BOOK REVIEW: The Killing Moon
Title: The Killing Moon
Author: NK Jemisin
Series: Dreamblood
Gujaareh is a city of peace, but does that peace come at too high a price? All corruption is quickly stamped out by the city’s Gatherers, who give all criminals a peaceful death in their sleep. Ehiru is a Gatherer who passionately believes that what he does is right and just. Then one of his Gatherings goes terribly wrong, and Ehiru finds his faith in himself and his world shaken. Where does the true corruption in Gujaareh lie, and will Ehiru manage to defeat it before the madness that lies deep inside of him emerges?
After thoroughly enjoying NK Jemisin’s debut series, The Inheritance Trilogy, I looked to her new series, Dreamblood, with much interest. I was quite happy when the first book, The Killing Moon, was chosen as the November selection for calico_reaction’s book club. There are a few things that really struck me about The Killing Moon. One is that I found the quality of the writing to be very high, even better then The Inheritance Trilogy. There are some scenes, such as the scene where you first meet Sunandi and the Prince that really pulls in all five senses, and it’s hard not to linger over the quality of the words. Another thing that struck me about The Killing Moon is that while the book dealt with similar themes as the Inheritance Trilogy, that it still felt unique. The world (inspired by ancient Egypt) is far different then in The Inheritance Trilogy and although this is still epic fantasy, we’re no longer dealing with the issues of the all powerful gods.
One trend I did notice from series to series is how well the topic of religion is handled. Religion is a complex subject in the real world, and often in fiction it is portrayed with too board of strokes. This is not the case with The Killing Moon. Yes as a reader, it’s easy to take a step back and be horrified at the actions of the Gatherers, for death is truly too harsh a punishment for almost all infractions, but what if the result was a city of peace? Through Ehiru’s journey we’re able to see the draw backs of blind faith, and how a religion can be corrupted when mixed with political power. Even though we may be horrified by their actions, Jemisin has created a cast of characters who are so complex and sympathetic that you can still understand when they’re coming from. I found it impossible not to fall in love with the earnest and pious Ehiru, and his impassioned apprentice Nijiri. This impressive characterization also extends to the villains this time around, as Jemisin delivers us her most complex villain yet.
Final Thoughts: Fans of the Inheritance Trilogy will not be disappointed in the The Killing Moon, a fantastic fantasy novel that I would argue is might actually a step up from Jemisin's previous work, delivering us even better quality writing and a more complex villain (although I will always hold a soft spot for The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms). The author's exploration of the themes of religion and corruption make The Killing Moon a thought provoking read, as well as a flat out entertaining one. I look forward to reading the follow up The Shadowed Sun. I can’t help but feel that there’s so much left of this world for us to explore. Five Stars
Next I will be reviewing Doomsday Book by Connie Willis
Author: NK Jemisin
Series: Dreamblood
Gujaareh is a city of peace, but does that peace come at too high a price? All corruption is quickly stamped out by the city’s Gatherers, who give all criminals a peaceful death in their sleep. Ehiru is a Gatherer who passionately believes that what he does is right and just. Then one of his Gatherings goes terribly wrong, and Ehiru finds his faith in himself and his world shaken. Where does the true corruption in Gujaareh lie, and will Ehiru manage to defeat it before the madness that lies deep inside of him emerges?
After thoroughly enjoying NK Jemisin’s debut series, The Inheritance Trilogy, I looked to her new series, Dreamblood, with much interest. I was quite happy when the first book, The Killing Moon, was chosen as the November selection for calico_reaction’s book club. There are a few things that really struck me about The Killing Moon. One is that I found the quality of the writing to be very high, even better then The Inheritance Trilogy. There are some scenes, such as the scene where you first meet Sunandi and the Prince that really pulls in all five senses, and it’s hard not to linger over the quality of the words. Another thing that struck me about The Killing Moon is that while the book dealt with similar themes as the Inheritance Trilogy, that it still felt unique. The world (inspired by ancient Egypt) is far different then in The Inheritance Trilogy and although this is still epic fantasy, we’re no longer dealing with the issues of the all powerful gods.
One trend I did notice from series to series is how well the topic of religion is handled. Religion is a complex subject in the real world, and often in fiction it is portrayed with too board of strokes. This is not the case with The Killing Moon. Yes as a reader, it’s easy to take a step back and be horrified at the actions of the Gatherers, for death is truly too harsh a punishment for almost all infractions, but what if the result was a city of peace? Through Ehiru’s journey we’re able to see the draw backs of blind faith, and how a religion can be corrupted when mixed with political power. Even though we may be horrified by their actions, Jemisin has created a cast of characters who are so complex and sympathetic that you can still understand when they’re coming from. I found it impossible not to fall in love with the earnest and pious Ehiru, and his impassioned apprentice Nijiri. This impressive characterization also extends to the villains this time around, as Jemisin delivers us her most complex villain yet.
Final Thoughts: Fans of the Inheritance Trilogy will not be disappointed in the The Killing Moon, a fantastic fantasy novel that I would argue is might actually a step up from Jemisin's previous work, delivering us even better quality writing and a more complex villain (although I will always hold a soft spot for The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms). The author's exploration of the themes of religion and corruption make The Killing Moon a thought provoking read, as well as a flat out entertaining one. I look forward to reading the follow up The Shadowed Sun. I can’t help but feel that there’s so much left of this world for us to explore. Five Stars
Next I will be reviewing Doomsday Book by Connie Willis