Book Review: 'Mass Effect: Initiation' by NK Jemisin & Mac Walters

I'm a big fan of the 'Mass Effect' video game series, and seeing as EA/Bioware have iced the series, hopefully only temporarily, and with no extra DLC planned for the game, I'm enjoying any extra content that adds to the expansion of the universe. And so a 'Mass Effect' book (co)written by the Hugo Award winning author NK Jemisin?! I'm so down for that!

'Initiation', co-written with 'Mass Effect' creative director Mac Walters, focuses on Cora Harper, one of NPCs from your squad in the Andromeda game, and her prospective boss, Alec Ryder (father of the playable character in the game), with the POV switching over every once in a while, but this is Cora's story, as she's recruited by Ryder into his Andromeda Initiative program.

We get to know Cora a lot more than when we see her in the game, as Jemisin takes what was almost a bland NPC and fleshes out her character a lot more, making her a likeable hero, creating a much more emotionally engaging character and also getting a sense of how determined she can also be as she overcomes the obstacles that bar her way. Whereas, as hinted at in the game, Ryder is definitely committed to the Andromeda Initiative project, and stubbornly so.

The book is set some time around the time of the 'Mass Effect 2' game, with Commander Shepard spoken of in the interludes, told in the style of news reports, that pepper in between the chapters. As such, there are also mentions of other characters like Khalisah al-Jilani, Councillor Udina, as well as other locations and events that will be very familiar to players of the original trilogy of games.

The story is certainly fast paced and action packed, as Cora is sent out to retrieve the stolen kernel code for the AI system that Alec Ryder was developing, which ends up her chasing leads across the galaxy after things don't exactly go to plan.

It's a great read, with a sense of nostalgia, that will be welcomed by fans of the game series. Recommended if you like the 'Mass Effect' series and into science fiction.

Book Review: 'Broken Earth: Book 3 - The Stone Sky' by NK Jemison

NK Jemisin sticks the landing with the conclusion of the 'Broken Earth' trilogy. 'The Stone Sky' brings to an end one of the best series I've had the pleasure of losing myself in.

Essun and Nassun, mother and daughter, are both on a journey through the Broken Earth to end the Seasons that have been devastating the dystopian world of The Stillness. But each has a different path and perspective, one is on a mission to save the world, intent on making it a better place, whilst the other, just wants to erase humanity and destroy it.

Along with this collision course of the two powerful Orogenes, people that can manipulate the earth at will, we get taken back in time and through interludes, learn about the origins of the Stone Eaters, retold to us by Hoa. And as such, most of the questions raised in the previous books about how the world came to be are answered.

The themes of family, friendship, survival and sacrifice are prevalent throughout not just this book, but the series as a whole, from beginning to end. Essentially it's the story of a mother looking for her daughter, but it's an epic one filled with strong female lead characters (most of the characters in the story are women), a cast of engaging and grounded supporting characters, complete with all the complications and imperfections that make them human, a unique magic system, and brilliant world building, all threaded together with an imaginative and engrossing narrative, right up until the last page! An emotional and definitely satisfying read!

If you're looking to get lost in a new world, that isn't filled with your typical SFF tropes, then I would definitely recommend 'The Stone Sky' as well as any of the other books from NK Jemisin's 'Broken Earth' trilogy.

****/5

Book Review: 'Broken Earth: Book 2 - The Obelisk Gate' by NK Jemisin

I enjoyed the first book in this 'Broken Earth' trilogy (my review here), and the same goes for the next in the series. A solid follow up that builds on the previous and sets up events ready for the third.

After the events of 'The Fifth Season', 'The Obelisk Gate' continues where we left off with Essun in the comm Castrima coming face to face with Alabaster, and learning more about the obelisks and other magic, settling as best she can into the comm headed by Ykka.

'The Fifth Season' was all about Essun's story, so in 'The Obelisk Gate', we get to find out about her daughter, Nassun's story. We discover more about the family relationship between daughter, mother and father, as we delve into her childhood a bit with some flashbacks that include Orogeny training with her mother, and we also find out the reasoning behind why her father Jija did what he did to her baby brother in the first book and why he took Nassun with him as he flees south. During the journey with her father, Nassun, is torn between the love and fear of Jija, whose anger and hatred towards orogenes is sometimes taken out on her. We also see some of her schooling in Orogeny once they meet Schaffa and enter the comm at Jekity.

The story focuses more between the mother - daughter viewpoints, each strong minded women, yet also appearing emotionally conflicted at times as they struggle with what they must do in the situations they find themselves in. The characters, and not just the main players, are well crafted by Jemisin too, making the world of The Stillness seem real and well-rounded. Ykka, Tonkee, Hoa, Schaffa and more are all excellent!

This series so far feels like a refreshing change in the fantasy genre and is right up there with Brandon Sanderson's 'Mistborn' trilogy for me, which I've also really enjoyed, as they're not your average fantasy series filled with your typical tropes. With the characters, the different style of narration (Essun's POV is still in the second person), the use of magic, the world building, etc. It's no wonder Jemisin won a second consecutive Hugo Award for best novel with this entry. I'm certainly looking forward to the 'The Stone Sky' and the conclusion of the trilogy.

****/5

Book Review: 'Broken Earth: Book 1 - The Fifth Season' by NK Jemisin

I've heard some very good things about this multi award winning fantasy series by NK Jemisin! And as I'm partial to the occasional epic fantasy, and have read and enjoyed previous short stories by her, it was high time to dive in.

The prologue to 'The Fifth Season' starts off with the line "Let's start with the end of the world, why don't we?", which is very ominous for events later on, before quickly introducing us to the world of the Stillness, where volcanoes and seismic activity are the norm, but are able to be controlled by Orogenes, a race of people that have the ability to manipulate the earth, soothing, and creating, any seismic events at their will. But despite this, they are considered a lesser race and a treated with contempt and hatred.

The main protagonist, Essun, is one of these Orogenes. After finding her young son murdered, and her daughter missing, taken by her husband, she leaves the village in search of her daughter.

The book is interwoven with the narratives of three women of varying ages, Essun, Damaya and Syenite, each with a different tale at their different stages of life in the cruel and harsh world. As such, it can be a bit confusing at first, trying to keep track of which narrative belongs to whom. The differing writing styles - second person POV (Essun) and third person (Damaya and Syenite) - do help, and can take a bit of getting used to, but the further you get into the book, the more it all clicks together and works really well.

The world of the Stillness is brought to life by Jemisin's wonderful prose, a world of deep prejudice but also one with its moments of beauty. The characters, from the primary, secondary and all the way down, are well written, and are really relatable to the story.

Overall, it's a great and compelling read, a great introduction to a new world with engaging characters. I can't wait to read the next book in the series, 'The Obelisk Gate', to find out what happens next!

****/5