This was a thoroughly enjoyable book and a fresh take on a traditional fantasy story. We're all familiar with the story of a young man (or woman; though it tends to be a man) that is thrust into power as he/she inherits it or discovers he/she is a lost prince/princess, etc, etc. We're also familiar with the stories of all-powerful gods intervening in mortal affairs. Jemisin manages to take both aspects and merges them together in The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms. While there are more books to this series (a trilogy), the first feels very independent as the other two deal with different characters and plots. If you're interested in the history and development of the world, you can continue reading them, otherwise you end at the first and get a complete story. 
 A full review can be found in my blog: http://strakul.blogspot.com/2013/12/b...