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The Obelisk Gate
- The Broken Earth, Book 2
- Narrated by: Robin Miles
- Length: 13 hrs and 19 mins
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The Obelisk Gate
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Buy it with
-
The Fifth Season: Booktrack Edition
- The Broken Earth, Book 1
- Written by: N. K. Jemisin
- Narrated by: Robin Miles
- Length: 15 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 79
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 73
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 73
This is the way the world ends...for the last time. It starts with the great red rift across the heart of the world's sole continent, spewing ash that blots out the sun. It starts with death, with a murdered son and a missing daughter. It starts with betrayal, and long dormant wounds rising up to fester. This is the Stillness, a land long familiar with catastrophe, where the power of the earth is wielded as a weapon. And where there is no mercy.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Amazing world-building, storytelling, and narration
- By Amazon Customer on 2023-05-14
Written by: N. K. Jemisin
-
The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms
- Written by: N. K. Jemisin
- Narrated by: Casaundra Freeman
- Length: 11 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 122
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 110
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 110
Yeine Darr is an outcast from the barbarian North. But when her mother dies under mysterious circumstances, she is summoned to the majestic city of Sky. There, to her shock, Yeine is named an heiress to the king. But the throne of the Hundred Thousand Kingdoms is not easily won, and Yeine is thrust into a vicious power struggle with cousins she never knew she had. As she fights for her life, she draws ever closer to the secrets of her mother's death and her family's bloody history.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
not as good as other Jemisin books
- By Amazon Customer on 2019-04-17
Written by: N. K. Jemisin
-
The Killing Moon
- Dreamblood, Book 1
- Written by: N. K. Jemisin
- Narrated by: Sarah Zimmerman
- Length: 12 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 58
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 52
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 52
In the ancient city-state of Gujaareh, peace is the only law. Upon its rooftops and amongst the shadows of its cobbled streets wait the Gatherers - the keepers of this peace. Priests of the dream-goddess, their duty is to harvest the magic of the sleeping mind and use it to heal, soothe . . . and kill those judged corrupt. But when a conspiracy blooms within Gujaareh's great temple, Ehiru - the most famous of the city's Gatherers - must question everything he knows.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
So good!
- By LeaLay on 2023-06-16
Written by: N. K. Jemisin
-
The City We Became
- Written by: N. K. Jemisin
- Narrated by: Robin Miles
- Length: 16 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 131
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 115
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 116
In Manhattan, a young grad student gets off the train and realizes he doesn't remember who he is, where he's from, or even his own name. But he can sense the beating heart of the city, see its history, and feel its power. In the Bronx, a Lenape gallery director discovers strange graffiti scattered throughout the city, so beautiful and powerful it's as if the paint is literally calling to her. In Brooklyn, a politician and mother finds she can hear the songs of her city, pulsing to the beat of her Louboutin heels.
-
2 out of 5 stars
-
Should have listened to the other critical reviews…
- By Sam on 2021-10-06
Written by: N. K. Jemisin
-
A Little Hatred
- Written by: Joe Abercrombie
- Narrated by: Steven Pacey
- Length: 20 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall5 out of 5 stars 645
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 563
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Story5 out of 5 stars 562
On the blood-soaked borders of Angland, Leo dan Brock struggles to win fame on the battlefield, and defeat the marauding armies of Stour Nightfall. He hopes for help from the crown. But King Jezal's son, the feckless Prince Orso, is a man who specializes in disappointments. Savine dan Glokta - socialite, investor, and daughter of the most feared man in the Union - plans to claw her way to the top of the slag-heap of society by any means necessary. But the slums boil over with a rage that all the money in the world cannot control.
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5 out of 5 stars
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found my new favorite author
- By Anonymous User on 2019-10-28
Written by: Joe Abercrombie
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Hyperion
- Written by: Dan Simmons
- Narrated by: Marc Vietor, Allyson Johnson, Kevin Pariseau, and others
- Length: 20 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 639
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 550
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 550
On the world called Hyperion, beyond the law of the Hegemony of Man, there waits the creature called the Shrike. There are those who worship it. There are those who fear it. And there are those who have vowed to destroy it. In the Valley of the Time Tombs, where huge, brooding structures move backward through time, the Shrike waits for them all.
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2 out of 5 stars
-
Simmons is a complete hack
- By FuzzyThoughts on 2021-04-14
Written by: Dan Simmons
-
The Fifth Season: Booktrack Edition
- The Broken Earth, Book 1
- Written by: N. K. Jemisin
- Narrated by: Robin Miles
- Length: 15 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 79
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 73
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 73
This is the way the world ends...for the last time. It starts with the great red rift across the heart of the world's sole continent, spewing ash that blots out the sun. It starts with death, with a murdered son and a missing daughter. It starts with betrayal, and long dormant wounds rising up to fester. This is the Stillness, a land long familiar with catastrophe, where the power of the earth is wielded as a weapon. And where there is no mercy.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Amazing world-building, storytelling, and narration
- By Amazon Customer on 2023-05-14
Written by: N. K. Jemisin
-
The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms
- Written by: N. K. Jemisin
- Narrated by: Casaundra Freeman
- Length: 11 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 122
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 110
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 110
Yeine Darr is an outcast from the barbarian North. But when her mother dies under mysterious circumstances, she is summoned to the majestic city of Sky. There, to her shock, Yeine is named an heiress to the king. But the throne of the Hundred Thousand Kingdoms is not easily won, and Yeine is thrust into a vicious power struggle with cousins she never knew she had. As she fights for her life, she draws ever closer to the secrets of her mother's death and her family's bloody history.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
not as good as other Jemisin books
- By Amazon Customer on 2019-04-17
Written by: N. K. Jemisin
-
The Killing Moon
- Dreamblood, Book 1
- Written by: N. K. Jemisin
- Narrated by: Sarah Zimmerman
- Length: 12 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 58
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 52
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 52
In the ancient city-state of Gujaareh, peace is the only law. Upon its rooftops and amongst the shadows of its cobbled streets wait the Gatherers - the keepers of this peace. Priests of the dream-goddess, their duty is to harvest the magic of the sleeping mind and use it to heal, soothe . . . and kill those judged corrupt. But when a conspiracy blooms within Gujaareh's great temple, Ehiru - the most famous of the city's Gatherers - must question everything he knows.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
So good!
- By LeaLay on 2023-06-16
Written by: N. K. Jemisin
-
The City We Became
- Written by: N. K. Jemisin
- Narrated by: Robin Miles
- Length: 16 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 131
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 115
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 116
In Manhattan, a young grad student gets off the train and realizes he doesn't remember who he is, where he's from, or even his own name. But he can sense the beating heart of the city, see its history, and feel its power. In the Bronx, a Lenape gallery director discovers strange graffiti scattered throughout the city, so beautiful and powerful it's as if the paint is literally calling to her. In Brooklyn, a politician and mother finds she can hear the songs of her city, pulsing to the beat of her Louboutin heels.
-
2 out of 5 stars
-
Should have listened to the other critical reviews…
- By Sam on 2021-10-06
Written by: N. K. Jemisin
-
A Little Hatred
- Written by: Joe Abercrombie
- Narrated by: Steven Pacey
- Length: 20 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 645
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 563
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 562
On the blood-soaked borders of Angland, Leo dan Brock struggles to win fame on the battlefield, and defeat the marauding armies of Stour Nightfall. He hopes for help from the crown. But King Jezal's son, the feckless Prince Orso, is a man who specializes in disappointments. Savine dan Glokta - socialite, investor, and daughter of the most feared man in the Union - plans to claw her way to the top of the slag-heap of society by any means necessary. But the slums boil over with a rage that all the money in the world cannot control.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
found my new favorite author
- By Anonymous User on 2019-10-28
Written by: Joe Abercrombie
-
Hyperion
- Written by: Dan Simmons
- Narrated by: Marc Vietor, Allyson Johnson, Kevin Pariseau, and others
- Length: 20 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 639
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 550
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 550
On the world called Hyperion, beyond the law of the Hegemony of Man, there waits the creature called the Shrike. There are those who worship it. There are those who fear it. And there are those who have vowed to destroy it. In the Valley of the Time Tombs, where huge, brooding structures move backward through time, the Shrike waits for them all.
-
2 out of 5 stars
-
Simmons is a complete hack
- By FuzzyThoughts on 2021-04-14
Written by: Dan Simmons
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Jade Shards
- Stories
- Written by: Fonda Lee
- Narrated by: Andrew Kishino
- Length: 3 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall0 out of 5 stars 0
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Performance0 out of 5 stars 0
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Story0 out of 5 stars 0
Fonda Lee returns to the acclaimed Green Bone Saga with four prequel short stories that delve into the personal histories of the Kaul and Ayt families.
Written by: Fonda Lee
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The Rage of Dragons
- Written by: Evan Winter
- Narrated by: Prentice Onayemi
- Length: 16 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 402
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 363
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 365
The Omehi people have been fighting an unwinnable fight for almost 200 years. The lucky ones are born gifted. One in every 2,000 women has the power to call down dragons. One in every 100 men is able to magically transform himself into a bigger, stronger, faster killing machine. Everyone else is fodder, destined to fight and die in the endless war. Young, giftless Tau knows all this, but he has a plan of escape. He's going to get himself injured, get out early, and settle down to marriage, children, and land. Only, he doesn't get the chance. Those closest to him are murdered....
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2 out of 5 stars
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Rage of meh
- By James on 2019-08-23
Written by: Evan Winter
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Gideon the Ninth
- Written by: Tamsyn Muir
- Narrated by: Moira Quirk
- Length: 16 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 515
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 442
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 441
Tamsyn Muir’s Gideon the Ninth unveils a solar system of swordplay, cut-throat politics, and lesbian necromancers. Her characters leap out of the audio, as skillfully animated as arcane revenants. The result is a heart-pounding epic science fantasy. Brought up by unfriendly, ossifying nuns, ancient retainers, and countless skeletons, Gideon is ready to abandon a life of servitude and an afterlife as a reanimated corpse.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Friggin' brilliant
- By J on 2020-10-21
Written by: Tamsyn Muir
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A Wizard of Earthsea
- The Earthsea Cycle, Book 1
- Written by: Ursula K. Le Guin
- Narrated by: Rob Inglis
- Length: 7 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 243
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 205
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 203
When Sparrowhawk casts a spell that saves his village from destruction at the hands of the invading Kargs, Ogion, the Mage of Re Albi, encourages the boy to apprentice himself in the art of wizardry. So, at the age of 13, the boy receives his true name - Ged - and gives himself over to the gentle tutelage of the Master Ogion. But impatient with the slowness of his studies and infatuated with glory, Ged embarks for the Island of Roke, where the highest arts of wizardry are taught.
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3 out of 5 stars
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Wish there had been more
- By girorv on 2019-04-06
Written by: Ursula K. Le Guin
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Malice
- Written by: John Gwynne
- Narrated by: Damian Lynch
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- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 143
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 126
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 126
The Banished Lands has a violent past where armies of men and giants clashed in battle, but now giants are seen, the stones weep blood, and giant wyrms are stirring. Those who can still read the signs see a threat far greater than the ancient wars. For if the Black Sun gains ascendancy, mankind's hopes and dreams will fall to dust....
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4 out of 5 stars
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Great narrator in the fight scenes.
- By David on 2020-04-27
Written by: John Gwynne
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Forsworn: A Powder Mage Novella
- Written by: Brian McClellan
- Narrated by: Julie Hoverson
- Length: 2 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4 out of 5 stars 1
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Performance4 out of 5 stars 1
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Story4 out of 5 stars 1
Erika ja Leora is a powder mage in northern Kez, a place where that particular sorcery is punishable by death. She is only protected by her family name and her position as heir to a duchy. When she decides to help a young commoner-a powder mage marked for death, fugitive from the law-she puts her life and family reputation at risk and sets off to deliver her new ward to the safety of Adro while playing cat and mouse with the king's own mage hunters and their captain, Duke Nikslaus.
Written by: Brian McClellan
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Kings of the Wyld
- Written by: Nicholas Eames
- Narrated by: Jeff Harding
- Length: 17 hrs and 49 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 436
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 392
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 389
A retired group of legendary mercenaries get the band back together for one last impossible mission in this award-winning debut epic fantasy. Clay Cooper and his band were once the best of the best, the most feared and renowned crew of mercenaries this side of the Heartwyld. Their glory days long past, the mercs have grown apart and grown old, fat, drunk, or a combination of the three. Then an ex-bandmate turns up at Clay's door with a plea for help - the kind of mission that only the very brave or the very stupid would sign up for. It's time to get the band back together.
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4 out of 5 stars
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standard fair for today
- By Literary Lover on 2022-02-21
Written by: Nicholas Eames
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All Systems Red (Dramatized Adaptation)
- The Murderbot Diaries, Book 1
- Written by: Martha Wells
- Narrated by: Alejandro Ruiz, Bradley Foster Smith, Holly Adams, and others
- Length: 2 hrs and 33 mins
- Original Recording
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Overall0 out of 5 stars 0
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Performance0 out of 5 stars 0
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Story0 out of 5 stars 0
In a corporate-dominated spacefaring future, planetary missions must be approved and supplied by the Company. Exploratory teams are accompanied by Company-supplied security androids, for their own safety. But in a society where contracts are awarded to the lowest bidder, safety isn’t a primary concern. On a distant planet, a team of scientists are conducting surface tests, shadowed by their Company-supplied ‘droid—a self-aware SecUnit that has hacked its own governor module, and refers to itself (though never out loud) as “Murderbot.”
Written by: Martha Wells
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Parable of the Sower
- Written by: Octavia E. Butler
- Narrated by: Lynne Thigpen
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 305
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 275
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 275
God is change. That is the central truth of the Earthseed movement, whose unlikely prophet is 18-year-old Lauren Olamina. The young woman's diary entries tell the story of her life amid a violent 21st-century hell of walled neighborhoods and drug-crazed pyromaniacs - and reveal her evolving Earthseed philosophy. Against a backdrop of horror emerges a message of hope: if we are willing to embrace divine change, we will survive to fulfill our destiny among the stars.
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4 out of 5 stars
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First Afrofuturism, first futurism and it’s a yes!
- By Heather Connell on 2020-09-03
Written by: Octavia E. Butler
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The Black Prism
- Written by: Brent Weeks
- Narrated by: Simon Vance
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 697
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 628
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 627
Guile is the Prism. He is high priest and emperor, a man whose power, wit, and charm are all that preserves a tenuous peace. Yet Prisms never last, and Guile knows exactly how long he has left to live. When Guile discovers he has a son, born in a far kingdom after the war that put him in power, he must decide how much he's willing to pay to protect a secret that could tear his world apart.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Awesome!
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The Lies of Locke Lamora
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- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,054
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 930
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 927
They say that the Thorn of Camorr can beat anyone in a fight. They say he steals from the rich and gives to the poor. They say he's part man, part myth, and mostly street-corner rumor. And they are wrong on every count. Only averagely tall, slender, and god-awful with a sword, Locke Lamora is the fabled Thorn, and the greatest weapons at his disposal are his wit and cunning. He steals from the rich - they're the only ones worth stealing from - but the poor can go steal for themselves.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Twists and Turns.
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Written by: Scott Lynch
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The Mad Lancers
- A Powder Mage Novella
- Written by: Brian McClellan
- Narrated by: Julie Hoverson
- Length: 3 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 11
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Performance3.5 out of 5 stars 10
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 10
In the colonial cities and towns of Fatrasta, peace has never been easy. Immigrants fight amongst themselves or turn on the native population, while the governing power of the Kez Army steps in only to enforce the will of apathetic local governors assigned by a distant crown. Young war hero Ben Styke commands a colonial garrison in a sleepy frontier suburb.
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4 out of 5 stars
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Narrator got on my nerves.
- By Justen on 2022-02-03
Written by: Brian McClellan
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.
What the critics say
Featured Article: The Best Female Narrators You Can Listen To All Day
When considering a new audiobook, one of the biggest questions listeners have is whether they’ll enjoy the narration style. This is understandable as audiobooks span at least a few hours, and sticking with one person’s voice for that period can feel like a big commitment. Luckily, there are so many excellent voice actors performing audiobooks that you might just find yourself gravitating to certain audiobooks based solely on the narrator’s strength.
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What listeners say about The Obelisk Gate
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- sean
- 2019-12-11
Exceptional Storytelling and Narration
The pacing in this book is incredible, it moves along with every chapter, bringing more and more to the story. I cruised through this book in a third of the time it took me to finish the first.
With the addition of each new character it feels as if the narrator gets to flex her impressive skill even more. She helps build the world, giving each important voice a personal flair that makes it unmistakably unique.
The story takes off at a breakneck pace, never dropping you. It kept me listening long after I would have regularly switched to something else and constantly rewinding and re-listening in case I missed an important line.
N.K. Jemisin builds a remarkable and one of a kind world that, once it draws you in, presents you with mystery after mystery that you can't wait to hear solved. The way each new discovery layers over previous shows her skill in building a world that both makes sense and is fascinating in its obscured past.
I can't wait to start the next book in the series... In fact, I think I will right now.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Tom Burns
- 2023-03-30
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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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Señor Gonzalito d'LaCaza
- 2023-03-26
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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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Jamie @ Books and Ladders
- 2022-10-11
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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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Cynthia S.
- 2022-08-17
A very good second book
A very good continuation of the first book in The Broken Earth series. Robin Miles delivers another well-paced and appropriately accented performance, bringing different voices to the characters. I struggled a little with the introduction of so many characters that turned out to be somewhat disposable (and sometimes disposed of) but otherwise a brilliant narrative. Looking forward to delve into the third book.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- justine martin
- 2021-07-09
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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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Langer MD
- 2020-01-04
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, believable ' human' prejudices. She writes very well, fleshing out her concepts.
This second in the Broken Earth Trilogy follows two plotlines, not degning to bring them together except very superficially. 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 starts to suffer from "Battlestar Galactica Syndrome". It gets bogged down in clever metaphysics. I also don't understand her fascination with gay sex, or her insistence on using the First Person Immersive 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 3.5 out of 5 stars.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 2019-11-06
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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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Artem B
- 2019-08-02
Novel, but flawed
Decent story, performer occasionally makes mistakes in pronounciation/goes over the top. Plot sometimes irrational, hard to connect to. E.g. main character destroys a large city where she didn't have to, and the book does not address the moral issues with that. Just proceeds as if that's what anyone would do. Lots of focus on father/daughter issues, need for strong male, etc.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- ERICA
- 2019-07-24
great story line
great story line though sometimes a little difficult to follow if your attention wanders. The woman who reads is absolutely fantastic
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Jesslyn H
- 2016-08-29
Miles is becoming my favorite narrator
Can I give this 10 stars? Jemisin is a freaking writing god. If anything, this was better than the 1st book. I rate this series alongside the Stormlight Archive and have no doubts that I'll be reading and rereading them both many, many times.
The narration was just beautiful. I love the varied accents that Miles can bring to the table.
My only complaint is that the audio and Kindle versions aren't synced so I had to always make sure I switched back and forth at a chapter break. That is more than a bit of a pain.
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50 people found this helpful
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Vincent Jeffries
- 2018-07-22
Enjoyed This, But Won't be Finishing the Series
I really liked the Fifth Season, but struggled a bit to finish this second entry to the Trilogy and won't be reading the last volume.
Jemisin is clearly an accomplished writer and imagines a very rich fantasy world. I never encapsulate plots in my reviews as there are many great resources for that. The themes (to the extent I can comprehend them) of class, race, family and tribalism along with gender contrasts are well presented and thoughtful. There is much to like about this book and it's understandable that NKJ has won many awards for Broken Earth books.
For me, this book suffered a bit from middle-book issues that tend to favor world and character setups over plot developments and resolutions. I can see the conflicts and concerns that will be likely be addressed in the third book, but I don't think I'll invest any more time to find out.
The narration is excellent, and overall, my feelings about the book are positive, but I can't give it a warmer recommendation than that. This is probably a result of my personal feelings about the characters whom I ended up caring less about at the end of this book compared to how deeply invested I was in this story after the Fifth Season.
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21 people found this helpful
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Heather
- 2017-06-20
Interesting Reveals but Mostly Filler
As a follow up to book one, I found this book to be mostly filler. It was one of those books where I was willing to give the author a pass on some style choices but then it really got on my nerves towards the end.
What I enjoyed - We get to learn some interesting information on why there are the seasons. I like the idea of post-humans evolving special abilities (I think that's what happened, anyway). We learn a lot more about the different types of post-humans and their function. Nessun was interesting to see how she learns and deals with her past. I liked the interactions with Alabaster and learning more about stone-eaters. It's a very interesting world she has created.
I had hope, after book one, that she was going the direction of Mark Lawrence's first two series. The idea of a future Earth where they are interacting with old tech that we recognize. While I believe there was this tech in "Obelisk Gate," I could not determine what she was implying they were interacting with. I was especially disappointed when we learn there is magic (instead of them just being post-humans). Finding out that magic is in everything felt like - oh, it's just pantheism. It was like something unique just became cliché with these choices.
The author continues the issues with murkiness in other ways: The use of pronouns became very confusing with several choices the author made. One is the continued choice of using a second person pov for Essun. There are also sections with first person pov and others with third person but you don't know who is talking or being talked to. There are also quotes with redacted parts at the beginning of chapters. I found myself often unsure of what person a pronoun was referring to and the style felt pretentious and not well-deployed.
Another source of annoyance is the extensive focus on everyone's appearance - their hair especially. I have no idea why we should care. Is she trying to imply the movement of humans/post-humans through Earth? As an aside - also there is so much focus on the interpersonal community stuff and I just didn't see how it was relevant to the plot in the end.
The book was okay, but I just think the author fell victim to hubris. I do admire her creativity but she was unsuccessful at implementation of her ideas. She made too many bad style choices and needed more editing.
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18 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- S. Hayes
- 2016-08-27
Excellence - A rare gem
If you could sum up The Obelisk Gate in three words, what would they be?
This books continues the story lines from book one. The world is going through another season but this one will last thousands of years with the resulting planet being inhabitable. But the people do not accept this or understand it. It seams that the extinction of the human race is eminent but Alabaster has been to the mountain top and returns (broken and half-dead himself) to tell the only person who can finish what he started to heal the Earth. Tons of questions are answered. Revelations are realized. Nassun comes of age in this madness. Essun grows in her craft, realizes her potential and that she can't do it alone.
It is nothing like N.K. Jemisin's other series which is nothing short of amazing because world building is hard and that is exactly what the writer does here. Among horrifying post-apocalyptic events, dogmatic guardians who believe their evil is good, the mysterious absence and presence of celestial staples we continue to learn about the relationships of the characters, their histories as to how they came to be who they are and one I didn't see coming...Father Earth.
What did you like best about this story?
This books has something for fans of Octavia Butler, Jules Verne, world ending scenarios, dysfunctional families and of course...N. K. Jemisin.
Which character – as performed by Robin Miles – was your favorite?
Alabaster (sp?). I think Robin did an excellent job capturing his unique personality and quirks.
Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?
The constant struggle for acceptance for who a person is as a human being.
Any additional comments?
This is the third world built by this author. I don't know many who can do this. I am not surprised that the author won a Hugo for this series.
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17 people found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Darwin8u
- 2020-02-01
Father Earth's Lost Child
"But just because you can’t see or understand a thing doesn’t mean it can’t hurt you.”
- N.K. Jemisin
Book two in the Broken Earth trilogy, The Obelisk Gate is reallytwo (well perhaps three) stories woven together. Essun, the primary focus of Book 1 (three stories/narrators in one, perhaps?), and her daughter Nassun This really is one book, but it is a bit like juggling how talented Jemisin is at transitioning voices, perspectives, weaving up/down/forward/backward/in/out and creating a story out of the Earth and out of a mother's need to find her daughter.
If you consider these three books to be one, with one giant narrative arc (which you should) this is the point where the momentum twists, where it seems for a second or forever, like the death of the world will never end. But then the gravity of the series pulls the story back down again and accelerates the reader right into book three.
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14 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- theresa saso
- 2016-09-06
Love this series!!!
Where does The Obelisk Gate rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?
Current fave in all fiction
What about Robin Miles’s performance did you like?
Mile's voice is like a massage on my ears, and her performance drops me right into the middle of this world.
Any additional comments?
Such an amazingly rich and different world. Extremely unique and a wonderful travel experience. I'm going to listen to the first book again right now.
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14 people found this helpful
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- just for reviews
- 2019-03-13
Mostly ok, but confusing
Because of the way this book is written, critical parts of it are very confusing. There are sections where you cannot tell through the narration process which character is telling certain important parts of the story. Probably in the text the author might use fonts or something tho give readers clues, but it leaves listeners guessing. The story is good enough to continue the series and hope the parts come together in the end, but it might require a trip to the library.
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13 people found this helpful
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Rudranil
- 2018-08-06
Like a song with beautiful lyrics, but dull tune..
All the 3 books in the series have beautiful prose. But, the pace is agonizingly slow. Same things are repeated countless times before anything actually happens and the story moves forward. In the end, I just finished the last book only out of obligation to complete the series, but can't say I enjoyed the journey.
The narration, however, is top notch. It complements the beautiful prose and elevates it to a magical level.
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13 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Brian Gray
- 2016-10-31
Loving and recommending frequently
Still living this amazing trilogy from N K Jemisin. The characters are so real and 3 dimensional, the story is fascinating–I really never want to be not reading this book–and the metaphor to our own world makes the reading a thoughtful experience. obelisk gate also somehow contains even more reveals and surprises even though it essentially picks up just where broken earth left off. I can't wait for the final installment.
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10 people found this helpful
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story2 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 2018-12-28
First book was better
Narrator was great, but towards the end the story was dry. Almost didn't finish. Probably won't start the next book.
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7 people found this helpful