I have avidly--and with great passion, joy, sadness, and grief--read every installment in the episodes of 'Oh, dear god, and it all comes to an end...
I have avidly--and with great passion, joy, sadness, and grief--read every installment in the episodes of 'The Malazan Book of the Fallen' and the 'The Malazan Empire' by Steven Erikson and Ian C. Esslemont, respectively. This stuff is absolutely 'off-the-hook' good...the very best fantasy fiction that you'll ever encounter. It is a mythology for our time--something akin to what J.R.R. Tolkien intended with his crafting of The Silmarillion. These two Canadian authors have given us a tale of a world and its peoples and alternative belief systems just like the world we live we in today.
Ian C. Esslemont's last installment in his 'Malazan Empire' series, Assail is, without a doubt, his very, very best novel. The convergence of characters and activities on the mysterious island continent of Assail are meant to be, I believe, somewhat contemporaneous in time with Erikson's tale's in Dust of Dreams and The Crippled God, and damned if it all doesn't make sense and shine new light on some unresolved issues in Erikson's novels.
Suffice it to say that if you're a Malazan junkie like me, I am not gonna breathe a word about the plot here; and if you have no knowledge of the world that Messrs. Erikson and Esslemont have created you could care less. If you are a 'newbie', all I can tell you is to start at the beginning and find yourself completely and unalterably ensorcelled by some of the very best fantasy fiction in the last several decades. Esslemont's Assail is a more than worthy exclamation point to this awesome series of novels....more
Blood and Bone is far and away the best episode in Ian C. Esslemont's on-going series of "Malazan Empire" novels. For those who don't know, Esslemont Blood and Bone is far and away the best episode in Ian C. Esslemont's on-going series of "Malazan Empire" novels. For those who don't know, Esslemont and his "Malazan World" co-creater, Steven Erikson, have authored two series of books that are all interconnected and interwoven together to create, in my humble opinion, the finest fantasy series ever written. Erikson's series is ten books and is entitled "The Malazan Book of the Fallen, and with Blood and Bone, Esslemont has now completed five novels in his "Malazan Empire" series.
Blood and Bone is a tour de force on so many levels--the quality of writing, the plotting and complexity, characterization, and then the sheer significance to the entire Malazan canon. This novel grabbed me from the first page and didn't let up until the very last page--it really is that good! Both Erikson and Esslemont are known for Malazan novels that build with tension and a whole host of seemingly incongruous plot-threads, but generally about two-thirds of the way through the book a series of convergences begin to occur. This typically culminates in the 'mother of all convergences' near the end of the book, with everything coming flying together, usually in spectacular--and sometimes bloody--fashion.
Blood and Bone begins its mega-convergence pretty much from the first page and just builds like a series of monstrous waves crashing on a rocky shoreline. As I read Blood and Bone I kept thinking about Joseph Conrad's brilliant little novel Heart of Darkness, and I just have to believe that Esslemont must have also been influenced by it as he wrote this book (as well as his anthropological work in Southeast Asia). Additionally, there is a real cinematic quality to Esslemont's writing in this book that very much reminded me of Francis Ford Coppola's film Apocalypse Now (his take on Conrad's Heart of Darkness).
Blood and Bone is set on the island continent of 'Jacaruku' which is bisected by a great range of mountains that run from the northern end to the southern. The western half of the island is home to a group of warring desert tribes people and a brutal society of practitioners of dark and evil magic. The eastern half of Jacaruku is a dense and incredibly dangerous jungle realm known as 'Himatan' that will likely make most readers think of the great jungles in the heart of Africa or the Amazon in South America. And like Conrad's Heart of Darkness, Blood and Bone recounts the stories of the trials and tribulations of several disparate groups of peoples that are all struggling to travel into the interior of this jungle to a fabled lost city--including one group's truly epic journey up a river through the jungle of 'Himatan'. I'm not going to tell you why, except to say that it is all about power--gaining it, or denying it of somebody else.
I think that Blood and Bone is vitally important in helping to answer some questions, or shed significant light on events touched upon in the other novels in Erikson's and Esslemont's Malazan world. If you've been a close reader, you will very much enjoy much of what you discover in this action-packed novel. You're also going to be delighted to encounter some 'old friends' from previous novels, and you're going to love the 'new friends' you're meeting for the first time. While complexly plotted, this a rollicking good read with loads of action, tension, and moments of mind-numbing terror. As I said at the outset, I think this is Esslemont's best novel yet, and I can't wait to see where he takes us in his next installment. While I have a pretty good guess, I'll let you read Blood and Bone and work that out for yourself. I have no qualms awarding this book five of five stars, it is a truly great story!...more
Well, I know that some folks didn't find Orb Sceptre Throne all that satisfying, but I sure as hell did! This book slots right into the Malazan world Well, I know that some folks didn't find Orb Sceptre Throne all that satisfying, but I sure as hell did! This book slots right into the Malazan world and more than holds its own. Esslemont's writing just continues to improve with each offering, and this one is a dandy. Esslemont returns us to one of my favorite stages in the whole series--Darujhistan. There's just something about this city and its denizens that I love. We get to rub elbows again with Picker, Blend, Duiker, Rallick and Torvald Nom, Antsy, Scorch, Leff, Barathol Mekhar and Scillara, Baruk and his demon Chillbais, and even good old lovable Kruppe. There are some great plot threads in this novel that actually shed a lot of light on events from Steven Erikson's Toll the Hounds, and some events even as far back as Gardens of the Moon and Memories of Ice; and Esslemont can sure write battle scenes (Oh, and did I mention that you learn a whole lot more about the Seguleh? Yup! Great stuff!). At some point I've simply got to settle back in my easy chair and and spend a few months and just reread the entire series in the order that Erikson and Esslemont intended. I just gotta believe that it'd be a really special experience. Anyway, I enjoyed Orb Sceptre Throne so much that I am now going to reread Toll the Hounds. Like I said, I love Darujhistan! Good work Ian, keep 'em coming!...more
I have just finished reading Ian Esslemont's third book--Stonewielder--in his ongoing "Malazan Empire" series, and it was very, very good. Esslemont'sI have just finished reading Ian Esslemont's third book--Stonewielder--in his ongoing "Malazan Empire" series, and it was very, very good. Esslemont's writing and character development continues to improve with each succeeding book. Stonewielder is good from the get-go, and rewards the serious reader of Steven Erikson's "Malazan Book of the Fallen" (MBotF) series with some answers to some unresolved issues from some of Erikson's novels. The reader also encounters some characters from previous novels in the series by both Esslemont and Erikson. If you've read all ten of Erikson's MBotF books, you just have to read this one. A very worthy addition to the Malazan world. I am looking forward to Ian Esslemont's next book in the series, Orb Sceptre Throne (due to be released in May 2012, I believe)....more
This was an awesome little novel, and a very worthy addition to the Malazan series co-created by Steven Erikson and Ian C. Esslemont. This is EsslemonThis was an awesome little novel, and a very worthy addition to the Malazan series co-created by Steven Erikson and Ian C. Esslemont. This is Esslemont's first contribution to the series, and he's done a very respectable and bang-up job with "Night of Knives".
This novel describes the account of one very vicious night of events in Malaz City in the early days of the Malazan Empire. This evening and those events are much alluded to in the first few novels in Erikson's the "Malazan Book of the Fallen" series, and particularly in his debut novel, "Gardens of the Moon". Esslemont has done a terrific job of taking us back in time and fleshing out the horror of that night in Malaz City that saw the Napan Claw Master, Surly, persevere and by dawn assume the throne of the Malazan Empire as the Empress Laseen.
Esslemont tells this action-packed tale through the eyes of two main protagonists; the first, a young woman named Kiska that seems aware of everything that occurs in Malaz City and also has her own ambitious personal agenda; and the second is Temper, an older, tired and somewhat jaded veteran of the Empire's early campaigns on Genabackis and Seven Cities. If you've read the first few of Erikson's novels in the series, you will be delighted as other familiar faces make their appearance during the night of horror that is the "Night of Knives".
I am somewhat torn as to whether I should suggest that new readers of the 'Malazan' books should start with "Night of Knives" and then proceed on with Erikson's "Gardens of the Moon", or if it is actually better to read "Night of Knives" after one has read the first three of Erikson's. While "Night of Knives" was a very fast and rollicking good read for me, I can't help but think that that was made so because I am so well-grounded in the Malazan universe through having read all nine of Erikson's novels. Now, having said all of this, I guess I do think it best for the reader to save Esslemont's brilliant little novel until you've read Erikson's "Memories of Ice". By then, everything you encounter in "Night of Knives" will largely make perfect sense.
Finally, I look forward to reading Esslemont's second novel, "Return of the Crimson Guard", and eagerly await the release of his third novel of the Malazan Empire, "Stonewielder"....more
Return of the Crimson Guard is the second "Malazan Empire" novel written by Ian C. Esslemont, and boy does he hit his stride with this contribution toReturn of the Crimson Guard is the second "Malazan Empire" novel written by Ian C. Esslemont, and boy does he hit his stride with this contribution to the Malazan world! As some of you may know, Esslemont is the co-creator of the Malazan world with his friend and co-author, Steven Erikson. Esslemont did a great job with his first novel, Night of Knives, but he really pulled out all the stops in this novel. This is a big, meaty 700+ page novel that you just can't put down.
Return of the Crimson Guard covers events occurring in the Malazan Empire, this time on the subcontinent of Quon Tali. The events and action described in the novel are probably roughly contemporaneous with that occurring in Erikson's Reaper's Gale which follows the exploits of Adjunct Tavore and the Bonehunters in Letheras. Just as he did with Night of Knives, Esslemont has spun his tale to tell the story of what is occurring in other parts of the empire not covered by Erikson in his "Malazan Book of the Fallen" series. Without giving anything away, let me just say that this book tells the story of the rising up and rebellion amongst the city-states and peoples of Quon Tali against the Malazan Empire and its Empress, Laseen. On top of the rebellion, the Crimson Guard, a group of mercenaries that are, shall I say, very long-lived, return to Quon Tali just in time to enter the fray against the Malazan armies. If you recall some of Erikson's early novels in his series, you'll remember references to the Crimson Guard fighting with Caladan Brood and his forces against the Malazan armies on Genabackis. Oh yeah, it just gets crazy!
Esslemont, like Erikson, very effectively uses short vignettes to develop his characters and points-of-view, and then starts bringing everything together with a super convergence beginning in the last third of the novel. Readers of Erikson's books will be delighted to reestablish an acquaintance with several old 'friends' and 'rogues' from earlier books (including Esslemont's own Night of Knives). Also, there are so many moments in this novel where you'll find yourself breathlessly uttering, "Oh My God!" Simply put, there are a number of huge surprises in store for Malazan fans here. The ending of the Return of the Crimson Guard is a stunner and a shocker for many reasons, and will definitely make you stop and re-evaluate your perspective and your previous interpretation of 'facts' gleaned from Erikson's books.
While Esslemont's writing style is clearly distinctive and his own, it is also abundantly clear that he and Erikson have a shared grand vision of this Malazan world, and that both authors are doing a stunningly superb job at making it seamless and ever-so-enjoyable for their readers. Ian C. Esslemont's Return of the Crimson Guard is really and truly a must-read, and once started you'll not be able to put it down. I, for one, can hardly wait for the release of Esslemont's third volume in the series, Stonewielder, to be released in the U.S. in early May 2011. ...more
Captain Sir Roddy, R.N. (Ret.)
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