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Mammoths at the Gate

Mammoths at the Gate

FantasyFolklore
Pages
128
Published
2023
Language
English

Synopsis

Chay, a former nun, returns to the river delta to find her mentor, the river spirit Thien, missing. She must navigate the complex politics of the region and confront her own past to understand Thien's disappearance. This novella explores themes of identity, legacy, and the power of storytelling in a world where spirits and humans coexist.

Prose complexity
7/10

Vibe

WhimsicalAtmosphericThought-Provoking
Found Family

Genres

Fantasy Folklore Literary Fiction

About the author

N
Nghi Vo

Nghi Vo was born December 4, 1981, in Peoria, Illinois, and lives on the shores of Lake Michigan. Her short fiction has appeared in Strange Horizons, Uncanny Magazine, PodCastle, Lightspeed, and Fireside. Her debut novella, The Empress of Salt and Fortune, opened the Singing Hills Cycle and won the 2021 Hugo Award for Best Novella and the Crawford Award; the series follows a wandering cleric collecting stories across an empire modeled on classical Asian court drama. She has also written the nove...

Frequently asked questions

  • Is Mammoths at the Gate a standalone story?

    Mammoths at the Gate is the fourth novella in the Singing Hills Cycle, but it can be read independently. While it expands on the world and themes, new readers will find the story accessible without prior knowledge of the series.

  • How does Mammoths at the Gate connect to Nghi Vo's other works?

    This novella continues Nghi Vo's exploration of myth, memory, and the power of storytelling, themes prevalent in her other works within the Singing Hills Cycle. It further develops the unique blend of historical fantasy and folklore that characterizes her writing.