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Birdverse
Yoke of Stars
An apprentice assassin and an inquisitive linguist trade interwoven tales in order to enact revenge. Ukrainian author R. B. Lemberg (The Four Profound Weaves) returns to their legendary Birdverse in an ode to the transformative power of storytelling.
“Haunting, nuanced, and hopeful, Yoke of Stars is essential reading.”
—Izzy Wasserstein, author of These Fragile Graces, This Fugitive Heart
In the School of Assassins, Stone Orphan waits for a first assignment. After their first kill, they will graduate and attain the coveted cloth of bone. But instead of a commission, Stone Orphan gets an inquisitive linguist, Ulín. Ulín has heard the Orphan Star’s song of despair, mirroring her own, and drawing her to the School of Assassins. But Ulín is far more interested in learning Stone Orphan’s language than deciding whom she wishes to kill.
Unable to contain their curiosity, Stone Orphan offers to exchange stories with Ulín to help her decide the fate of three men. By turns, Stone Orphan and Ulín narrate tales of love, suffering, exile, and self-determination, and two wounded souls find hope in each other through the radical act of listening.
“Haunting, nuanced, and hopeful, Yoke of Stars is essential reading.”
—Izzy Wasserstein, author of These Fragile Graces, This Fugitive Heart
In the School of Assassins, Stone Orphan waits for a first assignment. After their first kill, they will graduate and attain the coveted cloth of bone. But instead of a commission, Stone Orphan gets an inquisitive linguist, Ulín. Ulín has heard the Orphan Star’s song of despair, mirroring her own, and drawing her to the School of Assassins. But Ulín is far more interested in learning Stone Orphan’s language than deciding whom she wishes to kill.
Unable to contain their curiosity, Stone Orphan offers to exchange stories with Ulín to help her decide the fate of three men. By turns, Stone Orphan and Ulín narrate tales of love, suffering, exile, and self-determination, and two wounded souls find hope in each other through the radical act of listening.
168 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 16, 2024
7 people are currently reading
2737 people want to read
About the author
R.B. Lemberg
44 books253 followersR.B. Lemberg is a queer, bigender immigrant from Eastern Europe to the US. R.B.'s Birdverse novella The Four Profound Weaves (Tachyon, 2020) is a finalist for the Nebula, Ignyte, Locus, and World Fantasy awards, as well as an Otherwise Award honoree. R.B.'s poetry memoir Everything Thaws will be published by Ben Yehuda Press in 2022. Their stories and poems have appeared in Lightspeed Magazine’s Queers Destroy Science Fiction!, Beneath Ceaseless Skies, We Are Here: Best Queer Speculative Fiction 2020, Sisters of the Revolution: A Feminist Speculative Fiction
Anthology, and many other venues. You can find R.B. on Twitter at @rb_lemberg, on Patreon at http://patreon.com/rblemberg, and at their websites rblemberg.net and birdverse.net.
Anthology, and many other venues. You can find R.B. on Twitter at @rb_lemberg, on Patreon at http://patreon.com/rblemberg, and at their websites rblemberg.net and birdverse.net.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
March 11, 2024
"A story moves back and forth in translation, and it is remade every time. Each of us is a story translated to a language vastly different from its first. You can try to translate yourself back, but it won't be the same story." -R. B. Lemberg, Yoke of Stars
The above quote is how I feel about trying to translate the emotions this book made me feel into a coherent review. R. B. Lemberg has a knack for writing books that speak deeply to me, and I feel changed after reading each one- Yoke of Stars is no different, in that respect. Although on the surface, this is about two characters translating their lives into a narrative through a conversation with each other, this book is about so much more than that. The lyrical prose touches on the intersections of language, belonging, family, culture, war, queer experiences, violence, disability, freedom, and self discovery- all the while, painting a picture of a beautiful world, rich with magic. The intersectional narratives are driven by the author's lived experiences as a linguistic scholar, a queer nonbinary person, and a Soviet-era Ukrainian migrant living in the US. Yoke of Stars is heart-breaking and heart-mending in turns, and I'll be thinking about its themes for years to come.
Thanks to NetGalley for the Advance Reader Copy of this book.
The above quote is how I feel about trying to translate the emotions this book made me feel into a coherent review. R. B. Lemberg has a knack for writing books that speak deeply to me, and I feel changed after reading each one- Yoke of Stars is no different, in that respect. Although on the surface, this is about two characters translating their lives into a narrative through a conversation with each other, this book is about so much more than that. The lyrical prose touches on the intersections of language, belonging, family, culture, war, queer experiences, violence, disability, freedom, and self discovery- all the while, painting a picture of a beautiful world, rich with magic. The intersectional narratives are driven by the author's lived experiences as a linguistic scholar, a queer nonbinary person, and a Soviet-era Ukrainian migrant living in the US. Yoke of Stars is heart-breaking and heart-mending in turns, and I'll be thinking about its themes for years to come.
Thanks to NetGalley for the Advance Reader Copy of this book.
July 11, 2024
Lemberg's creative world-building is really incredible. It doesn't feel like anything else I've read and the writing is gorgeous- lyrical with kind of a literary feel to it. While I didn't love Yoke of Stars quite as much as The Unbalancing, it's still well worth your time if you are up for a slow-paced, thoughtful fantasy novella dealing with language, trauma, and the bonds we create with others. The Birdverse is also gender inclusive and full of empathy and philosophical ideas told through a lens of myth. This story follows a character preparing to graduate from the school of assassins and waiting for a client. When she arrives, they engage in sharing their stories back and forth in a way that ends up intersecting. It's a beautiful novella, though I didn't feel as connected to the characters as I did in the other work I've read from Lemberg. I received a copy of this book for review from the publisher, all opinions are my own.
July 28, 2024
I'm not sure I've ever come so close to abandoning a book, out of sheer frustration, and then ending up by admiring it. Lemberg drops you into the Birdverse and just keeps on going, while you flounder along wondering how literally to take the Bird, the shoals, the stars, the whole idea of Song, Moss, Stone, and Weaver storylines, what's up with the Ladder, what does this world even physically look like ...
I couldn't tell you exactly what made me persist -- possibly I was giving Lemberg the benefit of the doubt(s) because this is the first Birdverse book I've read -- but somewhere around two-thirds of the way in, the story suddenly grabbed me. The protagonists, Ulin and Stone Orphan, were facing dangers and griefs intelligible to my mere human self, and it no longer mattered that I didn't have a clear understanding of the world they moved in or of its religious/mythological underpinnings.
I considered a three-star rating, on account of that long stretch of confusion, mingled with irritation when the language seemed to strive too hard for Meaningfulness (TM). But I settled on four because of the intellectual and narrative ambition and the sheer unusualness of Lemberg's world, besides which I suspect I would have been less at sea had I happened to read any of the other Birdverse books before this.
Thanks to NetGalley and Tachyon Publications for the ARC.
I couldn't tell you exactly what made me persist -- possibly I was giving Lemberg the benefit of the doubt(s) because this is the first Birdverse book I've read -- but somewhere around two-thirds of the way in, the story suddenly grabbed me. The protagonists, Ulin and Stone Orphan, were facing dangers and griefs intelligible to my mere human self, and it no longer mattered that I didn't have a clear understanding of the world they moved in or of its religious/mythological underpinnings.
I considered a three-star rating, on account of that long stretch of confusion, mingled with irritation when the language seemed to strive too hard for Meaningfulness (TM). But I settled on four because of the intellectual and narrative ambition and the sheer unusualness of Lemberg's world, besides which I suspect I would have been less at sea had I happened to read any of the other Birdverse books before this.
Thanks to NetGalley and Tachyon Publications for the ARC.
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March 10, 2025Takes a bit of work to get into, but once you do, the rhythm of the language makes you feel like you're floating.
*I am not rating books read for the World Fantasy Award.*
*I am not rating books read for the World Fantasy Award.*
Read
February 23, 2024An exchange of stories between people from very different cultures, yet bound together by chance and desire, “Yoke Of Stars” engulfs you in its universe of strange magic. It’s been a while since I’ve wanted to delve into R. B. Lembergs’ Birdvirse, so I jumped at the opportunity to review their upcoming novella when I saw it up on NetGalley. With stylish, small illustrations that separate each section, we are invited into the worlds of Stone Orphan from the School of Assassins and Ulín, the linguist.
From the beginning, there is myth in the air - this world unfolds as the stuff of legends with Bird who brought “the stars”. We learn there are three peoples in the world: nameway, dreamway and siltway, all having their magic, speaking different languages with diverse understandings of what is right/wrong, how relationships develop and how gender works. From the “present”, the tales are spun forwards as Ulín visits Stone Orphan and, in the quest to learn their language, chooses to exchange her own stories.
“I had to twist my whole being into a new shape to learn to speak like the nameway do, and now I cannot become untwisted.” thinks Stone Orphan, trying to explain their language, which lacks verbs, to Ulín. The siltway language is tied to their culture, their Shoal, the way they live and act collectively, always floating and bonded. Translation, Ulín describes, is “a departure. A pushing-away-from. One is trying to leave. And arrival is always uncertain.” As a person interested in translation myself - or at least fascinated by it, without having actually studied it - Ulín’s words change what I thought I knew about it. Imagining translation as a departure, it almost means: a distance. Which makes sense, when you really do it, it is the act of leaving one language for another. But to me, translation is not the distance between languages, but the closeness between meanings - the capacity to tell what was first thought and born in other wor(l)ds. This novella, if you let it, forces you to deal with your own ideas on the concepts it fabulates with.
“Carrying two languages at the same time (...) is a strangeness that makes you aware, but does not let you simply be.” Stone Orphan explains later, accurately describing the feeling of many bilingual speakers, especially those that live in a country where the majority language is different from their mother tongue (as is the case of the character and, I believe, the writer). The two of them continue to exchange stories, getting closer to each other in waves, closer and then further, and closer still. At times I did not feel entirely convinced of the authenticity of their relationship, nor did I really understand why Ulín's brother was doing any of the things he was doing, but I enjoyed reading nonetheless.
The novella is reminiscent of Nghi Vo’s Singing Hills cycle because of its fairytale-ish quality and centerfold on story-telling, but its heart is in its exploration of language/translation and cultural imperatives. It is a fascinatingly magical meditation on gender, revenge and at times, (dis)ability (nameloss/powerlessness being almost seen as a sort of disability). A really great read for language geeks and queers!
From the beginning, there is myth in the air - this world unfolds as the stuff of legends with Bird who brought “the stars”. We learn there are three peoples in the world: nameway, dreamway and siltway, all having their magic, speaking different languages with diverse understandings of what is right/wrong, how relationships develop and how gender works. From the “present”, the tales are spun forwards as Ulín visits Stone Orphan and, in the quest to learn their language, chooses to exchange her own stories.
“I had to twist my whole being into a new shape to learn to speak like the nameway do, and now I cannot become untwisted.” thinks Stone Orphan, trying to explain their language, which lacks verbs, to Ulín. The siltway language is tied to their culture, their Shoal, the way they live and act collectively, always floating and bonded. Translation, Ulín describes, is “a departure. A pushing-away-from. One is trying to leave. And arrival is always uncertain.” As a person interested in translation myself - or at least fascinated by it, without having actually studied it - Ulín’s words change what I thought I knew about it. Imagining translation as a departure, it almost means: a distance. Which makes sense, when you really do it, it is the act of leaving one language for another. But to me, translation is not the distance between languages, but the closeness between meanings - the capacity to tell what was first thought and born in other wor(l)ds. This novella, if you let it, forces you to deal with your own ideas on the concepts it fabulates with.
“Carrying two languages at the same time (...) is a strangeness that makes you aware, but does not let you simply be.” Stone Orphan explains later, accurately describing the feeling of many bilingual speakers, especially those that live in a country where the majority language is different from their mother tongue (as is the case of the character and, I believe, the writer). The two of them continue to exchange stories, getting closer to each other in waves, closer and then further, and closer still. At times I did not feel entirely convinced of the authenticity of their relationship, nor did I really understand why Ulín's brother was doing any of the things he was doing, but I enjoyed reading nonetheless.
The novella is reminiscent of Nghi Vo’s Singing Hills cycle because of its fairytale-ish quality and centerfold on story-telling, but its heart is in its exploration of language/translation and cultural imperatives. It is a fascinatingly magical meditation on gender, revenge and at times, (dis)ability (nameloss/powerlessness being almost seen as a sort of disability). A really great read for language geeks and queers!
July 3, 2024
TL;DR: Incredibly heavy and beautiful, R.B. Lemberg does it again. This time exploring identity and translation and how these things can irrevocably change each other and ourselves.
Source: The publisher! Many many thanks, I love these books!
Plot: Stone Orphan is an assassin for hire who is waiting for her first contract when Ulín arrives. Ulín has stories but perhaps not the contract she expected.
Characters: Both characters were lovely and I really enjoyed them both but for me Ulín was the stronger of the two as her story was the most involved.
Setting: The framing of the story was in the School of Assassins but the narratives both characters presented were well drawn and beautiful.
Magic: This is the only thing I had questions on. Flicker is used quite a bit and I believe it the world for teleport, but I wish I knew for sure.
Thoughts:
R.B. Lemberg writes some of the most beautiful works, I’m just going to go ahead and tell you that continues here. This is the story of Stone Orphan and Ulín, who meet at the School of Assassins. Ulín was drawn to the school to purchase a contract, an assassin, and Stone Orphan is determined to fulfill that for her. Unfortunately Ulín is not entirely sure who she needs to be assassinated and the two exchange stories to determine this. This is novel is their stories and how ultimately the intertwine and come together.
This story focuses on translation and identity. Stone Orphan is from the siltway, a tight and confining community. She was driven from her community by her own desire to find more, and she must learn to translate and acclimate to a new world. While Ulín’s story is one of abuse and trauma. Both are heavy, Ulín’s especially, but they both focuses on the characters finding themselves through the worst of things. We also get some larger story work with exploration of Ladder and the School of Assassins, something we’ve seen teases and glimpses of in previous books.
I always recommend R.B. Lemberg’s work, it’s fantastic. But I have to say, even more so than previous books, this is heavy. Be kind to yourself. These characters explore themes of betrayal, marital abuse, loss of body autonymy, familiar abuse, and more. The pay off is beautiful and well worth the time and effort though.
5 out 5 beautiful falling stars
Source: The publisher! Many many thanks, I love these books!
Plot: Stone Orphan is an assassin for hire who is waiting for her first contract when Ulín arrives. Ulín has stories but perhaps not the contract she expected.
Characters: Both characters were lovely and I really enjoyed them both but for me Ulín was the stronger of the two as her story was the most involved.
Setting: The framing of the story was in the School of Assassins but the narratives both characters presented were well drawn and beautiful.
Magic: This is the only thing I had questions on. Flicker is used quite a bit and I believe it the world for teleport, but I wish I knew for sure.
Thoughts:
R.B. Lemberg writes some of the most beautiful works, I’m just going to go ahead and tell you that continues here. This is the story of Stone Orphan and Ulín, who meet at the School of Assassins. Ulín was drawn to the school to purchase a contract, an assassin, and Stone Orphan is determined to fulfill that for her. Unfortunately Ulín is not entirely sure who she needs to be assassinated and the two exchange stories to determine this. This is novel is their stories and how ultimately the intertwine and come together.
This story focuses on translation and identity. Stone Orphan is from the siltway, a tight and confining community. She was driven from her community by her own desire to find more, and she must learn to translate and acclimate to a new world. While Ulín’s story is one of abuse and trauma. Both are heavy, Ulín’s especially, but they both focuses on the characters finding themselves through the worst of things. We also get some larger story work with exploration of Ladder and the School of Assassins, something we’ve seen teases and glimpses of in previous books.
I always recommend R.B. Lemberg’s work, it’s fantastic. But I have to say, even more so than previous books, this is heavy. Be kind to yourself. These characters explore themes of betrayal, marital abuse, loss of body autonymy, familiar abuse, and more. The pay off is beautiful and well worth the time and effort though.
5 out 5 beautiful falling stars
February 28, 2024
I'm going to start with my usual preface that Lemberg feels like the perfect author for me yet with every book of theirs something hasn't clicked-- the writing not working for me, or I can't decipher the story, or I feel disconnected from the characters.
But I'm glad to say I've finally loved a Birdverse story with YOKE OF STARS! This is a treat for any fans of literary fantasy fans. You've got the usual Lemberg craziness here, toying with gender and deepnames and politics in very delightful ways, but this time mixed with a really interesting storytelling device that reminded me at times of ALWAYS COMING HOME.
You've got two people who are meeting up just for a job telling their stories to each other- seemingly unrelated at first, but as the story progresses you get more and more of the big picture. A great concept executed quite well. I particularly liked the way it played with language. For example, Lemberg explores a language in here that doesn't use verbs. They also explore bilingualists in a pretty cool way, as well as migration and diaspora.
It's a fantastic novella and I'm so glad a Lemberg finally worked for me. The problem is me, not them!
Thanks to Tachyon for the ARC.
But I'm glad to say I've finally loved a Birdverse story with YOKE OF STARS! This is a treat for any fans of literary fantasy fans. You've got the usual Lemberg craziness here, toying with gender and deepnames and politics in very delightful ways, but this time mixed with a really interesting storytelling device that reminded me at times of ALWAYS COMING HOME.
You've got two people who are meeting up just for a job telling their stories to each other- seemingly unrelated at first, but as the story progresses you get more and more of the big picture. A great concept executed quite well. I particularly liked the way it played with language. For example, Lemberg explores a language in here that doesn't use verbs. They also explore bilingualists in a pretty cool way, as well as migration and diaspora.
It's a fantastic novella and I'm so glad a Lemberg finally worked for me. The problem is me, not them!
Thanks to Tachyon for the ARC.
March 11, 2025
Always a sucker for an RB Lemberg book. I think The Unbalancing will continue to hold the top spot in my heart out of all the Birdverse stories so far, Yoke of Stars is still a remarkable and strong installment to the growing lore of the Birdverse.
It is a profound and moving look at identity and the ways that community helps to build and shape a person, and the ways that loss and change contorts a person even further. Who are you when the most essential parts of your life -- the friends, family, and community that built you-- are all part of a past that you can only reach in memory? You can't go home and be who you were before,, but you can remember them and honor those memories with love, frustration, regret, or even hatred.
It is a profound and moving look at identity and the ways that community helps to build and shape a person, and the ways that loss and change contorts a person even further. Who are you when the most essential parts of your life -- the friends, family, and community that built you-- are all part of a past that you can only reach in memory? You can't go home and be who you were before,, but you can remember them and honor those memories with love, frustration, regret, or even hatred.
October 22, 2025
A woman arrives at the School of Assassin, where Stone Orphan has been waiting for their first assignment. Once they make their first kill, they will graduate from training.
The woman who arrives is called Ulín, and is a linguist. Ulín is unsure whose name to provide to Stone Orphan as a target. Instead, she suggests they trade stories, as she has heard Stone Orphan's song of despair, something Ulín understands intimately.
They take turns telling each other their histories, and we see that both have been used, mistreated and abandoned in one form or the other by their families/groups. They are both familiar with being exiled, misunderstood and hurt, and both want very much to have control over their own lives and choices. Their stories paint complicated tales of yearning, loss and dislocation.
The prose is gorgeous, I appreciated the slow unfurling of both characters' histories, and how, both surprisingly and unsurprisingly, they connect. The two people have not only experienced much pain, but also have a desire for understanding and experiencing more than what their families/people expect or want from them.
At the same time, the author R.B. Lemberg also shows the difficulties of language translation, with the pitfalls, and the intersections between different languages and cultures and beliefs. It's fascinating, and based on the author's own personal and professional experiences.
This is both a heartbreaking story, but also hopeful.
Thank you to Netgalley and to Tachyon Publications for this ARC in exchange for my review.
The woman who arrives is called Ulín, and is a linguist. Ulín is unsure whose name to provide to Stone Orphan as a target. Instead, she suggests they trade stories, as she has heard Stone Orphan's song of despair, something Ulín understands intimately.
They take turns telling each other their histories, and we see that both have been used, mistreated and abandoned in one form or the other by their families/groups. They are both familiar with being exiled, misunderstood and hurt, and both want very much to have control over their own lives and choices. Their stories paint complicated tales of yearning, loss and dislocation.
The prose is gorgeous, I appreciated the slow unfurling of both characters' histories, and how, both surprisingly and unsurprisingly, they connect. The two people have not only experienced much pain, but also have a desire for understanding and experiencing more than what their families/people expect or want from them.
At the same time, the author R.B. Lemberg also shows the difficulties of language translation, with the pitfalls, and the intersections between different languages and cultures and beliefs. It's fascinating, and based on the author's own personal and professional experiences.
This is both a heartbreaking story, but also hopeful.
Thank you to Netgalley and to Tachyon Publications for this ARC in exchange for my review.
August 20, 2024
Stone Orphan has reached the third level of the School of Assassins, and now just waits for their first assignment so that they can graduate. Ulín approaches them, and has much grief in her past but has not decided who she wants killed. She is a curious linguist who is more interested in Stone’s story and native language than making a decision. They agree to share stories to help her decide. But through sharing stories they find they have more in common, with their desire to be free to define themselves. Will they be able to help each other heal?
An interesting fantasy novella about bonds between people, and rebelling against other’s expectations. The world-building is extensive and intriguing, and the character’s struggles are interesting. This one was better than the previous novella I read in this world.
Content warning: abusive and controlling relationships.
An interesting fantasy novella about bonds between people, and rebelling against other’s expectations. The world-building is extensive and intriguing, and the character’s struggles are interesting. This one was better than the previous novella I read in this world.
Content warning: abusive and controlling relationships.
February 12, 2024
ARC review, Thank you to Tachyon Publications !
In this novella we follow Stone Orphan and Ulín, sharing stories of their pasts, we learn about them as characters, we are also invited to think about Love, Pain, and our own life.
The book is structured in an interesting way, through each story told we can learn and self reflect.
I personally did not enjoy the book because of said structure, which I was not expecting of a sci-fi fantasy oriented fiction. I had a difficult time getting attached to the characters, although I did enjoy the candidness of these raw retelling of their lives.
I think Yoke of Stars is an interesting book, if you know what you're getting into it bring plenty of introspection to the reader.
In this novella we follow Stone Orphan and Ulín, sharing stories of their pasts, we learn about them as characters, we are also invited to think about Love, Pain, and our own life.
The book is structured in an interesting way, through each story told we can learn and self reflect.
I personally did not enjoy the book because of said structure, which I was not expecting of a sci-fi fantasy oriented fiction. I had a difficult time getting attached to the characters, although I did enjoy the candidness of these raw retelling of their lives.
I think Yoke of Stars is an interesting book, if you know what you're getting into it bring plenty of introspection to the reader.
July 30, 2024
...this is one of the shortest and unexpected book I have read by far. I just saw the words "School of Assasins" on the blurb and immediately piqued my interest to read it. I thought its going to be a story about an assassin apprentice with some moral dilemma here and there but its so much more
It has a lyrical writing approach that its almost philosophical in a way especially when Ulin was recounting the stories of the three men he is choosing to name as the victim. It's dialogue centric too which gave more nuance to the character depth of the MCs. Looking forward to read more of the Birdverse world.
It has a lyrical writing approach that its almost philosophical in a way especially when Ulin was recounting the stories of the three men he is choosing to name as the victim. It's dialogue centric too which gave more nuance to the character depth of the MCs. Looking forward to read more of the Birdverse world.
July 16, 2024
To see a full review of this book check it out here.
Birdverse might be the most captivating universe I have read. I need more.
Birdverse might be the most captivating universe I have read. I need more.
December 18, 2024
4.5 enthusiastic stars.
February 22, 2025
Lots to think about. But I liked it, I think. Review to come, though I might need a reread.
June 4, 2024
I received this book in February, but I saved it until April. I wanted to read the entire Birdverse again before getting into this one so that R.B. Lemberg's world and way of writing would be fresh for me again. They have a way with words that really must be experienced. Drawing on ancient desert cultures and creation myths, and blending stories that are lyrical and poetic, Yoke of Stars is a brilliant addition to a rich tapestry of existing short stories and longer form fiction.
I was so happy to revisit the mythology of Bird, Stars, and to learn about the people of the Siltway, but, Ulin's collection of language and the price of it, and also learning of assassins from perspective other than Benesret's tale was really quite interesting. I love languages, and I love learning them and Ulin's deep knowledge of them was a beautiful thread. I can't say much more without spoiling. But it suffices to say, knowledge usually comes at a price.
What I can say:
Ultimately, this was a story about storytellers, and storytelling is where Lemberg shines. That's a strange thing to say about a writer, but truly, not all writers are storytellers. I honestly believe that if I sat in front of them, R.B. Lemberg could tell these stories just as well as they are written, possibly better. The stories are "lived in." It's believable where roads have been walked, the feet are sore, the smile lines and scars were earned. The author knows these stories the same way I know the story of my grandmother's blue wedding dress, or my great grandmother's gold tooth. It feels like reading oral histories that have been written down. How could these characters be the ancestors of R.B. Lemberg with so much magic in the worlds they populate? I don't know. I only know how it felt when I read the book.
Yoke of Stars is a beautiful book. It's painful. It's quotable and I had to put it down twice because I was moved in unexpected ways. There's a simplicity in what isn't said. There are touches I wish I'd felt and simple apologies I wish I'd gotten. There are so many moments when someone should have simply said to me "Do you want to keep telling your story... or I should share mine?" Or simply held my hand steady when my teacup was shaking. These details were heartbreaking, and heart healing. And I needed them.
I don't think I can say more without getting into deep spoiler territory, but Yes, you should read this book. If you like alternate mythologies, or desert cultures or risky world creations, read this book. If you need a little break from fairy or elf princes falling in love with the first 20 year old they can find? Hey, pick this up. If you are in a bookstore and see it? Pick it up. Can't afford books right now? Make a library request. But this book is worth reading and this author is worth knowing about.
Thanks to the author and their representative for providing me an advance copy of this book. I am so happy I had a chance to read it. I will buy a copy when it comes out to give as a gift an extra for my shelf. Reading this was healing, and moving, and I really cannot wait to read it again next year.
P.S. I think if you haven't read Lemberg before, it could be worth it to read "Ranra's Unbalancing" from Geometries of Belonging which is relevant, and perhaps "The Book of How to Live" from the same which explains, contextually at least, a bit about Deepnames. It's not necessary, but hey? Reading is fun, and getting more books is always great.
I was so happy to revisit the mythology of Bird, Stars, and to learn about the people of the Siltway, but, Ulin's collection of language and the price of it, and also learning of assassins from perspective other than Benesret's tale was really quite interesting. I love languages, and I love learning them and Ulin's deep knowledge of them was a beautiful thread. I can't say much more without spoiling. But it suffices to say, knowledge usually comes at a price.
What I can say:
Ultimately, this was a story about storytellers, and storytelling is where Lemberg shines. That's a strange thing to say about a writer, but truly, not all writers are storytellers. I honestly believe that if I sat in front of them, R.B. Lemberg could tell these stories just as well as they are written, possibly better. The stories are "lived in." It's believable where roads have been walked, the feet are sore, the smile lines and scars were earned. The author knows these stories the same way I know the story of my grandmother's blue wedding dress, or my great grandmother's gold tooth. It feels like reading oral histories that have been written down. How could these characters be the ancestors of R.B. Lemberg with so much magic in the worlds they populate? I don't know. I only know how it felt when I read the book.
Yoke of Stars is a beautiful book. It's painful. It's quotable and I had to put it down twice because I was moved in unexpected ways. There's a simplicity in what isn't said. There are touches I wish I'd felt and simple apologies I wish I'd gotten. There are so many moments when someone should have simply said to me "Do you want to keep telling your story... or I should share mine?" Or simply held my hand steady when my teacup was shaking. These details were heartbreaking, and heart healing. And I needed them.
I don't think I can say more without getting into deep spoiler territory, but Yes, you should read this book. If you like alternate mythologies, or desert cultures or risky world creations, read this book. If you need a little break from fairy or elf princes falling in love with the first 20 year old they can find? Hey, pick this up. If you are in a bookstore and see it? Pick it up. Can't afford books right now? Make a library request. But this book is worth reading and this author is worth knowing about.
Thanks to the author and their representative for providing me an advance copy of this book. I am so happy I had a chance to read it. I will buy a copy when it comes out to give as a gift an extra for my shelf. Reading this was healing, and moving, and I really cannot wait to read it again next year.
P.S. I think if you haven't read Lemberg before, it could be worth it to read "Ranra's Unbalancing" from Geometries of Belonging which is relevant, and perhaps "The Book of How to Live" from the same which explains, contextually at least, a bit about Deepnames. It's not necessary, but hey? Reading is fun, and getting more books is always great.
May 13, 2025
This book reminds me of the Singing Hills Cycle by Nghi Vo. This book tells lots of stories but there is not much else going on. These stories really tell the struggles of identity and how there is a problem with otherness. While the stories might be about the past of the characters, it really left for nothing in ways of an actual plot. The writing was lush and beautiful, but I wish there was a bit more resolution and action between the stories to add something to it. I would have liked to see more within this world than just two people swapping stories of past trauma.
November 15, 2024
Real Rating: 4.75* of five
The Publisher Says: In the School of Assassins, Stone Orphan waits for a first assignment. After their first kill, they will graduate, and attain the coveted cloth of bone. But instead of a commission, Stone Orphan gets an inquisitive linguist, Ulín. By turns, Stone Orphan and Ulín narrate tales of love, suffering, exile, and self-determination, and two wounded souls try to find hope in each other through the radical act of listening.
I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA NETGALLEY. THANK YOU.
My Review: A storyverse like Lemberg's is not going to be for everyone. A person who can write this is not from the US and not on the gender binary and not wired like the usual drudge/drone in that they aren't very interested in the Overculture and its concerns. No one who was could've written this: "A story moves back and forth in translation, and it is remade every time. Each of us is a story translated to a language vastly different from its first. You can try to translate yourself back, but it won't be the same story."
This is not the thought, the distilled realization, of a person who lives in one language, or one who simply waits to talk again. There's a radical act of vulnerability in listening to what is actually said to you, not simply responding to how whatever is heard makes you feel. Life is not therapy. Author Lemberg lives in that reality.
The Birdverse is multiple tales old now. In accordance with my long-standing policy of not reviewing books I've spent my own United States dollars on, I have not reviewed earlier ones. I'm pretty sure that you can pick this book up and derive a delicious reading experience from its lush, limpid prose with no further background than is provided in the book. That is not to say it will be a doddle. You're wise not to think visually *first* in the Birdverse. There's a reason one main character here is a linguist.... I loved reading it because I am comforted by the Birdverse and its unremarked queerness and prevalence of spectrums. I think those things are background at this point but I also think someone whose first foray into it is this book might disagree with me (this explains the absence of the fifth star). I'm sad to say that is really not very important to me. I think the point of reading is to broaden horizons, to shape and sculpt and prune the thoughts in one's head. Books like the Birdverse ones are going to make themselves at home in spaces you yourself did not realize were there, or fit themselves onto and around ideas you are growing.
Not always comfortable but almost always very healthy for your worldview. I'm sure this book, light on the more troubling things I've heard others describe in Author Lemberg's œuvre as negatives in their reads, is short enough to make your reading pleasant as well as mind-expanding. These people are struggling through barriers we all recognize between ourselves and others. The overcoming of traumas, or not, is a constant. The manner these obstacles are illuminated in the story is enough to cause me to urge the read on you as soon as you can get it.
I don't imagine a lot of cishet people really think about gender othering. It's not asked of you very often. Try it here: Whenever an assumption made in the story brings you up short, don't dismiss it or snort past it; think, "how is my world this frustrating or confusing or nonsensical to another person?" It can open broad vistas. That can only be a good thing for you, and those around you.
At the end of the day, a read gives you what you reach for within it. I got the certainty that I'm not insane, I'm trying to translate from my own inner worldtongue into a different one, spoken by people who care very little for the nuances I love and live for.
And you?
The Publisher Says: In the School of Assassins, Stone Orphan waits for a first assignment. After their first kill, they will graduate, and attain the coveted cloth of bone. But instead of a commission, Stone Orphan gets an inquisitive linguist, Ulín. By turns, Stone Orphan and Ulín narrate tales of love, suffering, exile, and self-determination, and two wounded souls try to find hope in each other through the radical act of listening.
I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA NETGALLEY. THANK YOU.
My Review: A storyverse like Lemberg's is not going to be for everyone. A person who can write this is not from the US and not on the gender binary and not wired like the usual drudge/drone in that they aren't very interested in the Overculture and its concerns. No one who was could've written this: "A story moves back and forth in translation, and it is remade every time. Each of us is a story translated to a language vastly different from its first. You can try to translate yourself back, but it won't be the same story."
This is not the thought, the distilled realization, of a person who lives in one language, or one who simply waits to talk again. There's a radical act of vulnerability in listening to what is actually said to you, not simply responding to how whatever is heard makes you feel. Life is not therapy. Author Lemberg lives in that reality.
The Birdverse is multiple tales old now. In accordance with my long-standing policy of not reviewing books I've spent my own United States dollars on, I have not reviewed earlier ones. I'm pretty sure that you can pick this book up and derive a delicious reading experience from its lush, limpid prose with no further background than is provided in the book. That is not to say it will be a doddle. You're wise not to think visually *first* in the Birdverse. There's a reason one main character here is a linguist.... I loved reading it because I am comforted by the Birdverse and its unremarked queerness and prevalence of spectrums. I think those things are background at this point but I also think someone whose first foray into it is this book might disagree with me (this explains the absence of the fifth star). I'm sad to say that is really not very important to me. I think the point of reading is to broaden horizons, to shape and sculpt and prune the thoughts in one's head. Books like the Birdverse ones are going to make themselves at home in spaces you yourself did not realize were there, or fit themselves onto and around ideas you are growing.
Not always comfortable but almost always very healthy for your worldview. I'm sure this book, light on the more troubling things I've heard others describe in Author Lemberg's œuvre as negatives in their reads, is short enough to make your reading pleasant as well as mind-expanding. These people are struggling through barriers we all recognize between ourselves and others. The overcoming of traumas, or not, is a constant. The manner these obstacles are illuminated in the story is enough to cause me to urge the read on you as soon as you can get it.
I don't imagine a lot of cishet people really think about gender othering. It's not asked of you very often. Try it here: Whenever an assumption made in the story brings you up short, don't dismiss it or snort past it; think, "how is my world this frustrating or confusing or nonsensical to another person?" It can open broad vistas. That can only be a good thing for you, and those around you.
At the end of the day, a read gives you what you reach for within it. I got the certainty that I'm not insane, I'm trying to translate from my own inner worldtongue into a different one, spoken by people who care very little for the nuances I love and live for.
And you?
July 16, 2024
Ahoy there me mateys! I received this fantasy eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review . . . .
When I first visited Birdverse, I went down a rabbit hole of readin' all the stories I could get ahold of. I love the world building, characters, and writing style. So I was very thrilled that there was a new novella set in this world. It is fantastic.
In this story, an assassin apprentice named Stone Orphan is waiting for their first client. A successful kill will allow them to graduate. Ulín, a linguist, is that client. Problem is that she is not sure who deserves the most blame for what happened to her. Stone Orphan is supposed to help her choose the proper candidate. In exchanging stories, Ulín and Stone Orphan confront trauma and decide where the future might go.
Ultimately, I found both of their stories to be fascinating. Both are telling their stories in their non-native language. Stone Orphan's island "siltway" culture is a collective with the language having no verbs or expressions of gender or sex. Everyone has a designated role and curiosity is frowned on. Stone Orphan feels that by living outside their culture and using another language, they are losing their place in the world.
Ulín on the other hand, speaks multiple languages. While telling her story, she also finds joy in learning about Stone Orphan's language and culture. Her people chose their gender in their teens. Besides the freedom to chose gender, Ulín has very little control in her life and fights to get what she wants. Her father wants control over her choices and for her to become heir. Her other parent believes she should make her own choices despite concern over the consequences. And there are dire unintended consequences for her choices.
Besides the fascinating character lives and the foray into translations, there is a lovely writing style of switching between Ulín and Stone Orphan based on the emotional resonance of their story telling. This switching feels jarring at first but ends up being both poignant and endearing. Talking about trauma is difficult. Emotions well up. As both characters are drawn into the other's tale, they begin to acknowledge the psychological toll to each other. Making tea, sitting in silence, or asking for a break are some of the ways the two people help each other. Also watching their trust grow through shared stories is wonderful. They seem like completely different people but compassion, sorrow, and suffering drawn them together as people.
I can't really praise this novella enough. I don't really feel that getting into more of the plot does service to the reader. In my mind, going through the journey with Ulín and Stone Orphan is beneficial. This is my favorite Birdverse work so far. I would not, however, recommend starting here for Birdverse given the complexities of the world building. I think new readers should start with four profound weaves . I, for one, cannot wait to read more in this world. Arrrr!
When I first visited Birdverse, I went down a rabbit hole of readin' all the stories I could get ahold of. I love the world building, characters, and writing style. So I was very thrilled that there was a new novella set in this world. It is fantastic.
In this story, an assassin apprentice named Stone Orphan is waiting for their first client. A successful kill will allow them to graduate. Ulín, a linguist, is that client. Problem is that she is not sure who deserves the most blame for what happened to her. Stone Orphan is supposed to help her choose the proper candidate. In exchanging stories, Ulín and Stone Orphan confront trauma and decide where the future might go.
Ultimately, I found both of their stories to be fascinating. Both are telling their stories in their non-native language. Stone Orphan's island "siltway" culture is a collective with the language having no verbs or expressions of gender or sex. Everyone has a designated role and curiosity is frowned on. Stone Orphan feels that by living outside their culture and using another language, they are losing their place in the world.
Ulín on the other hand, speaks multiple languages. While telling her story, she also finds joy in learning about Stone Orphan's language and culture. Her people chose their gender in their teens. Besides the freedom to chose gender, Ulín has very little control in her life and fights to get what she wants. Her father wants control over her choices and for her to become heir. Her other parent believes she should make her own choices despite concern over the consequences. And there are dire unintended consequences for her choices.
Besides the fascinating character lives and the foray into translations, there is a lovely writing style of switching between Ulín and Stone Orphan based on the emotional resonance of their story telling. This switching feels jarring at first but ends up being both poignant and endearing. Talking about trauma is difficult. Emotions well up. As both characters are drawn into the other's tale, they begin to acknowledge the psychological toll to each other. Making tea, sitting in silence, or asking for a break are some of the ways the two people help each other. Also watching their trust grow through shared stories is wonderful. They seem like completely different people but compassion, sorrow, and suffering drawn them together as people.
I can't really praise this novella enough. I don't really feel that getting into more of the plot does service to the reader. In my mind, going through the journey with Ulín and Stone Orphan is beneficial. This is my favorite Birdverse work so far. I would not, however, recommend starting here for Birdverse given the complexities of the world building. I think new readers should start with four profound weaves . I, for one, cannot wait to read more in this world. Arrrr!
July 22, 2024
“People can hold you, and yet not jail you. People can gift you their words and their stories and listen attentively to yours. People can love you and yet not constrain you. People can hate you, and yet choose to turn away from violence. Freedom is not pain, but neither is it painless; freedom is choice, even if it leads you wrong. Freedom is to seek more knowledge, even if others think that you are naïve."
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Thank you to Pride Book Tours, Tachyon Publications, and RB Lemberg for providing me with digital copy of this book. This is my honest review.
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It’s hard to find words to describe something that hits you in just the right way right when you need it to, but I’ll do my best to try. In a nutshell, Yoke of Stars was a beautiful novella that touched on gender identity and norms, individuality and belonging, learning how to heal, and the immense power of connecting with others through language and stories.
Yoke of Stars reminded me of one of the main reasons I love books and stories at large. Stories can allow us to see ourselves in others and to feel less alone. As a queer, first-gen POC who has struggled for years with balancing two cultures and with understanding that identity can extend beyond cultural confines while also cherishing them, I couldn’t help but identify with Stone Orphan and Ulín individually and collectively as they traded stories back and forth. I felt seen emotionally and mentally.
Not to mention that the world Yoke of Stars takes place in was beyond intriguing. This was my first foray into the Birdverse and I don’t think it’ll be my last. There’s enough context for readers like me who aren’t familiar with this world to enjoy the story and I’m sure it’ll be a treat for readers who are returning to the Birdverse, too.
If you’re looking for a short fantasy read with queer rep that is as emotionally devastating as it is restorative, please give the Yoke of Stars a shot.
⚠️ Please make sure to check TW/CW before reading ⚠️
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Thank you to Pride Book Tours, Tachyon Publications, and RB Lemberg for providing me with digital copy of this book. This is my honest review.
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It’s hard to find words to describe something that hits you in just the right way right when you need it to, but I’ll do my best to try. In a nutshell, Yoke of Stars was a beautiful novella that touched on gender identity and norms, individuality and belonging, learning how to heal, and the immense power of connecting with others through language and stories.
Yoke of Stars reminded me of one of the main reasons I love books and stories at large. Stories can allow us to see ourselves in others and to feel less alone. As a queer, first-gen POC who has struggled for years with balancing two cultures and with understanding that identity can extend beyond cultural confines while also cherishing them, I couldn’t help but identify with Stone Orphan and Ulín individually and collectively as they traded stories back and forth. I felt seen emotionally and mentally.
Not to mention that the world Yoke of Stars takes place in was beyond intriguing. This was my first foray into the Birdverse and I don’t think it’ll be my last. There’s enough context for readers like me who aren’t familiar with this world to enjoy the story and I’m sure it’ll be a treat for readers who are returning to the Birdverse, too.
If you’re looking for a short fantasy read with queer rep that is as emotionally devastating as it is restorative, please give the Yoke of Stars a shot.
⚠️ Please make sure to check TW/CW before reading ⚠️
April 7, 2024
I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Yoke of Stars by R. B. Lemberg is a fantasy novella set in the Birdverse. The novella opens with a strong fairy tale feel, with Bird coming down to dance with the stars and the stars separating from Bird, and maintains that atmosphere throughout. Stone Orphan and Ulin tell their personal stories relating to language and home with bits and pieces of commentary.
What I really liked was how honest and gorgeous the prose was in relation to translation and speaking in a language that isn’t yours to communicate. The twisting of form really resonated with me as someone who is in the middle of learning a language that has sounds my own language doesn’t have.
Ulin’s home culture values differences and individualism while Stone Orphan’s values collectivism. Stone Orphan’s language doesn’t contain verbs and discourages the use of ‘I’ when speaking. Ulin’s home has words and room for those who do not fit in the gender binary, though her fiance's culture does not and it creates tension between Ulin and the one she was planning on marrying.
I found this really hard to put down. It’s incredibly engrossing and the way Lemberg shows two different relationships with language (Ulin believes it’s wonderful to learn a new language and Stone Orphan finds it painful to speak a language that isn’t their own) and connecting it to ripping language away was beautiful and painful and haunting. It resonated with me as someone whose father lost his native language as a child.
I would recommend this to fans of linguistics and fantasy, readers looking for explorations of losing culture/language, and those who are intrigued by the premise of the Birdverse
Yoke of Stars by R. B. Lemberg is a fantasy novella set in the Birdverse. The novella opens with a strong fairy tale feel, with Bird coming down to dance with the stars and the stars separating from Bird, and maintains that atmosphere throughout. Stone Orphan and Ulin tell their personal stories relating to language and home with bits and pieces of commentary.
What I really liked was how honest and gorgeous the prose was in relation to translation and speaking in a language that isn’t yours to communicate. The twisting of form really resonated with me as someone who is in the middle of learning a language that has sounds my own language doesn’t have.
Ulin’s home culture values differences and individualism while Stone Orphan’s values collectivism. Stone Orphan’s language doesn’t contain verbs and discourages the use of ‘I’ when speaking. Ulin’s home has words and room for those who do not fit in the gender binary, though her fiance's culture does not and it creates tension between Ulin and the one she was planning on marrying.
I found this really hard to put down. It’s incredibly engrossing and the way Lemberg shows two different relationships with language (Ulin believes it’s wonderful to learn a new language and Stone Orphan finds it painful to speak a language that isn’t their own) and connecting it to ripping language away was beautiful and painful and haunting. It resonated with me as someone whose father lost his native language as a child.
I would recommend this to fans of linguistics and fantasy, readers looking for explorations of losing culture/language, and those who are intrigued by the premise of the Birdverse
July 23, 2024
Yoke of Stars is one of the most beautifully written books that I have ever read. From the first page, the writing winds its way around the reader like a warm, but sharp, hug. It carries an air of folklore and mythology, and quickly world-builds in a way that is so lyrical and poetic that it brought tears to my eyes.
This novella is part of the Birdverse series, but I have not read any of the books in the series or any of R. B. Lemberg's work. However, that did not impede my enjoyment of the novella, making it an excellent standalone. It is slow paced, but I found that to be a respectful and important choice with the heavy subject matter that the book focuses on, including trauma, war, and violence.
The world of Yoke of Stars is incredibly gender inclusive, which made my nonbinary/agender soul so happy. The novella also focused heavily on linguistics, the concept of "motion," and the ways that we describe motion and what it really means. As a scholar, I found the presented ideas to be philosophical and intriguing, while portrayed in a way that even those who are not interested in linguistics will enjoy. That with the celestial elements fed my soul, while the difficult topics broke my heart, and put it back together again. This book is an emotionally conflicting read in all of the best ways. It will send you on a transformative journey, and if you are really ready to commit yourself to it, it will alter your very being. Proceed with caution.
This novella is part of the Birdverse series, but I have not read any of the books in the series or any of R. B. Lemberg's work. However, that did not impede my enjoyment of the novella, making it an excellent standalone. It is slow paced, but I found that to be a respectful and important choice with the heavy subject matter that the book focuses on, including trauma, war, and violence.
The world of Yoke of Stars is incredibly gender inclusive, which made my nonbinary/agender soul so happy. The novella also focused heavily on linguistics, the concept of "motion," and the ways that we describe motion and what it really means. As a scholar, I found the presented ideas to be philosophical and intriguing, while portrayed in a way that even those who are not interested in linguistics will enjoy. That with the celestial elements fed my soul, while the difficult topics broke my heart, and put it back together again. This book is an emotionally conflicting read in all of the best ways. It will send you on a transformative journey, and if you are really ready to commit yourself to it, it will alter your very being. Proceed with caution.
May 24, 2024
This turned out to be a very thoughtful, very queer kind of meditation on imperfection translation (and self-translation) which at the same time is a story of two traumatized persons connecting via sharing their stories. It is also a love letter to linguistics.
I picked up this novella without any prior knowledge of the author's other writing, and at first I wondered if the steep learning curve at the start that nearly threw me off is a by-product of this being set in a universe that has other works doing the scene-setting. As I kept reading, my opinion shifted: I think Lemberg writes the kind of fantasy that trusts its readers to find their footing on their own, which is its own reward. The worldbuilding that shaped up as I read on put me in mind of Ann Leckie and Martha Wells: complex and thoughtful, genuinely inventive, deliberately queer.
I enjoyed how the story developed: the risk of dullness/lack of tension that usually accompanies story-in-a-story as literary device was nowhere to be found, as the tension came back to whether the conversation would end up in assassination. I also enjoyed the afterword from the author, where they explain some real-life studies that informed the story, as well as their own background.
Thank you to Tachyon and Netgalley for an advance copy - I enjoyed it, and as we speak I am looking up how I can read more stories from the Birdverse.
I picked up this novella without any prior knowledge of the author's other writing, and at first I wondered if the steep learning curve at the start that nearly threw me off is a by-product of this being set in a universe that has other works doing the scene-setting. As I kept reading, my opinion shifted: I think Lemberg writes the kind of fantasy that trusts its readers to find their footing on their own, which is its own reward. The worldbuilding that shaped up as I read on put me in mind of Ann Leckie and Martha Wells: complex and thoughtful, genuinely inventive, deliberately queer.
I enjoyed how the story developed: the risk of dullness/lack of tension that usually accompanies story-in-a-story as literary device was nowhere to be found, as the tension came back to whether the conversation would end up in assassination. I also enjoyed the afterword from the author, where they explain some real-life studies that informed the story, as well as their own background.
Thank you to Tachyon and Netgalley for an advance copy - I enjoyed it, and as we speak I am looking up how I can read more stories from the Birdverse.
July 25, 2024
3.5 stars
Thanks to NetGalley and the Editor. I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
Writing a review for this book is pretty hard because it is such a peculiar and original book. The author has a way of telling their story that is pretty unique to them, and if you have already read something by them you know what I mean here. If not, you are in for a surprise, that's for sure.
It's like reading some tale of old, with the same magic and the same mystery aura around everything. And usually, it's not my favorite way to go. And, to be completely honest, I didn't particularly enjoy it there too, but this book is not only original in its form, it is also original in the story it tells. This is a book about stories and languages. And how language shapes a person, and how we are all translations and in translations. It is deep and fascinating, and the language here is central. And this part I loved to pieces. It spoke to me.
But it is not only about languages and stories. It is also about people and feelings. And despair and pain. But also hope and freedom. It is about discovering ourselves, and much more.
It is a short book, sure, but it packs a lot. And even if this is not really my thing, I am grateful to have read it!
Thanks to NetGalley and the Editor. I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
Writing a review for this book is pretty hard because it is such a peculiar and original book. The author has a way of telling their story that is pretty unique to them, and if you have already read something by them you know what I mean here. If not, you are in for a surprise, that's for sure.
It's like reading some tale of old, with the same magic and the same mystery aura around everything. And usually, it's not my favorite way to go. And, to be completely honest, I didn't particularly enjoy it there too, but this book is not only original in its form, it is also original in the story it tells. This is a book about stories and languages. And how language shapes a person, and how we are all translations and in translations. It is deep and fascinating, and the language here is central. And this part I loved to pieces. It spoke to me.
But it is not only about languages and stories. It is also about people and feelings. And despair and pain. But also hope and freedom. It is about discovering ourselves, and much more.
It is a short book, sure, but it packs a lot. And even if this is not really my thing, I am grateful to have read it!
March 7, 2024
Content Warnings: interpersonal violence & abuse (verbal, psychological, physical), rape/sexual assault
Additional Note: I have not read any of Lemberg’s other works, but this book’s story stands alone.
I loved everything about this book. I loved the two characters, Ulín and Stone Orphan, both as individuals as well as how their two stories wove together. I loved the framing device of having a conversation to determine an assassination target and how it allowed each character to build over time. I loved the focus on language and how it shapes individuals, both within one language and culture and when one becomes a polyglot; I loved especially the focus on gender identity and expression, how it existed in different forms between cultures, and how characters explored their gender and sexuality fluidly. I think what I loved most of all was the empathy and care Urin and Stone Orphan exhibited towards each other and, as a result, were able to eventually give to themselves. I highly recommend this book, and it has made me eager to read more of Lemberg’s Birdverse.
Additional Note: I have not read any of Lemberg’s other works, but this book’s story stands alone.
I loved everything about this book. I loved the two characters, Ulín and Stone Orphan, both as individuals as well as how their two stories wove together. I loved the framing device of having a conversation to determine an assassination target and how it allowed each character to build over time. I loved the focus on language and how it shapes individuals, both within one language and culture and when one becomes a polyglot; I loved especially the focus on gender identity and expression, how it existed in different forms between cultures, and how characters explored their gender and sexuality fluidly. I think what I loved most of all was the empathy and care Urin and Stone Orphan exhibited towards each other and, as a result, were able to eventually give to themselves. I highly recommend this book, and it has made me eager to read more of Lemberg’s Birdverse.
March 18, 2024
I love R.B. Lemberg's own description of this book: "it features assassins, linguistics, and FISH COMMUNISM." I'm not sure I can write a better description than that! I love Lemberg's Birdverse, and Yoke of Stars is a gorgeously wrought Birdverse tale where stories are told and shared between two people who are connected in ways they do not understand when they first meet. Into the tale of these two people, Lemberg weaves thoughts on language and translation and how we shape ourselves with language and are also shaped by it, and how our thoughts, and ourselves, can change in translation. This is also a story about trauma and strife and magic, of stars that hold and bind and devour, and maybe, just maybe, it's about the possibility of something else beyond the hurt and pain. The way the stories in the book touch and interweave, the way the characters in them tug and pull at each other, is beautifully done - and I love how deftly Lemberg pulls all the threads together into a complex, striking weave.
March 5, 2024
Yoke of Stars is a story of stories. A story of translating language and life across ideas and time. It is beautifully done. It presents ideas of language without verbs, painted across a landscape and seascape controlled by stars deposited by the Bird goddess. It is poetic, creative, and compelling. The language is moving, it aches, and rejoices. The book is a series of stories told by the two main characters. These characters tell these stories to get to know one another and in the telling find more of themselves. They tell their way to finding forgiveness, to understanding others, and finding their own ideas and wants for themselves. It is so beautifully done, and the language play is amazing and wonderful. I highly recommend this book.
October 15, 2024
R.B. Lemberg emerged as one of my favorite speculative fiction authors after discovering them on Netgalley. I was THRILLED when their publisher reached out asking if I'd like to read the next one (also via Netgalley).
In typical Lemberg fashion, you walk into this tale immersed, entering right into a rich and beautiful world fully unlike the one we live in and sorting out the details and the characters' lives as you go. I will say that it took me a bit longer to connect with these characters than it has in previous Birdverse tales, but these things are always subjective and YMMV. I still reman a massive fan and hope R.B. Lemberg continues to write for a very, very long time, as their worldbuilding skills are exceptional.
(Also, Tachyon, props on the cover design - it's amazing!)
In typical Lemberg fashion, you walk into this tale immersed, entering right into a rich and beautiful world fully unlike the one we live in and sorting out the details and the characters' lives as you go. I will say that it took me a bit longer to connect with these characters than it has in previous Birdverse tales, but these things are always subjective and YMMV. I still reman a massive fan and hope R.B. Lemberg continues to write for a very, very long time, as their worldbuilding skills are exceptional.
(Also, Tachyon, props on the cover design - it's amazing!)
December 22, 2024
This is a quiet story about stories, and about the traumas people carry and how those can overlap and intersect. It involves two characters, each of whom has been forced by circumstances to leave their own communities, both of them communicating in non-native languages as they swap stories with each other and find connections and common ground. There's a lot of pain and loss in this story, and also the impact of translation, and the specific loss that comes with being forced to leave home and settle in with another culture. That having been said, it was too quiet a story for me. I kept waiting for the narrative to catch up with the present and move the action forward. But this may be more of an issue of my expectations than an issue with the story.
August 30, 2024
At this point I will pretty much read anything R.B. Lemberg puts out, especially anything Birdverse.
For a novella, this one's particularly dense, with two interwoven stories and a framing story, all of it introducing a lot of elements we haven't seen of this universe before. It has a lot of work to do and mostly pulls it off with its tales of betrayal, severance and freedom.
I'm still torn on the ending. Is it a little too easy? Is it quite earned? I'm still not sure. It's almost a little too pat and upbeat for the conclusion of two such bleak stories. But I can't say how I would have ended it myself.
Still, beautiful and strange and melancholy. Please read Birdverse!
For a novella, this one's particularly dense, with two interwoven stories and a framing story, all of it introducing a lot of elements we haven't seen of this universe before. It has a lot of work to do and mostly pulls it off with its tales of betrayal, severance and freedom.
I'm still torn on the ending. Is it a little too easy? Is it quite earned? I'm still not sure. It's almost a little too pat and upbeat for the conclusion of two such bleak stories. But I can't say how I would have ended it myself.
Still, beautiful and strange and melancholy. Please read Birdverse!
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