Her mother has taught herto be very circumspect. He is dying, being converted into stone every time he uses orogeny. He cannot kill her. Over the years he simply had noticed things abouthis wife and his children that stirred suspicion in the depthsof his mind. The story opens to the Guardian, Schaffa, fighting for his life underwater. [I do believe that Hoa wants the Moon back in its orbit around earth, which would appease Earth and bring life back to what it once was before the Seasons. 5. They move south through much hardship, and witness firsthand the devastation wrought by Alabaster's fracturing of the entire continent further north. World-building history can be too technical. Shejust knows that she wants very very much to leave Tirimo. Somehow their order, if it can be called anorder, survives despite the First through Seventh Universitiesdisavowing their work as apocryphal and probably inaccurate,and despite governments down all the ages underminingtheir knowledge with propaganda. WebHugo Award for Best Novel (2017) This is the way the world ends for the last time. Also, I hope you don't mind that I did this recap? She reluctantly uses her powers to turn her father to stone as well. When Nassun and her father finally reach their destination, he tells her it is a place where she can be cured. Draw a red line from Start to End (other side of the wire). Daddy, she says. . . She uses the immense power of the Gate to turn every inhabitant of Rennanis to stone simultaneously. Thanks for the recap. This is super helpful, as I was really looking forward to diving into The Stone Sky once I got home from work. Nassun, who is just eight years old whenthe world ends. She agrees to help. She did not seeNassun, on her way home from creche, stop and stare in aweand sudden, irrational hope. There are two major problems with your post:. [7], The Obelisk Gate won the Hugo Award for Best Novel in 2017. It goes forward in time to follow her and her father, Jia, as they flee from their hometown. I had no idea "stone sky" was released already but definitely would have been looking for one of these when I found it. His memory of being a Guardian is triggered by a young boy who needs him, and the two set out south in response to a vague half-remembered memory. It follows two main characters: a mother and daughter, both of whom are magically talented ("orogenes"), who were separated just before the most recent Fifth Season. Nassun, meanwhile, is barely scratching the surface of her own powers, but when she and Jija arrive at the southern comm, she meets the former Guardian Schaffa, who recognizes her limitless potential and begins to train her even as Jija believes shes going to be made normal.. Shewas once Renthree Breeder Tenteek, but that was before shefell in love with a lorist who visited Tenteek and seduced thethen-youngwoman away from a boring life as a glass-smith. Rennanis' offensive is aided by their own faction of stone eaters, who are opposed to Alabaster and Antimony's plans. No worries man! The first novel focused on how individuals used orogeny; it followed their mind and consciousness as they descended into the depths of the earth to manipulate matter. Flesh is not. Then, newly outfitted and with wounds patched, she set out onher own. Although its clear that a three-way war, or possibly even more, is being waged, its not clear who is on which side. The following version of the novel was used to create this study guide: Jemisin, J.N. Its compelling enough to keep me reading, but I thought this was a step down in ambition and in characterization from the first book. I am almost done with the book (75%), and I got a tons of questions. Is this the end or is there another book? He intends to take Nassun south, where he has heard of a group of Guardians that can "cure" Nassun of orogeny. WebThe Obelisk Gate (Spoiler Free) | REVIEW 3,918 views Jun 19, 2017 135 Dislike Share Save Thoughts on Tomes 63K subscribers In which I discuss my thoughts on The These issues are exacerbated by the appearance of a raiding party from a rival comm, Rennanis, who have left their home further north and intend to take Castrima by force. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. The Obelisk Gate is the sequel to the excellent The Fifth Season and the middle volume of the Broken Earth trilogy, N.K. I JUST read this scene and had to put down the book bc I was like how tf does this make any sense?. r/Fantasy is the internet's largest discussion forum for the greater Speculative Fiction genre. Initially unable to win in an outright attack, they besiege the comm by locating the ventilation shafts for the geode, intending to force them out into the open. It hasn't been too long since I read this, but even so I totally forgot about Essun's arm turning to stone! :). There's a shortish recap at the start of Stone Sky anyway. The songs of theearth have always been his lullaby. A few discreet inquirieslead her to Nassuns home. The other two visitors turn to stare at her, Jijas normally quietfirstborn, and only their presence stops Nassun from blurtingher intentions right then and there. Nassunsgone off to creche, too, though shes biding her time tillshe can escape at lunchtime to go find the lorist again. Alabaster is also aware of the silver energy Nassun discovered, which he identifies as magic, the true fundamental force that makes orogeny (and the mechanisms of Castrima) possible. Jemisin 4.31 138,243 ratings10,720 reviews Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Best Fantasy (2016) THE SEASON OF ENDINGS GROWS DARKER We can speculate. So why are they fighting one another? Nassun doesnt have any money beyond her allowance, yousee, and shed already spent that on books and sweets when wordcame that a lorist was in town. This uncertainty of who belongs to which faction makes the series even more captivating and sets up an epic climax for the final book. WebTHE OBELISK GATE is the second novel in an acclaimed new fantasy trilogy by Hugo, Nebula and World Fantasy Award-nominated author N. K. Jemisin. Renthree blinks in surprise at the sight of Nassun:a gangly girl who is more leg than torso, more eyes than face,and very obviously too young to be out of creche so early whenit isnt harvest season. The lorist who has come to Tirimo is named Renthree LoristStone. There are references to past civilizations building tools to use orogeny, implying that there might be a scientific basis for it. On the other hand, Steel/Gray Stone Eater wants to bring the Moon completely back to Earth--colliding the two and killing all humans (possibly Earth and the Stone Eaters, too). The second book, the middle child, becomes the bridge between the two other books. The obelisks still exist and Alabaster has learned that this network, along with energy from the rift, can be used to draw the moon back into orbit, putting an end to the Seasons. Note: this is never explained, on purpose. Do we know if the audio will be sync-ed with the Kindle version. Is this just Orbit being cheap, or is there a reason why Castrima, Jekity, and Rennanis don't appear on the map? He is about to drown when, out of desperation, he allows the entity (manifested as a force of pure rage) that powers his and the other Guardians' abilities to take control of his body for a brief period. by N. K. Jemisin. Nassun is at the hands of her crazed father in a world that is crumbling down around her, although she repeatedly performs orogeny at the horror of her father to save them from death. Nassun stops on the threshold of the way station, pantingto catch her breath, which makes for a very dramatic entrance. That's so cool! She cannot cheat him. WebThe Obelisk Gate N.K. 3. As the world descends into the new Season, Castrima must collect resources and hunt for food on the surface. During this time, Nassun travels with her father to the Antarctic. But absent any more coherentthought, and as children sometimes do in extreme situations,Nassun . She knows all the ways its possible for a second book in a trilogy to fail. Schaffa encourages Nassun to hone her skills and abilities because he believes she exists for a special purpose. Anyway. This use of his orogeny ends Alabasters life and turns him to stone. Essun's missing daughter grows more powerful every day, and her choices may destroy the world in this "magnificent" Hugo Award winner and NYT Notable Book. unthinkable. I'm on the Stone Sky now and I JUST CAN'T GET OVER THIS. Lets face it, The Fifth Season (Book One) gave us so much to think about, I felt like I needed a spreadsheet to log what I knew and what hadnt yet been revealed. Theres a thing that happens with trilogies. She is a science fiction and fantasy reviewer for theNew York Times, and you can find her online at nkjemisin.com. Goodreads Rating: 4.14/5. [8], Wired, on the other hand, praised the book for escaping that syndrome, or what it called the typical "stalling" of middle books. no. Press J to jump to the feed. So lorists are no longer Regwo, but most of them tint theirlips black in the Regwos memory. Copyright 2011 Curtail Theme on the Genesis Framework. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. Nassuns the only one whos bothered in several thousandyears. Throughout, tensions within the society of Castrima are revealed, as the coexistence of orogenes and non-orogenic people (stills) within the community is uneasy at best. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. Whenthe other two visitors get up to head home, they eye Nassun anddrop hints until she reluctantly comes with them, because thepeople of Tirimo will not have it said that they disrespected alorist by letting some child talk her to death all night. Its astonishing to recall that N. I'm reading TSS, and I've forgotten alot! What with Essuns arm turning, and an Alabaster like stone eater appearing. Shes not really afraid in this moment. A problem with the obelisks caused the moon to be thrown out of orbit, angering Father Earth who has hated the orogenes who created the obelisk system ever since. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. His fists tighten, but she cannot see him as athreat. regresses. WebThe Obelisk Gate by N. K. Jemisin. Jija is standing over his cooling corpse in the den,breathing hard. But basically: well-made crystalline matrices (i.e. like. Nassun and her father settle in Found Moon, and Nassun begins to rapidly advance through the ranks of the makeshift Fulcrum the Guardians have established. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Think of it as a logic gate. That helps, because he wouldnt havebelieved anything else. Im telling this wrong. Harry did not spit on me, Pine cleared up. Instead, Nassun meets Schaffa, her mothers Guardian who encourages Nassun to grow in her skills. It doesnt take a lot of effort to beat a toddlerto death, but he hyperventilated while he did it. I'm not surprised that nk responded (ahem, squee.) These are the dusty computers of a long lost civilization. Consider all characters wants and needs; what is propelling them? . Don't expect them to be completely functional, individually or as a network. Shes only eight. Fans of fantasy, science fiction, horror, alt history, and more can all find a home with us. Thanks so much for doing this. Within an hour they areaway, headed south with the end of the world on their heels. Facing the loss of her new home, Essun successfully uses Alabaster's training to repeat his accomplishment, tapping the power of all the obelisks worldwide to form the Obelisk Gate. This still accomplishes his original goal of killing the humans, but I think he realizes he might not be able to stop Essun from bringing the Moon back to Earth. The twin but parallel plot strands make The Obelisk Gate a much more straightforward read than its predecessor, in which time seemed deliberately obscured from the reader and the relationship between the three subplots far from clear. Jemisin, N.K. Saving this post for later. Thank you! Sorry, just saw this. and also theliving one who remains. Essun wants to find her daughter, but as an orogene in a world where such people are often killed (even by their Guardians) when a Season approaches, shes also driven toward self-preservation. Listen as Elliott and Rebekah get more and more shook as we read the sequel to the Fifth Season and second book in the Broken "The Obelisk Gate Offers No Easy Fix for a Broken World", "15 Must-Read Science Fiction And Fantasy Books Arriving This August", "Riveting 'Obelisk Gate' Shatters The Stillness", "The 11 best science fiction and fantasy novels of 2016", "Wired's Required Science Reading From 2016", "Women swept nearly every category at the 2017 Hugo Awards", "Hugo awards 2017: NK Jemisin wins best novel for second year in a row", "This Sci-Fi Author is on a Hugo Winning Streak", "Hugo Award for Best Novel 2017 given to N.K. They begin preparations to set out into the worsening Fifth Season to find a new home. Jija frowns in confusionand takes the rock, thanking her profusely after he hearsher explanation. The story is told primarily from the perspectives of Essun, a powerful orogene driven out of her home at the beginning of the first book, and Nassun, her adolescent daughter. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. This is way more detailed than I was expectingthanks for doing it! The two of them begin to piece together how the Fifth Season began. Thank you! He intends to take Nassun south, where he has heard of a group of Guardians that can "cure" Nassun of orogeny. This power structure mimics the very, very dark sides of human nature that have recurred throughout human history. Destroying a people takes only abit more effort. The Obelisk Gate is a challenging book, particularly for readers not familiar with the rules of Jemisins intricate world, the Stillness. WebIn this story of their separate journeys to find one another and to uncover the truth of their worlds terrible, cyclic wracking, Essun and Nassun face even greater challenges than they did in The Fifth Season. Initially unable to win in an outright attack, they besiege the comm by locating the ventilation shafts for the geode, intending to force them out into the open. Jija gazes after her for a long, breath-heldmoment. Perhaps thatis for the best. It introduces more elements on the workings of orogeny, focuses on a new set of characters, and brings us on a thrilling adventure to understand what is really at stake in Jemisins world. Not that they remember why,anymore. Jija walks him into the den, askinghim if hes hungry; Uche says he isnt. LibraryThing Rating: 5/5. Finally, they reach the promised settlement: a town called Found Moon, administered by a group of Guardians, though not affiliated with the Fulcrum. But if you want a simple explanation, and if there can be anyone event that became the tipping point, the camel straw, thebroken plug on the lava tube . Yes, she says. The first book really did it for me, but Ive put off starting this one. He was an excellent knapper. In a blind rage, he beats Nassun's brother to death and deducing Nassun is likely an orogene as well, abducts her as he flees Tirimo, their hometown. Are we going there? Nassun asks against his belly. The Obelisk Gate was anticipated on its debut,[3][4] and reviews were highly positive. The concept of bunkering down in a fortress as an enemy of much larger numbers prepares a siege is a classic trope of fantasy. When they arrive, they find something else entirely. Just the sight of her pulls him astep away from the primal panic into which he has descended. This is a natural survival instinct, especially when we remember she is just an adolescent child. I still maintain a hope that orogeny which is now seems somewhat pseudo-scientific and pseudo-magical might be defined in more scientific terms. The gray color of her eyes is her mothers,but the shape of her face is Jijas. [8] [9] [14], Outside of the Hugos, The Obelisk Gate was nominated for the Nebula Award for Best Novel, but lost to Charlie Jane Anders' All the Birds in the Sky. A stone eater stands at all times by his side. WebThe Obelisk Gate. They're going to sum it up, and skip a lot of the important details. Orogenes are therefore made to protect the very people that subjugate and control them. He would have figured it out eventually, one way or another. Jia had heard that they cured orogene children in a comm there. Nassun knows it has some value, but she has no inkling that thepretty rock shes just given to Renthree is worth a house or two. So when Hoa turns himself into a flesh-form, he loses a lot of who and what he truly is. everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of The Obelisk Gate. How close are we to becoming them? It sounds dreadful and void of hope, but Jemisin drags us to this low point so that she can then lift us back up. 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