I’ve noticed for the last few weeks that the reviews of The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms have come in waves. Usually there are a bunch of them on Monday; I guess people are writing them up over the weekend. I’m not sure how today will go, seeing as I’m writing this a little early in the day, but I did see one marvelous review from one of my favorite print magazines, Weird Tales. It’s short enough that I can retype it, so:
NEW AND FANTASTIC
THE HUNDRED THOUSAND KINGDOMS
by N. K. Jemisin (Orbit, $13.99, paperback)This remarkable debut novel is not steampunk, but its alchemic mix of epic fantasy, cosmic science fiction, royal court intrigue, and profound sensuality ought to excite fans of every spec-fic subgenre. The young barbarian noblewoman Yeine is summoned to the miraculous floating city-palace of Sky, where her grandfather reigns over the world and her decadent cousin toys dangerously with the enslaved god of chaos, Nahadoth. Politics mixes with sorcery as war looms; also, a phenomenal sex scene.
Nice. Adding this one to the Reviews page.
It’s part of their steampunk month, hence the steampunk reference — and may I recommend this particular issue for that, if you’ve got a steampunk leaning? I’ve only dabbled myself, but this book is chock-full of steampunk novel reviews, steampunk short stories, a fascinating pseudo-realist article about a clockwork man, and ads for the upcoming Steampunk World’s Fair… which I can’t attend, because I’ve got a relative in town that week and also will be busy that weekend. =( But you guys should totally go.
Monday is the busiest day for blogs. Maybe it is the weekend thing. Time to think and time to write on the weekend. And then on Monday, people are back to work and looking for things to read.
I like that phrase “alchemic mix”. I think it fits very well indeed.
Congratulations! I’ve just recently finished reading your book and am pretty much recommending it to everyone I know because it is awesome, so. :D
I bought this book on a whim and it was so worth it. Freshest breath of fresh air I’ve had in months. I’m even suggesting to my old teachers that they should teach a unit or a course on this. It’s amazing. Thanks and congratulations :)
I’d like to add my voice to the chorus of “thank you’s” for giving us this wonderful book. I loved it. I also kept think while reading it, this would be a kick ass anime! Like it’s been said above, it’s such a breath of fresh air in a genre that’s stifled with lots of the same. I can’t wait for Book 2.
I like it too! Though it makes me think vaguely of some new flavor of Jiffy muffin. “Alchemic Mix! Just add lead.”