Mirrorstrike

Her Pitiless Command #2

by Benjanun Sriduangkaew

With her mother's blood fresh on her hands, Nuawa has learned that to overthrow the tyrant Winter Queen she must be as exact as a bullet... and as pitiless.

In the greatest city of winter, a revolt has broken out and General Lussadh has arrived to suppress it. She's no stranger to treason, for this city is her home where she slaughtered her own family for the Winter Queen.

Accompanying the general to prove her loyalty, Nuawa confronts a rebel who once worked to end the queen's reign and who now holds secrets that will cement the queen's rule. But this is not Nuawa's only predicament. A relentless killer has emerged and he means to hunt down anyone who holds in their heart a shard of the queen's mirror. Like the general. Like Nuawa herself.

On these fields of tumult and shattered history, the queen's purposes will at last be revealed, and both Lussadh and Nuawa tested to their limits.

One to wake. Two to bind. These are the laws that govern those of the glass.

"Sriduangkaew's poetic prose fairly sings, and this retelling of the Snow Queen legend is a dark delight."
--Barnes and Noble Science Fiction and Fantasy Blog

Genres: Fantasy, LGBT, Lesbian, Science Fiction, Fiction, Queer, Science Fiction Fantasy

160 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 10, 2019

About the author

Science fiction, fantasy, and others in the between. Cute kissing ladies? I write those. Ruthless genocidal commanders? Got that covered too! 2014 finalist for Campbell Award for Best New Writer, 2015 BSFA finalist for Best Short Fiction (SCALE-BRIGHT). I like beautiful bugs and strange cities.

Reviews

[Tuni · Rating 5 out of 5]

OOF. That ending. Going to need a 3rd book QUICK.

[Greta Gill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Benjanun Sriduangkaew's MIRRORSTRIKE is the sequel to her 2017 novella WINTERGLASS. At the time, I reviewed it glowingly, talking about how the novella engages with the tropes and ideas of high fantasy in a deeply playful way. MIRRORSTRIKE continues in that vein, and it's a real delight to read a story with an evil queen marching armies across the landscape and plotting some cosmological event, with valiant resistance and secret plots of defiance, and have it feel fresh and deep and intriguing.

Part of this, of course, is that Sriduangkaew is a talented prose stylist, ornate and gorgeous prose flowing forth from her fingers seemingly effortlessly. But pure prose stylings without the substance of characters, themes, and events are like cakes made entirely of frosting. And there is plenty to dig into here. The familiar cast returns from the first book, with several additions, all of whom are quite entertaining (most especially Major Guryin). However, in the interactions between these characters, we see foil after foil emerge, a twisty psychological house of mirrors that alternately menaces and humanizes with its promise of further horrors to come and yet also a light of hope for Nuawa and Lussadh.

And on a deeper thematic level, the exploration of empire and imperialism which features so prominently across all of Sriduangkaew's work is fully on display here, this time centering on a literalization of the process of cultural appropriation- the god of the city of Sirapirat, defeated by the Queen of Winter, becomes a central figure here, remaining quiescent as the cast explores just what the Queen wants with its carcass. In turn, there are no firm answers. Indeed, the Queen of Winter exists as a kind of mindless force, operating without real desires, almost a personification of the aimlessness of empire, the deep stupidity of it. And in turn, the fear and horror of assimilation, of finding yourself thinking more and more in accordance with something you despire, looms large in MIRRORSTRIKE.

Five out of five stars. Buy multiple copies and give them as gifts.

[Jon Rentler · Rating 5 out of 5]

a passionate blazing middle chapter in an incredible story wrapped in snow

Wow! This author! This story-it will transport you and hold you fast! Incredible characters, pacing world-building, heart break, betrayal, a heroine fighting for her colonized world against an imperial ice that is immortal and seems to reign eternal!

I’m looking forward to reading the conclusion of this trilogy!

This one is the empire strikes back of the series and just absolutely in awe of Benjanun’s abilities and wordsmithing gift!

[Jaime Alexander · Rating 5 out of 5]

"The 'why' mattered. It always matters."

"Love is the small things, the company, the shared moments. The everyday."

"Plenty of people devote themselves to things they can't see or have never seen, like the goodness of human hearts or what lies within stars.

"I'll bring down the moon and drape every living star on your shoulders, and the asteroids around your ankles. I'll put upon you more treasury than the sun itself owns."

"You're important to me, more than I can possibly say. …You make my blood sing."

[Gerchia · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 - 4/5 Stars

Uhm so apparently I read this out of order and it's a series?? Anyway...


It's pretty. It's to the point. It's interesting. And damn poetic.
I just need a moment to gush about the lyricism of the writing for a moment. Can we talk about it? Because it's fucking beautiful. Literally shaking my head like "wow", thinking about some of the passages. It is rare, as in rare to me, where the writing is just effortlessly beautiful But Also Not Long-winded?? How??
It's a short book but it felt full. It had the weight and substance of a full length novel. Characterisation. Description! Plot. And intriguing opening sequence. But oh the descriptions Lord! Just yes, just wow.
LGBTQ rep handled impeccably. A unique magic system.
I feel like I come away having learned something. Don't ask me what I'm still ruminating on it. Also a shit ton of new words and turn of phrases. Read the book damn it.
Also strongly influenced by the Snow Queen lore? As in there is a Snow Queen in the story and it just makes me want to re-listen to the original Audiobook by Hans Christian Anderson. And then I could see myself rereading this. Just makes sense.

[Sheenagh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating characters and lush writing (reminded me of Poe's Masque of the Red Death). Nuawa reminds slightly opaque to the reader, which makes for an interesting twist on the 'hero grows to power and defeats evil overlord' trope. I loved the further insights into the Winter Queen's origins and mythology, and the parallels with the Snow Queen fairytale.

It's particularly refreshing to read a book with multiple gender expressions (with various pronoun use, etc.) which is definitely not *about* gender. Similarly (though the book definitely *is* about colonialism) the book deals deftly with the impact of colonialism and colonisation and the (varied, nuanced) effects it has on colonisers, colonised and collaborators without ever preaching or doing the sort of heavy-handed infodump worldbuilding fantasy authors who Have Something To Say About Colonialism engage in.

It felt like there was more plot to this than its prequel, and while this novella is definitely the right length, there feels like potential for (several?) more in this universe.

[Nicholas Perez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mirrorstrike expands upon what Winterglass established in a profitable way. More characters, more backstories and lore, and more in-depthing the complex relationships between Nuawa, Lussadh, and the Winter Queen. The Winter Queen's presence is the best treat here; she was present in Winterglass, but barely.

In this book, Nuawa finds a way to get closer to the queen and devises a way to end her, but her progress is slackened due to the mystery her mothers left behind and a glass-bearer (I believe that's what they were called) trying to assassinate people. This is redundant, but what I love about Mirrorstrike is that we're just seeing more of the world now. Learning about how Ulamat met Lussadh was heart-warming. And also Guryin was just... God, I love xem!

Can't wait to see what's in store next!

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Benjanun Sriduangkaew’s Winterglass, Nuawa, trained and shaped since birth to destroy the Winter Queen, won a tribute tournament and became the newest officer in her armies. Part of the reason she’s so good at what she does–and why the Winter Queen wants her–is that Nuawa has inside of her a shard of the Winter Queen’s magic mirror. Nuawa and General Lussadh swiftly developed a complex and lovely relationship, despite the fact that the Winter Queen holds Lussadh’s heart. In Mirrorstrike (Her Pitiless Command Book 2), the magistrate of Kemiraj–Lussadh’s homeland–has revolted against the Winter Queen. It’s time for Lussadh, with Nuawa’s help, to clean house. Nuawa gets to meet another of the shard bearers, Major Guryin, who is a chatty gossip who’d love to see Lussadh and Nuawa get together on a more permanent basis. Meanwhile, the Winter Queen has Nuawa tracking down an inventor named Penjarej Manachakul, who’s in hiding in Kemiraj. Nuawa finds out additional information about how her mothers expect her to take down the Winter Queen, and she’s trying to prepare herself, knowing that it’s highly unlikely she’ll succeed.

The author tends to write gender and sexuality in such beautiful ways. it isn’t just “oh this couple is same-sex” or “oh this one person is trans.” Frankly I don’t think that she actually has a single heterosexual male-female relationship in the entire book, and not because it was a small cast. She just does it so effortlessly–you can see it’s just a natural part of what she writes, not a studied attempt to do something different. (She particularly tends to write butch lesbian warlords, and I am here for that.) It’s nice to see the status quo get flipped on its ass.

The Asian milieu is also wonderful, and for someone who has mostly read Western fantasy, it’s like a breath of fresh air. I love the feast held at Lussadh’s palace where people wear saris and eat poppadum and samosas. (I love it for more than just the clothing and food of course–you get to see the very strange fruits of treason!) The prose in general has a poetic and sensual feel to it, and often there are contacts between Nuawa and Lussadh that could be considered entirely chaste, but that are so loaded with meaning that they become very hot. Because of that, it doesn’t take much sexual material to make the relationship a very sexy one. Nuawa’s also having some difficulty with it because she’s never been in love before, and the mirror shard blunts the emotions.

One of the queen’s old retainers is trying to kill the shard-bearers, and both Lussadh and Nuawa end up in danger. There isn’t much action in these books, but when there is, it’s gorgeous and the author totally commits to it. It tends to come in sharp, sudden bursts.

I love every book and story by this author that I’ve read. I can’t wait to read more. (Hopefully with more butch lesbian warlords!)

Content note for sex.


Original review posted on my blog: http://www.errantdreams.com/2020/09/r...

[Jimbo · Rating 5 out of 5]

"There is a barrier in all of us between the apparatus that thinks and the apparatus that feels." -- Nuawa

Disclosure: this book was provided to me for review by the good folks at Apex.

This is some world-class world building. Benjanun Sriduangkaew manages to take a number of disparate elements, chief among them the Danish fairy tale of "The Snow Queen," and turn it into something thoroughly original. The story turns on a variation of the "East/West" axis, although all the action takes place in the (relatively enlightened) East, where the Western fable of winter is reconfigured. Gender ambiguity and fluidity, love and lust (the very few overtly erotic scenes are exquisite), betrayal and revenge: this book has all of these and more. As I noted in my review of the first book in this series, "Winterglass," it is difficult, if not impossible, to pick a side in this struggle. Sriduangkaew accomplishes this in part by telling the story largely through the point of view of two characters, Nuawa and Lussadh, both of whom are fully realized and who are not only lovers but are both glass bearers, both in service to the Queen--and each of whom realizes that she may have to kill the other, since their ultimate allegiances are not clear, even to themselves.

Sriduangkaew also draws us into the story through her masterful prose. I understand that she is Thai, which is relevant (apart from the authority with which she deals in Asian themes) inasmuch as I assume she is multilingual, and her writing has the sharp clarity that is often exhibited by folks proficient in more than one language. Her prose is a joy to read and will draw you in very quickly.

Without giving away the ending, I will say that it was both unexpected and satisfying. There is, I suppose, the possibility of a third book, but regardless this is a very worthwhile read. The story is complete as is, but I would also welcome a return to this world, which I suspect has a lot more to reveal to us.

Word to the wise: it is absolutely essential that you read "Winterglass" first. Otherwise, you will be hopelessly lost and miss out on the meat of the story.

[Dan Fitzgerald · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful, vicious tale of love, conquest, & betrayal with icy sharp prose that worms its way into your heart and lodges there and won’t release until you submit to the 3rd book. You’ll get the reference once you read it.

Sriduangkaew continues to deal out emotional damage via cutting prose and heartfelt moments between characters who genuinely feel for each other despite their politically entangled positions. You just know this is going to end ugly in the third book, but you keep hoping for a miracle. And knowing the author, she just might pull it out.

The Winter Queen remains a fascinating character, and the tensions that arise between the various characters and relationships is simply delicious. One thing that puzzles me, and which will perhaps be revealed by the end (or perhaps not) is the connection between the characters in this series and the ones with the same names in the Those Who Break Chains books by Maria Ying, of which Sriduangkaew is a co-author. It could be, like with the Those Who Bear Arms series, merely a game she’s playing with names and characters, given that these books were written a while before the other series, but it could be something more.

[Aneta · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two species of creatures commit unthinkable atrocities: the tyrant, and those who fight them.

Reading Mirrorstrike, I couldn't help but think that this was the book the author wanted to write all along, and Winterglass was merely the means to that end. It's really good! Better than book 1 in terms of story and structure. Answers to many questions are provided, backstories revealed, the known world expanded.

The writing style really shines through in this one, too, particularly in its attention to detail. In book 1 I thought the author was waxing poetic, trying hard and it showed, but in the sequel I think she finally nails it.

"There is the bladed tree that used to be Juhye, twice as tall as he was, slender of trunk and branches. There are still organs trapped inside, like insects in amber, and spheres of congealed blood that never met the air: blue-black rather than red."

[A. · Rating 3 out of 5]

A MUCH stronger book than its predecessor, Winterglass. Mirrorstrike is character-driven with a purposeful plot composed of multiple moving parts. Sriduangkaew plays more carefully and with greater intent with perspective and motivation, adding fresher layers of ambiguity to the story. The world is more fully realized and, here, the romance is more compelling and built around the characters versus the sort of 'fate' call of the mirror shards as in the first book.

I was however disappointed that Sriduangkaew continues to pull back from real condemnation of empire, and I was further disappointed with the last chapter, which glosses over events that ought to have been explored with greater depth. The ending is indecisive and IMO left open in a way that begs a third novella - is one forthcoming? IDK.

[Rowena Andrews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mirrorstrike is a fantastic continuation to the story and world established in Winterglass. At times, it felt as though it could have done with being a little longer than it was - I would like to have seen and learned more about Heron for example - but overall I would say that it was stronger than the first book. The prose is as beautiful and evocative as ever, if not more so, and we got to see and learn more of the world and the Winter Queen's rule, and the impact it has had on the people, as well as more of her origins. The representation in these books is fantastic, and I particularly liked the ending - as unexpected as it was - which subverted my expectations in the best way, and has left me eagerly anticipating the next book.

[Lady V. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Benjanun continues to deliver, from her excellent prose, to intense, efficient, and interesting characters.

The single star I take away is because the opening to the final chapter was so strong, but to me it really felt like it didn't tie up properly the loose ends, and we are left with more questions, not just about the universe, but the unique character motivations, especially Nuawa's. Still, terribly enjoyable book, I would eagerly read the third in the series (if it ever came out), but as it is now, it is slightly unsatisfying as a narrative.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful, startling and sharp, Mirrorstrike heightens the already precipitous level of tension and poetry married in this fantasy series. I look forward to reading more of this author’s stories. After reading only two novels and a short story, I’m wondering why she isn’t more lauded, more recognized.

[Sheila · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars. This novella duology had an unexpected ending! I was absolutely convinced that plot would be resolved one way, but the last 2 pages were one heck of a twist.

Overall, this duology was enchantingly written. I loved the characters and the complexity. A remarkable world was created in just scant 300 pages! Props to the author; I'll be looking forward to a full novel in the future...

[Ria Ali · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rich, opulent world-building, dynamic characterisation and such tragic storytelling. Even the sex scenes were written with such dripping beauty...It took me some time to finish this book because I couldn't let myself not savour the words and drink them in. This sequel is massively better than the first installment and I can't wait to get my hands on the next book.

[J. Moufawad-Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

As always Sriduangkaew proves that it is possible to write a book that crams a lot of depth (of characters of world of conflict) into just over 100 pages, and with prose that is always a joy to read. I've lost count of the number of times I've paused to reread a sentence or sequence of sentences in her work, and this book was no exception.

Mirrorstrike occupies that difficult place in a trilogy: the mediating book that serves as a bridge between the beginning and ending without being simply filler. A lot of trilogies have weak second books that *are* simply filler, but are tolerated because of the story as a whole. Thankfully Mirrorstrike works as a contained book, and part of this are the boundaries drawn by the novella form that demand a certain facility.

The move from Sirapirat to Kemiraj is useful in that it provides an expansion to the fictional universe while still providing a contained setting to set up a tight narrative. But it's an expansion that is also a return since it brings us back to Lussadh's homeland that was the setting for the short story *That Rough-Hewn Sun* that told the story of Kemiraj's fall to Winter. Returning to this setting now that it has been transformed by Winter provides a lot of easter eggs, but also a narrative in the ways a fallen Empire is annexed and altered by another Empire. Reflections of a desert region now claimed by snow parallel reflections on an altered social formation where layers of social strata still exist beneath new management.

Revelations about the nature of the Winter Queen and her origins, the secret(s) of the shards of glass, explain much of what remained a mystery in Winterglass. There are some revelations about Nuawa's mothers as well that provide further context for her mission.

Moreover, Sriduangkaew's refusal to take the easy route to tragedy – by fridging one or both of the lesbian main characters as is often done – demonstrates that it is possible to pursue a tragic and bleak narrative without making a queer character's death symbolic of this tragedy/bleakness. I don't want to give away too much but the apparent romance of a wedding (and it is still romantic on one level) papers over an uncomfortable and bleak reality. Hence the book ends with what is often a resolution in romantic or comedic arcs ("comedy", here, in the older sense of being an upward movement, i.e. think Dante's Commedia), the weddings or unions in for example in Shakespeare's romantic comedies, but it's not a resolution. In fact, beneath the wedding there are some seriously unresolved questions that are going to haunt the union in the final instalment: there's either going to be a massive "return of the repressed" or accounting or a frightening descent into the worst bad faith imaginable.

Which leads to my thoughts about the final part of this trilogy that will hopefully be available sooner rather than later. How the hell is Sriduangkaew going to conclude her "Her Pitiless Command" trilogy in a final novella? We know something of the Queen's agenda, but the plot points set up to be resolved are monumental. Not to mention the character tension between the protagonists, where one is effectively in dishonest union with the other (though her dishonesty is born from a better political trajectory), which results in the non-resolution I mentioned above. Then there are the other characters and the rest of the world, including fucking Yatpun which I want to know more about. There's a doorstopper of a novel waiting to be written about the story of Yatpun that the Winter Queen breezed over in two to three paragraphs.

If Winterglass set the basic parameters in place, Mirrorstrike sets up our expectations within those parameters. The final book is going to have to outdo its predecessors in order to fill in those parameters and consummate the expectations.

But since Sriduangkaew has been impressing me for years – by giving me what I expect in quality (both content and form) but surprising me with what she can do – I'm certain that she knows where she is going and will surprise us all with the next book.

[SeA · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was much better than the first in this series. There was way more character development in conjunction with an interesting plot. My initial critique still stands though- I wish this didn’t feel so rushed. There were parts of the book that felt glossed over, when I wish they would have dived into more detail.

The ending was also very open ended which is totally fine if there is going to be a third book, otherwise is feels a bit unfinished.

[Brandon Kerr · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sriduangkaew trusts her audience and respects their intelligence. She chooses to keep things flowing and paints between the lines, as opposed to bogging down the text with heavy backstory. In doing so, readers reading too fast might miss subtle, precious details that add texture to this captivating world. To be honest, I’d suggest taking a recess between each chapter. Go for a walk. Do the dishes. Make love. Meditate on what you’ve just consumed before diving back in.

With this second installment in the series, Sriduangkaew pivots the focus ever so cleverly. Lussadh, the evil Queen’s top general and perhaps Winterglass’s most richly drawn character, goes from supporting player to leading lady—which delighted me to death. Additionally, the author moves the setting from Sirapirat, Nuawa’s homeland, to Kemiraj, the city where Lussadh ruled as prince until the Winter Queen covered it in ice and forced Lussadh to kill her own family. The main protagonist here is still Nuawa, though, and the primary storyline still concerns her quest to end the Winter Queen’s reign of icy terror.

For more, check out my full review: https://www.fearsomequeer.net/blog/i-...