The Hierophant's Daughter

In the future there are two kinds of humans in the world, and one of them eats the other. Dominia is a Martyr, but after the death of her wife, she is disillusioned with the way things are run and decides to defect to what amounts to a resistance.

I very much enjoyed this mix of cyberpunk, not-vampires, and the apocalypse. I think it does something a bit different with those elements, and I am here for it. The main character, Dominia, is fully realized and believably flawed, while also being likeable and fun. The side characters are amazing, especially the dog. I hope to see lots more of Basil in the future. The plot is tight and the prose is really beautiful and thoughtful throughout the book. This book left me wanting more, and I can't wait to read the next in the series.

The Hierophant's Daughter by M.F. Sullivan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Word to the wise:

This novel has a ton of great worldbuilding... as in, the grand majority of your reading pleasure may very well be in the worldbuilding going on here. My recommendation? Skip to the appendix first, give it a brief, probably delighted, gander. Then, read the timeline. Do not skip the timeline. This will give you all the proper context to go into the novel proper. :)

But wait, Bradley, is that REALLY necessary? I mean, even Peter F Hamilton can be read without that long, long, detailed timeline at the beginning of his novels.

Yes, certainly, you can, but I would caution you to be patient because the full import of all the things that happen in this Future History skipping forward 2000 years is full of scientifically created vampires in a full cyberpunk world having undergone civil wars, vastly altered political landscapes, and herds of human meat ready for the dining pleasure of the "Martyrs".

Is this vast tapestry of bloodsuckers well thought out? Hell yeah. Right down to the ongoing mystery of where the Hierophant came from, the cult that sprang up around him, the general social and socioeconomic landscape, scientific progress, and so much more.

But what about the story?

Pretty damn fun. It has a good number of twists but the core is an immortal daughter's rebellion. :)

This is NOT your standard horror or SF epic. Or UF, for that matter. This is a fully realized future history with a fully explained SF core for every horror element here. Nicely done, I might add.

This is not a light read, overall, but it isn't particularly difficult, either. It is, however, worth investing a lot of effort. Well done.

This book was AMAZING. A great dystopian cyberpunk horror taking place far into the future with humans and Martyrs. Both are the same buuuut also not the same. You see, humans have the gruesome option of eating other humans
(mostly in desperate situations or they're either sick in the head) but Martyrs MUST eat humans in order to thrive. Oh, and avoid the sun.

Our leading lady is one of these Martyrs. Once a Governess, Dominia escapes from her "family" after a disastrous event which kills her beloved wife. She is strong, she is gay, she is flawed, and she is awesome. The other characters were such a delight as well (which is such a relief since most horror books I read stray away from giving minor characters a smidge of a personality)

OH, and the worldbuilding! It was so unique and such a fresh take on a futuristic Earth. It can get confusing at first; I personally suggest to read the timeline located towards the end of the book to get a clearer view of things that happen.

I highly reccomend for those interested in LGBT relationships (particularly f/f), dystopian horror, creepy worldleaders, mixture of ancient and future religions, great writing, and immortal cannibals.

The Hierophant’s Daughter is beautifully violent, reads like a fever dream and has some of the best worldbuilding I’ve ever seen in sci-fi. Cannot wait for this series!

Some books begin slowly and simply, with the story gradually unfolding, and gently building. THE HIEROPHANT’S DAUGHTER conversely, hits the ground running, amidst a series of unfamiliar, intriguing events already in progress. A sci-fi/cyberpunk tale, with elements of fantasy and horror, it’s a thinking person’s thrill ride, revealing layers of complexity and backstory, amidst a series of fast-paced, globe-trotting twists and turns, all told in rather lyrical prose.
In modern science fiction and fantasy, with some authors it’s hard to really picture the world the story takes place in, beyond the events of the story. And if we think too much about the workings of that world, it all falls apart, because the author never fully fleshed it out in the first place.
However, in some lucky instances, we as readers may stumble upon an author who dreams up a complex, fully functioning world and society, vastly removed from our own, who imagines it all the way down to trivial details, then once the world is created, sets about telling a tale (or series of tales) within that world.
Reading THE HIEROPHANT’S DAUGHTER, it becomes quite clear rather quickly that author M.F. Sullivan put a wealth of time and effort into fully fleshing out the world - a radically different, future Earth - in which the events take place. And this might be the book’s greatest strength.
Despite its fast pace, this isn’t some quickie, one-off tale. This is the beginning third of something bigger, with (I’m assuming) more to be revealed and explained at a later point.
As the story unfolds, there is a lot to absorb. Some readers may find it challenging to stay caught up with what’s going on as events unfold (and occasionally flash backward), exploring an unfamiliar world, and an unusual supernatural element that is key to the story. Also, being the first in a trilogy of books, not everything is explained, and it ends on a bit of a cliffhanger. This to me is a strength. Others may want a more self-contained, fully explained tale, but me I like the intrigue of what’s withheld, and the knowledge that there is clearly more to come in this story.
There is an appendix at the end of the book, with a timeline leading from the 20th century, all the way up to the far-future events of the book. It may potentially be more helpful to some readers to consult the timeline before beginning the book proper, but I don’t encourage it unless you feel completely lost. For me, the timeline works better as a reveal than a preface.
I received an advanced reading copy of this book, in exchange for an honest review. And honestly I loved this book. I very much look forward to the next chapter in this saga.

Some families you are born into, some you choose. And some families are chosen for you. The Hierophant's Daughter, Dominia, has the third sort of family. Raised to rule over the human race she once belonged to, she is a warrior above all. But what a story that creates. Full of vivid imagery and convoluted relationships that defy description (but are well described nonetheless), this story is rich on many levels. And there's a dog!

It reminds me in many ways of Elizabeth Bear's Jacob's Ladder Series (not the same in plot or location, etc, but very much the same in flavor)

One could look at Sullivan's latest fantasy/sci-fi/horror novel as a kind of retelling of Bram Stoker's Dracula--only now we're in a dystopian future that may or may no have aliens (or extradimensional beings) who feed on teh blood of humans and subsequently rule the world. A cabal of royalty dominate the planet as various godheads vie for power--that is worshippers. This is probably one of the most creative, literary, and bonkers novels of the year. Sullivan is quickly becoming a master of speculative fiction.

REALLY lore heavy, perhaps the appendix should be first? However, i was missing books with that HUGE wordbuilding and sense that you are -somewhere- else, a compelling sci-fi read, would recommend!!