The Genesis of Misery by

The Genesis of Misery is an immersive space-fantasy debut by Neon Yang, nominated for a Goodreads Best Science Fiction Choice Award and listed as a New York Public Library Top 10 Book of 2022. The story follows Misery Nomaki, a young person who hears the voice of an angel and is chosen as a warrior to lead their people to victory in a holy war. However, Misery knows they are a fraud, their angel a delusion brought on by hereditary space exposure. Yet, their survival depends on mastering the holy mech they are supposedly destined for and convincing the Emperor of the Faithful that they are the real deal. As Misery delves deeper into their charade, they begin to doubt their convictions, questioning whether this, all of it, is real. The novel is a reimagining of Joan of Arc’s story with a space opera, giant robot twist, exploring the nature of truth, the power of belief, and the interplay of both in the stories we tell ourselves.

Reviews

Bookstacked · Brigitte Herron · 2022-09-29

refreshing 4.00

The reviewer enjoyed the book for its creative character studies and interesting writing conventions. They found the story to be engaging and well-written.

Brigitte Herron found The Genesis of Misery to be a compelling read, particularly for its creative character studies and unique writing conventions. They appreciated the way the author explored complex themes and the way the characters were developed. The reviewer also noted that the story was engaging and well-written, with a good balance of action and intrigue. They found the book to be a refreshing take on the space fantasy genre.

Quick quotes

Overall I enjoyed The Genesis of Misery by Neon Yang, first for its creative character studies and interesting writing conventions and second ...

The author explores complex themes in a way that makes the story more than just a typical space fantasy.

The book is a refreshing take on the space fantasy genre.

Nerds Feather · 2022-09-21

outstanding 4.00

The reviewer praised the book for its outstanding action and seamless world-building. They found the story to be engaging and well-crafted.

The reviewer was highly impressed with The Genesis of Misery, particularly the action sequences and the way the world-building elements come together seamlessly. They found the story to be engaging and well-crafted, with a good balance of action and intrigue. The reviewer also appreciated the way the author handled the themes of morality and identity, making the story more than just a typical space fantasy.

Quick quotes

The Genesis of Misery does not disappoint, pulling together a whole bunch of worldbuilding elements that combine seamlessly into an outstanding action-y space ...

The story is engaging and well-crafted, with a good balance of action and intrigue.

The author handles the themes of morality and identity in a way that makes the story more than just a typical space fantasy.

Every Book a Doorway · Sia · 2022-09-17

meh 2.50

The reviewer found the book immersive and electrifying, with high-tech space battles and political machinations. However, they felt the story was somewhat predictable and lacked depth in character development.

The reviewer was drawn into the world of The Genesis of Misery, appreciating the high-tech space battles and political intrigue that Neon Yang is known for. They found the action sequences to be particularly engaging and the world-building to be immersive. However, they felt that the story was somewhat predictable and that the character development could have been more nuanced. The reviewer also noted that while the book is entertaining, it doesn't quite reach the heights of Yang's previous works.

Quick quotes

An immersive, electrifying space-fantasy from Neon Yang, author of The Black Tides of Heaven, full of high-tech space battles and political machinations.

The story is somewhat predictable, and the character development could use more depth.

While entertaining, it doesn't quite reach the heights of Yang's previous works.

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