N.K. Jemisin is the Greatest Author of our Generation

Discussion in 'Non-WOT - Literature and Fiction' started by Jeffan Caliarthan, Jun 26, 2018.

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  1. Tallan Daar

    Tallan Daar Aes Sedai Director of Research and Records Historian Forum Moderator

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    It's been six years since I read it so I don't remember details, but I remember liking that book the least in the trilogy. :cheese Maybe a character thing? The first book had Yeine and everything was new and shiny, and the third was about my fave Sieh.

    I should reread them, actually. I've read the first book twice, but not the others.
     
    Tallan Daar, Aug 1, 2018
    #21
  2. Stephen Lightheart

    Stephen Lightheart Aes Sedai

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    I felt that the viewpoint especially was absolute art. I think it might be the best-written book I've ever read. Possibly not the best, since the Sanderson-avalanche beats everything else, but definitely the best prose ever. The way she writes the blind pov is just so mind-blowingly good. I quite enjoyed her second-person-present in the new trilogy as well, but nothing beats the blind viewpoint.

    Also, I ramble, and my description isn't nearly eloquent enough to do her amazing writing any justice at all.
     
    Stephen Lightheart, Aug 1, 2018
    #22
  3. Tallan Daar

    Tallan Daar Aes Sedai Director of Research and Records Historian Forum Moderator

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    And she did it! The 2018 Hugo for Best Novel went to The Stone Sky! :joy

     
    Last edited: Aug 20, 2018
    Tallan Daar, Aug 20, 2018
    #23
  4. Cahalan Sothron

    Cahalan Sothron Aes Sedai Head of the Blue Ajah

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    That is so fantastic and well deserved. :joy
     
    Cahalan Sothron, Aug 20, 2018
    #24
  5. Jeffan Caliarthan

    Jeffan Caliarthan Aes Sedai

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    :D :D :D
     
    Jeffan Caliarthan, Aug 20, 2018
    #25
  6. Bruce al'Kay

    Bruce al'Kay Novice

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    I just finished Fifth Season on audiobook (because that's how I read). I have many thoughts and feelings. Chief among them is that I am going right now to audible right now and get Obleisk Gate.
     
    Bruce al'Kay, Aug 31, 2018
    #26
  7. Jeffan Caliarthan

    Jeffan Caliarthan Aes Sedai

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    You'll be happy to know that The Obelisk Gate starts off in the same conversation that The Fifth Season ended with.
     
    Jeffan Caliarthan, Aug 31, 2018
    #27
  8. Bruce al'Kay

    Bruce al'Kay Novice

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    Excellent. I think I'm going to need like... a day of downtime to process before I jump back in.
     
    Bruce al'Kay, Aug 31, 2018
    #28
  9. Stephen Lightheart

    Stephen Lightheart Aes Sedai

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    Huh! I read each book as it came out, and never realized that!
     
    Stephen Lightheart, Sep 1, 2018
    #29
  10. Ilverin Matriam

    Ilverin Matriam Aes Sedai Outreach Activities Coordinator Historian

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    I started listening to The Fifth season on Audible and I am like 5 chapters in. It's a bit difficult to get into the world at first, I hope I understand everything, since I am listening to it and not reading...
     
    Ilverin Matriam, Sep 12, 2018
    #30
  11. Eluial Aldaran

    Eluial Aldaran Aes Sedai Head of the Brown Ajah

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    I just started Obelisk Gate a couple days ago (immediately after finishing Fifth Season) and I was incredibly relieved to discover this :lol
     
    Eluial Aldaran, Sep 12, 2018
    #31
  12. Ilverin Matriam

    Ilverin Matriam Aes Sedai Outreach Activities Coordinator Historian

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    I finished The Fifth Season yesterday and it took a nice turn, I liked it :D What I don't like though is the deeply explained sex scenes... did we get ANY information from them? Why did I need to listen to this? (also I was in the train, so it wasnt a good time to listen to them anyway :look ) Anyone else think like this?
     
    Ilverin Matriam, Sep 17, 2018
    #32
  13. Bruce al'Kay

    Bruce al'Kay Novice

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    At first I thought of

    Their polyamorous relationship with the pirate captain (Can't remember his name)

    Which didn't bother me but also didn't enhance the story for me.

    If you meant

    the scenes between Syenite and Baster in the beginning when Syenite is commanded to have a baby with Alabaster

    Those scenes definitely served a purpose in my opinion, to show how much control Syen's overlords had over her and how ingrained in her obedience had become. Plus how little the two of them enjoyed the experience.

    So I'm not sure.
     
    Bruce al'Kay, Sep 17, 2018
    #33
  14. Ilverin Matriam

    Ilverin Matriam Aes Sedai Outreach Activities Coordinator Historian

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    yeah that first thing you mentioned... I don't know, I thought it was just a sex scene for a sex scene's sake :cheese
     
    Ilverin Matriam, Sep 18, 2018
    #34
  15. Eluial Aldaran

    Eluial Aldaran Aes Sedai Head of the Brown Ajah

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    I think the sex scenes helped further illustrate...
    the strange and growing relationship between Syen and Baster, as facilitated by Innon. Also bisexual male representation :cheese

    She could have done it differently, sure. But she chose to illustrate that stuff in that way. I think it worked well in the context off the books, showing that the island was literally the only place both Baster and Syen had ever been happy in their lives up to that point. A loving relationship and enjoyable sex is an important part of that, especially for Baster, considering what the Fulcrum had made him do over many, many years.

    I mean, I think it's totally fine that you didn't like it. I don't think one has to like every part of a book to enjoy the book overall. But I think it did serve a purpose in the context of the greater story.
     
    Eluial Aldaran, Sep 18, 2018
    #35
  16. Stephen Lightheart

    Stephen Lightheart Aes Sedai

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    I'm usually super Mormon about sex scenes, but these didn't bother me at all. They really helped build the characters.
     
    Stephen Lightheart, Sep 18, 2018
    #36
  17. Bina al'Natan

    Bina al'Natan Citizen

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    Listening to The Fifth Season on Audible at the moment. The first person narration when you are listening to it is very different to anything ever but I am enjoying it a lot.
     
    Bina al'Natan, Sep 19, 2018
    #37
  18. Tazren Talamar

    Tazren Talamar Gaidin

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    Not sure whether I like Inheritance or Broken Earth better - been too long since I've read the latter. But both are awesome. Dreamblood was good and had a very nice setting, but I wasn't quite as amazed by it. Jemisin is definitely one of my favourite authors.
     
    Tazren Talamar, Oct 12, 2018
    #38
  19. Polegnyn Nemeara

    Polegnyn Nemeara Aes Sedai

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    Jumping on the Jemisin bandwagon! Almost halfway through the Broken Earth series and really enjoying it. Bought my own copies of the books last night. I’ll probably go back and read the samples of her other stories once this series is complete.

    Not exactly sure what intrigues me about the series since I usually dislike gritty post-apocalyptic stories. Her writing style for this series is interesting for sure. Its bluntness works well for the setting. She doesn’t quite “break the 4th wall” as in a movie, but I like how she includes internal monologue within each situation.

    I’ve noticed this series has a lot to do with earth energy. Do her other books focus around other elemental energies such as water, fire, etc?
     
    Polegnyn Nemeara, Oct 27, 2018
    #39
  20. Ashlyn Sindal

    Ashlyn Sindal Aes Sedai

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    I finished The Fifth Season a few days ago. It's easily one of the best books I've read, and I've been recommending it to basically everyone I know. I'm super impressed by how well Jemisin manages to write a world full of truly horrific things without the story ever feeling bleak and hopeless and without even a hint of shock value.
     
    Ashlyn Sindal, Dec 2, 2018
    #40
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