bdesmond's review
4.0
I've already reviewed each of the novellas in this collection, so I'll simply paste my reviews below.
BLOOD FOLLOWS
I'm back in the Malazan world! And boy does it feel good. The Bauchelain and Korbal Broach novellas have been on my radar since I finished the main series, but I was waiting for the right time to fit them in. Obviously, I've begun. It was the Fall gloom that did it, I think. The subject matter of this story (and I believe the novellas at large) is rather grim, following as they do the necromancer Bauchelain, and his eunuch associate Korbal Broach. Those who have read the main Malazan series will remember them from the third book, Memories of Ice.
Now. It seems like some folks that read these were expecting more of the same, as far as the main series goes. Expectations of that variety would be a mistake. Blood Follows, and, one assumes, the tales that follow it, are lighter in substance that the main books, if not lighter in tone.
Our story this time takes place on the island of Theft, in the city of Moll; affectionately referred to as Lamentable Moll by most of its residents. That moniker makes sense right from the get-go, as we get our first look at Lamentable Moll in all its barrow-filled, downtrodden glory. It turns out that a killer is on the loose in Moll. Eleven nights running, eleven victims, and no witnesses. No souls, either. Thus the scene is set for our little novella. Malazan fans will also recognize Emancipor Reese, recently out of a job seeing as how his last three employers each were one of the unfortunate eleven. And Hood's new herald isn't exactly the gig he's after. Sergeant Guld, a new character, is our other main POV, and his is the unfortunate job of tracking down the killer.
This was a promising start to the novellas. I found myself enjoying it even more than expected. In fact, I was between four and five stars on my rating, and of course reserve the right to modify that later. I felt right at home with the story, as Erikson displays the witty banter and excellent dialogue that I love so much, and some trademark dark humor throughout. I think he picked a good set of characters to follow for a narrower scope series like this, and I'm excited to see where it goes next.
THE HEALTHY DEAD
The second novella in Steven Erikson's 'Tales of Bauchelain and Korbal Broach' series earns the full five stars with ease. It seemed like he really found his footing in this one, and all the things he was going for in the first book, especially tonally, were achieved and exceeded here. Above all, one gets the sense that he's just having so much fun with these novellas. And when the writer is having a lot of fun, it often translates to the reader having just as much.
The Healthy Dead takes place four years after our first story, Blood Follows. Note that the collection in which I'm reading these actually places The Lees of Laughter's End as the second story, and The Healthy Dead as the third. That is the chronological order. However, I decided to stick with the published order, as I typically do, and read this one first. I do not bemoan my decision at all. So then, four years after Blood Follows our favorite necromancers and Emancipor Reese find themselves at the city of Quaint, in which the recent death of their king has given way to an overzealous cult-following of the Lady of Beneficence, and all things associated with living well. Vices of any and all kinds, big or small, are now not only frowned upon, but punishable offenses (a problem for Emancipor Reese, who happens to be sporting a drug collection so extensive Hunter Thompson would drool), and certain citizens have taken it upon themselves to seek aid, in the form of ones Bauchelain and Korbal Broach.
As I mentioned before, I think Erikson really hit his stride here, and if the other novellas are like this one I think I'm in for a real treat with this series. The Healthy Dead is chock full of that trademark Erikson humor that wavers between subtle quips and utter ridiculousness. Anyone who has read his Malazan work will know what I mean, and will be pleased to find him firing on all cylinders here. In fact, he sets the tone immediately with this message, 'WARNING TO LIFESTYLE FACISTS EVERYWHERE. DON'T READ THIS OR YOU'LL GO BLIND.' Not hard to tell I was in for some fun. When it comes down to it, Erikson is taking these novellas as an opportunity to take things a little less seriously, while still cozy inside his Malazan world. And with characters like Bauchelain and Emancipor Reese at the helm, he has near limitless potential to work with. At one point Bauchelain has Korbal Broach revive the former king (whose corpse happens to be spiked to the wall of Quaint) just so they can chat him up and invite him to partake in a revolution by the city's dead. Oh, and they are both in their Soletaken crow forms. This is the type of weirdness that works so well in novellas like these. Erikson has a knack for that, turning the weird into a delight. I look forward to more.
Quickly, I also wanted to give a shout out to Mike Dringenberg (of renown for his work on Gaiman's Sandman comics) for his cover art contributions for both this story and the first one. His work fits perfectly with the tone.
Do you not realise, Mister Reese, how perfectly diabolical is this king’s genius? Every tyranny imaginable is possible when prefaced by the notion that it is for the well-being of the populace.
THE LEES OF LAUGHTER'S END
I am between three stars and four on this, the third tale of Bauchelain and Korbal Broach. I suppose that makes it my 'lowest ranked' of the collection, if you're into that sort of thing. But it was a fun one nevertheless.
The Lees of Laughter's End, though released as the third tale, takes place chronologically before the second and after the first. Immediately after, in fact, as we pick back up with our unlikely trio aboard the Suncurl, the ship they hired to take them away from Lamentable Moll at the end of Blood Follows. Only, it seems that they aren't the only additions to the ship that were made in Moll. And that's just the beginning of the troubles leading up to the blood red straits of Laughter's End. This story takes place during just one night. And what a night it is...
That wraps up the first collection of these novellas. I'll be diving into the fourth story (the beginning of the second collection) soon.
Wizards delegate. One could always tell the wizards who did by the way they sat around in their towers day and night concocting evil schemes of world domination. Somebody else was scrubbing out the bedpan. Wizards who didn’t delegate never had the time to think up a black age of tyranny, much less execute what was necessary to achieve it.
BLOOD FOLLOWS
I'm back in the Malazan world! And boy does it feel good. The Bauchelain and Korbal Broach novellas have been on my radar since I finished the main series, but I was waiting for the right time to fit them in. Obviously, I've begun. It was the Fall gloom that did it, I think. The subject matter of this story (and I believe the novellas at large) is rather grim, following as they do the necromancer Bauchelain, and his eunuch associate Korbal Broach. Those who have read the main Malazan series will remember them from the third book, Memories of Ice.
Now. It seems like some folks that read these were expecting more of the same, as far as the main series goes. Expectations of that variety would be a mistake. Blood Follows, and, one assumes, the tales that follow it, are lighter in substance that the main books, if not lighter in tone.
Our story this time takes place on the island of Theft, in the city of Moll; affectionately referred to as Lamentable Moll by most of its residents. That moniker makes sense right from the get-go, as we get our first look at Lamentable Moll in all its barrow-filled, downtrodden glory. It turns out that a killer is on the loose in Moll. Eleven nights running, eleven victims, and no witnesses. No souls, either. Thus the scene is set for our little novella. Malazan fans will also recognize Emancipor Reese, recently out of a job seeing as how his last three employers each were one of the unfortunate eleven. And Hood's new herald isn't exactly the gig he's after. Sergeant Guld, a new character, is our other main POV, and his is the unfortunate job of tracking down the killer.
This was a promising start to the novellas. I found myself enjoying it even more than expected. In fact, I was between four and five stars on my rating, and of course reserve the right to modify that later. I felt right at home with the story, as Erikson displays the witty banter and excellent dialogue that I love so much, and some trademark dark humor throughout. I think he picked a good set of characters to follow for a narrower scope series like this, and I'm excited to see where it goes next.
THE HEALTHY DEAD
The second novella in Steven Erikson's 'Tales of Bauchelain and Korbal Broach' series earns the full five stars with ease. It seemed like he really found his footing in this one, and all the things he was going for in the first book, especially tonally, were achieved and exceeded here. Above all, one gets the sense that he's just having so much fun with these novellas. And when the writer is having a lot of fun, it often translates to the reader having just as much.
The Healthy Dead takes place four years after our first story, Blood Follows. Note that the collection in which I'm reading these actually places The Lees of Laughter's End as the second story, and The Healthy Dead as the third. That is the chronological order. However, I decided to stick with the published order, as I typically do, and read this one first. I do not bemoan my decision at all. So then, four years after Blood Follows our favorite necromancers and Emancipor Reese find themselves at the city of Quaint, in which the recent death of their king has given way to an overzealous cult-following of the Lady of Beneficence, and all things associated with living well. Vices of any and all kinds, big or small, are now not only frowned upon, but punishable offenses (a problem for Emancipor Reese, who happens to be sporting a drug collection so extensive Hunter Thompson would drool), and certain citizens have taken it upon themselves to seek aid, in the form of ones Bauchelain and Korbal Broach.
As I mentioned before, I think Erikson really hit his stride here, and if the other novellas are like this one I think I'm in for a real treat with this series. The Healthy Dead is chock full of that trademark Erikson humor that wavers between subtle quips and utter ridiculousness. Anyone who has read his Malazan work will know what I mean, and will be pleased to find him firing on all cylinders here. In fact, he sets the tone immediately with this message, 'WARNING TO LIFESTYLE FACISTS EVERYWHERE. DON'T READ THIS OR YOU'LL GO BLIND.' Not hard to tell I was in for some fun. When it comes down to it, Erikson is taking these novellas as an opportunity to take things a little less seriously, while still cozy inside his Malazan world. And with characters like Bauchelain and Emancipor Reese at the helm, he has near limitless potential to work with. At one point Bauchelain has Korbal Broach revive the former king (whose corpse happens to be spiked to the wall of Quaint) just so they can chat him up and invite him to partake in a revolution by the city's dead. Oh, and they are both in their Soletaken crow forms. This is the type of weirdness that works so well in novellas like these. Erikson has a knack for that, turning the weird into a delight. I look forward to more.
Quickly, I also wanted to give a shout out to Mike Dringenberg (of renown for his work on Gaiman's Sandman comics) for his cover art contributions for both this story and the first one. His work fits perfectly with the tone.
Do you not realise, Mister Reese, how perfectly diabolical is this king’s genius? Every tyranny imaginable is possible when prefaced by the notion that it is for the well-being of the populace.
THE LEES OF LAUGHTER'S END
I am between three stars and four on this, the third tale of Bauchelain and Korbal Broach. I suppose that makes it my 'lowest ranked' of the collection, if you're into that sort of thing. But it was a fun one nevertheless.
The Lees of Laughter's End, though released as the third tale, takes place chronologically before the second and after the first. Immediately after, in fact, as we pick back up with our unlikely trio aboard the Suncurl, the ship they hired to take them away from Lamentable Moll at the end of Blood Follows. Only, it seems that they aren't the only additions to the ship that were made in Moll. And that's just the beginning of the troubles leading up to the blood red straits of Laughter's End. This story takes place during just one night. And what a night it is...
That wraps up the first collection of these novellas. I'll be diving into the fourth story (the beginning of the second collection) soon.
Wizards delegate. One could always tell the wizards who did by the way they sat around in their towers day and night concocting evil schemes of world domination. Somebody else was scrubbing out the bedpan. Wizards who didn’t delegate never had the time to think up a black age of tyranny, much less execute what was necessary to achieve it.
priim's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.75
filipmagnus's review against another edition
4.0
This review was originally posted over at booknest.eu!
The world of the Malazan Empire is among the most complex fantasy worlds ever created. Very few would disagree with this, even those in the fantasy community who hold onto a firm dislike for Erikson’s storytelling style. I admire the world and characters; the complexity of both is second to none and I have within my mind’s eye, expanses of scenes as tragic as they are heroic, as cruel as they are hopeful.
But this isn’t about the Malazan Book of the Fallen; in Erikson and Esslemont’s world, you can also find stories such as the ones within the pages of Bauchelain and Korbal Broach. Kooky, funny stories, darkly humorous and filled with the most outlandishly morbid action and violence that I’ve come across in a novella.
If you, like me, have read Erikson’s epos you’ll have some knowledge of Bauchelain, Korbal Broach and their manservant Emancipor Reese from the pages of Memories of Ice. They’re a memorable trio, as much for the initial mystery surrounding them as for their own inability to estimate what they’re up against. If you have yet to make contact with Memories of Ice or any of the other entries in the Book of the Fallen, fear not, for these three collected novellas don’t expect you to know anything about their zany characters as they depopulate towns, sail through bloody seas and wreck entire civilization. I use hyperbole here, though I expect Erikson wouldn’t mind, being generously at fault for exercising the very same rhetorical device more than once.
In many ways, these might be some of the most accessible of Erikson’s works – though they’re also the shallowest. Don’t get me wrong, there’s no small amount of poignant commentary but this time around, it’s subservient to the humour of the story, to the sheer bloody eccentricity of it all, as characters Bauchelain, Korbal Broach and Emancipor Reese flung themselves – or sauntered towards – one strange event after the next. I dislike Korbal Broach. Something about this silent, murderous eunuch tickles me the wrong way but I am all too fond of both Bauchelain and Emancipor. Their interactions with one another and the world around them brought me joy, always.
After a bit of scene-setting during the first novella, I began laughing. I laughed, and laughed, sometimes pausing in the span of a few pages, two or three or four, only to laugh more and harder and heartier than I did previously. I laughed through insane scenes of hyperviolence; through corpses raising from the dead to take vengeance on the living over too much healthy exercise; through the systematic dismemberment of a poor guardsman at the wrong boat at the worst possible time; through the ripping apart of a nun blamed for eating babies because of her sharpened teeth when in truth her teeth were rotten.
Did I mention this novella was morbid as sin itself?
My score? 4/5, since laughter well and truly cures everything – even death, judging by the heaps of corpses that that old joker, Bauchelain brings back around.
You’ll love this if:
• You like necromancy
• You like necromancy memes
• You want to put the romance back in neck-romance-y;
• Even I cringed at that last one;
• You have a weak spot for manservants who self-medicate;
• And more, prob—no, that’s about it, actually.
The world of the Malazan Empire is among the most complex fantasy worlds ever created. Very few would disagree with this, even those in the fantasy community who hold onto a firm dislike for Erikson’s storytelling style. I admire the world and characters; the complexity of both is second to none and I have within my mind’s eye, expanses of scenes as tragic as they are heroic, as cruel as they are hopeful.
But this isn’t about the Malazan Book of the Fallen; in Erikson and Esslemont’s world, you can also find stories such as the ones within the pages of Bauchelain and Korbal Broach. Kooky, funny stories, darkly humorous and filled with the most outlandishly morbid action and violence that I’ve come across in a novella.
If you, like me, have read Erikson’s epos you’ll have some knowledge of Bauchelain, Korbal Broach and their manservant Emancipor Reese from the pages of Memories of Ice. They’re a memorable trio, as much for the initial mystery surrounding them as for their own inability to estimate what they’re up against. If you have yet to make contact with Memories of Ice or any of the other entries in the Book of the Fallen, fear not, for these three collected novellas don’t expect you to know anything about their zany characters as they depopulate towns, sail through bloody seas and wreck entire civilization. I use hyperbole here, though I expect Erikson wouldn’t mind, being generously at fault for exercising the very same rhetorical device more than once.
In many ways, these might be some of the most accessible of Erikson’s works – though they’re also the shallowest. Don’t get me wrong, there’s no small amount of poignant commentary but this time around, it’s subservient to the humour of the story, to the sheer bloody eccentricity of it all, as characters Bauchelain, Korbal Broach and Emancipor Reese flung themselves – or sauntered towards – one strange event after the next. I dislike Korbal Broach. Something about this silent, murderous eunuch tickles me the wrong way but I am all too fond of both Bauchelain and Emancipor. Their interactions with one another and the world around them brought me joy, always.
After a bit of scene-setting during the first novella, I began laughing. I laughed, and laughed, sometimes pausing in the span of a few pages, two or three or four, only to laugh more and harder and heartier than I did previously. I laughed through insane scenes of hyperviolence; through corpses raising from the dead to take vengeance on the living over too much healthy exercise; through the systematic dismemberment of a poor guardsman at the wrong boat at the worst possible time; through the ripping apart of a nun blamed for eating babies because of her sharpened teeth when in truth her teeth were rotten.
Did I mention this novella was morbid as sin itself?
My score? 4/5, since laughter well and truly cures everything – even death, judging by the heaps of corpses that that old joker, Bauchelain brings back around.
You’ll love this if:
• You like necromancy
• You like necromancy memes
• You want to put the romance back in neck-romance-y;
• Even I cringed at that last one;
• You have a weak spot for manservants who self-medicate;
• And more, prob—no, that’s about it, actually.
baybay11098's review against another edition
3.25
I wasn't sure what to expect from this but it was a fun, enjoyable read. Bauchelain and Broach are fun characters. They are despicable serial killers but they are so fun to read, and their servant Reese is cool too.
Also, I will never get over how much I love how literal Erikson made the whole walk-through-a-gate-when-you-die-to-get-to-the-afterlife thing. I love the scene in the last story here where the former king ends up at the gate but doesn't wanna be dead yet, so he resists, and Hood's servant starts pushing him through the gate to force him. And then it's even better when (Bauchelain and Broach are necromancers after all and therefore at odds with the god of Death), the king is brought back to the mortal world. And then of course his head falls off. I love it.
Also, I will never get over how much I love how literal Erikson made the whole walk-through-a-gate-when-you-die-to-get-to-the-afterlife thing. I love the scene in the last story here where the former king ends up at the gate but doesn't wanna be dead yet, so he resists, and Hood's servant starts pushing him through the gate to force him. And then it's even better when (Bauchelain and Broach are necromancers after all and therefore at odds with the god of Death), the king is brought back to the mortal world. And then of course his head falls off. I love it.
hajokrol's review against another edition
4.0
Very fun stories, I especially liked the 'unhealthy dead'. Now on to the main Malazan series.
gtbenathan's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
This was three stories of me laughing, smiling, and just having a good time. The one "problem" with Malazan is how heavy it always feels and this was just light and fun. Looking forward to reading the others in B&KB.
bent's review against another edition
4.0
Very amusing book, The Lees of Laughter's End is not quite as strong as the other two novellas. When I first encountered Bauchelain and Korbal Broach, I wondered how a pair of evil necromancers could sustain a series, but Erikson pulls it off rather deftly, and has us rooting for the unlikely pair and their long-suffering manservant, Emancipor Reese. The series is like Malazan-lite, all the humour of the main series without the heft. The short chapters (most shorter than three pages) allow the reader to dip in and out of the story when you only have a couple of minutes. Great fun!
arcuysnn's review against another edition
4.0
These collected tales of necromancers Bauchelain and Korbal Broach aren't so much about them as centered around them, but provide stupid amounts of entertainment nonetheless. Gone is the emotional catharsis that is evident of Erikson's main series, The Malazan Book of the Fallen, and in its place is a absurdity on an epic scale, comedy in the stead of tragedy. Imagine a Tehol and Bugg scene from Midnight Tides. Now blow that scene up into a short novel and you have one of these tales. Highly recommended for fans of Erikson's other works, but don't expect tight cohesion with the main series.
Blood Follows: 3 Star
The Lees of Laughter's End: 5 Star
The Healthy Dead: 4 Star
Blood Follows: 3 Star
The Lees of Laughter's End: 5 Star
The Healthy Dead: 4 Star
lubokrah's review against another edition
4.0
Najlepšia bola určite poviedka Klidné vody Přejdesmíchu!
Potom Potoky krve.
A asi najslabšia Zdraví mrtví.
Potom Potoky krve.
A asi najslabšia Zdraví mrtví.