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Cover of The Killing Moon by N. K. JemisinThe Killing Moon
Modern · Fiction, Fantasy, LGBT

The Killing Moon

by N. K. Jemisin
2012 · 418 pages · Fiction
63.5Must-Read
Score Modern
Critics' pick
≈ 10 hours to read · about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day

What it's about

Following her acclaimed debut series, N. K. Jemisin returns with a captivating new fantasy tale of magic, faith and conspiracy.

Why it's worth reading

It was a Nebula Award finalist. It's an inventive fantasy inspired by ancient Egypt.

You'll love it if you liked

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Good to know

It's the first of the Dreamblood duology.

By the numbers

63.5Must-Read Score
  • Readers44 out of 100 · counts 42%
  • Critics24 out of 100 · counts 14%
  • Bestseller26 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
  • Buzz1 out of 100 · counts 10%

Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.

Where it ranks

Why it made the list

Shortlisted
Nebula Award finalist (2012)

Reads as

Adventurous

How we rank

Already read it? Upload your Goodreads or StoryGraph history and get the 50 best books you haven't read, tuned to your taste.Get my 50

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Explore the best-of lists

All 36 best-of lists →
Fantasy booksTop 25 · 459 rankedModern booksTop 25 · 1,573 rankedBooks of the 2010sTop 25 · 736 rankedMysteries and thrillersTop 25 · 555 rankedLiterary novelsTop 25 · 309 rankedMemoirs and biographiesTop 25 · 290 rankedScience fiction booksTop 25 · 313 rankedRomancesTop 25 · 233 ranked

Quick answers

Is The Killing Moon worth reading?

Yes. It was a Nebula Award finalist. It ranks #2,034 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 63.5 (the best book we found scores 99).

What is The Killing Moon about?

Following her acclaimed debut series, N. K. Jemisin returns with a captivating new fantasy tale of magic, faith and conspiracy.

How long does it take to read The Killing Moon?

About 10 hours (418 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.

What should I read after The Killing Moon?

If you liked it, try The Fifth Season by N. K. Jemisin, The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms by N. K. Jemisin or The City of Brass by S. A. Chakraborty.