Is this book part of a series?

This is the first installment of The Inheritance Trilogy, which continues in subsequent books that explore the same world but often feature different lead characters.

What is unique about the way the story is told?

The narrative utilizes a frame story where the protagonist recounts events in retrospection, frequently addressing the reader directly to provide perspective on her experiences.

Did this book receive any major recognition?

It was a finalist for the Hugo Award for Best Novel in 2011 and won the Locus Award for Best First Novel that same year.

The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms

Epic Fantasy Fantasy

Pages: 432
Published: 2010
Language: English

Yeine Darr, an outcast from the north, is unexpectedly summoned to the opulent city of Sky and named an heiress to the king. She finds herself in a dangerous game of succession, battling unknown cousins and uncovering dark family secrets. As Yeine fights for her life and the truth, she learns the complex and perilous ties between love, hate, gods, and mortals.

Prose complexity: 7/10

Collected in

The inheritance trilogy

Dark Tense Mysterious Complex Atmospheric

Fish Out of Water Rivals Betrayal Morally Grey Court Intrigue Unreliable Narrator

N. K. Jemisin

N. K. Jemisin (born September 19, 1972, in Iowa City, Iowa) is an American science fiction and fantasy writer based in Brooklyn, New York. She is the author of the Inheritance Trilogy, the Dreamblood duology, the Broken Earth trilogy and the Great Cities duology, along with numerous short stories. Her Broken Earth trilogy — The Fifth Season (2015), The Obelisk Gate (2016) and The Stone Sky (2017) — made her the first author to win the Hugo Award for Best Novel in three consecutive years, and the...

Yeine DarrProtagonist

ItempasAntagonist

The Skyfather, god of order and light, worshipped by the Arameri as ruler of the universe.

Dekarta ArameriAntagonist

Yeine's grandfather and the ruling family's patriarch, who names her a candidate for the succession.

Scimina ArameriAntagonist

Yeine's cousin and rival contender for the Arameri succession.

NahadothSupporting

The Nightlord, one of the enslaved gods bound to serve the Arameri; drawn into an uneasy alliance with Yeine.

All characters in The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms

Frequently asked questions

Is this book part of a series?
This is the first installment of The Inheritance Trilogy, which continues in subsequent books that explore the same world but often feature different lead characters.
What is unique about the way the story is told?
The narrative utilizes a frame story where the protagonist recounts events in retrospection, frequently addressing the reader directly to provide perspective on her experiences.
Did this book receive any major recognition?
It was a finalist for the Hugo Award for Best Novel in 2011 and won the Locus Award for Best First Novel that same year.