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128 reviews for:
The God Is Not Willing: Book One of the Witness Trilogy: A Novel of the Malazan World
Steven Erikson
4.51 AVERAGE
128 reviews for:
The God Is Not Willing: Book One of the Witness Trilogy: A Novel of the Malazan World
Steven Erikson
4.51 AVERAGE
A book that continues, but does not replace the Book of the Fallen. Excellent in it's ability to have you emotionally connect with the characters. Read it with an open mind and you won't be disappointed.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
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:
Complicated
adventurous
emotional
funny
medium-paced
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
tense
medium-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
fast-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:
Complicated
I would give this 10 stars if I could. It’s beautiful and horrible and heartbreaking yet full of hope.
This book is up there with Bonehunters for my favorite Malazan book.
It’s absolutely stunning.
This book is up there with Bonehunters for my favorite Malazan book.
It’s absolutely stunning.
adventurous
dark
hopeful
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
TGiNW begins as many of Erikson's Malazan novels do, establishing various plot threads that at first seem only tangentially related. Those familiar with his work know his way of tying these threads back together at the end of a book, sometimes subversively so.
That might not be a surprise for veterans of the series and the world, but TGiNW represents as good an entry point as any other. There are references to the events of the main Book of the Fallen series, and clues as to a certain characters fate. But while the world behind the story is rich, one need not have followed the adventures of Dujeks host, the Letherii empire and the various races that all contribute to the history of this world. Half the stories characters tell of their forebears are half remembered, twisted by the passing of time into something new. This may irk those who wish for 100% consistency but to me, it's a plus.
And those characters, oh! those characters. Rants innocence, the redeemed hunter, and the varied inhabitants of the Laederon plateau all give life to a part of the world only visited hastily in the main 10 books, with all their cultures feeling real enough to carry the story forward. But it's the marines, as usual who steal the show.
Perhaps the new reader will be put off by the neurotics in their ranks, the marines bring you to laughter and tears in equal measure. And, considering some of the brutal combat scenes, as thrilling as ever, one can be forgiven for thinking you'd have to be insane to do their job, in a world of gods, undead dinosaurs and alchemical explosives.
Reading about the changes to the world of malazan, it's cosmology and pantheons was a delight but wouldn't have been so without a human core to the story and again, Erikson delivers in spades. A true delight, for oldheads and newcomers alike.
That might not be a surprise for veterans of the series and the world, but TGiNW represents as good an entry point as any other. There are references to the events of the main Book of the Fallen series, and clues as to a certain characters fate. But while the world behind the story is rich, one need not have followed the adventures of Dujeks host, the Letherii empire and the various races that all contribute to the history of this world. Half the stories characters tell of their forebears are half remembered, twisted by the passing of time into something new. This may irk those who wish for 100% consistency but to me, it's a plus.
And those characters, oh! those characters. Rants innocence, the redeemed hunter, and the varied inhabitants of the Laederon plateau all give life to a part of the world only visited hastily in the main 10 books, with all their cultures feeling real enough to carry the story forward. But it's the marines, as usual who steal the show.
Perhaps the new reader will be put off by the neurotics in their ranks, the marines bring you to laughter and tears in equal measure. And, considering some of the brutal combat scenes, as thrilling as ever, one can be forgiven for thinking you'd have to be insane to do their job, in a world of gods, undead dinosaurs and alchemical explosives.
Reading about the changes to the world of malazan, it's cosmology and pantheons was a delight but wouldn't have been so without a human core to the story and again, Erikson delivers in spades. A true delight, for oldheads and newcomers alike.
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
fast-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
I usually don't write anything for the books I read, but I just have to mention how good this is. I missed the world of Malazan, and I am now missing the Malazan Marines we get to know in this book. The next book cannot come out fast enough. If you have read the entire Malazan Book of the Fallen series, but wonder if you should read this, wonder no more. Just do it.