The Killing Moon (The Dreamblood, 1)

"Magic was mother's milk to the people of Gujaareh""Did you know that writing stories down kills them?Of course it does. Words aren't meant to be stiff, unchanging things. My family were talekeepers once, though now they make funerary urns and jars. Many many generations ago, before pictorals and numeratics and hieratics, words were kept where they belong, in mouths. The people who made sure those words passed on were my ancestors. Written words did not kill my lineage's purpose, though gone are the crowds-- and the riches-- we once commanded. We relay the stories regardless, because we know: stone is not eternal. Words can be"This was not like any other fantasy I've read before. It may take place on another planet in its own universe, but it feels familiar, like a dream of something that could have existed on Earth.With the mysterious atmosphere, colorful cast of characters and unique magic system, you will not put this book down once you dive in. The complex folklore and fascinating pantheon, the aromatic markets, cobbled streets, braided hair, desert caravans and captivating supernatural murder mystery will have you rapt.Wee meet our first of 3 main characters Ehiru, like this:"...Within the moonlight's strange shadows, a man might crouch on the shadowed ledge of a building and be only a faint edging against the marbled gray.In this land, such a man might be priest intent upon carrying out the most sacred of his duties"The setting is loosely inspired by ancient Kemet & Nubia, with noddings to other pre-colonial African city states and cultures without being distracted by it. The author takes expert liberty with the inspiration material and creates a believable new world all her own.What sets it apart from the typical fantasy however, is the unique brand of magic, narcomancy;"He stroked her eyelids shut and sent her to sleep, and crafted a dream that brought her pleasure in place of torment. When he opened his eyes to observe her last breath, her cheeks glistened with tears and her face was rapt with joy"Like the longing for being sent to live forever in Ina-Karekh, once you come to Gujaareh, you will want to return again and again, but, beware, Gujaareh is where the Gatherers stalk the night, collecting morbid tithes for the city's goddess Hananja.This is first in a duology, and what it lacks gets made up for in its sequel which I gave 5 stars.

I’m not a professional reviewer, I rarely write reviews. But Jemisin deserves the praise. I cannot get enough of her work. The way she builds her worlds, and weaves such emotion and feeling into her writing is just… (no words). Off to read the second instalment!

In a city where the soul is both a traveler and a commodity, death has a different meaning.Each night, the Gatherers go out. They visit the dying, the incurable, the aged, the insane, the corrupt. The souls they gather are nestled into a good place in the dreaming world forever. The dreamblood they gather is returned to the temple for the healing of others. Children with the dreaming gift who do not join the priesthood go mad.In principle, this is very idyllic. No one drowns in their own lungs: they get a good death. The ill are healed, the mad are contained, crime is non-existent. Peace, perfect peace. In practice, however, the checks and balances are weak. Dreamblood is necessary/addictive to the Gatherers. There are hidden political currents using the power of the priests.This is the story of the Gatherer Ehiru, his apprentice Nijiri, and the outland woman Sinandi, and how together they are all working toward peace, against steep odds. It's a heroic story, full of wit and strong will and deep, compassionate love.I was deeply drawn to Ehiru's faith and dedication. He is the ideal of believers, steadfast and yet willing to listen, and performing his tasks out of love and service. Nijiri also has love and service, but in his case it's a toss-up of whether he loves his goddess or his mentor more. The end result is the same. Sinandi is a spymaster, a poised and competent woman protecting her country.Worldbuilding has always been one of Jemisin's strong suits, and this book is a great example. Although I recognized some of the sources, she wove the whole into an intact and beautiful maze for our characters to grope through. The setting, the gods, the religion, all top-notch. The action, once it gets going, is both interesting and a mirror of the emotional processes of the characters. As a story, this book is excellent. If that's what you wanted to know, you can stop reading now.Parts of this book revolted me, like literally lip-curling recoil. While it is true there are a lot of deaths that I think people would like to get through faster and more painlessly, the priests are not always invited by the dying person. Instead they are sent on commission, merciful assassins. A committee evaluates the legitimacy of the commission, but isn't it possible to disrupt such a system? Sinandi calls Ehuri and Nijiri "The most pitiful victims of all, because they believe."Sinandi says to Ehuri -"You kill, priest. You do it for mercy and a whole host of other reasons that you claim are good, but at the heart of it you sneak into people's homes in the dead of night and kill them in their sleep -- you do this and you see nothing wrong with it." I think I understand Sinandi better than Ehuri. Later, there is a character who is dying, but rejects the dream-death because, as she explains, life is suffering and good things all mixed up together, and to avoid suffering is to also avoid potential joy. I thought the Gatherers should hear that, but it didn't seem to make much impression on them.Sometimes I want pairings for books, like a well-constructed cheese plate. You should read this with Bad Cripple's blog, and Mary Doria Russell's The Sparrow.Read if: You want a meditation on end of life and addiction issues, you are fascinated by the corruption of power.Skip if: You are bothered by stories of merciful death. You want a potato-chip book. Although maybe if you are not me, you can read it on the ninja priests and court intrigue level.

Pros:+ Such a strong first chapter! Being well balanced in regards to exposure and eventfulness, as well as represent well the books strengths;+ In depth and captivating worldbuilding, with great attention to the fictional nations' cultures and people;+ Immersive and moody narrative, both in regards to the calmer scenes, as well as the tenser ones and describing everything in a digestible manner;+ Low-fantasy-ish setting but with a delightful and seamless implementation of its magic system - that's quite novel and interesting, btw -;Cons:- Though it's a fantasy book, the more realistic take on its nations' cultures and character's mentalities oftenly dip into "yikes" territory (example: One of the main characters possesses awfully racist views/opinions on others as well as her nation's rivals);- Finale felt rather weak in comparison to the build up;- Little to no emotional hook, both due to the uninspiring characters as well as due to the more grounded presentation of its key dramas.

this is one of the best fantasy books ive ever read and one of the first ones with a world not influenced by ancient or historical european civilizations which is so refreshing. the characters are well layered, the world building is intricate and beautiful and it was definitely nice to have some non white representation. I love that it does not play into the common 'chosen one' fantasy trope and plays with the character relationships in a very unique way.

Love all her books. Unique and one of a kind

前作Inheritanceトリロジーが割りとどろどろの人間劇でしたが、今回はハイファンタジーというか、冒険ものというか、そんな感じです。ちょっと冒頭がスローかな？とも思いましたが、いろんな人の観点で語られる（POVは三人称ですが）という形式が私がちょっと苦手なだけかも。100ページ前後で一気にやめられなくなりました。ただハイファンタジーとは言ったものの、舞台がLotRとかのようないわゆる「西洋」ではないので、それを期待する人にはちょっと読みにくいかも。また、おそらく単語レベルも高めで、さらに発音の仕方がよくわからない固有名詞とかもいっぱい出てきますので、英語の勉強のために洋書を読みたい、という人には若干不向きかと。

Loved it. Jemisin builds a fantastic world using ancient building blocks of our own. More, she builds a history, a culture, a religion and a way of life. You explore her world and its compelling differences from our own while the story escalates in scale and intensity.If you want to explore something new, that even at its most fantastic and magical still feels like it draws on the real human psyche. You'll enjoy this. A non traditional love story, action, fantasy and exploration of a fascinating new world.One warning: There are many names are different and difficult at first. I probably am still not pronouncing many as intended, and will mix them up... I don't hold this against the book in any way though.