This is a 2011 Hugo Nominee.
'The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms' is placed firmly in the fantasy genre. The titular world has recovered from a literal war of the gods. The aftermath of this war frames the entire set up of the book. To wit, this world originally had two gods, one of day and one of night. Eventually the two somehow created a third to represent the twilight period. War broke out and the day god was victorious. The twilight goddess was killed and the night god was imprisoned in a mortal body and, along with some lesser gods, left in the power of those who were loyal to the winning side. With this power they became rulers of all of the 100,000 kingdoms of their world. Got it?
Our story opens with a young girl named Yeine who has been summoned from a backwater kingdom to the very ruling city. She has been asked to compete for the honor of being the next ruler. Her mother had been next in line but she fled in some unnamed horror and married far beneath her.
Yeine is immediately out of her depth with the ruling class, the Arameri. She is in constant danger, moreso since she doesn't really understand what is happening. Her only benefit is that she has been treated favorably by some of the lesser imprisoned gods. Can she help them in their plight? What would her mother have wanted her to do? And really, what secret caused her mother to flee in the first place?
I really enjoyed this book. Fantasy isn't really my thing but this one works well. The politics are interesting, the actions are believable and it's well written. Especially the various descriptions of the night god. He is unpredictable and dangerous but also attractive and powerful. He has more depth than nearly anyone else in the whole book and yet each new phase was surprising.
I'm doubtful that it would get my first place vote but it wouldn't be a bad Hugo winner.
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