This is a review of all 1424 pages of the multi-award winning Broken Earth trilogy by N.K. Jemisin,
I don’t read much science fiction these days but grew up reading now-classic sci-fi from notables like Asimov, Le Guin, Heinlein, and Clarke. The Broken Earth series (The Fifth Season, The Obelisk Gate, and The Stone Sky) drew me in like I haven’t been since reading Herbert’s Dune series. Though challenging to read, Jemisin’s world building and gorgeous prose both lift the reader and weave the tale of an alternate earth plagued by seismic activity from volcanoes and shifting tectonic plates. All this aberrant geologic activity leads to multiple near-extinctions named “Fifth Seasons.” Past civilizations have left records ranging from dead cities to stories or “lore” rendered incomplete or distorted by inaccurate repetition. Obelisks of varying stones float above the earth but serve no identifiable function. And the moon is missing.
The world is populated by various beings: stills (regular folks); orogenes who can control the earth and start or stop earthquakes or seal volcanoes; Guardians; and stonefolk. The stills fear the orogenes, yet their skills are needed to control the environment. With time, a caste system develops, and the orogenes are controlled by Guardians who can neutralize the orogenes if necessary. There is also a unique view of magic that is not the usual abracadabra stuff but “silver” that permeates all living things and which can be accessed by some orogenes and others, but with devastating consequences.
The first book, The Fifth Season, intertwines three different narratives that eventually twist into a single one. The second book, The Obelisk Gate, continues the narrative and is actually, because you’ve done the mental work to delve into this world and learn its terminology, easier to read. The Stone Sky pulls everything together in this truly fascinating and rewarding read that covers the depth and breadth of human emotion, from the exalted to genocide. Loved this series!
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The Fifth Season, The Obelisk Gate, and The Stone Sky (the Broken Earth series, Orbit, August 4, 2015) is available through:
Your local independent bookseller | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
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