Fantasy Buddy Reads discussion

This is a Buddy Read for The Obelisk Gate by N.K. Jemisin starting March 24, 2018.



The group has BR this book before. Here's a link: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

I'm in!

Picked up the book a bit ago. I am in.

Def in for this as well!

I may join in if I have time to re-read the first book! :)

Anybody doing this BR? I'm planning to skim through this one before we tackle the Stone Sky, so hopefully we can get some discussions going so that I can refresh my memory as well.

Yes, my copy just came in today! (Late by 2 days) so will be starting this one tonight!

Just managed to start this! About 4 chapters in...

(view spoiler)[Nassun! Really intrigued to find out what happened to her... and Schaffa... o_O what happened to him? Repressed inner orogene takeover? So yeah - interested in that too. And 'Baster -ouch. Talk about a painful way to go. Stone eaters are pretty creepy - Hoa seems to be a bit more human. Obelisks! Is there a diamond obelisk? Since Hoa seems to be a diamond stone eater? Hoho - lets see if any of these get answered down the line.. (hide spoiler)]

Yep, will be starting soon.

Started it yesterday!

So I just finished. I'm really enjoying this story. The characters feel so real to me, and this world is very unusual. I also find that Jemisin doesn't waste any time on filler, something is always happening.

I'm about 60% in and am loving it so far! I love the pacing, characters, the grim apocalyptic setting and Jemisin's writing is beautiful.

Yanique - I agree with you. I felt like I had to read really slowly at parts to make sure I didn't miss anything lol!

I'm typing this bleary eyed and caffeine deprived. I stayed up way too late last night to finish this and then was unable to sleep properly because it's not exactly the best bedtime read LOL. However it was totally worth it! I'm beating myself up over not starting this one sooner.

What I loved:

- The seamless, real time continuation from the first book
- World building is so much more intricate and multi-layered in this book. I think Jemisin gave the right amount of information in the first book without bogging the reader down with information overload
- The unique perspectives of the different protagonists. Essun, Schaffa & Nassun are all equally complex and flawed in their own way which I really appreciated.
- I love how the Earth is treated like a real character
- Not going to lie, I got way too excited when magic was brought up
- Loved the boil bugs! Hopefully we see more creatures in the last book

(view spoiler)[Questions I have:

- What is going on with Schaffa? Is he possessed by the Earth?
- Why are the stone eaters eating the orogenes? This wasn’t clear to me. Do they feed on their power?
- Who put Hoa in the obelisk in the first book?
- I don’t understand how Hoa is the narrator. He keeps referring to himself as “him” not “I”. (hide spoiler)]

Navi wrote: "I'm typing this bleary eyed and caffeine deprived. I stayed up way too late last night to finish this and then was unable to sleep properly because it's not exactly the best bedtime read LOL. Howev..."

I read this in one day too so I can definitely relate!!!

I think maybe all our questions will be answered in the third instalment. Jemisin is doing a great job of pacing and information delivery.

Finished it a few days ago. It's a re-read for me, because for some reason a lot of details on the obelisk and (view spoiler)[the war between the different human beings (hide spoiler)] didn't stick with me.

@ Navi
As Yanique said, I expect all of your questions should be answered in the last book. But, just to speculate on some things:
(view spoiler)[
1. I think all Guardians are in some way "contaminated" with the silvery thread, which is somehow connected with Father Earth. IIRC, the Guardians are on the opposite of the Orogenes ... So, Schaffa is actually less contaminated compared to other Guardians, I think.

2. Not sure too, but I think that's how humans become stone-eaters ala Alabaster.

3. I also think stone-eaters = obelisk ... Or, obelisk is how stone-eaters get their powers ... Again, this is because once Alabaster turns into a stone-eater, an alabaster obelisk appears in the sky

4. I think it's also mentioned that eventually Essun and Hoa will become one. So, I believe eventually Hoa will eat Essun and transform her into another stone-eater just like Alabaster.
(hide spoiler)]

Also
(view spoiler)[1. What's Schaffa's end game? I believe he's less contaminated than other Guardians. But, why is he protecting Nassun? But, the way it's portrayed in the book, Nassun seems to be turning into a villain with her hatred for Essun.

2. Still no explanation of how the moon was lost to Earth. Definitely interested to know how it relates to the stone eaters ... (hide spoiler)]