The Fifth Season cover art

The Fifth Season

The Broken Earth, Book 1

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The Fifth Season

By: N. K. Jemisin
Narrated by: Robin Miles
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About this listen

Winner of the 2016 Hugo Award for Best Novel
Book 1 in the double Hugo-Award-winning trilogy
A New York Times Notable Book
Shortlisted for the World Fantasy, Nebula, Kitschies, Audie and Locus Awards
The inaugural Wired.com book club pick

This is the way the world ends...for the last time.

It starts with the great red rift across the heart of the world, spewing ash that blots out the sun.

It starts with death, with a murdered son and a missing daughter.

It starts with betrayal, and long dormant wounds rising up to fester.

This is the Stillness, a land long familiar with catastrophe, where the power of the earth is wielded as a weapon. And where there is no mercy.

The Broken Earth trilogy is complete - beginning with The Fifth Season, continuing in The Obelisk Gate (Winner of the 2017 Hugo Award for Best Novel) and concluding with The Stone Sky (Shortlisted for the 2018 Hugo Award for Best Novel).

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio.

©2015 N. K. Jemisin (P)2015 Hachette Audio Fantasy Fiction

Critic Reviews

Heartbreaking, wholly unexpected, and technically virtuosic, THE FIFTH SEASON is a tour-de-force. I felt every shock--and the book is packed with them--in my marrow. It's no exaggeration to say that Jemisin expands the range of what great fantasy can be (Brian Staveley)
All stars
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At times so compelling I was up until 2am listening; at times oddly unsatisfying. I have mixed feelings about this story. I enjoyed it, but I don't really care enough to buy book 2. Robin Miles' narration is exemplary - most likely it's her voice that kept me listening at times.

Good, but not great.

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This book was hard going for me. I can understand why people liked it. I thought the reader was the wrong person for for this book. I had to speed it up or I would full asleep.

The fifth season

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As time went on the world appeared to catch up with narrative. As far as a fantasy world goes there is so much awesome potential. Could have explored the science deeper and twisted it more with fantasy/magic aspects.

Seems like a story written by a Geologist who loves fantasy and decided to write a book after cheating on her husband with a jock.

For earth's sake

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The superb narration carries the story beautifully. Vivid world building. Momentum builds steadily and leaves the listener hanging for the next in the series.

Top notch narration and world building

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Fantastic book, and reading and production. Reading is fantastic and excellently emphasises the events of the story and different voices of the characters.

Fantastic book, and reading and production.

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Had me hooked from the start to the very end!
Was hard hitting and emotional with some of the most wonderful world building I have ever seen.
Cannot recommend this book enough!

Honestly this book is a work of art!!!

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A world that feels so intricately thought out but feeds you information in a way that doesn't overwhelm. The writing has a lot of character, and I mean that in a good way. And what to say about the narration. Well firstly, it's clear and we'll produced and covers all the characters with equal skill. I can see why this is so highly rated.

Excellenr world building meets masterful narration

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enjoyed this very much. several surprises completely unpredictable. good fantasy story, holds together very well.

brilliant !?

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I tried reading this book but I just could not get into it. Tried the audio book and fell in love with the story.

Loved it in audio

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Good plot, moves well, interesting magic, good twist, well voiced, good blending of storylines. also an interesting subtle reflection on current environmental/socioeconomic issues.

A good solid listen

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