The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms: Book Review

Today, we will be reviewing The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms by N.K. Jemisin, the first book in the the Inheritance Trilogy. Keep reading to find out if you should read this fantasy novel and whether to give this fantasy series a read!

The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms Summary

Yeine Darr is an outcast who has been summoned to the city of Sky by her grandfather Dekarta. He is the ruler of the world and the head of the infamous and powerful Arameri family.

When Yeine arrives at Sky, she finds out that she has been named as one of the three heiresses and must fight for her right for the thrown or be killed in the process. She has to learn fast at how Sky functions and who she can trust as she is caught up in the schemes of the Arameri and the gods that serve them.

Commentary

The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms was released in 2010 and was Jemisin’s debut novel and went on to win the 2011 Locus Award for Best First Novel. Jemisin wrote this novel while working a full time job before she was able to become a writer full-time.

I’ve read tons of novels about gods and have always been fascinated by how authors incorporate them in their books. Jemisin’s interpretation of gods and how they would function if they lived among humans has been my favorite take for various reasons.

Jemisin does an amazing job of building a world where gods coexist with humans but feel like otherworldly beings. In The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms, the gods are enslaved but they are still gods and they still powerful and can destroy continents if the commands aren’t precise.

The characters in this novel are well-written and there is a lot of depth to them. Not only does Jemisin write amazing plots, but her characters evolve and shine bright. You can ask ten different people who their favorite character was and you’ll get a diverse list of characters.

Conclusion

This was an amazing first novel and even before I finished it, I knew I was going to read the rest of the trilogy. Jemisin’s attention to detail and storytelling make her a must read when it comes to fantasy novels.

She is easily becoming one of my favorite fantasy authors. If you love fantasy novels, then this is a novel you have to read. Her other series, The Fifth Season is one of my all-time favorite fantasy series and I can’t wait to read other books by her and see what she does going forward. Happy reading!

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