The Obelisk Gate (Broken Earth Trilogy, #2)

by N. K. Jemisin

""Intricate and extraordinary."--New York Times on The Fifth Season (A New York Times Notable Book of 2015) The second novel in a new fantasy trilogy by Hugo, Nebula & World Fantasy Award nominated author N.K. Jemisin. THIS IS THE WAY THE WORLD ENDS ... FOR THE LAST TIME. The season of endings grows darker, as civilization fades into the long cold night. Essun -- once Damaya, once Syenite, now avenger -- has found shelter, but not her daughter. Instead there is Alabaster Tenring, destroyer of the world, with a request. But if Essun does what he asks, it would seal the fate of the Stillness forever. Far away, her daughter Nassun is growing in power - and her choices will break the world. 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 Earth The Fifth SeasonThe Obelisk Gate"--

"Essun--once Damaya, once Syenite, now avenger--has found shelter, but not her daughter. Instead there is Alabaster Tenring, destroyer of the world, with a request. But if Essun does what he asks, it would seal the fate of the Stillness forever. Far away, her daughter Nassun is growing in power--and her choices will break the world"--

• ISBN10: 0316229261
• ISBN13: 9780316229265
• Publish Date: 16 August 2016
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: Orbit
• Format: Paperback (US Trade)
• Pages: 448
• Language: English

Reviews

[Ben Pick]

The continuation of the series did feel to lag at times and get lost in others. The original goals and driving forces of the characters seemed to be forgotten, even as they claim it to be their motivations for acting. This suffered very much from feeling like a middle story, where the world was established in the first one and the plot is holding its breath until the conclusion of the trilogy.

[luddite]

The pacing suffers a bit from second book syndrome, but the book does a good job of setting things up for the final book. Nassun's character development piques curiosity and is confusing, making her a wildcard in the pack of characters.
3.5 rounded up because the series is just so darn interesting.

[celinenyx]

I won't recap the premise of The Obelisk Gate as it builds too much on the first book, and would contain substantial spoilers for new readers.

It is safe to say, however, that there is less diversity in the points of view in this book than in The Fifth Season, and it felt like the book was rather static. The main characters tend to stay in the same place, and this inertia almost bled over into their character as well. There was little significant growth in The Obelisk Gate, and all new plot information was spoon-fed into the characters (and by extension, us). Being told how a world works rather than the characters finding out for themselves is one of my least favourite tropes (in my head I call it the "learning from the elves" trope, where a main character disappears for a year to become a well-rounded badass). Honestly, it's just not exciting.

I understand how it was necessary, and I do think that the world Ms Jemisin created is original and interesting. The Obelisk Gate was rather slow though, and even in hindsight it feels like not a whole lot happened compared to the whirlwind of the first novel.