Raven Stratagem

Raven Stratagem continues the story of the hexarchate military system, picking up where Ninefox Gambit left off. Captain Kel Cheris must navigate political intrigue and warfare while dealing with the presence of General Shuos Jedao, a centuries-dead military genius now inhabiting her body. The hexarchate faces both internal discord and external threats as rival factions maneuver for power. Through military campaigns and political machinations, the story explores questions of loyalty, identity, and the price of victory in a system built on mathematical combat formations and calendrical warfare. This middle volume of the Machineries of Empire trilogy expands the scope beyond military tactics to examine the structures of power and control in the hexarchate. The novel connects personal choices and individual trauma to systemic violence and institutional memory, all within a framework of space opera and military science fiction.

Readers found this sequel more accessible than Ninefox Gambit while maintaining the complex military tactics and mathematics-based worldbuilding. The character development of Cheris/Jedao received particular attention in reviews, with readers noting the deeper exploration of identity and morality. Likes: - Clearer plot and less confusion about the calendar system - Strong political intrigue and military strategy - Character relationships and emotional depth - LGBTQ+ representation Dislikes: - Slower pace compared to first book - Less action/combat scenes - Some found the middle sections dragged - New characters take time to connect with Ratings: Goodreads: 4.13/5 (8,700+ ratings) Amazon: 4.3/5 (300+ ratings) LibraryThing: 4.1/5 (200+ ratings) Several readers noted it works better as part of the trilogy rather than standalone. One reviewer called it "a rare sequel that improves on its predecessor without losing the original's uniqueness."

Ninefox Gambit by Yoon Ha Lee This first book in the series establishes the mathematical magic system and military hierarchy that form the foundation for Raven Stratagem.

A Memory Called Empire by Arkady Martine A new ambassador must navigate complex political machinations in a star-spanning empire built on cultural dominance and information control.

Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie The story follows an artificial intelligence that once controlled a military starship and now inhabits a human body while pursuing revenge through imperial politics.

The Stars Are Legion by Kameron Hurley A woman with missing memories works through layers of biological space vessels and factional warfare in a universe where technology merges with flesh.

Too Like the Lightning by Ada Palmer In a future society structured around competing philosophical institutions, a convicted criminal serves as a narrator unpacking the complex political and social systems that govern humanity.

🔷 "Raven Stratagem" is the second book in the Machineries of Empire trilogy, which blends mathematics with space warfare in a unique system where mathematical theorems can alter reality. 🔷 Author Yoon Ha Lee incorporated elements of Korean culture and mythology into the series' worldbuilding, drawing from his own heritage. 🔷 The novel's protagonist, Shuos Jedao, is a centuries-old military tactician whose consciousness has been preserved and can be transferred between bodies—a concept that explores themes of identity and consciousness. 🔷 The book received multiple award nominations, including being a finalist for the 2018 Hugo Award for Best Novel and the 2018 Locus Award for Best Science Fiction Novel. 🔷 Before becoming a novelist, Yoon Ha Lee worked as a math tutor and wrote short stories, many of which were published in prestigious magazines like Clarkesworld and Lightspeed.