Gideon the Ninth (The Locked Tomb Series, 1)
15+ pages of new, original content, including a glossary of terms, in-universe writings, and more!
A USA Today Best-Selling Novel, and one of the Best Books of 2019 according to NPR, the New York Public Library, Amazon, BookPage, Shelf Awareness, BookRiot, and Bustle!
WINNER of the 2020 Crawford Award
Finalist for the 2020 Hugo, Nebula, and Locus Awards
“Unlike anything I’ve ever read. ” —V.E. Schwab
“Lesbian necromancers explore a haunted gothic palace in space!” —Charles Stross
“Brilliantly original, messy and weird straight through.” —NPR
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, first in The Locked Tomb Trilogy, unveils a solar system of swordplay, cut-throat politics, and lesbian necromancers. Her characters leap off the page, 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.
THE LOCKED TOMB SERIES
BOOK 1: Gideon the Ninth
BOOK 2: Harrow the Ninth
BOOK 3: Nona the Ninth
BOOK 4: Alecto the Ninth
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Community Reviews
What Bookclubbers are saying about this book
✨ Summarized by Bookclubs AI
Readers say *Gideon the Ninth* offers a unique mix of dark fantasy, science fiction, and humor with a memorable, foul-mouthed protagonist. Fans praise...
I enjoyed the world building, the necromancy lore, the detail, the pacing, the characters, the twists!
I don't know how to feel right now. Harrow is thought to be one way most of the book and we learn that she actually hates herself for being born and not doing what her parents wanted her to do and then turning that into her motivation to be the most powerful and successful of her house. I am still curious about how the 9th house came to actually "be". I have questions about that note Gideon found and uggh!
I want to know what happens next but I'm gonna need some time 🥲
Update 3/5/2025
<spoiler>I am a big believer in not writing reviews that are too emotionally charged. Even if I liked or disliked a book. The journey we have in this book with the most unlikely but more likeable heroins with Gideon Nav is one I will always remember. It's funny, witty, sarcastic, thrilling and exciting with just the right about of comedic relief. Gideon was just a girl who wanted to live her life on her own rules, freely and discover the world. I guess it was foolish on my part to go into a book/series about death and necromancy to believe and continue to hope for her to have that outcome, but hell, it didn't stop me from believing that there was some big *shock* factor that we were going to see Gideon unlock in the end because not even she knew of her lineage. And that's what I was holding out hope for all the way through. There are some serious power players in the other eight houses and my fears and worries matched my excitement for what was to come with each chapter. I love this author's writing and I look forward to reading the rest of this series (with breaks in between) and other books by her. </spoiler>
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