Harrow the Ninth

Locked Tomb Trilogy, Book 2

De: Tamsyn Muir

Narrado por: Moira Quirk

Harrow the Ninth, the sequel to the sensational, USA Today best-selling novel Gideon the Ninth, turns a galaxy inside out as one necromancer struggles to survive the wreckage of herself aboard the emperor's haunted space station.

She answered the emperor's call.

She arrived with her arts, her wits, and her only friend.

In victory, her world has turned to ash.

After rocking the cosmos with her deathly debut, Tamsyn Muir continues the story of the penumbral Ninth House in Harrow the Ninth, a mind-twisting puzzle box of mystery, murder, magic, and mayhem. Nothing is as it seems in the halls of the emperor, and the fate of the galaxy rests on one woman's shoulders.

Harrowhark Nonagesimus, last necromancer of the Ninth House, has been drafted by her emperor to fight an unwinnable war. Side-by-side with a detested rival, Harrow must perfect her skills and become an angel of undeath - but her health is failing, her sword makes her nauseous, and even her mind is threatening to betray her.

Sealed in the Gothic gloom of the emperor's Mithraeum with three unfriendly teachers, hunted by the mad ghost of a murdered planet, Harrow must confront two unwelcome questions: Is somebody trying to kill her? And if they succeeded, would the universe be better off?

©2020 Tamsyn Muir (P)2020 Recorded Books

OMG

I am sorely at a lack for words to truly describe my experience with this book. I loved Gideon, and didn't expect it to go so far off brand and mess with my head so much, but I love, I mean REALLY LOVE it. I just can't compare it to Gideon, that does both a disservice. That was one brilliant novel, and this is an entirely different kind of brilliant novel.

I was sad when I finished Gideon, but I was devastated when I finished Harrow. I felt like I just didn't know what to do with myself, as if someone turned out a light. I might be babbling, and completely unclear, but that is just what Harrow did to me. Even when I couldn't really follow exactly what was going on (I tend to fall asleep listening and have to go back and pick up strands anyway, here it was like, HUH?) I truly didn't care. The descriptive language and fantastic narration just kept me wanting more, yes please, more of this but what are you even doing?

I will definitely re-read both books before reading the next installment, and maybe then I will be clearer. Or not. I think discombobulation is just what Harrow is all about, but a brilliant off-balance befuddlement it is.

Slow Burn to a Delicious Undead Jerry Springer

*slaps cover* You won't believe how many memes this baby can hold. You'll never view soup the same way again.

Excellent Book, But...

I love the world of Gideon the Ninth, it’s absolutely stunning. The story of Harrow the Ninth is amazing, and truly a work of art. The use of point of view (1st, 2nd, and 3rd person) was brilliant. The cliffhanger ending could not have been more tantalizing. I will most definitely be reading the next installment.

Having said that, it’s not a book for someone who has issues following too many stories at once. There is a lot of information to call up just at a name drop. It’s not a difficult read, but I would certainly not categorize it as an easy read.

I loved the book, and would recommend it. But consider this is fair warning. 😇

Thank John that there's a third book coming!

I listened to the first book three times before I felt like I was actually following the story and understood what was happening. I thought that book was hard to follow! This one put it to shame. I wonder how many times before I feel like I understand this book. It's like putting together a jigsaw without knowing what the image is going to be >.<

incomprehensible in the best possible way

I’ve listened to this book twice and I know there are still so many things I missed. The writing is layered and everything has a purpose. I missed Gideon’s humor, but Harrow is such a complicated and interesting character. Being in her head was quite a trip 😉 Also Moira Quirk should narrate everything.

Fantastic

Not a book for light reading but if you’re in the mood for some brain work this will do nicely

I was lost until Act 5

I ended up liking the book but was confused until Act 5 (4 hours left of the book). It was hard to get through the book since I didn’t feel connected due to this book being so different from the first (Gideon). I’m glad I kept listening though, the ending tied everything together.

Fantastic! Don’t read the Audible reviews…

I almost didn’t pick this one up because of the reviews I read here on Audible. However, I’m glad I did, and I can tell a lot of folks are not into the idea of the main character being an unreliable narrator.

This book is essentially told through the lens of someone who has essentially gone insane. However, few people think of themselves as being insane - and the authors challenge is to tell a story from their perspective and make it dynamic, understandable and interesting. The switch between second and third person was an elegant choice, and I was intrigued by trying to understand what was “real” vs Harrows particular madness. Despite that, I found it relatable and in the end, very nicely tied together.

The narration is exceptional, and a really neat divergence from the first book, while still developing the narrative arc.

A gaslighting story that ends too fast.

Of the Locked Tomb trilogy this one feels the most well made and that it nails the scifi necromancy vide it promises. it raises interesting questions of what theocracy can be when the "god" is present and appears to be one of the most human characters presented.

That said, this book consistently shows "flashbacks" from the first book that had me genuinely feeling as if this part of the trilogy was written first and the author didn't bother to update it. The plot tool comes to fruition late in the story but it could have been framed a little less jarringly.

Also the ending of this book lacks all resolution. It essentially hits the zenith of the climax and simply ends. Nothing is explained, nothing is resolved. The author introduces a few really interesting concepts but never tells us what happens and sometimes seems to forget that they had set them up to begin with. Which normally could be explained that the next book would bring the resolutions but the third book in this series does nothing of the sort. Leaving all the unanswered questions from this book... well completely unanswered forever.

I can forgive the terrible ending because of how well this book performance in its middle, it was interesting and I would recommend it for anyone who got excited by the idea of Necromancers in Space.

One of the best books

I’ve never found a piece of fiction that I felt was more written for me.