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4.25 AVERAGE
4.25 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
dark
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Decent, although not blown away. I actually thought it was not as good as Gardens of the Moon, which seems like a controversial opinion around these parts. The Fiddler and Mappo sections were waaaaaay better than the Duiker and Felsin ones. It was a little more opresively emotional then what I am usually down for, but that's just me. Still not bad though, just not great.
Similar to A Song of Ice and Fire in scope, but personally I found it much more enjoyable to read.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
tense
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I’m continuing my journey through the Malazan world and, let me tell you, it’s not always pretty. Where [b:Gardens of the Moon|55399|Gardens of the Moon (Malazan Book of the Fallen, #1)|Steven Erikson|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1355144064s/55399.jpg|2646042] focused the spotlight on the continent of Genabackis, the lens now moves across the sea to Seven Cities. It’s a harsh land ruled by its vast deserts and though it has existed under the heel of the Malazan Empire, prophecies call for the advent of an apocalyptic rebellion led by a reborn desert goddess. If you’ve been keeping score, this is the second point of resistance to Malazan Imperial rule, with the fight for national freedom on Genabackis being the first.
I deliver unto you, Sha’ik, the Apocalypse.
I won’t mention any characters by name in this review. I’ll leave the joy of new and re-discovery to you. Suffice it to say that we do get to see some old friends as well as meet a whole slew of new characters. It doesn’t take long though for all the new characters to sear their way into your soul, for good or for ill. Some made me laugh out loud – and goodness knows any laughs offered by this particular book are a precious gift – while others taxed every ounce of my patience. This is a dark book. Let me reiterate, this is a DARK book so every nugget of humor was like a soothing balm to my soul and it was greatly appreciated.
The scope was once again vast as the author casts a wide net across the land of Seven Cities. The rebellion is growing, drawing citizens to its promise of freedom and power, and the Malazan army feels the prick of injury on multiple fronts. There are battles and clashes of power depicted in such ways that the sheer brutality and ugliness of war cannot be denied. It is dark and it is bleak and there is no “clean” side because all sides demonstrate their ability and willingness to commit atrocities on the other.
Difference in kind is the first recognition, the only one needed, in fact. Land, domination, pre-emptive attacks – all just excuses, mundane justifications that do nothing but disguise the simple distinction. They are not us. We are not them.
How’s that for real world relevance? So much of this book is imminently quotable…and so much is applicable to the world we live in. The plot plays into the underlying theme of history repeating itself, that no matter what forms of destruction man visits upon man – always with a view towards accumulating power and control – it is nothing in the timeless scheme of things. How did Shakespeare put it…”full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.”? Yeah, that.
The historian, now witness, stumbling in the illusion that he will survive. Long enough to set the details down on parchment in the frail belief that truth is a worthwhile cause. That the tale will become a lesson heeded. Frail belief? Outright lie, a delusion of the worst sort. The lesson of history is that no one learns.
This book broke me. I was expecting to feel sadness, given the events happening in the book and their probable outcome. I thought I was mentally and emotionally prepared. I was wrong. There were tears…a lot of them, as well as a sense of heaviness in my heart long after I closed the book. That seems fitting, because these wonderful characters deserve the moment. The author doesn’t hold back on, well, anything but it’s such a rich and layered world though that it’s worth putting up with the heartache. I love the way the vast history of the world is slowly being meted out and I revel in the thrill of discovery as each piece of the puzzle slots into place. This is what a great story should always be…not just words on a page but an experience. Two books in and this is shaping up to be my favorite fantasy series ever.
If there must be an end to this, let it be fitting.
I deliver unto you, Sha’ik, the Apocalypse.
I won’t mention any characters by name in this review. I’ll leave the joy of new and re-discovery to you. Suffice it to say that we do get to see some old friends as well as meet a whole slew of new characters. It doesn’t take long though for all the new characters to sear their way into your soul, for good or for ill. Some made me laugh out loud – and goodness knows any laughs offered by this particular book are a precious gift – while others taxed every ounce of my patience. This is a dark book. Let me reiterate, this is a DARK book so every nugget of humor was like a soothing balm to my soul and it was greatly appreciated.
The scope was once again vast as the author casts a wide net across the land of Seven Cities. The rebellion is growing, drawing citizens to its promise of freedom and power, and the Malazan army feels the prick of injury on multiple fronts. There are battles and clashes of power depicted in such ways that the sheer brutality and ugliness of war cannot be denied. It is dark and it is bleak and there is no “clean” side because all sides demonstrate their ability and willingness to commit atrocities on the other.
Difference in kind is the first recognition, the only one needed, in fact. Land, domination, pre-emptive attacks – all just excuses, mundane justifications that do nothing but disguise the simple distinction. They are not us. We are not them.
How’s that for real world relevance? So much of this book is imminently quotable…and so much is applicable to the world we live in. The plot plays into the underlying theme of history repeating itself, that no matter what forms of destruction man visits upon man – always with a view towards accumulating power and control – it is nothing in the timeless scheme of things. How did Shakespeare put it…”full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.”? Yeah, that.
The historian, now witness, stumbling in the illusion that he will survive. Long enough to set the details down on parchment in the frail belief that truth is a worthwhile cause. That the tale will become a lesson heeded. Frail belief? Outright lie, a delusion of the worst sort. The lesson of history is that no one learns.
This book broke me. I was expecting to feel sadness, given the events happening in the book and their probable outcome. I thought I was mentally and emotionally prepared. I was wrong. There were tears…a lot of them, as well as a sense of heaviness in my heart long after I closed the book. That seems fitting, because these wonderful characters deserve the moment. The author doesn’t hold back on, well, anything but it’s such a rich and layered world though that it’s worth putting up with the heartache. I love the way the vast history of the world is slowly being meted out and I revel in the thrill of discovery as each piece of the puzzle slots into place. This is what a great story should always be…not just words on a page but an experience. Two books in and this is shaping up to be my favorite fantasy series ever.
If there must be an end to this, let it be fitting.
i finished this and i feel like i should start it over
4.5 stars
Enjoyed this better than Gardens of the Moon
Enjoyed this better than Gardens of the Moon
'Name none of the fallen, for they stood in our place, and stand there still in every moment of our lives. Let my death hold no glory, and let me die forgotten and unknown. Let it not be said that I was among the dead to accuse the living.'
It's becoming clear to me that this series sets the standard for those who have clawed their way out of the shadow of Tolkien.
With a large ensemble of credible, flawed characters, Deadhouse Gates takes a break from the mild jumble of its predecessor and instead changes setting, re-establishing itself as truly epic, while gaining the momentum this series needs to now go back and tackle the follow-on to the first book.
The characters truly make this work shine: from the tragedy of Icarium and Mappo, to the constant soliloquies of Pust, and the internal battles of Imperial Historian Duiker, soldiers Fiddler and Kalam, ex-priest Heboric and young Felisin. This is epic fantasy redefined.
It's becoming clear to me that this series sets the standard for those who have clawed their way out of the shadow of Tolkien.
With a large ensemble of credible, flawed characters, Deadhouse Gates takes a break from the mild jumble of its predecessor and instead changes setting, re-establishing itself as truly epic, while gaining the momentum this series needs to now go back and tackle the follow-on to the first book.
The characters truly make this work shine: from the tragedy of Icarium and Mappo, to the constant soliloquies of Pust, and the internal battles of Imperial Historian Duiker, soldiers Fiddler and Kalam, ex-priest Heboric and young Felisin. This is epic fantasy redefined.
Dark, but beautifully written and engaging (and not "hopeless")
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes