Praise for The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms
The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms, out Feb. 25, is an impressive debut, which revitalizes the trope of empires whose rulers have gods at their fingertips. It feels suitably big, and yet incredibly intimate as well. And we can’t wait to read the other two volumes of the Inheritance Trilogy.
Debut fantasy features an intriguing, well-drawn mythology. At first glance, the basic plot may seem standard: A young woman, narrator/protagonist Yeine Darr, is named heir to the Hundred Thousand Kingdoms, which plunges her into a power struggle with two rival cousins. But Jemisin’s world-building and attention to detail raise this story to another level. In the novel’s complex but well-defined universe, a war between the gods took place in the distant past. The losing divinities were punished severely and forced to become the slaves of mortal humans. Yeine’s life becomes increasingly entangled with these subjugated gods as she navigates royal politics and tries to uncover the truth about her family history. Jemisin lavishes considerable care on her fictional universe, but she also creates a subtle, emotionally complex character in the thoughtful Yeine. Readers will definitely look forward to future installments of the projected Inheritance Trilogy. An offbeat, engaging tale by a talented and original newcomer.
Top Pick! This is an astounding debut novel. The worldbuilding is solid, the characterization superb, the plot complicated yet clear. Yeine is a fantastic protagonist, and her journey toward her destiny is compelling and memorable. The secondary characters are equally well done, and all the details of the world come together for a cohesive and diverse whole. Look no further for an original and thought-provoking novel.
Starred Review!When her mother dies mysteriously, outcast barbarian Yeine Darr answers a summons to the grand city of Sky from her grandfather, King Dekarta Arameri. Proclaimed one of three heirs to the throne of the Hundred Thousand Kingdoms, Yeine must learn the customs of the skyborne capital and its ruling elite before she succumbs to their treachery. Debut author Jemisin creates a mesmerizingly exotic world where fallen gods serve as slaves to the ruling class and murder and ambition go hand in hand. VERDICT: An engaging heroine and a fresh take on traditional dynastic fantasy make this trilogy opener a delight for the fantasy reader and introduce a strong new voice to the genre.
Starred Review! Convoluted without being dense, Jemisin’s engaging debut grabs readers right from the start. Yeine desires nothing more than a normal life in her “barbarian” homeland of Darr. But her mother was of the powerful Arameri family, and when Yeine is summoned to the capital city of Sky a month after her mother’s murder, she cannot refuse. Dakarta, her grandfather and the Arameri patriarch, pits her against her two cousins as a potential heir to the throne. In an increasingly deep Zelaznyesque series of political maneuverings, Yeine, nearly powerless but fiercely determined, finds potential allies among her relatives and the gods who are forced to live in Sky as servants after losing an ancient war. Multifaceted characters struggle with their individual burdens and desires, creating a complex, edge-of-your-seat story with plenty of funny, scary, and bittersweet twists.
Other reviews, which I’m tracking via Delicious.
Interviews:
Interview with me on Knitwitch’s Sci-Fi and Fantasy Zone podcast! Hear nice stuff I said about myself!
Praise for my short stories:
From io9’s Charlie Jane Anders, on “Non-Zero Probabilities”:
I love Jemisin’s clipped prose, especially as it shows her main character internalizing the sense that you can control your fate if you load up on lucky signifiers and avoid unlucky ones… The whole thing is well checking out… unless you’re already too scared of bad luck.
From Quasar Dragon, on “Cloud Dragon Skies”:
Reminiscent of several Ursula Le Guin stories, “Cloud Dragon Skies” is both enjoyable and intriguing.
From Tangent Online’s Nicole McClain, on “Bittersweet”:
Jemisin crafts a world that is both familiar—a la the inhospitable mining locales found in The Crystal Singer series by Anne McCaffrey—and not…. But the story is aptly named, and the characters and world building are well-done.
From the Carl Brandon Society’s 2006 Awards and Recommended Reading List, for “Cloud Dragon Skies”:
[Jemisin's] deft handling of the protagonist’s voice and her inner conflicts perfectly filter the larger issues of technology vs. natural order, and the consequences of humanity’s choices in this battle. Though dealing with broader concepts, the story never loses sight of the personal struggle and ramifications on an individual level, and provides a beautifully wrought conclusion to the dilemma with a melancholic weight that truly gives life to this unique character.
From Locus’s Rich Horton, on “The Narcomancer”:
The new online magazine Helix offers a particularly good third issue. Among several strong stories I’ll mention particularly… “The Narcomancer,” by N.K. Jemisin, a fairly traditionally shaped story, very well done, about a man who brings peace to those who need it by easing their way to death — at considerable personal cost, which cost is revealed as he is sent to “heal” a family torn by internal strife (rivalry between an older and younger wife) and by external strife (mysterious bandits).
From Tangent Online’s Carole Ann Moleti, on “The Narcomancer”:
There is an underlying sense of yin and yang—the blending of the female and male aspects of every human being—with an allusion to bisexuality. The unpleasant topics of rape, sexual abuse, euthanasia, and capital punishment are swathed inside the poetry and philosophy of this world. I saw allusions to Wicca, Buddhism, and other religious teachings in this beautifully written, gentle story, effecting a fantastic journey to a discovery of higher truths and the role of spirituality along the path.
From The Speculative Literature Foundation, judge Tiffany Jonas, in the writeup of the 2004 Travel Grant Award, on “L’Alchimista”:
[N. K. Jemisin]’s story sample was the standout. With a cultural and culinary emphasis reminiscent of Joanne Harris (Chocolat, Five Quarters of an Orange), the characters jump off the page, and the reader can nearly taste the garlic and onion, the seared meat, and the pappardelle.
From The Fix’s Paul S. Jenkins, on “Red Riding-Hood’s Child”:
Retelling the tale of Red Riding-Hood as a direct parallel to traditional vampire stories makes “Red Riding-Hood’s Child” a rewarding listen. Though it contains explicit sexual references, these are skilfully handled to avoid jarring or crassness. In essence, this is a simple tale with a large dose of fantasy, well written by N. K. Jemisin and given a smooth reading by Rajan Khanna. The ending, though a little abrupt, is suitably conclusive.
