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benehime's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Two tragic friendship tales are entirely too many!! I'm in tears!
Things I loved: Bugg and Tehol. Quick Ben and whichever company he keeps. Trull and Onrack and all the friends they make along the way.
Quick Ben got to finally show off! It was amazing. And we got lots of Malazan marine shenanigans
Things I loved: Bugg and Tehol. Quick Ben and whichever company he keeps. Trull and Onrack and all the friends they make along the way.
Quick Ben got to finally show off! It was amazing. And we got lots of Malazan marine shenanigans
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Rape, Sexual violence, Torture, Grief, Murder, Colonisation, and War
Moderate: Misogyny and Sexual content
Minor: Pedophilia
akiaki_oioi's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Spoilers ahead. This review will be a bit disparate as I'm mainly writing it to help myself remember what happens in this book.
Probably one of my least favourites (my favourites being Deadhouse Gates, Memories of Ice, Midnight Tides and maybe Bonehunters) although it's still a Malazan book so towers over most others.
Highlights:
- Oh Beak, you broke my heart.
- Malazan soldier shenanigans, especially Hellian had me laughing.
- Tehol and Bugg continue to delight and I am so glad they and Janath came out alive at the other end. I hope we get to see what the Letheri empire looks like under their rule.
- the tragic end of Rhulad Sengar, the Emperor of a thousand deaths.
- TOC IS BACK. Oh no, Toc is no longer back.
More complex thoughts:
- Trull's death was just.... I can't talk about it yet.
- Trull and Onrack's friendship was so beautiful, so much so that their romantic love stories paled in comparison. In fact, I didn't quite understand why Trull and Seren Pedac loved each other so much.
- SA was a big theme in this book- Janath, Udinaas, Seren... I do think the devastation of such an act was pretty well-handled, especially as it was brought up again and again in the way it affected the characters' psyches? Potentially? I think I need to think about it more.
- Karsa and Icarium did a lot of waiting around and I'm not sure if their climaxes made up for it ( I preferred Karsa's more than Icarium's though)
- Silchas Ruin and the three dragon sisters (Menandore, etc.) ended up not being much of a threat in the end which was kind of funny.
Lowlights:
- Masan Gilani has to put up with a lot of leering
- that's the end of the Grey Swords from Memories of Ice?? Really??
- that's the end of the Awl and Redmask? Really? Do we figure out who he actually was?
- the sudden appearance of Tool and the Barghast came out of left field which I know is pretty normal in Malazan but this was a really left field.
Overall excited to continue onto the last three books.
Probably one of my least favourites (my favourites being Deadhouse Gates, Memories of Ice, Midnight Tides and maybe Bonehunters) although it's still a Malazan book so towers over most others.
- Oh Beak, you broke my heart.
- Malazan soldier shenanigans, especially Hellian had me laughing.
- Tehol and Bugg continue to delight and I am so glad they and Janath came out alive at the other end. I hope we get to see what the Letheri empire looks like under their rule.
- the tragic end of Rhulad Sengar, the Emperor of a thousand deaths.
- TOC IS BACK. Oh no, Toc is no longer back.
More complex thoughts:
- Trull's death was just.... I can't talk about it yet.
- Trull and Onrack's friendship was so beautiful, so much so that their romantic love stories paled in comparison. In fact, I didn't quite understand why Trull and Seren Pedac loved each other so much.
- SA was a big theme in this book- Janath, Udinaas, Seren... I do think the devastation of such an act was pretty well-handled, especially as it was brought up again and again in the way it affected the characters' psyches? Potentially? I think I need to think about it more.
- Karsa and Icarium did a lot of waiting around and I'm not sure if their climaxes made up for it ( I preferred Karsa's more than Icarium's though)
- Silchas Ruin and the three dragon sisters (Menandore, etc.) ended up not being much of a threat in the end which was kind of funny.
Lowlights:
- Masan Gilani has to put up with a lot of leering
- that's the end of the Grey Swords from Memories of Ice?? Really??
- that's the end of the Awl and Redmask? Really? Do we figure out who he actually was?
- the sudden appearance of Tool and the Barghast came out of left field which I know is pretty normal in Malazan but this was a really left field.
Overall excited to continue onto the last three books.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape and Sexual assault
soniavzk's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Steven Erikson does it again! I swear this series gets better (and 10x more complicated) with every book. As always, the action and writing of battles and military tactics was intriguing which I find impressive given that those parts are usually the most difficult for me to trudge through in a fantasy book. I think it has to with the way you feel as if you’re in the environment - the sounds, smells, sights, etc. but without being too bogged down by dense and confusing prose. This book had me annotating and reflecting how its themes of subjugation, colonization, wealth and what people will do for power are so relevant to our society today - even in such an unrecognizable world like Malazan, there are still familiarities which I think lends itself to being an interesting read. At the beginning, I was slightly confused as it always takes me a bit when starting one of his books to get back into the rhythm, remember all the characters and backstories but that’s where the dramatis personae and wiki really come in to clear things up - which I highly recommend. The characters (both old and new) are again so varied not just in personality or actions but ideals, race (human and non-human) that it’s truly astounding how well-thought out and creative they all are. The only hard thing about this series is how dark it gets - so be aware that this is NOT a light-hearted read; it’s entertaining and action-packed and reflective but also incredibly disturbing and gruesome. I give it a 4/5 because even though I did love it, it isn’t my favourite of the series so far and a few of the storylines didn’t quite captivate me or help me understand their relevance to the overall plot.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Rape and Sexual assault
syinhui's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
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? It's complicated
4.5
While I consider this book another magnificent entry to the Malazan Book of the Fallen, I must be honest – it's been a frustrating read. Not the same kind of frustration as the earlier books, because we are still relatively new and confused and overwhelmed by the sheer breadth of this world. No, not that kind of frustrating. This is the seventh book, and I think we're all past that. It's more akin to what's often referred to as "Middle Book Syndrome," as close as a Malazan book can get, where the author struggled to match the brilliance of their earlier works, resulting in a mediocre middle book that is either disappointing or plain boring. It's the same feeling but no, don't get me wrong, Reaper's Gale is fantastic. It's why it's maintained the 4.5 star for me but that rating won't stop me from nitpicking.
The frustration stems from the fact that this book unfolds at an incredibly (painfully) slow pace, yet it offers the least satisfying ending and character conclusions thus far. Although I've grown accustomed to Erikson's merciless treatment of his characters, I still hoped for something better. I was left wanting for more. Trull, Toc and even Rhulad deserved better. There was a lot of build-up for Redmask and the Awl storyline however, the conclusion proved to be rather pointless. I didn't think it was even necessary. The huge chunks of POVs from the new Letherii characters - who also happen to be utterly repugnant and corrupt - failed to capture my interest. I didn't care a whit about them and I couldn't wait for the lot of them to drop dead at some point so the narrative can shift to more engaging plotlines. Moreover, I was also slightly unimpressed with Tehol's resolution but good thing for Lether I guess. For some reason, I was never convinced of his diabolical genius, since practically every scene with him, as in Midnight Tides, he comes across as nothing more than a lazy bum. There were more ridiculous bickerings about the hens than an actual not-so-vague explanation as to how this financial genius orchestrated an empire-wide economic collapse, with only Bugg doing most of the work. While the interactions between them had moments of humor, often times the jokes felt nonsensical for me to really enjoy and get a laugh out of.
These are all minor complaints on my part that in no way undermine all the greatness packed within this book. It may be a bit anticlimactic and slightly disappointing especially when compared to the 6/5 star rating banger that is The Bonehunters, but it remains absolutely terrific. It's so hard to talk about characters without revealing spoilers. So I'm just gonna go over my favorite ones: Fiddler's squad, the marines and the mage, Beak, who in my opinion, might be the most endearing character ever in Malazan. It was a delight to get to know him and his story was very hard hitting. He was such a pure and precious soul the world didn't deserve.
At this point, I assumed I had become somewhat numb or at least partially desensitized to all the violence and cruelty in this world. However, certain scenes proved to be simply too heart-wrenching. It felt as if I'd been physically jolted to my core and once again, I was reminded just how brutal, how depressing and unforgiving MBotF truly is. I've seen people alternatively call this "Weeper's Gale" and with the amount of tears shed by Trull Sengar here, I think that's quite apt.
3 more books to go, I'm pretty sure I'm gonna be doing a lot of weeping myself by the time I reach the series' conclusion.
The frustration stems from the fact that this book unfolds at an incredibly (painfully) slow pace, yet it offers the least satisfying ending and character conclusions thus far. Although I've grown accustomed to Erikson's merciless treatment of his characters, I still hoped for something better. I was left wanting for more. Trull, Toc and even Rhulad deserved better. There was a lot of build-up for Redmask and the Awl storyline however, the conclusion proved to be rather pointless. I didn't think it was even necessary. The huge chunks of POVs from the new Letherii characters - who also happen to be utterly repugnant and corrupt - failed to capture my interest. I didn't care a whit about them and I couldn't wait for the lot of them to drop dead at some point so the narrative can shift to more engaging plotlines. Moreover, I was also slightly unimpressed with Tehol's resolution but good thing for Lether I guess. For some reason, I was never convinced of his diabolical genius, since practically every scene with him, as in Midnight Tides, he comes across as nothing more than a lazy bum. There were more ridiculous bickerings about the hens than an actual not-so-vague explanation as to how this financial genius orchestrated an empire-wide economic collapse, with only Bugg doing most of the work. While the interactions between them had moments of humor, often times the jokes felt nonsensical for me to really enjoy and get a laugh out of.
These are all minor complaints on my part that in no way undermine all the greatness packed within this book. It may be a bit anticlimactic and slightly disappointing especially when compared to the 6/5 star rating banger that is The Bonehunters, but it remains absolutely terrific. It's so hard to talk about characters without revealing spoilers. So I'm just gonna go over my favorite ones: Fiddler's squad, the marines and the mage, Beak, who in my opinion, might be the most endearing character ever in Malazan. It was a delight to get to know him and his story was very hard hitting. He was such a pure and precious soul the world didn't deserve.
At this point, I assumed I had become somewhat numb or at least partially desensitized to all the violence and cruelty in this world. However, certain scenes proved to be simply too heart-wrenching. It felt as if I'd been physically jolted to my core and once again, I was reminded just how brutal, how depressing and unforgiving MBotF truly is. I've seen people alternatively call this "Weeper's Gale" and with the amount of tears shed by Trull Sengar here, I think that's quite apt.
3 more books to go, I'm pretty sure I'm gonna be doing a lot of weeping myself by the time I reach the series' conclusion.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Genocide, Gore, Rape, Torture, Violence, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Body horror, Confinement, Sexual violence, and Grief
Minor: Incest, Pedophilia, and Pregnancy
norcana's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Drug use, and Gore
Moderate: Pedophilia, Rape, and Slavery
Minor: Child death
nicholesreadingnook's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape
dzidzigerica's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape
avallach's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.25
Content warning: this book goes above and beyond with sexual violence, to the point of being thoroughly gratuitous. Malazan so far hasn't shied away from using sexual assault and rape in its plot, but never to this level nor with this seeming lack of care. You get POV chapters from rapists (multiple), pedophiles (multiple), and victim after victim after victim, some of whom turn into predators themselves. Whereas the sexual violence in earlier books was used, in my opinion, appropriately in the context of being “dark fantasy”, this book seems to have included it for the hell of it.
For an actual review: It's hard to root for anyone in an empire full of assholes, but Hedges Grand Adventure made it not so nearly as boring to be back with Rhulad and Co. The Edur and Letherii remain completely unlikely, but if you could get through Midnight Tides this is pretty much the same.
For an actual review: It's hard to root for anyone in an empire full of assholes, but Hedges Grand Adventure made it not so nearly as boring to be back with Rhulad and Co. The Edur and Letherii remain completely unlikely, but if you could get through Midnight Tides this is pretty much the same.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pedophilia, Rape, and Sexual violence
plinktin's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
sad
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Rape, and Sexual violence
zworlund's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
medium-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
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Rape
Minor: Child death