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delightful_lilac's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
filip1023's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
therealjamesanderson's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
avocadochicken's review against another edition
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
I liked this book, but I missed a lot of the characters from the previous book
A lot of unsatisfying plot lines in this one, Felisin sections are real downers, and the way things ended for the chain of dogs made me really sad
I feel like it wasn’t even balanced by the bridge burner plot lines, because Kalam didn’t manage his mission and the others didn’t really have much agency once they got into raraku
I love mappo and Icarium, but I’ve got a bad feeling about Icarium walking around freely
I feel like it wasn’t even balanced by the bridge burner plot lines, because Kalam didn’t manage his mission and the others didn’t really have much agency once they got into raraku
laurenbanks's review against another edition
3.0
God this book took me so long to read and while there was some slog it was really good!
niakantorka's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
In this second volume the reader follows some of the Bridgeburners to Raraku while Whiskeyjack and the rest of his party stay in Grenabackis. In Raraku there are also Seven Cities which fell under the regime of the empire but the inhabitants are not happy under its rule. An uprising is brewing among the cities and their surrounding tribes. It doesn’t take long and it looks as if the Malazan occupation has reached its ending. Again we follow different povs and beings through their story and perils:
- Historian Duiker, Fist Coltraine, and a huge tross of Malazan refugees,
- Felesin, Goran Paran’s youngest sister, and ex-priest Heboric who end up together in a slave mine,
- Mappo, a Trell who looks after his friend, burden, and inventor Icarium, a Jaghut,
- Fiddler, Apsalar and Crokus who do their utmost to stay together and protect each other
- Kalam whose homeland is Raraku and who has different agendas from the rest of his respective parties.
The plot was similarly grandiose and the different threads and characters met and got separated and met again in different constellations. Tbh, I found the maps of the second volume not particularly well drawn and had trouble to follow the characters on their routes. That they all spent time in Warrens where space and time flows differently only added to my problem. Raraku mostly felt like some huge inhabitable desert zone to me and I had trouble to get why everyone was running or riding through it or was sailing towards it or along its cost. I mean, some people didn’t have a choice, but others?
In the end I was surprised how many of our characters survived this ordeal- those who died did so in gruelling ways. That’s why I am going to take a break from this series. I do want to read more because there has to be some intention behind it all and I am still very interested in the different races and gods who all seem to have their own agendas. But the world building is not for the faint of heart and I definitely need to read something uplifting in the meantime. Until later, Malazan.
- Historian Duiker, Fist Coltraine, and a huge tross of Malazan refugees,
- Felesin, Goran Paran’s youngest sister, and ex-priest Heboric who end up together in a slave mine,
- Mappo, a Trell who looks after his friend, burden, and inventor Icarium, a Jaghut,
- Fiddler, Apsalar and Crokus who do their utmost to stay together and protect each other
- Kalam whose homeland is Raraku and who has different agendas from the rest of his respective parties.
The plot was similarly grandiose and the different threads and characters met and got separated and met again in different constellations. Tbh, I found the maps of the second volume not particularly well drawn and had trouble to follow the characters on their routes. That they all spent time in Warrens where space and time flows differently only added to my problem. Raraku mostly felt like some huge inhabitable desert zone to me and I had trouble to get why everyone was running or riding through it or was sailing towards it or along its cost. I mean, some people didn’t have a choice, but others?
In the end I was surprised how many of our characters survived this ordeal- those who died did so in gruelling ways. That’s why I am going to take a break from this series. I do want to read more because there has to be some intention behind it all and I am still very interested in the different races and gods who all seem to have their own agendas. But the world building is not for the faint of heart and I definitely need to read something uplifting in the meantime. Until later, Malazan.
charlottesaville's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
paranoidmarvin's review against another edition
4.0
So the central story of this book was how someone dragged a group of refugees, through a dessert, against a lot of enemies from point A to point B. That's what it felt like finishing this book for me! It was real drag.
But still, at the end of it, I actually liked it.
I still have all the gripes from the last book. The book is overly dense. There were a shit-ton of characters, and most of them are new ones from the first book. There were so many storylines to follow. There were so many stuff, and yet there was scarcity of information. Most of the time I had no idea what is happening. The magic, the mythos, the history - nothing is explained (i.e not many info-dumps). I had to piece them together. And maybe I will get them after I finish the series and, dare I say, do a re-read!
Here's another frustrating thing. I did not care for a single character, because I had no idea about there motivations. All of them had their own motives and were reacting to the situation. I get it, it's amazing writing on Erikson's part. But it's confusing! And makes up for an uninteresting read. It lessens all stakes, since I don't care if someone lives or dies horribly. The only character beats that I actually liked were the vulnerable friendship between Icarium and Mappo.
Oh, and the names were too confusing too.
And now that I have vented my frustration with the book, let's get into the good part. I was amazed with how intricately planned the whole book was. It felt like a living breathing world, with so much happening and I, as a reader, is just a small spectator. Kudos to the author. And just as Gardens of the Moon, I actually enjoyed reading the last part of the book. Not because of the action, but because of how everything so far culminates perfectly.
I am not giving up on this series. But the rate I am going though these (read the first book about a year ago), I doubt I will finish all of them in this decade! And I really think the whole series needs a reread to marvel at Erikson's craft. Oy vey.
But still, at the end of it, I actually liked it.
I still have all the gripes from the last book. The book is overly dense. There were a shit-ton of characters, and most of them are new ones from the first book. There were so many storylines to follow. There were so many stuff, and yet there was scarcity of information. Most of the time I had no idea what is happening. The magic, the mythos, the history - nothing is explained (i.e not many info-dumps). I had to piece them together. And maybe I will get them after I finish the series and, dare I say, do a re-read!
Here's another frustrating thing. I did not care for a single character, because I had no idea about there motivations. All of them had their own motives and were reacting to the situation. I get it, it's amazing writing on Erikson's part. But it's confusing! And makes up for an uninteresting read. It lessens all stakes, since I don't care if someone lives or dies horribly. The only character beats that I actually liked were the vulnerable friendship between Icarium and Mappo.
Oh, and the names were too confusing too.
And now that I have vented my frustration with the book, let's get into the good part. I was amazed with how intricately planned the whole book was. It felt like a living breathing world, with so much happening and I, as a reader, is just a small spectator. Kudos to the author. And just as Gardens of the Moon, I actually enjoyed reading the last part of the book. Not because of the action, but because of how everything so far culminates perfectly.
I am not giving up on this series. But the rate I am going though these (read the first book about a year ago), I doubt I will finish all of them in this decade! And I really think the whole series needs a reread to marvel at Erikson's craft. Oy vey.
gt5652's review against another edition
5.0
After reeling from the insane amount of lore and information I absorbed from the first book, I was then smack in the face with even MORE this book. I am absolutely invested in this world and what is to come. No complaints at all except there are so many characters, i don’t have the time to actually specifically like any more than others. Which is kinda cool but I usually like to root for at least one. Maybe Fiddler? I would like to see more Whiskey Jack. CAN’T WAIT TO START THE THIRD.