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The Unspoken Name (The Serpent Gates, 1) Hardcover – February 11, 2020

by A. K. Larkwood (Author)
4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 1,217 ratings
Editors' pick Best Science Fiction & Fantasy
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A. K. Larkwood's The Unspoken Name is a stunning debut fantasy about a young priestess sentenced to die, who at the last minute escapes her fate; only to become an assassin for the wizard who saved her.

What if you knew how and when you will die?

Csorwe does―she will climb the mountain, enter the Shrine of the Unspoken, and gain the most honored title: sacrifice.

But on the day of her foretold death, a powerful mage offers her a new fate. Leave with him, and live. Turn away from her destiny and her god to become a thief, a spy, an assassin―the wizard's loyal sword. Topple an empire, and help him reclaim his seat of power.

But Csorwe will soon learn―gods remember, and if you live long enough, all debts come due.

“In the vein of Le Guin's magnificent Tombs of Atuan―if Arha the Eaten One got to grow up to be a swordswoman mercenary in thrall to her dubious wizard mentor. I love this book so much."―Arkady Martine, author of A Memory Called Empire

"I cannot recommend it enough." -- Tamsyn Muir, author of Gideon the Ninth

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Previous page
  1. Book 1 of 2
    The Serpent Gates
  2. Print length
    464 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publisher
    Tor Books
  5. Publication date
    February 11, 2020
  6. Dimensions
    6.4 x 1.5 x 9.6 inches
  7. ISBN-10
    1250238900
  8. ISBN-13
    978-1250238900
  9. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

“The Unspoken Name is great fun―fantasy with an epic sweep in a gorgeously drawn universe.”―Ann Leckie, New York Times bestselling and Hugo award-winning author of Ancillary Justice

“A fun, fresh take on the traditional fantasy quest, and an adventure I couldn't put down!”―S. A. Chakraborty, author of The City of Brass

“Astounding... written with skill and stunning assurance. The worlds this story spans are as exotic and dangerous as the characters who traverse them. From its flawless first page to its bittersweet last, The Unspoken Name is unlike anything I’ve read before.” ―Nicholas Eames, author of Kings of the Wyld

“What a glorious book! Richly detailed, enthralling, and extraordinary, with brilliant nods to such luminaries as Ursula K. Le Guin and Diana Wynne Jones. A.K. Larkwood's book hooked me in from the first page and never let go. Fabulous, in every meaning of the word." ―Jenn Lyons, author of Ruin of Kings

"A.K. Larkwood's The Unspoken Name is an epic fantasy in the vein of Le Guin's magnificent Tombs of Atuan ― if Arha the Eaten One got to grow up to be a swordswoman mercenary in thrall to her dubious wizard mentor. The action is fast-paced and emotionally compelling; the magic is dangerous, beautiful, and utterly compromising. I love this book so much." ―Arkady Martine, author of A Memory Called Empire

"An unexpected and new take on classic orcs 'n' swords fantasy. Stylish, classy, and timeless - but with racing stripes and an inbuilt camera. I cannot recommend it enough." ―Tamsyn Muir, author of Gideon the Ninth

"Takes all the tropes of fantasy--orcs and epic quests, dead gods and undead souls, daring rescues and last-second escapes--and spins them into something wild and new. A dizzy, delicious debut."―Alix E. Harrow, Nebula and Hugo finalist and author of The Ten Thousand Doors of January

“A wonderful, rich fantasy with fantastic queer characters I fell in love with. Fans of the fantastical world-building and ancient divine secrets of Ann Leckie's THE RAVEN TOWER or Steven Erikson's MALAZAN BOOK OF THE FALLEN will really enjoy this one.”―Django Wexler, author of The Thousand Names

“An imaginative story of love, sacrifice, and betrayal that traverses worlds in this phenomenal debut . . . Larkwood's intricately woven plot is jam-packed with intrigue and excitement. Lyrical, immersive prose masterfully conveys complex worldbuilding.”―Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“Quick-paced, occasionally brutal, and genuinely funny, Larkwood’s debut novel turns standard fantasy tropes on their head with grace and humour. Csorwe might have the tusks of an orc, but she is human to her core. Readers will be rooting for her to receive the happy ending that she obviously deserves.”―Kerstin Hall, author of The Border Keeper

"The Unspoken Name has everything - spine-tingling prose, gorgeous worldbuilding, powerful older women, found family (but it's terrible), and true love. It's fantastic. I read it in one sitting." ―Emily Tesh, author of Silver in the Wood

“Crisp, witty and entertaining. Such fun and it distracted me from my work far too well!”―Genevieve Cogman, author of The Invisible Library

"Larkwood's debut is a fresh, fun take on the genre, packed with smart prose, badass characters, and fantastic worldbuilding. A necessary addition for any fantasy lover's collection."―Tara Sim, author of Scavenge the Stars

"A truly wonderful book...grabbed my attention on the first page and wouldn’t let go. Fresh, exciting and new, with fascinating characters, shifting alliances, impossible odds, breathtaking settings, and shocking twists." -- Dyrk Ashton, author of Paternus

"A breathtaking journey. It's epic fantasy with both creeping, omnipresent horrors and yet a tenacious, delicate warmth." ―K. A. Doore, author of The Perfect Assassin

“The Unspoken Name is the best kind of modern fantasy―it feels totally fresh, it's full of satisfyingly weird gods and frightening magic; plus it's stuffed with the sort of characters you'll either want to be friends with or run screaming from. I loved this book!”―Jen Williams

“Action-packed and emotionally engaging . . . Lushly detailed with incredible worldbuilding, Larkwood's debut is a singular take on orcish fantasy, filled with fierce fighting and magic.”―Library Journal (starred review)

“Just a perfect fantasy debut.”―The Daily Mail

About the Author

A.K. LARKWOOD studied English at St John’s College, Cambridge, and now lives in Oxford with her wife and a cat. The Unspoken Name is her debut novel.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Tor Books (February 11, 2020)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 464 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1250238900
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1250238900
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.3 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.4 x 1.5 x 9.6 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 1,217 ratings

About the author

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A K Larkwood

A K Larkwood

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A K Larkwood studied English at St John's College, Cambridge. She has worked in higher education & media relations, and is now studying law. She lives in Oxford, England, with her wife and a cat. The Unspoken Name (Tor 2020) is her debut novel.

Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars
4.2 out of 5
1,217 global ratings
unique
4 Stars
unique
A unique and fascinating fantasy read. Not at all like most fantasy novels that I've read and I enjoyed it very much. I loved how you are never told that the mc is an orc and I'm pretty sure there are elves as well but nobody is ever described in those terms. Subtle hints of race here and there but it's left up to the reader to figure things out. LOVED IT! Looking forward to book 2
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Top reviews from the United States

Leah Southern
5.0 out of 5 stars Engaging high fantasy, bonus LGBTQ
Reviewed in the United States on November 19, 2021
Verified Purchase
I enjoyed this book immensely! I'm relatively new to high fantasy as a genre but if they're all as engaging as this one, I'll never leave. I'll admit that I was initially apprehensive that the 'odd' names would take me out of the reading. Obviously a dumb thing to get hung on, and I'm glad I didn't let it stop me from jumping in—detailed pronunciation guide included at the start, btw!

From literally the first chapter I was already sucked in. I appreciate when a story can tease its world-building in such a way that I want to know more and am seeking answers, as opposed to trying to distill and absorb relevant bits from an author's whole info-dump of their created universe's parameters. Larkwood did very well with that aspect, feeding morsels of how this world operates but still keeping intrigue for more explanation along the way. The magic was interesting, too. Its price to the mages that practice, the different gods and how their patrons interact with them. Couldn't say if her way is unique to the genre but it felt well thought out.

The plot moved along at a good pace, some good suspense at a few junctures that kept me riveted to know how it would play out, and even a little creepy factor—zombies and revenants, oh my! There are a couple mentioned fight scenes but if that's what you're out for, this maybe isn't your book.

I wouldn't call it an overly funny read, but there's definitely a handful of chuckle out loud lines in there. The language and descriptions are approachable, and it doesn't take itself too seriously as a novel—more than a few f-bombs from your main characters to casual up the dialogue.

The characters were probably my favorite part. They're lively and memorable, with individual voices that stick with you as their own. They're not cleanly divided into good/bad stereotyping, either, even the antagonists. Nothing in life is so clearly cut, and I appreciate it when fiction also demonstrates that people (or orcs, I suppose) contain multitudes and aren't so one note as much fiction would portray them. Everyone has layered motives to their choices. I also enjoyed the character development. All the primary characters have consistent characterizations to who you learn them to be, but also demonstrate growth from their experiences throughout the story, enough to inform new decisions. Makes this fantastical world of wizards and magic feel more grounded in relatable human nature.

There are a couple queer romances mentioned (including the protagonist), which to me was fantastic and part of why I originally picked up the book, but if you're not open to that it's probably your problem. I would say straight people should still read this book, because it was super entertaining regardless of the romance line! If I only read things that reflected myself I definitely wouldn't be reading about an orc swordhand to a powerful wizard.

All in all I was pulled in quick and fully locked in right up to the end. I would recommend this book to anyone up for an adventure of a slightly different tilt. Can't wait for the sequel!
5 people found this helpful
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K
4.0 out of 5 stars A unique and expansive experience
Reviewed in the United States on February 1, 2022
Verified Purchase
so first of all, this is incredibly queer. 4 stars out of the gate for that.

now that that's out of the way, the world building and prose of this is truly fantastic, with a clear base in dungeons & dragons lore and classic high fantasy. It's witty, it's sharp, it's heart-rending and some of the best writing about the nature of emotional abuse I've seen.

I will say it is prevented from being a five by the choices made with pacing. It is very much in the style of a D&D campaign with lots of dungeon crawling and maze navigating in between the action scenes that can drag a tad long. however the characterization more than makes up for that and once you have it in your head that this really IS a well written D&D campaign it becomes a story for picking up and putting down at one's leisure though you really hurdled through the last 10 chapters. a solid four stars.
3 people found this helpful
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A. K. S.
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book with good voice
Reviewed in the United States on March 9, 2022
Verified Purchase
The Unspoken Name starts The Serpent Gates duology. It’s fantasy set in a completely unique universe of worlds that seem like fragments connected by magical gates, which allow people to travel between them. Between the worlds, there is a maze that eats the worlds that are dying. Why or how the universe is like this isn’t explained, nor is it clear how far apart they are; there’s only one reference to two moons on one world, so I don’t know if they share the same sky.

Each world has their own people, culture, gods, and magic. There is some resemblance to orcs, elves and maybe humans in the way they look, but everyone is treated the same and all the peoples have spread throughout the worlds. There is some technology shared by the worlds, like travel by airships, which are powered by some sort of magic as far as I understood. The rules of magic are the same as well: the source is the particular god of the practitioner and proximity to them is needed, and the practitioner’s body is slowly consumed by magic.

The main character is Csorwe of people with grey skin and tusks. She’s fourteen at the start of the book and about to be sacrificed to the Unspoken One, a goddess of death, which she has spent her life preparing for. At the last moment, Belthandros Sethennai, a wizard from a different world, gives her a choice to come with him, and she chooses life. Her goddess isn’t pleased, but as long as she can keep her distance from it, she’ll be fine.

Csorwe is taught languages, fighting and survival skills to make her the best possible tool to help Sethennai achieve his goals. She’s grateful to him and eager to serve, no matter what it takes. She spends years in his service as his assassin and problem solver. But little by little, Csorwe begins to question her devotion to Sethennai. When she meets Shutmili, a mage from a world which tethers their mages to a hivemind that will wipe away her personality, Csorwe finds her loyalties to shift until she has to make the final choice.

This was an excellent book with good voice and imaginative worlds. The plot was interesting and there were no easy solutions for Csorwe. Csorwe’s journey to independence was slow and the narrative didn’t allow deep insight into her, but she was a great character that was easy to root for. The reader never gets to know Sethennai well, but other characters are given their own point of view chapters. Oranna and Tal as Csorwe’s main adversaries were good, and while Shutmili was a bit bland and the reader is never given a proper insight into her, she grew to be exactly what Csorwe needs in her life.

The ending is good, and it doesn’t leave the reader hanging. But it is open enough that the second book is bound to be interesting.
4 people found this helpful
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3.0 out of 5 stars Not as good as I wanted it to be
Reviewed in the United States on March 7, 2024
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This was one of the longest books to read…really had to keep at it. No character had any standout redeeming qualities.
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Laura Jefferson
4.0 out of 5 stars Complex, elegant, fun
Reviewed in the United States on July 6, 2020
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Long, but not overstuffed; funny, never silly or glib; not too many characters. I liked the protagonist a lot, and all of the characters were believable. I'm looking forward to the next one.
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Top reviews from other countries

Mr. C. M. Gallagher
5.0 out of 5 stars THE BEST NEW FANTASY BOOK
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 4, 2021
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What a book! Absolutely fantastic; if, like me, you've read most Science Fantasy books and so you're looking for something new, fresh and different, then this is it. A cracking story with great characters and very well written; I didn't want it to end! The best thing I've read in a long time. Martin Gallagher.
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Marie
1.0 out of 5 stars Just no
Reviewed in France on November 28, 2020
Verified Purchase
Not worth the effort
I don't usually comment even when the book does not meet my expectations but this one was just frustrating from beginning to end. It felt chopped with no continuity. They would build up the tension and then drop us dry, crashing and into another moment with a flimsy link
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Rebecca
5.0 out of 5 stars Read in 3 days, skin cleared, crops thriving
Reviewed in Germany on March 20, 2020
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I saw a fleeting recommendation for this book online and bought it on a whim and I habe and never will do anything better than that.
I love this book. I read it in three days straight. I highlighted about twenty funny heartbreaking, clever phrases. The characters a the best and the worst people, and every single one feels like, likable and with a strong tendency to make awful decisions. Every chapter includes even more yearning, tension, ecxitement and something between love and hate between the characters, while remaining funny and light at heart.
In short it's the story of a young girl about to be somehow not entirely gladly sacrificed, her best frenemy who does not posses a single brain cell except how to make bad decisions, a wizard with morally questionable parenting choices and a great wardrobe, a mage who is stuck somewhere between revenge on her ex and becoming the most powerful being ever known, and one of the actual most powerful beings currently alive: the sweetest and most hardcore girl ever, sharing that last title with the not-quite-so-sacrificied girl.
So yes. Recommended. 5 stars.
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Sam
4.0 out of 5 stars I know why the name is unspoken...
Reviewed in Australia on October 14, 2020
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Well at least we know why the name is unspoken... because no one can bloody pronounce it. Seriously, everytime I have to read Csorwe's name it breaks my immersion as I try to create the sound in my head. I'm trying to give up and just call her "Sorry" but I can't. It's like a puzzle I can't solve. I've never been so upset by a name. Please wish me luck and lend me strength to finish this book which is actually pretty good.
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Annie
4.0 out of 5 stars Rich world-building, layered characters and lots of intrigue
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 7, 2021
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Someone in one of my writing communities recommended The Unspoken Name by AK Larkwood, and I'm glad they did because it's an excellent example of rich fantasy worldbuilding and layered characters with complex inner and outer lives.

Csorwe (rhymes with 'doorway' - the pronunciation guide at the front of the book was really helpful, though working out how to say all the place and character names in my head each time did get a bit wearing) is destined to be sacrificed to her god at the age of fourteen, but is offered a different type of service by the enigmatic Sethennai. So, off she goes, out into the wider world (which is traveled by what are essentially Stargates, and a life of violence and crime.

The first part is perhaps a bit slow (lots of traveling and training) but it really gets going in Part 2, with an infusion of new characters, a quest for a macguffin, so excellent same-sex romance and a lot of intrigue, angst and excitement.
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