The City Born Great

A Tor.com Original

By: N. K. Jemisin

Narrated by: Landon Woodson

“Landon Woodson's captivating singing opens this stand-alone short story...Woodson's agile and engaging narration makes listeners wary of the ominous threats and feel all the anticipation for the battle to come." (AudioFile Magazine, Earphones Award winner)

In this stand-alone short story by N. K. Jemisin, author of The Fifth Season, winner of the Hugo Award for Best Novel, New York City is about to go through a few changes.

Like all great metropolises before it, when a city gets big enough, old enough, it must be born; but there are ancient enemies who cannot tolerate new life. Thus New York will live or die by the efforts of a reluctant midwife...and how well he can learn to sing the city's mighty song.

"The City Born Great" is a Tor.com original.

©2916 N. K. Jemisin (P)2020 Macmillan Audio

What a wonderful short listen

The voice actor did a phenomenal job sucking you into the stores at the very beginning. Great little story And very well written

Poetry

This is essentially the first chapter of The City We Became. Its performed well and has a lot of action. If you already read The City We Became, you can probably skip this as there is very little new. However, if a trilogy of books about anthropomorphic urban sprawls and ancient horrors sounds a little daunting start here. Get your feet wet. Get swept up in the lyrical quality of Jemisin's narrative and 3 dimensional diverse characters.. Jemisin is one of the greatest authors of her generation. I recommend. The narrator is just a bad ass.

Less a Short Story or Novella than a Poem

Billed as a necessary prelude to The City We Became by Hugo Award Winner N. K. Jemison, this work reads more like Performance Art.

I’m not a big fan of Sci-Fi or Fantasy but its New York theme intrigued me so I gave it a try. I’m not sure I completely followed what was going on but the Author created an atmosphere that drew me in. I enjoyed this short work and may give the next one a try.

Beautiful prose, unique story, excited for more!

This is a short story prequel to The City We Became. It was a wonderful, twisty-turny adventure with heart.

Early episode in NYC's birth as a living city

The process of a great city being born as a living city starts sooner than we might realize from just the birth itself. Living cities, actual and potential have enemies, and they need protectors.

This is a short story about one of New York's midwives, a young man about a decade earlier than the actual birth, coached--and coaxed--by Paolo, the avatar of San Paolo. He's a street painter, and a singer, and he'd really rather not have the responsibility, but the city calls to him, and enemy needs to be stopped.

The narration is wonderful, and the story is a lovely addition to the two books so far in the Great Cities series.

I bought this audiobook.

Very lovely prequel!

This story is a prequel to the events in The City We Became. The narrator Landon Woodson was perfect for the character and plot! It was a fun and charming listen while I'm waiting for the next book in the trilogy.

Great story told by a great narrator!

I've read The City We Became and needed to circle back to this as I read that it was based off of this short story. Chef's kiss! Jemisin 8s quickly becoming a favorite author.

A Love Story for a City

N.K. Jemisin perfectly captured how I feel about my City. The City Born Great is a short story, yes, but when read by Landon Woodson, it becomes a love poem to a City. I've always felt like I belong to my City, and that my City belongs to me. I've walked alone in my City, and realized that my City is my friend. This story perfectly captures how I feel. As with all great scifi, one must wonder: is it really fiction?

Excellent story that takes us from the sewers to the heights, read with quiet passion and joy.

The feeling of the connection with the city, of midwifery, of the fight against the enemy.

The rhythm of the words and the canter of Landon’s speech! It’s poetry and dance and music. It’s magick.

If you have the full novel do not buy this

This is repeated as the preface of the full novel "The City We Became". I thought it was new material. The performance is great as is the writing but I wish I knew that I had already gotten this with the book.