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A review by wouterk
Toll The Hounds by Steven Erikson
5.0
Okay, this was a tough cookie. How to rate this book. Brilliance another 6 out of 5, but enjoyment for a lot of the time 3 out of 5 stars and then an ending with 10 out of 5 stars. Yes, I sadly found myself to be one of the people who got through this book slowly and getting distracted. And while I started out writing this review wanting to give it 4 stars, I changed to 5 while writing.
It is a great book and I feel it progresses nicely towards the finally in the last two books. What really helped me deal with some of the meanderings was once I realized that in this book Kruppe is the narrator in some parts. And I love Kruppe.
Minor Spoiler, but also a teaser about the best and most humorous battle in this book:
Also, it being the 8th book and Erikson's writing style really pay off by hitting me right in the heart many times. Like always characters the reader connects to are not necessarily spared and it hits impressively. And often, it is not so much the person dying itself, but the grief of the people surrounding that person that evoke sadness and crying.
Toll the Hounds brings us back to Darujhistan and ties some great storylines together and features some of my favorite characters. It is filled with more dread and despair, but also with more humour than some of the previous books. And it is clear that we are moving towards a finale as Gods are plotting more and more. Even Hood is moving in this book.
In some way it brings us full circle before the finale and references [b:Gardens of the Moon|55399|Gardens of the Moon (Malazan Book of the Fallen, #1)|Steven Erikson|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1548497031l/55399._SY75_.jpg|2646042] a lot. Darujhistan is still the same political and plotting town with a lot of intrigue and duelling. Of course we follow Crokus/Cutter who returns and there's the Phoenix Inn crew. We revisit the Malazans who started their own Darujhistan inn and see how Barathol, Chaur and Scillara fare. The book centers a lot around the Tiste Andii and Anomander Rake and we spend time within Dragnipur. Simultaneously, we get to see the continuation of the story of the Tiste Andii survivors who defended the shadow Throne and how they are being lead to Rake by Clip; which turns out quite eventful. We get a better insight in the Trygalle Guild, as Mappo enlists them to find Icarium. Also, the book follows up on the lives of the caravan crew from [b:Memories of Ice|175983|Memories of Ice (Malazan Book of the Fallen, #3)|Steven Erikson|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1548497075l/175983._SY75_.jpg|836462], Gruntle and Stonny Menackis and in some way, Harrlo. We follow Karsa Orlong and Samar Dev who cross paths with Traveller, which ties nicely in with [b:Return of the Crimson Guard|2485836|Return of the Crimson Guard (Novels of the Malazan Empire, #2)|Ian C. Esslemont|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1327981831l/2485836._SY75_.jpg|2493041].
For reading this book, I feel, it is incredibly important to be in a relaxed and focused state of mind. Erikson wrote some of the most interesting notions and reflections here, which is partly induced because of the underlying themes of this book. In Toll the Hounds, Erikson very much explores age. The Tiste Andii, Kallor, but also the victims of Dragnipur make for great characters to explore the many ways how eternity may affect us, how their lives shape each person. How does longlevity or immortality affect the mind?
Simultaneously childhood is explored very much. Erikson features different kids with different backgrounds and how nature and nurture shapes them. Chaur, in my mind, represents here being a child forever.
Building upon these themes Erikson also very interestingly juxtaposes immortality/longlevity to fragility and short-livedness in many instances in the book. My favorite is in one of the last chapters, which would be way too spoilery to share.
As always I could continue on. I've not touched upon all the characters that were awesome and cannot share all the awesome story beats. So let me just leave you with one philosophical question by Kruppe, that I loved and that every politician or board member should overthink regularly:"Witness two scenes.
In one, an angry, bitter man beats another man to death in an alley in the Gadrobi District.
In the other, a man of vast wealth conspires with equally wealthy compatriots to raise yet again the price of grain, making the cost of bread so prohibitive that families starve, are led into lives of crime, and die young.
Are both acts of violence?"
It is not really fantasy, it is fantasy used to create a treatise on life and contemporary society.
It is a great book and I feel it progresses nicely towards the finally in the last two books. What really helped me deal with some of the meanderings was once I realized that in this book Kruppe is the narrator in some parts. And I love Kruppe.
Minor Spoiler, but also a teaser about the best and most humorous battle in this book:
Spoiler
Pust also converges on Darujhistan and, both sitting on their loyal 'war mules', him and Kruppe hash it out. I lolled so much.Also, it being the 8th book and Erikson's writing style really pay off by hitting me right in the heart many times. Like always characters the reader connects to are not necessarily spared and it hits impressively. And often, it is not so much the person dying itself, but the grief of the people surrounding that person that evoke sadness and crying.
Toll the Hounds brings us back to Darujhistan and ties some great storylines together and features some of my favorite characters. It is filled with more dread and despair, but also with more humour than some of the previous books. And it is clear that we are moving towards a finale as Gods are plotting more and more. Even Hood is moving in this book.
In some way it brings us full circle before the finale and references [b:Gardens of the Moon|55399|Gardens of the Moon (Malazan Book of the Fallen, #1)|Steven Erikson|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1548497031l/55399._SY75_.jpg|2646042] a lot. Darujhistan is still the same political and plotting town with a lot of intrigue and duelling. Of course we follow Crokus/Cutter who returns and there's the Phoenix Inn crew. We revisit the Malazans who started their own Darujhistan inn and see how Barathol, Chaur and Scillara fare. The book centers a lot around the Tiste Andii and Anomander Rake and we spend time within Dragnipur. Simultaneously, we get to see the continuation of the story of the Tiste Andii survivors who defended the shadow Throne and how they are being lead to Rake by Clip; which turns out quite eventful. We get a better insight in the Trygalle Guild, as Mappo enlists them to find Icarium. Also, the book follows up on the lives of the caravan crew from [b:Memories of Ice|175983|Memories of Ice (Malazan Book of the Fallen, #3)|Steven Erikson|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1548497075l/175983._SY75_.jpg|836462], Gruntle and Stonny Menackis and in some way, Harrlo. We follow Karsa Orlong and Samar Dev who cross paths with Traveller, which ties nicely in with [b:Return of the Crimson Guard|2485836|Return of the Crimson Guard (Novels of the Malazan Empire, #2)|Ian C. Esslemont|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1327981831l/2485836._SY75_.jpg|2493041].
For reading this book, I feel, it is incredibly important to be in a relaxed and focused state of mind. Erikson wrote some of the most interesting notions and reflections here, which is partly induced because of the underlying themes of this book. In Toll the Hounds, Erikson very much explores age. The Tiste Andii, Kallor, but also the victims of Dragnipur make for great characters to explore the many ways how eternity may affect us, how their lives shape each person. How does longlevity or immortality affect the mind?
Simultaneously childhood is explored very much. Erikson features different kids with different backgrounds and how nature and nurture shapes them. Chaur, in my mind, represents here being a child forever.
Building upon these themes Erikson also very interestingly juxtaposes immortality/longlevity to fragility and short-livedness in many instances in the book. My favorite is in one of the last chapters, which would be way too spoilery to share.
As always I could continue on. I've not touched upon all the characters that were awesome and cannot share all the awesome story beats. So let me just leave you with one philosophical question by Kruppe, that I loved and that every politician or board member should overthink regularly:"Witness two scenes.
In one, an angry, bitter man beats another man to death in an alley in the Gadrobi District.
In the other, a man of vast wealth conspires with equally wealthy compatriots to raise yet again the price of grain, making the cost of bread so prohibitive that families starve, are led into lives of crime, and die young.
Are both acts of violence?"
It is not really fantasy, it is fantasy used to create a treatise on life and contemporary society.