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The Cosmic Wheel #1
The Iron Garden Sutra
Win a free print copy of this book!
5 days and 07:01:07
25 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, guiding souls back into the Infinite Light. Despite the meaning he finds in his work and the comfort of AI companionship, his relationships with the living leave him longing for deeper connection.
The spaceship Counsel of Nicaea has been lost for more than a thousand years, its passengers reduced to dust and bone. A relic of Earth’s dying past, 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. Iris’s religious rituals are met with bemusement by the scientists—and outright hostility by engineer Yan Fukui.
But the 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 enhancement may be their only hope for survival. . .
IN OUTER SPACE NO ONE CAN HEAR YOUR PRAYERS
Vessel Iris has devoted himself to the Starlit Order, performing funeral rites for the dead across the galaxy, guiding souls back into the Infinite Light. Despite the meaning he finds in his work and the comfort of AI companionship, his relationships with the living leave him longing for deeper connection.
The spaceship Counsel of Nicaea has been lost for more than a thousand years, its passengers reduced to dust and bone. A relic of Earth’s dying past, 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. Iris’s religious rituals are met with bemusement by the scientists—and outright hostility by engineer Yan Fukui.
But the 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 enhancement may be their only hope for survival. . .
IN OUTER SPACE NO ONE CAN HEAR YOUR PRAYERS
384 pages, ebook
First published February 24, 2026
109 people are currently reading
15262 people want to read
About the author
A.D. Sui
8 books133 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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 143 reviews
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
3.75 stars.
If you're into haunted spaceships and grumpy love interests, then this is definitely the novel for you.
This was a fun and adventurous read. It was a lot more science fantasy than hard sci-fi, so I definitely think that fantasy lovers, casual sci-fi fans, or even beginner sci-fi readers can pick up and read without any difficulties with the concepts or language.
I really liked Iris's character and role as a funerary monk in space. It was a really cool concept and I thought that it was shown well through his knowledge of the human body, its functions, and especially how it deteriorates. I liked his musings on the philosophy of death. A couple of my mutuals disliked being in his head (he's not a positive person), but as someone with a similar pragmatic and leaning towards pessimistic personality, I actually found him relatable. So YMMV.
The setting was my favorite part. There were such cool descriptions of a deteriorating ship with vines and flowers growing around ancient skeletons, moss all over the corridors, flowers hanging from the ceiling panels, etc. It was so vivid and so cool to picture in my head.
So, technically the dead generation ship overgrown with plants and fungi is supposed to be the focal point of the horror element, but I swear, the AI in Iris's head scared me a lot more than the haunted ship. It was this weird symbiotic relationship with the MC, like talking to a sentient ChatGPT. Maybe folks who are into that can relate?
If it wasn't for the relationship, this would be a perfect 4 stars. The chemistry felt more like a work colleague turned close friend instead of a romantic one. But this might be a me thing.
I'd definitely read more of AD Sui's work.
Thank you to Erewhon Books and NetGalley for this arc.
If you're into haunted spaceships and grumpy love interests, then this is definitely the novel for you.
This was a fun and adventurous read. It was a lot more science fantasy than hard sci-fi, so I definitely think that fantasy lovers, casual sci-fi fans, or even beginner sci-fi readers can pick up and read without any difficulties with the concepts or language.
I really liked Iris's character and role as a funerary monk in space. It was a really cool concept and I thought that it was shown well through his knowledge of the human body, its functions, and especially how it deteriorates. I liked his musings on the philosophy of death. A couple of my mutuals disliked being in his head (he's not a positive person), but as someone with a similar pragmatic and leaning towards pessimistic personality, I actually found him relatable. So YMMV.
The setting was my favorite part. There were such cool descriptions of a deteriorating ship with vines and flowers growing around ancient skeletons, moss all over the corridors, flowers hanging from the ceiling panels, etc. It was so vivid and so cool to picture in my head.
So, technically the dead generation ship overgrown with plants and fungi is supposed to be the focal point of the horror element, but I swear, the AI in Iris's head scared me a lot more than the haunted ship. It was this weird symbiotic relationship with the MC, like talking to a sentient ChatGPT. Maybe folks who are into that can relate?
If it wasn't for the relationship, this would be a perfect 4 stars. The chemistry felt more like a work colleague turned close friend instead of a romantic one. But this might be a me thing.
I'd definitely read more of AD Sui's work.
Thank you to Erewhon Books and NetGalley for this arc.
February 28, 2026
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
February 12, 2026I won’t rate this as the audiobook narrator whispered everything and I could not get further than 5%. I tried going slower, I replayed, I used headphones… 🥺🫣
Basically, if you have the choice: read this book with your eyes.
To anyone who has, do I need to try and get my hands on that?
Audiobook arc gifted.
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Basically, if you have the choice: read this book with your eyes.
To anyone who has, do I need to try and get my hands on that?
Audiobook arc gifted.
Bookstagram
Tiktok
February 27, 2026
4.75
apparently i have now transcended from haunted houses to haunted spaceships
apparently i have now transcended from haunted houses to haunted spaceships
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.
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!
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.
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.
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
February 16, 2026
“First there was the fear of being. Fear of being became fear of not-being. Those are the two original fears.”
Consider this a PSA to all sci-fi-fans: mark February 28th on your calendars to go out and pick up this novel upon release. You won’t regret it!
A.D. Sui blends a beautiful, meditative and philosophical science-fiction story with a closed-room-murder-mystery in space, and although that might not sound like it would work, this mélange is a delight!
The Story:
We follow Vessel Iris, a Death-monk tasked with delivering funeral rights to the dead across the galaxy. Iris is send out on a remote mission towards the Counsel of Nicaea, a generationship, found adrift and abandoned without a living soul aboard. 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.
What they find aboard the Nicaea defies all expectations however. The ship is overgrown – more forest than machine – and teeming with plant-life. As the ragtag team of academics explores the ship, they learn that something else might be alive on aboard with them. Suddenly, the particular make-up of our Death-monk, might be the only chance they have at understanding and survival.
What I Loved:
Genre-blending is always a risk, but when it pays off, it can elevate a book above the crowd. When I heard this book would encompass a philosophical look at religion (inspired by ancient Buddhism), an exploration of AI-sentience, a meditation on death and grief ánd a murder mystery, I have to admit that I feared the book was taking on too many different things. Instead, somehow the author manages to create a synergy in these elements, where they add up to strengthen the thematic depth and balanced out the pacing perfectly.
Keeping this as spoiler-free as possible, I can’t go into depth with regard to the plot or mystery. What I cán talk about, are my two favourite aspects of the novel: the characters and its heartfelt depiction of grief and our relationship to death – which happen to be tightly connected.
I quickly fell in love with Iris – a solitary man who’s haunted past has shaped him to be more familiar with Death than connected to the living. His background, as well as him being on eof the few humans interfaced with an AI, make him such a unique and interesting perspective to view this story from. His approach to this situation of crisis and (mass-)death clashes with that of the engineers, who might be more practically savvy, but are far less accustomed to the proximity of death. These interactions make for fantastic character-dynamics and growth, specifically between Iris and engineer Yan.
Through Iris’ eyes, Sui also provides us with a beautiful exploration of grief and death, on both a macro- and micro-scale, ranging from the personal losses in Iris’ past, to humanities inability to deal with death on a mass-scale. Nailing this theme, is a sure-fire way to launch your novel towards the top of my favourites-list.
There is so much more to be said about this book. About its balance between gentleness and horror, about its impeccable sense of setting, about its themes of existentialism and AI, and so much more. Instead of risking venturing into spoiler-territory though, I’m going to ask you again to just pick up this book upon release. As far as I’m concerned, this is bound to be one of the standout sci-fi novels of 2026 and I would hate so see it fly under the radar.
Many thanks to Netgalley and RBMedia for providing me with an (audio-)ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
A note on the audio:
perhaps the only criticism I have on this book is regarding the audio. I personally feel like this is a book best read physically, if you have the chance. This is a book to devote your full attention to, and the narrator’s voice isn’t conducive to that. He has a very pleasant voice, but speaks very monotonous, in an almost soothing voice, that caused my mind to wander and drift off. Relistening to parts that my mind had simply tuned out of, was the result…
Consider this a PSA to all sci-fi-fans: mark February 28th on your calendars to go out and pick up this novel upon release. You won’t regret it!
A.D. Sui blends a beautiful, meditative and philosophical science-fiction story with a closed-room-murder-mystery in space, and although that might not sound like it would work, this mélange is a delight!
The Story:
We follow Vessel Iris, a Death-monk tasked with delivering funeral rights to the dead across the galaxy. Iris is send out on a remote mission towards the Counsel of Nicaea, a generationship, found adrift and abandoned without a living soul aboard. 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.
What they find aboard the Nicaea defies all expectations however. The ship is overgrown – more forest than machine – and teeming with plant-life. As the ragtag team of academics explores the ship, they learn that something else might be alive on aboard with them. Suddenly, the particular make-up of our Death-monk, might be the only chance they have at understanding and survival.
What I Loved:
Genre-blending is always a risk, but when it pays off, it can elevate a book above the crowd. When I heard this book would encompass a philosophical look at religion (inspired by ancient Buddhism), an exploration of AI-sentience, a meditation on death and grief ánd a murder mystery, I have to admit that I feared the book was taking on too many different things. Instead, somehow the author manages to create a synergy in these elements, where they add up to strengthen the thematic depth and balanced out the pacing perfectly.
Keeping this as spoiler-free as possible, I can’t go into depth with regard to the plot or mystery. What I cán talk about, are my two favourite aspects of the novel: the characters and its heartfelt depiction of grief and our relationship to death – which happen to be tightly connected.
I quickly fell in love with Iris – a solitary man who’s haunted past has shaped him to be more familiar with Death than connected to the living. His background, as well as him being on eof the few humans interfaced with an AI, make him such a unique and interesting perspective to view this story from. His approach to this situation of crisis and (mass-)death clashes with that of the engineers, who might be more practically savvy, but are far less accustomed to the proximity of death. These interactions make for fantastic character-dynamics and growth, specifically between Iris and engineer Yan.
Through Iris’ eyes, Sui also provides us with a beautiful exploration of grief and death, on both a macro- and micro-scale, ranging from the personal losses in Iris’ past, to humanities inability to deal with death on a mass-scale. Nailing this theme, is a sure-fire way to launch your novel towards the top of my favourites-list.
There is so much more to be said about this book. About its balance between gentleness and horror, about its impeccable sense of setting, about its themes of existentialism and AI, and so much more. Instead of risking venturing into spoiler-territory though, I’m going to ask you again to just pick up this book upon release. As far as I’m concerned, this is bound to be one of the standout sci-fi novels of 2026 and I would hate so see it fly under the radar.
Many thanks to Netgalley and RBMedia for providing me with an (audio-)ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
A note on the audio:
perhaps the only criticism I have on this book is regarding the audio. I personally feel like this is a book best read physically, if you have the chance. This is a book to devote your full attention to, and the narrator’s voice isn’t conducive to that. He has a very pleasant voice, but speaks very monotonous, in an almost soothing voice, that caused my mind to wander and drift off. Relistening to parts that my mind had simply tuned out of, was the result…
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.
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.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
What is it about?
The Iron Garden Sutra follows Vessel Iris, a monk in a future where humanity has long since left Earth. Iris’s role is to perform funeral rites by preparing remains, offering prayers, and honoring the deceased. In this, he is assisted by his Vessel Iris' Friendly AI, or VIFAI, implanted into his brain, and present as a constant companion.
When he is assigned a job aboard one of the original generation ships that fled Earth, he expects solitude. Instead, he finds researchers already aboard the ship grown into a whole new ecosystem, and soon makes both unexpected friends and enemies. As the crew starts feeling watched and endangered, the story becomes a space thriller layered with philosophical reflection, moral tension, and unsettling discoveries.
What did I enjoy?
What I loved the most in this book was the depth and introspection presented through Iris’s thoughts and conversations with his AI. The dynamic between human and artificial intelligence is one of the novel’s strengths, raising questions about AI autonomy, rights, and the unintended consequences of imposed control.
The balance between philosophy and action sequences felt exactly right. The plot delivers twists, emotional stakes, and just enough gore to keep you on the edge. Sui has a remarkable ability to make you care about characters quickly, but you have to be aware that in a space thriller with murder-mystery elements, not all of them will remain safe. This book felt perfectly tailored to my tastes, but does require emotional and philosophical investment.
Who is it for?
This is ideal for readers who enjoy sci-fi with character-driven narratives and thoughtful explorations of AI ethics. It’s best suited for patient thriller readers who appreciate a balance of atmosphere and philosophical depth alongside tension and mystery, with just a bit of romance.
Although the story contains death, violence, and some gore, these elements remain secondary to the emotional connections and ethical core. While this is only the first installment in a series, it does resolve some elements of the mystery, yet leaves enough questions open to keep you curious where the story will go.
For me, this was a five-star read and easily my favorite advanced listening copy so far.
------------
I thank NetGalley and Recorded Books for the advance listening copy of this book for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
The Iron Garden Sutra follows Vessel Iris, a monk in a future where humanity has long since left Earth. Iris’s role is to perform funeral rites by preparing remains, offering prayers, and honoring the deceased. In this, he is assisted by his Vessel Iris' Friendly AI, or VIFAI, implanted into his brain, and present as a constant companion.
When he is assigned a job aboard one of the original generation ships that fled Earth, he expects solitude. Instead, he finds researchers already aboard the ship grown into a whole new ecosystem, and soon makes both unexpected friends and enemies. As the crew starts feeling watched and endangered, the story becomes a space thriller layered with philosophical reflection, moral tension, and unsettling discoveries.
What did I enjoy?
What I loved the most in this book was the depth and introspection presented through Iris’s thoughts and conversations with his AI. The dynamic between human and artificial intelligence is one of the novel’s strengths, raising questions about AI autonomy, rights, and the unintended consequences of imposed control.
The balance between philosophy and action sequences felt exactly right. The plot delivers twists, emotional stakes, and just enough gore to keep you on the edge. Sui has a remarkable ability to make you care about characters quickly, but you have to be aware that in a space thriller with murder-mystery elements, not all of them will remain safe. This book felt perfectly tailored to my tastes, but does require emotional and philosophical investment.
Who is it for?
This is ideal for readers who enjoy sci-fi with character-driven narratives and thoughtful explorations of AI ethics. It’s best suited for patient thriller readers who appreciate a balance of atmosphere and philosophical depth alongside tension and mystery, with just a bit of romance.
Although the story contains death, violence, and some gore, these elements remain secondary to the emotional connections and ethical core. While this is only the first installment in a series, it does resolve some elements of the mystery, yet leaves enough questions open to keep you curious where the story will go.
For me, this was a five-star read and easily my favorite advanced listening copy so far.
------------
I thank NetGalley and Recorded Books for the advance listening copy of this book for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
March 4, 2026
A literary sci-fi thriller that blends (fictional) religion, philosophy, and existential dread exacerbated by a hostage situation in outer space. One of my most anticipated books in 2026 and it delivered!
The Iron Garden Sutra centers around Iris, a monk of the Starlit Order, whose job is to lay the departed to rest, majority of whom come from generation ships- relics of humanity's initial, unsuccessful attempts to colonize space. However, his usually solitary task is interrupted by the arrival of academics on his latest generation ship assignment, and things take a strange, and gradually violent, turn when they realize that they cannot leave the ship.
The story starts off slow, giving one the illusion that they're in for a fun, mildly creepy adventure in a space ship. Like, yes that is a very weird amount of vegetation inside this ship, and it's odd that there aren't enough skeletons for its population size, and– is that a mural depicting an internal schism among the crew?? Why are all the cameras busted? Makes you wonder. After the airlock refuses to budge, everything goes downhill from there. The journey to reach the ship's controls was harrowing and emotionally exhausting. Like I was high-key vibing with the cast only for the plot to show its Teeth.
The book is set in a future wherein humans largely live in outer space due to the advent of gate/portal travel, and AIs have grown complex enough to operate ships and space stations independently. The book plays with this idea in an interesting way, since AIs have progressed beyond autonomy to actually having Personality and Will, so AI rights have become an actual socioethical issue. Iris himself has an AI embedded in his brain, which is largely frowned upon because #AIrights, but VIFAI (Iris' AI) grows up to be his best friend more than a glorified servant, and their mental conversations are a highlight of the book. Usually a respite from the more stressful happenings.
One thing I did not expect was the romantic sideplot, least of all how much I'd enjoy it. Like, I'm confident to say I shipped them from the beginning. Just, Yan, engineer, pissed off for reasons I cant remember, stomping down the mossy corridor; Iris, barefoot and Zen, making a litte game of stepping in Yan's footprints– they were Cute! So I was Pleased by the build-up of tension between them. The book somehow managed to make a few days feel like a slowburn, which I loved. I feel like I could write a whole essay about them and Iris' unreliable narration of Events and Relationships (the POV switch to Yan at the end was Very Telling. Like, Iris, as my new client, I am begging you to let yourself have this?). Given the way things ended for them, the only buffer between me and a monumental crash-out is the fact that there's a sequel to this madness.
Speaking of unreliable narratorship, I also loved how Iris' perception of Bacai, his human BFF, is so skewed compared to practice. Like he'd tell you that's just his coworker when they literally move like soul siblings it's crazy.
Working as he is for the Starlit Order, there's a great deal of philosophical monologues centering the religion, which I found interesting, but which some may find dragging. Iris also behaves in ways that make it obvious he spends more time with the dead than the living, but the social ineptness is low-key part of his charm and integral to his character development.
A self-contained story that balances introspection with action and intrigue. A bit creepy and at times depressing, but I'm already seated for the sequel!
Thank you to Kensington Books and Netgalley for the eARC. This review reflects my own opinions.
The Iron Garden Sutra centers around Iris, a monk of the Starlit Order, whose job is to lay the departed to rest, majority of whom come from generation ships- relics of humanity's initial, unsuccessful attempts to colonize space. However, his usually solitary task is interrupted by the arrival of academics on his latest generation ship assignment, and things take a strange, and gradually violent, turn when they realize that they cannot leave the ship.
The story starts off slow, giving one the illusion that they're in for a fun, mildly creepy adventure in a space ship. Like, yes that is a very weird amount of vegetation inside this ship, and it's odd that there aren't enough skeletons for its population size, and– is that a mural depicting an internal schism among the crew?? Why are all the cameras busted? Makes you wonder. After the airlock refuses to budge, everything goes downhill from there. The journey to reach the ship's controls was harrowing and emotionally exhausting. Like I was high-key vibing with the cast only for the plot to show its Teeth.
The book is set in a future wherein humans largely live in outer space due to the advent of gate/portal travel, and AIs have grown complex enough to operate ships and space stations independently. The book plays with this idea in an interesting way, since AIs have progressed beyond autonomy to actually having Personality and Will, so AI rights have become an actual socioethical issue. Iris himself has an AI embedded in his brain, which is largely frowned upon because #AIrights, but VIFAI (Iris' AI) grows up to be his best friend more than a glorified servant, and their mental conversations are a highlight of the book. Usually a respite from the more stressful happenings.
One thing I did not expect was the romantic sideplot, least of all how much I'd enjoy it. Like, I'm confident to say I shipped them from the beginning. Just, Yan, engineer, pissed off for reasons I cant remember, stomping down the mossy corridor; Iris, barefoot and Zen, making a litte game of stepping in Yan's footprints– they were Cute! So I was Pleased by the build-up of tension between them. The book somehow managed to make a few days feel like a slowburn, which I loved. I feel like I could write a whole essay about them and Iris' unreliable narration of Events and Relationships (the POV switch to Yan at the end was Very Telling. Like, Iris, as my new client, I am begging you to let yourself have this?). Given the way things ended for them, the only buffer between me and a monumental crash-out is the fact that there's a sequel to this madness.
Speaking of unreliable narratorship, I also loved how Iris' perception of Bacai, his human BFF, is so skewed compared to practice. Like he'd tell you that's just his coworker when they literally move like soul siblings it's crazy.
Working as he is for the Starlit Order, there's a great deal of philosophical monologues centering the religion, which I found interesting, but which some may find dragging. Iris also behaves in ways that make it obvious he spends more time with the dead than the living, but the social ineptness is low-key part of his charm and integral to his character development.
A self-contained story that balances introspection with action and intrigue. A bit creepy and at times depressing, but I'm already seated for the sequel!
Thank you to Kensington Books and Netgalley for the eARC. This review reflects my own opinions.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC against an honest review!
I got interested in this book thanks to keywords in the synopsis: "darkly philosophical", "locked room murder mystery", "a death monk". Just like that, I was sold! And I don't regret it!
From the first sentence, The Iron Garden Sutra gripped me, and that's rare. From there, I felt sure that, even though there might be little things I could dislike in the novel, this would be a good one, probably a very good one. This first sentence captures the reader's attention and immediately sets the scene for our main character's personality: Iris basically only deals with dead people and might not be at ease with living ones.
The entire first scene is a great introduction to this new SF world. The reader gets that the novel will also deal with one of the main themes of the book: AI This is one of my favorite topics to broach in the genre, so I was all for it! Plus, Iris is a monk, and thus is partly introduced the way his religion institution works - partly, because the reader gets to know more about the Northern Temple throughout the novel thanks to flashbacks in Iris's life. Also one of the "tropes" I love, more and more glad by the minute!
Basically, this book ticked all my boxes and kept on going, offering me things I didn't know I wanted.
Oppressive atmosphere in a "locked room" vessel in space? Check.
A bunch of characters, each with their own personality, none of them interchangeable and none of them a caricature, most of them lovable, some of them impossible not to get attached to, all the more so because they are in mortal danger? Check.
Something wicked coming their way, ready to kill if need be? Check.
Kind of a little academic vibe, kind of a religious/spiritual one, both of them "colliding"? Check.
All things AI: interactions, consciousness, cohabitation, reflections around all of that and ? Check.
Check.
It made me think of a mix between The Expanse and with a touch of Dex in A Psalm for the Wild-Built, even though Iris is far from being Dex, and the novel is not what I could call cosy, even though I wanted to stay there with the characters.
Honestly, I just can't find fault with The Iron Garden Sutra. I loved everything, I was gripped and, at some point, while approaching the end, I was so into it that I forgot I was reading, which is the best thing that can happen to a reader!
I felt the tension, I was afraid for them all, but this novel is not just a near-horrific locked room in which characters try to survive. It's also a story about faith, about life, about grief and trauma. Throughout the book, the reader is privy to Iris's thoughts and doubts about his vocation, about his job and the role a monk plays in the life of the people he passes by, about his relationships, , about the Light, what it is, what it means, what it is said to be, the relief or lack thereof that it brings. I always love to see the backstage of religious institutions, so I loved to get in Iris's head!
There are difficult scenes, such as the ones in which the characters get hurt or die, emotional ones , a bit of gore. It might be a bit fast relationship-wise, but it didn't spoil the experience for me.
The ending is quite good, even clever, and announces a sequel, even though there is no cliffhanger: the first book stands on its own, but readers who loved it will want to keep reading about the remaining characters and this world the author offered. I'm eager to get more!
I got interested in this book thanks to keywords in the synopsis: "darkly philosophical", "locked room murder mystery", "a death monk". Just like that, I was sold! And I don't regret it!
From the first sentence, The Iron Garden Sutra gripped me, and that's rare. From there, I felt sure that, even though there might be little things I could dislike in the novel, this would be a good one, probably a very good one. This first sentence captures the reader's attention and immediately sets the scene for our main character's personality: Iris basically only deals with dead people and might not be at ease with living ones.
The entire first scene is a great introduction to this new SF world. The reader gets that the novel will also deal with one of the main themes of the book: AI This is one of my favorite topics to broach in the genre, so I was all for it! Plus, Iris is a monk, and thus is partly introduced the way his religion institution works - partly, because the reader gets to know more about the Northern Temple throughout the novel thanks to flashbacks in Iris's life. Also one of the "tropes" I love, more and more glad by the minute!
Basically, this book ticked all my boxes and kept on going, offering me things I didn't know I wanted.
Oppressive atmosphere in a "locked room" vessel in space? Check.
A bunch of characters, each with their own personality, none of them interchangeable and none of them a caricature, most of them lovable, some of them impossible not to get attached to, all the more so because they are in mortal danger? Check.
Something wicked coming their way, ready to kill if need be? Check.
Kind of a little academic vibe, kind of a religious/spiritual one, both of them "colliding"? Check.
All things AI: interactions, consciousness, cohabitation, reflections around all of that and ? Check.
Check.
It made me think of a mix between The Expanse and with a touch of Dex in A Psalm for the Wild-Built, even though Iris is far from being Dex, and the novel is not what I could call cosy, even though I wanted to stay there with the characters.
Honestly, I just can't find fault with The Iron Garden Sutra. I loved everything, I was gripped and, at some point, while approaching the end, I was so into it that I forgot I was reading, which is the best thing that can happen to a reader!
I felt the tension, I was afraid for them all, but this novel is not just a near-horrific locked room in which characters try to survive. It's also a story about faith, about life, about grief and trauma. Throughout the book, the reader is privy to Iris's thoughts and doubts about his vocation, about his job and the role a monk plays in the life of the people he passes by, about his relationships, , about the Light, what it is, what it means, what it is said to be, the relief or lack thereof that it brings. I always love to see the backstage of religious institutions, so I loved to get in Iris's head!
There are difficult scenes, such as the ones in which the characters get hurt or die, emotional ones , a bit of gore. It might be a bit fast relationship-wise, but it didn't spoil the experience for me.
The ending is quite good, even clever, and announces a sequel, even though there is no cliffhanger: the first book stands on its own, but readers who loved it will want to keep reading about the remaining characters and this world the author offered. I'm eager to get more!
March 2, 2026
This book was SUCH a fun ride.
From the very first chapter, I genuinely enjoyed every bit of it. I know this isn’t officially marketed as Murderbot-coded, but in my head? The vibes were absolutely there. Something about the dynamic between Iris and VIFAI kept giving me that dry, slightly chaotic sentient-construct energy. It felt like if A Psalm for the Wild-Built and Murderbot had a beautifully strange, murder-mystery-in-space baby.
One thing I really appreciated was how the sci-fi elements weren’t overwhelming. The author smartly “dumbed down” the tech just enough so it never felt dense or inaccessible. Instead of getting bogged down in heavy science, we got character, tension, and atmosphere — which I loved.
And the murder mystery element? So good. The story was dark, intriguing, and at times genuinely funny — basically everything I enjoy in my sci-fi. VIFAI especially stole the show for me. The way the author wrote this construct with emotions — feeling offended, defensive, even vulnerable — made them feel incredibly real. It was entertaining and surprisingly touching.
The queer romance was such an unexpected (and very welcome) addition. I’m genuinely excited to see how that relationship develops in the next books because the potential is there.
My only small gripe: for a murder mystery set in space, the pacing was a tad slow at times. I didn’t quite get that heart-racing urgency I usually crave in this genre. But even with that, I was consistently engaged and invested.
Overall, this was a dark, thoughtful, character-driven sci-fi mystery with humor and heart — and I had a great time reading it.
Thank you to Erewhon for the gifted ARC in exchange for my honest review.
From the very first chapter, I genuinely enjoyed every bit of it. I know this isn’t officially marketed as Murderbot-coded, but in my head? The vibes were absolutely there. Something about the dynamic between Iris and VIFAI kept giving me that dry, slightly chaotic sentient-construct energy. It felt like if A Psalm for the Wild-Built and Murderbot had a beautifully strange, murder-mystery-in-space baby.
One thing I really appreciated was how the sci-fi elements weren’t overwhelming. The author smartly “dumbed down” the tech just enough so it never felt dense or inaccessible. Instead of getting bogged down in heavy science, we got character, tension, and atmosphere — which I loved.
And the murder mystery element? So good. The story was dark, intriguing, and at times genuinely funny — basically everything I enjoy in my sci-fi. VIFAI especially stole the show for me. The way the author wrote this construct with emotions — feeling offended, defensive, even vulnerable — made them feel incredibly real. It was entertaining and surprisingly touching.
The queer romance was such an unexpected (and very welcome) addition. I’m genuinely excited to see how that relationship develops in the next books because the potential is there.
My only small gripe: for a murder mystery set in space, the pacing was a tad slow at times. I didn’t quite get that heart-racing urgency I usually crave in this genre. But even with that, I was consistently engaged and invested.
Overall, this was a dark, thoughtful, character-driven sci-fi mystery with humor and heart — and I had a great time reading it.
Thank you to Erewhon for the gifted ARC in exchange for my honest review.
February 24, 2026
Review originally on JamReads
The Iron Garden Sutra is a meditative and dark sci-fi novel that kickstarts the Cosmic Wheel duology, written by A.D. Sui, published by Erewhon Books. A proposal that successfully puts the weight into character development to weave a story with horror beats similar to Dead Space, but adding an extra layer of reflection over grief and loss, delivering one of the novels of the year.
Vessel Iris, a Starlit Order monk, is sent to perform funeral rites to a recently discovered generation ship, a way to put the long dead crew and passengers to rest. He expected to be alone there, only with his in-built AI, but he finds a group of scientists who have come to explore the ship. An encounter that is not easy for the reclusive Iris, but who tries to communicate with them, even if he's received with hostility by some of the group; however, when it becomes clear that even if all the passengers are dead, there's something putting all the group in danger, they will need to collaborate in order to survive.
This novel is partly articulated over the character of Iris, a complex and enigmatic character that we get to intimately know through the book; we get to explore his past and how it shaped him to become a Starlit Order's monk, but we can see that his feelings and beliefs around grief and death are rather complex, even bordering the contradictory extremes. He mechanically performs the rites, but we also get to observe who he's not too keen on alive people, partly fearing to develop a bond, but taking the extreme situation the group gets in, we finally get to see how he opens himself.
The group of scientists comprises a bit of everything: some are really kind with Iris from the start, while others are almost against his labour. Sui keeps them in a secondary role, but we get enough to even appreciate them, especially the growth of one particular character.
The atmosphere of this novel is impeccable, making an excellent job of transmitting that immense, abandoned ship; time has passed, only corpses remain, and however, there's something threatening our characters. Paired with it, it's interesting how this novel takes its sweet time to meditate about what grief and loss means, and how we can cope and continue even in those circumstances; I personally loved Sui's approach to the themes, especially as they are paired with a monk as the main character.
The Iron Garden Sutra is an excellent novel, a perfect choice if you are looking for a book that blends together horror with a more meditative side of sci-fi, which puts the emphasis on grief and how to cope, while also delivering a superb story. This novel closes the ship arc, but opens one that I feel it will be much more interesting!
The Iron Garden Sutra is a meditative and dark sci-fi novel that kickstarts the Cosmic Wheel duology, written by A.D. Sui, published by Erewhon Books. A proposal that successfully puts the weight into character development to weave a story with horror beats similar to Dead Space, but adding an extra layer of reflection over grief and loss, delivering one of the novels of the year.
Vessel Iris, a Starlit Order monk, is sent to perform funeral rites to a recently discovered generation ship, a way to put the long dead crew and passengers to rest. He expected to be alone there, only with his in-built AI, but he finds a group of scientists who have come to explore the ship. An encounter that is not easy for the reclusive Iris, but who tries to communicate with them, even if he's received with hostility by some of the group; however, when it becomes clear that even if all the passengers are dead, there's something putting all the group in danger, they will need to collaborate in order to survive.
This novel is partly articulated over the character of Iris, a complex and enigmatic character that we get to intimately know through the book; we get to explore his past and how it shaped him to become a Starlit Order's monk, but we can see that his feelings and beliefs around grief and death are rather complex, even bordering the contradictory extremes. He mechanically performs the rites, but we also get to observe who he's not too keen on alive people, partly fearing to develop a bond, but taking the extreme situation the group gets in, we finally get to see how he opens himself.
The group of scientists comprises a bit of everything: some are really kind with Iris from the start, while others are almost against his labour. Sui keeps them in a secondary role, but we get enough to even appreciate them, especially the growth of one particular character.
The atmosphere of this novel is impeccable, making an excellent job of transmitting that immense, abandoned ship; time has passed, only corpses remain, and however, there's something threatening our characters. Paired with it, it's interesting how this novel takes its sweet time to meditate about what grief and loss means, and how we can cope and continue even in those circumstances; I personally loved Sui's approach to the themes, especially as they are paired with a monk as the main character.
The Iron Garden Sutra is an excellent novel, a perfect choice if you are looking for a book that blends together horror with a more meditative side of sci-fi, which puts the emphasis on grief and how to cope, while also delivering a superb story. This novel closes the ship arc, but opens one that I feel it will be much more interesting!
Currently reading
February 17, 2026Serendipity. The right book at the right time.
A mash-up of some of my favorite books with some of my current philosophical preoccupations. Like Claire DeWitt, this isn't going to work for everyone, and I'll definitely be curious to learn what other readers think. But also like Claire DeWitt, it isn't going to change my mind.
A monk and his AI are dispatched to a recently discovered derelict colony ship to lay rest to any human remains. But our introverted monk discovers he will have to contend with a team of scientists and engineers while he proceeds with his duties.
Sui doesn't hold hands and I suppose the science might be hand-wavy in spots, but in its defense, the science squares about the same as many pop-sci-fi reads: generation ships, gate travel, artificial intelligence, and living habitats all play a role.
Many, many thanks to Netgalley and Kensington for an advance reader copy.
A mash-up of some of my favorite books with some of my current philosophical preoccupations. Like Claire DeWitt, this isn't going to work for everyone, and I'll definitely be curious to learn what other readers think. But also like Claire DeWitt, it isn't going to change my mind.
A monk and his AI are dispatched to a recently discovered derelict colony ship to lay rest to any human remains. But our introverted monk discovers he will have to contend with a team of scientists and engineers while he proceeds with his duties.
Sui doesn't hold hands and I suppose the science might be hand-wavy in spots, but in its defense, the science squares about the same as many pop-sci-fi reads: generation ships, gate travel, artificial intelligence, and living habitats all play a role.
Many, many thanks to Netgalley and Kensington for an advance reader copy.
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.
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!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I desperately need more people to read and be obsessed with everything A.D. Sui puts out. I was so incredibly refreshed as a reader in the genre with the author's previous novella, The Dragonfly Gambit, and was a underwhelmed by how little traction it got upon release. I was THRILLED I got the rare Netgalley blessing of both the ebook and audiobook for this one. The length was daunting at first, but it became the furthest of issues given the utterly engaging narrative voice, the thrilling pace and the intriguing setting. The audiobook narrator did a spectacular job of distinguishing each character, including the AI ones, but sometimes would drop into whispers during tender emotional moments and that was a little inconvenient since you'd have to mash the audio volume repeatedly or go back whole chunks. Other than that, the narration did the taut tension of the story more than enough justice.
The protagonist is a space monk, some distant descendant of present-day Buddhist orders, with a traumatic history, sharing his consciousness with an AI companion/trauma therapist, raised to be a Vessel, whose domain of service seems to be conducting last rites for the deceased. Some combination of the things means Vessel Iris has led a life of relative solitude, until he is called upon to render his services to the countless deceased on board a recently surfaced lost generation ship that left Earth before the generations that spread across the universe. The technology on board is of interest to academic crews, who cross paths with Iris on the Nicaea, with varying degrees of friendliness. Until they are all forced to work together as they get picked off one by one into gruesome deaths by some invisible entity (becomes pretty obvious, pretty fast who or what it is). This triggers many an internal grappling and ponderance on Iris's part about evolution of artificial intelligence, their agency, his own personal history of trauma, violence, and self-actualization, especially as he has to increasingly perform death rites for people he has gotten to know and care for, and not just those who require his services after death. What ensues is one of the most thrilling cat and mouse, closed room style murder mystery (as the murders keep stacking up) where every character has a distinct arc, relationships evolve, and crescendos to an almost poetic climax. What really stood out to me what the absolutely masterful balance of necessary plot tension and character dynamics such that even in the brutal pace of happenings, there are multiple shining threads that can be called love stories. No spoilers but my kingdom for the happiness and freedom of Vessel Iris, Engineer Yan and VIFAI. I thought this was a standalone and can definitely work as one. But it looks like this is supposed to be first of a series, unclear if it would be the same protagonists or not. Can't wait!!
The protagonist is a space monk, some distant descendant of present-day Buddhist orders, with a traumatic history, sharing his consciousness with an AI companion/trauma therapist, raised to be a Vessel, whose domain of service seems to be conducting last rites for the deceased. Some combination of the things means Vessel Iris has led a life of relative solitude, until he is called upon to render his services to the countless deceased on board a recently surfaced lost generation ship that left Earth before the generations that spread across the universe. The technology on board is of interest to academic crews, who cross paths with Iris on the Nicaea, with varying degrees of friendliness. Until they are all forced to work together as they get picked off one by one into gruesome deaths by some invisible entity (becomes pretty obvious, pretty fast who or what it is). This triggers many an internal grappling and ponderance on Iris's part about evolution of artificial intelligence, their agency, his own personal history of trauma, violence, and self-actualization, especially as he has to increasingly perform death rites for people he has gotten to know and care for, and not just those who require his services after death. What ensues is one of the most thrilling cat and mouse, closed room style murder mystery (as the murders keep stacking up) where every character has a distinct arc, relationships evolve, and crescendos to an almost poetic climax. What really stood out to me what the absolutely masterful balance of necessary plot tension and character dynamics such that even in the brutal pace of happenings, there are multiple shining threads that can be called love stories. No spoilers but my kingdom for the happiness and freedom of Vessel Iris, Engineer Yan and VIFAI. I thought this was a standalone and can definitely work as one. But it looks like this is supposed to be first of a series, unclear if it would be the same protagonists or not. Can't wait!!
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).
February 25, 2026
I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an audio ARC.
I think I would have liked this book more if I had read this book in a different format. The narrator was very difficult to hear and listen to. The voice was too low no matter how I adjusted the volume. I did think there were a lot of interesting themes explored in this book and topics brought up. Some of them could have been explored a bit more. The characters are interesting and well developed. I may try to read this again in the future in a different format as I just feel like I'm missing some things.
I think I would have liked this book more if I had read this book in a different format. The narrator was very difficult to hear and listen to. The voice was too low no matter how I adjusted the volume. I did think there were a lot of interesting themes explored in this book and topics brought up. Some of them could have been explored a bit more. The characters are interesting and well developed. I may try to read this again in the future in a different format as I just feel like I'm missing some things.
February 8, 2026
Can I get a Man’s Search for Meaning, but sub “a Tibetan-Buddhist-inspired sci-fi death monk” for “man” and add one “closed(?)-door murder mystery aboard a dead(?) generation ship overflowing with tropical flora”? Thanks.
If you’re picking up on shades of Annihilation, you’re right, but this novel also shares some DNA with A Memory Called Empire and What Moves the Dead.
Minus one star because the protagonist shares all of my most hated flaws (hypocrisy, disordered eating, jealousy, pride, cowardice, rigidity, endless self-flagellating rumination, debilitating existential angst, a bottomless need for external validation) and that is UNCOMFORTABLE to see on the page. I’m narcissistically curious to see how other readers react to him.
To readers who have struggled with suicidal ideation, eating disorders, or complex/traumatic grief, I recommend caution.
Otherwise, I found Iron Garden Sutra a delightful piece of philosophical space horror. The writing is fairly accessible once you get into it, the pacing is tense but never rushed, and most of the characters are charming even when they are assholes. And there’s capital-Y YEARNING!!!
I received a free eARC via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
If you’re picking up on shades of Annihilation, you’re right, but this novel also shares some DNA with A Memory Called Empire and What Moves the Dead.
Minus one star because the protagonist shares all of my most hated flaws (hypocrisy, disordered eating, jealousy, pride, cowardice, rigidity, endless self-flagellating rumination, debilitating existential angst, a bottomless need for external validation) and that is UNCOMFORTABLE to see on the page. I’m narcissistically curious to see how other readers react to him.
To readers who have struggled with suicidal ideation, eating disorders, or complex/traumatic grief, I recommend caution.
Otherwise, I found Iron Garden Sutra a delightful piece of philosophical space horror. The writing is fairly accessible once you get into it, the pacing is tense but never rushed, and most of the characters are charming even when they are assholes. And there’s capital-Y YEARNING!!!
I received a free eARC via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
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!!
Read
March 5, 2026Meditative space horror with traumatized monks, forest ships, AI (the fun SF kind, not the nonsense we have), and queer romance. All excellent. I wouldn’t necessarily characterize this as a murder mystery, exactly? But I was all in on the fascinating worldbuilding and character relationships, particularly between Iris and VIFAI, and Iris and Yan. Looking forward to the next one!
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