The Shadowed Sun
| Company type | Novel |
|---|---|
| Industry | Fantasy literature |
| Founded | 2012 |
| Founder | N. K. Jemisin |
The Shadowed Sun is a fantasy novel published in 2012 by N.K. Jemisin, serving as the conclusion to her Dreamblood Duology following The Killing Moon. The story takes place ten years after the events of the first book and focuses on an uprising against the Kisuati forces occupying Gujaareh, alongside a mysterious nightmare plague that threatens the city.
Plot
Set a decade after the Kisuati have occupied Gujaareh, Hanani, an apprentice Sharer and the sole female member of the Hetawa, becomes implicated when two individuals die during her healing trial. These fatalities are connected to a spreading nightmare plague. Concurrently, nobleman Sanfi and his daughter Tiaanet secretly conspire to topple the occupiers, with Tiaanet enduring abuse at her father’s hands.
Beyond Gujaareh’s borders, Wanahomen, son of King Eninket, lives in exile among the desert Yusir Banbarra tribes—historical adversaries of Gujaareh who now consider an alliance against Kisua. Wanahomen aspires to reclaim his rightful position as Gujaareh’s Prince.
Gatherer Nijiri assigns Hanani her final trial: liberating Gujaareh from Kisua dominance to attain full Sharer status. The Hetawa supports Wanahomen and the Banbarra tribes; Hanani and her mentor Mni-inh join them as hostages. Following Mni-inh’s death from the plague, the Banbarra tribes resolve to initiate conflict.
Sanfi and Tiaanet intend to manipulate Tantufi—a child spreading nightmares and later revealed as their offspring—to destabilize the Hetawa. When the Banbarra launch an assault on Gujaareh, they discover that the Kisuati have taken hostages, including Tiaanet and Tantufi, within the temple. Hanani destroys Tantufi’s soul to halt the nightmare affliction. Subsequently, Tiaanet kills Sanfi and escapes.
Wannahomen is crowned Prince and Kisua forces are driven out. Hanani achieves full Sharer status but departs from the Hetawa to become a healer for the Banbarra people. She accepts Wanahomen’s proposal of marriage.
Reception
Stefan Raets of Reactor described the book as "utterly brilliant" and a "modern classic," lauding its "beautiful" prose and richly developed characters and societies. He emphasized the novel's ethical complexity, noting that few characters are wholly virtuous or villainous, with many navigating morally ambiguous paths to fulfill their objectives.
Publishers Weekly praised the novel for its engaging political intrigue and distinctive setting, commending Jemisin’s sophisticated treatment that avoids simplistic stereotypes. However, it critiqued certain characters as lacking depth and expressed reservations about the romantic subplot, while also highlighting the unsettling presence of themes involving rape and abuse. Kirkus Reviews acknowledged Jemisin's intricate world-building and multifaceted characters but found the plot less gripping than its predecessor, labeling it "overloaded yet underwhelming," though still appealing to dedicated readers.