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The Obelisk Gate (The Broken Earth #2)

by N.K. Jemisin (Goodreads Author)

4.4 · Rating Details · 5,760 Ratings · 761 Reviews

THIS IS THE WAY THE WORLD ENDS... FOR THE LAST TIME.

The season of endings grows darker as civilization fades into the long cold night. Alabaster Tenring – madman, world-crusher, savior – has returned with a mission: to train his successor, Essun, and thus seal the fate of the Stillness forever.

It continues with a lost daughter, found by the enemy.

It continues with the obel ...more

Paperback, 448 pages

Published August 18th 2016 by Orbit (first published August 16th 2016)

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The Bands of Mourning by Brandon Sanderson

Can't Wait Sci-Fi/Fantasy of 2016

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Community Reviews

(showing 1-30)

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Aug 22, 2016 Brad rated it it was amazing

Shelves: sci-fi, fantasy, fanboy-goes-squee, worldbuilding-sf, reality-bending, 2016-shelf

My mind cannot stop dancing with joy after reading this. You might say that I'm dancing with Father Earth, enjoying the reveals as one would enjoy the unearthing of so many gems of storytelling awesomeness.

The world-building is still sharp as ever, and so many questions have answers in this second book. We're given an amazing shape for amazing things to come. I'm not merely or only shaken to my core by the amazing scenes of earth alteration, depth of histories, or revealed enormity of what is re My mind cannot stop dancing with joy after reading this. You might say that I'm dancing with Father Earth, enjoying the reveals as one would enjoy the unearthing of so many gems of storytelling awesomeness.

The world-building is still sharp as ever, and so many questions have answers in this second book. We're given an amazing shape for amazing things to come. I'm not merely or only shaken to my core by the amazing scenes of earth alteration, depth of histories, or revealed enormity of what is really going on, here; actually, I'm left in awe by the scope and the careful planning and execution of the Author's Mad Skillz.

Essun and Nassun are wonderful characters, of course, and there are times when Nassun almost steals the spotlight for me, but here's the real surprise: I can't believe how awesome Hoa's story is turning out to be, or that of all the Stone Eaters. This is what SF designed for. Awe. Shocking audacity. Scope and Vision. Rocking Ideas.

So we're descending further than geological processes, headed straight into the quantum loam. :) I'm laughing my head off with Alabaster's thrown bone when he describes the spaces between atoms, the networking forces, as "Magic". :)

Of course, any sufficiently advanced technology that allows men and women to become effectively immortal and not constrained by matter is Magic, right, Stone Eaters? lol

Essun continues to transform even more than her previous love, Alabaster, and it's a deep process that's nearly continental in it's impact, but that's where most of my love is going. Nassun's transformation into one hell of an anti-hero nearly matches how much appreciation I have for Schaffa's changes. I sympathize for everyone, and no one is disappointing. :)

The final action in this book is dark, that's for certain, but even now I can't stop grinning and being so damn awed by what happened.

This is why I read. This is why I'm a fanboy. This BLOWS ME AWAY. :)

Hell, this stuff is the stuff of LIFE. :) Totally Awesome!

Book 2? It may not be as mind-altering as the first, but together, they're something much greater than their parts. :) Now how in hell will I be able to wait for book 3 to find out what happens to the moon? This is breathtaking in conception. :) ...more

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Sep 10, 2016 Tess Burton rated it it was ok

Shelves: my-reviews, dystopia-or-apocalyptic, high-fantasy, didnt-meet-expectations, antihero

To summarize, it seems even the best authors can fall victim to Middle Book Syndrome.

I still adore N.K. Jemisin, I still think she's a goddess. The Obelisk Gate just didn't do it for me. The first book in this series, The Fifth Season, was just so exciting. It was filled with incredible world-building and a well-paced journey with a complex and likable heroine. But whereas The Fifth Season was probably 70% backstory, I should really have known this installment would focus more on the present.

The ...more

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Sep 11, 2016 Algernon rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2016

[9/10]

“The Fifth Season” set the bar really high for the follow up, but N K Jemisin delivers the goods in the sequel with as much skill and inventivity as I have come to expect from her original, engaging stories. With a whole planet as a terrible playground and a timescale extended to tens of thousands or more years, Jemisin redefines what EPIC means in terms of fantasy. Robert Jordan and Steven Erikson are arguably in a good position to challenge my enthusiastic placing of this series on the ...more

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Aug 20, 2016 Robyn rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2016

The first of this series was so good that it's hard to rate this book fairly. I would have loved it no matter, as an extension of the wonderful world and characters of the first, but it's hard task to be as amazing as the first book. It's not as earth-shattering (so punny), but it lived up to my expectations, continuing to raise questions and mysteries throughout (and answering a few, too). I continue to be amazed at the depth of the world Jemisin has created and the sheer wonderfulness of her g ...more

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Aug 21, 2016 Nataliya rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites, 2016-reads

Perfect. Simply perfect.
---
Review to follow.

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Sep 01, 2016 Mogsy (MMOGC) rated it really liked it

Shelves: fantasy, review-copy

4 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2016/09/01/...

The Obelisk Gate is the highly anticipated follow-up to The Fifth Season, further building upon the world and characters created by N.K. Jemisin in the world of The Broken Earth. While it has the distinct feel of a middle book in a trilogy, letting the first book maintain its edge in my eyes, it’s still nonetheless a fantastic and very rich sequel.

The story picks up from where we left off, transitioning us into the start o 4 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2016/09/01/...

The Obelisk Gate is the highly anticipated follow-up to The Fifth Season, further building upon the world and characters created by N.K. Jemisin in the world of The Broken Earth. While it has the distinct feel of a middle book in a trilogy, letting the first book maintain its edge in my eyes, it’s still nonetheless a fantastic and very rich sequel.

The story picks up from where we left off, transitioning us into the start of a new Season—or a period of instability marked by a major apocalyptic event. The Orogene known as Alabaster has used his powers of earth manipulation to tear the world apart, and that was the last time Essun thought she would see her old mentor. But now, while traveling across the land to find her daughter Nassun, Essun has found Alabaster again, dying in an underground comm called Castrima. Apparently, her former teacher still has more knowledge to pass on to her, information that could potentially affect the rise and ebb of the devastating Seasons, perhaps halting the cycles all together.

Meanwhile, Nassun finds herself in a bit of a bind, kidnapped by her father Jija after he discovered his children were Orogenes. He had already killed Nassun’s little brother, but could not bring himself to do the same to his little girl. Instead, he decides to take her away to a place where he heard Orogeny could be “fixed”, and Nassun has no choice but to follow, torn between love and fear of her father.

The Obelisk Gate both reads and feels a little different from the first book, emphasizing plot while also expanding upon the world-building. We get to learn a lot more about The Stillness as well as the continent’s various peoples and factions. The mysterious presence of the obelisks also plays a key role in this book, their significance serving as a centerpiece for much of the world’s history and lore. This aspect is strengthened and polished up considerably in this sequel, giving me the sense that Jemisin is working to build up to some important developments related to the magic and mystery surrounding Orogeny.

However, it’s the characters that really shine, much as they did in the previous book. This time, the focus is mainly split between the two characters Essun and her daughter Nassun, following the individual journeys of both strong yet conflicted women. Once again, Essun is the heart that drives this novel forward, but to my surprise, it was Nassun who really endeared herself to me. The story focusing on the relationship between her and Jija struck a very deep, raw chord. There are just too many terrible emotions there, more than any young girl should bear. I could feel the love she has for her father, but also the cancerous seed of knowledge in the back of her mind that his love for her is conditional and that he can never see past his hate for something that is so integral to her identity. Then there are Nassun’s memories of her mother and the harsh methods Essun used to prepare her daughter for a life lived in secret. All these layers of complexity are woven together to form a truly heart-wrenching picture of Nassun’s relationship with her parents, each thread a thoughtful commentary on the intricate connections between them. Jemisin’s portrayal of all the complex feelings involved makes it virtually impossible not to feel completely drawn into these characters’ lives.

As I said previously though, I still have to give The Fifth Season a slight edge over The Obelisk Gate, simply because the sequel didn’t quite consume me the way the first book did. For one, this book was slower to take off, and without revealing any spoilers for the series, I thought the story also lacked some of the structural and stylistic subtleties that made its predecessor so ingenious. Jemisin manages to use a couple creative devices here too, but for the most part they didn’t work as nearly as well, such as the second-person narrative for Essun’s chapters—mainly because it was so darn distracting. While I’m more frustrated at myself than at the novel for letting something like this bother me, there’s still no denying that it took me quite a while to get used to this narrative mode. When it’s used sparingly in brief sections of a novel, I find sometimes that I barely even notice, but here it was just so prevalent that there was really no way for me to push it entirely out of my awareness.

Still, I really can’t stress enough what a good sequel this is. I’m a relatively new fan of the author, since The Fifth Season was my first book by her, but I am already in love with her gorgeous writing and the way she crafts characters that feel so well-rounded and real. The Obelisk Gate has such an incredible amount to offer, just an all-around amazing read. ...more

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Aug 21, 2016 Justine rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2016

This book transitions very nicely from where The Fifth Season left off. We backtrack in time a bit to follow the journey Essun's daughter Nassun took with her father, Jija, and then the rest of the book runs in a parallel timeline following Essun in Castrima and Nassun further South in Jekity.

Jemisin has a wonderful storyteller's voice, which she uses to great effect here. The pain inflicted on Essun by her time with the Fulcrum continues to reverberate down through to Nassun, as Nassun begins a ...more

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Aug 26, 2016 Allison rated it really liked it

Shelves: f-f

Just as wonderful as the first book. More world-building! More obelisks! More information about the orogenes' powers! Three more points-of-view, woven together as beautifully as they were in The Fifth Season. Can't wait for Book 3!

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Aug 31, 2016 Tatiana rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: sci-fi, fantasy, 2016

I like how it pivoted from straight fantasy toward post-apocalyptic science fiction. Cleverly inventive.

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Aug 21, 2016 Amanda rated it really liked it · review of another edition

I am conflicted as to how to rate this. I think it suffered a bit from my own hype and expectations. I really hate to give it less than 5 stars but unfortunately for me it was not a 5 star read. I thought that it suffered from pacing issues that were not in the first book. I also thought that the structure, which worked very well in the first book was not as effective here. In short, it lacked payoff.

Now that is not say that it is a bad book. Not at all. Jemisin has just set the bar so high. On ...more

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Aug 20, 2016 Lindsay rated it it was amazing

The Fifth Season was on the top of a short list of my favorite reads of 2015, and Jemisin has become a favorite writer in general, so my expectations were sky-high for this book.

Mostly those expectations were met, but it's hard to not be a little disappointed considering how amazing the first book was. That's not to say this wasn't a great read, because it was, but with the world well-established and the story set up, I was looking for a bit more payoff on some of the key mysteries of the first ...more

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Oct 05, 2016 Book Riot Community added it

The previous book in this series just won a Hugo Award. And it was deserved. This is the second book in a planned trilogy and it was as good as the first, which is weird because that rarely happens. The Fifth Season was Damaya’s/Syenite’s/Essun’s book. The Obelisk Gate is still Essun’s book, but Jemisin’s use of additional PoV characters and broadening of secondary characters reveals so much about the world and plot. I can make some guesses at where this story is headed, and it’s heartbreaking. ...more

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Aug 28, 2016 Rob rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: audio-book, fantasy, not-a-bookclub-club, read-2016, broken-earth, author-female

Executive Summary: I absolutely loved The Fifth Season, making this book an almost impossible task. It held up fairly well to the original, but suffered a bit from middle book syndrome I think. I'm greatly looking forward to the final book in the trilogy.

Audiobook: Robin Miles does another excellent job, and I will continue to do this one in audio as a result.

Full Review
This had to be one of my most anticipated reads of the year. That was amped up even more after Ms. Jemisin won a well deserve Executive Summary: I absolutely loved The Fifth Season, making this book an almost impossible task. It held up fairly well to the original, but suffered a bit from middle book syndrome I think. I'm greatly looking forward to the final book in the trilogy.

Audiobook: Robin Miles does another excellent job, and I will continue to do this one in audio as a result.

Full Review
This had to be one of my most anticipated reads of the year. That was amped up even more after Ms. Jemisin won a well deserved Hugo. This series is unlike anything else I've read in fantasy, and I thank her for it. Over the years I tend to favor fantasy books with cool magic systems and lots of action. This series is almost the opposite of that.

There is an interesting magic system that important to the plot, but the plot largely deals with how people are treated in society when they are different. Discrimination based on race, gender or sexual preference are still far too common today, yet they don't tend to show up in fantasy. Not to mention that the characters are often all entirely white. Science Fiction has a long tradition of evaluating not only the possibilities of science, but as a commentary on present day society. Why not fantasy? Ms. Jeminsin manages to do this while telling a very interesting and engaging story.

I still love my high action magic fight books, but a book like this tends to stick with me a lot longer. It's the kind of book you think about even when you're not reading it. That's hard to do, especially at a time when we're being inundated with amazing new stories in the form of books, games, TV and the occasional movie. With so much vying for our attention, it can be hard to be memorable. This series easily does that so far.

One of the things I loved best about The Fifth Season was how the story was told. We had three different POV stories that tied very well together by the end of the book, but what would Ms. Jemisin do here? I found her choices of story telling to work nearly as well. Essun's story continues on in the second person, a form I pretty much haven't encountered since English class. Most of the rest of the story is told from a new POV and I found that story complements Essun's quite well.

That said, I didn't enjoy this quite so much as the first one. There were a few slower parts, and at times it felt like things was being set up for the final book. In other words a bit of "middle book syndrome". I still tore through it in only a few days however, and I'm still thinking about it while I've moved on to other books.

If you enjoyed The Fifth Season, I suspect you'll like this one as well. If you haven't read The Fifth Season yet, and are interested in something more thought provoking than your average fantasy book, give this series a try. I think it's really fantastic and can't wait for the final book to come out. ...more

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Sep 07, 2016 Philip rated it really liked it

Shelves: fantasy, dying-earth

4.25ish stars.

This is such a cool series, right!?

The world-building and "magic" system are cool and different and unconventional. Jemisin's writing style is cool and unusual and edgy. Her characters are cool and genuine and unabashedly imperfect. Just so cool.

Obviously this is a middle book and some of the novelty isn't as novel this time around. The aforementioned edgy writing style that Jemisin employs works for her and I like it most of the time but after a while
but...
(but)
it
sometimes
ends up 4.25ish stars.

This is such a cool series, right!?

The world-building and "magic" system are cool and different and unconventional. Jemisin's writing style is cool and unusual and edgy. Her characters are cool and genuine and unabashedly imperfect. Just so cool.

Obviously this is a middle book and some of the novelty isn't as novel this time around. The aforementioned edgy writing style that Jemisin employs works for her and I like it most of the time but after a while
but...
(but)
it
sometimes
ends up seeming
oh no oh no oh no
HOKEY.

One of the things I loved about the first book was the unique "magic" system that Jemisin invented. As I mentioned in my review for that book, it almost seems inaccurate to call it a magic system because it's so unlike what we traditionally perceive as magic. It's orogeny, it's just its own thing. Of course, in The Obelisk Gate, magic was literally introduced which, at first, was kind of a letdown. I liked that orogeny didn't conform to the typical tropes of magic (the ability to do whatever one wants to resolve all conflict in deus ex machina style). Then magic shows up using the title "magic" (although it was kind of an entertaining reveal when Alabaster presented the name). I at least appreciate the justification for magic's existence through its incorporation into the existing world and the adequate explanation of where it actually comes from.

Ranting aside, I love this book. Lots of satisfying reveals, explanations, bad-assery galore, and even more tension and action than the first book. The expansion of characters and their relationships was fascinating. Especially delightful was the introduction of Nassun and the revelation of the true relationship between her and her mother (at least from Nassun's POV). What I love most of all is the incredible character work. No one is a hero here. These people are impulsive, manipulative, selfish, stubborn, frustrating, irritating, and immediately recognizable as being genuinely human (~~even~~ especially the orogenes). I love them all even when I hate them. The ability to create that feeling, I think, is the mark of a great author. ...more

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Sep 11, 2016 Stuart rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites, epic-fantasy, post-apocalyptic, dark-fantasy-gothic, distant-worlds, humanistic-sf

The Obelisk Gate: A worthy follow-up, intense and engrossing
Originally posted at Fantasy Literature
Coming on the heels of N.K. Jemisin’s Hugo Award for The Fifth Season just last weekend, expectations for the sequel The Obelisk Gate were astronomical throughout SFF fandom. As one of the many readers waiting with bated breath for the follow-up to one the best SFF novels I’ve read in years, I’m sure some were concerned that Jemisin might have trouble living up to the pressure to avoid the dreaded The Obelisk Gate: A worthy follow-up, intense and engrossing
Originally posted at Fantasy Literature
Coming on the heels of N.K. Jemisin’s Hugo Award for The Fifth Season just last weekend, expectations for the sequel The Obelisk Gate were astronomical throughout SFF fandom. As one of the many readers waiting with bated breath for the follow-up to one the best SFF novels I’ve read in years, I’m sure some were concerned that Jemisin might have trouble living up to the pressure to avoid the dreaded middle book syndrome. But I was strangely certain she would not disappoint.

That is because the world-building, detailed back-story (of which we only get glimpses), powerful and assured narrative voice, and overall mastery of storytelling of The Fifth Season told me that Jemisin has mapped out this entire story ahead of time (whether in her head, on several PC drives, hundreds of pages of hard-written manuscripts, or just chiseled deep in the earth in crystal), and that we are in strong but firm hands here. She knows where this story is going, exactly how to deliver it, what details to reveal, and how the characters will struggle and grow. She also has an excellent collaborator in Robin Miles, who goes beyond narrating the audiobook to being a co-creator of this world. When she reads the words of Jemisin’s characters, she delivers their thoughts and raw emotions with total conviction. This inescapable proximity is aided greatly by Jemisin’s use of the rarely-utilized second-person perspective.

I don’t often wax this enthusiastic about a SFF book because I know that there are so many different tastes out there, but this series is just so damn good I would recommend it to anyone who loves powerful storytelling. And as many have pointed out, the BROKEN EARTH series is a dark and sometimes draining experience, given the hardships and emotional wreckage of the main characters at every turn. Jemisin is not interested in comforting images or situations — she takes on suffering, cruelty, discrimination, and vengeance head-on. And yet the sly irony of the narration provides welcome relief amid the tough going. Somehow I feel like this is what Jemisin might be like in person — unafraid to face up to negative aspects of the modern world, but keeping a strong and ironic attitude that refuses to be cowed.

Moreover, the entire world of the Stillness is an apocalyptic landscape rent by geological violence that mirrors the turmoil of the protagonists’ lives. After the massive, destructive events of Book One, we see the deepening ashes of the fallout, the increasing desperation of the common people pushed to raiding, murder and cannibalism for survival. This world is a ruthless one, after repeated Fifth Seasons that have wrecked and humbled successive human civilizations again and again. Having been beaten down this many times, it’s a wonder that people don’t give up hope completely and throw themselves into steaming fissures in the earth.

The plot picks up IMMEDIATELY after The Fifth Season, so hopefully the details are still fresh in your mind. And if for some unfathomable reason you haven’t read that yet, stop reading this review and get it immediately, because it’s all spoilers ahead. I usually lose track of things after a year’s gap, but I almost immediately fell back under Jemisin’s spell. Essun finds herself in the underground geode city of Castrima, trying to nurse back to health her injured 10-ringer orogene companion Alabaster, who cracked the continent in half and triggered the onset of the most brutal Season to date.

He is slowly turning to stone in a particularly gruesome way, but is strangely protected by an inscrutable Stone-eater named Antimony, who quietly monitors him but will not reveal its motivations. The leader of this comm, a tough older woman who is a feral orogene (untrained by the Fulcrum), has an uneasy relationship with the traumatized Essun and bitter Alabaster. Her mission is to keep this comm alive amid the chaos and collapse that surrounds it. We learn much about orogeny, Alabaster’s past, some tantalizing bits about the Stone-eaters (especially a surprise one from Book One), and another hidden power on par with orogeny that infuses all things.

The details of Jemisin’s world are even more impressive in this book. Novels that blend elements of both science fiction and fantasy are hardly uncommon, but the rigor of her creation elevates this to the level at which we must accept it as matter-of-fact. Jemisin has really done her homework here. It was completely convincing, and incredibly original and compelling to boot.

But the biggest surprise is definitely the development of Essun’s daughter Nassun, who has been kidnapped by her father Jija after he murdered her young brother Uche in a violent reaction after discovering they both were rogga, the derogatory term for orogenes. The troubled relationship of Jija, who cannot condone even the whiff of contamination (in his eyes) from such powers, and the immature little girl Nassun, who has great powers but still just wants her father to love her as before, is explored in great depth.

When the two encounter a mysterious but deadly traveler on the road, audiobook listeners will immediately recognize him as the Guardian Schaffa from Book One, since Robin Miles gives him a warm but menacing Scottish accent. His relationship with Nassun becomes the centerpiece of this story. Schaffa can be utterly ruthless one second, slaughtering those he considers obstacles, and then patting Nassun on the head the next like a kindly father-figure. His story is also one that Jemisin carefully teases us with, to great effect.

As we learn more about the Guardians’ mission at the onset of a new Season, the rivalries among rival factions, their connection with the Fulcrum and Yumenes, and the complications caused by the mysterious Stone-eaters, and revelations about the ubiquitous obelisks of a past age that quietly float in the sky, we can see an epic third movement coming into view. It is a very complex story, but so firmly grounded in human suffering that it strikes the perfect balance. The ending is powerful and gut-wrenching. Despite the dark tone, The Obelisk Gate represents a worthy follow-up to The Fifth Season, and has set the stage for the epic final act. Assuming that Jemisin can deliver a conclusion as satisfying and masterful as the first two installments, it’s not too bold to claim this may become one of the best SF-fantasy works of the last decade or two. ...more

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Sep 02, 2016 Tudor Vlad rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, science-fiction, favorites

Oh, wow! This book. How could I even begin to describe this book. While The Fifth Season was the introduction to this complex world and characters, The Obelisk Gate takes it even further, expanding on the world and the characters while also providing some long-awaited answers to the many question that the first book left me with, but also leaving me with some new ones. All that while also advancing the plot, introducing new characters and new places.

Talking of new characters and old, this book i Oh, wow! This book. How could I even begin to describe this book. While The Fifth Season was the introduction to this complex world and characters, The Obelisk Gate takes it even further, expanding on the world and the characters while also providing some long-awaited answers to the many question that the first book left me with, but also leaving me with some new ones. All that while also advancing the plot, introducing new characters and new places.

Talking of new characters and old, this book introduces two new POV characters, both of them are characters we already know from the first book. Nassun, Essun's daughter, is one of them and I'm so glad we got to see what she was up because her chapters were fascinating, and her relationship with Jija was heartbreaking. Her chapters were the highlight of this book for me, maybe because they felt more intimate and Nassun as a character was more relatable. You also get to learn so much more about her relationship with Essun, things that Essun didn't want to share. The other new POV character is... yeah, I'm not gonna say who that is because it's a bit of a spoiler. I'll just say that N.K Jemisin provides an interesting new view on a character I never thought I could ever like.

"I like being a orogene, Daddy," she says. His eyes widen. This terrible thing that she is saying. It is a terrible thing that she loves herself."

No character in this book is black or white, neither the villains nor the heroes. The best example is Essun, she has moments when she is kind and moments when she is vicious, she makes good decision and she makes bad decisions, she is a powerful orogene but she doesn't let that define her. She is probably the most human character in this book, which is funny considering that there are times when not even she believes it. She really is an interesting protagonist.

"I don't know how to not do them. It's like everybody wants me to be bad, so there's nothing else I can be."

N.K. Jemisin is a master storyteller and I'm ashamed that The Fifth Season was the first book I read by her, but I'll try to rectify that soon. I found my new obsession in The Broken Earth series and I'm already anxiously waiting the last book. If you enjoy complex adult fantasy, that focuses on character development and not that much on action (there is still some action present, but it's really not the focus here), I really, really , recommend this series.
...more

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Aug 24, 2016 Jason rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: e-books, read-2016

5 Stars

The Obelisk Gate by N.K. Jemisin is a fabulous follow up to the nearly perfect first book The Fifth Season. Although this book is not the equal to the first one, I am still giving it full marks as it is just as enjoyable. Jemisin has created a world that you won't want to leave.

The Obelisk Gate is a much darker and bleak novel. This is to be expected after the conclusion of book one. Essun and Alabaster really made things a mess... They have brought on a new season and it is not good:

"An 5 Stars

The Obelisk Gate by N.K. Jemisin is a fabulous follow up to the nearly perfect first book The Fifth Season. Although this book is not the equal to the first one, I am still giving it full marks as it is just as enjoyable. Jemisin has created a world that you won't want to leave.

The Obelisk Gate is a much darker and bleak novel. This is to be expected after the conclusion of book one. Essun and Alabaster really made things a mess... They have brought on a new season and it is not good:

"And he deserves your honest, best guess. “Ten thousand years?” For the Yumenes Rifting to stop venting and the skies to clear. Not long at all by the usual scale of tectonics, but the real danger lies in what the ash might set off. Enough ash covering the warm surface of the sea, and the ice might grow at the poles. That means saltier seas. Drier climates. Permafrost. Glaciers marching, spreading. And the most habitable part of the world should that happen, the Equatorials, will still be hot and toxic."

Jemisin already a favorite author of mine surpassed all of my expectations with this series. I devoured this book as well as book one. It is like I was a Wordeater similar to the Stoneeaters portrayed in this story. They eat and move through stone. I ate the words and kept moving through the story. These books are tough to put down. Don't be shocked if you find yourself finishing them in a day or two.

Like all great fantasies The Broken Earth series is equal parts amazing characters, unbelievably incredible world, and fabulous writing. Jemisin makes the world building the crux to the story and it is her writing that brings it to life. Her characters fit with the world in which they live. They are all memorable. Essie, Alabaster, Hoa, Nassun, and Schaffa are all great and each make the story complete.

The Stillness is a fascinating world and one that I know that my wife would like to see, her license plate is Stillness. I loved that the geology and the magic were intertwined. The Obelisks play a bigger role in this one as the title suggests. These mysterious Monoliths are highly imaginative and it is obvious that they play a role with the magic of Stillness and the Oregeny. The series as a whole has a real science fiction blend in this epic fantasy. It works too that we really don't know if this is our Earth or not.

The magic of Orogeny is simply awesome. Jemisin spells it out and makes it feel real. The additional magics of the Stoneaters and the Guardians made it all the better. Throw in the additional twist from this book and you can see that Stillness is a place of magic and wonder.

I loved these books and feel that they deserve high praise. Now I can't wait for book 3.

My highest recommendations!
...more

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Aug 16, 2016 Kristen rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites

The Obelisk Gate is a complex book that is phenomenal in every way. The characters are each crafted with care to show individuals capable of a range of complicated views and emotions, and it builds on The Fifth Season wonderfully and thoughtfully. The writing is lovely and often very hard hitting emotionally. I've loved a few of N. K. Jemisin's books, but this is my new favorite by her--and a new favorite of the year and a new favorite book period!

10/10

Full Review: http://www.fantasybookcafe.com ...more

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Jun 09, 2016 j rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2016

As impossibly good as the first book.

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Sep 27, 2016 Jenny (Reading Envy) rated it really liked it

Shelves: ebooks, sci-fi-fantasy, reviewcopy, read2016

I had a review copy of this, but this is the first time I have read the second book in any groupings by Jemisin, so I feel as if I need a trophy. (I've always meant to but just have never gone back.)

I enjoyed the details brought forth by this novel, but will hide them from those who have yet to read it. (view spoiler) ...more

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Oct 06, 2016 Maja (The Nocturnal Library) rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites, dystopia, fantasy, own-a-dtb, multiple-povs, open-ending, review-copy, orbit, authors-to-watch, best-of-2016, reviewed-iin-2016

From the critically acclaimed author of The Fifth Season comes a follow up novel that will thrill every old fan and attract many new ones into this fabulous world of seismic catastrophes and magic. N.K. Jemisin put her considerable experience to good use and created a sequel worthy of all the awards that now shine on the cover of its predecessor. The Obelisk Gate is a symphony, a literary achievement that will endure the test of time.

This second book brings with it a slight shift in genre, taki From the critically acclaimed author of The Fifth Season comes a follow up novel that will thrill every old fan and attract many new ones into this fabulous world of seismic catastrophes and magic. N.K. Jemisin put her considerable experience to good use and created a sequel worthy of all the awards that now shine on the cover of its predecessor. The Obelisk Gate is a symphony, a literary achievement that will endure the test of time.

This second book brings with it a slight shift in genre, taking us from straight up fantasy to a blend between fantasy, dystopia and post-apocalyptic science fiction with paranormal elements. Jemisin blends all this variety perfectly, with a very clear idea where she wants to take it. The world expands even more, the many sides of the conflict are more visible, but there are still mysteries to unravel and many more surprises ahead.

The narrative voice itself finally reveals itself towards the end of the book, and it brings with it astonishment and plenty of speculation. In fact, everything Jemisin does has hidden meanings and many possible consequences and each new revelation brings forth the fact that no one is safe and not many will be spared.

New characters are introduced, but the old ones shine. There are such complex relationships and emotions, sometimes very difficult to process or even understand. Essun’s fight for her daughter, the one she didn’t quite know how to love; Nassun’s rebellion against a mother she sees as cold and even cruel; Alabaster’s fight against nature itself, Jija’s waffling between affection and deep hatred towards his only daughter; the stone eaters’ motivations; and, above all, Shaffa’s repentance and change. It’s all such a complicated tangle of deeply flawed people and imperfect motivations that we mostly struggle to understand where any of them coming from.

Essun and Alabaster are without a doubt the highest point of this book, the odd dynamic between them warming our hearts even when they show each other nothing but cruelty. The reluctant family they’ve built, now down to just the two of them, was more important than Essun ever wanted to admit. There is such unfathomable pain between them, but there is still love that sparks, true friendship that endures despite the odds.

Overall, even with two more books to go, The Broken Earth series can already be considered the very best of its kind, a celebration of the art of literature with superb characterization, almost unparalleled diversity and a story that will continue keep us all on the edge of our seats.

...more

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Oct 01, 2016 Ashley rated it really liked it

Shelves: fantasy, speculative, violent-and-epic, class-gender-race, the-end-is-nigh

Okay, need the third book now, so there's that.

This second book was still really good, but it didn't feel as revelatory as the first one did. I mean, that was inevitable. (Oh, boy, though nothing like a first book in a series that smacks you upside your head.) Still, this is a great second book. Second books are hard. They're not as fun as first books, because beginnings are wonderful, but they still have to be interesting and matter without giving too much away or ending the story. It can be ha ...more

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Sep 30, 2016 Liviu Szoke rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy-reads, fantasy-masterworks, 2016-reads, 2016-books

Și i-a venit rândul și celei mai așteptate continuări din 2016 după partea a doua a trilogiei The Divine Cities a lui Robert Jackson Bennett: The Obelisk Gate, urmarea extraordinarei The Fifth Season de anul trecut. Chiar dacă n-am citit nici măcar o zecime din lucrările de ficțiune speculativă care au apărut anul trecut, mi-am exprimat opinia, confirmată apoi de câțiva din cititorii ale căror păreri le respect profund, că acel roman va fi cel mai bun roman fantasy al anului trecut, lucru confir ...more

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Aug 01, 2016 Kaitlin rated it really liked it

* I was sent this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review *

I am sooo happy that I managed to get an arc for this book becuase it was certainly a series I wanted to continue. After reading book #1 a few months ago I fell in love with the world and the cool concepts which N. K. Jemisin had introduced, and I was very, very eager to dive back into this world and see what was going to happen next!

This book definitely wasn't a disappointment and in fact I was very happy with * I was sent this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review *

I am sooo happy that I managed to get an arc for this book becuase it was certainly a series I wanted to continue. After reading book #1 a few months ago I fell in love with the world and the cool concepts which N. K. Jemisin had introduced, and I was very, very eager to dive back into this world and see what was going to happen next!

This book definitely wasn't a disappointment and in fact I was very happy with the way N. K. Jemisin took the story. In book #1 we follow three female characters and their stories all connect later on. In this book we continue to follow one of those characters, Essun, and we also pick up the story of Nassun (her daughter) and Schaffa (a guardian character who we've met previously). These three view points worked really well to give a solid overview of the events which take place in the story, and the way that they all connect to one another as characters is pretty interesting too.

One of the elements which I found strange in the first part of book #1 was the second-person narrative for one of the characters and this is continued in book #2 with Essun's pov. We are constantly told her story as though we ARE Essun, and so I think that once you connect to this way of experiencing the story, it works really well and it meant that her character was one I felt for a lot.

The other character who's story I loved was Nassun becuase I feel like there is so much left to come with her and she brings a lot of new potential to the series with her abilities.

One element which is super cool about this book is learning more about the magic/power of the Oregenes/Roggas (basically they can manipulate elements, particularly using Earth magic). This expansion to what we already know reveals once again that this world may not just be all fantasy, and there are actually many dashes of Sci Fi thrown in to the story too, raising lots of interesting ideas about where book #3 may finish up.

Overall, this was a really engaging and entertaining book to read. I hoped it would be good, and I wanted to see a story that I could connect to quicker than the first, and where the magic was explained a lot more, I got that. Very happy with this book, and I am very much looking forward to the next one in the series coming out. If you like book #1 I am sure you'll enjoy this one a lot too! 4*s overall. ...more

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Dec 20, 2016 Renay rated it it was amazing

Shelves: fantasy, hearts, women-writing-fantasy, lady-friendships, apocalypse, 2016, z-jemisin-n-k, daughters-and-mothers, parenthood

Holy moly it's like she levels up 100 points with EVERY SINGLE BOOK. *_____*

More formal review closer to release day (but you should really preorder/suggest your library purchase/buy on release day this if you have the means).

Fangirl Happy Hour discussion: http://www.fangirlhappyhour.com/2016/...

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Oct 18, 2016 Arielle Walker rated it it was amazing

Shelves: sci-fi, dystopia-and-post-apocalypse, gorgeous-writing, read-more-diversely

When it comes to The Broken Earth trilogy, I'm almost wordless. Jemisin's writing always feels so ground-breakingly (sorry for the pun) original that I'm at a loss to describe it, or even describe my reactions to it.

I suppose a start, and this is only a positive thing, is that these are not happy-making books. Awe-inspiring is more accurate, or even pushing back to around the 1300s to use the word "awful" in its original context: not only awe-inspiring but "worthy of, or commanding, profound res ...more

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Sep 12, 2016 Joel rated it really liked it

Shelves: audiobooks

More thorough review coming soon.

I gave NK Jemisin's 'The Fifth Season', the first in this series, an emphatic 5-stars, proclaiming it my #2 book of 2015 and singing it's praises to the heavens, which were obviously heard among the world as it went on to win the Hugo Award for Best Novel, which is VERY much deserved.

I was quite excited to get more into this story, and while I felt The Fifth Season could have stood on its own as a standalone novel, more of this world was something I was eager to ...more

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Sep 14, 2016 Skip rated it liked it

Shelves: fantasy, series-in-progress

Ambitious second book in a trilogy, and credit to Jemisin for being a new voice in fantasy, with some similar themes as the great Octavia Butler. But, I was confused for much of this book, which I think was the result of the changing narration style, especially the use of second person. The complex relationship among Nassun, Essen and Jija was weaved throughout the story, but felt really incomplete, at least to me. It was hard to understand the motivations of the lead characters, making it harde ...more

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Sep 05, 2016 Ctgt rated it really liked it

I really loved The Fifth Season and it was very close to a 5 star read for me. Unfortunately, this book never came close to 5 stars, in fact through the first half it was well on its way to a maximum of 3 stars. There was so little in the way of revelation that I really had to push through the first sections of the story. Yes there was some new POVs but still nothing was happening and I was beginning to wonder if the storytelling technique Jemisin used in the first book might have painted her in ...more

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Aug 23, 2016 Nicole rated it really liked it

Shelves: fantasy, sci-fi, dystopian, owned-audio, z2016-august

Not quite as awesome as the first book in the series, but still pretty awesome!

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N. K. Jemisin lives and works in New York City.

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“You obeyed, once, because you thought it would make you safe. He showed you—again and again, unrelentingly, he would not let you pretend otherwise—that if obedience did not make one safe from the Guardians or the nodes or the lynchings or the breeding or the disrespect, then what was the point? The game was too rigged to bother playing.” — 8 likes

“No, I'm telling this wrong. After all a person is herself and others. Relationships chisel the final shape of one's being. I am me and you.” — 6 likes

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