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  • The Obelisk Gate

  • The Broken Earth, Book 2
  • Written by: N. K. Jemisin
  • Narrated by: Robin Miles
  • Length: 13 hrs and 19 mins
  • 4.7 out of 5 stars (584 ratings)

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The Obelisk Gate

Written by: N. K. Jemisin
Narrated by: Robin Miles
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Publisher's Summary

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.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your My Library section along with the audio.

©2016 N.K. Jemisin (P)2016 Hachette Audio
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What the critics say

"Exceptional." ( Library Journal)
"Robin Miles continues as narrator, and the large cast of characters allows her to draw on her vast store of accents. Her narration is intimate and engaged, and she enriches the complicated relationships.... Miles draws out the emotions - sometimes volatile, sometimes seething beneath the surface--as the complexities of this postapocalyptic world unfold." ( AudioFile)

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What listeners say about The Obelisk Gate

Average Customer Ratings
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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Loved it!

Original and imaginative. Great narrator to boot!

I haven't read (listened to) anything quite like it before. Highly recommend to sci fi or fantasy readers.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Not quite as good as the first in series, IMO

Winner of the 2017 Hugo Award and second in the trilogy. I didn't think this book was quite as interesting as the first, but then, it's hard for a second book to live up to the first since it doesn't have that "everything's new" element of surprise. Still, there were a few new things introduced or elaborated on; we learned more about the Guardians, and a lot more about the other intelligent species present on this world beside humans, the Stone Eaters.

Like the first book, this one alternates between viewpoints of different characters. This time our three main storytellers are Essun, from the first book; Nassun, her daughter; and one of the Stone Eaters (though only a small amount from him). The book is basically a search journey, following Essun until she settles in Castrima; and Nassun, following her separate journey and eventual settling into a new home also. There is a lot more detail about the world, its history and legends, its magic systems, and how life on it is affected by the Seasons of hostile climate. We also learn what it is that "angered Father earth" and caused the seasons of cataclysms to start in the first place. I'm a little less enamoured of the ancient-races-built-technological-marvels thing with the obelisks since the seem a little deus-ex-machina to me, but I'm willing to see where this goes in the third and final book of the trilogy before passing judgement.

Again I found the characters and world very interesting and detailed, but found the actual writing a little hard to get into, and I still can't put my finger on why. This isn't a book to be read quickly or with impatience, but it probably is a book I could reread multiple times and continue to get new things out of it each time. I am looking forward to picking up the concluding book and seeing how it all finally ties together and concludes.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Weakest of the Trilogy

This book brings the Stillness into greater detail. Jemisin has envisioned a startlingly realistic fantasy setting: A dynamic, dying planet, social castes, different species, powerful mutations, and believable "human" prejudices. She writes very well, fleshing out her concepts.
This second in the Broken Earth Trilogy follows two plotlines, not deigning to bring them together except very superficially. It's a good set-up for the third novel, but not really able to stand on it's own. The action is too spaced - diluted throughout the novel - a shame given Jemisin's talent for writing with pulse-pounding pace when she wants to.
Unfortunately, this novel also starts to suffer from "Battlestar Galactica Syndrome". It gets bogged down in clever metaphysics. Additionally, I don't understand her fascination with gay sex, or her insistence on using the Second Person perspective. Telling her reader "You feel angry" or "You think about..." is presumptuous. Just tell us the story...we'll figure out what we feel.

Robin Myles is again an above average reader. She fleshes out some unique dialects - combinations of East Indian, Scottish, and Irish accents. - depending on the character's birthplace in the Stillness. Brilliant. She unfortunately has a tendency to lecture rather than relate the story.

I give this installment 7 out of 10 stars.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

World building at it's creative best

The story was beauitfully crafted to give a vivid image of what was happening. Overall a solid book with a plot that could go anywhere. There was once or twice that I went back and listened to a part again to make sure I understood, but otherwise it was clear throughout.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Can’t wait to read book 3

Take awhile to get into the action, but I loved this book. The reader is also very good at changing voices.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Intriguing Setting, Story and Characters

Very intriguing scifi fantasy setting and story. Looking forward to the next book in the series as well as other titles by N.K. Jemison.
The narrator/VO artist, Robin Miles, was AMAZING!

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Excellent Saga

One of the best sci Fi I have read in my Life. will join the canon of the classics in due time. likely after the movies and aeries come out it will be common parlance in the various cultural communities as one of the must reads in your lifetime.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

So creative and engaging

this series has got me hooked.

the world is so creative and deep, the characters are relatable and well written.

highly recommend

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

wonderful!

if i could rate this higher than 5 stars i would!!! this is a wonderful story!

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Amazing!

Content Warning: Assault, Child abuse, Child death, Gore, Infanticide, Murder, Physical abuse, and Violence

Holy shit, this was so good!! I can't believe this was better than the first but this was more than a work of art. This answered all the questions I had from The Fifth Season and opened the world up so much more. I was concerned about how we would continue the story since the first book was basically following only one character but it transitioned so perfectly.

This has some of the best writing, character development, and magic of any fantasy series I've ever read. If you haven't already read this series, start today!

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