Reviews

The Crippled God by Steven Erikson

anomandrewrake's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad 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? It's complicated

5.0

I finally finished. I feel like I've been reading the Malazan Book of the Fallen for several lifetimes. There's no way I could distill all my thoughts on this book and the series as a whole into a coherent review (at least not a digestible one) so I will give some disconnected thoughts instead.

• Tavore...
  I'm so glad she finally got to shine. Erikson kept her in his back pocket for basically all of the series. I'm also glad that I'm vindicated in a way. I've known since she arrived on the page that she was my favorite character, someone I'd die for in real life without even thinking about it, and I can't even articulate why. To be proven right after 3,000,000 words feels wonderful. I wish there was more explicit explanation of her motives and private journey (like what exactly she meant by her "first step") but I can be satisfied with what I got. Her sobbing in Ganoes's arms was a perfect thing, along with what she was sobbing about. I still believe that she knew what happened to Felisin. I think it's arguable at least. I hope that in the blank space after the end of the book, she can find love again somehow. T'amber's death was so hard on her.
• Fiddler...
  Second favorite character. Incredible. That last scene between him and Hedge made me cry like a baby. Who knew that someone who was barely a background character in book 1 would be the closest thing this series has to a protagonist? His struggle throughout the last two books was deeply moving as well. And the reveal that he was the soldier in the prologue, and then the second epilogue referencing it so closely... Chef's kiss.
• The Crippled God...
  FANTASTIC. His "assassination" was written so perfectly. The choice to show it from Koryk's perspective as someone desperate for meaning and a new god gave the event such a dark cast that was unexpected. This was unarguably the best option, and it certainly was not a killing but rather a freeing, but it didn't feel like it then. They won the day. But Koryk doesn't understand that, at least not emotionally. He just lost his savior. Also my prediction from book three that Kaminsod is literally the God Jehovah I will be sticking by forever because it's never directly contradicted and is in fact somewhat hinted at.
• Bent and Roach... you know.
• My one substantive complaint is that I wish the Kharkanas storyline had been its own story, maybe contained in a separate standalone novel. It just seems so disconnected from the rest of the series, especially with the Tiste Liosan barely appearing before book ten. Now that I think about it though, maybe not. The Andii struggle, their search for a homeland and their abandonment by their creator did need a resolution. Maybe I wish the storyline had just been more connected to the story of the Bonehunters. The Kharkanas storyline did, in fact, slap.

I don't know what I'm going to do with my life now.

syinhui's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense

5.0

Malazan Book of the Fallen has set the bar too high for me, I’m quite sure there are very few series out there that come close to what Erikson had done here. That is not to say it is without its flaws, but to be able pull off a universe as expansive as this one is in itself an admirable feat. 

Malazan is relentlessly bleak, brutal, and ominous. Sometimes, I couldn’t help but wish (in vain) it was a little more hopeful, a little less unforgiving to its characters and perhaps the humor a little bit more palatable and not as dry as the Wastelands or the desert of Raraku. Speaking of these immensely harsh environs, I would never forget the literal thirst I felt during these legendary long and gruelling marches. I think I sobbed a few times while reading then weirdly felt bad when a character mentions how they couldn't even afford to spit or talk lest they lose precious water or something along those lines. Anyways...

Superb in every sense of the word but has one of the most depressing and devastating views on humanity and civilization. While I may have learned a great deal and resonated with some of Erikson's philosophical musings, I have to admit I’m done with the many lessons in futility sir, thank you. 

No doubt this deserves a re-read because the foreshadowing is insane. It will be so fun to discover or re-discover that lots of lines and pieces of dialogue that simply went over my head the first time around hold great implications and can be subjected to multiple interpretations. It's also a remarkable thing that after these 10 books, there are still mysteries and questions unanswered. Some of these we'll never know for sure. Some, we are free to formulate our own conjectures. Some, I've heard are given light in other series such as Ian C. Esselmont’s Novels of the Malazan Empire or the Kharkanas Trilogy, a prequel focusing on the Tiste people millenias before the events in Gardens of the Moon or Karsa Orlong's Witness Trilogy for a character arc resolution. Although for now, I’m yet of a mind to take up any of the side series. Maybe some time in the future when the Malazan itch comes back and nothing else on my tbr pile does it for me. 

On a last note, I feel the need to say how absolutely bonkers it is to have 4 (at least I could think of) immediate threats of existence and 1 sure way the Malazan world could end in the last two books.  At this point, I don't think this should be much of a spoiler but here you go.

1. Freeing of Korabas who is basically anathema to life triggers the manifestation of Tiam. Doesn't matter which side wins, either would've destroyed all life on earth. 2. The justice of the Assail via calling upon the full power of Ahkrast Korvalain. A world without gods and humans. Calm mentioned how the Fork'rul Assail and Eleint can share provided the Eleint can be negotiated with. 3. The Jade Strangers I imagine if released upon the world could be as castastrophic as asteroids crashing. That is why killing Kaminsod is off the table. 4. Awakening Icarium's rage. He  truly is a wild card. 5. Then of course, the Death of Burn. An inevitable thing that would happen in a couple of decades. Another way to release the Crippled God but also a cleansing of all life.

One mishap and there is no way it could've ended the way it did. I mean how crazy is that right?  How mad those two upstarts right? 

Final Ranking and Rating

1.  Memories of Ice – 5/5 

2. The Bonehunters – 5/5 

3. The Crippled God – 5/5 

4. Deadhouse Gates -5/5 

5. Dust of Dreams – 4.5/5 

6. Reaper’s Gale – 4.5/5 

7. Gardens of the Moon – 4.75/5 

8. Midnight Tides – 4.5/5 

9.  House of Chains – 4.5/5 

10. Toll the Hounds – 4/5 
 

'Why are we here? The truth is, we’re not even sure. But … we think we’re here to right an old wrong. Because it’s the thing to do, that’s all.’

geobravo's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Sexual violence, and Death

brian__'s review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad slow-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

radiantwings's review

adventurous challenging dark slow-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

4.5

ryanisthewizard12's review

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? It's complicated

5.0

raeesventura's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny mysterious reflective sad 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

5.0

sjgomzi's review against another edition

5.0

It’s finished. What can say? How do I even begin to review the greatest fantasy series I have ever read. Was it worth a year of my life to finish it? That would be a huge YES! this is a life changing work. I see the world through a new set of eyes now. An amazing achievement. Steven Erikson should be applauded for completing it and sticking the landing. I will never forget these characters and look forward to a third reread of the entire thing someday.

kwrobs86's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful sad tense slow-paced

4.0

halynah's review

5.0

Breathtaking conclusion of the best fantasy series of all time!!!
All the battle scenes were gorgeously written! Erikson is unequalled in portraying military atmosphere and banter! He is also the king of dry humour and his writing is truly English at its finest!!! I'm in love with his brains and imagination!!!It's remarkable that this flawed world is still capable of birthing a man of such a formidable intellect!
Besides the battles, among the highlights of the tenth book were Draconus and Ublala's friendship, Bent and Roach's scenes, background stories of marines, crossing of the Glass Desert. There are many loose ends - Karsa, Laseen and all those we left in Mock's Hold, Envy and Spite, etc. All those characters beg for their own spin-offs and we may only hope, that Steven Erikson will deliver! Barring The Reaper's Gale, all the books in the series are masterpieces, so - highly recommended!!!