“Intricate and extraordinary.” – New York Times on The Fifth Season (A New York Times Notable Book of 2015) WINNER OF THE HUGO AWARD FOR BEST NOVEL 2016This is the way the world ends…for the last time. A season of endings has begun. It starts with the great red rift across the heart of the world’s sole continent, spewing ash that blots out the sun. It starts with death, with a murdered son … sole continent, spewing ash that blots out the sun.
It starts with death, with a murdered son and a missing daughter.
It starts with betrayal, and long dormant wounds rising up to fester.
This is the Stillness, a land long familiar with catastrophe, where the power of the earth is wielded as a weapon. And where there is no mercy.
For more from N. K. Jemisin, check out:
The Inheritance Trilogy
The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms
The Broken Kingdoms
The Kingdom of Gods
The Inheritance Trilogy (omnibus edition)
Shades in Shadow: An Inheritance Triptych (e-only short fiction)
The Awakened Kingdom (e-only novella)
Dreamblood Duology
The Killing Moon
The Shadowed Sun
The Broken EarthThe Fifth SeasonThe Obelisk Gatemore
In NK Jemison’s new novel, The Fifth Season, the payoff is simply, irrevocably, unbelievably outstanding. There’s a glossary at the end of the book but that just underscores how much sumptuous detail and dimensionality she’s packed into her premise. In the book, the entire world undergoes apocalypses on a periodic basis. This instability has given civilization an equally volatile reality. A caste system scars it. Explosive blend of science and magic. A gripping plot line and an emotional core that carries the story forward wonderfully. Very imaginative world building and smart demonstration of suspense on Jemison’s part. An easy 5 star.
This book ran the full gambit of emotions for me; sometimes it’s funny, sometimes it’s harrowing, sometimes it’s deeply sad. The world-building is first rate, the characters and storytelling are unique and exciting. I highly, highly recommend.
Underlying the obvious strengths of this book – excellent world building, gripping plot, captivating characters, and a highly-descriptive setting – I add underlying themes that are riveting. We’re in a “broken earth” in which there is one vast land mass, ironically called Stillness, that is constantly undergoing geologic trauma. This trauma periodically creates a fifth season with excessively toxic air and no daylight. Human inhabitants suffer and often starve in a fifth season.
We first meet Essun, a woman entering middle age who is searching for her daughter. We learn immediately that Essun is an orogene. The orogenes have special powers, they are despised by much of humanity, and they are used (often against their will) as weapons by the ruling class. We follow Essen, and then two other orogenes, a young girl named Damaya, and a young adult woman, Syenite.
Some themes to consider: the callous and coercive use of some human groups by others, the fragility of life on an unstable planet, the human search for self-knowledge, and the moral and ethical quandaries in which we find ourselves, especially when there is no good solution. This is not a comforting, cheerful book to read. It’s dark and often ominous. And yet, I found it compelling and very thought provoking, highly original, and very-well written.
I do not agree with reviewers who felt they’d been left hanging at the end. A lot of readers, especially Americans, like every plot to wrap up neatly. The Fifth Season instead leaves us with many questions answered, and at the same time, with new ones rising as our characters come to understand they are on the verge of a major change. We know that they will have to take what they’ve learned in this story into the next season if they want to deal with the new challenges.
Loved this book and loved how she brought in racial injustice in a creative way
this epic book is thought provoking in the best way. the characters and the plot are so engaging and I can tell the author has a lot of interesting ideas that apply to our society now. reading this makes me feel smarter. a truly well deserved Hugo award. I will be finishing this series!
It’s N.K. Jeminsen. Doesn’t she automatically win Hugo or Nebula every time she publishes a book? Frankly, I was a bit confused most of the time, but it kept me interested.
Most brilliant piece of writing I’ve read in ages. Worth every award and accolade. I was less than 100 pages in before I had decided that N.K. Jemisin is a genius. Make sure you have the next books in the trilogy lined up because you won’t want to stop until you’re done.
A completely original world (something I didn’t think possible). It was slow to get into but well-worth it. Read the whole series and want to read more of up her books.
If you’ve never read a book with a 2nd person POV this is the one you should start with.
I am reeling after the ride The Fifth Season took me on. This book had so many moving parts, I actually want to read it again just to see all the dots connect now that I know the ending.
The story is emotional, magical and has so much strength in character. Each person within it is beautifully crafted, and adds depth to each of the POV’s journey. I am left with so many questions, but also overly satisfied with the experiences of reading this book.
The 2nd Person POV added so much depth to the story, when you hear the idea of writing from that POV is sounds wrong, but wow, when it’s done right, it can completely chance a story from just a tale, to a work of art.
I don’t want to give away any of the story so I won’t go into all my favorite aspects, but if you’re looking for your next drool worthy book, this is it.
tedious. Even once you get past the innovative 2nd PoV narrative, it’s too fragmented to follow even for this non-linear reader.
Marvelous, enthralling, a master-class in crafting speculative fiction, with compelling characters, deep love, deep loss, and a fascinating vision of a world without a moon where certain attuned individuals can quell the quaking of the earth. It speaks to motherhood, to building relationships with prickly people, to finding friendship in unexpected places–and the best part is, the sequels are also brilliant!
This is the first book of this genre I have ever read. I am not even sure what this genre is. Fantasy? Science Fiction? I felt quite confused during most of the book, and when it was over, I still felt that way. I was hoping a lot of things would be explained, and they either were not, or I was not savvy enough to pick up on the explanations.
I did find myself wondering about some of the more non-scientific aspects of this world. I suppose I like reading more about human relationships than anything else, and that is not really the focus on this book. Or it is, but in a very broad way, instead of a specific relationship. The one relationship that is focused on in the book is very strained and in the end, I still never quite understand how the two characters feel about each other.
On the whole, I don’t get it.
Loved this book
I absolutely love this book! One of the most original and thought-provoking books that I’ve read. There really should be a sixth or seventh star available for the rating on this book, because five just doesn’t seem to do it justice.
If you haven’t read it yet, stop what you’re doing and buy it. Well, unless you’re squeamish or easily disturbed, because N.K. Jemisin doesn’t sugar-coat her story. It’s raw and it’s blunt, and I’m anxious to read more of her work.
It was a bit of a struggle in the beginning, getting to know the people and the world. But soon I was caught up in the story and I was really impressed by Jemisins complex worldbuilding. I can’t say that I understood all of it but I’m looking forward to reading more!
Book #1 of the Broken Earth Trilogy. Recommended to me by one of my birding companions. Fantasy is not my usual read, but this longish book was very engaging, well-written, and I’ll pick up the second book in the series
Too slow for my taste.
The Fifth Season is a great achievement in sci-fi storytelling. Jemisin’s world building is fantastic and her characters really resonate. This is a wonderful book to simply lose yourself in.
Stunning. What Jemisin has done with this series is simply breathtaking. I cannot recommend this book enough.
WOW!
At first I had a difficult time getting into this book. Her writing style was something that I had trouble understanding. But I stuck with it, like the reviewers/readers said. Everything comes together in it’s own time and begins to make sense.
I’ve never read anything like this before. The world she’s built is familiar but so very strange at the same time. So to have something new is refreshing.
I’m going right into book 2. I may have a new favorite author to follow.