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4.26 AVERAGE
4.26 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
dark
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
In many ways, this is probably the worst book of the first four. The pacing is just bad and that's saying a lot considering that I don't think pacing is a strong point for any of the novels. That being said, I found this A LOT easier to read than the other three novels. For whatever reason, things were clearer and the story felt more straightforward. I'm not sure if that's because I've gotten used to Erikson's style or that I understand the story a lot better, but I think at least part of it is that Erikson has honed his craft a bit.
I still really enjoyed this one, especially Karsa's story. In some ways, I wish we had just followed him the entire time.
I still really enjoyed this one, especially Karsa's story. In some ways, I wish we had just followed him the entire time.
House of Chains is not my favourite of the four Books of Malazan Book of the Fallen I have read yet. But I am not as critical of it as other reviewers have. One character that is highly discussed, Karsa Orlong, has been a favourite of mine from the very beginning of the book (even if he is not the best person) and his transformation throughout the book, I would even dare call it enlightenment, was a joy to behold. I particularly liked the insight into both sides of Rarakus deciding duel: Tavore vs. Shaikh. Although the decisive battle was a bit lackluster when compared with some similar battles in previous installments, the intrigue and backstabbing of the Whirlwind camp was nothing but spectacular.
What I adore this book for is trekking a path that has been trekked before. Rarakus ghosts wandering beside those who wander to the concentration of power, of fates. The Chain of Dogs, Coltaine, The Bridgeburners. In some way all play a part in the battle for the fate of Raraku. But this book is also where said battle ends. The fate of the Seven Cities decided. Yes, I love House of Chains, but do I like it more than Eriksons previous work? I honestly cannot quite say. I just felt that something was missing and some conclusions were either rushed or somehow amiss. Kalam, Crokus & Apsalar, to a lesser extend Lostara Yil & Pearl, were all somewhat present, but no quite at the same time, which leaves a bit of a sour taste behind.
I give House of Chains a tentative 4,0/5 and maybe one day, if or when I reread Malazan, I will see it in a different light.
What I adore this book for is trekking a path that has been trekked before. Rarakus ghosts wandering beside those who wander to the concentration of power, of fates. The Chain of Dogs, Coltaine, The Bridgeburners. In some way all play a part in the battle for the fate of Raraku. But this book is also where said battle ends. The fate of the Seven Cities decided. Yes, I love House of Chains, but do I like it more than Eriksons previous work? I honestly cannot quite say. I just felt that something was missing and some conclusions were either rushed or somehow amiss. Kalam, Crokus & Apsalar, to a lesser extend Lostara Yil & Pearl, were all somewhat present, but no quite at the same time, which leaves a bit of a sour taste behind.
I give House of Chains a tentative 4,0/5 and maybe one day, if or when I reread Malazan, I will see it in a different light.
emotional
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual violence
adventurous
medium-paced
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Not my favtin the series but that ending!!!
Once I get to the end of one of these books it feels like this huge accomplishment. Mostly because they are really so very dense and maybe it is close to 1000 pages but it seems like so much more.
It took a lot to get to where we were going in this book. Mainly the overall arc is that Tevore and the Malazan’s are going to march into the desert to fare Sharik and her appocolyptic sands. So that is where the various lines all converge by the end of the story. It took a long time to get there and at the end I will say that again most of my feelings are bittersweet. At least this one didn’t gut my insides out like the previous two books but again there seems to be no such thing as a happy ending when you are in the world of the Malazans.
I’m really never sure where the book is going to take me and this one again starts off with a culture and people that we don’t really seem to know. Karsa Orlong how I hated you. This started as a really difficult read because I completely hated Karsa and his cultural ways. It was difficult to real all of Book I since it was just about him and his beginnings to where we left off in Deathhouse Gates. The good news is that even though I still don’t like him per say I was rooting for him later in the book. His character went through a lot of changes so by the end of this book I grew to enjoy his arc and I have high hopes for him.
The good news about travelling with Tevore and the Malazans is that we get to be with what is left of the Bridgeburners, Coltain’s wounded that were saved and some of the other wiccan clans. I don’t really like Tevore if only for what she was prepared to do to her sister. So while she isn’t my favorite I did love being with Strings a.k.a. Fiddler and some other all stars from the prior books.
Sharik, Heboric, Felisin and a slew of others had an strange and interesting tale. I will say that while Sharik wasn’t my favorite I did like Heboric and Felisin the younger quite a bit. Heboric’s change in this was actually one of my favorite parts since I really did want the once priest to find purpose again and it seems that maybe another god saw something in him too. But the most memorable point driven home again was that if in a fantasy world of any kind never drink the tea, it doesn’t go well fore anyone. Just ask Alice, Nynaeve, Egwene or the ever murderous Marquel.
There is some stuff with Apsalar and Crocus but they didn’t get a lot of time and in the end I didn’t really understand what happened between them. But the crazy dude who is a priest for Shadowthrone in middle of the desert and his many spidered wife are hilarious. So I did enjoy when they ended up there.
There is the big buildup going into the end and then it sort of fizzled out when we were supposed to get a big battle. I know that SE did it like that on purpose but still I guess I just wanted a bigger battle sequence after all that time getting to it. Don’t get me wrong there is still some very cool stuff that happens and I especially liked what happened to the Dog Killers but I wanted Tevore and Sharik’s story line to end a little differently I guess.
One of the more followable books in the series for me. But between warrens, gods, ascendants and races it is so hard to keep track of everything.
It took a lot to get to where we were going in this book. Mainly the overall arc is that Tevore and the Malazan’s are going to march into the desert to fare Sharik and her appocolyptic sands. So that is where the various lines all converge by the end of the story. It took a long time to get there and at the end I will say that again most of my feelings are bittersweet. At least this one didn’t gut my insides out like the previous two books but again there seems to be no such thing as a happy ending when you are in the world of the Malazans.
I’m really never sure where the book is going to take me and this one again starts off with a culture and people that we don’t really seem to know. Karsa Orlong how I hated you. This started as a really difficult read because I completely hated Karsa and his cultural ways. It was difficult to real all of Book I since it was just about him and his beginnings to where we left off in Deathhouse Gates. The good news is that even though I still don’t like him per say I was rooting for him later in the book. His character went through a lot of changes so by the end of this book I grew to enjoy his arc and I have high hopes for him.
“You have learned much, Karsa Orlong."
"I have, T'lan Imass. As you shall witness.”
The good news about travelling with Tevore and the Malazans is that we get to be with what is left of the Bridgeburners, Coltain’s wounded that were saved and some of the other wiccan clans. I don’t really like Tevore if only for what she was prepared to do to her sister. So while she isn’t my favorite I did love being with Strings a.k.a. Fiddler and some other all stars from the prior books.
Sharik, Heboric, Felisin and a slew of others had an strange and interesting tale. I will say that while Sharik wasn’t my favorite I did like Heboric and Felisin the younger quite a bit. Heboric’s change in this was actually one of my favorite parts since I really did want the once priest to find purpose again and it seems that maybe another god saw something in him too. But the most memorable point driven home again was that if in a fantasy world of any kind never drink the tea, it doesn’t go well fore anyone. Just ask Alice, Nynaeve, Egwene or the ever murderous Marquel.
There is some stuff with Apsalar and Crocus but they didn’t get a lot of time and in the end I didn’t really understand what happened between them. But the crazy dude who is a priest for Shadowthrone in middle of the desert and his many spidered wife are hilarious. So I did enjoy when they ended up there.
There is the big buildup going into the end and then it sort of fizzled out when we were supposed to get a big battle. I know that SE did it like that on purpose but still I guess I just wanted a bigger battle sequence after all that time getting to it. Don’t get me wrong there is still some very cool stuff that happens and I especially liked what happened to the Dog Killers but I wanted Tevore and Sharik’s story line to end a little differently I guess.
One of the more followable books in the series for me. But between warrens, gods, ascendants and races it is so hard to keep track of everything.
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
dark
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I am way too attached to these characters, man. They are too real to me.