#n k jemisin

[haveyoureadthisbook-poll]

#the fifth season #n k jemisin #fantasy #book poll #have you read this book poll #polls

[wingsofhcpe]

Oh tell me about the fifth season I’m intrigued 👀👀

RIGHT OKAY SO real quick rundown from what I remember, after I'm done studying I'll shoot you a DM if you wanna hear more!

The Fifth Season is the first book in the Broken Earth trilogy by NK Jemisin. The main premise is that people live in a continent that's very geologically active (volcanoes, earthquakes, etc etc) and because of that they're just... used to it. Any day they expect a catastrophic geological event that will lead to a post-apocalyptic series of years that will realistically claim thousands of lives every time. These events are called Seasons, and there's already been a bunch of them (records of each at the back of the book!). So people just kinda live with that knowledge and organise their society around it.

Now, the big deal is that some people are born with Earth magic, the ability to control, predict and prevent such disasters. They're called Orogenes, and you'd think they'd be revered... but they're not. They're seen as monsters, exactly because they can also cause those disasters. There's a special school of them and all but it's mostly like a holding pen for them, they're also assigned special human handlers who are equipped to kill them should they go rogue. So it's also very much a social commentary.

The real geological horror element, though, comes from two things: first, the Obelisks, mysterious massice stone structures that just... low-key float around in the sky and are generally horribly ominous, often associated with Seasons. Second, the stone people (who iirc have a name, I just can't recall it rn). Human-like beings that are ...basically stone/gem, though, not organic. They feed exclusively on rock and are actually fuckihg terrifying exactly because not much is known about them. I can't really describe either of these more without massive spoilers though, so I'll avoid it in case you wanna read it.

There's also an ot3 queer storyline somewhere in there but it's not the focus. Pretty cool though!

As for triggers, please be warned for violence, genocide, bigotry, extreme death mostly through natural disasters, possible genocide, and child abuse. Off the top of my head.

....this was supposed to be a quick rundown but I ended up writing down pretty much all I can remember about the books huh! Anyway, I still haven't read the 3rd book but the first two were GREAT and I can't wait to get the final one and see where this story goes. I think I'd put the first book especially among my Top 10 Fave Reads in general. Hope I sold it to you too! :D

#turns out i love talking about books. who could've thought. also now i wanna reread the first book #the fifth season #n k jemisin #staliaofatreides #mar's book rambles

[truscane]

Blacktober Highlights of Previous Years: Jo Mullein from Far Sector

#blacktober #black art #black anime #black girl magic #green lantern #jo mullein #far sector #n k jemisin #hal jordan #kyle rayner #dc comics

[paperkoopa]

Been reading the Inheritance Trilogy by N.K. Jemisin again and that line made me laugh.

Bonus:

#ultrakill #kitr #kitr ultrakill #n k jemisin #inheritance trilogy #the kingdom of gods

[captainsvscaptains]

Round 2 Part 3 Poll 2

Propaganda

Ok so Leo’s basically a mechanic who built the Argo II (he also has a flying mechanical dragon that he fixed named Festus who was then destroyed for a while but that’s not important here) and is pretty much the only one who can fly it (there’s one other person, but he’s still the usual pilot). Also, the ship eventually turns back into the sentient flying dragon, which is pretty neat.

Innon’s got a fun polycule going on

#battle of the captains #tournament polls #round 2 #leo hoo #hoo leo #leo valdez #heroes of olympus #hoo pjo #pjo fandom #pjo hoo toa #riordanverse #hoo fandom #bookblr #rick riordan #the broken earth #n.k. jemisin #nk jemisin #n k jemisin #the fifth season #innon #fifth season

[caribeandthebooks]

Caribe's Fantasy TBR - Part 3

#a natural history of dragons #marie brennan #one dark window #rachel gillig #three parts dead #max gladstone #craft sequence series #a spindle splintered #alix e. harrow #a discovery of witches #deborah harkness #the hundred thousand kingdoms #n k jemisin #fantasy #adult fiction #tbr list #tbr jar #bookblr #books #book tumblr #booklr #book blog

[salomeslashes]

Okay, know what? Here are some non-horror recs just for you!

The Broken Earth Trilogy by N. K. Jemisin (First book is The Fifth Season. Adult Fantasy, in which this apocalypse is just another in a long line of apocalypses. This one wrecked me.)

Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuire (YA/Adult Fantasy. Along with the rest of the Wayward Children series, this book follows young adults who have returned to our world after having spent time in others. Contains stellar queer and trans rep [including an ace character!].)

The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert (YA Fantasy. A blend of fairytale/folktale and urban fantasy that takes a HECK of a journey and explores some fascinating themes. This one especially screams your name, as far as I can tell.)

#i-can-even-burn-salad #salome recommends #books #fantasy #the broken earth trilogy #the fifth season #n k jemisin #every heart a doorway #seanan mcguire #the hazel wood #melissa albert #queer #trans #ace #i swear i don't only read horror

[so-mordor-itis]

"There is an art to smiling in a way that others will believe. It is important to include the eyes; otherwise, people will know you hate them."

-N. K. Jemisin, The Fifth Season

#book quotes #the fifth season #n k jemisin #quotes that hit hard

[tkrbthree]

But these people are always gonna tell themselves that a little fascism is okay as long as they can still get unlimited drinks with brunch.

N K Jemisin The City We Became

#n k jemisin #the city we became #brunch #the Bronx #bronca

[ed-francesca]

A playlist for you, fellow fans of the Broken Earth Trilogy by N.K. Jemisin. These are songs I was listening to while reading the books, or songs that remind me of the story. I love these books so much.

(one day I'll be able to complete and record the song I wrote about these books.)

SONGS FOR THE BROKEN EARTH - on Spotify

#the broken earth #the broken earth trilogy #n k jemisin #n.k. jemisin #the fifth season #the obelisk gate #the stone sky

[firespirited]

her replies are an impeccable mix of blunt righteous disdain and a masterclass in shade: She puts "You should read better books" in a beautiful way later on.

and then there's this:

N.K. Jemisin: I don’t think they’re influenced by any science fiction. I think they claim to be because they think it makes them seem smart. Frankly I suspect some of those guys can’t read.

#n k jemisin #icon #sci-fi

[enbyleighlines]

Super touchy subject buuuut…

I’m unsure if this is a recent trend or I’m just getting exposed to it now, but I’m kinda sad about how much people are dumping on the “fantasy racism” trope.

Like I know the trope has problems but I also believe that it still has value.

The main arguments are that, 1. It usually doesn’t do a good job of portraying IRL racism due to the oppressed group usually being animalist, possessing superpowers, or overall just being a complete different species (think the x-men or zootopia), and 2. What’s the point of including racism in a fantasy story if you don’t have to?

And I’m not going to argue with the first point because it’s completely valid. It IS incredibly problematic.

The second point assumes that all fantasy stories are meant to be escapist fiction, which I disagree with. Fantasy stories can be escapist, but they don’t HAVE to be. Personally, my favorite fantasy stories involve forbidden gay or lesbian romances set in medieval-inspired times. For me, the appeal is that it feels familiar, yet removed enough from my life that the sympathy pain I feel is cathartic rather than overwhelming. Different stories appeal to different people for different reasons.

And again, I believe that, despite the inherent problematic nature of the fantasy racism trope, it still has value.

I am currently reading the first of a trilogy called The Broken Earth by N. K. Jemisin, and oh boy. The fantasy racism isn’t just a feature of the series; it’s the core theme. The oppressed group, called the oregenes, have the terrifying ability to manipulate thermal and kinetic energy in order to cause seismic events. They have this power from birth, and have to learn to control it at a young age, lest they slaughter people by complete accident. As such, they are treated in such horrific ways that I constantly find myself nauseated by reading the book.

They are even called by a slur, which despite being a complete made-up word, I find myself hesitant to type, because it is a clear reference to the n-word.

Is this a problematic use of fantasy racism? You can make the argument that, yes, because the people of the world have a legitimate reason to fear and oppress the oregenes. All stereotypes about certain ethnic groups being more dangerous or more prone to commit crimes are complete nonsense. But I feel like it makes the message even more abundant: Even if all the stereotypes are true, even if a group of people do pose a higher theoretical threat, that STILL doesn’t justify oppression.

Plus, isn’t it also a bit of a power fantasy? Isn’t that why so many queer folks are monsterfuckers? Don’t we see ourselves in the monster?

And yes, some people find empowerment in saying, “no, I am not a monster.” But some other people find empowerment in saying “so what if I am a monster? Am I not still deserving of love, respect, and humanity?”

I think we need to take a more nuanced approach. Fantasy racism works best, in my opinion, when it isn’t a one-to-one comparison to any one minority group. Rather, it works best when it functions as a theoretical thought experiment on the nature of prejudice as a whole. Yes, the oppressed group in a story might be a different species, with a completely different biology, but instead of thinking of it in terms of “real life racial/ethnic groups are all part of the same species, and therefore this portrayal of racism is irredeemably flawed,” we can ask questions like, “how does this explore how different groups might have opposing needs? What problems arise and what solutions can be found?”

It may be exaggerated, and it may not always line up with real life situations, but it’s still a valuable exercise on the nature of prejudice.

Sometimes, stripping abstract themes from their real-world contexts allows us to look at them with fresh eyes, to deepen our understanding while keeping that protective barrier of fantasy in place.

#long post #fantasy racism #i feel like maybe I’m setting myself up to be harassed #the broken earth trilogy #n k jemisin

[captainsvscaptains]

Round 1 Part 3 Poll 4

Propaganda

Oh my god I love chip so much he's like. He's like a sopping wet chihuahua, just soaking and dripping wet. He's like a cartoon character while his co-captains Are Not. He's the first PC to have been knocked unconscious in the campaign and it was done by a friend from his old ship he hadn't seen for years as she pantsed him in front of an islands worth of people. He rolled a really high stealth check one time (39!!) but failed the check because he wanted to "see how soft the cats hands were" and then got cursed nightmares for WEEKS afterwards. He's done more damage in fights with a butter knife than his actual swords. God he's pathetic and I love him so so much

Innon’s got a fun polycule going on

#battle of the captains #tournament polls #round 1 #jrwi chip #chip jrwi #just roll with it chip #jrwi fandom #jrwi podcast #jrwi #jrwi show #podblr #just roll with it #innon #the broken earth #the fifth season #n.k. jemisin #n k jemisin #nk jemisin #bookblr

[brnwshdbtch]

Tempted to start integrating swear words from the broken earth series into my vocabulary

#tell me rusting son of a cannibal doesnt sound metal as fuck #me: rusting earthfires i just can’t make this sentence work ! #everyone around me: what the fuck #n k jemisin #the fifth season #the obelisk gate #no spoilies or I will find you

[sofipitch]

Essun seeing Hoa for the first time: someone please give that kid brown contacts I'm begging

#i didn't notice the first time bc i was too busy building his appearance based on his description #but another character was described later as looking like him but thankfully with brown eyes and it made me laugh #is this fandom still going btw? #the fifth season #the broken earth #n k jemisin

[occasional-owl]

Schaffa broken earth. To me

#the broken earth #the fifth season #the obelisk gate #schaffa #n k jemisin #THIS IS A JOKE. unless