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4.42 AVERAGE
4.42 AVERAGE
Reread #1: 5 ⭐ This book is a masterpiece. The ending always wrecks me. Compared to my first readthrough of this book, I don't think I enjoyed it as much for the first 80% of the book. During my first read, I had bounced off of House of Chains pretty hard, so this one was a huge improvement comparatively. However, HoC has recently become one of my favorites of the series, so this one is not quiiiiite as much of an improvement on it as the first time I read it (if that makes sense?). Despite that, I stand by the opinion that this is one of the best of the series. The story is the most cohesive and self contained, but it packs quite the punch. I absolutely love the last 30% of the book. Steven Erikson is the best writer I have come across at making you care deeply for characters that have had, in some cases, very little page time.
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This book just became my new favorite of the Malazan series so far. This book is epic, tragic, funny, sad and every other emotion in between. The plot was never boring, and the characters were SO GOOD. My personal favorites are Tehol, Bugg, Brys, Udinaas, and Shurq. Trull was also great. I didn't care for him in House of Chains, but this book did the trick. As usual, the ending knocked it out of the park. Characters died that I really, really wanted to see live and others are off on adventures that I hope we get to see a glimpse of in future books.
5 stars!!
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This book just became my new favorite of the Malazan series so far. This book is epic, tragic, funny, sad and every other emotion in between. The plot was never boring, and the characters were SO GOOD. My personal favorites are Tehol, Bugg, Brys, Udinaas, and Shurq. Trull was also great. I didn't care for him in House of Chains, but this book did the trick. As usual, the ending knocked it out of the park. Characters died that I really, really wanted to see live
Spoiler
Brys :'(5 stars!!
adventurous
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
9/10
This book was huge in depth and length. I gave it 9 rather than a 10 because of it's disconnect from the rest of the Malazan Book of the Fallen series. I understand from veteran readers and re-readers of the series that the events in this book are key, but as a first time reader, those connections are few and far between. Yes, we have Trull, who we met previously and parts of this book are his story to Onrack, and, of course, we have the Crippled God.
The new characters are varied and compelling--Tehol and Bugg being my favorites, but all 3 Beddict brothers and the Sengar brothers are key players, each special in his own way. And one of my other favorites, the Ceda, Kuru Qan.
I just finished the book today and am still overwhelmed by the scope.
This book was huge in depth and length. I gave it 9 rather than a 10 because of it's disconnect from the rest of the Malazan Book of the Fallen series. I understand from veteran readers and re-readers of the series that the events in this book are key, but as a first time reader, those connections are few and far between. Yes, we have Trull, who we met previously and parts of this book are his story to Onrack, and, of course, we have the Crippled God.
The new characters are varied and compelling--Tehol and Bugg being my favorites, but all 3 Beddict brothers and the Sengar brothers are key players, each special in his own way. And one of my other favorites, the Ceda, Kuru Qan.
I just finished the book today and am still overwhelmed by the scope.
Do not seek to find hope among your leaders. They are the repositories of poison. Their interest in you extends only so far as their ability to control you. From you, they seek duty and obedience, and they will ply you with the language of stirring faith. They seek followers, and woe to those who question, or voice challenge. ‘Civilization after civilization, it is the same. The world falls to tyranny with a whisper. The frightened are ever keen to bow to a perceived necessity, in the belief that necessity forces conformity, and conformity a certain stability. In a world shaped into conformity, dissidents stand out, are easily branded and dealt with. There is no multitude of perspectives, no dialogue. The victim assumes the face of the tyrant, self-righteous and intransigent, and wars breed like vermin. And people die.
dark
funny
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
It's odd how a book can, mid-series, jump a continent, not feature (almost) any of the previous characters in the series, and still be so successful at what it's trying to do. It also sets up plots points that I assume will play out in later books that themselves will tie in to earlier books. It's truly dizzying.
I did not love Midnight Tides as much as I did House of Chains or Memories of Ice, and in many ways it mirrors those books without being as impactful, but that does not mean I was ever bored or disengaged. This is another Malazan book, and if you love the previous entries, you'll probably like this too. Yes, it has moments of horror that will have you talking on forums about how grossed out you were, but it also has humor and camaraderie, and manages not to kill off every single character you've grown to like. Midnight Tides is just different enough to be a strange entry into the series but also familiar.
I did not love Midnight Tides as much as I did House of Chains or Memories of Ice, and in many ways it mirrors those books without being as impactful, but that does not mean I was ever bored or disengaged. This is another Malazan book, and if you love the previous entries, you'll probably like this too. Yes, it has moments of horror that will have you talking on forums about how grossed out you were, but it also has humor and camaraderie, and manages not to kill off every single character you've grown to like. Midnight Tides is just different enough to be a strange entry into the series but also familiar.
sad
slow-paced
adventurous
challenging
dark
funny
mysterious
slow-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
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
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:
No
The more I think about it, the more this book becomes one of my favorites in the series. Tehol and Bugg are by far the funniest characters ever created. On multiple occasions I was this close (look at my fingers) to reading a passage of their dialogue to my wife, but decided against it. Not to mention the exploits of Brys Beddict. Oh crap, there's a reason why he's the First Sword. That's what I really like about this series. When people are good at something, they are GOOD, I mean really good and that's just good fantasy.
Brys to Tehol (mmpb pg. 548): 'Accordingly, you are at risk'
'Arrest?'
'No, more likely assassination. All in the name of patriotism.'
Tehol set his bowl down. 'It occurs to me, Brys, that you are more at risk than I am.'
'I am well guarded, brother, whilst you are not.'
'Nonsense! I have Bugg!'
The manservant looked up at Brys with a bland smile.
'Tehol, this is not time for jokes-'
'Bugg resents that!'
'I do?'
'Well, don't you? I would, if I were you-'
'It seems you just were.'
'My apologies for making you speak out of turn, then.'
'Speaking on your behalf, master, I accept.'
'You are filled with relief-'
'Will you two stop it!' Brys shouted, throwing up his hands...
Brys to Tehol (mmpb pg. 548): 'Accordingly, you are at risk'
'Arrest?'
'No, more likely assassination. All in the name of patriotism.'
Tehol set his bowl down. 'It occurs to me, Brys, that you are more at risk than I am.'
'I am well guarded, brother, whilst you are not.'
'Nonsense! I have Bugg!'
The manservant looked up at Brys with a bland smile.
'Tehol, this is not time for jokes-'
'Bugg resents that!'
'I do?'
'Well, don't you? I would, if I were you-'
'It seems you just were.'
'My apologies for making you speak out of turn, then.'
'Speaking on your behalf, master, I accept.'
'You are filled with relief-'
'Will you two stop it!' Brys shouted, throwing up his hands...
Please note; my star rating on any book is completely subjective and limited to the label for each star.
1 Star I didn’t like it
2 Stars It was okay
3 Stars I liked it
4 Stars I really liked it
5 Stars It was amazing!
If I do actually have something to say about a book other than what my enjoyment factor was, I will write a review and share my thoughts. If I say I didn’t like a book but there wasn’t anything about it that I thought needed to be shared, then that’s it, I just didn’t like it.
If you’d like to start a discussion about a book or you’d like an actual review, ask any question you like and I’ll be happy to try and comply/respond.
Additional note; I do not feed the trolls. If you don’t have something constructive to say, or if you can’t say it in a respectful way, you won’t get a response from me. Ever.
1 Star I didn’t like it
2 Stars It was okay
3 Stars I liked it
4 Stars I really liked it
5 Stars It was amazing!
If I do actually have something to say about a book other than what my enjoyment factor was, I will write a review and share my thoughts. If I say I didn’t like a book but there wasn’t anything about it that I thought needed to be shared, then that’s it, I just didn’t like it.
If you’d like to start a discussion about a book or you’d like an actual review, ask any question you like and I’ll be happy to try and comply/respond.
Additional note; I do not feed the trolls. If you don’t have something constructive to say, or if you can’t say it in a respectful way, you won’t get a response from me. Ever.