The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms (Inheritance, #1) in The Alternative Worlds

Mar 23, 2011 mark monday rated it liked it

Shelves: fantasy-modern

a pleasingly old-fashioned fantasy - and by old-fashioned, i mean the opposite of the dense, complicated, multiple perspective, incredibly epic mega-fantasies that have had the most popularity over the past couple decades. this is something different. the language is straightforward, for the most part, and certainly beautiful at times. although the mystery is a complicated one, and deals with rather large issues such as the making and unmaking of an entire world, it still feels somehow 'miniatur ...more

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Jul 04, 2017 Danielle The Book Huntress rated it it was amazing

Shelves: fantasy, first-in-series, epic-fantasy, black-african-or-aa-heroine, the-lost-heir, library-checkout, favorites, mythology, gods-and-goddesses, political-intrigue

This has been on my tbr pile for so very long. Finally I decided to get the audiobook from my library and I'm glad I did. I loved the narrator. She has such a pleasing voice, and she's an excellent voice actor. This felt more like a play than a book in that the characters were so distinctive and with so much presence in the audiobook delivery. Having said that, this book takes a place of honor in those books that succeed wonderfully with world-building and mythopoeia. It make me even more happy This has been on my tbr pile for so very long. Finally I decided to get the audiobook from my library and I'm glad I did. I loved the narrator. She has such a pleasing voice, and she's an excellent voice actor. This felt more like a play than a book in that the characters were so distinctive and with so much presence in the audiobook delivery. Having said that, this book takes a place of honor in those books that succeed wonderfully with world-building and mythopoeia. It make me even more happy to see character who are brown in these fantasy worlds.

Yeine' is character who feels like any one of us. She's put into the situation of leaving what is familiar and entering a world of treachery and cutthroat politics. The world of her deceased mother. Yeine' has agreed to take the role of heir to the Kingdom of Sky, but she soon realizes that this position puts her in the crossheirs of the two other heirs.

Yeine' also encounters a pantheon of gods that have an interest in her that is incredibly complex and related to the whole societal structure of Sky. The story unfolds in such a way that you realize that Yeine' is far from ordinary and while her whole family has a personal relationship with the gods, she gains a deeper understanding and kinship with them.

The characterization is excellent, from Yeine' to each of the other gods. Yeine' is a woman of strength and integrity. She also has a realistic vulnerability that endears to me as a reader.

There is an interesting note of cultural contrast. Yeine's father was of the Darre people, who are more of a warrior culture but very matriarchal. Her loyalty remains to the Darre, and she uses her role as heir to help them. The Arameri are her mother's people, and they are sort of like the Romans in their cultural makeup. There's a lot of treachery and while they appear advanced, they have depraved habits that are barely beneath their cultured veneer. Yeine' faces a power struggle with the two other heirs, and particular her female cousin Scimina (who is a bitter, cruel, mean person who craves only power).

There's some very good emotional elements to this story, including the almost familial relationship that Yeine develops with the childlike and trickster-esque god Sieh, and the one of dark passion and attraction, and also sympathy for the darkest god of the pantheon, Nahadoth' (who feels much like the Greek Hades with a little bit of the Roman Eros thrown in).

This book sucked me in and intrigued me as I listened. It's longish, but it doesn't feel that way. It feels like it could have gone on longer. I would recommend this book to fantasy readers, particularly for those who are looking for a well-developed and novel mythology and worldbuilding and racially diverse characters. ...more

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Aug 14, 2009 Wealhtheow rated it liked it

Shelves: fantasy, pocmaincharacters

Once there was a woman who was heir to the throne of Sky. But she fell in love with a lowly hunter of the Darr nation, and abandoned her family and powerful destiny to live instead among people who hated and feared her. Her only child, Yeine, grows up as a Darr warrior, fierce and forthright. And then one day, her mother dies, and Yeine is summoned to the palace to meet the grandfather she's never met. He is the man who rules the universe...and possibly, the man who poisoned her mother.

The first ...more

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Nov 13, 2010 Sandi rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2010, fantasy, library-books-read

Dang, I was too slow in writing my review for The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms. I was going to describe it as an "intimate epic", but the SF&F blogger on Barnes & Noble's website used the term first.

"Intimate epic" really is the perfect phrase to describe The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms. There is a huge setting and back story in this novel. However, the author doesn't tell us that story; it's just there for the reader to fill in. Instead, she tells us the story of a young woman, Yeine, who has been ...more

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Aug 24, 2010 Hirondelle (not getting notifications) rated it really liked it

Shelves: fantasy, mary-sue-land

This was interesting, so interesting I am not sure how good it really was. I think the 4 stars rating are more me judging the experience of reading this ( wow, fun!) than the book itself - which is flawed.

This book was not exactly what I thought that it was going to be: big thick multi-volume plots with lots of courtly intrigue and cliffangers and huge multicast families. Like of course A Song of Ice and Fire, and tons of things which came before and after. Apart from ASOIAF I am probably burne This was interesting, so interesting I am not sure how good it really was. I think the 4 stars rating are more me judging the experience of reading this ( wow, fun!) than the book itself - which is flawed.

This book was not exactly what I thought that it was going to be: big thick multi-volume plots with lots of courtly intrigue and cliffangers and huge multicast families. Like of course A Song of Ice and Fire, and tons of things which came before and after. Apart from ASOIAF I am probably burned out of the whole subgenre ( and what to call it anyway? high fantasy? epic fantasy? all terms I know seems a bit precious). Oh, the book starts like that, it sounds like that from the blurb, but is not. I think perhaps the closest comparison for me with be with Transformation by Carol Berg, theological intrigue books both. This mixes that (light!) theological intrigue with enough wordly intrigue to keep it grounded, mixed up with a non linear narrative. It is very easy and very fast to read, I practically went through it in one sitting.

But, for me, this is not as good at it could, should have been. While there is MAJOR ambition in the plot, and lots of ideas and twists the story the theology is maybe too simple, too unsubtle, some things too obvious or easy in both the worldly and divine intrigues. I don´t know how to define cheesy but I know it when I see it and that a few plot points and scenes are cheesy, they are!

But still overall, lots of fun and interesting. And I will add different as praise, originality is surely a virtue and this has its own voice to pull at the imagination.

I am now very curious about how the sequel will go. I fear it might be disappointing ( like the sequel to Transformation, Revelation,was). The plot of this is so important, so major, that any sequel might very well feel like a letdown, and more than that, the ahem theological completeness hinted might not very well work with the mystery-romance plot that from the preview chapter seems to be the plot. But I will surely read it, just to see. (P.S - read the sequel and it was not a disappointment. The action was less grand, but it was IMO better written and plotted) ...more

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Feb 26, 2010 Kara Babcock rated it it was ok

Shelves: 2010-read, owned, hugo-nominee, fantasy, nebula-nominee

Owing to sudden insanity in my school and work schedule, I finished this book on November 3, but I only had time to finish the review now. As a result, the first three paragraphs of this review were written at the beginning of the month, and the rest is more recent. So I apologize for any discontinuities.

My first real experience in epic fantasy was David Eddings' Belgariad series, the first three books of which I devoured in grade seven at the insistence of a friend, who thumped the omnibus edit ...more

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Apr 11, 2012 Nicky rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: queer, fantasy, favourites

I've been stalled with the third book of this trilogy for a while, so I decided to kickstart myself by rereading the first two books (it is very much a case of "it's not you, it's me" with that book; I know I'd have devoured it if circumstances were different). They haven't lost anything in the reread -- it's been a while since I've been so completely swept up in a book that I'd ignore the rest of the world, but this book did that for me just as it did the first time. I think I registered the th ...more

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Sep 20, 2011 Daniel Roy rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

Oh my, what a refreshing and original fantasy novel this turned out to be. If you find the book's description somewhat underwhelming, like I did, fear not: this is a compelling and engaging fantasy story, with a unique setting and some crisp plotting and prose.

The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms takes place in Sky, the world's capital, a city that wields enslaved gods as weapons. This unique relationship between the world's ruling people and their god powers the story throughout, and it's original and Oh my, what a refreshing and original fantasy novel this turned out to be. If you find the book's description somewhat underwhelming, like I did, fear not: this is a compelling and engaging fantasy story, with a unique setting and some crisp plotting and prose.

The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms takes place in Sky, the world's capital, a city that wields enslaved gods as weapons. This unique relationship between the world's ruling people and their god powers the story throughout, and it's original and interesting.. It's impressive to realize how carefully balanced everything is in this tale. Things here are complex and intricate, in all the right ways.

This story is told in first person narration, which is an unusual choice for a fantasy story. Fortunately, the main character, Yeine, is interesting and complex enough to carry the story. Her narration hesitates and sputters in parts: hers is no perfect recollection, but a painful tale that unfolds at its own pace. Yeine is a really compelling character: she's strong, compassionate, easy to anger, cruel when needed, clever and foolish at once. She's a strong female character the likes of which we see too little in modern fantasy. Instead of being predictably acclimatized to the brutality of her world, she shows compassion many times, and dares to speak up when she sees injustice. She's a powerful figure, and I was sad to let go of her by reading the last page of the book.

I have to admit that given the setting, I initially expected this story to be about political intrigue and machinations for the throne. There is a bit of that, but it's not the heart of the story. The unique relationships between mortals and their enslaved gods, rather, is what takes center stage. A big part of that is a romance arc. I'm not a fan usually, but here the romance is done with enough tension and uncertainty that it didn't bother me. I'm usually a fan of more cold-blooded machinations, but I'm happy for the change of pace, here. There is still plenty of dramatic tension and mystery to be found in Yeine's tale. It's certainly a nice change from the rote sword and sorcery rape of other popular settings.

Looking forward to the sequel! ...more

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Nov 27, 2016 Suz rated it really liked it

Shelves: award-winner, non-men-sff-authors, fantasy, kindle, trilogy-sigh

Interesting non-traditional (as in, it's not a bunch of white dudes being white dudes running the world in a medieval European setting) fantasy.

For a first book, it's quite good. The (heterogeneous) world is run by a family who has managed to enslave gods. A direct descendant of the current clan head is brought to court (her mother had left the ruling family) to either be the next ruler or choose who will be (from between her twin cousins).

Politics and shenanigans ensue, and it's quite interest ...more

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Feb 17, 2012 Maree rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites

I have to say that I really liked this book. It had a lot going on, a lot of secrets that are gradually discovered along with the heroine, who I couldn't help but like, pushed as she was into a dangerous game of politics and backstabbers. It was definitely one I didn't want to put down.

As always, I'm a big fan of the story behind the stories, and that aspect when played with on a religious and god scale made it really interesting. It was fun to get to know the gods themselves, with their own fau ...more

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Jun 08, 2010 Nicky rated it it was amazing

Shelves: fantasy, queer

I picked this up due to glowing reviews from various people whose taste I trust. I didn't quite expect it to be as good a match for me as it was, I think -- but I was glued to it. It was the kind of book I would have stayed up late to finish, if I had to. The kind of book I didn't want to put down. It has a lot of the elements I recognise from other fantasy fiction: corrupt politics, struggles between gods, an outsider coming to court for the first time, etc, etc. But it made something different I picked this up due to glowing reviews from various people whose taste I trust. I didn't quite expect it to be as good a match for me as it was, I think -- but I was glued to it. It was the kind of book I would have stayed up late to finish, if I had to. The kind of book I didn't want to put down. It has a lot of the elements I recognise from other fantasy fiction: corrupt politics, struggles between gods, an outsider coming to court for the first time, etc, etc. But it made something different, for me. I felt like I was reading something new.

The book is written in first person. The narrator, Yeine, is the central character. The style of the narration is quite oral, in the sense that the story unfolds as if someone is telling the story aloud, and can't go back and edit themselves, but goes backwards and forwards, pauses to give extra information, etc. I can understand people not liking the style, but it worked for me. Yeine as a character is interesting: there's a streak of ruthlessness in her that somewhat surprised me, because so often the outsider thrown into the middle is utterly unsuited for the game they're playing. Yeine isn't utterly unsuited, though the reason she gets as far as she does is because she doesn't play the game by their rules, and it's not simply that she's nicer than them. She isn't, really. I liked the contrast in her nature: the ruthlessness, and yet the regret, the way she doesn't want to become just another one of the ruling family.

I loved a lot of the other characters as well. I like Sieh and his boyish nature, but the fact that he has to work on it, has to choose it and take himself back to it. I like Nahadoth and his chaos. I found it believable. Despite knowing that for the book to carry on he would have to do the sensible thing, I could believe in his chaotic nature, that he would do something unpredictable, destructive, even detrimental to his own cause. Nahadoth is probably my favourite character, for all the contradictions of him.

The mythology was something I found intensely interesting -- what was, and what was not, new about it. How fresh I found it, despite my general feeling that gods have been Done To Death in fantasy fiction until there is nothing new. This book made me feel like it was something new.

I found it satisfying in itself -- a complete story, with a fitting ending -- but also want more, more by this author, more in this world.

Perhaps a mark of my enthusiasm over it is that I'm probably going to buy copies for a lot of my friends. I can see in some ways why it might leave people cold -- the narration and the relationships between the gods spring to mind -- but it was immensely satisfying for me. ...more

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Jan 02, 2013 Ryandake rated it liked it

Shelves: 2013-challenge

i wanted to like this book a lot better than i did, i think.

it was a perfectly cromulent beach read, i suppose, or quite enough for a rainy afternoon. it doesn't trip over itself anywhere--characterization is pretty good in some characters (usually the women) and not so hot in others (too many of the men). plotting is well done, and the author takes some risks that can be slightly annoying but are brave, and i can respect that. she handles a complicated set of circumstances well, and even gets i ...more

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Nov 19, 2010 This Is Not The Michael You're Looking For rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, fiction, own

A pretty good fantasy story, a bit different in style, but lacking a little in world building and character consistency. The world is seemingly very interesting and unique, but vastly under-realized without enough depth to the political and cultural structure. The main character is this weird set of contradictions: a warrior, trained to be a leader of her people, but seemingly naive and clueless at almost every turn. Where she succeeds, she seems to do so by accident rather than through any part ...more

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