September 2023

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thechekhov:

IMG: A Locked Tomb comic. In the first panel, Palamedes Sextus and Camilla Hect are looking on from afar as Gideon Nav holds Harrow bridal-style, rather tenderly, while they are both visibly yelling at each other in annoyance. Palamedes leans into Camilla and mutters 'I would like to put both of them in a jar and study them like bugs.' A black bar below the panel reads: OVER A YEAR LATER... The next panel is a meme-like image of Camilla with her arms crossed, looking... well... cross. She then throws up her hands in defeat and yells "I GUESS!"ALT

so I may have started reading Nona the ninth.

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so what order do all of these extra stories go in? I'm confused, I know there's others beside the unwanted guest

nonasbirthday:

Yeah, it’s a lot to sort out! (What a lovely problem - to have lots of bonus content!) If you have already read GTN, HTN, and NTN I wouldn’t stress too much about the reading order; the short stories don’t interface with each other as much as they interface with the novels. But if you were to line up the novels and the short stories chronologically, it would look something like this:

  1. The Mysterious Study of Dr. Sex - takes place pre-GTN
  2. Gideon the Ninth
  3. As Yet Unsent - takes place between the end of GTN and the middle of HTN
  4. Harrow the Ninth
  5. Nona the Ninth
  6. The Unwanted Guest - takes place during the latter part of NTN

And then of course there is some additional content at the end of the first two books which are not quite official short stories (I don’t think) but have some valuable tidbits in them! Even the glossaries and pronunciation guides have me doing double-takes sometimes as I reread. GTN has “A Sermon on Cavaliers and Necromancers” and “Cohort Intelligence Files.” HTN has a “Blood of Eden Memorandum for Record.” I have the paperbacks of GTN and HTN so I am not sure if these are included in the hardcovers. (Edit: it seems the extra content is not included in the hardcovers or the audiobooks.) But in any case I would say these are best read exactly where they are at the end of each book.

I don’t think I’m forgetting anything, but I hope folks will add on if I am!

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thechekhov:

A black and white toned, manga-style comic of one of the scenes from The Locked Tomb series, specifically the Gideon the Ninth book. The first panel is open, with two speech bubbles. "I challenge the sixth for their keys. I name the time and the time is now," someone says, raising the blade of a weapon. In the below panel, Palamedes Sextus and Camilla Hect look up, glowering, at the figure, bracketed by his legs since he is looking down on them from the table. ALT
The middle panel shows Naberius Tern, who is standing at full height, pointing his rapier down at the two he challenged. From the sides of his panel are four smaller ones - the Fourth, Second, Ninth and Eight house look on in various flavors of shock. While the Fourth and Second don't bother to hide their indignation, the Ninth and Eighth are quietly observing. The next panel shows Coronabeth, looking a bit stupefied. “No, you don’t,” she begins to say. “Yes, he does,” replies Ianthe, who is mirrored in the opposite panel. “You need a facility key, don’t you? Here’s our chance. I suspect we won’t be given a better.” Judith Deuteros begins to turn to Ianthe, looking grimly alarmed. "You have no cause."ALT
The top panel focuses on Ianthe, still lounging on the chair. “Neither did you, if we’re all being honest with ourselves," she says to Judith. "Sextus was perfectly right.” The next two panels show Judith and Ianthe, their profiles facing each other as they argue. “If you want to cast me as the villain, do it,” says the captain of the Second. “I’m trying to save our lives. You’re giving in to chaos. There are rules, Third.” “On the contrary,” Ianthe replies, “you’ve amply demonstrated that there are no rules whatsoever. There’s only the challenge … and how it’s answered.” A small panel shows Gideon glancing over to the twins. Ianthe looks away and glances up at Coronabeth, who has been standing beside her chair, not looking at anyone else. She reaches out a hand to her sister and says, more softly: “This is for you, dear, don’t be picky. This may be the only chance we have. Don’t feel bad, sweetheart—what can you do?” Corona continues to stare ahead, a bit blankly. A shadow falls over her face. “I can do nothing,” she replies. Ianthe pulls her in, and they nearly tough foreheads, their hands tangled tightly. “Then let’s do this together. I need you," says Ianthe. “I need you,” echoes her twin. ALT
Another small panel shows Gideon looking back to the Sixths House. Camilla tightens a bandage on her arm, which is already bloodied. "Right," she says. "Second round." Behind her, Palamedes looks panicked and angry all at once. Gideon grits her teeth, suppressing a growl. A series of quick panels shows her gripping her sword and sliding her off hand into the knuckle knives. She looks as though she's about to surge forward when Harrow's speech bubble cuts through the panel: "The Ninth House will represent the Sixth House," she announces. Beside her, Gideon looks a bit startled. Naberius also starts, looking completely confused by the turn of events. Ianthe looks on, not surprised but annoyed. "The plot congeals," she says. "Since when has the Ninth been bosom with the sixth?" she asks. Harrow replies: "We aren't." Gideon's mouth begins to stretch into a grin. "Then--" continues Ianthe, but she is cut off. ""ALT
The page is dominated by a single vertical panel, showing both Harrowhark and Gideon, with Gideon standing firmly behind her necromancer, her rapier casually balanced on her shoulder. Her grin is wide, and her eyes shine through, even from behind her shades. In front, Harrow is pulling off her hood, her eyes narrowed. "Death first to the vultures and scavengers," she says. The background has grown dark, and both of the Ninth are lit from underneath, throwing them into rather appropriate spooky shadows. ALT

Harrow’s necromantic power includes the ability to create underlighting whenever it’s necessary.

Bonus:

A very quick and messy sketch of Gideon and Harrow. Gideon is lifting Harrow up with both arms and hugging her, a big smile on her face. "Thanks for backing me up, my midnight hagette!" she says. Harrow looks like a stick insect heading to a funeral. Her legs are awkwardly kicked up a bit, but she is otherwise stock-straight, and her eyes are wide and staring into the middle distance, though she is also visibly blushing. ALT