Decadent cyberpunk city Elysium faces siege by colossi, with rulers Hades and Persephone seeking victory through mechs and politics in this lesbian sci-fi retelling of the Hades-Persephone myth, exploring themes of personhood, love, and the interplay between gods and their pilots. The narrative weaves a complex tapestry of action, romance, and sisterly relationships, delving into the characters' struggles with agency, programming, and the legacy of the Titanomachy.

Reader Review Summary

Here is my review of the book "The Hades Calculus" by Maria Ying:

The Hades Calculus is a bold and ambitious work that takes the classic Greek myth of Hades and Persephone and re-envisions it in a dazzling cyberpunk future full of mecha battles, cyborg supersoldiers, and a polyamorous queer relationship at its core. Ying has created a rich and vibrant world that feels both fresh and recognizable, blending futuristic science fiction concepts with the archetypal figures and conflicts of ancient mythology.

One of the strongest aspects of the novel is the complex, nuanced characterization of the Greek gods and goddesses. By making them all women or non-binary, and deeply queer, Ying opens up new perspectives and dimensions to these iconic figures. Persephone herself is a cybernetically-enhanced supersoldier creation of her mother Demeter, seeking freedom from her cruel creator. The relationship between the two is fraught and intense, playing on classic mythological themes of parents and children, creators and their creations, in inventive and emotionally resonant ways.

The dynamic between Persephone, Hades, and Hephaestus as a polyamorous triad is also extremely compelling. Their love and attraction is palpable, but so too are the politics, histories, and power struggles between the gods. Making Hades an explicitly transfeminine figure brings new shadings to her character as the ruler of the Underworld and machine intelligences. The incorporation of neopronouns for certain characters is also a wonderful inclusive touch that feels natural within the story's context.

Beyond the characterization, the world-building is richly immersive, from the decadent cyberpunk cityscape of Elysium, to the mech designs and combat sequences, to the lore surrounding the world's AIs, genetic engineering, and nanotech. Ying takes familiar science fiction concepts and technologies and makes them feel vital and integral to this re-imagined Greek mythological universe. The prose is evocative and absorbing, making the action sequences thrilling while also infusing philosophical depth around questions of identity, destiny, free will, and humanity's relationship to its technological creations.

Overall, The Hades Calculus is an extraordinary artistic achievement that takes archetypal myths and themes and remixes them into something startlingly new yet still resonant with classic storytelling motifs. The queer representation, from identities to relationships, is seamlessly woven into the fabric of the narrative and world. Maria Ying's talent for both gutting emotional characterization and inventive world-building is on full display here. Readers looking for an imaginative, sexy, action-packed saga blending mythology and cyberpunk will be utterly transfixed by this dazzling and subversive work. While it clearly sets up future installments, The Hades Calculus stands powerfully on its own as a singular piece of speculative fiction magic.