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sydalee's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
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
5.0
This book is BRUTAL. Please check content warnings before diving in.
I haven't figured out how to write reviews for Malazan books yet. The story is just so incredibly vast and complicated that I just can't even begin to explain what tf is happening in a short and succinct way. Deadhouse picks up shortly after the events of GOTM, but we're now on a completely different continent that has previously been conquered by the Malazan Empire. We do follow some familiar faces (Kalam, Fiddler, Apsalar, and Crokus), and we are introduced to a TON of new characters.
Everyone in this story is running for their lives for most of the book, and they are all fleeing through various plains and deserts on this continent. But even though there's no battle with a moon in the sky, there is still so much that happens to all of these characters during their flights. The Chain of Dogs storyline is the most heartbreaking thing I've ever read. I want to cry just thinking about it again. And the way Erikson wrote Felisin is also just devastating to read. She gets so much hate online, but she is just written SO well. Her storyline is truly just horrific to watch unfold in front of you.
Most of the book just kind of plods along, but Erikson makes up for that in the way he writes dialogue. He writes the funniest scenes, some characters say the most out of pocket things lol. And the ending!!! Gosh, the last quarter of GOTM and DG have both just been so much stuff happening at once to where you're just so hype to start reading the next book to see where in the world (literally) Erikson is going to take you next.
I did have to Google what the heck was going on in some scenes, and I still don't think I fully understand what Azath house is, but man, I'm just having a good time reading these and thinking about this world. I can't wait to get started on the next!
I haven't figured out how to write reviews for Malazan books yet. The story is just so incredibly vast and complicated that I just can't even begin to explain what tf is happening in a short and succinct way. Deadhouse picks up shortly after the events of GOTM, but we're now on a completely different continent that has previously been conquered by the Malazan Empire. We do follow some familiar faces (Kalam, Fiddler, Apsalar, and Crokus), and we are introduced to a TON of new characters.
Everyone in this story is running for their lives for most of the book, and they are all fleeing through various plains and deserts on this continent. But even though there's no battle with a moon in the sky, there is still so much that happens to all of these characters during their flights. The Chain of Dogs storyline is the most heartbreaking thing I've ever read. I want to cry just thinking about it again. And the way Erikson wrote Felisin is also just devastating to read. She gets so much hate online, but she is just written SO well. Her storyline is truly just horrific to watch unfold in front of you.
Most of the book just kind of plods along, but Erikson makes up for that in the way he writes dialogue. He writes the funniest scenes, some characters say the most out of pocket things lol. And the ending!!! Gosh, the last quarter of GOTM and DG have both just been so much stuff happening at once to where you're just so hype to start reading the next book to see where in the world (literally) Erikson is going to take you next.
I did have to Google what the heck was going on in some scenes, and I still don't think I fully understand what Azath house is, but man, I'm just having a good time reading these and thinking about this world. I can't wait to get started on the next!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Death, Child abuse, War, Adult/minor relationship, Gore, Violence, Murder, and Child death
nanitiq's review against another edition
4.0
This is the Grimdark fantasy series you are looking for. It checks all the boxes you want in a grimdark book, with a fascinating world that does truly feel unique in the fantasy realm. Does anything happening make sense yet? No. Do I feel like I have a good grasp of the world after 2 books into the series? Yeah not really. But if you want something that you can go down a rabbit hole with and you want to commit lots of time and effort to a story, this is the series for you.
These books are complex. I very much recommend using the wiki's chapter by chapter synopsis as you are reading or this PowerPoint from https://twitter.com/SonAnomander
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1-Rqhn-lK66YQKPwZQNbHmuCLBc0d7zwvRLUJFkM3s50/edit?usp=sharing
It may sound silly but I have missed a lot of things that I did not realize until I checked the powerpoint. I was following along as I finished a chapter.
These books are complex. I very much recommend using the wiki's chapter by chapter synopsis as you are reading or this PowerPoint from https://twitter.com/SonAnomander
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1-Rqhn-lK66YQKPwZQNbHmuCLBc0d7zwvRLUJFkM3s50/edit?usp=sharing
It may sound silly but I have missed a lot of things that I did not realize until I checked the powerpoint. I was following along as I finished a chapter.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, War, Sexual assault, Death, Murder, and Genocide
sonias's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Death, War, and Drug abuse
pinkfloydian's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
slow-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
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, War, and Torture
Moderate: Animal death, Child death, Death, Body horror, and Rape
syinhui's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
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? It's complicated
5.0
It’s brilliant. It’s extraordinary.
At times, I would find myself utterly dumbfounded. My jaw slacked in shock and awe. Too thrilled and engrossed, I had to pause, and breathe, just to take it all in.
Still a difficult read but considerably way more enjoyable than Gardens of the Moon.
Did I say enjoyable? Scratch that.
DEADHOUSE GATES HURT. Hurts...
DEADHOUSE GATES HURT. Hurts...
Mappo and Icarium. Coltaine and his Chain of Dogs.
The second installment is really where the grimdark finally shines. ✨
Fun, right?
Fun, right?
As much as I want to make a *literary review* of this book, (which it definitely deserves) and I tried, but alas, I couldn’t. I’m not even sure if I could write a coherent review. But here we go… After finishing the book, my thoughts and feelings are as chaotic as the world of the Malazan Empire itself. There are already a lot of very articulate and informative reviews out there highlighting the strengths of this book. (superb worldbuilding, improved characterization, tighter plotlines and better dialogues etc…) If that’s what you’re looking for fellow reader, you might want to check those out.
I’m just going to speak from my personal reading experience. And that experience is one chock full of surprise, disbelief, wonder, outrage, grief, half-sobs and whimpers, occasional squeals and tiny shrieks of delight, and most of all – heart-wrenching pain and sorrow that established itself somewhere from the beginning to the end of the book.
I couldn’t wrap my head around the loss… the staggering loss of life. Annihilation of entire cities and peoples. Millenniums of harrowing history - obscured and forgotten only revisited through memories of tortured ghosts.
'The lesson of history is that no one learns.'
Duiker’s perspectives on the extraordinary, soul-scarring journey of the Chain of Dogs haunted me. Haunts me still…
'I saw one healer’s arm snap like a twig when he lifted a pot from the hearth. That frightened me more than anything I’ve yet to witness, Captain.'
Despite my heart being crushed by the bleak, gruesome, and grim atmosphere of the arcs, somehow, Steven Erikson is amazing and cruel enough to trample on those broken pieces with: COLTAINE. It’s almost impossible not to mention the man’s name in the same sentence as the word heartbroken. Believe me.
'The man leads an army that refuses to die. We’ve not lost a refugee to enemy action in thirty hours. Five thousand soldiers… spitting in the face of every god…'
The Jhag and the Trell. Two ancient wanderers. Companions.
One bound to an old vow. One in an unending search for answers. A tragic tale of friendship.
One bound to an old vow. One in an unending search for answers. A tragic tale of friendship.
After a time, as they walked on the plain, Icarium glanced at Mappo. ‘What would I do without you, my friend?'
The realization that came from that simple, innocent question is too terrifying.
It literally gave me goosebumps. No wonder Mappo flinched at that.
It literally gave me goosebumps. No wonder Mappo flinched at that.
Felisin’s arc (although not my favorite) is such a complex, multi-layered journey of survival and loss of innocence which profoundly shaped her character. In other books, it should be a coming-of-age story, I guess, but Deadhouse Gates twisted it into something way darker and more traumatic.
It's also very sad to see how capable characters such as Kalam and Fiddler be overwhelmed by helplessness and insignificance. I’m seeing the hero in them, but the world is just too harsh and brutal.
Heroism is stupidity. Futile even.
… the sapper was left trembling in the realization of his insignificance and that of all his kind. Humans were but one tiny, frail leaf on a tree too massive even to comprehend.
Kalam feared insignificance, he feared the inability to produce an effect, to force a change upon the world beyond his flesh.
The seemingly headlong plunge this journey had become was in truth but the smallest succession of steps, of no greater import than the struggles of a termite.
'Of course, Kalam wanted to save them! But he knew it was impossible! Only vengeance was possible!'
I love the few scenes we got with Shadowthrone. No matter how freaking shady he is. I can’t deny that the god is growing on me. Looking forward to loving and/or hating the guts out of that scheming giggly bastard. I'd also love to see more of Uncle Cotillion and the shadow folks (The Hounds, Apt and Panek, Iskaral Pust)
The god giggled again. ‘Cotillion will be so pleased, won’t he just.”
Hee hee!
I could do with a leisurely reread to catch the easter eggs and references I missed
but... I’m reeling here. Deadhouse Gates left such heaviness in my heart. I am ruined. Devastated.
YET so excited to dive into the next book! Peeking at Memories of Ice's character list, seems like we're back to the folks in Darujhistan, of course, with a plethora of new names added. Probably, key players. Yay!
On a last note,
but... I’m reeling here. Deadhouse Gates left such heaviness in my heart. I am ruined. Devastated.
YET so excited to dive into the next book! Peeking at Memories of Ice's character list, seems like we're back to the folks in Darujhistan, of course, with a plethora of new names added. Probably, key players. Yay!
On a last note,
"The Wickans! The Wickans! The Wickans!" 😭
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Violence, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Death, Genocide, War, and Torture
Moderate: Animal death, Rape, Adult/minor relationship, and Sexual violence
thewitchwhoisabook's review against another edition
Content Warnings
Graphic: Slavery and War
Moderate: Child abuse, Rape, and Misogyny
jerkysnax's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: War, Violence, and Death
badmc's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- 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
Hook, line...
This book was hard to wade through because, as one reviewer aptly put it, it's about "sad people in a desert". It's also about war in a desert, sexual violence in the mines, and betrayal in the places that are in-between. We follow a wide range of characters, whose destinies get tangled up together with the upheaval of Seven cities, who rise with the Whirlwind to oppose the Malazan Empire and slaughter its citizens that occupy them.
I am sad we didn't get to see more of the Seven cities, because I really loved Darujhistan in the first book, but alas, we were stuck in Raraku desert, magical warrens, ruins, and Azath house for the most of the book. Oh, and the mines, of course. The POV of young girl (a child, really) that gets raped repeatedly, gets addicted as a way to power through it, develops Stockholm syndrome, and then becomes poisonous to the people that want to help her was torturous for me: the real (or imagined) betrayal she meets at every turn really killed my motivation and is the reason it took me almost 20 days to finish the book. I mean, we have enough of the slut shaming, disbelief, and guilting women and girls in the real life, I really struggle with it in book format, especially when I see some of the reactions to the depiction that just underline the misogyny that was shown here (I applaud Erikson for showing this form of depression and PTSD, as rage and hatred). On the other hand, we follow sturdy historian who chronicles the accomplishments of a barbarian war chief (I cried over this!), two friends with complicated past that broke my heart, a soldier you can depend on, and an assassin that seeks answers and gets more than he bargained for. We also get to see a plethora of characters, gods, creatures, and hints of the fate of civilizations and races past.
It is a sprawling saga that will have to be read more than once for the nuance and backstory to really sink in. There are some plot holes, the plot meanders everywhere, some characters don't have the chance to grow or to get fleshed out enough for you to care for them (I want more Apsalar, and Crokus was somehow diminished), and it would help to get a better sense for the slaughter we witness (a mass of bodies, blood, and guts stop being shocking, make me care!), but this book made me feel all the feels, and for that, I love it.
This book was hard to wade through because, as one reviewer aptly put it, it's about "sad people in a desert". It's also about war in a desert, sexual violence in the mines, and betrayal in the places that are in-between. We follow a wide range of characters, whose destinies get tangled up together with the upheaval of Seven cities, who rise with the Whirlwind to oppose the Malazan Empire and slaughter its citizens that occupy them.
I am sad we didn't get to see more of the Seven cities, because I really loved Darujhistan in the first book, but alas, we were stuck in Raraku desert, magical warrens, ruins, and Azath house for the most of the book. Oh, and the mines, of course. The POV of young girl (a child, really) that gets raped repeatedly, gets addicted as a way to power through it, develops Stockholm syndrome, and then becomes poisonous to the people that want to help her was torturous for me: the real (or imagined) betrayal she meets at every turn really killed my motivation and is the reason it took me almost 20 days to finish the book. I mean, we have enough of the slut shaming, disbelief, and guilting women and girls in the real life, I really struggle with it in book format, especially when I see some of the reactions to the depiction that just underline the misogyny that was shown here (I applaud Erikson for showing this form of depression and PTSD, as rage and hatred). On the other hand, we follow sturdy historian who chronicles the accomplishments of a barbarian war chief (I cried over this!), two friends with complicated past that broke my heart, a soldier you can depend on, and an assassin that seeks answers and gets more than he bargained for. We also get to see a plethora of characters, gods, creatures, and hints of the fate of civilizations and races past.
It is a sprawling saga that will have to be read more than once for the nuance and backstory to really sink in. There are some plot holes, the plot meanders everywhere, some characters don't have the chance to grow or to get fleshed out enough for you to care for them (I want more Apsalar, and Crokus was somehow diminished), and it would help to get a better sense for the slaughter we witness (a mass of bodies, blood, and guts stop being shocking, make me care!), but this book made me feel all the feels, and for that, I love it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual harassment, War, and Violence
Moderate: Sexual violence, Torture, and Sexual assault
griffinthief's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
reflective
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? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Colonisation, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Murder, Torture, Toxic friendship, Child death, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Rape, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Violence, Sexual violence, Slavery, Abandonment, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Excrement, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Pregnancy, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Self harm, Toxic relationship, Trafficking, Addiction, Animal cruelty, Medical content, Police brutality, Vomit, War, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury and Pedophilia
Minor: Abortion
keepawayrobot's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: War
Moderate: Rape