The genesis of misery

Yang (after the Tensorate series, written as Jy Yang) presents a far-future space opera reimagining of the story of Joan of Arc. In this world the descendants of a generation ship were saved in their darkest hour by the discovery of a mysterious resource referred to as "holystone," which releases untold powers when activated by blessed "saints" or those who have gone "voidmad." How this resource was discovered and whether or not it was provided by a divine being known as the Larex Forge is the source of a centuries-long holy war between the Empire of the Faithful and the so-called Heretics. The titular Misery is a young person proclaimed as the new Messiah, then brought to the Capital after defeating a fleet of Heretic ships in their far-flung system. No one is more conflicted about this new role than Misery, who struggles to deal with manipulation from factions on every side, and possibly even from within themself. The borderline-fantastical science and queer cast of Yang's setting should please fans of Tamsyn Muir's Locked Tomb series.

In this vibrant tour de force, Yang (The Black Tides of Heaven) presents a simultaneous embrace and inversion of Chosen One narratives. Misery Nomaki, an apparently unremarkable resident of a down-and-out mining planet, is able to shape and manipulate holystone, a skill only available to two classes of people: saints of a holy order and those in the lethal throes of voidmadness. Misery's unsure which they fall into. As the increasingly powerful voice of the angel that Misery hears in their head draws them into a galaxy-wide political conflict, they must decide whether to trust new allies, including the intense and magnetic royal renegade Lady Lee Alodia Lightning, and determine whether their purpose is truly divine--or irreversibly damned. Yang's prose is lush and gripping throughout, and they accomplish the tall order of seamlessly weaving worldbuilding into the dynamic motion of the story, incorporating fascinating details without ever risking expository fatigue. Themes of faith, suffering, queerness, and duty are given plenty of room to breathe as Misery and their ragtag gang of friends struggle to navigate a universe as complex and gorgeously rendered as it is hostile to those on its margins. This is a triumph. (Sept.)Correction: An earlier version of this review incorrectly noted that the author had won a Nebula award.