The Obelisk Gate

I have a bit of a habit of spacing out a series. I very rarely binge-read a series in one go and this one was no exception. If you haven’t started “The Broken Earth” series and you want to know what Hugo-winning fantasy is like, I’d go and start at the beginning with “The Fifth Season“. If you’ve read that one and you’re wondering whether you should continue on with the second book in the trilogy, step this way.

“The Obelisk Gate” by N. K. Jemisin is the second book in “The Broken Earth” trilogy. The story picks up right where the last left off. Essun is an orogene, a “rogga” who can still the Earth and more with her powers. Trying to find her daughter Nassun who has been taken away by her father after he committed an unspeakable crime, Essun has found shelter in Castrima. In this underground crystalline community that, if not welcoming to roggas, is at the very least accepting, Essun begins to find a place. However the apocalyptic Season is upon them and survival is becoming more difficult to cling to. The comm is also populated with stone eaters, a mysterious race of people that Essun distrusts with the exception of Hoa. Her old mentor Alabaster is holed up, maimed, in the clinic and under the watchful eye of his stone eater guardian Antimony, Alabaster tries to teach Essun about the secrets of their broken earth. Meanwhile, Nassun’s father has taken her to a community beyond the reaches of the Season so she can “cure herself” of being a rogga.

Just typing that out, it’s clear that there is a lot going on in this book. Jemisin is a punchy writer, no doubt, but I did feel that the immense amount of world-building and establishing of magic systems and explaining of history took the front row in this book. The first book of the series had a very unique structure, incredibly intense relationships and unparalleled character-building. This book set most of that aside, with perhaps the exception of Nassun, in favour of what felt like setting the stage for the finale. I enjoyed it, absolutely, but I was craving the intensity of the first book and I didn’t quite feel like I got it. Jemisin has developed an incredibly interesting world and the premise of the book is absolutely fascinating to me. However, I did feel like a couple of the reveals in this book were a bit heavy-handed when compared to the subtlety of the first.

Was this as good as the first book? No, I don’t think so. Will I be reading the third book in the series? Without a doubt. Should it have won the Hugo this year? You’ll have to decide that for yourself.