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4.25 AVERAGE
4.25 AVERAGE
I have read this book first when it came out and remembered it as my favorite of the first five Malazan books. Thats where I stopped back then. It was also the only book along with Gardens of the Moon that I could recall significant parts of the story.
While rereading it I found it very good once again but for very different reasons this time. The part I remembered more vividly, Coltaine and the Chain of Dogs, was the one that I found more indifferent this time. Towards the end I was moved a bit but still I found the other parts more interesting.
I didnt find the writing so different, as many Malazan readers claim, than Gardens of the Moon. I found the prose consistent. In my opinion Erikson could keep the books a little bit shorter. There were some small parts that I felt a little "fatigue".
Overall though, he is doing an impressive work on weaving multiple and interesting threads and delivering a pretty compact result. There is a never ending large cast of characters that sometimes feels difficult to follow but most of the times it works really well because he is the kind of author that can make good characterization in very short passages. The worldbuilding is very interesting. The way it stretch back to ancient and primitive times, layers upon layers, is fascinating for me cause I like this field for our world too.
And now is the time for the real test. Entering the unknown territories. The books that I recall almost nothing and where I eventually lost my interest about things Malazan. Let's see how things will work this time
While rereading it I found it very good once again but for very different reasons this time. The part I remembered more vividly, Coltaine and the Chain of Dogs, was the one that I found more indifferent this time. Towards the end I was moved a bit but still I found the other parts more interesting.
I didnt find the writing so different, as many Malazan readers claim, than Gardens of the Moon. I found the prose consistent. In my opinion Erikson could keep the books a little bit shorter. There were some small parts that I felt a little "fatigue".
Overall though, he is doing an impressive work on weaving multiple and interesting threads and delivering a pretty compact result. There is a never ending large cast of characters that sometimes feels difficult to follow but most of the times it works really well because he is the kind of author that can make good characterization in very short passages. The worldbuilding is very interesting. The way it stretch back to ancient and primitive times, layers upon layers, is fascinating for me cause I like this field for our world too.
And now is the time for the real test. Entering the unknown territories. The books that I recall almost nothing and where I eventually lost my interest about things Malazan. Let's see how things will work this time
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
challenging
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
mappo and icarium’s story is one of the great tragedies of our time
other things
other things also happened but there were like 5 cool chapters and it didn’t need to take 1000 pages to get there
other things
other things also happened but there were like 5 cool chapters and it didn’t need to take 1000 pages to get there
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Steven Erikson started to strongly remind me of G.R.R.Martin- he isn´t afraid to kill your favourite characters either.
adventurous
challenging
dark
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Video Review (non-spoiler): https://youtu.be/OFRIurAwKXg
Spoiler Vlog With Reactions: https://youtu.be/Uii-mXhuUeM
Military fantasy doesn't normally work for me but the pay off in that arc in this story is astounding. Just like the first book there is a lot of mystery in the lore that I am still putting together but that's been a lot of the fun for me. Cannot wait to continue this epic with Memories of Ice!
Spoiler Vlog With Reactions: https://youtu.be/Uii-mXhuUeM
Military fantasy doesn't normally work for me but the pay off in that arc in this story is astounding. Just like the first book there is a lot of mystery in the lore that I am still putting together but that's been a lot of the fun for me. Cannot wait to continue this epic with Memories of Ice!
adventurous
dark
tense
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I will preface this review by saying that I'm probably one of the few people that actually liked [b:Gardens of the Moon|55399|Gardens of the Moon (Malazan Book of the Fallen, #1)|Steven Erikson|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1548497031l/55399._SY75_.jpg|2646042] better. I will justify this because for me the introduction to the world was pretty amazing: it gave the sense of the grandeur, it was spiced with very interesting magic throughout, and it was fast-paced with very engaging characters on either side. Some people say that the structure of the plot wasn't very good, but I have to disagree. At least, it didn't feel like that to me. And in that way, I don't think Deadhouse Gates was very different. It WAS different in the way it presented the characters and in the pacing and in how it interspersed magic...
As I'm assuming most of the Malazan books will be, Deadhouse Gates takes place in a different continent from Gardens of the Moon. The setting is (mostly) a desert, a place that has been conquered by the Malazan empire but that is struggling with keeping it under control. The native population is inciting revolt, with some prophecies confirming that the "whirlwind" of revolution that takes down the Empress and the empire will start there, and soon. In terms of plot, this was generally straight forward... And I say generally because as a Malazan book, we have multiple points of view, with each group of characters doing their own thing, but that in the end come together and make sense to this overall plot. One of the things that figure here are the Azaths, like the Deadhouse. Though I have to admit I'm still confused about this aspect of the plot.
The pacing felt very off to me in this instalment, however. It was very slow, so much so that I struggled to get through the book. It was mostly just characters walking through the desert, from one place to the other. Some random encounters happened, and then some more travelling. It was only after the 75% mark that it started picking up for me and becoming more interesting and engaging.
That might also be the case because of this book's characters. In the first book, I got invested in the characters quite quickly. With this one, I feel like they take more time to grow on you, and those that do tend to be more on the sidelines for the most part. I particularly liked Heboric, Fiddler, Kalam, Mappo and... yeah, I think that was it. Felisin was interesting, but mostly infuriating (only partly with good reason). Oh, Duiker and Coltaine were fine, but I dreaded the chapters following them simply because of that long march of military tactics and death.
So not having very engaging characters that spiced up the slower plot, really made me struggle through this book.
There were good moments with those characters that I liked the most, and even with the others, of course. Kalam and Fiddler appear in the first book and having them in this one really helped give a sense of continuation. They both really grew on me, and the last 30% of the book made me like Kalam so much. Despite his profession, he is truly precious.
Heboric is another precious man that has a troubled past and is having to deal with some very unfavourable circumstances and company, but he still is a father to all and is genuinely trying his best.
Mappo is another loyal friend. I guess I like my precious boys. I haven't yet found a precious girl, except for maybe Tattersail in the first book.
There are amazing aspects to this story though. It is a great setup for things to come, first of all, with all this talk of an epic, world-ending, revolution/apocalypse. There are also really epic things introduced here in terms of magic (like Icarium's deal, the necromancy, the azaths, the wardens, ascendants, the Crows, etc). However, the slow-paced and less engaging and interesting plot points an hooks in this book made it fall short for me. I will still continue with the series, and see what the third book brings at least!
As I'm assuming most of the Malazan books will be, Deadhouse Gates takes place in a different continent from Gardens of the Moon. The setting is (mostly) a desert, a place that has been conquered by the Malazan empire but that is struggling with keeping it under control. The native population is inciting revolt, with some prophecies confirming that the "whirlwind" of revolution that takes down the Empress and the empire will start there, and soon. In terms of plot, this was generally straight forward... And I say generally because as a Malazan book, we have multiple points of view, with each group of characters doing their own thing, but that in the end come together and make sense to this overall plot. One of the things that figure here are the Azaths, like the Deadhouse. Though I have to admit I'm still confused about this aspect of the plot.
The pacing felt very off to me in this instalment, however. It was very slow, so much so that I struggled to get through the book. It was mostly just characters walking through the desert, from one place to the other. Some random encounters happened, and then some more travelling. It was only after the 75% mark that it started picking up for me and becoming more interesting and engaging.
That might also be the case because of this book's characters. In the first book, I got invested in the characters quite quickly. With this one, I feel like they take more time to grow on you, and those that do tend to be more on the sidelines for the most part. I particularly liked Heboric, Fiddler, Kalam, Mappo and... yeah, I think that was it. Felisin was interesting, but mostly infuriating (only partly with good reason). Oh, Duiker and Coltaine were fine, but I dreaded the chapters following them simply because of that long march of military tactics and death.
So not having very engaging characters that spiced up the slower plot, really made me struggle through this book.
There were good moments with those characters that I liked the most, and even with the others, of course. Kalam and Fiddler appear in the first book and having them in this one really helped give a sense of continuation. They both really grew on me, and the last 30% of the book made me like Kalam so much. Despite his profession, he is truly precious.
Heboric is another precious man that has a troubled past and is having to deal with some very unfavourable circumstances and company, but he still is a father to all and is genuinely trying his best.
Mappo is another loyal friend. I guess I like my precious boys. I haven't yet found a precious girl, except for maybe Tattersail in the first book.
There are amazing aspects to this story though. It is a great setup for things to come, first of all, with all this talk of an epic, world-ending, revolution/apocalypse. There are also really epic things introduced here in terms of magic (like Icarium's deal, the necromancy, the azaths, the wardens, ascendants, the Crows, etc). However, the slow-paced and less engaging and interesting plot points an hooks in this book made it fall short for me. I will still continue with the series, and see what the third book brings at least!
challenging
dark
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes