The Genesis of Misery

By: Neon Yang

Narrated by: Livvie Lin

An immersive, electrifying space-fantasy, Neon Yang's debut novel The Genesis of Misery is full of high-tech space battles and political machinations, starring a queer and diverse array of pilots, princesses, and prophetic heirs.

It’s an old, familiar story: a young person hears the voice of an angel saying they have been chosen as a warrior to lead their people to victory in a holy war.

But Misery Nomaki (she/they) knows they are a fraud.

Raised on a remote moon colony, they don’t believe in any kind of god. Their angel is a delusion, brought on by hereditary space exposure. Yet their survival banks on mastering the holy mech they are supposedly destined for, and convincing the Emperor of the Faithful that they are the real deal.

The deeper they get into their charade, however, the more they start to doubt their convictions. What if this, all of it, is real?

A reimagining of Joan of Arc’s story given a space opera, giant robot twist, the Nullvoid Chronicles is a story about the nature of truth, the power of belief, and the interplay of both in the stories we tell ourselves.

A Macmillan Audio production from Tor Books.

©2022 Neon Yang (P)2022 Macmillan Audio

Critic reviews

2022, NYPL Best Books of the Year, Long-listed

“This vibrant tour de force presents a simultaneous embrace and inversion of Chosen One narratives. Yang’s prose is lush and gripping throughout, and [the] universe is complex and gorgeously rendered . . . This is a triumph.”—Publishers Weekly, starred review

“Come for the giant robot space battles, stay for the fascinating worldbuilding and the heartbreaking insight into the politics of fanaticism and emotional manipulation.”—Martha Wells, New York Times bestselling author of the Murderbot Diaries

“Neon Yang conjures a glittering, dangerous world where politics and religion clash in gemstone castles that float among the stars. Misery will tantalize, frustrate, and seduce you.”—Annalee Newitz, author of Autonomous

so-so story, unremarkable narration

the only thing that stood out to me was the way it ended. won't say spoilers, but I thought it had a very unique and interesting conclusion. unfortunately, I found the everything else about this book unremarkable and unfortunately bland or boring at times.
it seemed like the author was trying too hard to make things descriptive and flowery, and they didn't quite have the skill/talent for that deep immersive style. they would have been better served keeping the story succinct and punchy.
narration was alright, but didn't help with the boredom and lack of enthusiasm I felt listening to it.
I think the original sci-fi setting is another positive point and it's a fictional world that I wanted to explore more. but I felt like there was very little presented to us on that front unfortunately.

narrator is exhausting

it was like listening to someone deadpan a speech. the narrator reads the words. they don't tell it like a story.
also, there wasn't a whole story here. leaving things open is one thing. but nothing of great interest was really concluded.
maybe wait for the next book and read it instead of listening to it.

Narration was lacking

Pretty cool story though I don’t think the smarminess came across as it would have just by reading.

Terrible writing

Tin ear for dialogue. Extravagant violence. Many in our sci-fi, reading group did not even finish.