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mxsallybend's review against another edition
4.0
Tehol and Bugg. Kruppe and Iskaral Pust. Telorast and Curdle. These are names that will be instantly familiar to readers of Malazan Book of the Fallen . . . and which bring an immediate smile to the face. It's almost unfair that an author with such a flair for complex, densely woven epic fantasy can also pull off witty banter and darkly madcap humor, but Steven Erikson used those duos exceptionally well to lighten the overall tension and contrast the often crushing sense despair.
In a sense, his Tales of Bauchelain and Korbal Broach are almost like excised chapters, removed from the overall saga, and allowed to stand on their own. More importantly, as much as they are still connected to the overall saga, they can be read as standalone tales, providing new readers with a taste of Erikson's literary magic. They're probably not the best place to start, lest they create an unfair expectation of the series, but you cannot deny their appeal.
The Wurms of Blearmouth is actually the fifth novella to feature Bauchelain and Korbal Broach, the first three of which were conveniently collected in a single volume a few years ago. Originally released as a limited edition back in 2012, Wurms is just making its mass market debut now.
I'd be doing you a huge disservice to try and deconstruct the plot (you really have to experience it to appreciate it), so I'll just settle for highlighting a few favorite elements. Lord Fangatooth Claw the Render is the perfect parody of the over-the-top, scene-chewing villain - he's a pompous, arrogant sorcerer, given to making grandiose speeches, but completely inept at saying anything of substance. He insist that Coingood, his poor scribe, document his every word . . . but revise, reinvent, and rewrite it to sound better.
“Find the clever things he said, Scribe, and change them around.”
Felittle and her mother, Feloovil, are another awkward pairing - the virgin seductress who only wants the chance to be a whore, and the brothel owner who clings to illusion of her daughter's innocence. I tell you, I nearly lost it when long-suffering Emancipor Reese (cursed manservant to Bauchelain and Broach) gets flashed by Feloovil's miraculously enhanced breasts, and nearly driven mad by the sight of those hungry, slavering nipple-mouths. So much horrible fun.
Her breasts had no nipples. Instead, in place of them, were mouths, with soft, feminine lips painted bright red. As he stared, both tits blew him a kiss.
Spilgit Purrble, the self-nominated tax collector; Ackle, the once-dead gravedigger; and Hordilo Stinq, the pirate turned lawman; these three men have some of the best dialogue in the entire story, with bewildering conversations about everything from muddy buckets to shovels attaining a level of wit and cleverness that Erikson somehow pulls off effortlessly. They're largely responsible for driving the story forward, with everybody else really just along for the ride, and our heroes really just having a jolly time baiting their pompous foe in anticipation of an end-game that's as bloody as it is bloody fun.
Spilgit shrugged. “I doubt anyone’d ever claim renting shovels was a profit-making enterprise.”
It's a crazy, madcap tale, and one that will have you laughing out loud on a regular basis. It's a story that bears close reading, however, as much of the magic is contained in the words - both dialogue and narrative. At just over 200 pages, The Wurms of Blearmouth is a perfect sort of literary desert for fans of the Malazan Book of the Fallen.
Originally reviewed at Beauty in Ruins
In a sense, his Tales of Bauchelain and Korbal Broach are almost like excised chapters, removed from the overall saga, and allowed to stand on their own. More importantly, as much as they are still connected to the overall saga, they can be read as standalone tales, providing new readers with a taste of Erikson's literary magic. They're probably not the best place to start, lest they create an unfair expectation of the series, but you cannot deny their appeal.
The Wurms of Blearmouth is actually the fifth novella to feature Bauchelain and Korbal Broach, the first three of which were conveniently collected in a single volume a few years ago. Originally released as a limited edition back in 2012, Wurms is just making its mass market debut now.
I'd be doing you a huge disservice to try and deconstruct the plot (you really have to experience it to appreciate it), so I'll just settle for highlighting a few favorite elements. Lord Fangatooth Claw the Render is the perfect parody of the over-the-top, scene-chewing villain - he's a pompous, arrogant sorcerer, given to making grandiose speeches, but completely inept at saying anything of substance. He insist that Coingood, his poor scribe, document his every word . . . but revise, reinvent, and rewrite it to sound better.
“Find the clever things he said, Scribe, and change them around.”
Felittle and her mother, Feloovil, are another awkward pairing - the virgin seductress who only wants the chance to be a whore, and the brothel owner who clings to illusion of her daughter's innocence. I tell you, I nearly lost it when long-suffering Emancipor Reese (cursed manservant to Bauchelain and Broach) gets flashed by Feloovil's miraculously enhanced breasts, and nearly driven mad by the sight of those hungry, slavering nipple-mouths. So much horrible fun.
Her breasts had no nipples. Instead, in place of them, were mouths, with soft, feminine lips painted bright red. As he stared, both tits blew him a kiss.
Spilgit Purrble, the self-nominated tax collector; Ackle, the once-dead gravedigger; and Hordilo Stinq, the pirate turned lawman; these three men have some of the best dialogue in the entire story, with bewildering conversations about everything from muddy buckets to shovels attaining a level of wit and cleverness that Erikson somehow pulls off effortlessly. They're largely responsible for driving the story forward, with everybody else really just along for the ride, and our heroes really just having a jolly time baiting their pompous foe in anticipation of an end-game that's as bloody as it is bloody fun.
Spilgit shrugged. “I doubt anyone’d ever claim renting shovels was a profit-making enterprise.”
It's a crazy, madcap tale, and one that will have you laughing out loud on a regular basis. It's a story that bears close reading, however, as much of the magic is contained in the words - both dialogue and narrative. At just over 200 pages, The Wurms of Blearmouth is a perfect sort of literary desert for fans of the Malazan Book of the Fallen.
Originally reviewed at Beauty in Ruins
clarks_dad's review against another edition
5.0
These novellas keep getting more absurd....and I like them. Immediately after the events of [b:The Lees of Laughter's End|2255638|The Lees of Laughter's End (The Tales of Bauchelain and Korbal Broach, #3)|Steven Erikson|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1282915548s/2255638.jpg|4646129], our pair of necromancers and their faithful manservant find themselves washed up on a desolate beach in probably the most desolate place in all of the Malazan world. Home to a sadistic high mage who is fond of executing strangers and torturing his subjects, Bauchelain and Korbal Broach navigate a small, but supremely treacherous town with their usual affability and aplomb. Once again the trio find themselves at the heart of a convergence of unlikely events involving witches, old gods, and dangerous vendettas.
I swear Emancipor Reese has worse luck than Jack Bauer. How many ridiculously unlikely days can one man experience? It should have gotten old by now, but it's really not. The formula still works and Erikson finds even more outlandish ways to tie strands of separate events together into a witty and hilarious tapestry. Definitely some of the funniest books I've read since the last Douglas Adams or Vonnegut book I've touched. I think I actually prefer these books to the main Malazan series. In fact, I'm sure of it at this point.
I swear Emancipor Reese has worse luck than Jack Bauer. How many ridiculously unlikely days can one man experience? It should have gotten old by now, but it's really not. The formula still works and Erikson finds even more outlandish ways to tie strands of separate events together into a witty and hilarious tapestry. Definitely some of the funniest books I've read since the last Douglas Adams or Vonnegut book I've touched. I think I actually prefer these books to the main Malazan series. In fact, I'm sure of it at this point.
blodeuedd's review against another edition
3.0
I do confess that I have never read an Erikson book, but I always wanted to try one. Now, well I did not exactly start at the beginning. And I have no idea what Bachelain and Korbal have been up to before, but that does not matter. I never felt lost. I just walked into an adventure that began and ended in this novella.
How to even explain this? It's like Pratchett meets Gormenghast meets something very dark (I have not read those Grim authors yet so I can't compare). There is dark dry humour, people have silly names and no one is nice. No one.
There is a big cast of characters for such a short story. Bauchelain, Korbal and their servant arrive after they have been shipwrecked. And then a lot of others follow them for different reasons (money and more.) And then there is the village and keep of course. I liked the village, as much as you can like people like that. We have the tax collector, the cat who hates the tax collector, the old guy who lives at the beach and sends travelers to their doom. The woman who owns the brothel, her daughter who wants to become a whore, the constable who sends strangers to the keep to die, the man who is dead but not dead, and of course the Lord of the Keep who is quite the tyrant.
They are all insane, murderous, lecherous killers. But I laughed. There was this one scene with the woman who owns the brothels and trust me, you have not seen that before.
This was a fun and rather strange novella. It's a village that you do not want to venture too, and characters you do not want to meet. So luckily I can read about them and experience them that way instead. And as I have not read Erikson before I have no idea if the rest of his novels are like this. But from what I have seen he might keep this dark humor to B and Korbal's tales. They are perfect for it.
How to even explain this? It's like Pratchett meets Gormenghast meets something very dark (I have not read those Grim authors yet so I can't compare). There is dark dry humour, people have silly names and no one is nice. No one.
There is a big cast of characters for such a short story. Bauchelain, Korbal and their servant arrive after they have been shipwrecked. And then a lot of others follow them for different reasons (money and more.) And then there is the village and keep of course. I liked the village, as much as you can like people like that. We have the tax collector, the cat who hates the tax collector, the old guy who lives at the beach and sends travelers to their doom. The woman who owns the brothel, her daughter who wants to become a whore, the constable who sends strangers to the keep to die, the man who is dead but not dead, and of course the Lord of the Keep who is quite the tyrant.
They are all insane, murderous, lecherous killers. But I laughed. There was this one scene with the woman who owns the brothels and trust me, you have not seen that before.
This was a fun and rather strange novella. It's a village that you do not want to venture too, and characters you do not want to meet. So luckily I can read about them and experience them that way instead. And as I have not read Erikson before I have no idea if the rest of his novels are like this. But from what I have seen he might keep this dark humor to B and Korbal's tales. They are perfect for it.
mjt2289's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
acardattack's review
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
4.0
Finally, even though this is the "5th" released, it is the 3rd chronological. Finally we get more of the gang, even if its 60ish%, the town they come across is interesting so I didnt mind reading about the characters with the weird names. This is what I was hoping for with these novellas, whacky adventures with evil creatures
mhedgescsus's review
5.0
Check out my YouTube channel where I show my instant reactions to reading fantasy books as soon as I finish the book.
Hands down the funniest book I have ever read.
While this is the 5th book in this series, I am reading this series in chronological order so it is the 3rd book I have read. I thought the first one was rather weak, the second one was downright hysterical, and now this one is simultaneously the best novella, and funniest book I have ever read.
This book is set in the Malazan universe, and while it would be good to read those books first to get to understand the main characters here a bit more, it is absolutely not necessary and you can easily read these books without any knowledge of the other Malazan books.
This book is Terry Pratchett style humor, but is also a brutally dark horror story with wonderful prose - three concepts that I would never imagine would mesh well together but absolutely do. This is a short book and won't take you more than a day to read so I hesitate to say much about the plot as I would likely be giving away some major plot details, but instead I will just explain a few of the characters so you get a sense of why this book is so incredibly unique.
Bauchelain and Korbal Broach are the main characters, two insanely powerful sorcerers who nobody thinks are powerful until they meet their demise. They are so powerful that they take no offense towards people who try to kill them, as they don't fear anyone. They are teamed up with Emancipor Reese who is their manservant who is constantly terrified of everyone and everything, and has to be constantly calmed down by the sorcerers.
Feloovil operates a brothel but does not allow her innocent daughter Felittle to be a whore, which frustrate Felittle to no end as that is her greatest dream.
Fangatooth Claw the Render is the local lord who is hilariously villainous, and he has Coingood his scribe constantly follow him around to keep a record of everything he ever says so he can keep it for posterity. But he constantly wants Coingood to rewrite the record for his over-the-top speeches because they never come out witty enough.
You have an undead grave digger who nobody thinks is actually dead, a tax collector who appointed himself who honestly believes that the money he collects is benefitting everyone, and a host of other ridiculous characters that I can't say enough positives about.
The ending is glorious and bloody and will have you somehow both wincing and laughing out loud. This book should appeal to any Malazan fan, or any Pratchett fan who has a stomach for a darker story.
Hands down the funniest book I have ever read.
While this is the 5th book in this series, I am reading this series in chronological order so it is the 3rd book I have read. I thought the first one was rather weak, the second one was downright hysterical, and now this one is simultaneously the best novella, and funniest book I have ever read.
This book is set in the Malazan universe, and while it would be good to read those books first to get to understand the main characters here a bit more, it is absolutely not necessary and you can easily read these books without any knowledge of the other Malazan books.
This book is Terry Pratchett style humor, but is also a brutally dark horror story with wonderful prose - three concepts that I would never imagine would mesh well together but absolutely do. This is a short book and won't take you more than a day to read so I hesitate to say much about the plot as I would likely be giving away some major plot details, but instead I will just explain a few of the characters so you get a sense of why this book is so incredibly unique.
Bauchelain and Korbal Broach are the main characters, two insanely powerful sorcerers who nobody thinks are powerful until they meet their demise. They are so powerful that they take no offense towards people who try to kill them, as they don't fear anyone. They are teamed up with Emancipor Reese who is their manservant who is constantly terrified of everyone and everything, and has to be constantly calmed down by the sorcerers.
Feloovil operates a brothel but does not allow her innocent daughter Felittle to be a whore, which frustrate Felittle to no end as that is her greatest dream.
Fangatooth Claw the Render is the local lord who is hilariously villainous, and he has Coingood his scribe constantly follow him around to keep a record of everything he ever says so he can keep it for posterity. But he constantly wants Coingood to rewrite the record for his over-the-top speeches because they never come out witty enough.
You have an undead grave digger who nobody thinks is actually dead, a tax collector who appointed himself who honestly believes that the money he collects is benefitting everyone, and a host of other ridiculous characters that I can't say enough positives about.
The ending is glorious and bloody and will have you somehow both wincing and laughing out loud. This book should appeal to any Malazan fan, or any Pratchett fan who has a stomach for a darker story.
old_tim's review
5.0
The most hilarious grimdark novel I've ever read!
http://fedpeaches.blogspot.com/2014/07/find-clever-things-he-said-scribe-and.html
http://fedpeaches.blogspot.com/2014/07/find-clever-things-he-said-scribe-and.html
mirrormind's review
4.0
A very funny clash of sorcerers, odd locals and other nefarious characters. Erikson is a master of blending dark fantasy and humor. A very enjoyable read on a dreary winter day. Here, have a cookie.
sade's review
3.0
welcome to spendrugle, where the motto should be 
so even though i liked this book, it's definitely my least favourite so far of all the Korbal & Bauchelain novellas i've read so far. In this instance i don't think the supporting cast worked as well as it did in the other books. Probably, the other books in the novella will shed more light on this story but alone while okay, it just didn't cut it like i hoped it would.