The Fifth Season Audiobook By N. K. Jemisin cover art

The Fifth Season

The Broken Earth, Book 1

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The Fifth Season

By: N. K. Jemisin
Narrated by: Robin Miles
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This is the way the world ends. Again.

Three terrible things happen in a single day. Essun, masquerading as an ordinary schoolteacher in a quiet, small town, comes home to find that her husband has brutally murdered their son and kidnapped their daughter.

Mighty Sanze, the empire whose innovations have been civilisation's bedrock for a thousand years, collapses as its greatest city is destroyed by a madman's vengeance. And, worst of all, across the heartland of the world's sole continent, a great red rift has been been torn which spews ash enough to darken the sky for years. Or centuries. But this is the Stillness, a land long familiar with struggle, and where orogenes - those who wield the power of the Earth as a weapon - are feared far more than the long, cold night.

Essun has remembered herself, and she will have her daughter back. She does not care if the world falls apart around her. Essun will break it herself, if she must, to save her daughter.

The first novel in a new series by award-winning author N. K. Jemisin where a mother struggles to find her daughter in a postapocalpytic world.

Download the accompanying reference guide.©2015 N. K. Jemisin (P)2015 Hachette Audio Fantasy Hugo Award
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Critic reviews

Heartbreaking, wholly unexpected, and technically virtuosic, THE FIFTH SEASON is a tour-de-force. I felt every shock--and the book is packed with them--in my marrow. It's no exaggeration to say that Jemisin expands the range of what great fantasy can be (Brian Staveley)
Unique Worldbuilding • Complex Characters • Innovative Fantasy • Engaging Storylines • Thought-provoking Themes

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I enjoyed Jemisin’s narrative style – which switches between second person and third person depending on the POV. It reminded me of Toni Morrison’s style in The Bluest Eye, which I’ve actually missed in the books I’ve read of late. Jemisin’s ability to weave story lines and arc in an engaging way is remarkable.It took a while for me to realize that the story is set in three eras. This made the geography confusing at times. I didn’t care much for the love triangle. The Fifth Season starts with the end of the world and then moves on to more interesting things. I thoroughly enjoyed the story, the Stillness and its people, and Jemisin’s writing. The Fifth season is definitely making my top ten list. The Prologue was also confusing at first. However, when I finished I re-read portions of it and it made more sense.

I enjoyed Jemisin’s narrative style – which switch

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Not an amazing amount of payof in this book but the characters are very unique and the world is interesting. Need to see how the rest of the series goes.

Interested in seeing where this goes

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A well-written, exciting and creative tale of people being monsters in an unstable, cruel world. Features some exciting magic, too!
If you loved Avatar: the last Airbender but want to read something dark and dirty, this might be it.

Dark Fantasy

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Really interesting story, but at times a bit hard to follow. The narrator speaks clearly an does a good job keeping me engaged in the story.

great book, good narrator

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This entire trilogy was such a joy to read, even if it was quite dark in theme. Was so refreshing to have a true adult, fantasy/scfi storyline that didn't shy away from heavier topics. I was completely emersed until the very end. Best books I've picked up in many years.

Best Read in a Long Time

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