Jason Sanford, on his eponymous site, find joy in R. B. Lemberg’s THE FOUR PROFOUND WEAVES.

Now I’ve read THE FOUR PROFOUND WEAVES by R.B. Lemberg. And when I finished this novella I cried because it was so joyful and beautiful and moving that for the first time in a long while I caught a glimpse of the path forward.

THE FOUR PROFOUND WEAVES is set in the Birdverse, a diverse world of feathered gods and mysterious deserts and magical names which bind people together and tear them apart. The story follows the lives of two people — Uiziya e Lali and an initially nameless man — who are in their sixties and trying to change their lives. But they’re up against a world which far too often believes change is a bad thing. That life should remain static and unyielding. That who others believe we are at one single moment of our life is who we must be for all our lives.

This is a lyrical, poetic, mystical journey which features some of the most beautiful writing I’ve encountered recently. In Lemberg’s hands a simple phrase like “The dawn is never far away” gains added depth and resonance to both stir the soul and make you pause your reading to reflect on what has been written. And the story also features two extremely endearing and relatable characters who you can’t help rooting for.

[…]

I expect I’ll reread THE FOUR PROFOUND WEAVES over and over in the years to come. The novella will also be among my nominations for the upcoming Hugo, Nebula, and World Fantasy Awards.

There is always a path forward. Unfortunately, many times we can’t see it until something brings our eyes back to where we’re walking.

THE FOUR PROFOUND WEAVES illuminates for all of us the path forward.

On her eponymous site, Deborah J. Ross agrees.

Lusciously detailed world-building and gorgeous language shine in this short novel from Lemberg’s “Birdverse.” The magic is inventive, centered on the intricately constructed carpets, each with its own amazing properties.

Oliver Porter is a bit nuts for the book.

What a delight. If you wanna read about platonic-friends! trans elders going on a fantastical adventure to accidentally-on-purpose fight against tyranny, read this. (I got an impulsive tattoo featuring the number 4 for this book!)

Join Ada Hoffman for Autistic Book Party, Episode 62: THE FOUR PROFOUND WEAVES.

One of the joys of Birdverse is how interconnected everything is. Like many autistic authors who fixate on worldbuilding, Lemberg has put immense thought, detail, and love into this fictional world, and many of its stories draw on characters or ideas from other stories.