SciFi/Fantasy Book Review: Hexarchate Stories by Yoon Ha Lee

Full Disclosure:  This book was read as an e-ARC (Advance Reader Copy) obtained via Netgalley from the publisher in advance of the book's release on June 25 2019 in exchange for a potential review.  I give my word that this did not affect my review in any way (if I'd hated the book, I just would not have reviewed it). 


Hexarchate Stories is an anthology of stories written by Yoon Ha Lee in his "Machineries of Empire" (Ninefox Gambit, Raven Stratagem, Revenant Gun) universe.  Most of the stories have been previously published, with the exception of three, with much of the previously published material being openly available on the web.  Most of these stories are tiny snippets of life in the universe of Lee's trilogy, featuring generally one of his two most prominent characters - Jedao or Cheris, and will be of little interest to anyone who isn't already very invested in the trilogy.  So if you're looking for an anthology full of stand-alone stories in this universe, you will be mostly disappointed.

There are five exceptions to this really, three of which were again already published and two of which are already award nominated (The Battle of Candle Arc and Extracurricular Activities), but the fourth is what fans of the trilogy will really be coming to this anthology for - a brand new novella named "Glass Cannon" that serves as a sequel to Revenant Gun.  It's a blast and will have any big fans of the trilogy eager for more (which I don't think is coming anytime soon, so don't get too excited!)

Spoilers for the trilogy after the Jump, so if you're still waiting on reading the books, don't read further:

I'm not going to bother with a plot summary for this anthology as it wouldn't really make sense.  Hexarchate Stories can basically be broken down into four categories of stories:

1.  Snippets, often as short as one page, about a faction or another in this world.  These are fine and usually amusing.

2.  Snippets, usually just a few pages long, about short times of life in the various characters of this world, usually dealing with Jedao or Cheris or people around them.  These range from cute stories about the time child Jedao was looking for his sister's cat only to find his brother's M-M porn and find attraction to one short almost full on pornographic snippet of an in-service Jedao visiting a sex worker who knows Jedao's tastes.  Again, they're generally fine and often cute but they're not really short stories that stand on their own at all. 

3.  Novelettes that are stand-alone stories in this universe: The Chameleon's Gloves, Extracurricular Activities, The Battle of Candle Arc, and Gamer's End.  I'd read all but The Chameleon's Gloves already (Candle Arc and Extracurricular activities are available for free online, the other two were first published in other anthologies, one of which I'd happened to have read).

  These are all very good and if you haven't had a chance to read them, getting another chance here is all for the better.  I have no idea how "Gamer's End" is supposed to work with the chronology, but honestly it doesn't matter for the story to work.  The other three stories feature one that shows how the Kel worked before becoming merely a faction of the Heptarchate and two that feature prominent battles/adventures of Jedao's life that were referenced in the main trilogy.

4.  Glass Cannon, the sequel novella to Revenant Gun.  Quick little summary: Jedao2 breaks out of The Citadel of Eyes and seeks out Cheris in order to try and regain his full memories, and he and Cheris wind up again on the run after she agrees to help.

  Obviously a lot more than that happens, with the novella (which takes up half of the anthologies page count) following up on one specific major plot thread from the last book - namely Jedao2's status as a mothlike-being and the sentience of the moths.  It's generally a strong novella, although this version of Cheris, after two years of living at peace in the Mwennin community, is a lot more passive and manipulative or even brilliant than I was used to, which didn't make too much sense to me.  Other than that flaw, the novella crescendos to a strong climax and ending that made me desperately want more - hell, it almost begs for a new trilogy.  Pretty sure we won't be getting one of those though alas.  Still Glass Cannon probably makes this anthology worth getting on its lonesome, at least for those who absolutely loved the trilogy.  If you didn't of course, this won't change your mind.