The Obelisk Gate Audiobook By N. K. Jemisin cover art

The Obelisk Gate

The Broken Earth, Book 2

Preview
LIMITED TIME OFFER

3 months free
Try for $0.00
Offer ends July 31, 2025 at 11:59PM PT.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 3 months. Cancel anytime.

The Obelisk Gate

By: N. K. Jemisin
Narrated by: Robin Miles
Try for $0.00

$0.00/mo. after 3 months. Offer ends July 31, 2025 at 11:59PM PT. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $28.79

Buy for $28.79

Confirm purchase
Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use, License, and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.
Cancel

About this listen

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

The season of endings grows darker, as civilization fades into the long cold night.

Essun - once Damaya, once Syenite, now avenger - has found shelter, but not her daughter. Instead there is Alabaster Tenring, destroyer of the world, with a request. But if Essun does what he asks, it would seal the fate of the Stillness forever.

Far away, her daughter Nassun is growing in power - and her choices will break the world.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio.©2016 N.K. Jemisin (P)2016 Hachette Audio
Action & Adventure Contemporary Dystopian Epic Epic Fantasy Fantasy Fiction Paranormal & Urban Science Fiction Scary Emotionally Gripping

Critic reviews

"Exceptional." ( Library Journal)
"Robin Miles continues as narrator, and the large cast of characters allows her to draw on her vast store of accents. Her narration is intimate and engaged, and she enriches the complicated relationships.... Miles draws out the emotions - sometimes volatile, sometimes seething beneath the surface--as the complexities of this postapocalyptic world unfold." ( AudioFile)

Featured Article: The Best Women Narrators to Listen to Right Now


One of the biggest questions listeners have when it comes to approaching a new audiobook is whether or not they'll enjoy the narration style. This is understandable, as audiobooks are at least a few hours long (with many clocking in at 20 hours long—or more!), and sticking with one person's voice for that time period can feel like a big commitment. We rounded up some of the best female narrators with a robust list of audiobooks under their belts.

Complex Characters • Rich Worldbuilding • Exceptional Voice Acting • Compelling Storyline • Original Fantasy Elements
Highly rated for:
All stars
Most relevant  
Although this is the second book in a series, it doesn't suffer from the usual slump. The characters and the world continue to evolve, fascinating new characters are added (and--spoiler alert--subtracted), and there are some big reveals. Can't wait to read the third book.

[I listened to this as an audiobook read by Robin Miles, who continues to astound with her ability to give nuance to each and every character]

Second in a must-read series

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

Sometimes a sequel is less than its predecessor. Sometimes it’s better. But sometimes— and this is rare— a sequel is not a sequel at all. Sometimes upon reading the follow-up to a book like The Fifth Season, you realise that what we have here is a tightly told story and that this sequel is merely the second act to a larger tale, conceived in three parts. The first book needs this sequel as a lung needs air to fill it, so it can suck in the oxygen. I’m off to read The Stone Sky, because after the set-up that ends this, The Obelisk Gate, I need to exhale. I have a feeling that, after reading this masterpiece, you’ll be compelled to do the same.

A powerful second act

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

This was a phenomenal sequel! I love this story and am excited to get to the next book in the series. excellent storytelling, fascinating plot, amazing characters. All the adjectives.

Wonderful Sequel!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

would like to see a sci-fi tv series made from this trilogy. preferably 9n Amazon Prime.

great original sci-fi

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

Refreshingly original story that is performed very well. I especially liked the complexity of the characters and their relationships as well as the complexity of the world and story.

Interesting and original story very well told

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

Jemisin is a jewel of a writer and storyteller. Thoughtfully complex and original, Jemison’s books carry you into worlds that, although fantastical, resonate with the everyday fallibilities, fragility, and hopes of her readership.

What a talent.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

The story is interesting, the characters have some depth in complexity and overall the story is decent.

The challenge I'm having with this, is I began this series when I was looking for a science fiction story.

For some reason people continue to try to label fantasy as science fiction because science fiction sells more, and that's really bothering me.

If you like fantasy, you will enjoy this story. if you like science fiction, and we're looking for science fiction you'll be very confused and by the time you hit the second book you'll realize that there is no science in this at all, and it is purely a fantasy novel of magic.

fantasy magic, not science fiction.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

absolutely loved this book I highly recommend both the narrator and the author. I really struggled with the other book by this author in print I had a hard time following the many names but this narrator does different voices and does the correct pronunciation of the names and it is just a wonderful story with great characters

great narrator great author

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

The broken earth series is beautiful, intense, magical (no pun), inventive, and absolutely wonderful. Some of the best book(s) i’ve read for a long time.
But the performance of the narrator is, flat out, the best reading I’ve ever heard. No contest.
She brings out so much of the beauty and emotion and depth of the story. It wouldn’t be the same story with anyone else.
Get this and listen.

incredible performance of a fantastic story

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

Much faster plot development and much more detailed development of the magic system. Can’t wait to see what happens next.

Better than the first

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

See more reviews