Scan barcode
jecamp86's review against another edition
2.5
I have many thoughts about this book and series as a whole. I hear a lot how rich the world is and for many it’s their favorite fantasy series of all time. Similarly, almost all the reviews talk about how confusing and lost you feel in this book and to that part I think it’s true. I’m sure the author is far more intelligent than I, but I don’t know if it was his sole purpose in making this series as hard and difficult to understand as possible. Some may lawd him in his writing style and prose but I’m critical of his storytelling. I don’t care how rich the world is because he hasn’t given me a single character or story arc to truly care about. I look at this series like a hungry man excited to go to a buffet. Food smells good, you’re hungry you load your first plate with 10 different dishes. Problem is only 2 of the dishes taste good and suddenly you’re no longer hungry because it’s such a bland disappointment. The prose is good here but there’s no real story to follow. You just wander this world with characters that aren’t fleshed out in a world where you don’t understand the rules. Apparently, book 5 or 6 is where things start to make sense in this series, but to ask audiences to blindly follow you through 5k+ pages is too tall a task IMO.
pegasusjones's review against another edition
4.0
The story almost buckles under the weight of its multitudinous plotlines, but in the end manages to just barely pull everything off.
far1s_'s review against another edition
4.5
Another great entry into the series, with it containing one of my favourite moments as of yet -
Erikson changes the narrative structure with this book and I think it works really well, Karsa’s journey although extremely disturbing at the beginning I grew to throughly enjoy.
His idealistic view of Teblor and his purpose grew into something so much bigger - Favourite Pov
Moving onto the rest of the cast, always great to see Kalam and Fiddler, however for everyone else it took me longer to really get invested into their journeys but by the end I was hooked
Standouts being Gamet, Trull/onrack and L’oric, all of these Povs very enjoyable -
My favourite moment of the book undoubtedly stems from the dynamic between Tavore and Felisin. Their duality so tragic but really compelling to read.
Both victims to each other but in the bigger picture part of something so much more
Excited for Tavore to be expanded upon
This is definitely a more contemplative entry, Erikson disposing his philosophy with more expansion upon warrens and Acendants/gods.
Erikson changes the narrative structure with this book and I think it works really well, Karsa’s journey although extremely disturbing at the beginning I grew to throughly enjoy.
His idealistic view of Teblor and his purpose grew into something so much bigger - Favourite Pov
Moving onto the rest of the cast, always great to see Kalam and Fiddler, however for everyone else it took me longer to really get invested into their journeys but by the end I was hooked
Standouts being Gamet, Trull/onrack and L’oric, all of these Povs very enjoyable -
My favourite moment of the book undoubtedly stems from the dynamic between Tavore and Felisin. Their duality so tragic but really compelling to read.
Both victims to each other but in the bigger picture part of something so much more
Excited for Tavore to be expanded upon
This is definitely a more contemplative entry, Erikson disposing his philosophy with more expansion upon warrens and Acendants/gods.
pbender's review against another edition
adventurous
reflective
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? Yes
4.25
vivectelvanni's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
I really enjoyed the switch-up from Erikson here. The direct POV of Karsa Orlong for the first 1/4th of the book or so was a total change from the previous entries in the Malazan series. I became attached to Karsa even though he was absolutely diabolical in the first part of the book. Later on, he ascends to become an absolutely terrifying unstoppable force.
Like all other Malazan novels so far the plot is winding and strange. There are surprises and strange appearances of other characters, gods, and crazy deaths. I took longer with this entry because, while I came to really enjoy it, the concentration on Karsa for the first portion of the book was very different from the plot and the highly important events at the end of Memories of Ice. I do like that the characters on the Seven Cities continent are aware or hear about the events happening near simultaneously in Memories of Ice on another continent.
Onward to Midnight Tides!
Like all other Malazan novels so far the plot is winding and strange. There are surprises and strange appearances of other characters, gods, and crazy deaths. I took longer with this entry because, while I came to really enjoy it, the concentration on Karsa for the first portion of the book was very different from the plot and the highly important events at the end of Memories of Ice. I do like that the characters on the Seven Cities continent are aware or hear about the events happening near simultaneously in Memories of Ice on another continent.
Onward to Midnight Tides!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Drug abuse, Gore, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Murder, War, and Injury/Injury detail
darylpuppy's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
sarazeen95's review against another edition
5.0
Title: House of Chains
Series: The Malazan Book of the Fallen, Book 4 of 10
Author: Steven Erikson
Genre: Epic Fantasy
Personal Rating: 3.5/5
After the rollercoaster rides that were Deadhouse Gates and Memories of Ice, I began House of Chains ready for another harrowing journey, full of twists, turns and stories I could never have imagined on my own. And while the book did deliver some of those, the pacing was…disappointing.
The Malazan books are taking me an astonishingly long time to read, courtesy of their sheer density, but Book 4 was an absolute slog. There were parts of it that seemed to drag endlessly, with the plot going nowhere. For example, the first part of the book which deals with Karsa Orlong’s departure from his home mountains into the world of the “lowlanders” — did we really need almost a third of this 1000-page-book describing every single step they took? Honestly, it was easier to not pay attention. My mind would frequently drift off, and then I’d realize I’d read right past important scenes without even realizing it.
Coupled with the jarring effect of having the audiobook change narrators (from the hypnotic rhythms of Ralph Lister to the much gruffer tones of Michael Page), this was a book I almost gave up on.
I read and listened at the same time, so that helped some, but I’m worried about other, less patient readers.
I miss Lister. I want him back. Can someone please bring him back?
Don’t get me wrong — this wasn’t a “bad” book. It’s just that, in comparison to the incredible awe that the last two installments inspired in me, House of Chains just falls woefully short. I suppose it is too much to expect any writer to maintain such insane quality levels for more than two books at a time. It’s a shame, though, because we’re introduced (once again) to some characters that I’m already daydreaming about.
My new discovery: the Thelomen Toblakai, Karsa Orlong of the Teblor. Take your typical fantasy barbarian character, and then watch as Erikson turns it inside out. He’s not a mindless killing machine. Well, he is a killing machine, but with intelligence to match — you simply have to put him into context. And boy does he suffer with context. The sheer growth of the Karsa Orlong from page one to the Karsa of the final paragraph left me in literal tears of joy. Oh, he has his flaws, and there’s no shortage of them, but it’s also fascinating to watch how he learns from them. For example, his view of women. He goes from viewing them as breeding tools to living, intelligent creatures more than capable of matching him in every aspect. He even half-adopts a little girl — and then brutally murders her abuser in her name and in the name of the countless other children that monster had scarred.
And that is a man who loves his animals. Good God, he loves his animals!
As always, we are left with no choice but to admire and then fall in love with a number of characters, only to watch them die in quick succession. The deaths here, however, felt fitting. Appropriate.
I miss Paran and Rake, though.
I give Book 4 a steady 3.5 out of 5 — points lost for the sheer boredom of much of the volume, but gained for the breathtaking sea-storm that was the last three chapters. I’m a little hesitant about beginning Midnight Tides because, AGAIN, it seems to be about a completely different continent and a completely different cast of characters, but I supposed that’s what the Book of the Fallen is all about: discovery.
Series: The Malazan Book of the Fallen, Book 4 of 10
Author: Steven Erikson
Genre: Epic Fantasy
Personal Rating: 3.5/5
After the rollercoaster rides that were Deadhouse Gates and Memories of Ice, I began House of Chains ready for another harrowing journey, full of twists, turns and stories I could never have imagined on my own. And while the book did deliver some of those, the pacing was…disappointing.
The Malazan books are taking me an astonishingly long time to read, courtesy of their sheer density, but Book 4 was an absolute slog. There were parts of it that seemed to drag endlessly, with the plot going nowhere. For example, the first part of the book which deals with Karsa Orlong’s departure from his home mountains into the world of the “lowlanders” — did we really need almost a third of this 1000-page-book describing every single step they took? Honestly, it was easier to not pay attention. My mind would frequently drift off, and then I’d realize I’d read right past important scenes without even realizing it.
Coupled with the jarring effect of having the audiobook change narrators (from the hypnotic rhythms of Ralph Lister to the much gruffer tones of Michael Page), this was a book I almost gave up on.
I read and listened at the same time, so that helped some, but I’m worried about other, less patient readers.
I miss Lister. I want him back. Can someone please bring him back?
Don’t get me wrong — this wasn’t a “bad” book. It’s just that, in comparison to the incredible awe that the last two installments inspired in me, House of Chains just falls woefully short. I suppose it is too much to expect any writer to maintain such insane quality levels for more than two books at a time. It’s a shame, though, because we’re introduced (once again) to some characters that I’m already daydreaming about.
My new discovery: the Thelomen Toblakai, Karsa Orlong of the Teblor. Take your typical fantasy barbarian character, and then watch as Erikson turns it inside out. He’s not a mindless killing machine. Well, he is a killing machine, but with intelligence to match — you simply have to put him into context. And boy does he suffer with context. The sheer growth of the Karsa Orlong from page one to the Karsa of the final paragraph left me in literal tears of joy. Oh, he has his flaws, and there’s no shortage of them, but it’s also fascinating to watch how he learns from them. For example, his view of women. He goes from viewing them as breeding tools to living, intelligent creatures more than capable of matching him in every aspect. He even half-adopts a little girl — and then brutally murders her abuser in her name and in the name of the countless other children that monster had scarred.
And that is a man who loves his animals. Good God, he loves his animals!
As always, we are left with no choice but to admire and then fall in love with a number of characters, only to watch them die in quick succession. The deaths here, however, felt fitting. Appropriate.
I miss Paran and Rake, though.
I give Book 4 a steady 3.5 out of 5 — points lost for the sheer boredom of much of the volume, but gained for the breathtaking sea-storm that was the last three chapters. I’m a little hesitant about beginning Midnight Tides because, AGAIN, it seems to be about a completely different continent and a completely different cast of characters, but I supposed that’s what the Book of the Fallen is all about: discovery.
erickibler4's review against another edition
4.0
So. A few mysteries are resolved. Some are just beginning to be understood. And new undergirding mysteries are introduced.
After a long passage where we are introduced to a “new” character, the story breaks into parts, and we follow several groups and pairs and individuals through various adventures. Having read several Erikson novels up to this point, we should predict that these stories will all converge on a single location.
Some characters that only got brief play in previous books are becoming some of the most interesting. And a couple of new characters get major p.o.v. action.
I’m excited to find out where all this is going.
After a long passage where we are introduced to a “new” character, the story breaks into parts, and we follow several groups and pairs and individuals through various adventures. Having read several Erikson novels up to this point, we should predict that these stories will all converge on a single location.
Some characters that only got brief play in previous books are becoming some of the most interesting. And a couple of new characters get major p.o.v. action.
I’m excited to find out where all this is going.
harrisonnaft's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
rhf10's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes