Status
Available
Call number
Genres
Publication
Orbit (New York, 2010). 1st edition, 1st printing. 432 pages. $13.99.
Description
Yeine Darr is an outcast from the barbarian north. But when her mother dies under mysterious circumstances, she is summoned to the majestic city of Sky. There, to her shock, Yeine is named an heiress to the king. But the throne of the Hundred Thousand Kingdoms is not easily won, and Yeine is thrust into a vicious power struggle with cousins she never knew she had. As she fights for her life, she draws ever closer to the secrets of her mother's death and her family's bloody history.
Media reviews
The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms definitely leaves me wanting more of this delightful new writer.
User reviews
LibraryThing member beserene
I had heard great things before I started this book; by the time I finished, I was delighted to find that they were all true. This is a Very Good Book. What's more, it's great fantasy, iconic and classically fantastic without being overly derivative or falling into any of the other modern pitfalls
The narrative is also refreshed with a not-always-linear style that begins with an acknowledgement of the narrator's broken psyche and then leads, in twisting fashion, to the events that broke it. It's a wonderful way to build intensity and forward motion beyond simple chronology -- yet it does not drift into the overly-stylistic absurdity of a post-modern novel, nor lose the reader by over-stretching the breaks in the timeline.
The narrator herself, Yeine, has been entrapped in a new and unwanted role in an aristocratic family she wanted nothing to do with -- and thrust into political and spiritual machinations she knows nothing about. She is an extraordinary figure -- as most fantasy heroines must be -- but I loved that her extraordinary nature had a coherent origin. She didn't just happen to be "the lost daughter of the king" or "the chosen one" or "the only one who could break the curse" -- another circumstance in which this book escapes the tired fantasy tropes and respects the reader enough to provide plausibility even within magical circumstances. Yeine's destiny was deliberately created -- and she, along with the reader, must figure out both what she is and why. It's a deliciously curvy tale which fits within the turnings of the narration with measured elegance.
All in all, my thoughts on finishing this book were simply "this is exactly what fantasy should be". Inventive, engaging, complex... all good things. I heartily recommend this book, but you will excuse me if I stop the recommendation here so that I can go read the sequel.
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that trap (particularly new) authors. Here is a world built from the ground up, with some nods to familiar mythologies, but mostly spun out of new thread. As a result, the setting and characters feel both mythic and fresh, which is rare. The narrative is also refreshed with a not-always-linear style that begins with an acknowledgement of the narrator's broken psyche and then leads, in twisting fashion, to the events that broke it. It's a wonderful way to build intensity and forward motion beyond simple chronology -- yet it does not drift into the overly-stylistic absurdity of a post-modern novel, nor lose the reader by over-stretching the breaks in the timeline.
The narrator herself, Yeine, has been entrapped in a new and unwanted role in an aristocratic family she wanted nothing to do with -- and thrust into political and spiritual machinations she knows nothing about. She is an extraordinary figure -- as most fantasy heroines must be -- but I loved that her extraordinary nature had a coherent origin. She didn't just happen to be "the lost daughter of the king" or "the chosen one" or "the only one who could break the curse" -- another circumstance in which this book escapes the tired fantasy tropes and respects the reader enough to provide plausibility even within magical circumstances. Yeine's destiny was deliberately created -- and she, along with the reader, must figure out both what she is and why. It's a deliciously curvy tale which fits within the turnings of the narration with measured elegance.
All in all, my thoughts on finishing this book were simply "this is exactly what fantasy should be". Inventive, engaging, complex... all good things. I heartily recommend this book, but you will excuse me if I stop the recommendation here so that I can go read the sequel.
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LibraryThing member bell7
Yeine is a daughter of an heiress who abdicated and a man from a backwater tribe in the Hundred Thousand Kingdoms. When her maternal grandfather invites her to Sky - the city and the palace - Yeine knows she cannot say no to someone with so much power, even if she wanted to. And while she doesn't
It's hard to do justice to a story as complicated as The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms without giving away major plot points, so suffice it to say that the above merely scratches the surface of the plot. This is a debut and the first in a fantasy series with incredibly complex world-building, political intrigue, and its own system of religions. In this world, the Arameri are all-powerful and even the gods serve them. Yeine narrates her story as she navigates this new world, her sense of morality, and her determination over whether she will ever truly be an Arameri. She could be just a pawn, but her character is too fleshed out for that. The gods, too, have incredible character development, seeming at once human and otherworldly. While I often wrinkled my nose at the amorality (and, yes, immorality) of Sky and its people, I am intrigued enough to continue reading the series when The Broken Kingdoms is available.
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know what her grandfather wants, she has a purpose of her own: to find out why her mother died.It's hard to do justice to a story as complicated as The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms without giving away major plot points, so suffice it to say that the above merely scratches the surface of the plot. This is a debut and the first in a fantasy series with incredibly complex world-building, political intrigue, and its own system of religions. In this world, the Arameri are all-powerful and even the gods serve them. Yeine narrates her story as she navigates this new world, her sense of morality, and her determination over whether she will ever truly be an Arameri. She could be just a pawn, but her character is too fleshed out for that. The gods, too, have incredible character development, seeming at once human and otherworldly. While I often wrinkled my nose at the amorality (and, yes, immorality) of Sky and its people, I am intrigued enough to continue reading the series when The Broken Kingdoms is available.
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LibraryThing member Aerrin99
I was drawn into this book in a serious way, and I had difficulty letting it go.
The magic of The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms is largely in the world itself. Despite traits of the typical coming-of-age overcoming-odds sort of fantasy tale, the world felt unlike any other I'd ever read before.
I love
The joy of this richly drawn history and culture is powerful - enough that I rated the book quite highly despite the problems, which seem more numerous in retrospect. The characters themselves are often a bit wishy-washy and unclear, without strong personal voices, especially secondary characters. I'm still not quite sure who Yeine is beyond the things that happen to her (although Nahadoth and Sieh are wonderful).
And the plot is solid enough, but it seems ironically pre-ordained. In a story about captive gods, I would have liked to have seen more clear-cut agency from our human protagonist. A little less fated-to-be, a little more I-make-my-own-way. And while I adored Yeine's interactions with the gods, I wish I had any idea at all of how she behaves with humans. I expected some court intrigue in this book and there's not really any at all. A lot of this book is about things that happen /to/ Yeine rather than things she's an active participant in.
All in all, I really enjoyed reading The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms and will absolutely pick up the sequel. Highly recommended for those who adore an interesting world, recommended with caveats to those who look for strong protagonists.
The magic of The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms is largely in the world itself. Despite traits of the typical coming-of-age overcoming-odds sort of fantasy tale, the world felt unlike any other I'd ever read before.
I love
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the insertion of gods into everyday life as very real characters who are both relatable and foreign. I love the vision of a religion that is manifestly real, and how this affects the world and the magic in it, as well as the notions of balance and history. These were the threads that kept me coming back and turning pages. I wanted to see what would happen with all that power, and how Yeine would balance the new secrets and dangerous interactions she was facing. The joy of this richly drawn history and culture is powerful - enough that I rated the book quite highly despite the problems, which seem more numerous in retrospect. The characters themselves are often a bit wishy-washy and unclear, without strong personal voices, especially secondary characters. I'm still not quite sure who Yeine is beyond the things that happen to her (although Nahadoth and Sieh are wonderful).
And the plot is solid enough, but it seems ironically pre-ordained. In a story about captive gods, I would have liked to have seen more clear-cut agency from our human protagonist. A little less fated-to-be, a little more I-make-my-own-way. And while I adored Yeine's interactions with the gods, I wish I had any idea at all of how she behaves with humans. I expected some court intrigue in this book and there's not really any at all. A lot of this book is about things that happen /to/ Yeine rather than things she's an active participant in.
All in all, I really enjoyed reading The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms and will absolutely pick up the sequel. Highly recommended for those who adore an interesting world, recommended with caveats to those who look for strong protagonists.
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LibraryThing member generalkala
I really can't decide what I make of this.
On one hand, I really wasn't that bothered about finishing it. You know that when you're happy studying for a Land Law exam instead of reading, your book really isn't that good! I never got into it really, I just didn't care what happened.
It also broke
It's an odd criticism, but Yeine seems too young for all the gratutious sex. She's meant to be 20 but she 'feels' a lot younger.
On the other hand, it's completely original with a unique set of characters. The development of the main few is interestingly carried out and the plot moves forward nicely.
The main point is that I just didn't care about it.
On one hand, I really wasn't that bothered about finishing it. You know that when you're happy studying for a Land Law exam instead of reading, your book really isn't that good! I never got into it really, I just didn't care what happened.
It also broke
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Commandment of Fantasy Books #1 - too many characters and locations with different names. I had to keep flicking back to try and remember who was who and I hate that.It's an odd criticism, but Yeine seems too young for all the gratutious sex. She's meant to be 20 but she 'feels' a lot younger.
On the other hand, it's completely original with a unique set of characters. The development of the main few is interestingly carried out and the plot moves forward nicely.
The main point is that I just didn't care about it.
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LibraryThing member NineLarks
There are a lot of good things about this book, but also a lot of issues that I have with the writing.
Yeine is a Baroness of a militant back-waters country that has suddenly been recalled to Sky, the city of the most powerful man lives - her grandfather. She is told that she is one of the three
There is an interesting world concept that I find particularly interesting, as enslaved gods are a novel idea and quite intriguing. However, we are stuck in one location -the palace- for most of the book's duration. So I suppose it's less of a world building than a specific plot point.
I hate how the story is formatted. It's so terribly streamofconsciounesss that the flow is broken many many times. It's frustrating when you hit a point in the story and all of a sudden she jumps to another topic and says, oh by the way, here's a history about the gods. Sometimes it works and doesn't hurt the flow, but it happens so many times and sometimes in such inopportune moments that it's a negative point for me. She jumps back in forth in time and in plot as well as give crucial background information through these little slices that cut into the plot. Annoying. I'd rather learn the information through scenes that push the plot forward.
There are plot holes. Things that don't make sense~ There was no explanation for how she finds out she's a sacrifice, but yet is told she is one of the candidates to succeed Dekarth. She only learns that she's a sacrifice on her own time - so when would she have found it?
The succession seemed more like a joke story than anything else, for as much plot time it got. It mostly revolved around Yeine learning about the gods. I feel like the story tried to incorporate several different plots and weave it into one (like LOTR), but it only did so clumsily. There were many loose ends that didn't get tied up at the end. I just feel like there wasn't enough insight into the character's depth to accommodate the actions they did. Not good enough.
The romance was a little weird....
The ending was respectable. Not too shabby, but a little too deus ex machina in more ways than one, heh.
It's a trilogy, but I'm not sure if I'm tempted enough to pick up the second book. Worth a look if you're bored and you want an average fantasy novel, but I wouldn't recommend it to anyone looking for something to blow them out of the water.
Yeine is a Baroness of a militant back-waters country that has suddenly been recalled to Sky, the city of the most powerful man lives - her grandfather. She is told that she is one of the three
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candidates to succeed her grandfather and is thrown into a court of intrigue and mystery. But this is no normal city because here there are enslaved gods and her mother's mystery to solve.There is an interesting world concept that I find particularly interesting, as enslaved gods are a novel idea and quite intriguing. However, we are stuck in one location -the palace- for most of the book's duration. So I suppose it's less of a world building than a specific plot point.
I hate how the story is formatted. It's so terribly streamofconsciounesss that the flow is broken many many times. It's frustrating when you hit a point in the story and all of a sudden she jumps to another topic and says, oh by the way, here's a history about the gods. Sometimes it works and doesn't hurt the flow, but it happens so many times and sometimes in such inopportune moments that it's a negative point for me. She jumps back in forth in time and in plot as well as give crucial background information through these little slices that cut into the plot. Annoying. I'd rather learn the information through scenes that push the plot forward.
There are plot holes. Things that don't make sense~ There was no explanation for how she finds out she's a sacrifice, but yet is told she is one of the candidates to succeed Dekarth. She only learns that she's a sacrifice on her own time - so when would she have found it?
The succession seemed more like a joke story than anything else, for as much plot time it got. It mostly revolved around Yeine learning about the gods. I feel like the story tried to incorporate several different plots and weave it into one (like LOTR), but it only did so clumsily. There were many loose ends that didn't get tied up at the end. I just feel like there wasn't enough insight into the character's depth to accommodate the actions they did. Not good enough.
The romance was a little weird....
The ending was respectable. Not too shabby, but a little too deus ex machina in more ways than one, heh.
It's a trilogy, but I'm not sure if I'm tempted enough to pick up the second book. Worth a look if you're bored and you want an average fantasy novel, but I wouldn't recommend it to anyone looking for something to blow them out of the water.
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LibraryThing member sturlington
After her mother's murder, Yeine is summoned by her grandfather, the ruler of the hundred thousand kingdoms, to the Sky Palace, where she becomes involved in a plot to free some enslaved gods.
A competent book, but it left me feeling very unengaged. For one thing, it's extremely claustrophobic.
Also, the romance that Yeine carries on with the god of night, Nahadoth, really put me off. It just felt icky somehow. I think that's because for the most part, this reads like a young adult novel, but then Jemisin throws in some very unexpected, very adult sex. A lot of sex.
Straightforward fantasy is rarely my cup of tea, anyway. I need something realistic to hang my hat on before I'm willing to buy all the magic and mythology. Some more time spent world-building and character-building would have certainly helped. I had high hopes for this author and can't help feeling disappointed, but I won't be continuing the series.
Read for the SFFCat (2015).
A competent book, but it left me feeling very unengaged. For one thing, it's extremely claustrophobic.
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Despite the title, the book is set almost entirely within the Palace and the cast of characters is very limited. I think I would have cared more about Yeine if I knew more about her background and her world, particularly that world's relationship with its gods. Some of the exposition in that regard was clumsily delivered and never quite gelled for me.Also, the romance that Yeine carries on with the god of night, Nahadoth, really put me off. It just felt icky somehow. I think that's because for the most part, this reads like a young adult novel, but then Jemisin throws in some very unexpected, very adult sex. A lot of sex.
Straightforward fantasy is rarely my cup of tea, anyway. I need something realistic to hang my hat on before I'm willing to buy all the magic and mythology. Some more time spent world-building and character-building would have certainly helped. I had high hopes for this author and can't help feeling disappointed, but I won't be continuing the series.
Read for the SFFCat (2015).
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LibraryThing member MelHay
Shortly after Yeine's mother passes away, a mysterious death, Yeine is called to Sky. Sky is the elite city in the air on a single column overlooking the kingdoms in which the Arameri, people awarded by the god Bright Itempas with contol of weapons given to them, live. Yeine does not know why her
I have to say I enjoyed this book very much. I loved the creation of the gods and why they were weakened, trapped, and tortured. Along with the way a god could be kept under thumb and used for the power holders ways, needs, or just for the power possessed. I was also mesmerized by the relationship and differences between two cultures and way of life. Then there's the wondering question of who do I trust or not trust in a new world. Not only do I, as a reader, ask this question in a new book or series but Yeine the main character has to work this out herself. I started learning of the magic present in the story, and I look forward to learning more as the rest of the trilogy unfolds.
The story is written from Yeine's point of view, in the first person, which gives the feeling I am seeing, experiencing and learning everything with her. There are sections at the beginning and through out the chapter in which Yeine is remembering pieces of additional information or stumbling slightly in her storytelling, but if you know these sections are there you should not be confused. I liked the insight these shared as potential tidbits to help know what is going on or why.
It was a great debate novel for Nora Jemisin and an amazing start to a trilogy. I WILL be looking forward to book two, The Broken Kingdoms due out fall 2010, and book three.
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grandfather, whom she has never met, has required her presence in Sky. Once in Sky Yeine is bombarded with many things; being named heir to the throne, the difference in culture, the imprisoned god Nightlord and his three children called Enefadeh, and twin cousins who will do anything to be the heir to the powerful throne. Yeine is warned of how dangerous the imprisoned god and Enefadeh are, yet she has something they need. The cousins are also named heirs to the throne and Yeine is not sure what is to happen with three named heirs.I have to say I enjoyed this book very much. I loved the creation of the gods and why they were weakened, trapped, and tortured. Along with the way a god could be kept under thumb and used for the power holders ways, needs, or just for the power possessed. I was also mesmerized by the relationship and differences between two cultures and way of life. Then there's the wondering question of who do I trust or not trust in a new world. Not only do I, as a reader, ask this question in a new book or series but Yeine the main character has to work this out herself. I started learning of the magic present in the story, and I look forward to learning more as the rest of the trilogy unfolds.
The story is written from Yeine's point of view, in the first person, which gives the feeling I am seeing, experiencing and learning everything with her. There are sections at the beginning and through out the chapter in which Yeine is remembering pieces of additional information or stumbling slightly in her storytelling, but if you know these sections are there you should not be confused. I liked the insight these shared as potential tidbits to help know what is going on or why.
It was a great debate novel for Nora Jemisin and an amazing start to a trilogy. I WILL be looking forward to book two, The Broken Kingdoms due out fall 2010, and book three.
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LibraryThing member wiring
Yeine herself I'm sort of indifferent to-- I felt she ended up being more of an instrument than an active person, a relatively generic set of eyes with which to be introduced to the real story: the history of the gods. Given I really liked the history and portrayal of the gods, though, I didn't
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mind all that much that I wasn't very interested in Yeine.The mythology-- I love. These are exactly the kind of pantheon-style god-stories I like, where the gods aren't perfect, but their issues aren't simply mortal problems (though you can definitely see mortal problems echoed in them). I felt Jemisin did a wonderful job giving all the gods a feeling of being and having motives that are somewhat beyond mortal understanding. I also liked that the mythology seemed to be told naturally during the course of the story.All in all, it was a quick and enjoyable read, and I am looking forward to the next book in the series. Show Less
LibraryThing member ktreads22
I really liked this book. In the beginning it was very confusing to me, and I thought I wouldn't finish it, but once I sat down and just READ the book I fell in love with it. The characters are completely lovable and the villains are completely hateable.
The Gods that Jemisin created are believable
The Gods that Jemisin created are believable
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and very fun characters to read about. The plot was very different and very well thought out. The world is WONDERFUL and VERY creative, and I love it! This is a book that I'll definitely have to buy so I can have it on my bookshelf at home. Show Less
LibraryThing member Doctroid
I don’t really recall what I was thinking when I requested N. K. Jemisin’s The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms from LibraryThing’s Early Reviewers program. On paper it doesn’t look much like the sort of fantasy novel I’d take to. Young and somewhat naive protagonist is thrust into a power
You’d think, but no, I enjoyed this one. There’s one thing Jemisin has over Reynolds: Style. The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms has an engaging narrative style that pulled me in right from the first few pages. Reynolds, to judge from The Prefect and Revelation Space, has some interesting stories to tell — but to get them you have to push through a lot of very pedestrian, wooden writing.
[Also, he uses a lot of one-sentence paragraphs.
Or even sentence fragment paragraphs.
I hate that.
Especially when he uses one to end a section on a (DUN DUN DUUUUUUUNNNNN) dramatic note. To me that’s a mark of a hack writer. But I digress, I was talking about Jemisin’s book.]
Anyway, I liked her narrative style. I also liked one of the central conceits of the book, which I haven’t seen elsewhere: On her world, there presumably are very few atheists, because the gods are manifestly real — and the mortals are keeping them as slaves.
Knowing that, you pretty much know what the central character, Yeine, is going to be doing. Yeine is a 19 year old outsider, granddaughter of the guy in charge but child of his exiled daughter. She’s been summoned to his seat of power to, as it turns out, be a sacrifice in the upcoming succession ritual. She is, of course, not happy with this, but even less happy with what she learns about how her world is governed and the fate of the losers of the Gods’ War that nearly destroyed the world thousands of years ago. Nor will she stand by while the ruler’s heirs plot destruction of her home country.
It all works very well — remarkably well for a first novel — aside from a couple of rather overwrought sex scenes that really didn’t advance the plot as much as I suspect the author thought they did, right up until the last couple of chapters. At that point, I’m afraid, Jemisin runs out of steam. The ending is almost very literally a deus ex machina; there are some surprises along the way, but mostly it’s a case of a god waving a hand and taking care of everything. Very weak, and to make matters worse, not as well told as the rest of the book. It seems as if, following the narrative shift that takes place, Jemisin couldn’t find a voice that worked as well as what she’d used up to that point.
So something of a letdown, but not enough to sour me on what went before. On the whole I enjoyed the book. The jaded among you will not be surprised, and will sigh heavily, to learn it’s the first book of a trilogy. A trilogy in the true sense, apparently: three connected but self contained novels, as opposed to a novel in three volumes (like, for instance, The Lord of the Rings). What do you do for a sequel to a deus ex machina, though? We’ll see — I expect I’ll read it. At the back of the book are the first few pages of the next volume, The Broken Kingdoms, and I think it starts off pretty well. There’s also a thoroughly unneeded glossary; two historical appendices, far too brief to serve much of any purpose other than to say, “Hey, look, the author worked on the backstory!”; acknowledgements; and an interview with the author — all pretty much superfluous.
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struggle on an alternate magic-using world against the evil overlord and his minions? Oh, please, where have we heard that plot summary before? Add to that it’s a novel by a woman, from a woman’s point of view, apparently aimed primarily at a female audience, and partaking to a certain degree of elements of the romance genre. No, it doesn’t look like my sort of book; I should go back to books like the last one I read, Alistair Reynolds’s The Prefect.You’d think, but no, I enjoyed this one. There’s one thing Jemisin has over Reynolds: Style. The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms has an engaging narrative style that pulled me in right from the first few pages. Reynolds, to judge from The Prefect and Revelation Space, has some interesting stories to tell — but to get them you have to push through a lot of very pedestrian, wooden writing.
[Also, he uses a lot of one-sentence paragraphs.
Or even sentence fragment paragraphs.
I hate that.
Especially when he uses one to end a section on a (DUN DUN DUUUUUUUNNNNN) dramatic note. To me that’s a mark of a hack writer. But I digress, I was talking about Jemisin’s book.]
Anyway, I liked her narrative style. I also liked one of the central conceits of the book, which I haven’t seen elsewhere: On her world, there presumably are very few atheists, because the gods are manifestly real — and the mortals are keeping them as slaves.
Knowing that, you pretty much know what the central character, Yeine, is going to be doing. Yeine is a 19 year old outsider, granddaughter of the guy in charge but child of his exiled daughter. She’s been summoned to his seat of power to, as it turns out, be a sacrifice in the upcoming succession ritual. She is, of course, not happy with this, but even less happy with what she learns about how her world is governed and the fate of the losers of the Gods’ War that nearly destroyed the world thousands of years ago. Nor will she stand by while the ruler’s heirs plot destruction of her home country.
It all works very well — remarkably well for a first novel — aside from a couple of rather overwrought sex scenes that really didn’t advance the plot as much as I suspect the author thought they did, right up until the last couple of chapters. At that point, I’m afraid, Jemisin runs out of steam. The ending is almost very literally a deus ex machina; there are some surprises along the way, but mostly it’s a case of a god waving a hand and taking care of everything. Very weak, and to make matters worse, not as well told as the rest of the book. It seems as if, following the narrative shift that takes place, Jemisin couldn’t find a voice that worked as well as what she’d used up to that point.
So something of a letdown, but not enough to sour me on what went before. On the whole I enjoyed the book. The jaded among you will not be surprised, and will sigh heavily, to learn it’s the first book of a trilogy. A trilogy in the true sense, apparently: three connected but self contained novels, as opposed to a novel in three volumes (like, for instance, The Lord of the Rings). What do you do for a sequel to a deus ex machina, though? We’ll see — I expect I’ll read it. At the back of the book are the first few pages of the next volume, The Broken Kingdoms, and I think it starts off pretty well. There’s also a thoroughly unneeded glossary; two historical appendices, far too brief to serve much of any purpose other than to say, “Hey, look, the author worked on the backstory!”; acknowledgements; and an interview with the author — all pretty much superfluous.
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LibraryThing member Eclipse777
It’s a good job I read the killing moon before I read this novel otherwise I doubt I would give this author another go, I was expecting a lot of intrigue , I hardly got any intrigue for my tastes instead I got the MC pining for a handsome god. Not for me
LibraryThing member KatPruce
This is not your average epic fantasy novel! Political intrigue mixed with deities and humans - sign me up! I've read some reviews where people have disliked the whole Gods/mortals aspect of the novel...I guess if that's the case then don't read this book. I'm not sure what these individuals were
I found The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms a bit difficult to get into at first. I'm not sure if this was just my own reading frame of mind or if the first-person narration threw me off a bit. Either way, the reader is floundering around along with Yeine in the beginning of the book. While there is much foreshadowing, I was a bit lost (like Yeine) until I got further into the novel. Once I got to the meat of the story I was hooked! I definitely did some late-night reading with this chunkster.
I really loved Yeine as a main character. She was very easy to relate to and (thankfully!) was not a whiner - despite having some very tough circumstances thrust upon her. I thought all of the characters were extremely well-drawn and my two favorites had to be T'vril (Yeine's only human friend in Sky) and Sieh (the child-like Enefedah). I love that most of the characters in this book are neither entirely good nor bad (with the exception of the horrible Scimina).
Bottom line: I highly recommend to fantasy readers looking for something a bit different and to open-minded readers intrigued by a Gods/mortals storyline!
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expecting, but the entire storyline is about the Enefedah (Gods) and mortals. Otherwise, I've seen nothing but well-deserved praise for this series!I found The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms a bit difficult to get into at first. I'm not sure if this was just my own reading frame of mind or if the first-person narration threw me off a bit. Either way, the reader is floundering around along with Yeine in the beginning of the book. While there is much foreshadowing, I was a bit lost (like Yeine) until I got further into the novel. Once I got to the meat of the story I was hooked! I definitely did some late-night reading with this chunkster.
I really loved Yeine as a main character. She was very easy to relate to and (thankfully!) was not a whiner - despite having some very tough circumstances thrust upon her. I thought all of the characters were extremely well-drawn and my two favorites had to be T'vril (Yeine's only human friend in Sky) and Sieh (the child-like Enefedah). I love that most of the characters in this book are neither entirely good nor bad (with the exception of the horrible Scimina).
Bottom line: I highly recommend to fantasy readers looking for something a bit different and to open-minded readers intrigued by a Gods/mortals storyline!
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LibraryThing member TaeKwonJew
I really loved this, start to finish. I was pretty much immediately hooked and couldn't put it down, finishing it in less than a day. And then I wanted to start again from the beginning.
The narrative is told in first person, as memory, but at times as a conversation. It's fractured, but it works,
I also love that the author is not a white male, and her characters are not all white men, and it's no. big. deal. What I mean by this is that this is a book for all fantasy and fiction lovers, not just for women, or for non-whites, etc. She even addresses this in her blog in an exceedingly awesome post. I also highly recommend following her blog.
The first two books of the trilogy are out and the third is planned for September of this year. I'm really looking forward to the second, the reviews of which somehow seem to have surpassed those of the first.
The narrative is told in first person, as memory, but at times as a conversation. It's fractured, but it works,
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speaking to memory and creation of story, which also ties into the role of gods in the story. The writing is really great, evocative without relying too heavily on overwrought description or bad similes. I really loved the characters too, and the world, and the detail, and the story.I also love that the author is not a white male, and her characters are not all white men, and it's no. big. deal. What I mean by this is that this is a book for all fantasy and fiction lovers, not just for women, or for non-whites, etc. She even addresses this in her blog in an exceedingly awesome post. I also highly recommend following her blog.
The first two books of the trilogy are out and the third is planned for September of this year. I'm really looking forward to the second, the reviews of which somehow seem to have surpassed those of the first.
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LibraryThing member majkia
Yiene, whose mother abdicated her claim to the throne, is suddenly recalled to the capital by her grandfather and informed he's naming her heir. Yiene, knowing he already has two heirs designated - her cousins - is immediately suspicious. And well she should be. For from the moment she arrives she
Bad enough that the humans are plotting and jockeying for positions of power, but so are the bound gods the king and his family have control over. Yiene finds herself allying with one god, and incredibly sexually aroused by the most dangerous of them.
She's horrified at how everyone is treated, but mostly at how the gods are treated. The gods, defeated in a War with the God of Light are bound forever to be used and abused by Yiene's family. But they've got a plan and she discovers she's at the center of that plan.
It's hard to review this book, as the plots are intricate and spoilers would result, so I'll stick with the basics rather than the plot.
Characterization is wonderful. Description is wonderful. The book gripped me from almost the first page and I found myself drawn in and swept up in Yeine's discovery of the horrors of the capital city Sky, the confusion Yiene feels as she discovers the city's secrets, the gods' secrets and the horrors her family have and still are perpetrating.
Can she survive this place? Does she even want to?
A wonderfully exciting and memorable book.
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finds herself embroiled in palace intrigue.Bad enough that the humans are plotting and jockeying for positions of power, but so are the bound gods the king and his family have control over. Yiene finds herself allying with one god, and incredibly sexually aroused by the most dangerous of them.
She's horrified at how everyone is treated, but mostly at how the gods are treated. The gods, defeated in a War with the God of Light are bound forever to be used and abused by Yiene's family. But they've got a plan and she discovers she's at the center of that plan.
It's hard to review this book, as the plots are intricate and spoilers would result, so I'll stick with the basics rather than the plot.
Characterization is wonderful. Description is wonderful. The book gripped me from almost the first page and I found myself drawn in and swept up in Yeine's discovery of the horrors of the capital city Sky, the confusion Yiene feels as she discovers the city's secrets, the gods' secrets and the horrors her family have and still are perpetrating.
Can she survive this place? Does she even want to?
A wonderfully exciting and memorable book.
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LibraryThing member kaionvin
I promised not to start any new series, but reading promises are made to be broken, right? Besides, this was a top recommendation for fantasy featuring females of color, and I couldn't turn that down.
Overall an excellent page-turner that kept me up half the night (which seemed to fight the
That being said, The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms is charming. Yeina lives up to her billing-- she's competent enough that I can actually believe she's a leader of her people. The most enjoyable aspect of the novel was not the main characters and their arc, but Jemisin's godlings: children of gods who serve the main three. One such is Sieh, an embodiment of childhood. He serves much as a sidekick to Yeine, but he's the real star of the book, for me: demonstrative yet aloof, childlike and old all rolled in one. I'm always a fan of fantasy worlds in which there is more than a homogenous swathe of people, and hints of a multi-cultural world outside the palace are... well, promising.
Promising really is the best word to describe Thousand Kingdoms as a whole. Oh series, you can be so frustrating when you don't live up to your spark of promise. But what can I say, call me a sucker or a investor, I'll be checking in on The Broken Kingdoms.
Overall an excellent page-turner that kept me up half the night (which seemed to fight the
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atmosphere of the novel as well). I agree with the reviewers who comment that the world-building doesn't really stand up to much scrutiny, and in particular, the story of the gods that forms the bulk of the novel is really simplistic... and near the end basically devolves into your basic love triangle romance in which the heroine is torn between the sucessful suave alpha male jackass type and the uncommunicative tortured beast-of-a-man type.That being said, The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms is charming. Yeina lives up to her billing-- she's competent enough that I can actually believe she's a leader of her people. The most enjoyable aspect of the novel was not the main characters and their arc, but Jemisin's godlings: children of gods who serve the main three. One such is Sieh, an embodiment of childhood. He serves much as a sidekick to Yeine, but he's the real star of the book, for me: demonstrative yet aloof, childlike and old all rolled in one. I'm always a fan of fantasy worlds in which there is more than a homogenous swathe of people, and hints of a multi-cultural world outside the palace are... well, promising.
Promising really is the best word to describe Thousand Kingdoms as a whole. Oh series, you can be so frustrating when you don't live up to your spark of promise. But what can I say, call me a sucker or a investor, I'll be checking in on The Broken Kingdoms.
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LibraryThing member souloftherose
Yeine Darr is an outcast from one of the barbarian Northern kingdoms. Her mother was an heiress of the ruling race but eloped with Yeine’s father and abdicated her position. Now both Yeine’s parents are dead and she has been summoned back to the court by her grandfather and named as one of his
I have to admit that one of the reasons I wanted to read this book was because I fell in love with the gorgeous book cover and I loved the world building in this book; the city of Sky, the gods, the court and the cultures of the different kingdoms.
There is a strong sense of mystery throughout this book. The story is narrated by Yeine but as the opening passage of the book makes clear, she is an unusual narrator who forgets things or misses things out. Why this is so, is something that only becomes clear at the end of the book.
Although I enjoyed this book, I feel like it’s been one of my ‘guilty pleasure’ reads. I felt the romantic relationship that develops between Yeine and one of the other characters is one of those, ‘man is dark, brooding and dangerous making girl go weak at the knees with desire for him’ relationships which always make me roll my eyes but I have to admit that I did get caught up in it and enjoy reading about it. In Jemisin’s defence, the end of the book goes some way towards explaining why Yeine has such strong feelings for this person.
This book has grown on me since I read it and writing this review has made me realise that it impressed me more than I realised when first reading it. I would like to reread it to see if all the foreshadowing Jemisin includes matches up to the twist at the end and I would definitely like to read the sequel so I‘ve increased my rating to 4 stars. This was far from a perfect novel but a strong debut with some unusual ideas.
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potential heirs. But two of her cousins have also been named heir and Yeine quickly discovers that no one at court expects her to succeed to the throne or even to survive her time in the city of Sky.I have to admit that one of the reasons I wanted to read this book was because I fell in love with the gorgeous book cover and I loved the world building in this book; the city of Sky, the gods, the court and the cultures of the different kingdoms.
There is a strong sense of mystery throughout this book. The story is narrated by Yeine but as the opening passage of the book makes clear, she is an unusual narrator who forgets things or misses things out. Why this is so, is something that only becomes clear at the end of the book.
Although I enjoyed this book, I feel like it’s been one of my ‘guilty pleasure’ reads. I felt the romantic relationship that develops between Yeine and one of the other characters is one of those, ‘man is dark, brooding and dangerous making girl go weak at the knees with desire for him’ relationships which always make me roll my eyes but I have to admit that I did get caught up in it and enjoy reading about it. In Jemisin’s defence, the end of the book goes some way towards explaining why Yeine has such strong feelings for this person.
This book has grown on me since I read it and writing this review has made me realise that it impressed me more than I realised when first reading it. I would like to reread it to see if all the foreshadowing Jemisin includes matches up to the twist at the end and I would definitely like to read the sequel so I‘ve increased my rating to 4 stars. This was far from a perfect novel but a strong debut with some unusual ideas.
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LibraryThing member DanTarlin
This book tells the story of Yeine, a young woman brought out of her kingdom in the barbarian north to the capital city of her world, to participate in the succession ritual to determine the next autocrat of the world. She is the granddaughter of the current ruler, Dekarta, and his only living
The true ruler of the world, however, is Itempas, the sun god and one of the three gods who created the world. We learn of a long-ago war between the three gods, after which the god of night, Nahadoth, was enslaved along with his children, forced to serve the Dekarta family and cement their rule. The third god, Enefa, was killed by Itempas during the war, though a part of her still lives in ways that are revealed during the story.
NK Jemisin does a phenomenal job of world-building, with really interesting rules of engagement for the gods. She draws out the mysteries of the story nicely, tantalizing the reader with slow answers to the questions of who killed Yeine's mother, who can be trusted in the palace, and other details of how Yeine's mother came to be estranged from her own father.
At the same time, though the writing is rich and interesting, it can be difficult to follow the author at times. She's perhaps trying to be a bit opaque, but I found it a little too convoluted at some times. Still, I was able to follow well enough and all became clear eventually- I'm definitely in for the rest of the series.
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descendent. She is to compete against Dekarta's niece and nephew, with the winner to be ruler and the losers to be killed.The true ruler of the world, however, is Itempas, the sun god and one of the three gods who created the world. We learn of a long-ago war between the three gods, after which the god of night, Nahadoth, was enslaved along with his children, forced to serve the Dekarta family and cement their rule. The third god, Enefa, was killed by Itempas during the war, though a part of her still lives in ways that are revealed during the story.
NK Jemisin does a phenomenal job of world-building, with really interesting rules of engagement for the gods. She draws out the mysteries of the story nicely, tantalizing the reader with slow answers to the questions of who killed Yeine's mother, who can be trusted in the palace, and other details of how Yeine's mother came to be estranged from her own father.
At the same time, though the writing is rich and interesting, it can be difficult to follow the author at times. She's perhaps trying to be a bit opaque, but I found it a little too convoluted at some times. Still, I was able to follow well enough and all became clear eventually- I'm definitely in for the rest of the series.
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LibraryThing member kd9
This was a very good start for a first novel. The first couple of chapters were thrilling and engaging. The world is unique and the challenges complex, but after that scene setting the entire book falls into a Stephenie Myers complex. A young girl loves, both emotionally and physically, an unhuman
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creature, in this case an enslaved god rather than a vampire. Although her problems are complex, she meets most of them by crying and whining. No character in the entire book is an adult. None of the interactions between child and evil grandfather or child and beloved mother are believable. I will probably read the next book in the series to see if the author has grown enough to tell a deeper story, but it will not get my vote for a Hugo. It would be a serious travesty if this book won against much more worthy and adult entries such as MacDonald's The Dervish House. Show Less
LibraryThing member piersanti
This book was so boring that I could not finish it. The author tries very hard to develop the characters, but I still didn't feel attached to them, and then she forgets that something is actually supposed to happen in a novel.
LibraryThing member CarlyleClark
N.K. Jemisin’s THE HUNDRED-THOUSAND KINGDOMS (Book 1 of The Inheritance Trilogy), is an exciting novel with the “finished” feel of a seasoned pro. To start with the cover is beautiful and compelling, which even though it shouldn’t matter, is always a plus. The story is about, Yeine Darr,
The only possible weakness in the novel comes not in the novel itself, but in the expectation created by the title which conjures expectations of an epic “world at war” in line with Erikson & Esselmont’s MALAZAN books or George R.R. Martin’s A SONG OF FIRE AND ICE series. To be fair there is a war involved, but nearly all the action takes place in the Sky Palace itself and is conflict on a personal level rather than grand battles. Anyone who enjoys Jacqueline Carey’s KUSHIEL series, the works of Guy Gavriel Kay, or just wants a heckuva of good read should buy this book.
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whose mother was the disowned daughter of Dakarta the ruler of the world, and Dakarta’s choice to draw her into the contest to see which of his three (including Yeine) chosen relative will succeed her on the throne. Yeine as a ruler of a small provincial kingdom seems outmatched by the cleverness of her sophisticated rivals form the capital city, not to mention unskilled in managing the enslaved gods that roam the corridors of the colossal Sky Palace–where nearly all of the story take place–and are subject to the will of anyone bearing Dakarta’s bloodline. The story hums along at pace fast enough to prevent any chance of boredom as Yeine fends off the schemes of her rivals, while attempting to unravel the mystery of her mother’s life and death and to deal with her ever growing attraction to dark Nahadoth the God of Chaos, and her love for Sieh, the Child-God, because the Gods, though enslaved now, were never meant to be . . .The only possible weakness in the novel comes not in the novel itself, but in the expectation created by the title which conjures expectations of an epic “world at war” in line with Erikson & Esselmont’s MALAZAN books or George R.R. Martin’s A SONG OF FIRE AND ICE series. To be fair there is a war involved, but nearly all the action takes place in the Sky Palace itself and is conflict on a personal level rather than grand battles. Anyone who enjoys Jacqueline Carey’s KUSHIEL series, the works of Guy Gavriel Kay, or just wants a heckuva of good read should buy this book.
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LibraryThing member thenightbookmobile
N.K. Jemisin is definitely a force to be reckoned with in the fantasy genre. Her ability to craft an exciting and imaginative fantasy world is evident from the very first. The story of the gods is both unique and unpredictable. I would venture to say it is the most original use of gods in a story
Another credit to Jemisin, and perhaps the biggest one, is her ability to write. This woman can write the pants off of many fantasy writers and many writers in general. Her phrases are lyrical and raw and inspiring. I immediately wanted to write them down and share them with others. The stream of consciousness style of writing was the novel's greatest strength and its greatest weakness. I thought it was strongest when Yeine's narrative was being overtaken by Enefa.
“I gather her body to mine and will all of creation to make her live again. We are not built for death. But nothing changes, nothing changes, there was a hell that I built long ago and it was a place where everything remained the same forever because I could imagine nothing more horrific, and now I am there
Then others come, our children, and all react with equal horror
in a child’s eyes, a mother is god
but I can see nothing of their grief through the black mist of my own. I lay her body down but my hands are covered in her blood, our blood, sister lover pupil teacher friend otherself, and when I lift my head to scream out my fury, a million stars turn black and die. No one can see them, but they are my tears.”
I also found the stream of consciousness style to be frustrating and melodramatic at times. Yeine would often begin a story only to swear she'd come back to it later and start telling another one. While it certainly was a unique way to tell the story, it was also very distracting, and confusing for me as a reader.
While I think that this novel was beautifully crafted, and such an original addition to the fantasy genre, I didn't absolutely love it. In fact, I found myself uncaring about the outcome and the fates of the characters and the plot. I think this is because the characters never felt relatable to me, and I couldn't say that I truly liked any of them. Sieh seems to be a favorite among readers but I thought he was actually a little creepy and unpredictable. I suppose that's as it should be, since he is a god, and they live their lives in shades of gray. I think that it was just hard for me to get outside of my own head and view the gods as non-human creatures who clearly don't play by our rules. If I had been able to do so his behavior would not have seemed so odd to me.
Yeine was my favorite but there was something about her that always kept the reader at a distance and didn't allow for intimacy. Perhaps it was because she was slipping away? Characters seem to make or break novels for me. If you can make me care deeply for at least one character then you've got me, but if you can't, then it's going to be hard to grab my attention much at all.
I'd definitely recommend this to fans of the fantasy genre looking for something worthwhile and unique.
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that I have ever seen. Jemisin's gods are everything you would imagine a god to be. They do not get weighed down by humanity because they are not human. I think this is one of the book's greatest strengths.Another credit to Jemisin, and perhaps the biggest one, is her ability to write. This woman can write the pants off of many fantasy writers and many writers in general. Her phrases are lyrical and raw and inspiring. I immediately wanted to write them down and share them with others. The stream of consciousness style of writing was the novel's greatest strength and its greatest weakness. I thought it was strongest when Yeine's narrative was being overtaken by Enefa.
“I gather her body to mine and will all of creation to make her live again. We are not built for death. But nothing changes, nothing changes, there was a hell that I built long ago and it was a place where everything remained the same forever because I could imagine nothing more horrific, and now I am there
Then others come, our children, and all react with equal horror
in a child’s eyes, a mother is god
but I can see nothing of their grief through the black mist of my own. I lay her body down but my hands are covered in her blood, our blood, sister lover pupil teacher friend otherself, and when I lift my head to scream out my fury, a million stars turn black and die. No one can see them, but they are my tears.”
I also found the stream of consciousness style to be frustrating and melodramatic at times. Yeine would often begin a story only to swear she'd come back to it later and start telling another one. While it certainly was a unique way to tell the story, it was also very distracting, and confusing for me as a reader.
While I think that this novel was beautifully crafted, and such an original addition to the fantasy genre, I didn't absolutely love it. In fact, I found myself uncaring about the outcome and the fates of the characters and the plot. I think this is because the characters never felt relatable to me, and I couldn't say that I truly liked any of them. Sieh seems to be a favorite among readers but I thought he was actually a little creepy and unpredictable. I suppose that's as it should be, since he is a god, and they live their lives in shades of gray. I think that it was just hard for me to get outside of my own head and view the gods as non-human creatures who clearly don't play by our rules. If I had been able to do so his behavior would not have seemed so odd to me.
Yeine was my favorite but there was something about her that always kept the reader at a distance and didn't allow for intimacy. Perhaps it was because she was slipping away? Characters seem to make or break novels for me. If you can make me care deeply for at least one character then you've got me, but if you can't, then it's going to be hard to grab my attention much at all.
I'd definitely recommend this to fans of the fantasy genre looking for something worthwhile and unique.
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LibraryThing member revslick
Jemisin offers a relationship driven science fiction novel. The premise revolves around a city that uses enslaved gods as a source of their wealth and power. The hitch is one woman's destiny tied up in the continued enslavement of these gods and whether or not she will help perpetuate the situation
Guess which one she does?
My main critiques are one it is so relationship and character driven that there's no detail to the backdrop, which could help the reader be lulled into the story or at least care more for the story unfolding. Second, the whole novel is polarizing in that the characters are hard to buy in and even plot twists (especially the ending) are either you love it or hate it. There is no in between leaving, at least this reader, in between with a definite 'meh' at several spots along the journey.
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or react creatively to the situation. Guess which one she does?
My main critiques are one it is so relationship and character driven that there's no detail to the backdrop, which could help the reader be lulled into the story or at least care more for the story unfolding. Second, the whole novel is polarizing in that the characters are hard to buy in and even plot twists (especially the ending) are either you love it or hate it. There is no in between leaving, at least this reader, in between with a definite 'meh' at several spots along the journey.
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LibraryThing member stephxsu
19-year-old Yeine Darr is content being the leader of her father’s people in the High North country. But her Amn mother’s assassination draws Yeine into the politics of the Arameri people. At the palace of Sky, Yeine is, shockingly, named an heir to the Arameri throne, a decision that makes her
THE HUNDRED THOUSAND KINGDOMS, first in a new trilogy, is first-class fantasy world-building. It’s luscious, dangerous, and impressive as hell, if occasionally dragging in pacing. Still, it is a must-read for high fantasy fans.
My favorite aspect of this book was by far the world-building. N.K. Jemisin succeeds in creating a thoroughly three-dimensional fantasy world, from its religion to its poisonous political factions. And all of this is nestled in the delectably increasingly claustrophobic setting of Sky, the castle-city in which all the shenanigans go down.
I struggled a bit with some characterization and the writing style at some points. I think Yeine is supposed to channel the strength and likability of memorable fantasy heroines, but for the most part she simply doesn’t do much to inspire such regard. She is a political pawn, lacking in agency, so I understand that she is limited in opportunities in which to impress, but I still wish there had been more in-the-moment action and a little less reflection on Yeine’s part. My favorite characters were Nahadoth and Sieh, both gods and both stronger personalities than Yeine, and thus interesting to read about whenever they were granted story space.
Additionally, Yeine’s internal speech felt frustrating to me at times. I also understand that this was what had to happen (but I can’t tell you why, since that would be a spoiler), but the more experimental narrative parts are rather jarring if one expects the traditional chronological narration that most high fantasies employ. Likewise, I’m not sure if the experimental narration completely succeeded with me.
Overall, however, I was super impressed by THE HUNDRED THOUSAND KINGDOMS, and will not hesitate to read Jemisin’s future books even despite the elements of this book that didn’t entirely work for me (because I know that that is very subjective nitpicking). Definite a great book if you’re a fan of high fantasy!
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enemies and will most invariably cut her life short. As she navigates palace life, she also forms a tentative alliance with the Enefadeh, former gods enslaved to the Arameri as the result of losing an ancient battle between the gods eons ago. Her Amn family, the Enefadeh…everyone seems to want something from Yeine, and all of them could cost her her life.THE HUNDRED THOUSAND KINGDOMS, first in a new trilogy, is first-class fantasy world-building. It’s luscious, dangerous, and impressive as hell, if occasionally dragging in pacing. Still, it is a must-read for high fantasy fans.
My favorite aspect of this book was by far the world-building. N.K. Jemisin succeeds in creating a thoroughly three-dimensional fantasy world, from its religion to its poisonous political factions. And all of this is nestled in the delectably increasingly claustrophobic setting of Sky, the castle-city in which all the shenanigans go down.
I struggled a bit with some characterization and the writing style at some points. I think Yeine is supposed to channel the strength and likability of memorable fantasy heroines, but for the most part she simply doesn’t do much to inspire such regard. She is a political pawn, lacking in agency, so I understand that she is limited in opportunities in which to impress, but I still wish there had been more in-the-moment action and a little less reflection on Yeine’s part. My favorite characters were Nahadoth and Sieh, both gods and both stronger personalities than Yeine, and thus interesting to read about whenever they were granted story space.
Additionally, Yeine’s internal speech felt frustrating to me at times. I also understand that this was what had to happen (but I can’t tell you why, since that would be a spoiler), but the more experimental narrative parts are rather jarring if one expects the traditional chronological narration that most high fantasies employ. Likewise, I’m not sure if the experimental narration completely succeeded with me.
Overall, however, I was super impressed by THE HUNDRED THOUSAND KINGDOMS, and will not hesitate to read Jemisin’s future books even despite the elements of this book that didn’t entirely work for me (because I know that that is very subjective nitpicking). Definite a great book if you’re a fan of high fantasy!
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LibraryThing member Lymsleia
I still don't know why it's called The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms. I mean, that's a lot of kingdoms! And we see so little of any of them in this book...
I'll start with the few things that bothered me: One, I wasn't terribly impressed with the way a lot of the exposition was delivered. Some of t was
But. Despite that, I enjoyed this book greatly and there was more than one passage that left me breathless by the end of it, and I frequently tripped over sentences that I just had to reread and admire for a minute before moving on. If there's one thing that this book is really good at, stylistically, it's hard-hitting single sentences. I like the prose in this book in general; aside from one scene later on that was a bit too "out there" for me to enjoy, it's just the right mixture of poetic and matter-of-factly.
Can I just gush about the characters for a moment? I know I complained a bit about the characterisation above, and there are certainly some that I regret not seeing more of (particularly Zhakkarn and Relad, but also Ras Onchi and Yeine's Darre family & friends), but I still love them. Predictably enough, Sieh and Nahadoth hit about a dozen of my weak spots between them (and it helped a great deal that the creepier elements of Nahadoth's character were actually acknowledged as such both by the narrative and the heroine) and the mystery surrounding Yeine's mother Kinneth was an intriguing one. And speaking of Yeine, she was an excellent protagonist who is so driven by anger but who manages to not lose her empathy in the process. But who is still very much allowed to be angry by the narrative, and it's anger and the wish to take control of a life that seems so completely controlled by other people that motivate her. A lot of this story is about agency, I think, and Yeine's character arc incorporates it well... among many, many other things.
Speaking of other things, have I mentioned how much I loved the portrayal of the gods in this story? (... kind of, yeah.) I love how they resemble humans but are never *quite* human, if that makes sense, and how even when, at one point, I said "Will you stop bickering already?!" out loud at my book, they still manage to be *more*. (Anything more I could say about why I love them would constitute a spoiler and I want to keep those out of this review.)
This book stands on its own really well, but me, I want more of it. And thankfully, there *is* more. Excuse me, I'll have to go buy the sequel now...
(note: do yourself a favour and buy a version of this book that isn't the kindle edition. The formatting leaves much to be desired, often pulling words apar t or smooshing themtogether several times per chapter. It gets irritating fast.)
I'll start with the few things that bothered me: One, I wasn't terribly impressed with the way a lot of the exposition was delivered. Some of t was
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really clever but some of it seemed more like the author threw a paragraph in somewhere just to get that info across to the reader without bothering to fit it into the narrative better. Two, I just wish there was *more* of everything. While I loved (or loved to hate) all the characters, some of the characterisation seemed to barely scratch the surface. A bit more substance there would've been nice to really help these people spring to live.But. Despite that, I enjoyed this book greatly and there was more than one passage that left me breathless by the end of it, and I frequently tripped over sentences that I just had to reread and admire for a minute before moving on. If there's one thing that this book is really good at, stylistically, it's hard-hitting single sentences. I like the prose in this book in general; aside from one scene later on that was a bit too "out there" for me to enjoy, it's just the right mixture of poetic and matter-of-factly.
Can I just gush about the characters for a moment? I know I complained a bit about the characterisation above, and there are certainly some that I regret not seeing more of (particularly Zhakkarn and Relad, but also Ras Onchi and Yeine's Darre family & friends), but I still love them. Predictably enough, Sieh and Nahadoth hit about a dozen of my weak spots between them (and it helped a great deal that the creepier elements of Nahadoth's character were actually acknowledged as such both by the narrative and the heroine) and the mystery surrounding Yeine's mother Kinneth was an intriguing one. And speaking of Yeine, she was an excellent protagonist who is so driven by anger but who manages to not lose her empathy in the process. But who is still very much allowed to be angry by the narrative, and it's anger and the wish to take control of a life that seems so completely controlled by other people that motivate her. A lot of this story is about agency, I think, and Yeine's character arc incorporates it well... among many, many other things.
Speaking of other things, have I mentioned how much I loved the portrayal of the gods in this story? (... kind of, yeah.) I love how they resemble humans but are never *quite* human, if that makes sense, and how even when, at one point, I said "Will you stop bickering already?!" out loud at my book, they still manage to be *more*. (Anything more I could say about why I love them would constitute a spoiler and I want to keep those out of this review.)
This book stands on its own really well, but me, I want more of it. And thankfully, there *is* more. Excuse me, I'll have to go buy the sequel now...
(note: do yourself a favour and buy a version of this book that isn't the kindle edition. The formatting leaves much to be desired, often pulling words apar t or smooshing themtogether several times per chapter. It gets irritating fast.)
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LibraryThing member VivalaErin
Talk about complicated triangles! Yeine is thrown in to Sky to be everybody's pawn: grandfather, cousins, gods, everyone! I enjoyed this book. Yeine was seriously tough, despite the obstacles. And the gods were even relatable, which made it more fun. Can't wait for book 2. I won't say more to avoid
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spoilers...the story is chocked full of great twists! Show Less
Awards
Hugo Award (Nominee — Novel — 2011)
Nebula Award (Nominee — Novel — 2010)
Locus Award (Finalist — First Novel — 2011)
World Fantasy Award (Nominee — Novel — 2011)
RUSA CODES Reading List (Shortlist — Fantasy — 2011)
IAFA William L. Crawford Fantasy Award (Finalist — 2011)
Otherwise Award (Honor List — 2010)
David Gemmell Legend Award (Shortlist — 2011)
Locus Recommended Reading (First Novel — 2010)
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
2010-02-25
Physical description
8.25 inches
ISBN
9780316043915