Ninefox Gambit is what I’d describe as Hard Sci-fi. Hard Sci-fi is one that really gets into the nitty-gritty of the science, where there’s new technology explained to you or complicated maths to follow. It plays up the sci more than the fi. Soft sci-fi would be something that more just uses the setting. To make it simple, star trek is hard sci-fi and soft sci-fi is star wars.

Usually I tend to stay clear of hard sci-fi. It’s not that I don’t like it, it’s just that it requires more effort to follow. This was not the case for Ninefox Gambit.

I will say straight up that I don’t understand much of the technology involved. I get that if you control the calendar then you can influence reality, meaning that certain ‘exotic’ weapons can be used and that certain military formations will generate certain effects. Everything else is beyond me. But I don’t need to know more. With that basic understanding everything else is very readable and I can just sit back and enjoy the story.

And what a story! It’s a siege tale and I love siege tales. A central fortress has fallen to heretics and to take it back the hexarchate sends a captain attached to one of their greatest generals. Who is undead and also insane. The two characters work well together. Shuos Jedao, the Immolation Fox, the general who has never lost a battle, is fantastic. With his constant plotting, his strokes of genius and his melancholia he is engaging and fascinating. Compared to him Captain Kel Cheris does seem a little lacking. She is the main character and most of the story is told from her perspective. And she’s mostly focused on the war effort and trying not to lead everyone into a slaughter. As such we don’t get as much of an insight into her. She’s methodical and careful and cares and she likes watching ridiculous melodramas and talking to servitors but apart from that she is overshadowed a lot. Still, she’s a solid character and gets the job done.

I say that most of the story is told from her perspective. There are the occasional parts of chapters told from others, always one offs. These work wonderfully to give a broader sense of the action and generate a lot of very moving moments. We also get the occasional email from one of the rebels to the rebel leader. These are light, fluffy and wonderful, while giving a great perspective on what’s happening inside the fortress. It’s a wonderful way to tell a story and gives each action the right amount of impact. Sadly these are mostly from the boots on the ground infantry and we don’t really get anyone’s opinions on Cheris or Jedao, which would certainly flesh out her character.

The great thing about siege tales is the plotting and planning, the pulling of desperate schemes to try and win. Usually you read about them from the perspective of the defenders but this was a refreshing change of pace. It is here that Jedao really comes alive, scheming and manipulating everyone around him to try and win. It’s a lot of fun to read.

The whole thing is a blast, really. The technology is a little impenetrable as I said but you really don’t need to understand it, just accept that it works. The descriptions are sparse but detailed enough to paint a beautiful picture. And the plot bounces along quickly. Honestly the only complaint is that Cheris’s character could have been more developed but that’s what the next few books are for and I can’t wait to read them.