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Code and Codex
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Expected 25 Feb 27In the stars-spanning Censorate, all languages other than lingua rubra are forbidden. The Censorate’s ruling Peacock, Aurelia, wields the universal language to manipulate reality itself and to command the obedience of all who hear and understand her.
Valentina was sold as a child to Aurelia to serve as her sworn companion, the Swan, responsible for extracting useful knowledge from foreign texts before destroying their languages wholesale. Until she delivers a book of forbidden verse to the Peacock, which proves to be the key to enslaving the Basilisk, a traitor imprisoned for a thousand years, whose gaze is so powerful that he once destroyed the Censorate’s entire fleet…
Valentina was sold as a child to Aurelia to serve as her sworn companion, the Swan, responsible for extracting useful knowledge from foreign texts before destroying their languages wholesale. Until she delivers a book of forbidden verse to the Peacock, which proves to be the key to enslaving the Basilisk, a traitor imprisoned for a thousand years, whose gaze is so powerful that he once destroyed the Censorate’s entire fleet…
ebook
Expected publication October 27, 2026
About the author
Yoon Ha Lee
197 books2,097 followersYoon Ha Lee is an American science fiction writer born on January 26, 1979 in Houston, Texas. His first published story, “The Hundredth Question,” appeared in Fantasy & Science Fiction in 1999; since then, over two dozen further stories have appeared. He lives in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
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October 24, 2025'about plans to reach backwards and forwards in time by revising history in this space opera adventure of linguistics magic in the author’s return to adult science fiction' GIMME
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
I first came across Lee's work with the fantastic Conservation of Shadows collection many years ago. Several stories in that dealt with this "calendrical" concept where competing beliefs and their perceptions of time and space could affect the outcomes of battles and such.
Did I truly understand the ins and outs of it all?
Not at all.
Did I FEEL like it made sense and did I believe it worked in that universe?
ABSOLUTELY.
I find it so easy to go with the flow of Lee's universes. I feel like I'm rising out of a dream when I close the book and maybe I'll have a moment of, "What did I just read?" or "How does that work...?" but not in a bad way. It's a puzzle I want to solve until I remember it's beautiful to behold just as it is.
Anyway, all that to say, what Lee did with math and calendars in those stories is what Lee does with linguistics here. In this universe, mastery of a language is linked to control in many different ways. The Peacock, ruler of this stellar empire, can actually change people's will, form, etc so long as they can understand her speech -- something so dangerous that a man whose gaze kills destroys his ability to understand language to keep himself out of her power. The empire itself eradicates other languages to engulf nearby plants. We can see the metaphor there!
Aside from the amazing prose and world building, I absolutely loved following Valentina's journey to learning who she truly is and what she wants. The walls around her life have always been strong and I love how forbidden poetry and a (winged) cat can be a catalyst for so much. (not a metaphor -- books do that!)
I'm so happy I got to read this one early!
Did I truly understand the ins and outs of it all?
Not at all.
Did I FEEL like it made sense and did I believe it worked in that universe?
ABSOLUTELY.
I find it so easy to go with the flow of Lee's universes. I feel like I'm rising out of a dream when I close the book and maybe I'll have a moment of, "What did I just read?" or "How does that work...?" but not in a bad way. It's a puzzle I want to solve until I remember it's beautiful to behold just as it is.
Anyway, all that to say, what Lee did with math and calendars in those stories is what Lee does with linguistics here. In this universe, mastery of a language is linked to control in many different ways. The Peacock, ruler of this stellar empire, can actually change people's will, form, etc so long as they can understand her speech -- something so dangerous that a man whose gaze kills destroys his ability to understand language to keep himself out of her power. The empire itself eradicates other languages to engulf nearby plants. We can see the metaphor there!
Aside from the amazing prose and world building, I absolutely loved following Valentina's journey to learning who she truly is and what she wants. The walls around her life have always been strong and I love how forbidden poetry and a (winged) cat can be a catalyst for so much. (not a metaphor -- books do that!)
I'm so happy I got to read this one early!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
2 stars
This was a difficult book to read. At times, it felt like work and I would have stopped it, if not for my commitment to the publisher/author. The writing is confusing, dense and purposely nonsensical. I could not follow what was going on. In a big picture sense, the plot is interesting and compelling, but the writing gets in the way. If the writing scaled back and let the characters come to the forefront, this would be a better book.
I'll say this though: This book cover is absolutely gorgeous. Flawless.
This ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This was a difficult book to read. At times, it felt like work and I would have stopped it, if not for my commitment to the publisher/author. The writing is confusing, dense and purposely nonsensical. I could not follow what was going on. In a big picture sense, the plot is interesting and compelling, but the writing gets in the way. If the writing scaled back and let the characters come to the forefront, this would be a better book.
I'll say this though: This book cover is absolutely gorgeous. Flawless.
This ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews