Machineries of Empire

Machineries of Empire is a series of military science fiction/science fantasy/space opera novels by American writer Yoon Ha Lee and published by Solaris Books. It consists of Ninefox Gambit (2016), Raven Stratagem (2017) and Revenant Gun (2018). A collection of short stories set in the same universe, Hexarchate Stories, was published in 2019. The main trilogy follows the young infantry captain Kel Cheris and the traitorous general Shuos Jedao in a war among factions of a despotic interstellar empire, the Hexarchate, whose esoteric technology is based on the population's adherence to the imperial calendar.

The novels cover "space opera, fantasy, Korean folklore and mathematics" themes. Several of Lee's short stories are prequels to the trilogy.

Ninefox Gambit
The hexarchate is a galactic government lead by six different factions: Shuos, Kel, Nirai, Vidona, Rahal, and Andan. A seventh faction, Liozh, was previously destroyed for promoting the heresy of democracy. The hexarchs’ power is derived from their calendar; when more citizens follow the prescribed calendar, the hexarchate gains access to so-called exotic technologies that can defy the laws of traditional physics. About four hundred years prior to the beginning of the first novel, General Shuos Jedao put down a heretical rebellion. Jedao succeeded but killed over one million people in the process. Jedao’s consciousness was stored in a machine called the black cradle for future use as a military strategist.

The Fortress of Scattered Needles is taken over by heretics. Important characters on the Fortress include Vahenz afrir dai Noum, a high-ranking heretic, and Liozh Zai, who is attempting to revive the Liozh heresy.

Kel Cheris is a hexarchate soldier. She is tasked to formulate a plan to reclaim the Fortress. Jedao’s consciousness is removed from the black cradle and implanted into Cheris. Jedao and Cheris work together to bring down the shields surrounding the Fortress. Cheris and her fleet then commence a full-scale assault on the Fortress. Cheris learns that the Hafn, a non-hexarchate human civilization, are invading hexarchate space. Kel Command has kept this information from her, fearing that Jedao will turn traitor. Vahenz kills Liozh Zai and is revealed to be a Hafn operative.

After several military engagements, Cheris assumes full control of the Fortress and the calendar begins to normalize. Kel reinforcements finally arrive, but they attack Cheris. In this attack, they destroy thousands of their own troops. They fire an exotic weapon which destroys Jedao; Cheris absorbs his memories and they become one unified consciousness. Cheris realizes that Jedao manipulated the hexarchate into placing him in the black cradle, ensuring he would “live” long enough to destroy them. Cheris kills Vahenz and steals her ship. Cheris decides to turn on the hexarchate and replace it with a better system.

Major themes
Aidan Moher of Reactor praised the way in which Ninefox Gambit explores identity and personality. Moher writes that it is "impossible for [Cheris and Jedao] to share responsibilities and, literally, a body, without bleeding into one another. It’s a keen examination of the way personalities can warp around the people surrounding you." Moher further notes that much of the novel is "about exploring truth, what you believe about yourself, what you believe about the world around you, and this leads to some fascinating moments between Jedao and Cheris, who see the world very differently from one another."

Reception
Writing for NPR, Jason Sheehan praised the worldbuilding of Ninefox Gambit. Sheehan stated that the technology is "overwhelming and jarringly bizarre ... [b]ut it is also beautiful, vast and rooted in the real..." Sheehan further stated that the "unforgiving immersion" in Lee's world made the character-driven moments resonate even more clearly with the reader. Writing for The New York Times Jing Wei praised the worldbuilding and thematic content. Wei noted that "Mathematics is often lauded as a universal language, but this is blatantly untrue; for universality to work, adherents must believe in the same basic truths... Lee’s quasi-religious treatment of mathematics, and Cheris’s need to simultaneously exploit and rely on Jedao, both serve as metaphors for colonialism." The review concludes with a positive recommendation for the novel, stating that "readers willing to invest in a steep learning curve will be rewarded with a tight-woven, complicated but not convoluted, breathtakingly original space opera." Aidan Moher of Reactor praised the way in which Lee takes the tropes of military science fiction and uses the concept of the calendar "that is beyond our understanding of physics—rendering it, essentially, magical." The same reviewer wrote that "Ninefox Gambit might not work for everyone, but for those itching for dense worldbuilding, a riproaring plot, complex relationships, and military SF with a deep imagination, it’ll do just the trick... This is military SF with blood, guts, math, and heart."