Book 1, The Killing Moon: Dreamblood

I have really enjoyed other books from this author. I just couldn't get into this book. I found it hard to follow along with and boring. I thought I would push through it to see if it would pick up. I'm in the last chapter and not going to finish it. Finding something else to listen to on my drive home.

In the city-state of Gujaareh, power is split between the ruling Prince and the priests of the dream goddess Hananja. The priests have magic based on the power of dreams, with which they can heal the sick. One sect, the Gatherers, is dedicated to helping people peacefully pass over when their time has come. However, when the Gatherer Ehiru discovers he has been manipulated into trying to kill an innocent, he realises that Gujaareh is threatened by a conspiracy lurking at the very heart of the nation.

The Killing Moon is the first novel in the Dreamblood duology, the latest work from N.K. Jemisin (the author of the Inheritance Trilogy, which I have not yet read). It's an epic fantasy, but one that proudly discards the limitations of a Medieval European setting. Gujaareh is inspired by the legends and mythology of ancient Egypt, although it is not a carbon copy (there are no pyramids, sphinxes or mummies), and the novel draws upon Carl Jung's ideas about the collective unconscious to provide its unique magic system.

The setting is vividly described. The planet Gujaareh is located upon is a moon circling a gas giant (the 'Killing Moon' of the title is actually the gas giant, although confusingly the cover art depicts a red-coloured version of our moon) which makes for an interesting day/night cycle. This feeds into the power of night, sleep and dreams which provides the book with its spine. Gujaareh itself is a compelling location, built to withstand annual floods and with a complex mixture of native and foreign influences: like ancient Egypt, Gujaareh is not a monolithic state, but one where people from across the world can be found, trading or negotiating.

Ehiru, our central character, is an expert at using the power of dream magic and is trying to pass his knowledge onto his apprentice, Nijiri. This process is interrupted by the discovery of a possible threat to the country, which Ehiru is compelled to investigate. Sunandi, an ambassador from the southern nation of Kisua, completes our central triptych of characters. Though there are occasional chapters from other POVs, these three viewpoints dominate the novel. Each is a fascinating character, with Sunandi being a capable and intelligence diplomat who is sometimes undone by arrogance. Ehiru is determined and resolute, but is also prone to become unhealthily obsessed, to the point of endangering himself. Nijiri is highly capable but lacks confidence. He's our 'young, tallow youth' viewpoint but amusingly that's more his own assessment of his abilities than the reality. All are painted with colour and depth.

The novel is a fast read, with a cracking pace that still allows time for some interesting characterisation. Something that Gujaareh shares with ancient Egypt is a certain rigid inflexibility in its traditions (something Pratchett notably satirised in his novel Pyramids, the only other Egyptian-flavoured fantasy that immediately comes to mind) but also the ability to adapt once those limitations are exposed. This extends to the micro-level of the characters, who each find their view of the world widened by the events of the book. This self-realisation is hardly new in concept (Nijiri becomes more confident, Sunandi becomes a bit more open to other cultures) but is executed with skill.

Where the novel falters is in its denouncement, which feels both rushed and a little too neat. This does mean that The Killing Moon works excellently as a stand-alone novel (there are little to no elements left dangling for the sequel, The Shadowed Sun).

The Killing Moon (****½) is available now in the UK and USA. The sequel will be published in June.

"The Killing Moon" by acclaimed American novelist, Nora K Jemisin, is an incredible blend of ideas, marrying Jungian dream theory and religio-magical practice, with an imaginary setting modelled on and inspired by ancient Egyptian culture and geo-politics. The other-world setting allows the creation of a deeply evocative depiction of a culture centred on the worship of a Moon and Dream Goddess and the application of Dream Magic by its priesthood, which is as frightening and dark as it appears peaceful and harmonious. The author's inventiveness also extends well beyond her carefully constructed, highly detailed and excellently portrayed fantasy world and culture, being matched by a tale that is beautifully woven and excellently told. The story offers a superb mix of political and personal intrigue, mystery, mysticism, morality and ethics, as well as action, excitement and horror. Her characters are interesting, well-rounded and highly believable; so empathic is her treatment of almost all of the central characters that the reader is never entirely sure just who the "good" characters actually are and where our sympathies should lie -- always a sign of good, realistic and believable character (and situation) building. The story-telling also constantly pushes at the boundaries of the reader's comfort-zone, forcing a continual readjustment of one's assumptions and understanding. Brilliant stuff!

This book is the first of two books in the "Dreamblood" series but is in no way incomplete as a story. The second book, "The Shadowed Sun", whilst published only a month after the first and in every way a sequel, offers a continuation of the story's chronology but is not essential to it. Nor does it preclude the possibility of future stories within this excellent setting; I, along with many others I do not doubt, certainly hope to see more before too long.

Highly recommended for lovers of top notch fantasy.

Ehiru and Nijiri are Gatherers (dream-harvesters, peace-givers, killers) in the service of the Goddess Hananja in her city of Gujareeh. Ehiru is the most famous of the Gatherers, once brother to the city's Prince, and Nijiri his apprentice. Strange deaths are turning up in the city, victims whose faces are left in a tortured grimace. When Ehiru is directed to Gather the Kisuati ambassador, she challenges him with the knowledge that he is being used for political intrigue.

Can Ehiru face and master his own actions once his black and white world turns grey? Who can he trust? How far has corruption spread? And has his life's Path been based on lies?

At heart, this book is swimming around in the murky, controversial pool of the concept of "mercy killing." I'm the daughter of a hospice nurse, there is no doubt in my mind sometimes death is preferable to interminable suffering. Jemisin has created the Gatherers to embody the idea of merciful death; Gatherers use the power of their client's dreams to give them peace as they take their life away.

Ehiru and Nijiri begin the book completely wedded to this concept. It is only when the venture outside of Gujaareh that they begin to doubt. First there are the strange killings. Then Ehiru offers his gift to an elderly woman clearly in pain and she rejects it, citing that pain is also a kind of life and she wants to live life to the fullest. This exploration of mercy killing is what shoves the book up into the 5 star range for me.

Jemisin's world building is also fabulous, on par with China Mieville, Guy Gavriel Kay and Ursula LeGuin. Sentences are so well-crafted you can taste the words' spice on your tongue as you read.

In other words, this is a great story. Like in The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms (Jemisin's other work) I wanted more connection with Ehiru and Nijiri- we mostly experience their emotions through observations by other characters. However, this is a personal taste issue and doesn't detract from the incredibly vivid storytelling.

As a reader who longs for non-Eurocentric fantasy, this book satisfied my appetite.

This Book's Snack Rating: Spiced nuts for the delicately crafted flavor of Egypt-based magic and religion of dreaming coupled with the earthy humanity of the characters

Not a usual fantasy book, filled with knights, dragons, elves, dwarves and magicians. I think the world of fantasy is quite saturated already with all thouse. Jemisin is indeed a spring in the bareland of fantasy.

The story moves around three characters: Ehiru, a Gatherer, Nijiri, an apprentice, and Sunandi, a female ambassador. The setting is an impending war between two nation, which these three character want to prevent.

First, I like the world that she created in this novel. It is not your common medieval theme. She had done enough research in mythology also to create the reason behind the world creation. The magic system is also original, unlike the common magic that you find in most sword-and-sorcery novel.

Second, there are not too many characters to follow. This can be a good sign and a bad sign. The good sign, she can bring her reader close enough to sympathize with the character. The bad sign, the story is not complex enough (this is for you, A Song of Ice and Fire fans). But I think it is OK, since she is not trying to create a massive epic novel. The small numbers of characters serves the novel well-enough.

Third, I like the way she include the INTERLUDE in the midst of the novel to bring some background story.

Fourth, the best part I think is the way the writer unfold the story bit-by-bit, so the reader can savour and taste it. You don't want to eat one meal with one giant gulp, but by piece-by-piece.

WARNING: do not read the glossary before reading the book. It will kill the fun of finding out by yourself.

The Killing Moon (Dreamblood Book 1)N. K. Jemisin is turning out to be my favorite new author. Her newest (to me) book, The Killing Moon is a delightful fantasy of ancient Egypt (well, based on it; she has said this is a non-Earth world. Honest) wherein the stuff of dreams makes powerful healing magic, and can do much, much else. Consequently, the priests who collect, guard, share and consume the magic are supposed to be free of corruption. A Gatherer is shocked to learn that his collection of dreamstuff (which sends it's host into the land of dreams permanently) may have been motivated by something other than compassion.

A mystery and a fantasy at once, The Killing Moon is also a careful reflection on how one may perceive one's own motives, on how hard it is to see the right thing, and how hard it is to do the right thing. And in The Killing Moon, all the protagonists face these questions...and none of them look away.

Marvelous stuff, all her books. Get them all, or at least read them all. You won't be sorry.

Excellent novel that for me works much better than The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms. I love the characters, the world inspired by Ancient Egypt is one of the most interesting settings in fantasy ever and the magic is a mind-blowing combination between Ancient Egypt's medicine and Freudian dream theory.

This year, Elizabeth Bear with Range of Ghosts and N.K. Jemisin with The Killing Moon, made me fall in love with epic-fantasy all over again.

In Jamison's fantasy world, characters struggle for redemption in a society pockmarked with corruption. Gujaareh is a magic city, where the priests of Hananja tap into the power of dreams. The Gatherers assist the dying to enter the dream world. Sharers use their power to heal. The novel starts with a breakdown in this system. Gatherer Ehiru falters and loses a soul about to enter eternity. Shaken, he is comforted when his apprentice Nijiri stays with him to be mentored.

Ehiru's superiors assign him to "assist" into eternity Sunandi, an ambassador/spy from a neighboring city state, because she is corrupt. When Sunandi challenges Ehiru's belief that she is tainted, she opens his mind to the widespread corruption in his city and religious community. From this point, the plot kicks into high gear as Ehiru fights a seductive magic that makes its users irresistibly strong. Nijiri shadows Ehiru, to defend his mentor from enemies and from the taint of corruption.

Jamison pulls all the threads together in a moving climax. The characters don't just achieve their external quests. They live out the pain and joy of harnessing the dream world.

This is a fantastic book. 2012 continues to prove a fertile year for fantasy with the first in a new series by NK Jemisin. So far, it appears that there will only be two books, this volume and the next, titled The Shadowed Sun, which I'll be acquiring as soon as it comes out, which is thankfully on a payday for me.

Overall, I enjoyed this book more than The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms. The growth in her writing is extremely evident. Her distinct authorial voice is still there, but sharpened and honed into the tool of a seasoned storyteller. The characters are well-wrought, especially Nijiri.

I was first struck with the cover art, I have to admit. It's gorgeous, and Orbit did a fantastic job with the printing. The glossary is extremely helpful. This is definitely one of those books where the reader is dropped into the world and expected to start picking up on things, though the fall isn't as jarring as with Gardens of the Moon. Factions, paths, bloodlines, and nations are referenced by their names right away, with none of the over-explanation I've grown to dislike in fantasy. One of the nice benefits of this is the ability of the storyteller to keep the story about the characters, and not about the world. The scope of the story is told within two related countries, relieving us of the need for a map, and having to familiarize ourselves with endless nations, kings, cities, etc Don't get me wrong, I love a good map, but it's nice to just read something without trying to remember which king ruled which place or what god was in charge of which area blah blah blah blah. She offers bits and pieces of the history, mythology and law through the book which help familiarize the reader without ever veering into "Well, Bob..." territory.

The magic system is well-imagined and draws on many different ideas which might be familiar to readers already. She combines the physical body, dreaming and sleeping, divine power and emotional power into one succinct system and ably demonstrates the good and bad sides of the magic. She explores the addictive nature of magic and power, which I found very compelling.

She delivers the same deft exploration of two cultures, the Guajareen and Kisuati, which are just similar enough to be enemies. Jemisin's chops in this regard are one big reason I am a fan of hers. She really understands how a culture works, right down to the food, and how it shapes interactions between members of the culture and outsiders.

The only possible criticism I have is that there could have been more action. Though it's easy to view her as a Serious Author Writing Serious Things, she actually handles action scenes very well. I hungered for more after it ended. Add action to the list of things Jemisin writes very well, in addition to romance (The Broken Kingdoms), culture shock, food, art, and tweets.

In short, highest possible recommendation for this book and this author! I look forward to the release of Shadowed Sun, and anything else she writes.

Tough start to fully grasp the breadth of this dreaming world but once entwined in Jamison’s descriptions, you’ll find yourself on a journey of truth, understanding, justice, vengeance, and peace. Such a great read! Looking forward to the second book in this series!

Fabulous. Really, this review only needs to be one word long and that's the word. Or maybe stunning. That works too.

Jemisin is an amazingly talented writer and she has built a fascinating world of dreams and magic and ninja priest assassins. These pages are filled with fascinating characters, political intrigue, and a fascinating system of magic unique to fantasy.

In a genre filled to the brim with middle earth Tolkien repeats this is an incredible and refreshing voice in epic fantasy. This book pulled me in and held me fast from first page to last. I cannot wait to pick up the rest of the series.

I rarely give a five star rating to a book, but this one earned it to the fullest.

Hundred Thousand Kingdoms, N.K. Jemisin's Hugo nominated debut, was one of the first novels reviewed on this blog. I said:

Jemisin presents a style that is uniquely intimate. I often felt like a voyeur lurking on the outskirts of something I shouldn't be seeing. It is beautifully written and brims with emotion.

I said a lot of other things about it too, not all of which were terribly smart (I was just starting!). While I haven't managed to read the subsequent two volumes in her Kingdom of the God's trilogy, the outstanding nature of the first novel put The Killing Moon on my radar as soon as it was announced for 2012 release.

To anyone paying attention to genre scuttlebutt, it's common knowledge that Jemisin is one of the more outspoken proponents of bringing new points of view to the fantasy lexicon. Whether that means non-western cultures, strong female characters, or more challenging narrative structures, she's practiced what she preaches. In Killing Moon the focus is more on the first two, eschewing the more complex narratives of her past work. The result is a plot oriented novel that will appeal to traditional fans of high fantasy as well as those tired of reading recycled characters and worlds.

In the city-state of Gujaareh, the only law is peace. Ruled by oligarchy, the city's reigns are held by the Prince and the Hetawa -- the dreaming goddess Hananja's clergy. Each night her Gatherers go forth, bringing the gift of a peaceful, dreaming death to those corrupt of thought and deed. From those last moments comes dreamblood, tithe to the goddess and her servants. Collected by the Gatherers and given to the Sharers, it is used to heal, soothe, and control.

Ehiru is a gifted Gatherer, a paragon of faith and purpose. He believes in his city and his goddess, but nothing, even the holiest organization in Gujaareh, is immune to corruption. When Ehiru and his apprentice, Nijiri, find themselves torn between their faith, their Prince, and the truth, they'll go to any length to do what's right. Unfortunately, the only person who believes them is Sinandi, a foreign spy who would prefer to see the whole city crumble to the ground.

Killing Moon consists of three primary points of view, all written from a tight limited third person -- Ehiru, Nijiri, and Sinandi -- each with their own voice. Ehiru, although arguably the novel's protagonist, fades into the background as the true believer who finds himself questioning his ingrained beliefs. In stark contrast, Nijiri and Sinandi brim with life. The former rejects the young apprentice model of learning his craft at the knee of his wizened master, becoming the novel's moral center from the get go. Most importantly that moral center doesn't necessarily reflect the reader's concept of morality, but his and Gujaareh's.

Sinandi completes the second aspect of Jemisin's quest to improve genre fiction. She possesses tremendous agency, never compromising herself for the whims of men.
"And then you shall stand beside him in the Protectors' Hall and beg them for help, knowing that your every word increases my power. Then they will listen to me even though I'm only Kinja's too-young, unseasoned daughter. We must use one another now, little killer, if we are both to achieve our goals." -N.K Jemisin, The Killing Moon
Exhibited by that statement, Sinandi is a force of nature, a strong woman who exhibits femininity without sacrificing strength. She never picks up a weapon; nor does she wear men's clothing. And like Nijiri, her sense of morality is grounded in her character and the culture from which she springs.

In that lies thematic thrust of Killing Moon. Cultural identity is at the root of every conflict. Whether it be Ehiru's faith and Sinandi's lack thereof, or Nijiri's struggle with love and duty, or Sinandi's fear of war and peace, all of it is built upon the idea that right and wrong is relative. Point of view and perspective matter. Cultural mores matter. Jemisin seems to project, through her world and her characters, a pervasive and underlying belief in the notion that judgement can only come from within. There's also a strong undercurrent of communism versus democracy, or close mindedness versus openness, or extremism versus tolerance, that bleeds through. Even then Jemisin seems to remain agnostic, pointing out the flaws in each and letting her characters choose for themselves the paths to walk.

From all accounts, it seems Jemisin based much of these cultural identities on an Egyptian model. News to me, only because none of the cues I would normally associate with Egypt were present -- pyramids, cat worship, umm... long goatees. But, that's the point isn't it? I don't know a damn thing about Ancient Egypt other than what I've seen in heavily stereotyped Egyptian garnished westernized media. Much of what I read of Jemisin's world felt new and fresh, even among all the excellent Eastern fantasies to come out over the last twelve months (Range of Ghosts, Emperor's Knife, Blackdog, et. al.). So much so that I quickly found myself down a Wikipedia rabbit hole, educating myself on the nature of Egyptian culture and mythology (a fact I'm sure Jemisin would take great pleasure from).

All of that excludes the primary take away from The Killing Moon. This is one hell of an exciting book. I hate to use the term tour de force because it sounds like I'm writing for some terrible literary newsletter who can only recycle superlatives from movie posters, but... it's a tour de force. From the opening moments the novel dazzles with intricate world building, deep and vibrant characters, and a fast paced, high stakes plot that left me bleary eyed from lack of sleep more than once.

I'm sure Someone, somewhere is reading this and saying, "Ya, but I didn't really like her first novel that much." For those I say, this is the novel that will make you fall in love with N.K Jemisin. For all the rational people who loved her past work, keep reading. It only gets better.

Having not read NK Jemisin's popular series, The Inheritance Trilogy, I thought it would be interesting to start with her fourth published book.

It took a while for me to get into it, one of the reasons being the new terminology that accompanies any new fantasy world. Another reason was the unique magic system, which sees a religious order harvesting dreams which are then used to heal the sick and wounded. It reminded me of Brandon Sanderson's Mistworld books, not because they're similar, but because it offers such a unique perspective.

After becoming familiar with the way things worked I really got into the book, and then finished it pretty quickly.

Even though The Killing Moon is the first of the two-part Dreamblood duology, it doesn't end on a cliffhanger - the story has a solid and complete ending, something that I wish we'd see more of when it comes to fantasy novels. I'm looking forward to the next book set in this world.

N. K. Jemisin's 'The Killing Moon' challenges a number of fantasy conventions. Her world is fully fleshed, with complicated political, cultural and social structures. She conveys the complexity and strangeness of her world through language, which can be confusing at times. But by the end of the book, I had achieved fluency in Jimisin's language and enjoyed seeing all of the well-plotted pieces falling into place.

Read the full review at [...]

Matt Hlinak
Author of [...]

Although the punctuation this author uses is flat-out, hands-down wrong throughout each of her titles--and I've read all but one or two--it's a very easy facet to forgive, being overwhelmed by the pure majesty of her narrative. The lyric quality of her compositions is mesmerizing. N.K. Jemisin is likely the best storyteller I've read in the forty-something years since I learned to read.