Dancer's Lament - Ian C. Esslemont

In 2014 Ian C. Esslemont delivered Assail, the sixth and final novel of the Malazan Empire, a series that intertwines with Steven Erikson's Malazan Book of the Fallen. Like Erikson, he has now chosen to delve into the rich past of their shared fantasy world. Dancer's Lament is the first novel in a series describing the rise of the Malazan Empire. It's a period Erikson has not published any material on, leaving Esslemont a bit more free to find his own path. It seems to have done him a lot of good. The story works well for veteran readers but it might also be a good entry point. Let's face it, there are significantly less unknown terms, unexplained histories and strange magics dropped on the reader than in Erikson's first books.

The continent of Quon Tali was once unified, but in recent decades various regional powers have vied for control. Most of this has passed the city of Li Heng by, however. Ruled by a powerful sorceress, the city has known generations of stability. This is about to come to an end when the armies of the Itko Kan arrive. Their ambitious young king is aiming to conquer the city. He is not the only arrival however. Two young men with ambitions that stretch far beyond controlling one city, slip into Li Heng just before the besiegers arrive. The game of power is played on several levels and as usual in the world of Malaz, the use of power attracts the powerful. What starts out as a simple siege ripples though the Malazan pantheon.

As I understand it, Esslemont is under contract for three books in this series. This first book doesn't quite feel as the setup for a traditional trilogy, however. I would not be surprised to see the author take it beyond three books. The Malazan timeline is notoriously (and intentionally) vague so it is hard to pinpoint when exactly this story takes place in relation to other books in this universe. My best guess is that this story is set at least a century before the events in Gardens of the Moon but I could be a few decades off.

Although the history of this universe goes back a lot further, Erikson is currently writing books that are set many thousands of years before the events Esslemont describes here, Dancer's Lament is something of an origins story. We meet a number of young characters who will go on to become big players. The title is giving one of them away. Dassem Ulthor makes an appearance, Kellanved shows up and the Crimson Guard, before undergoing the ritual, pays Li Heng a visit. There is, in other words plenty for the reader familiar with the Malazan books to recognize.

All these familiar characters in the story could have the drawback that the observant reader will guess the shape of the story early on. Between them, Erikson and Esslemont have given quite a few hints on the past of some of the key players in the story. I have a nagging suspicion that later books might become more predictable. It will be interesting to see how Esslemont handles that. In Dancer's Lament, predictability is not (yet) a problem. We are a long way from Malaz, the empire is a distant dream. It will take the reader the better part of the book to figure out who is who, and more importantly, what they are capable of. Names are fluid in this series. They are often earned rather than given, and quite a few characters still have to earn theirs.

As usual the conflict in the novel plays out on several levels. The worldly politics of Quon Tali is intermingled with the struggles of gods and ascendants. This last conflict is reflected in changes in the Deck of Dragons, where as of yet unaligned cards start to appear. The origin of the house that is forming is one of the most interesting aspects of the novel for me. For characters who are, in later books, seen to be playing the long game, meticulously plotting their moves, their actions in this novel appear rash. In fact, they cause the nearest thing to panic among the  ascendants I've seen in this series.

Despite the multilayered conflict, the novel is fairly concise as Malazan books go. It is just over 400 pages in hardback. Some of the bigger novels in the overall series are easily twice as long. Esslemont starts his new series in a relatively contained setting and with, for Malazan standards, a fairly limited cast. Where in some of his previous novels I had the feeling he had trouble juggling the characters, writing his novels in between Erikson's parts and pulling all strands together for a good convergence, he doesn't have any such problems in this book. It is a tightly written novel with a satisfying climax. Sure, there are lots of open ends, it is the first book in a series after all, but structurally, this novel may be the best Esslemont has produced to date.

All in all, I am quite taken with this novel. Dancer's Lament is a fresh start for the series, and that seems to be just what Esslemont needed. It is one of the more accessible books in the universe of Malaz, but still contains enough links to the other works in the series to make it interesting for readers who have read the other books. This novel shows that, whatever we think we know about this most complex of fantasy worlds, Erikson and Esslemont will keep surprising us with their stories. Even if Esslemont's earlier novels didn't convince you, this one is well worth the read.

Book Details
Title: Dancer's Lament
Author: Ian C. Esslemont
Publisher: Bantam Press
Pages: 401
Year: 2016
Language: English
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 978-0-593-07434-3
First published: 2016

Forge of Darkness - Steven Erikson

After finishing the monumental job of writing the ten volumes of the Malazan Book of the Fallen, Steven Erikson must have wondered how to continue. The series is one of the most complex and demanding works of Fantasy I've come across. The scope and depth of the history of the world of Malaz is simply way beyond anything encountered in other fantasy series. It leaves plenty of options to tell other stories of course but the temptation to start something fresh must also have been present. In a way Forge of Darkness, the first novel in the Kharkanas trilogy is a bit of both. The story is set so far back in history that it might as well be a different world despite the familiar characters that show up.

Forge of Darkness takes us to the realm of Kurald Galain, back to the time when the Tiste were one people. In recent years the cult of Mother Dark has gained prominence in Tiste society and this is not to everybody's liking. As her darkness spread through the Tiste lands resistance against her and her chosen consort Lord Draconus is growing. Most of the major players are aware that civil war is about to erupt and precautions are being taken. Outside the borders of the realm things are stirring too. Especially along the shores of the mysterious Vitr sea things are happening that will change the world.

In a way, Erikson takes a bit of a gamble here. Despite the vast gulf of time that separates this story form the ten book series he wrote before, the fate of the Tiste people is known. We've even seen some of it in one of the flashbacks in the later Malazan Book of the Fallen novels. To keep things interesting Erikson uses a technique not often encountered in Fantasy. Where most series strive for internal consistency and time lines that sometimes are know from day to day, Erikson leaves things fuzzy on purpose. He often employs unreliable narrators, people who were present at events in the distant past, people who have stakes in these events or have reason to want them to be remembered a certain way. In short, what Erikson chooses to show us our knowledge of history is flawed, sometimes corrupted and often unreliable. Nothing that can be gleaned from the Malazan Book of the Fallen novels can be taken for granted. To stress this point, the novel is essentially a frame story. In the prologue Erikson introduces us to the narrator of the book, who readily admits his own bias in telling it.

The shape of the story is what we've come to expect from Erikson. He uses a great number of point of view characters to show events in a lot of different locations, patiently working his way to the climax of the novel. Where many of his books have a military campaign at the heart of at least one major story line, this novel has a slightly different focus. There are armies on the move and a few battle scenes are included but civil war is much messier than an outright military conflict. Nobody appears in control. While everybody can feel the momentum building and an eruption of violence approaching, the immediate goals of the characters seem limited. There is no Kellanved with dreams of an empire, no Crippled God aiming to shake up the pantheon. It is epic fantasy but somehow a shade more manageable than the sprawling series that made Erikson's name.

Another very interesting touch is that while the religious tensions appear to tear Tiste society apart, they are fast approaching an ecological crash too. There are lots of references to deforestation and the extinction of animals. Beyond the loss of good hunting game, nobody seems overly concerned about it. Erikson is clearly exploring more than one way in which a culture can doom itself. In that respect, the Tiste are certainly being thorough.

Besides the Tiste, Erikson shows us a number of other elder races in this book. The Jaghut show up as they were before a war of genocide was unleashed on them and before Hood's ascension. The Jheck make an appearance, there are references to the Forulkan and their eternal pursuit of justice and the Eilent crash the party. For the established reader the opening chapters of this book is a feast of recognition. Before Erikson pulls the carpet from under you and lays out a very different history from what we thought we knew anyway. The Azathanai, which I assume are linked to the Azath houses of a later age, are perhaps the most interesting. They already seem to have a very long history and struck me as gods living among their own creations. They seem to have already distanced themselves from their creations though. Their whole stance made me wonder where Erikson is going to take that particular part of the story.

As you will probably have realized by now, there is plenty that ties this book the to the Malazan Book of the Fallen. For an established reader it will be a treat. Erikson also wanted to make it an entry point into the series. One that didn't need the reader to commit to ten large volumes. Having read all ten Malazan books, as well as five novellas and five novels by Ian C. Esslemont set in the same world, it is hard for met to answer the question if it is successful in that respect as well. The story itself should be no problem but I do feel you get an awful lot more out of this book if you've read the series. Of course Gardens of the Moon (1999), the other obvious entry point into the world of Malaz is not without it's flaws. The series is notoriously difficult to get into. With so much more experience, Erikson has delivered a better written book and a much smoother read. There is something to be said for starting here.

Carrying on after completing such a huge series as the Malazan Book of the Fallen is quite a challenge and Erikson proves up to it with Forge of Darkness. He manages to create a new chapter in the story that is both fresh and different from what has gone before but retains the kind of messy complexity and immense tragedy that characterize his previous novels. I was quite impressed with the opening novel of the Kharkanas trilogy. Erikson is clearly not finished with the universe he and Ian C. Esslemont created. I for one, look forward to seeing where he will take this trilogy. I may have to wait a while to find out though. It looks as if Fall of the Light won't appear until next year.

Book Details
Title: Forge of Darkness
Author: Steven Erikson
Publisher: Bantam Press
Pages: 662
Year: 2012
Language: English
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 978-0-593-06217-3
First published: 2012

Blood and Bone - Ian C. Esslemont

Blood and Bone is Ian C. Esslemont's fifth novel set in the Malazan universe he created with Steven Erikson. The first of these Night of Knives serves as a prequel to the series, where subsequent books explore events and continents not covered in Erikson's ten book series. Esslemont's previous book, Orb Sceptre Throne, was mostly set in and around the city of Darujhistan, familiar territory for fans of the series as it is the main setting for the novels Gardens of the Moon and Toll of the Hounds, in this new novel we're off to the unknown continent of Jacuruku. It has been mentioned in previous novels but until now, we haven't seen much of what has been going on there. I've never been quite as enthusiastic about Esslemonts writing as I haven been about Erikson. That trend continues in this book. I liked it a whole lot better than Orb Sceptre Throne, which is a bit of a mess in my opinion, but it is not as strong as Stonewielder.

The Visitor is hanging in the sky of the continent of Jarcuruku as an omen of war. It approaches from all sides as the thaumaturges that dominate half of the continent prepare to launch another expedition into the wild Himatan jungle that has thus far eluded their control. It is said to be the domain of a powerful entity known as the Queen of Dreams. Further south, the tribes are being united by a recently arrived foreign warlord, looking to strike further into the thaumaturge lands than they ever have before. On top of the locals rattling their swords, the Crimson Guard make an appearance, hired to bring to heel their own runaway Skinner and his band of Disavowed. In other words, a convergence is happening on the continent and such events attract the attention of the gods. Even if events on the Letheri keep some of the gods busy, Jacuruku will not escape their notice entirely.

The jungle setting Esslemont employs in this novel is definitely a first in the series. Where the action in this series usually takes place  in arid climates or frozen wastelands, the this tropical ecology is quite a change. The jungle Esslemont describes has a bit of an Asian flavour too it. I guess that is not entirely surprising given the fact that Esslemont has spent time in south-east Asia in the past. What struck me about his descriptions in particular was the way he describes the jungle has hungry, insatiable for nutrients, with cycles that are so fast everything that dies is consumed again before it has time to accumulate in the soil. The speed at which organic materials such as wood and leather decays in the novel might be a bit exaggerated but this fierce competition of nutrients is a characteristic of tropical rainforest ecotopes. That kind of ecological insight is not something you come across often in fantasy novels.

Malazan chronology is notoriously impenetrable but I'd say the novel is set more or less in the same time frame as Stonewielder and The Crippled God. Despite that, it is a very self contained story as Malazan novels go. There are references to events in Toll of the Hounds, Stonewielder, Orb Sceptre Throne and the concluding volumes of Erikson's Part of the tale, Dust of Dreams and The Crippled God, but mostly the story stays focussed on on events on Jacuruku. It is a quality it shares with Stonewielder I suppose. When Esslemont tries to mesh more closely into the areas Erikson has already covered, the result is often confusing or unsatisfactory. This novel shares a number of characters with other books, but not so many the effect of the different treatment Esslemont and Erikson give them that the result becomes jarring. It also helps Esslemont keeps the number of story lines contained to half a dozen or so. Orb Sceptre Throne had so many it is very easy to loose track of what is going on. This novel is complex in its own right but doesn't depend so much on what has gone before. Esslemont leaves himself more space to tell his own story and he uses it to full effect.

Once again, the Crimson Guard provides the link to much of the rest of the series. Their internal struggles and clashes with the Malazan Empire feature prominently in the novel. It appears the novel also sets up the story for Esslemont's final novel in this series, tentatively titled Assail. The Crimson Guard appears once in a while in Erikson's books but it wasn't until I read Esslemont's books that their history really became clear to me. In Blood and Bone the conflict between Avowed and Disavowed comes to head when K'azz sees no other option than the take a contract against Skinner and his company. Their trip over the river into the jungle will remind readers of Conrad's Heart of Darkness, as every bend seems to reveal a new horror to the company that appears to be totally unprepared for what is hiding amongst the trees. Esslemont focusses more on the environment than Conrad did though. Natives do show up in the novel but in a different story line but not so much as an extension of the darkness encountered but the foreign travellers.

The cast of Blood and Bone is large though, and not only made up of characters we've already seen. Esslemont introduces quite a few new ones too. The Thaumaturges deploy a kind of magic we haven't encountered before. It is a mix very strict mental training and a kind of vivisection that H.G. Well would have ascribed to Dr. Moreau if he'd been around to read this novel. Theirs is a society full of contrasts. Their mental discipline makes you expect balanced personalities and yet, their order has turned into one of the most tyrannical systems of government encountered in the novel. Their society is highly organized and the land heavily cultivated at the expense of just about every basic human right. A sharp contrast to the natives of Himatan, who, when we finally meet them turn out to possess almost nothing and like their jungle just fine the way it is.

The third culture we are introduced to is a collection of what appear to semi nomadic tribes. They show up with great regularity in the Malazan world (Wickans, Awl, Barghast, just to name a few) and although the details differ slightly every time, it is essentially familiar territory. This story line was the one I least enjoyed. I guess the identity of the foreign warlord was an interesting riddle, although the more fanatical Malazan readers will probably figure it out long before I did. Other than that is mostly served to show us the horrors of thaumaturge society. I wasn't too fond of the slightly naive Prince Jatal.

After the messy and disappointing Orb Sceptre Throne, this novel is a return to form for Esslemont. More focussed and less dependent on the story Erikson has already laid out, much more of Esslemont's own talent and ideas on the Malazan world shines through. I still liked Stonewielder better but that is a very personal preference. Looking at the quality of the writing and the way Esslemont handles the multiple story lines and large cast of characters, there is not much in it. Blood and Bone is a worthy extension of this epic tale and promises some very interesting things for Esslemont's next novel. He's been hinting at going to the continent of Assail, one of the last remaining blank spots on the Malazan map. I for one, can't wait to see what he'll treat us to in the next volume.

Book Details
Title: Blood and Bone
Author: Ian C. Esslemont
Publisher: Bantam Press
Pages: 586
Year: 2012
Language: English
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 978-1-593-06446-7
First published: 2012

Orb Sceptre Throne - Ian C. Esslemont

The main series, as many people think of it, in the Malazan Empire setting may have been completed by Steven Erikson last year, there is still plenty of activity in this most epic of fantasy universes. Erikson himself is ready to launch a new trilogy, the first novel of which, titled Forge of Darkness, is expected this summer. There is also a fifth Bauchelain and Korbal Broach novella in the works (I have yet to read the fourth!). On top of all of that, in January Ian C. Esslemont's fourth novel Orb Sceptre Throne came out. In other words, plenty of new reading material for Malazan fans this year. After Stonewielder, which I considered to be his best effort yet, I was looking forward to this book. Unfortunately, it left me feeling slightly let down.

A synopsis for Malazan books is usually pretty impossible so let's keep this one short. Orb Sceptre Throne is a return to the city of Darujhistan, where this series began in Gardens of the Moon. The story is set after the events described by Erikson in Toll of the Hounds and mostly focuses on the rise to power of a new Tyrant, one that rekindles memories of ancient nightmares on the continent. Soon the remaining Malazan contingent, the Moranth, the Rhivi and the mysterious Seguleh are embroiled in the conflict that could impact the world far beyond Genebackis.

Picking up from where Erikson left us in Toll of the Hounds is no easy task. Erikson's eigthth Malazan novel is a glorious mess of a book. A sprawling tale that connects with so much in every book that has come before that a few continuity errors have slipped in. By this point in the story, the time line is messy and Orb Sceptre Throne only adds to that. So my first advice to anyone reading this novel is to forget about the time line. It doesn't make sense, some developments occur in impossibly short spaces of time, character ages are inconsistent in some cases etcetera. That doesn't mean the story doesn't make sense. The plan is still clear, Erikson left the seeds of this story in the earlier books set in Darujhistan.

 As usual, the book features a very large cast, a lot of whom we've met before in previous books. This is another point where I felt Esslemont has had to wrestle with what Erikson has done before him. Some of the characters are still clearly recognizable, but a few seem to drastically chance their tone of voice. The one that felt most alien is the verbose eel of Darujhistan Kruppe. This character served as the narrator for the story in Toll of the Hounds, something of a stylistic experiment from Erikson, it is the only book so far to be written in that style. In this novel, Kruppe seems very subdued really. Not a whole lot is left of the slippery, rambling, falsely modest and often severely underestimated character that has the potential to both entertain and infuriate readers. Esslemont somehow managed to make him boring.

A part that almost completely failed to capture my attention, despite the Bauchelain and Korbal Broach cameo, are Antsy's antics picking at the corpse of the crashed flying fortress of Moon's Spawn. I'm sure Esslemont is taking this somewhere but given the minor importance of plot of this novel I think the author spends a lot of time on it. Orb Sceptre Throne is not extremely large as Malazan books go, but six hundred pages is plenty if some parts of the story fail to keep your attention at all. Maybe that part of the story just felt longer because I didn't like it all that much.

One of the things I did like about the novel was the closer look we got at the Seguleh. Erikson had already shown us a few Seguleh characters as well as hinted at some of their history. Esslemont takes a much closer look at Seguleh society and culture in this novel, exploring it though the eyes of Seguleh characters. I've always wondered if there was a touch of Japanese Samurai in the Seguleh. Their culture does is quite rigid and despite their prowess in battle, which is a bit over the top, they do take a lot of punches. Change would seem inevitable after the events in this book. I don't think Esslemont means to return to that story in the two remaining novels though.

Despite some of these interesting parts of the story, I never got the sense of working to a large climax. There is a conflict resolved at the end of the novel but all the individual story lines, and there are lots and lots of those, don't really coalesce into a convergence Malazan style. Like some of the characters, the climax of the novel feels a bit muted. Even with the end approaching, it failed to really hold my attention or care very much about the resolution of the oncoming clash between all those parties. Despite the great number of characters, Esslemont moves the pieces skilfully in position to wrap things up but somehow doesn't include the tension and drama that he did deliver in his previous book.

I think that for the die hard Malazan fan there is still a lot to enjoy in this novel but I don't think the novel ever overcomes the problems Esslemont has building on the foundation of Erikson's work. Part of the reason why Stonewielder works so much better than Orb Sceptre Throne might be that Esslemont strikes out on his own in that novel. A continent not seen before with a cast that is largely unfamiliar to the reader. Orb Sceptre Throne has links to just about everything published before in this setting though. Some people may find all the links and references fascinating. I think Esslemont could have concentrated on the story he was telling a bit more and a bit less on whatever else is going on in the vast world he and Erikson have created.

Book Details
Title: Orb Sceptre Throne
Author: Ian C. Esslemont
Publisher: Bantam Press
Pages: 605
Year: 2012
Language: English
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 978-0-593-06450-4
First published: 2012

The Crippled God - Steven Erikson

The Crippled God is the tenth and closing volume of one of the biggest achievements in fantasy: The Malazan Book of the Fallen. Over the past twelve years, these massive tomes appeared on schedule, steadily building one of the most complex, dramatic and challenging series in the genre. Looking back on the series, I am in awe of the world Erikson and co-creator Ian C. Esslemont have created. The previous book, Dust of Dreams, was something of an exception in the series, it ended on a cliffhanger. Erikson approached to finale of his series as one huge tale, too large to fit into one book. Perhaps not entirely unexpected, Erikson does not wrap up all loose ends in this volume but is is without a doubt a fitting end to the series.

After their catastrophic meeting with the K'Chain Nah'ruk at the end of Dust of Dreams, the Bonehunters are severely diminished. Large numbers of heavies and marines, the backbone of Tavore's army, have perished in the battle. Still, Tavore is determined to carry on with her mission. An even more formidable challenge awaits the Bonehunters as they try to cross the Glass Dessert, the place where a god died, on the way to their final confrontation against the Forkrul Assail. With their ultimate cause and destination still unknown to the army, they are on the brink of mutiny as Tavore drives them on towards a convergence that will determine the fate of the world.

It is of course impossible to properly summarize this book. Erikson may not have tried to wrap every thing up in this volume but there sure is a lot of stuff he does resolve. Just about every character from the previous books still living (and quite a few who have passed through Hood's gate) are mentioned in this novel. It is almost too much to take in all at once. I recently reread Gardens of the Moon and Deadhouse Gates, the first two books in the series. That was a good move, I would have missed even more than I already have on this first read of The Crippled God. In fact, I probably should have reread Memories of Ice as well. There are countless references in this book to events scattered throughout the series, going back as far as Whiskeyjack's advice to a young Ganoes Paran in the prologue of Gardens of the Moon.

The structure of this novel is one that Malazan readers will be familiar with by now. Erikson starts slowly. The opening chapters contain a lot of introspective passages (and a severe overuse of italics) by lots of different characters, setting the stage for the convergence to come. Most of the story lines in this novel will eventually lead to Kolanse, where the final confrontation between the major players in the series will take place. The story line of the Shake is the exception. Although events are of course linked to just about everything else, they are only distantly aware of events in other places. This story line also makes the novel get going a bit faster. The climax of the Shake's defence of the first shore is the first major story line of the novel to be resolved and the real action begins slightly before the halfway point of the novel. Quite a bit sooner than novels like Toll of the Hounds, of which the last third can be said to be action-packed.

For me the Shake illustrates what makes Erikson's worldbuilding stand out in the fantasy genre. It's messy, the lines are blurred. Shake are descendent of the the Tiste Andii, apparently not full blood but close enough to retain certain links and a sense of obligation to guard the First Shore against the Tiste Liosan. There are many more examples of things like this in the books. People splitting, forming new alliances, cultures and tribes. The Toblakai, who themselves have Jaghut blood and later formed the Barghast and Trell peoples, come to mind. An other example would be the Forkul Assail Watered. Figuring out the ancestry of these groups, their relation to each other and in some cases what caused the split between them, give this series an atmosphere of tremendous age. I've never come across a series with such a rich history.

Despite the Shake's heroics, most of the plot deals with the convergence taking place in Kolanse, where the Fokrul Assail are preparing their campaign to cleanse the world of the human race. Their motives were a bit vague to me before starting this book but somewhere in the second half of The Crippled God, a number of pieces fell together for me. I liked the reference the humanity's overuse of their environment in particular, even if the Assail solution to this problem is a bit drastic. The history of the Assial is an area where there is room for more development. In the early books in the series they were assumed to be extinct (like a number of other elder races). It is clear they invaded Kolanse years before the event in this book, suggesting a presence on another continent somewhere. Perhaps this is another area Esslemont means to explore.

I was also a bit surprised at how many people decided their best chance lay with the Crippled God. He is something of a villain in the earlier books. His cruel use of the Tiste Edur leader Rhulad Sengar in Midnight Tides come to mind. I suppose Ganoes Paran saw the shape of the game early, but for me as a reader it took quite a few books to figure out his role in the story. I'm going to have to reread some of the later books as well to see what clues I've missed along the way. I'm pretty sure I will see some events in the books in another light, knowing where they will eventually lead to. The Malazan Book of the Fallen is a series that definitely requires rereading to fully appreciate it.

All things considered, I think The Crippled God is a fitting conclusion to the series. It would have been impossible to write a novel that answers all questions and it would certainly not have been in style if Erikson had tried. Some things are left to Ian C. Esslemont to explore. His next novel Orb, Sceptre, Throne will no doubt answer some of the things missing in this novel. Personally I don't mind a bit of ambiguity at the end of this series. You can't really draw a line somewhere and tell the reader this is where it all ends on a history as complex as that of the world of Malaz. The finale of this novel is a convergence on a scale we haven't seen before. I must admit I thought the dramatic impact was a bit less than in novels that don't carry the burden of Erikson's enormous cast quite so heavily. It doesn't quite match the ending of Duiker's tale in Deadhouse Gates, or the finale of Memories of Ice, which remains my favourite in the series. Still, for the real Malazan fan this book is a treat. Not that is wasn't clear before this novel but Erikson has just completed a landmark series in the genre.

Book Details
Title: The Crippled God
Author: Steven Erikson
Publisher: Bantam Press
Pages: 921
Year: 2011
Language: English
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 978-0-593-04635-7
First published: 2011

Stonewielder - Ian C. Esslemont

Stonewielder is the third novel of the Malazan Empire, a series that runs parallel to Steven Erikson's massive series Tales of the Malazan Book of the Fallen. In his first novel, Night of Knives, Esslemont provided something of a prologue to the entire series, before embarking on a larger project in Return of the Crimson Guard. Stonewielder is set after the events in Return of the Crimson Guard and takes us to the rarely seen continent of Korel, carrying over the storyline of Kyle and Greymane from the previous novel. At a little over 600 pages it is not quite as epic as Esslemont's previous attempt, something that has fixed a number of the problems Return of the Crimson Guard showed. This is definitely Esslemont's best yet.

Years ago the Malazan Empire attempted to conquer the Korel subcontinent. The Malazan 6th army was dispatched and failed to do the job, instead setting up a kingdom for themselves and dismissing their commander. Now, the newly risen emperor means to correct this and he enlists the old commander of the previous invasion, Greymane, to do it. Soon, preparations for a new invasion are in full swing. The emperor lends some of his best remaining commanders to the project, including the famous Admiral Nok and one of the last mages the Malazan Empire can still call upon. This time there will be no mistake.

In the mean time the Stormwatch, weakened by shortages of men and supplies prepares for another season defending Korel's Stormwall against their ancient enemy, the inhuman Stormriders. It does not appear that help is forthcoming. Most of the subcontinent is on edge because of the emergence of a new religious cult. For millennia the Goddess that has protected the land and the Stormwall has been the dominant cult, suppression all other religious movements and even access to warrens. Her control is about to be challenged by a popular movement beyond anything seen on in the long history of her rule.

It's difficult to fit this book in the time line of the entire series. Over the course of the series there are some apparent contradictions in Erikson's books, especially Toll of the Hounds. I'd say Stonewielder is set after events in The Bonehunters, Return of the Crimson Guard. It probably set after Reaper's Gale as well, although this novel is set on an entirely different continent so it is hard to tell. It may overlap with Toll of the Hounds, but as I mentioned above, I'm still not to clear on when events in that book actually take place. Before taking on this book it is probably best to have read Return of the Crimson Guard and Erikson's books up to Reapers Gale before tackling this one. I don't think reading Erikson beyond book seven will not spoil this novel for you however.

Set almost entirely on the relatively isolated Korel subcontinent, Stonewielder is definitely one of the more focussed Malazan novels. A lot of the earlier books in the series are spread out all over the Malazan world and its warrens. This book only has one minor story line that does not tie into events in Korel. It involves Kiska, whom you may remember as one of the main characters in Night of Knives. She sets out in search of the missing mage Tayschrenn. This thread felt like a bit of a loose end for me, no doubt Esslemont means to continue her story. Although it follows up on events in Return of the Crimson Guard, it would have been nice if this story line had been a bit more relevant to events in the rest of the novel. I guess it doesn't help that the whole affair ends on a bit of a cliffhanger either.

Despite the military campaign being the focus of the book, Esslemont takes quite a different approach than in the previous novel. Relying more on divine intervention and magic that on military skills, this book is in some was the opposite of Return of the Crimson Guard. In that book, the large scale military action that formed the climax of the novel was almost too much of a good thing. This time around, the story relies less on the military action, instead showing a society crumble from its very foundations. Throughout the novel you can feel the rigid control the Lady exerts on Korel begin to crack. A situation that appears to be as robust as the very foundations of the Stormwall, escalates with incredible speed. I found this process of collapse one of the more intriguing aspects of the novel.

Another aspect of the novel I enjoyed is the pacifist theme in the book. The main religious movement challenging the rule of the Blessed Lady, is lead by the pacifist Toblakai Invanr (it has to be said though, he is dragged in kicking and screaming). Makes you wonder what Karsa would make of that. For a series that features quite a lot of battles and other forms of physical violence, that is quite an unexpected turn of events. His convictions are put to the test when he is swept up in events that can only lead to bloodshed. I thought he was one of the more interesting characters in the book. As with many of the key players in the entire series, he obviously has a past which is only partially revealed in the novel. Would be nice to learn some more of him in later books.

All in all I was quite impressed with this novel. Esslemont opens up another part of the Malazan universe we had yet to explore and does so in a more tightly plotted novel than his previous books. He manages this without loosing any of the complexities of Malazan world or the shades of grey that makes the series rise above the mass of epic fantasy novels. Perhaps not quite as much fireworks as in Return of the Crimson Guard, some readers might be disappointed by that, but definitely a worthy entry into the series. Looking forward to more Malazan goodness when Erikson's final novel in the Tales of the Malazan Book of the Fallen, The Crippled God, appears next year.

Book Details
Title: Stonewielder
Author: Ian C. Esslemont
Publisher: Bantam Press
Pages: 634
Year: 2010
Language: English
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 978-0-593-06444-3
First published: 2010

Return of the Crimson Guard - Ian C. Esslemont

One of my colleague's called in sick on Monday which resulted in a very busy week for me at work. I have managed to finish a book in time for a midweek review but unfortunately the focus to produce a coherent review is missing right now so I moved another older review. The original, written in November 2008, was in sad need of some editing so I made a few minor changes. Reads a bit better now. I hope to have a fresh review for you on Saturday.

Return of the Crimson Guard is the second addition of Ian C. Esslemont of the Malazan series, an epic fantasy universe he shares with Steven Erikson. I reread Esslemont’s first effort Night of Knives a while ago and I thought it was an enjoyable read but not nearly as ambitious as the other Malazan books. It covers a very limit part of the Malazan history, the outcome of which was already obvious from Erikson’s books. Return of the Crimson Guard is quite something else. In this book Esslemont offers us the kind sprawling, multiple point of view tale, we’ve come to associate with Malazan novels. With this books Esslemont positions himself right in the centre of the of the complex history he and Steven Erikson have developed. It describes events Erikson hinted at in The Bonehunters, a pivotal moment in the history of the empire. Night of Knives did not convince me but there is not getting around this novel for the real Malazan fan.

Almost a century ago, during the early phases of Kellanved’s expansion of his realm, a group of men and women took a vow of eternal opposition to the Malazan Empire.They turned into the fearsome group of warriors known as the Crimson Guard. So strong were their vows than not even their dead could rest before the conditions were met. Now, with their leader missing and their numbers diminished, several groups of the guard wander the globe to fight the empire wherever they encounter it. Now that the empire under empress Laseen has overextended itself, the Crimson Guard once again gathers for another confrontation. They are far from unified however. Ground down by a century of warfare and lead by a man who’s goals are suspect, the guard has to overcome it's internal struggles to have any chance of success.

There is something to be said for a final push at this moment. The Malazan Empire seems to teeter on the brink of collapse. Various military campaigns on other continents, as well as Laseen’s relentless culling of those loyal to Kellanved, have drained the empire’s military might. With so much of their human capital spent, the empire now faces several rebellions on the continent of Quon Tali, a place that has been firmly under imperial control for decades. The various parties converge on the city of Li Heng ofr a major confrontation. Events there will decide the faith of the Malazan Empire.

One of the things that is perhaps most interesting about this book is that the gods have a fairly light hand in affairs as Malazan books go. Sure, there are quite a few people wielding magic or possessing superhuman strength or prowess in battle, but on the whole divine intervention is quite subtle. Something which cannot be said about military action. This Malazan book may be the book that relies heaviest on battle scenes. While a lot of fans will enjoy this, I think the reliance of the books on these battles to move the plot forward is one of it’s major weaknesses. The middle part of the book is a series of small and sometimes not so small military engagements. It reads like a string of Monrath munitions going of and leading the the really big bang at the end. This approach desensitizes the readers somewhat and that is a shame. Tthe last hundred or so pages of the book, where things start to fall in place, is a fine piece of writing indeed but to get there took a bit of effort.

While I did not mind the battles so much as some readers might, the scenes featuring Kyle and Gehlel where an effort at times. Kyle is a soldier in the Crimson Guard who deserts, or is cast out, after a particular violent incident I won’t spoil for you. No matter how much times he spends around soldiers, he seems to have a hard time shedding his naive outlook on the world. It doesn’t help that he’s caught up in Traveller’s storyline, one that does not seem to have a major impact to the events going on in Quon Tali. Gehlel in a way, is even worse. She is the figurehead of one of the rebellions taking place in the Malazan Empire. The last remaining heir of the pre-imperial ruling class. Being the sole survivor she’s been adopted in a noble house after the Malazans took over. Gehlel has a severe case of having a conscience, which in her position is not something you can afford. Throughout the book she’s being quite stubborn about it. I will admit she clearly possesses a spine, it is especially evident in the last bit of the book, but a little more pragmatism wouldn’t have hurt.

Still, a bit of a problem with the pacing of the novel and some outlying story lines (which I assume will be important to future books) don’t stop this from being a very enjoyable read. In fact, many a Malazan fan would have been waiting to find out about the empire at this point. With Erikson’s books covering events all over the world except the Malazan Empire, he’s left a big gap in the story to be filled. Return of the Crimson Guard does just that. Erikson and Esslemont are different writers, you notice it in their prose, the accents on certain themes, but I am still amazed at the fact these two people have managed to develop such a complex universe and detailed history together and still manage to stay in sync in their books.

Esslemont’s second addition to the Malazan epic is a huge step forward compared to Night of Knives and a bold step as well. He puts himself in the spotlight with this tale of what goes on in the Malazan heartland. The books is a must read for Malazan fans, there is simply too much going on in this book that is important to the overall story. I think Esslemont (and Erikson) took a chance on this book by putting it so much at the heart of the story, and I think it paid off. Return of the Crimson Guard is not without it’s flaws but certainly a worthy and very welcome addition the the Malazan series. I am looking forward to Stonewielder, Esslemont's next contribution to this saga.

Book Details
Title: Return of the Crimson Guard
Author: Ian C. Esslemont
Publisher: Bantam Press
Pages: 702
Year: 2008
Language: English
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 978-0-593-05809-1
First published: 2008

Night of Knives - Ian C. Esslemont

One of the most complex and, in my opinion, fascinating epic fantasy series around at the moment is Steven Erikson's Tales of the Malazan Book of the Fallen. It is nearing completion with the tenth and final book in this sequence, The Crippled God, expected later this year. Erikson did not create the Malazan world alone however, his co-creator Ian C. Esslemont has published two books in his own series of novels of the Malazan Empire. Observant readers of Erikson's work will notice he leaves some events largely uncovered, scenes that Esslemont is expected to fill in with is six book series. Night of Knives, which appeared in a 2004 limited edition from PS publishing, is the first of these. Esslemont's third book, Stonewielder is (tentatively) expected in November.

The novel is set during one seemingly endless, blood-soaked night in Malaz City. Once every few decades a Shadow Moon rises over the city. A time when the boundaries between realms fade and danger lurks around every street corner. The locals know better than to be caught outside during this night but for some it is a rare opportunity. The girl Kiska, too young to have witnessed the previous Shadow Moon feels great things are about to happen. Kiska's business is information and she is determined to find out what is going on. It may be her much desired ticked of Malaz island, a place that has turned into something of a backwater since the capital of the empire was moved to Unta.

Not everybody is eager to observe what is going on. Temper, once a respected soldier in the service of Dassem Ultor, sword of the empire and one of the greatest warriors of his age, has settled in Malaz City playing the role of an old soldier who never made rank. He is not eager for people to find out about his past and is determined to hide in the bottle during this dangerous night. That however, is not quite what's in store for him. Over the heads of people like Kiska and Temper, the greats of the empire fight for control of thrones. Not just that of the empire, but control over an entire warren as well.

In some ways Night of Knives is quite a change for readers who are used to Erikson's sprawling tales. One night, less than three hundred pages but, and this is typical for all Malazan books, lots of things happening all at once. I read this book for the first time three years ago, after reading the first six of Erikson's books. At the time I was not all that impressed. Chronologically it is set between the prologue and the main body of Gardens of the Moon and it describes events that are important enough to Erikson's (part of the) story that he has more or less given away what has happened by the time Night of Knives was published. It is not a good introduction to the main series however. The Malazan books are notorious for throwing the reader right into the action without much in the way of explanations and back story. Night of Knives pretty much does the same thing.

We see the events through the eyes of two small players in the drama. Without some of the background provided in Erikson's books, the larger battle will mostly be lost to the reader. The significance of the actions of Kellanved and Surly to the overall series goes far beyond what can be gleaned from this novel. People who have read this series more exhaustively than I have, feel that it should be read between Midnight Tides and The Bonehunters, in particular because of the flashbacks to Dassem's final campaign and the events at Y'Ghatan which are important to the plot of book six. I think you should not read it until you've at the very least read Gardens of the Moon and it would certainly not be a bad thing if you have read a few more of Erikson's books.

I guess that on this reread I am still not terribly impressed. Kiska's point of view is downright annoying at times. She is quite ignorant of what is happening outside Malaz City, which in itself is not a bad thing but at no point in the novel does she truly realize that what is happening is way out of her league. Her stubborn attempts to get in on the action give her character all the maturity of a seven year old. Temper's parts are a little more enjoyable, Esslemont carefully reveals his past over the course of the novel, in the process revealing a bit of Malazan history Erikson didn't touch upon. Both Erikson and Esslemont seem to have a thing for ageing soldiers. It was one of the stronger aspects in my opinion.

The author is obviously intimately familiar with the world of Malaz. His rendering of Malaz City fits the larger series wonderfully even if Esslemont's prose is not yet as confident as Erikson's. In his second novel, Return of the Crimson Guard, we'll see Esslemont attempt a more epic approach and get much better results. In the end I guess this novel suffers from the things it's not. It's not a good introduction to the series, nor does it deliver the revelations a more seasoned Malazan fan might be hoping for. It fills in an interesting piece of Malazan history but adds only detail to the reader's knowledge. For the real Malazan fan this book in no punishment to read, I think I liked it a bit better on the second read, but the world of Malaz, whether it be written by Erikson or Esslemont, has much better books to offer than Night of Knives.

Book Details
Title: Night of Knives
Author: Ian C. Esslemont
Publisher: Bantam Press
Pages: 284
Year: 2005
Language: English
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 978-0-593-05781-0
First published: 2004

Dust of Dreams - Steven Erikson

Steven Erikson's epic fantasy monster The Malazan book of the Fallen is reaching it's conclusion. The ninth part, Dust of Dreams, is the first half of what could be considered the massive closing volume of the series. Until now I have read his books in mass market paperback format, the sheer size of his work makes a hardback rather unwieldy (don't get me started about on how crappy trade paperbacks are). This time around I couldn't contain my curiosity long enough for the paperback to be released. I ordered the hardback anyway. Dust of Dreams is what we have come to expect from Erikson. A massive, multi-faceted, fantasy for the hard-core, epic fantasy fan. In other words, I loved it.

Dust of Dreams is set on the Letherii continent shortly after the events in Reapers Gale. King Tehol the Only has assumed the throne after the defeat of the Triste Edur occupation at the hands of the Malazans. Travore's Bonehunters are preparing for a march into the Wastelands, an aptly named region east of the empire of Lether, that was left almost devoid of life after some ancient catastrophe. Their goal is a mystery to everybody but the Adjuct. In the mean time the Malazan allies are approaching the kingdom of Bolkando, which the Malazan's must pass though to reach the Wastelands. With foreign armies approaching from three directions the Queen of Bolkando feels threatened. It is by no means certain Tavore will reach the Wastelands without a fight.

The Wastelands themselves may appear empty but all sorts of ominous signs point to the fact that it won't be for much longer. Several groups are making their way to or across the region. Most importantly the K'Chain Che Malle, not seen in these lands (in living form at least) for ages, are trying to re-establish themselves. On top of that, events in Toll of the Hounds have removed some major players from the field and released a number of very powerful others. When the effects of the events in Toll of the Hounds become clear on the Letherii continent, it puts just about everybody on edge. From the lowest squad magician in Tavore's army to the most ancient of gods. Change is coming and true to Erikson's style it promises to be violent.

In a brief author's note Erikson explains why this book is going to end on cliffhanger. A first in the Malazan series. Personally, I am not too fond of cliffhanger endings. At least not when reading a series that is currently being written. The prospect of having to wait for the conclusion for a year (or longer) does not generally add to the reading experience. The author seems to agree and has avoided cliffhangers thus far. He thinks it necessary for this book however. The climax of his series is simply to large to fit into one tome. All things considered I think Erikson handles this first cliffhanger rather well. Certainly, it leaves us with a lot of questions, the fate of quite a few characters is unknown, but it does also provide us with some answers, contain some major developments in the overall story and at least one complete story arc. There are worse cliffhangers out there.

Dust of Dreams, like previous volumes in the series, is quite a challenging read. I figured it would take me about ten days to finish it but that turned out to be too optimistic. There's an awful lot going on in this book and rushing through it is not going to enhance the experience. Some readers think Erikson's books are too long and that he could have handled to story in less words. I think for some of the previous books this was in fact the case (The Bonenhunters in particular). I don't think it goes for this book though. We see the story though the eyes of a lot of different characters but Erikson does keep the story contained to a handful of story lines. With eight books worth of back story and the inevitable continuity errors that have crept up during the series, that doesn't mean this book is a lighter read than the previous ones but it did have a pretty clear sense of direction. Something that Toll of the Hounds for instance didn't find until the last couple of hundred pages (or at least not one I could detect).

There are lots of memorable scenes in this book, most of which would considered spoilers but a few I can mention. Tehol and Bug are some of the best characters Erikson has written in my opinion. Their continued satire of the fallacies of capitalism and Letherii society and government is just hilarious. Most of this is contained in the first part of the book, which on the whole is a very fast paced opening by Erikson's standards. Fiddler's antics to escape doing a reading of the Deck of Dragons for the Adjunct is another highlight. The reading itself, if you will permit me a tiny spoiler, makes sure the book is off to a running start. A pace that does sag a little in the middle portion of the book but Dust of Dreams is still one of the faster paced books in the series.

The real verdict on the quality of this book is in part dependant on how Erikson wraps things up in The Crippled God. I am very much looking forward to reading the conclusion of this series that will no doubt remain one of the landmarks in epic fantasy. Dust of Dreams, like the entire series, is complex, dark, humorous and at times heart-wrenching. For fans of the Malazan world this book delivers what has drawn people to the series in the first place. My expectations of the last two volumes were high and Erikson hasn't done anything to temper them with this book. Dust of Dreams sets things up for a blistering finale. Normally books wait for me to find time to read them, with this author I can't wait for the final book to be published.

Book Details
Title: Dust of Dreams
Author: Steven Erikson
Publisher: Bantam Press
Pages: 889
Year: 2009
Language: English
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 978-0-593-04633-3
First published: 2009

Boudica: Dreaming the Eagle - Manda Scott

It's been a while since I read any historical fiction so I decided to give this book another go. I bought it six years back in Wageningen but back then I didn't get past the first fifty pages. I finished it this time but I am not really impressed. Boudica: Dreaming the Eagle is the first in a series of four books on the life of the Eceni queen Boudica, who lead a major rebellion against the Roman in in 60-61 AD. Very little is know about Boudica except what the Romans (most notably Tacitus and Cassius Dio) wrote about her and the rebellion. This lack of historical detail makes this first book almost entirely fictional.

The story starts in 32 AD when the girl Breaca is eleven or twelve years old. In the prologue we see a glimpse of he attack on the village in which her mother is killed. Breaca makes her first kill in that attack. Although she wants to be a dreamer it is quite clear right from the start she is destined to become one of the great warriors of her age. In the first chapter, set in 33 AD we meet Bán, Breaca's eight year old brother (who as far as I can tell is entirely fictional). Unlike his sister Bán does have a talent for dreaming, which manifests itself early on in his life.

We follow both Bán and Breaca in the events leading up to the Claudian invasion of 43 AD, when parts of Britain where conquered by the Romans. Bán's and Breaca are separated and believe each other slain in a battle with one of the neighbouring tribes more heavily influenced by the Romans than the Iceni are. Bán's capture at this battle leads him into Roman slavery in Gaul, while Breace moves on to the religious centre of Mona, present day Anglesey in Wales. Each of them will play their part in the unavoidable invasion of Britain by the Romans. A conflict in which Breaca will earn a new name, Bringer of Victory: Boudica.

The cultures of pre-Roman Britain where based on oral traditions and storytelling. Most of these stories are lost in time and what little remains is usually not a good source of history. Not even the spelling of the name Boudica seems to be certain. Scott has to make up almost all of the story, the only firm bit of information we do have about the period is what the Romans wrote about Britain, although the Roman historians were not without bias themselves. Some people consider this a problem. I don't. It is historical fiction after all, the author always has to make choices and too much historical detail can get in the way of a good story as well.

What I am not really impressed with, is the way Scott uses this quite large amount of freedom to tell her own story. A lot of the book is waiting for the storm to break. The Britons know that the Romans are going to try and finish what Caesar started with his invasions of 55 and 54 BC. They are obviously undecided about the desirability of such an event, it raises the tensions between the various tribes a lot, but rarely to the point of outright hostility. Because of these different interests there doesn't seem to be much in the way of preparation for resisting the invasion going on either. Most of the characters seem to be brooding and biding their time. And when that time comes it takes something like 40 pages out of well over 500 to wrap up the book.

It doesn't help that Scott's style is rather descriptive too. There are lots of lengthy passages about the various rituals, day to day activities and characters reflection on events. I won't say this book is boring, I got to the end without problems on this second try, but it certainly is well padded. What I also didn't like about the book is that the main characters frequently have to be stopped by their surroundings from doing something suicidally stupid when things go wrong for them. Bán in particular seems to be afflicted with this, being genuinely disappointed when doing something stupidly brave doesn't get him killed. Of course their culture seems to encourage such behaviour to an extend but Bán overdoes it, and usually in places where his people will not take notice of it anyway.

This book will appeal to some readers. The topic is interesting enough and Scott certainly researched life in pre-Roman Britain well. Especially in the first chapters where Breaca and Bán are introduced Scott creates a very realistic atmosphere of what life might have been like back then. After 43 AD history has a little more to say on Britain. In the next couple of books Scott may be able to put more of a historical backbone in the story and hopefully give a bit more direction. Boudica: Dreaming the Eagle is not a particularly strong start to the series however. I am not tempted to seek out the second book Boudica: Dreaming the Bull any time soon.

Book details
Title: Boudica: Dreaming the Eagle
Author: Manda Scott
Publisher: Bantam Press
Pages: 542
Year: 2003
Language: English
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 0-593-04878-4
First published: 2003