The Hexarchate, an empire that most of the characters belong to, is dependent on what is called a calendrical system. Both military strategy and the very structure of this world are based on math. The world of “Ninefox Gambit” is impressively weird. What we do have is an intricate and deeply imaginative dystopian military space opera that I am basically going to spend the rest of this post squeeing about.

“Ninefox Gambit” is Lee’s debut novel, and is a Hugo, Nebula, and Clarke Award nominee as well as the winner of the Locus Award for Best Novel. He said yes information in his public journal is public information. This was very scary since he is a famous author I had never spoken to before. (He has other mental health diagnoses, too.) It was such an offhand and ambivalent mention that I contacted him to ask if it was okay with him if I put him on the Autistic Book List. Yoon Ha Lee is one of my faves, and I was THRILLED when I found an offhand mention, in his public Dreamwidth journal, that he has an adult diagnosis of autism. Cheris can’t trust him – but perhaps she can’t trust anyone else here, either. Jedao is a genius who has never lost a battle – but he is also famous for a battle in which he intentionally massacred everyone on both sides. The Plot: Disgraced Captain Kel Cheris is offered a chance to redeem herself by defeating a heretic fortress with the help of the undead General Shuos Jedao. Today’s Book: “Ninefox Gambit” by Yoon Ha Lee.

Nine fox gambit