to like this book, but I cannot. I have read a lot of books and usually I can at least say I understand what the writer was trying to accomplish.

I have no idea what happened and I read the whole book. The narration was painful. So many things happened that made no sense. I can’t believe there are two more books.

88 people found this helpful

Fun. Not art, very gory, but 100% fun.

This is tremendous fun. It may not be high art, but it is top-shelf fun and the voice-acting is superb.

32 people found this helpful

a slightly flawed gem

Gideon and Harrow are treasures, great characters with great voices and an interesting tangle of drama. The setting is also highly original and interesting. However, a lot of what makes Gideon so great also feels somewhat out of place in the universe, particularly some of the metaphors used, and the setting itself leaves some gaping gaps in your knowledge, presumably expected to be filled in at the end, where all we really get is prep for a sequel. Also takes far longer to really get going than it should have. Still, it was quite enjoyable and Moira Quirk gives an amazing performance.

26 people found this helpful

Brilliant, brilliant, brilliant!

This book felt like an old friend telling me a story around a campfire, with me clinging to every gritty detail, deepening mystery, and snappy comeback.

Gideon is a wonderfully relatable character while also being a total badass. I couldn't *not* love her. Her and Harrow's relationship is so messy and complicated and I love that it only got more complicated as they had to work together and grew as characters. I was consistently pleased by twists and turns in the story, as stakes rose ever higher and the mystery unfolded, and really enjoyed when people would explain whatever crazy thing just happened so I could truly understand and appreciate how crazy it was; it was so conversational that it never felt condescending or halted momentum.

The narration was amazing, well acted, and really made me feel I was there with the characters - Moira gave them all such life!

Taz, keep at it. As a long time fan of your writing, I can't wait to see what you whip up next.

34 people found this helpful

Mind blowingly good

Lesbian necromancers explore a haunted gotchic palace in space is what first caught my attention. The rave reviews made me break down and use an audible credit to listen to it. Now I will buy a hard cover copy to keep in my safe so no one can ever ruin it and I will have it forever. From the get go, it grabs your attention and makes you root for Gideon. It makes you slowly fall in love with every character for different reasons, and just when you think it couldn’t get any better, it breaks your heart. This is one of the best books I’ve read in as long as I can remember, and I’ve now got four other people reading it just so we can have a discussion because I can’t NOT talk about this book. Seriously, it’s worth every penny and then some. This book will be a re read, and then I’ll read it again.

28 people found this helpful

struggled to finish

I liked Gideon but I was really hard pressed to understand what is going on and who all the other characters were. Gideon's banter was the only enjoyable part of the book.

37 people found this helpful

The perfect mix of dark humor, fantasy, and sci-fi.

What a refreshing novel. The character driven narrative was fun, quirky, surprising, and often endearing (or silicious). I was really impressed at the way sexuality was acknowledged and normalized. It wasn’t weird. Thanks for writing a cheeky read I fell in love with. Can’t wait for the next installment!

21 people found this helpful

it's nothing to write home about

it wasn't amazing, it wasn't awful. I'm returning the book, because I can't say that I will ever listen to it again. The two main characters revolve around an unknown event for the majority of the novel without the reader being made aware until the end. pair this with a sci-fi fantasy setting closer to the 40k universe that only acts as a back drop to a poorly written version of "murder on the orient express" and you get this novel. I won't say that it is a waste of time, just that it could have been better. Moira Quirk was the saving grace of this book, and is the only way I could tolerate this to the finish line.

33 people found this helpful

Inventive, Hilarious, Emotional

Moira Quirk does an incredible job narrating this wondeful, unique book. Her voices for each character were spot-on and consistent. Her Gideon, in particular, is exquisite. Can't wait for the next one!

10 people found this helpful

Come for the gothic panache and acerbic wit!

Be thrilled by the sword play, the terror, and the mystery of Who? How? Why? Stay for the vulnerability and truth.

It's bloody fantastic. The characters and their interaction are worth the story on their own. Intrigue, dueling, and the lure of secrets just make it all the better. And the word play, the turn of phrase... It is so, oh so satisfying.

And Moira Quirk's performance is spot on - doubled my enjoyment of Tamsyn Muir's story-telling.

(Also, this book would make a fantastic anime.)

15 people found this helpful

Absolutely Fantastic.

The narrator really brought this book to life, I'm definitely going to look for other books she had narrated after listening to this one. I knew I was going to enjoy this book by the premise and the blurb, but I had no idea quite how much. definitely would recommend for any reader looking for really strong and interesting female characters.

5 people found this helpful

This maybe the best audio book I've "read"

Not cause it is the best book or most original story, but for the flawless production and perfect rendering of the characters and emotions by the narrator. I don't know about you but whenever I start an audio book I am a little off balance weighing the interpretive narration with how my own inner voice might render it. I can honestly say that in Gideon the ninth and Moira Quirk I found a narrator that could match and exceed my inner narrator on all counts creating a great immersive experience, a graphic novel drawn in words

Thank you

Oh and don't let the blurb put you off. The cheap quips about lesbian necromancers underplays the twisting dark gothic scifi melange that is this book. You've never read its like.

3 people found this helpful

One of the best books I’ve ever listened to.

This is one of the best books that I’ve ever listened to. I’ve never read or listened to anything quite like it.

The narrator is excellent and brought everything to life. She does five star sarcasm! The book is one of those books where you just have no idea what is coming next. Gideon is definitely one of the best characters ever. And no one has ever had better dialogue. Roll on book two!

2 people found this helpful

Favourite book of 2019

This was a surprise, expecting pulp but got brilliance. The writing is imaginative, new and the dialogue would give Whedon a run for his money. A fantastic new science fantasy romp and the narrator did a superb job which really brought the characters to life. Can’t wait for the next book in this series.

1 person found this helpful

Irreverent, gory, and completely gripping

The quips in this book are as relentless as the characters. I like a good rogue, but a gay ginger rogue in space? Bloody perfection. I was wondering if the story would let me down after reading a few other reviews, but it actually caught me with a twist or two I didn't see coming! (a difficult feat in this cliche ridden genre). Add a bunch of fresh ideas, a generous dash of blood, and filter it all through an incredible performance from Moira Quirk, and it makes for a book so good that I'm absolutely furious that next installment isn't at my fingertips!

Brilliant performance and story

A fantastic story that's absolutely bursting with voice. Great narration to go along with it.

interesting Read

enjoyed the book overall. interesting characters and engaging storyline.
my only issue was that in the main story there are 9 houses and 2 from each house. That's 18 people to keep track of.
found I kept losing who was who in the beginning but it got easier as the story progressed.

First rate

Brilliantly performed by Moira Quirk, this is such a good book that gets very and better until you can't put it down.
Finished reading and just want to read it again.

Well performed but a bit tedious

After a few chapters and realising there were ten more hours to go, I just could not face it.

The book is excellently performed, which is why I stuck so long but the story was just slow.

1 person found this helpful