The Shadowed Sun

I read the first book in this duology late last year and then had to wait ages to read this book, but I'm glad I was willing to wait it out and stuck it through to the end.

The setting is just as fascinating as it is with the first book and I feel like all of the characters complimented each other really well. I've only read this series and the Broken Earth series from this author, but every time I'm reminded how much I enjoy narratives that are told through multiple perspectives--it just adds another layer of complexity that you can't get from a single perspective narrative.

There are some characters from the previous book, but also many new ones and new groups of people to get to know. The amount of research that was done and then applied to this fictional setting is really apparent and makes the story all that more fascinating.

I definitely wouldn't mind seeing more stories in this universe.

What a grand opener to the new year. I already loved the first book of the duology, but the sequel really blew me away.

The Shadowed Sun is set 10 years after The Killing Moon. Gujaareh is occupied by the Kisuati after the events of the first book, and the peaceful citizens are ready to shake off the yoke of the conquerors. In the desert, the legitimate heir of the mad prince Eninket, Wanahomen, is ready to lead the barbarian tribes to gain his throne. But as things are heating up, a mysterious dream plague starts killing people in Gujaareh and in particular affects the only woman of the narcomancy priests of the Hetawi, a Sharer-Apprentice called Hanani.

What can I say, I loved it. The story behind the dream plague is tragic and shook me up, and I loved the tribal folks, in particular Yanassa. I love me some strong ladies. You live and breathe the colorful world of Gujaareh through N.K. Jemisin's superb world-building and storytelling. I still liked Sunandi and Nijiri from the first book, but they're just excellent side characters. It's really Hanani's story, with a good dose of Wanahomen.

I highly recommend this duology to anyone who might be interested in ethnic, pseudo-Egyptian, pseudo-Anazazi fantasy.