the obelisk gate explained

There is something to live for. Alabaster states that his fracturing of the continent was a method to generate enough raw geological heat and power to allow a sufficiently powerful orogene to use the obelisks to recapture the Moon and end the Fifth Seasons (its highly elliptical orbit is one of the reasons for the geologic instability of the Stillness). Nassuns the only one whos bothered in several thousandyears. I am me, and you. [8], Wired, on the other hand, praised the book for escaping that syndrome, or what it called the typical "stalling" of middle books. Meanwhile, Nassuns father, Jija, takes her to Found Moon, a place he believes can cure his daughter of her magical abilities. Orogenes are therefore made to protect the very people that subjugate and control them. Blinks. [9][10][15], Outside of the Hugos, The Obelisk Gate was nominated for the Nebula Award for Best Novel, but lost to Charlie Jane Anders' All the Birds in the Sky. Throughout, tensions within the society of Castrima are revealed, as the coexistence of orogenes and non-orogenic people (stills) within the community is uneasy at best. The words, in his lisping toddler-language,are cute. Greater mysteries, too, with answers offered from strange sources that compel and tantalize, if they can be trusted. Shes not really afraid in this moment. Jemisin, N.K. Alabaster is also aware of the silver energy Nassun discovered, which he identifies as magic, the true fundamental force that makes orogeny (and the mechanisms of Castrima) possible. Writing for NPR, poet Amal El-Mohtar said that "Not only could I not put it downI couldn't come up for air long enough to comment on it while forsaking sleep and food in order to finish it", continuing on to say that "It pole vaults over the expectations I had for what epic fantasy should be and stands in magnificent testimony to what it could be. No.. Nassun is at the hands of her crazed father in a world that is crumbling down around her, although she repeatedly performs orogeny at the horror of her father to save them from death. He is about to drown when, out of desperation, he allows the entity (manifested as a force of pure rage) that powers his and the other Guardians' abilities to take control of his body for a brief period. Jemisin Makes Hugo Awards History With 'The Obelisk Gate', "2017 Hugo winners: excellent writing and editing by brilliant women", "This year's Nebula Award nominees are incredibly diverse read some online", "Here are the winners of this year's Nebula Awards", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Obelisk_Gate&oldid=1125264185, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 3 December 2022, at 02:51. She knows her story needs to slowly unfurl, which gives us time to do a number of things: 1. Although we still dont know if he is good or bad, its a stark contrast with the first book, where he is depicted as outright evil. . Shejust knows that she wants very very much to leave Tirimo. When the time to vote arrives Essun destroys the ballot box. [15] [16] It won RT Book Reviews' 2016 award for best high fantasy novel.[17]. Schaffa is transformed from an evil, robot-like Guardian into a thoughful and complex character. [1], The Obelisk Gate takes place on a single supercontinent, the Stillness, which suffers from catastrophic climate change every few centuries (the so-called "Fifth Season"). Damaya was herselfand the family that rejected her and the people of the Fulcrum whochiseled her to a fine point. So lorists are no longer Regwo, but most of them tint theirlips black in the Regwos memory. It introduces more elements on the workings of orogeny, focuses on a new His fists tighten, but she cannot see him as athreat. Essun and Nassun are both good people, with credible emotional reactions to setbacks and obstacles, but neither is particularly interesting or compelling; you root for these characters because they represent hope, for themselves and humanity, not out of any direct empathy for or interest in either of them. Essun uses the Obelisk Gate to defeat the enemies but the geode is damaged so badly the people of the comm can no longer live there. WebThe Obelisk Gate N.K. His memory of being a Guardian is triggered by a young boy who needs him, and the two set out south in response to a vague half-remembered memory. Basically a pseudo-telepathic command console. Jemisin", "N.K. Hope that helps. It's been a few weeks since I read the last book and I have the memory of a goldfish so this will probably be vaguely incorrect. I'm reading TSS, and I've forgotten alot! The collected thoughts of sportswriter, bookworm, & food critic Keith Law. Nassun has no idea what a lorist really does, of course. Castrima is saved, but the mechanisms of the geode have been irreparably damaged by the assault, and the comm faces starvation and suffocation if they remain. I JUST read this scene and had to put down the book bc I was like how tf does this make any sense?. Ykka, the comm's leader, is an orogene herself, and due to her influence, orogenes are permitted to live openly alongside others. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Destroying a people takes only abit more effort. Shes only eight. 3. [7], Niall Alexander, on Tor.com, by contrast, was critical of The Obelisk Gate for falling into what he called "middle volume syndrome", believing that the bookWired, on the other hand, praised the book for escaping that syndrome, or what it called the typical "stalling" of middle books. This was great). The songs of theearth have always been his lullaby. Fans of fantasy, science fiction, horror, alt history, and more can all find a home with us. The first one is easy. [I think the answer here lies in the fact that Hoa was the narrator, established about somewhere halfway through the book. He intends to take Nassun south, where he has heard of a group of Guardians that can "cure" Nassun of orogeny. She knows all the ways its possible for a second book in a trilogy to fail. Because Alabaster can no longer access to what he calls the Obelisk Gate, a punishment for having used it once, he asks Essun to finish what he started. Renthree blinks in surprise at the sight of Nassun:a gangly girl who is more leg than torso, more eyes than face,and very obviously too young to be out of creche so early whenit isnt harvest season. Whereas The Fifth Season focused on introducing characters, setting, and orogeny, The Obelisk Gate focuses on what is really at stake in Jemisins world. This is great. [7], The Obelisk Gate won the Hugo Award for Best Novel in 2017. These are the dusty computers of a long lost civilization. Schaffa is drowning underwater in the aftermath, until a mysterious voice speaks to him and lends him the strength to escape. Her reason for doing it is still unclear to me. As revealed at the end of The Fifth Season, the Moon has not been seen for at least several thousand years prior to the events of the book, and most are not aware it ever existed. . Realizing what she has done, Essun swears that Alabasters act of giving his life to save the people of Castrima will not have been done in vain. That conceit ended up working in the books favor, increasing the tension (and perhaps baiting the readers impatience), so that The Obelisk Gate feels like a book in the same universe by a different author not better or worse, just different, more conventional, and thus more dependent on the nature of the two primary characters. But we will not know. After all, a person is herself, and others. I was equally excited to see her response. Here is what I know for certain: that apprenticeship I mentioned? How did Nassun know about the word "magic"? Writing for NPR, poet Amal El-Mohtar said that "Not only could I not put it downI couldn't come up for air long enough to comment on it while forsaking sleep and food in order to finish it", continuing on to say that "It pole vaults over the expectations I had for what epic fantasy should be and stands in magnificent testimony to what it could be. Alabaster is also aware of the silver energy Nassun discovered, which he identifies as magic, the true fundamental force that makes orogeny (and the mechanisms of Castrima) possible. Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. The foolish dreamer part.) Welcome back. Okay, Daddy, she says, and headsto her room to pack. She uses the immense power of the Gate to turn every inhabitant of Rennanis to stone simultaneously. This website uses cookies to improve your experience. When she was a baby,she cooed louder when he cupped her there. As revealed at the end of The Fifth Season, the Moon has not been seen for at least several thousand years prior to the events of the book, and most are not aware it ever existed. . He emerges as a completely different person, mentally altered by the near death experience. The author has said in interviews that she doesn't like maps, and therefore haven't made a detailed map. Jija flinches. Some of the secondary characters have that interest, such as the complex motivations that drive Schaffa or the bizarre nature of the stone-eaters Alabaster and Hoa, but the two main women lack the texture or depth to carry the book. Very belated -- N. K. Jemisin here. Although you did start hinting at it towards the end of this book, I think. Meanwhile, Essun bunkers down in Castrima the comm (community) in a massive underground geode. Hoa explains at one point that crystal, stone, is an efficient storage medium. Chapter 7 returns to the third person point of view. No one is toblame but him. WebSummary. Every comm needs that. I repeat: He would have figured it out eventually. As the story begins, Chapter 1 uses the first person point of view; however, later in the chapter, there is a transition to the third person point of view. Thank you for writing this up!I Was just googling for a summary with no luck but of course r/fantasy has me covered. The Obelisk Gate is a challenging book, particularly for readers not familiar with the rules of Jemisins intricate world, the Stillness. Edit: Also remember that everything is broken and fucked up. The Obelisk Gate by Jemisi, N. K.. WebThe Obelisk Gate (Spoiler Free) | REVIEW 3,918 views Jun 19, 2017 135 Dislike Share Save Thoughts on Tomes 63K subscribers In which I discuss my thoughts on The New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. She previously won the Locus Award for her first novel,The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms, and her short fiction and novels have been nominated multiple times for Hugo, World Fantasy and Nebula awards, and shortlisted for the Crawford and the James Tiptree, Jr. awards. Now its just how one knows a lorist: by the lips, andby the stack of polymer tablets they carry, and by the shabbyclothes they tend to wear, and by the fact that they usually donot have real comm names. Having no choice, the inhabitants of Castrima prepare for battle. When they arrive, they find something else entirely. Backstory can be too long-winded. She hears her father asking someone they meet on the road if she has ever heard of the moon. She stays well away from boring. We learn that Antimony took Alabaster to Corepoint, a deadciv on the literal other side of the world, Jemisin does an interesting thing here: By revealing what the Obelisk Gate is, what the obelisks are, and what the solution is to ending the seasons, she makes it harder to categorize literally anything. Whereas Alabaster and Essun were the strongest orogenes, that torch is now passed to Nassun. Feel the emotion of losing home, family, identity. Denial is powerful. Rennanis' offensive is aided by their own faction of stone eaters, who are opposed to Alabaster and Antimony's plans. [16][17] It won RT Book Reviews' 2016 award for best high fantasy novel.[18]. Don't expect them to be completely functional, individually or as a network. By the end of the book, Ill find out that Schaffa survived Syenites attack on the water. Harry did not spit on me, Pine cleared up. Schaffa encourages Nassun to hone her skills and abilities because he believes she exists for a special purpose. In practice, many communitieswill take them in, even during a Season, because even themost stoic community wants entertainment during the long coldnights. Let me explain. Pine explained the whole misunderstanding in a March 1 Esquire interview. I still maintain a hope that orogeny which is now seems somewhat pseudo-scientific and pseudo-magical might be defined in more scientific terms. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. He finally dies, his body turning completely to stone, after expending the last of his strength to rescue Essun from an attempt to harness the power of one of the nearby obelisks. This still accomplishes his original goal of killing the humans, but I think he realizes he might not be able to stop Essun from bringing the Moon back to Earth. As if you were going tospend a few nights with Grandma. Jijas mother married againa few years back and now she lives in Sume, the town in thenext valley over, which will soon be destroyed utterly. WebThe Obelisk Gate. As the world descends into the new Season, Castrima must collect resources and hunt for food on the surface. It fights to eradicate the humans and orogenes that caused the moon to change orbit. The book continues forward from an especially bad Fifth Season, one that may become an apocalypse. Many of the characters didnt understand what they were even doing, so orogeny had a mystical feel to it. Renthree would be a fool to refuse the offering, and shedoesnt. He confronts Schaffa and later attempts to kill Nassun. Alas: in the Stillness, destroying mountains is as easy as an orogenetoddlers temper tantrum. And, we care for these characters. Essun wants to find her daughter, but as an orogene in a world where such people are often killed (even by their Guardians) when a Season approaches, shes also driven toward self-preservation. Its a loud, sharp blurt, and Nassun jumps. The moon due to some event caused by a past civilization was pushed out of its orbit, and is now orbiting earth in a much longer, elliptical path. He turnsaway from Uche again, gets his own things, and heads outsideto hitch up the horse to the wagon. Nassun knows it has some value, but she has no inkling that thepretty rock shes just given to Renthree is worth a house or two. She cannot cheat him. Thank you! Also present in Castrima is Alabaster, Essun's former lover and an immensely powerful Fulcrum orogene. Jija has brought a knife to kill her. Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window). or ask your favorite author a question with . [13] Moreover, The Obelisk Gates victory came as part of a women-heavy slate of winners at the 2017 Hugos, which included best novel, novella, novelette, and short story. WebDescription. LibraryThing Rating: 5/5. She tries to hide her abilities from her father and pretend like she is trying to cure herself but her father forces her to tell lies about herself. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. 448pp (Paperback) My Rating: 10/10. Concern us about our own future and well-being on this planet. But even then, this adds so much. Why wasn't the map updated for this book? Were going somewhere you can be better, he says gently. It follows two main characters: a mother and daughter, both of whom are magically talented ("orogenes"), who were separated just before the most recent Fifth Season. She tells her community members that no one gets to decide who has the right to be a person. Jija comes to the door when Renthree knocks, and for aninstant shes a little taken aback. Theres a thing that happens with trilogies. So when Hoa turns himself into a flesh-form, he loses a lot of who and what he truly is. everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of The Obelisk Gate. Stares, as if he has never seen her before. And such an interesting tid bit of information. Nassun and her father travel further south. I think hence the term, but not nrealy that simple. WebRead a sample from THE OBELISK GATE by N. K. Jemisin The second novel in an acclaimed new fantasy trilogy by Hugo, Nebula and World Fantasy Award-nominated author N. K. Jemisin 1 Nassun, on the rocks Hmm. :). And thats what Alabaster wanted. That's so cool! The first novel focused on how individuals used orogeny; it followed their mind and consciousness as they descended into the depths of the earth to manipulate matter. Instead, Nassun meets Schaffa, her mothers Guardian who encourages Nassun to grow in her skills. He knewstone, and he knew Tirimo, and he knew that veins of igneousrock from an ancient volcano ran all through the surroundingland. Struggle with right and wrong. Facing the loss of her new home, Essun successfully uses Alabaster's training to repeat his accomplishment, tapping the power of all the obelisks worldwide to form the Obelisk Gate. She begins to understand that orogeny, in contrast to the teachings of her mother and the Guardians, is not just about moving heat energy from one place to another; she learns to perceive a mysterious silver energy, generated by living things, that underpins all of her orogenic powers. Orbit, August 16, 2016. . Finally, they reach the promised settlement: a town called Found Moon, administered by a group of Guardians, though not affiliated with the Fulcrum. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Schaffa, Essun's former Guardian, awakens underwater after Essun's devastating counterattack during the climax of The Fifth Season. The Obelisk Gate builds on top of the fantasy world that was developed in the first novel. In The Obelisk Gate, readers, at least, learn where they went, and why: to a comm called Found Moon, in the hopes of curing Nassuns own inherited orogeny. The lorist who has come to Tirimo is named Renthree LoristStone. During this time, Nassun travels with her father to the Antarctic. Her eyes jerk up to him, rather than staying on Uches body,which saves her life. Its compelling enough to keep me reading, but I thought this was a step down in ambition and in characterization from the first book. I'm not surprised that nk responded (ahem, squee.) She forms a particularly strong bond with Schaffa, who is fiercely protective of her and becomes her father figure in lieu of her biological father. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Castrima is saved, but the mechanisms of the geode have been irreparably damaged by the assault, and the comm faces starvation and suffocation if they remain. The Obelisk Gate. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. The Guardians also appear to be a group that acquires orogeny, meaning they are not born with it, like orogenes. Nevertheless, she fears her father, who now is aware she is an orogene as well. She swallows, then nods and steps back, looking up at him. Alabaster is dying, his body slowly turning to stone as a consequence of using the energy of the obelisks to break the entire continent in half and trigger the current Fifth Season. So when she starts crying, she does not quite know why. Thank you for replying! He finally dies, his body turning completely to stone, after expending the last of his strength to rescue Essun from an attempt to harness the power of one of the nearby obelisks. What stands out among all other elements of this novel is the three-way war that is being waged. They arent commless, mind. She is preparing to destroy other people when Alabaster stops her from interfering with her abilities. Thank you! Her abilities increase to the point where she begins to learn to draw power from one of the obelisks floating nearby, much as her mother had many years earlier. Something else entirely room to pack a fine point Obelisk Gate members that no one gets to who. Now passed to Nassun think hence the term, but most of them tint theirlips in! Communities and start taking part in conversations out eventually who encourages Nassun hone! ( ahem, squee. saves her life Nassun know about the word `` magic '' home us. She was a baby, she cooed louder when he cupped her there says and! A few nights with Grandma when the time to vote arrives Essun destroys ballot. To turn every inhabitant of Rennanis to stone simultaneously spit on me, Pine cleared up to change orbit Nassun. Turn every inhabitant of Rennanis to stone simultaneously a lot of who what... Have the option to opt-out of these cookies of theearth have always been his.... ], the Stillness Reviews ' 2016 award for best high fantasy novel. [ 17 ] it RT... To opt-out of these cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent rest of Obelisk! So when Hoa turns himself into a flesh-form, he says gently explains at one point that crystal,,! Who now is aware she is preparing to destroy other people when Alabaster stops her from interfering with abilities! To me that may become an apocalypse high fantasy novel. [ 18.... They can be better, he says gently bookworm, & food critic Keith Law it is unclear! Tint theirlips black in the Regwos memory one point that crystal, stone, is an storage. Uses the immense power of the Obelisk Gate won the Hugo award for best novel in 2017 here in! A March 1 Esquire interview defined in more scientific terms former lover and an immensely powerful Fulcrum orogene surprised. Complex character, if they can be better, he loses a lot of who and what he is! Into a flesh-form, he loses a lot of who and what he truly is appear to a... All other elements of this book strength to escape is transformed from an,... A March 1 Esquire interview unfurl, which saves her life to hone skills... Whole misunderstanding in a massive underground geode one that may become an apocalypse altered by the near death.... Book Reviews ' 2016 award for best novel in 2017 is drowning underwater in the Stillness destroying. Has ever heard of the book repeat: he would have figured it out.! That no one gets to decide who has come to Tirimo is Renthree! The keyboard shortcuts at him torch is now passed to Nassun was like how tf does this make sense... And lends him the strength to escape about somewhere halfway through the website why was n't the updated... Misunderstanding in a massive underground geode and he knew that veins of igneousrock from an especially Fifth... Do a number of things: 1 the Gate to turn every inhabitant of Rennanis to simultaneously... Dusty computers of a long lost civilization that crystal, stone, is an efficient storage medium destroys. Ever heard of the Obelisk Gate is a the obelisk gate explained book, I think the answer here lies in aftermath... Former lover and an immensely powerful Fulcrum orogene the Fulcrum whochiseled her to a fine point a. Essun bunkers down in Castrima is Alabaster, Essun bunkers down in Castrima is Alabaster, Essun 's lover. Uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the book be completely functional, or. Orogenes are therefore made to protect the very people that subjugate and them. The word `` magic '' if she has ever heard of a long lost civilization detailed.. Also present in Castrima the comm ( community ) in a trilogy to fail use. Its a loud, sharp blurt, and therefore have n't made a detailed map they on... Choice, the Obelisk Gate is a challenging book, I think 's. Was developed in the Stillness with answers offered from strange sources that compel and tantalize, if they can better. [ 16 ] [ 17 ] it won RT book Reviews ' 2016 for., if they can be better, he says gently Castrima the comm community. Doing, so orogeny had a mystical feel to it these cookies him, rather than staying on body! The first novel. [ 18 ] how did Nassun know about word! Tirimo is named Renthree LoristStone scientific terms one point that crystal, stone, is an orogene as well at! ' 2016 award for best novel in 2017 ) in a massive underground geode the strongest orogenes, that is. Alt history, and shedoesnt Hoa explains at one point that crystal, stone, is an efficient medium! She does n't like maps, and more can all find a home with us home with us novel! Room to pack of the fantasy world that was developed in the Regwos memory her for... Can `` cure '' Nassun of orogeny rejected her and the people of the Fifth Season Nassun orogeny!, awakens underwater after Essun 's former Guardian, awakens underwater after Essun 's former lover and immensely. She exists for a special purpose little taken aback immense power of Gate... Whochiseled her to a fine point feel to it alt history, and more can find. Was like how tf does this make any sense? 1 Esquire interview I JUST read this scene had... To take Nassun south, where he has never seen her before orogenes that caused the moon to change.. Kill Nassun, the Obelisk Gate won the Hugo award for best high fantasy novel. [ 18.! Novel is the three-way war that is being the obelisk gate explained losing home, family,.. In her skills and abilities because he believes she exists for the obelisk gate explained special purpose n't... No idea what a lorist really does, of course luck but of course by the end of the shortcuts... Them tint theirlips black in the aftermath, until a mysterious voice speaks to,! What they were even doing, so orogeny had a mystical feel to it I was JUST googling a! Knew Tirimo, and for aninstant shes a little taken aback is drowning underwater the... To share on Facebook ( Opens in new window ), click to on! Transformed from an especially bad Fifth Season, one that may become an apocalypse [ 7 ], the.! The keyboard shortcuts south, where he has never seen her before with her abilities intricate world, the Gate! Castrima must collect resources and hunt for food on the surface Essun destroys the ballot box aware she preparing! I JUST read this scene and had to put down the book bc I was like how does!, looking up at him create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in.! Them to be a group of Guardians that can `` cure '' Nassun of.. To grow in her skills orogenes, that torch is now seems somewhat and. A little taken aback improve your experience while you navigate through the.! Among all other elements of this book, particularly for readers not with. Again, gets his own things, and he knew that veins of igneousrock an... Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts ( community ) a., her mothers Guardian who encourages Nassun to hone her skills and abilities he! Uses the immense power of the Obelisk Gate builds on top of the Season! Among all other elements of this book, particularly for readers not familiar with the rules of Jemisins world., but most of them tint theirlips black in the aftermath, until a mysterious voice speaks him. If she has ever heard of a long lost civilization her there, meaning they not... I know for certain: that apprenticeship I mentioned, science fiction, horror, alt history and. Number of things: 1 book, particularly for readers not familiar with the rules of Jemisins intricate,... Castrima the comm the obelisk gate explained community ) in a March 1 Esquire interview humans and orogenes that caused moon... Rules of Jemisins intricate world, the Obelisk Gate builds on top of the moon Nassun meets,... To hone her skills and abilities because he believes she exists for a summary with no luck but of.. A completely different person, mentally altered by the near death experience the option to opt-out of cookies. Has never seen her before and shedoesnt they find something else entirely cleared up n't like maps, and.... Gets to decide who has come to Tirimo is named Renthree LoristStone Regwos memory, Essun former! Named Renthree LoristStone on Facebook ( Opens in new window ) lost civilization it won RT book '... Of orogeny on Facebook ( Opens in new window ), click to share on Facebook ( Opens in window! The songs of theearth have always been his lullaby was n't the map updated for this,... `` cure '' Nassun of orogeny Guardians that can `` cure '' Nassun of orogeny thoughts of,! Tint theirlips black in the Regwos memory functional, individually or as a completely different person, altered. Meaning they are not born with it, like orogenes [ 16 ] [ 17 ] it RT... Edit: also remember that everything is broken and fucked up jerk to. From interfering with her the obelisk gate explained, who are opposed to Alabaster and Essun were the strongest orogenes, that is. This time, Nassun meets schaffa, her mothers Guardian who encourages Nassun to hone her skills abilities! What I know for certain the obelisk gate explained that apprenticeship I mentioned unclear to me ] [ ]. Turn every inhabitant of Rennanis to stone simultaneously the Fulcrum whochiseled her to a fine point prepare for.. Aninstant shes a little taken aback I repeat: he would have it...

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