From the Bookshelf of Sci-fi and Heroic Fantasy…

The Fifth Season (The Broken Earth, #1)

N.K. Jemisin

Start date: December 21, 2018

Finish date: January 13, 2019

Discussion: Book Discussions

Discussion leader: Cat

Why we're reading this: Group discussion topic December 2018
[close] Group discussion topic December 2018

Find A Copy At

Group Discussions About This Book

Showing 2 of 250 topics — 8,801 comments total

Book Discussions

"Cyteen" by C.J. Cherryh
By deleted member · 48 posts · 103 views

last updated May 24, 2025 11:25PM

Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke
By deleted member · 46 posts · 150 views

last updated Mar 28, 2025 02:28PM

showing 10 of 40 topics view all »

What Members Thought

Jun 14, 2017 Scott Firestone rated it it was amazing

In the far-future Earth of N.K. Jemisin's award-winning fantasy series, there's a terrible and devastating fifth season, with earthquakes, ash, and death. Each one is like a reboot for the planet.

There are people called orogenes who can control the environment--stopping or starting earthquakes, and drawing power from living things. These extraordinary people are feared by the population, but also used by the controlling Empire. Orogenes are sent to the Fulcrum, a training facility that helps co In the far-future Earth of N.K. Jemisin's award-winning fantasy series, there's a terrible and devastating fifth season, with earthquakes, ash, and death. Each one is like a reboot for the planet.

There are people called orogenes who can control the environment--stopping or starting earthquakes, and drawing power from living things. These extraordinary people are feared by the population, but also used by the controlling Empire. Orogenes are sent to the Fulcrum, a training facility that helps corral, train, and use them for the "good" of the empire. The Fulcrum includes Guardians who can somehow block the powers of orogenes.

The Fifth Season focuses on three stories.
Daimya is a young orogene whose parents discover her powers, but rather than kill her they just lock her in a barn while they figure out what to do with her. They're able to ditch Daimya by sending her with a Guardian who will take her to the Fulcrum to learn to use her powers.

Syenite is an orogene trained in the Fulcrum. She's reached level four in her training, and she's sent on a mission with a level-10 orogene. They're sent to a city to clear the bay of coral growths--and along the way they're to have as much sex as possible in order to create a baby with orogene powers. That neither person wants to do this makes no difference to the Fulcrum.

Essun is an orogene who returns home one day to find her youngest child dead, and her oldest child gone--taken by her murderer husband who found out she'd passed on her powers to her kids. Essun goes in search of her daughter, and revenge on her husband.

These descriptions are only the tip of each story's iceberg, but you can imagine the emotions that Jemisin explores with each of them. Guilt. Power. Trust. Duty. Responsibility. Love. Hate. Fear. Lament. It's all here.

My only complaints were small. I almost never enjoy stories told in second person, and while the book eventually gives a good reason for it, I still don't enjoy that perspective. Second, and related, is (view spoiler)

Jemisin is a talented writer. She revealed more and more of this fascinating world by showing us the world, rather than telling us about it in infodumps. The characters felt real. The relationships felt believable. The tension felt palpable. And the way she buried secrets in plain sight made me think of Gene Wolfe, which is always a good thing.

I delayed writing this review because I wasn't sure I could do this book justice. It's extraordinary. Read it. ...more

3 likes · Like · see review

Feb 21, 2019 Jack Massa rated it it was amazing

Shelves: fantasy-science-fiction

Astonishing, virtuoso performance.

Tremendous and original world building. Totally believable characters despite the utter alienness of the setting. Brilliant plotting with three story-lines that ultimately connect in a way I can't tell you without spoilers. Technically brilliant writing (I mean, SECOND person present tense? Come On! Who can make that work?)

With all that, this book is so emotionally devastating that I have to say (as has been said before), "It is far easier to admire than enjoy. ...more

Like · see review

Nov 28, 2020 Andrew rated it liked it

Shelves: sci-fi-and-fantasy, oh-no-dystopia

It’s possible this is good.

This is a fantasy taking place in a post-apocalyptic Earth, one that is wholly unrecognizable, in which seismic activity resets civilization periodically. These episodes are “Fifth Seasons,” it appears.

The magic system is pretty cool. Something Brandon Sanderson has not been able to do: develop a coherent, fresh, not-overexplained supernatural set of powers. Here they are based on control of the Earth/stone, and the discipline is called orogeny. Okay.

The writing is not ...more

Like · see review

Aug 01, 2017 David Martin rated it liked it

Shelves: sf

I decided to add this book to my reading list based on the fact it won a Hugo Award in 2016 and its sequel; The Obelisk Gate was ~~nominated~~ won for the same award in 2017.

The story is well written. The world and atmosphere were interesting.

Why am I giving a 3-star rating?

I never became fully invested in the characters. Overall the story was morose, and it didn't have a satisfying ending.

Did I enjoy the book enough to read the sequel? Maybe.
...more

Like · see review