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4.1 AVERAGE
4.1 AVERAGE
I had to return this book to the library unfinished, after refreshing the loan the maximum number of times, which perhaps says something about how I feel about it. The language is still pure Erikson, but the style is different, more traditional epic (dark) fantasy, and I guess that made all the difference for me. I devoured the Malazan series, but this somehow failed to hold my interest.
This is a new level of storytelling unfolding here.
I dont think anything in the genre has this quallity.
I dont think anything in the genre has this quallity.
It's pretty much a -1 for the whole wedding thing*, because it's not necessary. (Yes, OK, necessary to the plot, but the description of it was not - especially since Erikson's books do not any more examples of I am totes SRS bsns about graphic descriptions! He's got Envy, Spite and Malice to cover all those angles, anyway.)
The thing about his books is that they make me care about pretty much every character, no matter how small a part they play. (There are a few exceptions: Envy, Spite, Malice and Olar Ethil are probably at the top of the list; Anomander Rake was, but this book redeems him a bit.)
Mostly, this book made me want to go back and reread all 10 books of the Malazan Book of the Fallen, and I didn't think I'd ever really want to do that, especially after I struggled so much to get through the first two (Gardens of the Moon and Deadhouse Gates) - and because I was reading the later ones as they came out, so there was significant time between each volume and I usually forgot what had happened before. We've got all 10 on the shelf, though, so I'll probably start reading once I get through the other new stuff we have lying around.
I don't usually care that much for the overarching plot in his books (this one is no exception, really), but I care enough about the individual characters to look past that. Erikson's is the only long series (over 4 books) that I've really stuck with (with the exception of The Dark Tower, but that was a stupid slog), and I think it is probably the best epic fantasy I've read.
*and whatever happened to the Hust legion. Still don't understand that. Read that section about 10 times. No idea.
The thing about his books is that they make me care about pretty much every character, no matter how small a part they play. (There are a few exceptions: Envy, Spite, Malice and Olar Ethil are probably at the top of the list; Anomander Rake was, but this book redeems him a bit.)
Mostly, this book made me want to go back and reread all 10 books of the Malazan Book of the Fallen, and I didn't think I'd ever really want to do that, especially after I struggled so much to get through the first two (Gardens of the Moon and Deadhouse Gates) - and because I was reading the later ones as they came out, so there was significant time between each volume and I usually forgot what had happened before. We've got all 10 on the shelf, though, so I'll probably start reading once I get through the other new stuff we have lying around.
I don't usually care that much for the overarching plot in his books (this one is no exception, really), but I care enough about the individual characters to look past that. Erikson's is the only long series (over 4 books) that I've really stuck with (with the exception of The Dark Tower, but that was a stupid slog), and I think it is probably the best epic fantasy I've read.
*and whatever happened to the Hust legion. Still don't understand that. Read that section about 10 times. No idea.
Good to be back in the world of Mr Erikson in this prequel to the Malazan Book of the Fallen series set about 300 years before The Gardens of the Moon. Kharkhanas (home of Mother Dark and the Tiste Andii) is on the brink of civil war after a hard won peace and lots of the characters from the original Malazan series crop up here and it goes some way to explaining how they became the way they were in those books.
Of course now I have to wait months/years for the other two books in the trilogy :(
Of course now I have to wait months/years for the other two books in the trilogy :(
Oh boy. Took me a bit to get through that. Not because I didn’t like it, not because I slogged through, but because I absolutely loved it and had to think for every page.
Fans of Malazan will find Erickson’s Shakespearean tragedy here a shining example of his word craft and philosophy. Yes, this book is different to Malazan. There’s more moving parts, some of them are slower, you might have to remember some House names. But if you are scared of the density, just hang on to the world building, which Erickson brings to the fullest. As always, questions are answered in ways that bring up more, minor players in the Book get deep lore, and there’s funny Jaghut.
Highly recommend, on to book 2.
Fans of Malazan will find Erickson’s Shakespearean tragedy here a shining example of his word craft and philosophy. Yes, this book is different to Malazan. There’s more moving parts, some of them are slower, you might have to remember some House names. But if you are scared of the density, just hang on to the world building, which Erickson brings to the fullest. As always, questions are answered in ways that bring up more, minor players in the Book get deep lore, and there’s funny Jaghut.
Highly recommend, on to book 2.
The writing style is brutal: a philosophical yet meaningless slog through unnecessarily flowery language. Couple that with disgustingly graphic content and I just couldn't do it. Maybe I would have liked it better if I read the main series first, but I doubt it, just not a fan of reading detailed descriptions of people ripping their own eyes out of their sockets or getting gang raped.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Rape, Sexual content
I started reading this book immediately after finishing Dancer's Lament and it is hard for me not to compare the two authors of this universe who are both now writing backstory series. I know that such comparisons are unfair because they have such different styles. Ian Esslemont is straightforward in his plot and the action seems to continually move. Steven Erikson tends to start a lot slower, is much more philosophical, and builds to an amazing crescendo by the end of his books. This was no exception.
First, my complaints: 1) I was nearly a hundred pages into this book before the plot even began to start. Prior to that, it was just one character or scenario introduction after another. Some of these I knew from other writings but many are new and it was daunting to keep a grip on everything until SE started to weave it all together. 2) Erikson is just so dang depressing. Everybody is always sad and melancholy and their lives and futures seem to be bleak and hopeless. In his best books, SE has a genius like Kruppe or Tehol Beddict to liven things up and add some much needed humor. There was one character in this novel who could have played that role but he just didn't get enough page time and so this book is much more depressing than it needed to be. 3) SE tends to play on the same themes a bit too much and at this point, it gets little more than an eye roll from me. All of his civilizations hunt their animals to extinction and wreck their environment and as a result, end up collapsing. Enough already. You're a tree hugger. We get it. Another example, decent people who suffer crippling injuries tend to become bitter and evil. Seriously?
The copy of this book I read was 683 pages. For the first six hundred, this book was a solid three. But then that crescendo... wow. I don't want to share any spoilers, but I seriously was ready to start right from the beginning again the moment I finished. So many reveals and epochal moments are thrown into those last couple of chapters. The second book of this series has just been bumped to the top of my read list and I can't wait to continue the story.
First, my complaints: 1) I was nearly a hundred pages into this book before the plot even began to start. Prior to that, it was just one character or scenario introduction after another. Some of these I knew from other writings but many are new and it was daunting to keep a grip on everything until SE started to weave it all together. 2) Erikson is just so dang depressing. Everybody is always sad and melancholy and their lives and futures seem to be bleak and hopeless. In his best books, SE has a genius like Kruppe or Tehol Beddict to liven things up and add some much needed humor. There was one character in this novel who could have played that role but he just didn't get enough page time and so this book is much more depressing than it needed to be. 3) SE tends to play on the same themes a bit too much and at this point, it gets little more than an eye roll from me. All of his civilizations hunt their animals to extinction and wreck their environment and as a result, end up collapsing. Enough already. You're a tree hugger. We get it. Another example, decent people who suffer crippling injuries tend to become bitter and evil. Seriously?
The copy of this book I read was 683 pages. For the first six hundred, this book was a solid three. But then that crescendo... wow. I don't want to share any spoilers, but I seriously was ready to start right from the beginning again the moment I finished. So many reveals and epochal moments are thrown into those last couple of chapters. The second book of this series has just been bumped to the top of my read list and I can't wait to continue the story.
This only serves to solidify Malazan's claim at being one of the best fantasy series ever written.
First read: April, 2014
Re-read: May, 2016
First read: April, 2014
Re-read: May, 2016
adventurous
dark
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes