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Tensorate #4
The Ascent to Godhood
The Protector is dead.
For fifty years, the Protector ruled, reshaping her country in her image and driving her enemies to the corners of the map. For half a century the world turned around her as she built her armies, trained her Tensors, and grasped at the reins of fate itself. Now she is dead. Her followers will quiver, her enemies rejoice.
But in one tavern, deep in rebel territory, her greatest enemy drowns her sorrows. Lady Han raised a movement that sought the Protector's head, yet now she can only mourn her loss. She remembers how it all began, when the Protector was young, not yet crowned, and a desperate dancing girl dared to fall in love with her.
For fifty years, the Protector ruled, reshaping her country in her image and driving her enemies to the corners of the map. For half a century the world turned around her as she built her armies, trained her Tensors, and grasped at the reins of fate itself. Now she is dead. Her followers will quiver, her enemies rejoice.
But in one tavern, deep in rebel territory, her greatest enemy drowns her sorrows. Lady Han raised a movement that sought the Protector's head, yet now she can only mourn her loss. She remembers how it all began, when the Protector was young, not yet crowned, and a desperate dancing girl dared to fall in love with her.
122 pages, Paperback
First published July 30, 2019
84 people are currently reading
4645 people want to read
About the author
Neon Yang
18 books681 followersNeon Yang, formerly J.Y. Yang, is a Singaporean writer of English-language speculative fiction. Yang is non-binary and queer, and uses they/them pronouns.
Yang has written a series of "silkpunk" novellas, and has published short fiction since 2012. Their novella The Black Tides of Heaven was nominated for the 2017 Nebula Award for Best Novella, the 2018 Kitschies Golden Tentacle and the 2018 Hugo Award for Best Novella.
Yang's work revolves around "the human body as a vessel for storytelling", and is based on their background as a molecular biologist, journalist and science communicator.
Yang has written a series of "silkpunk" novellas, and has published short fiction since 2012. Their novella The Black Tides of Heaven was nominated for the 2017 Nebula Award for Best Novella, the 2018 Kitschies Golden Tentacle and the 2018 Hugo Award for Best Novella.
Yang's work revolves around "the human body as a vessel for storytelling", and is based on their background as a molecular biologist, journalist and science communicator.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 442 reviews
February 13, 2022
Con «Las mareas negras del cielo», mi libro favorito de la saga del Tensorado, y eso que es difícil elegir porque me gustan todos muchísimo.
Pero yo por lo menos estuve todo el tiempo esperando ESTO. En todos los libros rogaba porque la madre de Akeha y Mokoya tuviera su momento y cuando llegó no podía imaginarme lo que iba a disfrutarlo.
Soy una persona de villanos y de personajes grises, me encantan, así que conocer de mano de su amante el pasado de la protectora, el origen del Protectorado como lo conocemos, las intrigas políticas y palaciegas, la familia, los engaños, las rebeliones, la lucha de poder... todo eso en un maravilloso monólogo de tú a tú...
En fin. No se puede pedir más.
Amo esta saga. Creo que pocos libros dicen tantas cosas en tan pocas páginas y de manera tan entretenida que te hace saltar del asiento.
«El ascenso a lo divino» es el final épico e inolvidable que la saga merecía aunque por favor, necesito saber más de este universo y de estos personajes porque no puedo vivir ya sin ellos.
Pero yo por lo menos estuve todo el tiempo esperando ESTO. En todos los libros rogaba porque la madre de Akeha y Mokoya tuviera su momento y cuando llegó no podía imaginarme lo que iba a disfrutarlo.
Soy una persona de villanos y de personajes grises, me encantan, así que conocer de mano de su amante el pasado de la protectora, el origen del Protectorado como lo conocemos, las intrigas políticas y palaciegas, la familia, los engaños, las rebeliones, la lucha de poder... todo eso en un maravilloso monólogo de tú a tú...
En fin. No se puede pedir más.
Amo esta saga. Creo que pocos libros dicen tantas cosas en tan pocas páginas y de manera tan entretenida que te hace saltar del asiento.
«El ascenso a lo divino» es el final épico e inolvidable que la saga merecía aunque por favor, necesito saber más de este universo y de estos personajes porque no puedo vivir ya sin ellos.
May 1, 2021
A tremendous finale to a spectacular series. I can't properly express how much I loved this last instalment. It's my favourite by far and the more I think about it the better it gets. This cannot be the last we've seen of this world. I need more. This is only the beginning. Someone please answer my prayers.
July 31, 2019
The Ascent to Godhood is about the relationship between Hekate, the series' villainess, and Lady Han, a courtesan-turned-revolutionary. It follows how the two met, the times they spent together, and how the relationship fell apart - so, yes, it's basically an f/f villain romance, with delicious intrigue in the background.
The Tensorate is a series of novellas written in unusual formats, some of which worked for me more than others, and when I heard that The Ascent to Godhood was to be a transcription of "a drunken monologue", I thought this wouldn't work for me at all. And was I wrong. You already vaguely know how the story ends, and you're being told by Lady Han what happened, and yet it works - maybe too much? (Those were my FEELINGS, book. How dare you.) It makes up for the details lost in the telling with a narrative voice that you will remember, and maybe exactly because of the few descriptions you're given, the few details you know are even more memorable.
This ended up being my favorite novella in the series.
This is not the story of a revolution. It is much more personal than that, it's a story about love and loss and grief, and it deliberately doesn't focus on Hekate's downfall, because that's not what was important to Lady Han to begin with. Lady Han loved this terrible woman, and hated her just as much, and this is about how those feelings can coexist, and this complicated, twisted relationship. If you're looking for something that is about political intrigue and a revolution, you're going to be disappointed - they're the background, not the focus. I didn't mind that; I was there for the villain romance, and all the conflicting feelings that come with it. It's probably my favorite trope, and it means so much to me to finally see a book focus specifically on an f/f version of it.
Villainous, competent women are my favorite kind of characters, so I knew right from the beginning that Hekate was going to have a lot of potential, but I didn't think I would get a book focusing on her, and I'm so glad this exists. Lady Han is also brave and shrewd and manipulative, and I loved reading her version of the story.
The Ascent to Godhood is a tragedy, one about how your love and admiration for a person can mislead you, and about how the excessive mistrust from those experiences can destroy you all the same. Tragic f/f love stories in which the tragedy has nothing to do with homophobia, like the m/f ones that have existed since forever, have so much value, and while this is a tragic gay story, it's not the kind of tragic gay story we're so familiar with.
I also loved how this novella and The Descent of Monsters were tied to each other. I didn't love The Descent of Monsters, but this novella gave it more meaning. I really recommend reading this even if you, like me, thought the third book was kind of a waste of your time. The only thing I still don't understand is what is even up with Sonami. I mean, this book kind of gave me an answer, but as she's not a developed character at all, I'd still love to know more.
Content warnings: suicide of a minor character, child trafficking, death of a toddler, forced sterilization. Nothing graphic because you're just being told about it, and usually not in detail.
The Tensorate is a series of novellas written in unusual formats, some of which worked for me more than others, and when I heard that The Ascent to Godhood was to be a transcription of "a drunken monologue", I thought this wouldn't work for me at all. And was I wrong. You already vaguely know how the story ends, and you're being told by Lady Han what happened, and yet it works - maybe too much? (Those were my FEELINGS, book. How dare you.) It makes up for the details lost in the telling with a narrative voice that you will remember, and maybe exactly because of the few descriptions you're given, the few details you know are even more memorable.
This ended up being my favorite novella in the series.
This is not the story of a revolution. It is much more personal than that, it's a story about love and loss and grief, and it deliberately doesn't focus on Hekate's downfall, because that's not what was important to Lady Han to begin with. Lady Han loved this terrible woman, and hated her just as much, and this is about how those feelings can coexist, and this complicated, twisted relationship. If you're looking for something that is about political intrigue and a revolution, you're going to be disappointed - they're the background, not the focus. I didn't mind that; I was there for the villain romance, and all the conflicting feelings that come with it. It's probably my favorite trope, and it means so much to me to finally see a book focus specifically on an f/f version of it.
Villainous, competent women are my favorite kind of characters, so I knew right from the beginning that Hekate was going to have a lot of potential, but I didn't think I would get a book focusing on her, and I'm so glad this exists. Lady Han is also brave and shrewd and manipulative, and I loved reading her version of the story.
The Ascent to Godhood is a tragedy, one about how your love and admiration for a person can mislead you, and about how the excessive mistrust from those experiences can destroy you all the same. Tragic f/f love stories in which the tragedy has nothing to do with homophobia, like the m/f ones that have existed since forever, have so much value, and while this is a tragic gay story, it's not the kind of tragic gay story we're so familiar with.
I also loved how this novella and The Descent of Monsters were tied to each other. I didn't love The Descent of Monsters, but this novella gave it more meaning. I really recommend reading this even if you, like me, thought the third book was kind of a waste of your time. The only thing I still don't understand is what is even up with Sonami. I mean, this book kind of gave me an answer, but as she's not a developed character at all, I'd still love to know more.
Content warnings: suicide of a minor character, child trafficking, death of a toddler, forced sterilization. Nothing graphic because you're just being told about it, and usually not in detail.
March 5, 2025
The Ascent to Godhood is a drunken rant, as Lady Han recounts the story of her love affair with Hekate, former leader of the Tensorate. What is so strong about this novella is its treatment of its two leads, both of whom are incredibly complex – Lady Han, determined to please her love, and Hekate, determined to keep her place. Neon Yang has an understanding of power that I cannot help but adore – the ways it builds, and the way it can be appropriated.
I’ll miss this novella series.
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I’ll miss this novella series.
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August 25, 2022
Último libro de la tetralogía "Tensorado".
Igual que ocurrió en los anteriores, tenemos un interlocutor distinto, y es Lady Han quien en un largo monólogo hace un repaso a la vida y entorno de Hekate, personaje que aquí, aunque ausente, cobra dimensión y protagonismo.
Buena conclusión para una saga muy interesante e innovadora, aunque ese final queda lo suficientemente abierto para una posible futura novela. Veremos.
Igual que ocurrió en los anteriores, tenemos un interlocutor distinto, y es Lady Han quien en un largo monólogo hace un repaso a la vida y entorno de Hekate, personaje que aquí, aunque ausente, cobra dimensión y protagonismo.
Buena conclusión para una saga muy interesante e innovadora, aunque ese final queda lo suficientemente abierto para una posible futura novela. Veremos.
March 7, 2022
4,5. Con “El ascenso a lo divino” llegamos al final de la tetralogía del “Tensorado”, y en esta última entrega Neon Yang nos habla de cómo se construye una tirana, de cómo el ser humano puede llegar a convertirse en la peor versión de sí mismo. La protectora Sanao Hekate acaba de morir, la gran dictadora de Ea, ya no podrá seguir provocando el terror por todos los rincones a los que llegaba su alargada sombra. A través de las palabras de su gran enemiga, una mujer que en el pasado la amó más que nadie, conoceremos todos los momentos que marcaron la vida de Hekate y los hechos que provocaron que llegara a ser la mujer que fue.
Cuarto libro de la saga y cuarta forma de contar la historia. En este caso, la historia va a ser narrada por Lady Han, una de las protagonistas más interesantes de toda la saga, a través de un largo monólogo, donde no solo podremos conocer la vida de Sanao Hekate, sino que también descubriremos a la misma Han y el largo camino que acabó por unirlas. Son dos personajazos, dos mujeres muy fuertes, y que pese a lo breve que son los libros, le autore tiene la habilidad de dotarlas de una personalidad abrumadora.
Uno de los grandes puntos fuertes de la saga es sin duda esa manera tan normalizada en la que se habla sobre cuestiones de género, de sexualidad o de tipos de relaciones. En esta entrega, sin embargo, descubrimos que este mundo tan abierto, que tiene tan bien asumida y normalizada cosas como la igualdad entre sexos, las diferentes orientaciones sexuales o el derecho a que no te asignen un género al nacer, ocurre sobre todo en las grandes urbes, mientras que en los pueblos más alejados y pequeños aún se resentía un poco más el respeto por algo tan sencillo como dejar ser a cada uno lo que sabe que es. Real como la vida misma.
Haciendo repaso por toda la saga, hay dos cosas que me siguen alucinando. La primera es la capacidad de le autore para crear una obra breve, pero rica en detalles y en la creación de su mundo. Normalmente suelo necesitar una introducción mucho más larga y pausada para terminar de hacerme una idea clara y completa del mundo que estoy conociendo. La segunda me sorprende incluso más, ¿cómo es posible crear una saga compuesta por cuatro partes, donde cada parte sea completamente diferente en cuanto a forma a la anterior y que, sin embargo, todas encajen perfectamente como una única cosa? Me hallo muy sorprendido.
En unos meses me gustaría releer toda la saga de un tirón, para terminar de sacarle el jugo que tiene, que es mucho. Pero ya puedo decir que el “Tensorado” va a convertirse en una de las sagas de mi vida lectora. Tiene tantos detalles donde rascar y que valorar que, incluso siendo tan breve, creo que consigue que cada párrafo sea importante. Y muchos libros gruesos no consiguen eso ni por asomo. En definitiva, ojalá todo el mundo se anime a leer y a regalar esta historia, porque nunca la fantasía fue tan diversa, y el mundo en el que vivimos lo es, por lo tanto, visibilizar esa diversidad ayuda infinitamente. Por cierto, los dos posfacios de esta última entrega son simplemente increíbles.Y por supuesto, mil gracias a la editorial por este viaje, por acercarnos el tipo de historias que necesitamos los que en su día nunca tuvimos referentes. Ya ha llegado nuestro momento.
Cuarto libro de la saga y cuarta forma de contar la historia. En este caso, la historia va a ser narrada por Lady Han, una de las protagonistas más interesantes de toda la saga, a través de un largo monólogo, donde no solo podremos conocer la vida de Sanao Hekate, sino que también descubriremos a la misma Han y el largo camino que acabó por unirlas. Son dos personajazos, dos mujeres muy fuertes, y que pese a lo breve que son los libros, le autore tiene la habilidad de dotarlas de una personalidad abrumadora.
Uno de los grandes puntos fuertes de la saga es sin duda esa manera tan normalizada en la que se habla sobre cuestiones de género, de sexualidad o de tipos de relaciones. En esta entrega, sin embargo, descubrimos que este mundo tan abierto, que tiene tan bien asumida y normalizada cosas como la igualdad entre sexos, las diferentes orientaciones sexuales o el derecho a que no te asignen un género al nacer, ocurre sobre todo en las grandes urbes, mientras que en los pueblos más alejados y pequeños aún se resentía un poco más el respeto por algo tan sencillo como dejar ser a cada uno lo que sabe que es. Real como la vida misma.
Haciendo repaso por toda la saga, hay dos cosas que me siguen alucinando. La primera es la capacidad de le autore para crear una obra breve, pero rica en detalles y en la creación de su mundo. Normalmente suelo necesitar una introducción mucho más larga y pausada para terminar de hacerme una idea clara y completa del mundo que estoy conociendo. La segunda me sorprende incluso más, ¿cómo es posible crear una saga compuesta por cuatro partes, donde cada parte sea completamente diferente en cuanto a forma a la anterior y que, sin embargo, todas encajen perfectamente como una única cosa? Me hallo muy sorprendido.
En unos meses me gustaría releer toda la saga de un tirón, para terminar de sacarle el jugo que tiene, que es mucho. Pero ya puedo decir que el “Tensorado” va a convertirse en una de las sagas de mi vida lectora. Tiene tantos detalles donde rascar y que valorar que, incluso siendo tan breve, creo que consigue que cada párrafo sea importante. Y muchos libros gruesos no consiguen eso ni por asomo. En definitiva, ojalá todo el mundo se anime a leer y a regalar esta historia, porque nunca la fantasía fue tan diversa, y el mundo en el que vivimos lo es, por lo tanto, visibilizar esa diversidad ayuda infinitamente. Por cierto, los dos posfacios de esta última entrega son simplemente increíbles.Y por supuesto, mil gracias a la editorial por este viaje, por acercarnos el tipo de historias que necesitamos los que en su día nunca tuvimos referentes. Ya ha llegado nuestro momento.
Read
October 15, 2019Another tremendous story in this terrific alt-Chineseish fantasy universe. This one gives us the backstory of series villains Lady Han and the Protector who ruled the Tensorate world for decades. Which is fantastic: I love a villain narrative to fill in the other side. It's a dark love story with no happy ending, told as an old woman's reminiscence in a bar. Immersive, beautifully described (probably not the place to start the story even if, technically, it's mostly a prequel). And once again a cover to die for, I hope the artist has won awards.
November 28, 2023
Muchas veces se cuenta la historia de la caída de un imperio, de un tirano o de un dios.
Sanao Hekate fue una mujer que se abrió camino hasta la cima del mundo. Llegando a ser la protectora, casi una diosa.
Neon Yang nos cuenta a través de Lady Han, la líder de les maquinistes, cómo fue el ascenso al poder de Sanao Hekate, la última protectora.
Lady Han se encuentra con una forastera en una taberna y le cuenta cómo fue su vida desde niña, en un pueblecito del imperio. Nacida en una familia humilde, sus xadres tuvieron que venderla para sobrevivir y pagar la comida para el resto de sus hijes. Tras haber trabajado en el campo durante años, tras haber aprendido las artes de la seducción y el placer, y terminar en el palacio del protector, la actualmente conocida como Lady Han es la mayor enemiga de la protectora. Es a través de ella que conoceremos el pasado de Hekate, el nacimiento de una de las mujeres más poderosas de la historia del imperio.
Entre bebida y fiesta Lady Han se abre a la desconocida y nos muestra su pena por lo sucedido. Porque Lady Han y Sanao Hekate tuvieron una gran historia que solo ellas conocen, y es por eso que Lady Han es la única que verdaderamente conoció a la mujer que durante décadas fue la protectora.
Neon Yang utiliza a la líder de les maquinistes para contarnos directamente a los lectores la gran historia de la mujer más temida. La madre de Akeha y Mokoya, que gobernó con mano de hierro y tuvo que superar grandes obstáculos para llegar a la cima.
Me ha encantado pero me he quedado con ganas de más, este último libro de la saga el Tensorado se me ha quedado corto. Ojalá hubiéramos ahondado más en la vida de Hekate y Lady Han. Pero ha sido una delicia, como todos los anteriores.
Sanao Hekate fue una mujer que se abrió camino hasta la cima del mundo. Llegando a ser la protectora, casi una diosa.
Neon Yang nos cuenta a través de Lady Han, la líder de les maquinistes, cómo fue el ascenso al poder de Sanao Hekate, la última protectora.
Lady Han se encuentra con una forastera en una taberna y le cuenta cómo fue su vida desde niña, en un pueblecito del imperio. Nacida en una familia humilde, sus xadres tuvieron que venderla para sobrevivir y pagar la comida para el resto de sus hijes. Tras haber trabajado en el campo durante años, tras haber aprendido las artes de la seducción y el placer, y terminar en el palacio del protector, la actualmente conocida como Lady Han es la mayor enemiga de la protectora. Es a través de ella que conoceremos el pasado de Hekate, el nacimiento de una de las mujeres más poderosas de la historia del imperio.
Entre bebida y fiesta Lady Han se abre a la desconocida y nos muestra su pena por lo sucedido. Porque Lady Han y Sanao Hekate tuvieron una gran historia que solo ellas conocen, y es por eso que Lady Han es la única que verdaderamente conoció a la mujer que durante décadas fue la protectora.
Neon Yang utiliza a la líder de les maquinistes para contarnos directamente a los lectores la gran historia de la mujer más temida. La madre de Akeha y Mokoya, que gobernó con mano de hierro y tuvo que superar grandes obstáculos para llegar a la cima.
Me ha encantado pero me he quedado con ganas de más, este último libro de la saga el Tensorado se me ha quedado corto. Ojalá hubiéramos ahondado más en la vida de Hekate y Lady Han. Pero ha sido una delicia, como todos los anteriores.
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January 3, 2025
Read the first three novellas in this series back in 2020, during the beginning-ish stage of the pandemic and then I sort of lost interest. I had to finish this.
And it was alright. It was fine. It's quite short and it's a glimpse into the ascent of the Protector from the perspective of the sex worker who became the Protector's right hand woman. Because it's summing up almost a whole life, after the Protector has died, it didn't feel like it had any sense of urgency, what were the stakes here? It did have lovely writing, and it's a first person narrative where this woman, Lady Han, is drinking in a tavern and telling someone the story, so it has an oral storytelling feel to it.
I am surprised that I remembered pretty well a bunch of stuff from the other novellas - after five years, that says something about this vivid world with interesting takes on worldbuilding and especially gender. But this one didn't feel like it added a lot to the overall story or the world, and it was the last one (with no plans to continue, afaik).
Interesting that the editor here was Tamsyn Muir's editor, as I found out in the acknowledgments.
3/31 reads in 31 days in January.
And it was alright. It was fine. It's quite short and it's a glimpse into the ascent of the Protector from the perspective of the sex worker who became the Protector's right hand woman. Because it's summing up almost a whole life, after the Protector has died, it didn't feel like it had any sense of urgency, what were the stakes here? It did have lovely writing, and it's a first person narrative where this woman, Lady Han, is drinking in a tavern and telling someone the story, so it has an oral storytelling feel to it.
I am surprised that I remembered pretty well a bunch of stuff from the other novellas - after five years, that says something about this vivid world with interesting takes on worldbuilding and especially gender. But this one didn't feel like it added a lot to the overall story or the world, and it was the last one (with no plans to continue, afaik).
Interesting that the editor here was Tamsyn Muir's editor, as I found out in the acknowledgments.
3/31 reads in 31 days in January.
October 1, 2021
The perfect finale to "The Tensorate Series" is a heart-breaking story of love and betrayal, narrated by the infamous Lady Han, leader of the Machinist movement. Of course, she wasn't always Lady Han, and the person who would elevate her to power would also one day become her greatest foe...
This story of rags to riches, drunklenly told by the great Lady to someone sent to her by Chuwan Sarima, finally gives us the story of how Hekate, the harsh Protector most of this series has orbited around, came to power, and what kind of woman she is. It also ties in beautifully with the previous installment, "The Descent of Monsters" (https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...).
A fitting conclusion to a wonderful series. Each tome is a 4 star individually, but the series as a whole is a solid 5 stars.
This story of rags to riches, drunklenly told by the great Lady to someone sent to her by Chuwan Sarima, finally gives us the story of how Hekate, the harsh Protector most of this series has orbited around, came to power, and what kind of woman she is. It also ties in beautifully with the previous installment, "The Descent of Monsters" (https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...).
A fitting conclusion to a wonderful series. Each tome is a 4 star individually, but the series as a whole is a solid 5 stars.
September 5, 2019
Omg. This book is perfect, this series is perfect, I love everything about this SO MUCH.
January 6, 2022
What a way to finish out the year!
This whole series has been incredibly innovative, with different style and tone each novella. This time around we are sitting down with a woman who is just a little bit tipsy, telling us her life story (2nd person pov), so it has by far the most casual voice of the series. This woman takes us on her journey from rural peasant girl with nothing, to elite training as a courtesan, to a rise to power alongside (and in the bed) of a powerful woman in a court full of betrayal. Absolutely gripping read.
This whole series has been incredibly innovative, with different style and tone each novella. This time around we are sitting down with a woman who is just a little bit tipsy, telling us her life story (2nd person pov), so it has by far the most casual voice of the series. This woman takes us on her journey from rural peasant girl with nothing, to elite training as a courtesan, to a rise to power alongside (and in the bed) of a powerful woman in a court full of betrayal. Absolutely gripping read.
March 2, 2020
the covers for this series are always gorgeous and this is about sapphic lovers to enemies!!! definitely my favorite so far.
Read
August 7, 2019This continues to be a wonderful series.
September 4, 2019
Wow! This series keeps blowing me away. Each book is written in a completely different style and voice, so they all have a really distinct feel to them. And to my mind, each book in this series has been better than the one before it (although comparing them is tricky because of how different they are. It may be that this world is just growing on me as I become more familiar with it).
This one is narrated entirely as a tipsy/drunken ramble of reminiscences by Lady Han, previously known as a bit of a shadowy figure/villain lurking around the edges of the earlier books. And what a voice she has. I could hardly put this down, but forced myself to do so just so I could savor it longer. I think this is the shortest of the four books. And I would happily have read twice its length.
There's not much I can say without spoilers. This tells how the mother of the twins Mokoya and Akeha, from Books 1 and 2, became the Protector. It is a story full of backstabbing and power-grabbing, none of it pretty, but all of it absolutely gripping, with the chilling fascination of staring a poisonous snake straight in the face. Brr.
And the ending of this book implies that Book 5 will be a story I've been dying to know since I finished Book 3, so I am eagerly awaiting the next installment.
This one is narrated entirely as a tipsy/drunken ramble of reminiscences by Lady Han, previously known as a bit of a shadowy figure/villain lurking around the edges of the earlier books. And what a voice she has. I could hardly put this down, but forced myself to do so just so I could savor it longer. I think this is the shortest of the four books. And I would happily have read twice its length.
There's not much I can say without spoilers. This tells how the mother of the twins Mokoya and Akeha, from Books 1 and 2, became the Protector. It is a story full of backstabbing and power-grabbing, none of it pretty, but all of it absolutely gripping, with the chilling fascination of staring a poisonous snake straight in the face. Brr.
And the ending of this book implies that Book 5 will be a story I've been dying to know since I finished Book 3, so I am eagerly awaiting the next installment.
May 8, 2022
Finalazo.
Es todo lo que quería y al mismo tiempo deja la puerta abierta a un futuro incierto. Nos habla del pasado, de cómo la Protectora Sanao Hekate accedió al poder, pero al mismo tiempo de su final y de la nueva persona que sube al trono. Como dicen en El Gatopardo: "todo cambia para que todo siga igual".
De nuevo tenemos a una narradora diferente que nos muestra otro ángulo de esta interesantísima saga que me ha encantado.
Es todo lo que quería y al mismo tiempo deja la puerta abierta a un futuro incierto. Nos habla del pasado, de cómo la Protectora Sanao Hekate accedió al poder, pero al mismo tiempo de su final y de la nueva persona que sube al trono. Como dicen en El Gatopardo: "todo cambia para que todo siga igual".
De nuevo tenemos a una narradora diferente que nos muestra otro ángulo de esta interesantísima saga que me ha encantado.
August 29, 2022
3,5⭐
Cuarta y última entrega de la saga del Tensorado y, para mí, la que más reveladora fue, ya que muchas de las lagunas que se arrastraban en el worldbuilding de este mundo fantástico quedan explicadas en este libro. Y para muestra, la historia de los orígenes de la Protectora, Sanao Hakate y de cómo pasó de ser una joven afable a convertirse en una despiadada sátrapa. Y lo más curioso es que vamos a conocer esta historia de los labios de su peor enemiga, una de las personas que mejor la conocen.
De la Tetralogía diré que entiendo que Duermevela la eligiera para estrenarse en el mundo de la edición porque es la muestra perfecta de esa otra fantasía por la que están apostando. Una fantasía fresca, muy original, con autores más jóvenes, con personajes o puntos de vista casi inéditos en este género y con conexiones sorprendentes con la realidad social actual.
RESEÑA COMPLETA: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZVZe_...
Cuarta y última entrega de la saga del Tensorado y, para mí, la que más reveladora fue, ya que muchas de las lagunas que se arrastraban en el worldbuilding de este mundo fantástico quedan explicadas en este libro. Y para muestra, la historia de los orígenes de la Protectora, Sanao Hakate y de cómo pasó de ser una joven afable a convertirse en una despiadada sátrapa. Y lo más curioso es que vamos a conocer esta historia de los labios de su peor enemiga, una de las personas que mejor la conocen.
De la Tetralogía diré que entiendo que Duermevela la eligiera para estrenarse en el mundo de la edición porque es la muestra perfecta de esa otra fantasía por la que están apostando. Una fantasía fresca, muy original, con autores más jóvenes, con personajes o puntos de vista casi inéditos en este género y con conexiones sorprendentes con la realidad social actual.
RESEÑA COMPLETA: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZVZe_...
April 30, 2020
When I finished The Descent of Monsters, I assumed this book would be a continuation of that storyline and I didn’t even bother reading the blurb. But this one turned out to be something very different and unexpected.
I’ve read someone describe this book as a drunken monologue and that’s just perfect. It’s very conversational but we only get to hear one side of the dialogue, however that didn’t take away from the story at all. I quite liked this style of storytelling. And the best part, this is almost like a combination of lovers to enemies and villain romance trope, and it’s something I’ve never read before. This book also doesn’t have a lot of world building because it’s a very personal story and I quite liked this change of pace.
The Protector has always been on the fringes of the series as a terrifying character but we never get to know much about her, so this origin story of hers in the words of someone very close to her was very fascinating to read. At the same time, this is also Lady Han’s story and how the Machinist movement came to be - so the overall vibe of this book is like a historical account. It’s also a very interesting look at how circumstances change a person completely and how much power can corrupt anyone - to such an extent that love and relationships don’t matter anymore. Sonami is another character who has remained very mysterious throughout the series and I can’t wait to get to know her better.
To conclude, this book may not have had the story I wanted, but it was still an amazing read. The author has managed to immerse me in this sometimes cruel world through four very unique novellas, and my only hope is that we get so many more books in this series because I’m not done with these characters and want to follow them through so many more stories.
I’ve read someone describe this book as a drunken monologue and that’s just perfect. It’s very conversational but we only get to hear one side of the dialogue, however that didn’t take away from the story at all. I quite liked this style of storytelling. And the best part, this is almost like a combination of lovers to enemies and villain romance trope, and it’s something I’ve never read before. This book also doesn’t have a lot of world building because it’s a very personal story and I quite liked this change of pace.
The Protector has always been on the fringes of the series as a terrifying character but we never get to know much about her, so this origin story of hers in the words of someone very close to her was very fascinating to read. At the same time, this is also Lady Han’s story and how the Machinist movement came to be - so the overall vibe of this book is like a historical account. It’s also a very interesting look at how circumstances change a person completely and how much power can corrupt anyone - to such an extent that love and relationships don’t matter anymore. Sonami is another character who has remained very mysterious throughout the series and I can’t wait to get to know her better.
To conclude, this book may not have had the story I wanted, but it was still an amazing read. The author has managed to immerse me in this sometimes cruel world through four very unique novellas, and my only hope is that we get so many more books in this series because I’m not done with these characters and want to follow them through so many more stories.
September 7, 2019
A short but interesting continuation of the Tensorate universe. I love how Yang manages to renew their writing by every novella. It keeps them feeling refreshingly new.
February 1, 2020
And now for some back story. Hekate’s rise to be the Protector is intertwined with Lady Han’s life story. I can’t resist a cantankerous old lady narrator, so Ascent sucked me right in, but didn’t quite sustain my delight in the final act - I was as interested in Han as in Hekate, and frustrated not to get more detail on her life as a Machinist.
3.5 stars
Full review
3.5 stars
Full review
October 16, 2021
3.0 Stars
This was the shortest of the four novellas and did not leave the biggest impression. I appreciated the character work, but wanted more plot in this one. While not the strongest of the four works, I would still be interested to read more stories set in this world.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher as part of the Tensorate series bindup edition.
This was the shortest of the four novellas and did not leave the biggest impression. I appreciated the character work, but wanted more plot in this one. While not the strongest of the four works, I would still be interested to read more stories set in this world.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher as part of the Tensorate series bindup edition.
February 16, 2022
Hemos conocido a les gemeles Akeha y Mokoya. Hemos visto la revolución de les maquinistes. A Rider, la ciudad de Bataanar y al tensor el tensor Chuwan Sariman. Los preludios de una batalla final. Pero, ¿Quién gobernaba este Protectorado? Durante cincuenta años todo giro en torno a ella. A la gran protectora. A la gran y despiadada Hekate. Construía ejércitos, entrenaba tensores y aplacaba enemigos con mano firme. Sin embargo, no siempre fue así. El ascenso a lo divino nos cuenta la historia de cuando Hekate era joven y aún no portaba corona.
El ascenso a lo divino nos sitúa justo después de su muerte, a manos de la revolución, para contarnos como Hekate se convirtió en lo que conocemos desde Las mareas negras del cielo. Una vez más, Neon Yang parece optar por sorprender al lector y toma un nuevo punto de vista, en vez de seguir linealmente su historia. Nuestra narradora será Lady Han, la líder revolucionaria que en su pasado fue una cortesana al servicio de Hekate.
Este romance de héroes y villanos, es meramente una transcripción de un monólogo en una taberna. Lady Han cuenta lo que sucedió, como si estuviéramos junto a ella tomando una copa en la barra del bar. Una oscura historia de amor sin final feliz, bellamente descrita en una primera persona convencional, que puede romper corazones. Una conversación unilateral que atrapa por su voz narrativa y que completa la tetralogía creada por Neon Yang.
No es la historia de una revolución. No es la historia de como todo termino. Es una historia personal, sobre el amor, el dolor y la perdida de su amada Hekate. El monólogo de Lady Han nos deja ver a través de sus ojos tanto la admiración como el odio que coexisten dentro de ella por Hekate. Aquí tenemos el trasfondo de la revolución, pero siempre viéndola desde fuera. Su versión de la historia nos cuenta una tragedia, el ascenso y la caída de una dictador a través de la mirada trágica de una enamorada.
El ascenso a lo divino no nos deja huérfanos en cuanto a información. Tenemos pequeñas gotitas sobre Akeha, Mokoya, Sonami, e incluso Chuwan, que no suponen gran cosa, pero consiguen contar una nueva historia a la vez que nos mantiene informados sobre la situación y acontecimientos del protectorado. Su naturaleza retrospectiva es capaz de tapar agujeros en la saga, pero como lector enamorado del mundo del Tensorado, necesitaba saber más sobre el estado actual del protectorado. Ojalá, en algún momento, Neon Yang quiera volver a su rico mundo.
Reseña en el blog: https://boywithletters.blogspot.com/2...
El ascenso a lo divino nos sitúa justo después de su muerte, a manos de la revolución, para contarnos como Hekate se convirtió en lo que conocemos desde Las mareas negras del cielo. Una vez más, Neon Yang parece optar por sorprender al lector y toma un nuevo punto de vista, en vez de seguir linealmente su historia. Nuestra narradora será Lady Han, la líder revolucionaria que en su pasado fue una cortesana al servicio de Hekate.
Este romance de héroes y villanos, es meramente una transcripción de un monólogo en una taberna. Lady Han cuenta lo que sucedió, como si estuviéramos junto a ella tomando una copa en la barra del bar. Una oscura historia de amor sin final feliz, bellamente descrita en una primera persona convencional, que puede romper corazones. Una conversación unilateral que atrapa por su voz narrativa y que completa la tetralogía creada por Neon Yang.
No es la historia de una revolución. No es la historia de como todo termino. Es una historia personal, sobre el amor, el dolor y la perdida de su amada Hekate. El monólogo de Lady Han nos deja ver a través de sus ojos tanto la admiración como el odio que coexisten dentro de ella por Hekate. Aquí tenemos el trasfondo de la revolución, pero siempre viéndola desde fuera. Su versión de la historia nos cuenta una tragedia, el ascenso y la caída de una dictador a través de la mirada trágica de una enamorada.
El ascenso a lo divino no nos deja huérfanos en cuanto a información. Tenemos pequeñas gotitas sobre Akeha, Mokoya, Sonami, e incluso Chuwan, que no suponen gran cosa, pero consiguen contar una nueva historia a la vez que nos mantiene informados sobre la situación y acontecimientos del protectorado. Su naturaleza retrospectiva es capaz de tapar agujeros en la saga, pero como lector enamorado del mundo del Tensorado, necesitaba saber más sobre el estado actual del protectorado. Ojalá, en algún momento, Neon Yang quiera volver a su rico mundo.
Reseña en el blog: https://boywithletters.blogspot.com/2...
April 3, 2020
OH MY DEAR LERD. This was the shortest novella of the series but it was by far my favorite because it tied id not all, most of the loose ends of the series. THIS WAS A FCKING DELIGHT TO READ. I'll be writing full reviews soon of this series! Definitely a fave now plus that cover is so gorgeous???
September 14, 2020
"Even you, my precious peony. Even you will turn against me when the time is right."
TW: suicide, rape, pedophilia, death of a child
Actual rating: 3.5 ⭐️
This was definitely an impressive short story! Mainly because it was a villain f/f romance and the actions and power-moves these two ladies orchestrated together were just spectacular.
I really liked Lady Han and Hekate. They were both cunning and resourceful, ambitious and heartless. My kind of characters, basically.
I also liked the writing style.
The story was told as if in dialogue. Lady Han shared her personal story over drinks with a stranger, a “you” we never truly get to know. I thought it was refreshing and made for an even more interesting and addictive experience.
It was immersive and I loved the political intrigue, the betrayals and the backstabbing.
All in all, The Tensorate Series offered so much to the queer, silk-punk sci-fi, fantasy genre. A very much needed breath of fresh air.
I would highly recommend this four short stories as they all were beautifully written, gorgeously atmospheric and wonderfully diverse (both thanks to the actual queer representation and the themes tackled).
The Ascent to Godhood was a thoroughly enjoyable conclusion to a series that undoubtedly fascinated me.
And in case you are wondering, yes. You do have to read the other novellas before starting this fourth installment; the stories are connected.
"At that time, I was focused on one thing and one thing only: my own survival. You think that makes me selfish? I never said I was perfect. Who among us is?"
TW: suicide, rape, pedophilia, death of a child
Actual rating: 3.5 ⭐️
This was definitely an impressive short story! Mainly because it was a villain f/f romance and the actions and power-moves these two ladies orchestrated together were just spectacular.
I really liked Lady Han and Hekate. They were both cunning and resourceful, ambitious and heartless. My kind of characters, basically.
I also liked the writing style.
The story was told as if in dialogue. Lady Han shared her personal story over drinks with a stranger, a “you” we never truly get to know. I thought it was refreshing and made for an even more interesting and addictive experience.
It was immersive and I loved the political intrigue, the betrayals and the backstabbing.
All in all, The Tensorate Series offered so much to the queer, silk-punk sci-fi, fantasy genre. A very much needed breath of fresh air.
I would highly recommend this four short stories as they all were beautifully written, gorgeously atmospheric and wonderfully diverse (both thanks to the actual queer representation and the themes tackled).
The Ascent to Godhood was a thoroughly enjoyable conclusion to a series that undoubtedly fascinated me.
And in case you are wondering, yes. You do have to read the other novellas before starting this fourth installment; the stories are connected.
"At that time, I was focused on one thing and one thing only: my own survival. You think that makes me selfish? I never said I was perfect. Who among us is?"
February 22, 2022
Es difícil sorprenderte con cada libro de una saga y Neon Yang lo consigue en cada uno de sus libros de la saga del Tensorado. Esta vez, la historia está narrada desde el punto de vista de Lady Han, la líder maquinista, y es ella misma quién la cuenta como si de un relato oral se tratara.
Seguimos conociendo más cosas sobre la saga, en está ocasión conoceremos la ascensión al poder de la protectora contada por su mismísima enemiga.
Una historia de amor, de dolor y de poder que cierra una saga de cuatro novelas cortas que juntas forman un viaje inolvidable.
Seguimos conociendo más cosas sobre la saga, en está ocasión conoceremos la ascensión al poder de la protectora contada por su mismísima enemiga.
Una historia de amor, de dolor y de poder que cierra una saga de cuatro novelas cortas que juntas forman un viaje inolvidable.
September 20, 2022
Hmm I liked the style of this one. But the ending the series overall was a bit lackluster. I was sad this one doesn't really focus on Akeha, Mokoya or Rider. :(
October 9, 2023
I'm having a hard time rating this book. In its own right, it's great. It's a compelling story told in an interesting way, touching on some worthy themes. But as the last of the Tensorate books, I found it a little disappointing. There's still so much more I wanted from this series. The first three books built up so much, and the third in particular left so many loose ends, that I wanted a big powerful finale pulling everything together, but this book hardly picked up any of that. I guess that's been part of the style of the whole series, that each book is its own unique thing not overly shaped by the others, but... I feel like I just read an epilogue for the series without ever getting a proper Act III.
Read
October 13, 2023No rating. It would be wildly different if I consider it part of a series or as a single story.
November 1, 2022
Spec fic publishers have, over the last ten years, finally realized that fantasy novels do not need to be about straight white dudes of humble origins being force-fed a narrative of their own exceptional greatness on a frog-march to defeating ultimate evil/their "destiny," and one of the best outcomes of that epiphany is this wonderful fantasy series, a gender-bending set of novellas set in an Asian country with an utterly original magic system and society, and the psychologically most realistic and devastating sibling relationships I've seen in any genre, period.
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