“Haunting, nuanced, and hopeful, Yoke of Stars is essential reading. Lemberg refuses to look away from the hurt we can do to one another, while reminding us that through listening, labor, and mutual support, we can reject patterns of harm and cultivate something better. In these hard times, Yoke of Stars feels as necessary as air, as water, as kindness.”
—Izzy Wasserstein, author of These Fragile Graces, This Fugitive Heart

“This is a story about trauma and strife and magic, of stars that hold and bind and devour, and maybe, just maybe, it’s about the possibility of something else beyond the hurt and pain. The way the stories in the book touch and interweave, the way the characters in them tug and pull at each other, is beautifully done—and I love how deftly Lemberg pulls all the threads together into a complex, striking weave.”
 —Maria Haskins, author of Wolves and Girls

“Welcome back to Birdverse. At the School of Assassins, Stone Orphan sits alone in a room, waiting to learn about the job that will let her graduate. When prospective client Ulín arrives, Stone Orphan is intrigued by her language more than her case. For Ulín has three people who have wronged her, but she is not sure whom she wants to die. Curious about Ulín’s path to their door, Stone Orphan asks to trade stories, to help her decide which of three men should die. As each narrates their journey to this moment, both learn about language, love, loss, and the decisions they have made.  VERDICT Lemberg once again after (Geometries of Belonging) draws readers into their storyverse, playing with names, identities, and language itself. Alternating points of view show how separate paths can come together in more ways than one, highlighting the deeper connection of people, no matter their background.”
—Library Journal

“For fellow word-nerds, Lemberg's linguistic explorations are a thought-provoking journey into how language influences all of us. Lemberg’s command of language and narrative nuance makes this a haunting, beautiful read.”
—Marian Crane, author of the Lonhra Sequence

“R. B. Lemberg’s Birdverse is one of fantasy’s most immersive, lyrical and mind-expanding universes, to which this dream of a novella adds dazzling new depths. Yoke of Stars is a beautiful tale about the stories we all live within, about the languages and connections that bind us to each other and trap us within the same.”
—Jason Sanford, author of Plague Birds, finalist for the Nebula and Philip K. Dick Awards

“This is a beautiful novella written for those who crave thought-provoking fantasy stories that stray from stereotypes and reflect the issues of our own world back to us with wisdom and patience.”
—The Fantasy Hive

“When I tell you that this book essentially altered my neural pathways, I mean that in so many good ways. Everything about this book from the writing, the imagery, the character development, the world building, is just luminous. A gorgeous, lush, super queer fantasy.”
—Wulfe Wulfemeyer, The Raven Book Store

“An unforgettable queer fantasy novel about the power—good and bad—that our words hold.”
—Foreword

“I devoured it in a couple of days because I didn’t want to stop reading. The book is beautifully written and lyrical.”
—The Booklover’s Boudoir

Praise for R. B. Lemberg’s Birdverse

“Lush lyricism of the mythology, culture and history . . . an enchanting world of star lore, magic and gender identity.”
—Tlotlo Tsamaase, The Silence of the Wilting Skin

“In all their fiction from the fascinating Birdverse world, Lemberg centers marginalized identities: queer, trans, neurodiverse, elderly, and more.”
—Buzzfeed

[STARRED REVIEW] “Lush, dreamlike prose and nuanced explorations of trans and queer identity.”
—Booklist

[STARRED REVIEW] “A beautiful, heartfelt story of change, family, identity, and courage.” —Library Journal

[STARRED REVIEW] “This diverse, folkloric fantasy world is a delight to visit.” —Publishers Weekly

“The world-building is full of deep lore and casual queerness, and Lemberg’s magic system is appropriately wild and poetic.” —Washington Post

“Beautiful and queer and challenging and tender.” —Autistic Book Party

“It made me cry, and gave me strength.” —Trans Narrative

“Imagery that glows on the page.” —Patricia A. McKillip, author of The Forgotten Beasts of Eld

“The anti-authoritarian, queer-mystical fairy tale we need right now.” —Annalee Newitz, author of Terraformers

“R.B. Lemberg writes with a luminous pen, spraying light all around their words and ideas.” —Jewelle Gomez, author of The Gilda Stories

• Endorsements from leading LBGTQIA+ authors, reviewers, and media outlets
• U.S. and Ukrainian/Eastern European promotion and virtual events
• Author appearances to include bookstores, trade shows, and academic events
• Print and digital ARC distribution via NetGalley, and Edelweiss
• Online promotion to include Instagram, Goodreads, Storygraph, TikTok, and author/publisher social media