When people talk about "silkpunk," they usually start and end with Ken Liu. It makes sense. He coined the term. But honestly? If you want to understand how a secondary world can feel both ancient and radically progressive, you have to read The Black Tides of Heaven by Neon Yang (published as JY Yang).
It’s a novella. It's short.
But within those pages, Yang managed to build a world—the Protectorate—where gender isn't assigned at birth, magic is basically a form of physics called "the Suli," and a mother’s iron-fisted rule triggers a mechanical revolution. It’s a lot to process. Yet, it feels effortless.
Most fantasy novels spend three chapters explaining how the magic works or why the king is a jerk. Yang doesn't do that. You’re just dropped into the lives of Akeha and Mokoya, the twin children of the Protector, and you have to keep up. It’s a bold way to write. It’s also why this book, nearly a decade after its 2017 release, still feels like it’s ahead of the curve.
The Protectorate and the Tension of the Suli
The world-building here isn't just window dressing. It's the plot. In the world of The Black Tides of Heaven, the Suli is the fundamental energy of the universe. Some people can manipulate it—they’re called "Tensor" practitioners. Think of it like a mix of bending from Avatar: The Last Airbender and high-level theoretical calculus.
But there’s a catch.
The Protector, Soryū, uses her mastery of the Suli to maintain a terrifying grip on the population. She’s not just a queen; she’s a force of nature. She essentially sells her children to a monastery to settle a debt with the Grand Abbot. That’s how we meet our protagonists.
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What’s fascinating is how Yang explores the Suli through the twins' divergent paths. Mokoya is a prophet. She sees the future in flashes of gold and blood, a gift that is more of a curse because it makes her a pawn in her mother's political games. Akeha, on the other hand, is a "null." He doesn't have those flashy visions. He sees the world through the lens of the Machinists—a rebel faction that believes technology should replace the Suli so that power belongs to everyone, not just the gifted elite.
This is the core of silkpunk. It’s the friction between the organic, mystical past and the gritty, mechanical future. It’s not just "Asian-inspired fantasy." It’s a commentary on who gets to hold the keys to reality.
Gender as a Choice, Not a Sentence
One of the most discussed aspects of The Black Tides of Heaven is how it handles gender. In this world, children are gender-neutral. They are "they/them" by default. As they grow up, they choose their gender based on their own internal sense of self, often confirmed through medicinal or hormonal intervention.
Akeha’s journey toward manhood is one of the most grounded, sensitive portrayals of transition in speculative fiction. It isn't a "reveal." It isn't a plot twist. It’s just... him. He decides he is a man, and the world accepts it.
The tension comes from everything else. His relationship with his sister. His fear of his mother. His involvement with the rebellion.
You’ve probably read books where the world-building feels like the author is showing off their research. Here, the gender politics and the magic system are woven so tightly into the character arcs that you can't pull one thread without unraveling the whole thing. It’s remarkably tight writing.
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Why the Machinists Matter
The Machinists are the "punk" in silkpunk.
While the Tensors represent the old guard—the aristocrats who use their innate talent to stay on top—the Machinists are the innovators. They use gears, steam, and logic. They represent the democratization of power.
If you can build a machine that does what a Tensor does, you don't need the Protector anymore. That’s a dangerous idea. It’s also a very modern one. It mirrors our own debates about AI, automation, and who owns the tools of production. Yang isn't just writing about a fantasy rebellion; they’re writing about the inevitable clash between those who want to keep the world "sacred" (and under their control) and those who want to break it open for everyone.
The Problem with the "Tordotcom" Length
If there’s one thing people get wrong about this book, it’s expecting a sprawling epic. It’s a novella. It covers decades of time in about 200 pages.
Because of this, the pacing is fast. Like, breakneck fast.
You’ll be reading about the twins as children, and then—bam—ten years have passed. They’re adults. They have lovers. They have scars. Some readers find this jarring. They want the "missing" scenes. Honestly, I think the gaps are where the magic happens. Yang trusts you to fill in the blanks. They focus on the emotional pivot points—the moments where lives change forever—rather than the mundane travel scenes that bloat so many other fantasy books.
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It’s part of the Tensorate series, which includes The Red Threads of Fortune, The Descent of Monsters, and The Ascent to Godhood. You can actually read the first two in either order, but The Black Tides of Heaven is the emotional anchor. It’s the "why" behind the revolution.
How to Actually Approach the Tensorate Series
If you’re looking to dive into this world, don't treat it like a standard trilogy. It’s a mosaic. Each novella tackles a different angle of the conflict.
- Start with Black Tides. It gives you the foundational history of the Protector and her children. It sets the emotional stakes.
- Don't skip the "silk" elements. Pay attention to the descriptions of materials, food, and clothing. Yang uses these to signal class and regional identity in ways that are way more subtle than just saying "he was a peasant."
- Expect tragedy. This isn't a "chosen one" story where everyone gets a trophy at the end. It’s a story about the cost of change. People die. Ideals are compromised.
- Watch the terminology. Terms like naginata or specific titles aren't just there for flavor; they ground the story in a specific aesthetic that rejects the Western medieval default.
The book is a masterpiece of economy. Every word earns its place. If you've ever felt burnt out by 800-page doorstoppers that take 400 pages to get to the point, this is your antidote. It’s sharp, it’s queer, it’s politically charged, and it’s unapologetically smart.
Actionable Next Steps
To get the most out of your reading, start by picking up the Tensorate novellas in their internal chronological order if you prefer a linear narrative, or read The Black Tides of Heaven and The Red Threads of Fortune back-to-back to see how Yang handles two vastly different tones within the same universe. If you are a writer or a world-building nerd, take notes on how Yang introduces the "Suli" without a single info-dump; it’s a masterclass in "show, don't tell" that applies to any creative project. Lastly, look into the broader silkpunk movement—specifically authors like Ken Liu and Andrea Stewart—to see how Yang’s work fits into the larger rebellion against the "Euro-centric" fantasy status quo.