Reviews

I’d say books 7, 8, and 9 were slightly harder to get through, (and frustrating at times), yet the characters pull you through, even if the entire plot could probably have been solved in in about three books.

What's three and a half million words between friends?

IS IT WORTH IT?

I’d say if you want to feel smug and proud by ticking it off all those epic fantasy lists and for the pure pleasure of saying you got through a ten book series that average at about 1,000 pages per book, yes. Haha, in your faces you imbeciles.

No, but in all seriousness, this is a masterpiece of interwoven gods, religions, cults, lands, beings, wars; all culminating into an epic showdown which has been building since the beginning, orchestrated and plotted by masterminds who are either absolutely evil or entirely benevolent and conscientious.

IS IT HARD TO FOLLOW?

Yes. Hood’s balls, yes. It’s manageable, but I’d recommend having a few other epic fantasy series under your belt first. And don’t be discouraged if it’s book 9 and you still have to turn the Malazan wiki page because who the heck is this character that seems extremely important and has apparently turned up before?!

Trivia - there’s over 600 naked characters!

RANKINGS:

My favourite book?

Memories of Ice.

My least favourite book?

Reapers Gale.

THIS BOOK:

“What has he forced upon us?"A final accounting, I'd wager. An end to the stupid games. He might as well have locked us all in one room- and no one leaves until we settle things once and for all.”

Okay, but when a chapter is over 100 pages, I’m going to struggle with it.

70% of the book is should we, shouldn’t we. Will we, won’t we. At this point, book 10, the entire story has been leading up to this. Yes, you will. What’s there to think about? It just got very frustrating because I just wanted the book to actually start rather than reminiscing and philosophise and counter.

I was so frustrated by this book and was going to give it three stars, but that ending was just overwhelmingly phenomenal. So, maybe 3.5/3.75? I’m torn.

Seeing all the characters getting brought (dragged by their teeth) together was incredible. It would have to be, imagine getting to the end of book 10 to find that your favourite character was forgotten or skipped over on.

Erikson must have so many notes and stick-it notes:

Remember: this person is alive but on the other side of the continent.

P.S. this guy is dead, but not really permanently so bring him back.

Don’t forget that you’ve left this character stuck here and they need to be brought forth.

“Commander Hedge, how do the Bridgeburners salute?”

“We don't. And as for anyone outside our company, it's this.”

Eyes widened at Hedge's obscene gesture, and then Berrach grinned.

Ganoes Paran definitely had the best character development in this saga. I would have wanted to know more about him and follow his story more closely. The entire Paran family is fascinating and honestly, being audience to their childhood conversations would have been a delight!

Tavore… she has everyone’s hearts… she breaks everyone’s hearts…. She is the heart of this series and she’s not even introduced in the first books and appears to play a minimal role to start. (I thought she would be killed off quickly!)

Now, Wheel of Time book 5, I’m coming for you!

SPOILERS FOR BOOK 10:

WHERE WAS PICKER?!

Where was the post-it note - by the way, Caitlin loves Picker and the gang and I want to see them reunited with the others? At least in a short epilogue scene?

And Crokus? He turns up for one line right at the end.

This is what happens when you have a cast of MORE THAN 600 NAMED CHARACTERS!

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