What do you think?
Rate this book
Win a free print copy of this book!
0 days and 07:02:58
100 copies available
U.S. only
The Cosmic Wheel #1
The Iron Garden Sutra
Not yet published
Expected 24 Feb 26Win a free print copy of this book!
0 days and 07:02:58
100 copies available
U.S. only
Klara and the Sun meets S. A. Barnes’s Dead Silence with a touch of Becky Chambers’ A Psalm for the Wild-Built in Nebula Award-winning author A.D. Sui’s darkly philosophical murder mystery, as a death monk and a team of researchers trapped onboard a spaceship of the dead encounter something beyond human understanding.
Vessel Iris has devoted himself to the Starlit Order, performing funeral rites for the dead across the galaxy and guiding souls back into the Infinite Light. Despite the comfort he wants to believe he brings to the dead, his relationships with his fellow Vessels are distant at best, leaving him reliant on his AI construct for companionship.
The spaceship Counsel of Nicaea has been lost for more than a thousand years. A relic of Earth’s dying past, humanity took the ship to the stars on a multi-generation journey to find another habitable planet yet never reached its destination. Its sudden appearance has attracted a team of academics eager to investigate its archeological history. And Iris has been assigned to bring peace to the crew’s long departed souls.
Carpeted in moss and intertwined with vines, Nicaea is more forest than ship.
But the ship's plant life isn’t the only sentience to have survived in the past millennia. Something onboard is stalking the explorers one by one. And Iris with his AI construct may be their only hope for survival. . .
Vessel Iris has devoted himself to the Starlit Order, performing funeral rites for the dead across the galaxy and guiding souls back into the Infinite Light. Despite the comfort he wants to believe he brings to the dead, his relationships with his fellow Vessels are distant at best, leaving him reliant on his AI construct for companionship.
The spaceship Counsel of Nicaea has been lost for more than a thousand years. A relic of Earth’s dying past, humanity took the ship to the stars on a multi-generation journey to find another habitable planet yet never reached its destination. Its sudden appearance has attracted a team of academics eager to investigate its archeological history. And Iris has been assigned to bring peace to the crew’s long departed souls.
Carpeted in moss and intertwined with vines, Nicaea is more forest than ship.
But the ship's plant life isn’t the only sentience to have survived in the past millennia. Something onboard is stalking the explorers one by one. And Iris with his AI construct may be their only hope for survival. . .
400 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication February 24, 2026
13985 people want to read
About the author
A.D. Sui
2 books117 followersA.D. Sui is a Ukrainian-born, internationally raised speculative writer, Nebula winner, and Aurora, and Theodore Sturgeon Memorial Award finalist. They are the author of The Dragonfly Gambit (2024), The Iron Garden Sutra (2026), and more than two dozen short stories. A failed academic and retired fencer, they spend their days wrangling their two dogs and tending to a myriad of tropical plants. You can find them on most social media platforms as @thesuiway.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews
September 3, 2025
This is THE book of 2026. If you don't have this on your radar, you should go and preorder a copy or request it at your library. A. D. Sui crafted such a special story here and I would hate to see it go unnoticed.
There's just so much to love here.
Iris, the main character, is where I'll start. He became everything to me during the course of this story. He's a death monk, a concept that is so brilliant and soft and existential, and his thoughts, actions, and words gave me so much to think about. He's such a full character. He felt real...like he was sitting beside me while I read.
The atmosphere is excellent. Sui knows how to wield language and they do it so well. I can tell how much care went into preparing this story.
The plot itself moves at a slow pace that felt so delightful. I soaked myself in every moment of this book. Between the action packed sequences were so many moments to breathe and enjoy the world.
I am going to be anxiously waiting for the sequel. I could lose myself in this book many times over. I'm already looking forward to rereading it.
There's just so much to love here.
Iris, the main character, is where I'll start. He became everything to me during the course of this story. He's a death monk, a concept that is so brilliant and soft and existential, and his thoughts, actions, and words gave me so much to think about. He's such a full character. He felt real...like he was sitting beside me while I read.
The atmosphere is excellent. Sui knows how to wield language and they do it so well. I can tell how much care went into preparing this story.
The plot itself moves at a slow pace that felt so delightful. I soaked myself in every moment of this book. Between the action packed sequences were so many moments to breathe and enjoy the world.
I am going to be anxiously waiting for the sequel. I could lose myself in this book many times over. I'm already looking forward to rereading it.
Read
June 27, 2025A big big thank you to the author, editor, and publisher for an ARC of the book for a blurb!
THE IRON GARDEN SUTRA is a thrilling space sci-fi reflecting on the sense of self, detachment from the world, existentialism, and primality, yet at the same time, it mediates on learning about trust and reliance, desire and contentment, with both a beautiful and chilling touch of the romantic and horrific.
Y'all need this if you're looking for your next generation-ship read!
THE IRON GARDEN SUTRA is a thrilling space sci-fi reflecting on the sense of self, detachment from the world, existentialism, and primality, yet at the same time, it mediates on learning about trust and reliance, desire and contentment, with both a beautiful and chilling touch of the romantic and horrific.
Y'all need this if you're looking for your next generation-ship read!
August 5, 2025
Meditative and philosophical, with a compelling mystery at its dark heart, THE IRON GARDEN SUTRA deftly delivers on multiple fronts: immersive cultural worldbuilding, creeping dread seen only in the best sci-fi horror, and an interrogation of the nature of intelligence, life, and humanity’s place in the universe, all building to a smart, satisfying finish.
December 1, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing | Erewhon Books for this ARC. All thoughts are my own.
Unfortunately I can tell this book is not going to be for me already after a few chapters. DNF from me.
Thanks for reading.
🤍🤍🤍
Unfortunately I can tell this book is not going to be for me already after a few chapters. DNF from me.
Thanks for reading.
🤍🤍🤍
September 16, 2025
I have read 70 books in 2025 so far. This is the best one.
I will not try to sum is up, because it would spoil it.
The Iron Garden Sutra moved me in ways I was not expecting.
This is a novel about grief. Raw, unadulterated grief. The complex emotions that wash over you when you grieve. The calm that you can feel once you have allowed yourself to feel them.
This is a horror novel that is also extremely comforting.
This is an SF novel that feels very close to current concerns. AI safety. Space exploration. Global warming. Where are we going, collectively? What kind of Pandora's box have we opened?
The style is close to Greg Egan, which I absolutely adore. No long descriptions. No annoying tangents. Sui shows and rarely tells. A dense universe appears between two shadows. The silences are as important as the dialogues. Every character has a backstory, one that will be revealed in due time. Their relationships evolve and grow, and they end up entangled, just as much as the trees that grow in the abandoned spaceship.
"I long to feel my heart burned open wide, till nothing else remains
Except the fires from which I came
Like parted souls, divided for an age, awe and wonder I'd embrace
And the world anew again
But now, this picture from me fades
From still's cold hand, there's no reprieve, light the fire in me"
VNV Nation, Nova
Dear A.D. Sui, if you ever come to Copenhagen, lunch is on me.
Thank you #NetGalley, Kensington Publishing, A.D Sui for the ARC.
Can't wait for the sequel.
I will not try to sum is up, because it would spoil it.
The Iron Garden Sutra moved me in ways I was not expecting.
This is a novel about grief. Raw, unadulterated grief. The complex emotions that wash over you when you grieve. The calm that you can feel once you have allowed yourself to feel them.
This is a horror novel that is also extremely comforting.
This is an SF novel that feels very close to current concerns. AI safety. Space exploration. Global warming. Where are we going, collectively? What kind of Pandora's box have we opened?
The style is close to Greg Egan, which I absolutely adore. No long descriptions. No annoying tangents. Sui shows and rarely tells. A dense universe appears between two shadows. The silences are as important as the dialogues. Every character has a backstory, one that will be revealed in due time. Their relationships evolve and grow, and they end up entangled, just as much as the trees that grow in the abandoned spaceship.
"I long to feel my heart burned open wide, till nothing else remains
Except the fires from which I came
Like parted souls, divided for an age, awe and wonder I'd embrace
And the world anew again
But now, this picture from me fades
From still's cold hand, there's no reprieve, light the fire in me"
VNV Nation, Nova
Dear A.D. Sui, if you ever come to Copenhagen, lunch is on me.
Thank you #NetGalley, Kensington Publishing, A.D Sui for the ARC.
Can't wait for the sequel.
May 14, 2025
I feel incredibly lucky to have read this book early. With an inventive and original setting that is both beautiful and disturbing, characters I want to squeeze and protect (like seriously, gird yourselves) and a smart, thoughtful approach to the exploration of faith, The Iron Garden Sutra is a book that will stay with me. (I'm absolutely devouring the bars of my cage rabid for book two!) All the stars.
Read
January 7, 2026
Book Riot’s Most Anticipated Books of 2026:
Fresh off her Nebula Award win for best novella, A.D. Sui's debut novel is coming next year, bringing vibes of science fiction, horror, and the found family that we all crave. It's the story of Vessel Iris, who travels the galaxy performing funeral rites. When a 1,000-year-old vessel appears, academics flock to it as an archaeological find. Iris is there to help the long-dead pass on. But the ship is teeming with plants and something more, something predatory that's hunting the newly arrived humans. —Chris M. Arnone
Fresh off her Nebula Award win for best novella, A.D. Sui's debut novel is coming next year, bringing vibes of science fiction, horror, and the found family that we all crave. It's the story of Vessel Iris, who travels the galaxy performing funeral rites. When a 1,000-year-old vessel appears, academics flock to it as an archaeological find. Iris is there to help the long-dead pass on. But the ship is teeming with plants and something more, something predatory that's hunting the newly arrived humans. —Chris M. Arnone
October 13, 2025
Um. Wow. This is absolutely brilliant.
Read via NetGalley.
Humans have spread through the stars. People die on spaceships, and in accidents, and sometimes lost slow-traveling generation spaceships are found with all crew dead. In those instances, monks of the Starlit Order are often called on, to lay the dead to rest, and to remind the dead that they are one with the Infinite Light. Not everyone believes in the Infinite Light (and the Infinite Light doesn't care about your belief), but the monks seem to carry out a role that people need. People have always needed closure with death.
Iris is a Starlit monk, and as such has a personal AI in their head - not something that is very well regarded any more. Iris isn't sure that he's a very good monk, but he wants to be good at it. He is sent to a newly 'arrived' generation ship - sent many generations ago, just now arriving in populated space, and all crew dead. When Iris arrives onboard, however, he is not alone: there's an archaeological team onboard as well, which just makes everything more difficult. And then things get even MORE difficult, but it's not the fault of the humans...
I'm tempted to say that this is a little bit gothic - a giant spaceship is kind of like a house, right? I'm not sure whether or not it's horror; I did not find it scary, although I imagine that if it were a film I would have found it so. Guess it's a good thing I'm not doing the genre marketing.
No matter the genre, I absolutely adored this book. I love Iris and his inner conflict, although I definitely wanted to scold him at several (many) points and urge him to take better care of himself. I was deeply amused by Iris' relationship with his AI (VIFAI), as well as occasionally troubled. The archaeologists and engineers are characterised swiftly and beautifully - even the ones who don't live all that long (spoiler!). The arguments between the different groups were all too believable. And I was utterly intrigued by the eventual reveal of what was going on; it may not be an entirely unique take, but it's incredibly well done and feels like a really fascinating direction for further exploration.
AND THEN I got to the end and discovered there's another book in the offing! Truly a wonderful surprise. A.D Sui keeps being one to watch.
Read via NetGalley.
Humans have spread through the stars. People die on spaceships, and in accidents, and sometimes lost slow-traveling generation spaceships are found with all crew dead. In those instances, monks of the Starlit Order are often called on, to lay the dead to rest, and to remind the dead that they are one with the Infinite Light. Not everyone believes in the Infinite Light (and the Infinite Light doesn't care about your belief), but the monks seem to carry out a role that people need. People have always needed closure with death.
Iris is a Starlit monk, and as such has a personal AI in their head - not something that is very well regarded any more. Iris isn't sure that he's a very good monk, but he wants to be good at it. He is sent to a newly 'arrived' generation ship - sent many generations ago, just now arriving in populated space, and all crew dead. When Iris arrives onboard, however, he is not alone: there's an archaeological team onboard as well, which just makes everything more difficult. And then things get even MORE difficult, but it's not the fault of the humans...
I'm tempted to say that this is a little bit gothic - a giant spaceship is kind of like a house, right? I'm not sure whether or not it's horror; I did not find it scary, although I imagine that if it were a film I would have found it so. Guess it's a good thing I'm not doing the genre marketing.
No matter the genre, I absolutely adored this book. I love Iris and his inner conflict, although I definitely wanted to scold him at several (many) points and urge him to take better care of himself. I was deeply amused by Iris' relationship with his AI (VIFAI), as well as occasionally troubled. The archaeologists and engineers are characterised swiftly and beautifully - even the ones who don't live all that long (spoiler!). The arguments between the different groups were all too believable. And I was utterly intrigued by the eventual reveal of what was going on; it may not be an entirely unique take, but it's incredibly well done and feels like a really fascinating direction for further exploration.
AND THEN I got to the end and discovered there's another book in the offing! Truly a wonderful surprise. A.D Sui keeps being one to watch.
September 27, 2025
It feels a bit unfair that one of my favorite reads of 2025 is a book that doesn't come out until 2026. The setup is that there's an ancient generation ship that's showed up at a port completely unexpectedly, and in addition to digital archaeologists and ecologists and such, a member of the local monastery is sent to do rites for any bodies they may find on board. What this turns into is one of the best space horrors I've read in recent memory, where the spaceship is alive, hates you personally, locks you in it, but at the same time, only has the veRy BEsT in mind for you. Mushrooms, the endless void of space and the nihilism it can draw you into, artificial intelligence, healing, who the rites of the dead are really for, and some truly creepy moments. Against it all though you have human connection, and people who would really like to maybe not die today. The ensemble is fantastic, even as there's a high body count, and it looks like if this does well enough (which it damn well better'd) we're getting a second book. Go preorder this when there's another preorder sale on and while you're at it pick up Sui's The Dragonfly Gambit for another great prose flex.
October 17, 2025
Don't let the three stars fool you, I actually think this book is really great! It was just unfortunately not my thing.
Vessel Iris, a devotee of the Starlit Order, is sent to an abandoned homesteading ship to give the many bodies of the dead their last rites. There he finds a group of academics, set on exploring the ruined ship and untangling the mysteries at its root.
Space monks? Abandoned ships? Research teams? Freaky plants? Check, check, check, check–all stuff I love and it's all done very well. The ship was super atmospheric and there are some really fantastic descriptions that evoke the eeriness of aging technology. I liked Vessel Iris a lot as well and we get a lot of insight into his philosophy and everyday experience as a Vessel, including struggling with faith and all the tenets he's meant to uphold. Sometimes maybe we get too much in his head and the actual plot is lost but that's not a huge problem. Since all of the academics are introduced at once, it's a little overwhelming but you come to know each of them for the most part. The writing is really excellent, it was one of my favorite parts of the book.
So, you might be wondering, why did you give this three stars? Unfortunately, it really boils down to a murder mystery (*insert muffled sound of me banging my head against my desk*) and just don't find those interesting. I thought it would be more of a B-plot but it's a very significant portion of the story. I was also reading this during midterms, so my tolerance was at an all-time low.
If you like sci-fi mysteries, you're going to love this. It is really great, but for the folks like me who simply cannot stand a whodunnit, maybe steer clear.
Thank you to A. D. Sui and Erewhon Books for this ARC in exchange for my full, honest review!
Happy reading!
Vessel Iris, a devotee of the Starlit Order, is sent to an abandoned homesteading ship to give the many bodies of the dead their last rites. There he finds a group of academics, set on exploring the ruined ship and untangling the mysteries at its root.
Space monks? Abandoned ships? Research teams? Freaky plants? Check, check, check, check–all stuff I love and it's all done very well. The ship was super atmospheric and there are some really fantastic descriptions that evoke the eeriness of aging technology. I liked Vessel Iris a lot as well and we get a lot of insight into his philosophy and everyday experience as a Vessel, including struggling with faith and all the tenets he's meant to uphold. Sometimes maybe we get too much in his head and the actual plot is lost but that's not a huge problem. Since all of the academics are introduced at once, it's a little overwhelming but you come to know each of them for the most part. The writing is really excellent, it was one of my favorite parts of the book.
So, you might be wondering, why did you give this three stars? Unfortunately, it really boils down to a murder mystery (*insert muffled sound of me banging my head against my desk*) and just don't find those interesting. I thought it would be more of a B-plot but it's a very significant portion of the story. I was also reading this during midterms, so my tolerance was at an all-time low.
If you like sci-fi mysteries, you're going to love this. It is really great, but for the folks like me who simply cannot stand a whodunnit, maybe steer clear.
Thank you to A. D. Sui and Erewhon Books for this ARC in exchange for my full, honest review!
Happy reading!
October 3, 2025
I received a free copy from Erewhon Books via Netgalley in exchange for a fair review. Publish date 24 February, 2026.
I liked Sui's previous novella Dragonfly Gambit, so I was interested to see what they'd do with a full-length novel. In The Iron Garden Sutra, monk Iris is glad to escape the stifling routine of the cloisters on an assignment to lay to rest the dead of a long-lost generation ship. But the Counsel of Nicaea has already been occupied by of a gaggle of academics bent on discovering its secrets, and something murderous lurks in its walls...
To me, The Iron Garden Sutra is the exact opposite of Chambers' A Psalm for the Wild-Built: a death monk with an eating disorder who makes people feel worse fights against nature, which is trying to kill him. It's a fantastic setting, featuring a failed generation ship filled with a jungle the size of a city sailing long-dead bodies into the black for centuries. Not to mention the sect of space monks devoted to caring for the dead, a protagonist deeply entwined with the AI who's been in his head since he was a child, and the being picked off one by one horror-thriller premise. I liked Dragonfly Gambit, but the worldbuilding felt a little thin. Iron Garden Sutra has the meat on its bones I was looking for.
While I liked the premise, I wasn't quite sold on the protagonist. Iris' narration is like a open wound--the constant recrimination for failing his own standards and use of his own monastic vows to self-flagellate and deprive himself. It's an uncomfortable headspace to be in. I did enjoy his complex relationship with the AI VIFAI, who is his constant companion, permanently bound to him in a dubiously ethical procedure. While Iris' unreliable point of view is fiercely unhappy, it didn't quite have the vividness to pull off proper horror, leaving the narrative without the tension and atmosphere necessary to solidly hold the plot together. To be fair, horror is a difficult thing to write, possibly even more challenging than a good sex scene, although less amusing when it goes wrong.
The book ends with the main action plot resolved but the character relationships very much unresolved, and announces the planned publication of a sequel. I'll certainly be reading it--clearly Sui is an author to watch out for. Recommended if you enjoyed A Memory Called Empire or the premises of Aliette de Bodard's novels.
I liked Sui's previous novella Dragonfly Gambit, so I was interested to see what they'd do with a full-length novel. In The Iron Garden Sutra, monk Iris is glad to escape the stifling routine of the cloisters on an assignment to lay to rest the dead of a long-lost generation ship. But the Counsel of Nicaea has already been occupied by of a gaggle of academics bent on discovering its secrets, and something murderous lurks in its walls...
To me, The Iron Garden Sutra is the exact opposite of Chambers' A Psalm for the Wild-Built: a death monk with an eating disorder who makes people feel worse fights against nature, which is trying to kill him. It's a fantastic setting, featuring a failed generation ship filled with a jungle the size of a city sailing long-dead bodies into the black for centuries. Not to mention the sect of space monks devoted to caring for the dead, a protagonist deeply entwined with the AI who's been in his head since he was a child, and the being picked off one by one horror-thriller premise. I liked Dragonfly Gambit, but the worldbuilding felt a little thin. Iron Garden Sutra has the meat on its bones I was looking for.
While I liked the premise, I wasn't quite sold on the protagonist. Iris' narration is like a open wound--the constant recrimination for failing his own standards and use of his own monastic vows to self-flagellate and deprive himself. It's an uncomfortable headspace to be in. I did enjoy his complex relationship with the AI VIFAI, who is his constant companion, permanently bound to him in a dubiously ethical procedure. While Iris' unreliable point of view is fiercely unhappy, it didn't quite have the vividness to pull off proper horror, leaving the narrative without the tension and atmosphere necessary to solidly hold the plot together. To be fair, horror is a difficult thing to write, possibly even more challenging than a good sex scene, although less amusing when it goes wrong.
The book ends with the main action plot resolved but the character relationships very much unresolved, and announces the planned publication of a sequel. I'll certainly be reading it--clearly Sui is an author to watch out for. Recommended if you enjoyed A Memory Called Empire or the premises of Aliette de Bodard's novels.
September 13, 2025
This is the first book I've read A. D. Sui and it is an absolute masterpiece! Their writing style is immaculate, their world immersive, and it is full of humour, philosophy, and heart.
I didn't know what to expect from The Iron Garden Sutra but what I received was a refreshing scifi story about choices, faith, history, and balance.
It honestly reminded me of a blend of Avatar the Last Air Bender and Star Trek. I love both.
Iris is an intriguing character and I loved getting to join his journey and travel through his mind.
This book is necessary for our time.
Its themes of violence, nonviolence, morality of AI, faith, doubt, and love is perfect.
I can't wait to read the next book and with that ending I'm so glad we get another one!
I didn't know what to expect from The Iron Garden Sutra but what I received was a refreshing scifi story about choices, faith, history, and balance.
It honestly reminded me of a blend of Avatar the Last Air Bender and Star Trek. I love both.
Iris is an intriguing character and I loved getting to join his journey and travel through his mind.
This book is necessary for our time.
Its themes of violence, nonviolence, morality of AI, faith, doubt, and love is perfect.
I can't wait to read the next book and with that ending I'm so glad we get another one!
December 24, 2025
This was a really enjoyable read! While grounded in being a sci-fi and mystery novel, it also offered philosophical reflections that were seamlessly tied into the story. It is another entry into the AI-centered stories that are coming out these days, but took a refreshingly different approach. The characters were all very human, and I found myself resonating with them on more than one occasion. There were a couple twists I didn’t love, but the majority made the story more intriguing. I wasn’t sure what to expect going into this book, but it definitely paid off! (I won this from a Goodreads giveaway).
November 26, 2025
That’s just me in the corner. That’s just me, losing my religion. Vessel Iris is really put through the wringer. This is the most character growth I have ever witnessed in one book and it felt natural, not forced. A.D. Sui has the secret sauce.
Don’t rush through this one. Some of the scenes and chapter intros are so moving. And the Vessel’s spiritual reflections matter later in the book. This is a great blend of scifi thriller, mystery, and deep thinking.
I normally like to give a run down of the vibes more thoroughly but I don’t want to spoil any reveals!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this advance copy of the book. All opinions are my own.
Don’t rush through this one. Some of the scenes and chapter intros are so moving. And the Vessel’s spiritual reflections matter later in the book. This is a great blend of scifi thriller, mystery, and deep thinking.
I normally like to give a run down of the vibes more thoroughly but I don’t want to spoil any reveals!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this advance copy of the book. All opinions are my own.
September 27, 2025
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!
After reading the description, I was absolutely dying to read this and I can say, I loved this so much. I think it's my favorite read this year. While the beginning is a little on the slow side as we're setting everything up, once the pieces are in place and we know the characters, the creeping dread ramps up significantly and it doesn't let go. I really had no idea who was going to be alive by the end and if I'd been reading a physical copy, I 100% would have peeked at the ending just to make sure it had a happy ending. That's how invested I was.
The world building was amazing despite the story being confined to the ship the Nicaea for the majority of the novel. Iris was an amazing character and I loved his conflicts of faith as the novel progressed and I loved his back and forth with his AI construct, VIFAI. The supporting cast, the sorry sap of academics that just happened to be on the ship when things start going south super fast, were each fleshed out and I really felt for them. I started hating Yan, but he grew on me very fast and I was glad he did.
I'm so glad as well we're getting another book in this world, especially after that ending. I just need more!!
After reading the description, I was absolutely dying to read this and I can say, I loved this so much. I think it's my favorite read this year. While the beginning is a little on the slow side as we're setting everything up, once the pieces are in place and we know the characters, the creeping dread ramps up significantly and it doesn't let go. I really had no idea who was going to be alive by the end and if I'd been reading a physical copy, I 100% would have peeked at the ending just to make sure it had a happy ending. That's how invested I was.
The world building was amazing despite the story being confined to the ship the Nicaea for the majority of the novel. Iris was an amazing character and I loved his conflicts of faith as the novel progressed and I loved his back and forth with his AI construct, VIFAI. The supporting cast, the sorry sap of academics that just happened to be on the ship when things start going south super fast, were each fleshed out and I really felt for them. I started hating Yan, but he grew on me very fast and I was glad he did.
I'm so glad as well we're getting another book in this world, especially after that ending. I just need more!!
December 9, 2025
4.8 Stars! There were a few spelling errors otherwise it would have easily been a 5. The story despite being thrilling and making my heart race constantly, feels beautifully delicate. Characters are compelling and you easily come to care for them. The first Sci-Fi that I have read that doesn't shove technical jargon into every sentence and maintains the romantic language often found in fantasies. I will most definitely be on the waiting list for book 2!
July 17, 2025
Thank you, Erewhon for the e-ARC (Kensington Publishing Corp. erewhonbooks.com).
Couldn’t stop reading. It keeps you guessing, is the kind of sci-fi that does a great job of world building and character development without exposition dumps. Also Alien (the movies) vibes. Love.
Couldn’t stop reading. It keeps you guessing, is the kind of sci-fi that does a great job of world building and character development without exposition dumps. Also Alien (the movies) vibes. Love.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Thank you to the publisher Erewhon Books and to the author A.D. Sui for the ARC, it hasn’t affected my honest review.
TW: death, violence, injury, fungi, body horror, gore, religion, references to eating disorders and suicide
Release date: 24th Feb 2026 (US & UK)
A member of the Starlit order of monks, Vessel Iris has committed himself to performing funeral rites for the dead and returning their souls back into the love of the Infinite Light. Although committed to his work, Iris is distant from his fellow monks and increasingly reliant on the AI construct, VIFAI, planted in his brain for friendship and advice. When a generation ship from Earth lost for a thousand years called the Counsel of Nicaea emerges through a wormhole, Iris is sent to bring peace to the generations of long departed dead onboard. Inside the Nicaea, Iris finds a miniature world of vines, flowers and moss that has taken over the ship resembling a forest. Upon arriving, he is met by a team of eager academics and their security, all desperate to know its history and what led to it never finding a planet to call home. Determined to finish his work in isolation, Iris can’t help but be drawn into the lives of the academics onboard especially as his faith wavers. However, it soon becomes clear that the Nicaea isn’t just an enormous tomb but that something onboard, more sentient than just the plants, has survived for millenia. As the academics are stalked and methodically killed one by one, Iris is forced to fight with the unique aid of VIFAI if anyone wants to escape the Nicaea alive.
It’s only February and I think I’ve found one of my top books of the year already. This is a brilliant science fiction murder mystery set on a deeply haunted and creepy spaceship with a complex, relatable and deeply human main character at its very heart. ‘The Iron Garden Sutra’ is utterly immersive, bringing the reader into the Nicaea with Iris and letting us experience everything he does from the repetitive boredom of reforming skeletons, the wavering devotion he feels towards his work and the spark of interest in company he feels upon meeting the academics. He’s such a powerful character and I loved his voice, the way that he views the ship and his purpose is so unique. There’s an undercurrent of humour to him that I really enjoyed and the fond way he verbally spars with his AI VIFAI was a highlight. Combining a mixture of scifi and horror, the scenes within the Nicaea alternate between peaceful but sad (this is a mass grave after all), fascinating because of the history and outright terrifying, especially when something begins attacking- and then killing- those onboard. I adored the action scenes, they added so much to the characters and we saw a different side to Iris than the one he projects. Each one of the academics has a role and feels very real, which makes it all the worse when some are cut down (my favourite in particular has this fate) but the highlight for me is Yan- the cranky, atheist engineer who initially clashes and then teams up with Iris to protect the others. Their relationship is a queer slow burn and I absolutely loved it; it’s not something I expected in the tense middle of this book but it’s so well written. One of the things that stands out most about ‘The Iron Garden Sutra’ is how it weaves together themes of AI, humanity, religion, identity and philosophy with a locked door mystery and science fiction. Parts of this book made me really think and there was more than a few occasions where Iris really got to me. I was very excited to finish and learn there’s more coming from this world- I hope I can read the sequel as an ARC too!
TW: death, violence, injury, fungi, body horror, gore, religion, references to eating disorders and suicide
Release date: 24th Feb 2026 (US & UK)
A member of the Starlit order of monks, Vessel Iris has committed himself to performing funeral rites for the dead and returning their souls back into the love of the Infinite Light. Although committed to his work, Iris is distant from his fellow monks and increasingly reliant on the AI construct, VIFAI, planted in his brain for friendship and advice. When a generation ship from Earth lost for a thousand years called the Counsel of Nicaea emerges through a wormhole, Iris is sent to bring peace to the generations of long departed dead onboard. Inside the Nicaea, Iris finds a miniature world of vines, flowers and moss that has taken over the ship resembling a forest. Upon arriving, he is met by a team of eager academics and their security, all desperate to know its history and what led to it never finding a planet to call home. Determined to finish his work in isolation, Iris can’t help but be drawn into the lives of the academics onboard especially as his faith wavers. However, it soon becomes clear that the Nicaea isn’t just an enormous tomb but that something onboard, more sentient than just the plants, has survived for millenia. As the academics are stalked and methodically killed one by one, Iris is forced to fight with the unique aid of VIFAI if anyone wants to escape the Nicaea alive.
It’s only February and I think I’ve found one of my top books of the year already. This is a brilliant science fiction murder mystery set on a deeply haunted and creepy spaceship with a complex, relatable and deeply human main character at its very heart. ‘The Iron Garden Sutra’ is utterly immersive, bringing the reader into the Nicaea with Iris and letting us experience everything he does from the repetitive boredom of reforming skeletons, the wavering devotion he feels towards his work and the spark of interest in company he feels upon meeting the academics. He’s such a powerful character and I loved his voice, the way that he views the ship and his purpose is so unique. There’s an undercurrent of humour to him that I really enjoyed and the fond way he verbally spars with his AI VIFAI was a highlight. Combining a mixture of scifi and horror, the scenes within the Nicaea alternate between peaceful but sad (this is a mass grave after all), fascinating because of the history and outright terrifying, especially when something begins attacking- and then killing- those onboard. I adored the action scenes, they added so much to the characters and we saw a different side to Iris than the one he projects. Each one of the academics has a role and feels very real, which makes it all the worse when some are cut down (my favourite in particular has this fate) but the highlight for me is Yan- the cranky, atheist engineer who initially clashes and then teams up with Iris to protect the others. Their relationship is a queer slow burn and I absolutely loved it; it’s not something I expected in the tense middle of this book but it’s so well written. One of the things that stands out most about ‘The Iron Garden Sutra’ is how it weaves together themes of AI, humanity, religion, identity and philosophy with a locked door mystery and science fiction. Parts of this book made me really think and there was more than a few occasions where Iris really got to me. I was very excited to finish and learn there’s more coming from this world- I hope I can read the sequel as an ARC too!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
The Iron Garden Sutra by A. D. Sui (out 2/24!)
💫 A death monk with an embedded AI construct, a team of academics, and a pair of security guards walk into a generation ship, emerging from the vastness of space 1000 years after leaving First Earth to find an unusual jungle, strangely violent murals, and a mystery.
"Death is the shift in the tide, the crashing of a wave, never, even for a moment, apart from the whole ocean."
✏️ Iris is a Vessel, a death monk of the Starlit Order, tasked with putting the dead to rest. He's not a good monk but he's trying. So when Iris and his AI companion, VIFAI (Vessel Iris's Friendly AI), are tasked with going aboard the Nicaea, a rare generation ship, to properly perform rights for the thousands of souls that surely perished in the journey, he's really trying to do the right thing.
"Ruminating on his cold feet wouldn't warm them. Ruminating on anything at all never produced the desired effect. Better to let it go."
Iris is soon joined by a team of academics, engineers and anthropologists, who want to study the ship and what they can discover about it's doomed inhabitants.
But there's something else on the ship. Iris may not be a good monk, but he's well acquainted with death all the same.
❤️ Like a stone rolling down hill, this started slow and picked up speed. By the final third I couldn't put it down. Iris and his AI's relationship is so interesting, as is Iris's relationship with Engineer Yan. This was an excellent mash of sci-fi and environmental horror, and so very very human. The mystery was well constructed, revealed inch by inch at the right moments (different moments for different characters) and very satisfying.
I'm so excited that there will be a sequel. This book has a satisfying conclusion but there's clearly more to explore with these characters!
✉️ Major themes: death, solitude, humanity, AI
👥 Science fiction fans who like their tech deeply imbued with humanity.
📍 Read mostly at the Red Cross over two weekends ❤️
❗Thank you Kensington Publishing (@kensingtonbooks) for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
💫 A death monk with an embedded AI construct, a team of academics, and a pair of security guards walk into a generation ship, emerging from the vastness of space 1000 years after leaving First Earth to find an unusual jungle, strangely violent murals, and a mystery.
"Death is the shift in the tide, the crashing of a wave, never, even for a moment, apart from the whole ocean."
✏️ Iris is a Vessel, a death monk of the Starlit Order, tasked with putting the dead to rest. He's not a good monk but he's trying. So when Iris and his AI companion, VIFAI (Vessel Iris's Friendly AI), are tasked with going aboard the Nicaea, a rare generation ship, to properly perform rights for the thousands of souls that surely perished in the journey, he's really trying to do the right thing.
"Ruminating on his cold feet wouldn't warm them. Ruminating on anything at all never produced the desired effect. Better to let it go."
Iris is soon joined by a team of academics, engineers and anthropologists, who want to study the ship and what they can discover about it's doomed inhabitants.
But there's something else on the ship. Iris may not be a good monk, but he's well acquainted with death all the same.
❤️ Like a stone rolling down hill, this started slow and picked up speed. By the final third I couldn't put it down. Iris and his AI's relationship is so interesting, as is Iris's relationship with Engineer Yan. This was an excellent mash of sci-fi and environmental horror, and so very very human. The mystery was well constructed, revealed inch by inch at the right moments (different moments for different characters) and very satisfying.
I'm so excited that there will be a sequel. This book has a satisfying conclusion but there's clearly more to explore with these characters!
✉️ Major themes: death, solitude, humanity, AI
👥 Science fiction fans who like their tech deeply imbued with humanity.
📍 Read mostly at the Red Cross over two weekends ❤️
❗Thank you Kensington Publishing (@kensingtonbooks) for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
Read
December 14, 2025One of my favourite reads of this year—and now an all-time favourite! This book just hit so many chords with me.
I love a spaceship story
I love sci-fi that explores spirituality
I love settings where tech and plant life intertwine
The inspirations for this book are some of my faves—Klara and the Sun, A Psalm for the Wild-Built, Princess Mononoke—so it's no surprise that this book nestles in nicely with others that are formative to my imagination.
Like others have said, this book is a slow burn. But like Klara and the Sun and Ishiguro's writing in general—I'm a fan of stories that build quietly as they sink their teeth into you. And The Iron Garden Sutra has such satisfying payoff and the pace picks up thrillingly in the second half. And, the romance plot that unfolds is now my OBSESSION!
I loved the messy inner world of the main character, Vessel Iris. He's a death monk with an embedded AI companion who is tasked with performing rites for the long-dead inhabitants of a massive generation ship. The structure of the plot is a murder mystery; but overlaying this is the book's contemplation on sentience, embodiment, and whether spiritual detachment delivers everything it promises to be. And it's awesome to see as Iris blooms with vulnerability and trust.
This book is a wonderful adventure and I highly recommend it!
I love a spaceship story
I love sci-fi that explores spirituality
I love settings where tech and plant life intertwine
The inspirations for this book are some of my faves—Klara and the Sun, A Psalm for the Wild-Built, Princess Mononoke—so it's no surprise that this book nestles in nicely with others that are formative to my imagination.
Like others have said, this book is a slow burn. But like Klara and the Sun and Ishiguro's writing in general—I'm a fan of stories that build quietly as they sink their teeth into you. And The Iron Garden Sutra has such satisfying payoff and the pace picks up thrillingly in the second half. And, the romance plot that unfolds is now my OBSESSION!
I loved the messy inner world of the main character, Vessel Iris. He's a death monk with an embedded AI companion who is tasked with performing rites for the long-dead inhabitants of a massive generation ship. The structure of the plot is a murder mystery; but overlaying this is the book's contemplation on sentience, embodiment, and whether spiritual detachment delivers everything it promises to be. And it's awesome to see as Iris blooms with vulnerability and trust.
This book is a wonderful adventure and I highly recommend it!
October 14, 2025
In a rare turn of events for me, The Iron Garden Sutra's ending bumped up its rating. My attachment to the characters throughout the novel quietly developed like their own relationships, and by the conclusion I was completely engaged. Usually when I'm reading what I think is a standalone, and in the last chapter or so we find out that it's the start of a series, I feel dissatisfied - for this book, I cried out in joy! Although open-ended, the conclusion still felt satisfying, with a touch of hope and care which I really appreciated.
The world-building throughout is brilliant - AD Sui creates such an intriguing scenario, and carefully created universe, the machinations of which are clear even as we are mostly confined to one seemingly derelict generation ship. The cast of characters each felt distinct, with their own intriguing motivations and foibles. I absolutely can't wait to see where this series goes next.
4.5 stars, rounded up to 5.
Thank you to Kensington Publishing / Erewhon Books and Netgalley for the ARC.
The world-building throughout is brilliant - AD Sui creates such an intriguing scenario, and carefully created universe, the machinations of which are clear even as we are mostly confined to one seemingly derelict generation ship. The cast of characters each felt distinct, with their own intriguing motivations and foibles. I absolutely can't wait to see where this series goes next.
4.5 stars, rounded up to 5.
Thank you to Kensington Publishing / Erewhon Books and Netgalley for the ARC.
November 29, 2025
This book is for readers who like atmospheric space operas, with realistic and loveably flawed characters who need to learn from each other and work together to survive, while also figuring out existential questions - like who they are, who they want to be, and how they can be even more. This author delivers on all counts; characterization, setting and plot are all extremely well crafted and work together to create an unforgettable journey, and one I cannot wait to visit again.
Read-alikes would be Becky Chamber's Wayfarer and Monk and Robot series, Samit Basu's The Jinn-Bott of Shantiport for the banter, and Martha Wells' Murderbot diaries and Ann Leckie's Imperial Radch series for the questions of AI autonomy.
The very slow burn romance reminded me of Arkady Martine's Teixcalaan series.
Read-alikes would be Becky Chamber's Wayfarer and Monk and Robot series, Samit Basu's The Jinn-Bott of Shantiport for the banter, and Martha Wells' Murderbot diaries and Ann Leckie's Imperial Radch series for the questions of AI autonomy.
The very slow burn romance reminded me of Arkady Martine's Teixcalaan series.
November 2, 2025
I received this advanced copy from the #GoodreadsGiveway contest. #TheIronGardenSutra #TheCosmicWheel #ADSui
This book really surprised me in a great way. It kept me interested in the plot and characters while pulling me in through the world-building. I really connected with the main character, Vessel Iris. I don't want to spoil the plot or twists, so I will leave it at that. I highly recommend this read; however, it won't release until early 2026. I am highly anticipating the next book in the series! Thank you, A.D. Sui and #KensingtonBooks for this great read!
This book really surprised me in a great way. It kept me interested in the plot and characters while pulling me in through the world-building. I really connected with the main character, Vessel Iris. I don't want to spoil the plot or twists, so I will leave it at that. I highly recommend this read; however, it won't release until early 2026. I am highly anticipating the next book in the series! Thank you, A.D. Sui and #KensingtonBooks for this great read!
December 15, 2025
Was very lucky to get to read this early. This book was great though I felt like the romance was a little forced especially. Otherwise no complaints so glad I got to read this early.
Want to read
November 4, 2025A generation ship called Counsel of Nicaea. If that doesn't carry heavy symbolism, I don't know what else does.
November 21, 2025
Beautiful and Deadly. This book drew me in, cradling me into a stunning world with darkness, thrilling intrigue, lush environments and best of all unique characters, both fully fleshed out and tremendously addictive.
They pulled me into the book more and more as I could hardly wait to find out what might befall them.
Along with the darkness, there was also a curious lightness, it helped to rekindled my own meditation practice and gave me comfort.
Absolutely devoured and adored it.
They pulled me into the book more and more as I could hardly wait to find out what might befall them.
Along with the darkness, there was also a curious lightness, it helped to rekindled my own meditation practice and gave me comfort.
Absolutely devoured and adored it.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Thrilling read. Super vivid. May the light guide you to this book.
January 17, 2026
Actual Rating: 4.5
I’m The Iron Garden Sutra, Iris, a Starlit monk, and his AI VIFAI are sent on a job to lay to rest the dead of a 1000 year old generation ship that has mysteriously shown up at a space station. Iris mistakenly thinks he’ll be alone on this ghost ship but encounters a crew of academics there to explore and learn. So what starts off as simple job quickly turns complicated as he deals with interpersonal relationships and a ship with strange plant life that’s not quite as dead as they thought.
I was very pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed The Iron Garden Sutra and can’t wait for the sequel!
Received from NetGalley
I’m The Iron Garden Sutra, Iris, a Starlit monk, and his AI VIFAI are sent on a job to lay to rest the dead of a 1000 year old generation ship that has mysteriously shown up at a space station. Iris mistakenly thinks he’ll be alone on this ghost ship but encounters a crew of academics there to explore and learn. So what starts off as simple job quickly turns complicated as he deals with interpersonal relationships and a ship with strange plant life that’s not quite as dead as they thought.
I was very pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed The Iron Garden Sutra and can’t wait for the sequel!
Received from NetGalley
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
My thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for an advance copy of this science fiction novel, set in the far future, dealing with faith, life and what comes after, love and what comes after, AI and of course love of both life, the dead, and for each other.
Growing up Catholic I never really had an interest in religion. I attended what I needed to, got checks for confirmation and the rest, but none of what was discussed after stuck with me, interested me, nor made me worry about what comes after. As a person who likes history I have read many books about various religions, and never had a Saul on the road to Damascus moment. Most of my religious fiction reading has come from reading science fiction. A Canticle for Leibowitz, Out of a Silent Planet series. Even Dune. So I went into this book with a sense of trepidation, wondering if it would be a good fit for me. And found a book that made me think in ways that I have not thought in years, and a story that really touched me. The Iron Garden Sutra, by A.D. Sui is a novel about faith, losing one's religion, AI and the troubles that might come, what we owe the past, and what we owe the dead. And more importantly what we owe ourselves.
Vessel Iris is a member of the Starlit Order, brought there after a tragedy that left Iris scarred in both body and mind. Iris has chosen a path of loneliness, to not be in contact with humans unless necessary, and to help the dead find their way back to the Light. Iris is not as alone as he looks as he has an AI unit in his head, one that he feels responsible for damaging in a fit of anger, anger that has always been with him. Iris is given his largest assignment. To travel to a Colony ship lost thousands of years ago, and bring the bodies to the Light. Iris is both thankful for the opportunity and happy as this will take lots of time, lots of solitary time. Iris is annoyed when he arrives at the Colony ship, the Council of Nicea and finds a group of engineers, and archaeologists on board. Iris is told the bodies have all been moved to the cargo area, and a pile of bones meet him. Things are wrong on the ship. The corridors are filled with vines and moss. Strange mural depict a fight on board. And the AI that Iris has in his head keeps having a feeling that something is trying to connect. Soon Iris and the other crew are cut off, and the ship seems to be attacking them, though they don't know how or why. Iris might soon have many people he has to bring into the Light, one of them himself.
A book that is both spiritual and a haunted house story set in space. With a lot of questions about love, hiding away from the world, what makes a sentient being and when does discovery become exploitation. Iris is a fascinating character, one with a lot of pain from the past, a lot of pain in his head from his AI, and one lost in the world he has chosen for himself. This is a surprisingly violent book, a bit of well final monk, and a spaceship that has its own agenda. Sometimes the spiritual and the goriness make for a bit of awkwardness, but all in all I enjoyed the story. The world building is really good, and I would like to know a lot more about the universe. Sui drops hints, and as this part of a series, I hope we do learn more. There is a love story, which seems a tad obvious early, but again Iris has not been among people for quite a while and Iris mostly deals with the cold dead, not the hot living.
A very interesting mix of religion, future thinking and space opera. Say the movie Silence meets Alien. A story with interesting characters and a very rich world, one wants to know more about. I look forward to more by A.D. Sui.
Growing up Catholic I never really had an interest in religion. I attended what I needed to, got checks for confirmation and the rest, but none of what was discussed after stuck with me, interested me, nor made me worry about what comes after. As a person who likes history I have read many books about various religions, and never had a Saul on the road to Damascus moment. Most of my religious fiction reading has come from reading science fiction. A Canticle for Leibowitz, Out of a Silent Planet series. Even Dune. So I went into this book with a sense of trepidation, wondering if it would be a good fit for me. And found a book that made me think in ways that I have not thought in years, and a story that really touched me. The Iron Garden Sutra, by A.D. Sui is a novel about faith, losing one's religion, AI and the troubles that might come, what we owe the past, and what we owe the dead. And more importantly what we owe ourselves.
Vessel Iris is a member of the Starlit Order, brought there after a tragedy that left Iris scarred in both body and mind. Iris has chosen a path of loneliness, to not be in contact with humans unless necessary, and to help the dead find their way back to the Light. Iris is not as alone as he looks as he has an AI unit in his head, one that he feels responsible for damaging in a fit of anger, anger that has always been with him. Iris is given his largest assignment. To travel to a Colony ship lost thousands of years ago, and bring the bodies to the Light. Iris is both thankful for the opportunity and happy as this will take lots of time, lots of solitary time. Iris is annoyed when he arrives at the Colony ship, the Council of Nicea and finds a group of engineers, and archaeologists on board. Iris is told the bodies have all been moved to the cargo area, and a pile of bones meet him. Things are wrong on the ship. The corridors are filled with vines and moss. Strange mural depict a fight on board. And the AI that Iris has in his head keeps having a feeling that something is trying to connect. Soon Iris and the other crew are cut off, and the ship seems to be attacking them, though they don't know how or why. Iris might soon have many people he has to bring into the Light, one of them himself.
A book that is both spiritual and a haunted house story set in space. With a lot of questions about love, hiding away from the world, what makes a sentient being and when does discovery become exploitation. Iris is a fascinating character, one with a lot of pain from the past, a lot of pain in his head from his AI, and one lost in the world he has chosen for himself. This is a surprisingly violent book, a bit of well final monk, and a spaceship that has its own agenda. Sometimes the spiritual and the goriness make for a bit of awkwardness, but all in all I enjoyed the story. The world building is really good, and I would like to know a lot more about the universe. Sui drops hints, and as this part of a series, I hope we do learn more. There is a love story, which seems a tad obvious early, but again Iris has not been among people for quite a while and Iris mostly deals with the cold dead, not the hot living.
A very interesting mix of religion, future thinking and space opera. Say the movie Silence meets Alien. A story with interesting characters and a very rich world, one wants to know more about. I look forward to more by A.D. Sui.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thanks Netgalley & Erewhon books for the ARC!
Before I get into the review, I'd like to make it clear this is a queer book. I haven't seen this mentioned anywhere, nor has it featured on any queer book lists, but there's a primary m/m relationship, and one of my favorite romances I've read this year.
This is a sci fi about a monk who oversees funeral rites, and he's sent to a generation ship that was found unexpectedly, with everyone aboard long dead. For context: in this book, space travel is common and works through gates, but very early generation ships left earth about a thousand years ago before these gates existed, and many of these are still lost in space somewhere they can't really reach with the gates.
Vessel Iris boards this ship, and finds a researcher crew aboard, including their leader Engineer Yan, a man who instantly dislikes Iris. But something is locking them in on a massive, city sized ship and Iris and Yan and his crew will depend on each other to survive.
The beginning of this book is quite slow, and I wasn't immediately blown away, but I did like the creeping dread, the slow buildup. If you're early in and having doubts, I'd try to get to the halfway point at least before giving up because it gets really good, it just needs that build up.
The characters were among the strongest aspects of this book, and they were used quite effectively to explore its themes of existentialism, detachment and human connection. Iris as a monk doesn't really have many connections beyond his AI implant, which he often talks to. He doesn't get along well with his fellow monks, and doesn't know how to get along with the researcher crew either. He tries to soothe himself with sutra's from his temple, and by following his vow of isolation as best he can as to better focus on his duties, but the book really explores how this isolation does more harm than good, and makes monks less effective at helping people.
The other major character is Engineer Yan, who as mentioned, first hated Iris, but they slowly grow closer over the book. We don't get as much of his view on things until the very end, but we learn more about why he dislikes vessels and the religion, and I think he complements Iris very well.
The romance between the two builds up very slow, and definitely still has places to go at the end of the book, but every step they take feels huge, and every step back devastating. Iris's detachment and vow of isolation means people are not even allowed to touch him, and he has to realize he has to let go of this to move forward. There's a lot of grudgingly caring about each other, and trying to help each other survive even as they still dislike each other because they're both stuck in this situation. I really loved the romance in this, with a really unlikely couple, but I was delighted any time they do something for the other, and especially when they come back for each other in dangerous situations when maybe they shouldn't.
This book is also a horror, with Iris and the researchers trying to find a way out of the ship while getting picked off one by one, and the conclusion of what was actually going on was quite interesting.
Overall, I think this book is very existential and human, exploring what Iris's isolation and detachment actually means and accomplishes. Iris deeply hates himself and feels like he cannot live up to his own standards of what a vessel should be, and is very strict with himself and with his rules, but none of this is actually helping him, and he has to learn to let this go.
This is first in a series. The main plot of the book is complete, but the relationship arc is not and in the end there's a clear set up towards the next book.
Would recommend to fans of more existential sci fi, as well as dislike-t0-lovers romance that really goes slow on this development
Before I get into the review, I'd like to make it clear this is a queer book. I haven't seen this mentioned anywhere, nor has it featured on any queer book lists, but there's a primary m/m relationship, and one of my favorite romances I've read this year.
This is a sci fi about a monk who oversees funeral rites, and he's sent to a generation ship that was found unexpectedly, with everyone aboard long dead. For context: in this book, space travel is common and works through gates, but very early generation ships left earth about a thousand years ago before these gates existed, and many of these are still lost in space somewhere they can't really reach with the gates.
Vessel Iris boards this ship, and finds a researcher crew aboard, including their leader Engineer Yan, a man who instantly dislikes Iris. But something is locking them in on a massive, city sized ship and Iris and Yan and his crew will depend on each other to survive.
The beginning of this book is quite slow, and I wasn't immediately blown away, but I did like the creeping dread, the slow buildup. If you're early in and having doubts, I'd try to get to the halfway point at least before giving up because it gets really good, it just needs that build up.
The characters were among the strongest aspects of this book, and they were used quite effectively to explore its themes of existentialism, detachment and human connection. Iris as a monk doesn't really have many connections beyond his AI implant, which he often talks to. He doesn't get along well with his fellow monks, and doesn't know how to get along with the researcher crew either. He tries to soothe himself with sutra's from his temple, and by following his vow of isolation as best he can as to better focus on his duties, but the book really explores how this isolation does more harm than good, and makes monks less effective at helping people.
The other major character is Engineer Yan, who as mentioned, first hated Iris, but they slowly grow closer over the book. We don't get as much of his view on things until the very end, but we learn more about why he dislikes vessels and the religion, and I think he complements Iris very well.
The romance between the two builds up very slow, and definitely still has places to go at the end of the book, but every step they take feels huge, and every step back devastating. Iris's detachment and vow of isolation means people are not even allowed to touch him, and he has to realize he has to let go of this to move forward. There's a lot of grudgingly caring about each other, and trying to help each other survive even as they still dislike each other because they're both stuck in this situation. I really loved the romance in this, with a really unlikely couple, but I was delighted any time they do something for the other, and especially when they come back for each other in dangerous situations when maybe they shouldn't.
This book is also a horror, with Iris and the researchers trying to find a way out of the ship while getting picked off one by one, and the conclusion of what was actually going on was quite interesting.
Overall, I think this book is very existential and human, exploring what Iris's isolation and detachment actually means and accomplishes. Iris deeply hates himself and feels like he cannot live up to his own standards of what a vessel should be, and is very strict with himself and with his rules, but none of this is actually helping him, and he has to learn to let this go.
This is first in a series. The main plot of the book is complete, but the relationship arc is not and in the end there's a clear set up towards the next book.
Would recommend to fans of more existential sci fi, as well as dislike-t0-lovers romance that really goes slow on this development
Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews