One of the various books I am reading right now includes The Inheritance Trilogy by N.K. Jemisin. If you look out on the internet, there is quite a bit of high praise for her works, driven in part because she is a female and black award-winning writer of fantasy. When I saw a special on this collection for Kindle for something like $3 for the trilogy a few months ago, I jumped on it, figuring I had to see what all of the fuss was about. The collection normally retails at around $23 as an ebook, which is still a bargain, but I’m not above saving money where I can, especially when I haven’t read an author’s stories before.
Deciding to put a pause on Cook’s Black Company series, I migrated to this series and finished the first book in the trilogy last night.
The story is about a young woman of whose mother was at the upper echelons of power before forsaking her heritage and running off with a ne’er-do-well “barbarian”. He mother is murdered and she is called to the seat of the empire to discover that her emperor grandfather has declared her his heir. But the honor is a double-edged sword, as he already has two other heirs and his intent is more that she should make a significant sacrifice to help decide with of the two will actually rein in the emperor’s wake after he passes. All, ostensibly, to get back at her dead mother for abandoning her duty in the first place.
Tossed into the mixture is that the empire rules as it does because it has enslaved gods at its beck and call. And they are darned powerful, dontcha know.
While I felt the book started off strong and had a fairly strong middle part, the story got weaker as it crept to the end, and I also found some of the motives of the characters unconvincing. About the point where the sex scene (with a god) came up is about the stage I felt the story went towards merely inoffensive instead of being very good. And, the basic framework of the ending was obvious from the beginning of the book, as this was a very much a zero-to-hero tale. So much so, I wonder how any more story can be told without choosing an entirely new protagonist for the second volume.
I’m left feeling unsure if I want to read the second novel, or just move on to another book. I’ll have to leave you with a “read the synopsis to see if it is more your cup of tea” kind of recommendation. It is one of those books that certain types of people will love, but I had a feeling as if I was reading another one of Brandon Sanderson’s Mistborn books written by his female alter ego, except with less on the magic theory side. Same kind of tone and themes, however. In my twenties, I probably would have been one of those people who love this book (and series). In my fifties, however, it feels too familiar to fall in love with.
No regrets, but not scratching my itch. And I think I’m needing to move away from high fantasy for a bit in my reading fare.
Reading goal update: My goal of 20 books since the beginning of September until the end of 2025 is about 3 books away from completion, which translates to about 7500 pages.
5 responses to “Reads | The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms, NK Jemisin”
At least you gave it a try. Good luck with your next read – all our tastes develop and change, so don’t feel bad about it. 🙂
I don’t feel too bad about not liking something, but I am puzzled at times as to why someone is considered so “great” when it feels like they are just churning out stuff.
That feels like a ‘big’ name who’s made their publisher rich, so the publisher hypes them and puts them on a 3-book a year contract which is too much, so they end up churning put some very ungreat stuff. 😐
I think I’ve talked myself out of reading the two companion books for the time being. It was a major turnoff when the zero became superpowered without a real good reason. 🙂
It’s especially annoying when the mistakes are so obvious. I hate sloppy work. 🤨