Series profile
The Locked Tomb
by Tamsyn Muir
An ongoing gothic science-fantasy series of necromancy, identity, empire, grief, and structural reinvention.
- Status
- Ongoing series
- Published
- 3 of 4 planned
- Commitment
- Medium series
- Audience
- Adult
Reading route
Start with the profiled opening volume.
1 of 3 volumes profiled
- 1Fantasy CompassGideon the NinthBook profile
Gideon the Ninth
A sword-wielding prisoner accompanies her necromancer rival to a lethal trial in a decaying space palace.
Book-level profiles are essential because the point of view, chronology, and reading difficulty change substantially after the opening volume.
Series intelligence
Before you start the series.
Where to begin, how much the complete reading path asks of you, and whether the central story has an ending.
- Linear reading order
- Still continuing
- 3 published books
Where to start
Start with Gideon the Ninth and continue in series order. The central story is designed to be read linearly.
- Gideon the Ninth
The intended starting point for the continuous central story.
3 of 4 planned books are published, and the central series is still continuing.
The full published path is a medium-length series spanning 3 books.
Across the books
How the series changes
Each volume changes narrator and structure while revealing more of the empire's history and central relationships.
- Plot complexity
- StartsA lethal trial in one palaceLaterA nonlinear imperial and planetary conflict
- Prose difficulty
- StartsModerate but slang-heavyLaterStructurally and referentially demanding
Best if you want
- Dense rereadable mysteries, necromancy, and volatile character bonds.
- A series willing to change voice and structure between volumes.
Think twice if you need
- A completed series or straightforward chronology.
- Stable narration and explanations delivered before they become necessary.
Outside the score
Reader context
Series information guides suitability and commitment. Matrix scores remain attached to individual books.
Reader advisories
- Violence
- Strong language
- Horror elements
- Grief and loss
Editorial record
Sources and review
Matrix v1.0 / calibrated / high confidence / reviewed 2026-08-06