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jruby0089's review against another edition
I ended up looking up spoilers for main plot lines I was enjoying and found out many never are fully explained, or even explained at all. I'm not about to devote more to a snarky dude who can't write exposition and decides that's just his style.
Also, dude writes detailed descriptions of SA and claims he is holding a mirror to society. Bro, their books about elves and wizards. Calm tf down.
Also, dude writes detailed descriptions of SA and claims he is holding a mirror to society. Bro, their books about elves and wizards. Calm tf down.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Grief, Murder, Colonisation, War, and Injury/Injury detail
anomandrewrake's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
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? Yes
5.0
I don't know what to say other than that this is the most "Malazan" book in the series so far. Truly fantastic. Equal parts the most epic fantasy you've ever read and the most introspective philosophizing you've ever heard. The themes of redemption in this book are especially compelling and thought-provoking for me with my Christian background. I mean, a good portion of the book is focused on a young god literally called the Redeemer. The Stonny/Harllo story line is one of the best in this whole series so far. It's so human, so mundane, so heartfelt against this extreme sword-and-sorcery backdrop.
I'll be turning around some of the implications of the narration courtesy ofKruppe in my head for a while. I think it likely now that the "Book of the Fallen" is an epic work in-universe, penned by Fisher Kel Tath, given that the novel is framed as Kruppe telling the story to both K'rul and Fisher .
I don't have much more to say other than that I'm extremely excited to get to books 9 and 10, which I'm assured are intended as one giant novel. I desperately hope that Erikson can stick the landing on this series. I'm daring to hope.
I'll be turning around some of the implications of the narration courtesy of
I don't have much more to say other than that I'm extremely excited to get to books 9 and 10, which I'm assured are intended as one giant novel. I desperately hope that Erikson can stick the landing on this series. I'm daring to hope.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Child death, Death, Gore, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, and Murder
Moderate: Child abuse and Rape
atalea's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
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
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Murder, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal death, Child abuse, Cursing, Drug use, Infidelity, Rape, Toxic relationship, Grief, and Abandonment
Minor: Pedophilia and Suicide
fraun's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Toll the Hounds is not an aesthetically beautiful book.
It expands greatly on newer characters and plotwise is very meandering until the very end.
Which is not what most people expect going into book 8 of a 10 book series.
What this book lacks in page-turning potential it makes up for in terms of structural genius.
What I'm about to go into is personal preference and opinion, so feel free to disagree.
Anyways, onwards. Erikson is a master of setup and comparison. If you've gotten this far into the series you know that whatever important thing is going to happen has not only been a book in the making but often times many books in the making, with subtle hints that are carefully dropped and more fully explored as it gets closer to the climax.
In this book, Erikson brings this setup to another level.
And not only is the setup of the final payoff masterful but so is the characterization. The entire book is essentially a meditation on the influence, past and present, of Anomander Rake. Yet his lines in the book are probably less than 5%. Instead, parties and objects deeply connected to him in some ways are explored, and their actions taken are mirrored in Anomander's actions. Sound cheesy? Maybe. But also brilliantly executed. This comparison between Anomander, the view people have of him, and the actions people take based on their image of him is fascinating. He casts a shadow so deep and long it threatens to swallow certain characters in one way or another, and their struggle to grasp beyond yet stay within this influence is riveting.
This is also a book about reconciliation. Reconciliation with past errors, misconceptions, and a book about forging new bonds. As a book about transformations, Toll the Hounds is single-handedly carried by its themes and subtle characterization. If you are expecting momentous events, you will have to slog through 800 pages before getting there. Instead, I recommend taking it slow, enjoying your time with the characters and seeing the reasons behind their seemingly insignificant actions, and living with them through their emotional struggles, crying as they cry, persevering with them through to the momentous ending this book brings.
It expands greatly on newer characters and plotwise is very meandering until the very end.
Which is not what most people expect going into book 8 of a 10 book series.
What this book lacks in page-turning potential it makes up for in terms of structural genius.
What I'm about to go into is personal preference and opinion, so feel free to disagree.
Anyways, onwards. Erikson is a master of setup and comparison. If you've gotten this far into the series you know that whatever important thing is going to happen has not only been a book in the making but often times many books in the making, with subtle hints that are carefully dropped and more fully explored as it gets closer to the climax.
In this book, Erikson brings this setup to another level.
And not only is the setup of the final payoff masterful but so is the characterization. The entire book is essentially a meditation on the influence, past and present, of Anomander Rake. Yet his lines in the book are probably less than 5%. Instead, parties and objects deeply connected to him in some ways are explored, and their actions taken are mirrored in Anomander's actions. Sound cheesy? Maybe. But also brilliantly executed. This comparison between Anomander, the view people have of him, and the actions people take based on their image of him is fascinating. He casts a shadow so deep and long it threatens to swallow certain characters in one way or another, and their struggle to grasp beyond yet stay within this influence is riveting.
This is also a book about reconciliation. Reconciliation with past errors, misconceptions, and a book about forging new bonds. As a book about transformations, Toll the Hounds is single-handedly carried by its themes and subtle characterization. If you are expecting momentous events, you will have to slog through 800 pages before getting there. Instead, I recommend taking it slow, enjoying your time with the characters and seeing the reasons behind their seemingly insignificant actions, and living with them through their emotional struggles, crying as they cry, persevering with them through to the momentous ending this book brings.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Suicide, Violence, and Murder
Minor: Alcoholism and Sexual assault