In the shadowed halls of the Ninth House, where the line between the living and the dead blurs, Gideon Nav yearns for more than her life of servitude among the necromancers. Armed with her sword and a desire to escape the chains of her past, Gideon's plans are thwarted by her childhood nemesis, Harrowhark Nonagesimus, the Reverend Daughter and bone witch extraordinaire. The Emperor's call to the heirs of his loyal Houses ignites a deadly trial, a chance for Harrow to claim immortality and power beyond measure. But success demands the impossible: the cooperation of her most reluctant swordswoman. Together, they must navigate a labyrinth of treachery and deceit, for in this game of gods and monsters, the price of failure is not just their own lives but the very soul of their House. As the unlikely duo embarks on their perilous mission, "Gideon the Ninth" unfolds a tale of ancient rivalries, dark secrets, and forbidden magic. Tamsyn Muir masterfully crafts a universe where the eerie beauty of necromancy collides with the sharp edge of sarcasm, embodied in a heroine as irreverent as she is brave. In this epic blend of science fiction and fantasy, the journey is fraught with danger and intrigue, yet it's the intricate dance of character and swordplay that cuts to the heart. With every twist and turn, Gideon and Harrow discover that the most formidable challenges may lie not in the tombs of their enemies but in the haunted spaces between them.