Teaser

The Hexarchate reigns supreme across the galaxy, but even they are not immune to rebellion. Forced to work with an unlikely and unreliable ally, Kel Cheris must prevent the latest uprising endangering all she holds dear . . .

Review

Dipping once more into the lucky dip that is the Audible Plus catalogue. I find myself holding another book I heard of when it first came out a few years ago, but never picked up. This time, it’s Ninefox Gambit by Yoon Ha Lee. This is one of those books that crops up a lot on award lists. It won the Locus for Best First Novel, and was shortlisted for the Hugo, Nebula, and Arthur C. Clarke awards, with sequels that also received nominations for the Hugos and Locus Awards. there are no guarantees of quality, but this at least suggests I’m in for an interesting read.

Well, interesting is certainly one word.

Usually in my reviews, I make some attempt to summarise the book in question. In terms of plot, Ninefox Gambit is about a soldier who takes on the memories of an infamous traitor in order to face a new rebellion. If that appeals to you, buckle in, because it in no way prepares you for what this book is all about. This isn’t the military SF that description suggests. This is a book about maths.

I don’t know what the real-world basis for Lee’s mathematics is, but it is not any maths I am familiar with. Lee’s universe is set up on the principle that you can alter reality, and thereby control populations, by changing calendars. if there is any hard science behind this theory, it is far, far beyond my comprehension. If it’s all made up, then it makes no sense. Large tracts of this book may as well have been gibberish to me. there are a few bits concerning the formalities of war that interested me, but they are soon lost in a sea of incomprehensible worldbuilding. It reaches the point where it may as well be written in another language. It’s not quite science fantasy, but it’s perilously close. It’s incredibly difficult for me to talk about this book in any detail, because I’m still not entirely sure what I listened to.

It’s in the listening that we find the book’s saving grace. As someone who listens to a fair bit of foreign language music, I can attest that a good voice can be listened to even if you don’t have a clue what’s going on. Ninefox Gambit may contain a lot of nonsense, but it’s wonderfully narrated. In that regard, it’s a whole lot like Amal El-Mohtar’ and Max Gladstone’s This Is How You Lose The Time War, which was also narrated (in part) by Emily Woo Zeller. Zeller, who first came to my attention as Star Wars‘ Doctor Aphra, has a voice I could listen to for days, and her narration absolutely elevated Ninefox Gambit above what the text alone provides.

Even with the great narration, I did not enjoy Ninefox Gambit. The premise is so out there, so bizarre, that I simply can’t latch onto anything. Maybe you’ll have a different experience, but it’s not a book I’ll be recommending.

Audio Stats

• Narrated by Emily Woo Zeller
• The Machineries of Empire (#1)
• First Published 2016
• Runtime 10hrs 52mins