A review by syinhui
Deadhouse Gates by Steven Erikson

adventurous challenging dark emotional inspiring mysterious reflective 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? It's complicated

5.0

It’s brilliant. It’s extraordinary.

At times, I would find myself utterly dumbfounded. My jaw slacked in shock and awe. Too thrilled and engrossed, I had to pause, and breathe, just to take it all in.

Still a difficult read but considerably way more enjoyable than Gardens of the Moon.

Did I say enjoyable? Scratch that.
DEADHOUSE GATES HURT. Hurts...

Mappo and Icarium. Coltaine and his Chain of Dogs.

The second installment is really where the grimdark finally shines. ✨
Fun, right?

As much as I want to make a *literary review* of this book, (which it definitely deserves) and I tried, but alas, I couldn’t. I’m not even sure if I could write a coherent review. But here we go… After finishing the book, my thoughts and feelings are as chaotic as the world of the Malazan Empire itself. There are already a lot of very articulate and informative reviews out there highlighting the strengths of this book. (superb worldbuilding, improved characterization, tighter plotlines and better dialogues etc…) If that’s what you’re looking for fellow reader, you might want to check those out.

I’m just going to speak from my personal reading experience. And that experience is one chock full of surprise, disbelief, wonder, outrage, grief, half-sobs and whimpers, occasional squeals and tiny shrieks of delight, and most of all – heart-wrenching pain and sorrow that established itself somewhere from the beginning to the end of the book.

I couldn’t wrap my head around the loss… the staggering loss of life. Annihilation of entire cities and peoples. Millenniums of harrowing history - obscured and forgotten only revisited through memories of tortured ghosts.

'The lesson of history is that no one learns.'

Duiker’s perspectives on the extraordinary, soul-scarring journey of the Chain of Dogs haunted me. Haunts me still…

'I saw one healer’s arm snap like a twig when he lifted a pot from the hearth. That frightened me more than anything I’ve yet to witness, Captain.'

Despite my heart being crushed by the bleak, gruesome, and grim atmosphere of the arcs, somehow, Steven Erikson is amazing and cruel enough to trample on those broken pieces with: COLTAINE. It’s almost impossible not to mention the man’s name in the same sentence as the word heartbroken. Believe me.

'The man leads an army that refuses to die. We’ve not lost a refugee to enemy action in thirty hours. Five thousand soldiers… spitting in the face of every god…'

The Jhag and the Trell. Two ancient wanderers. Companions.
One bound to an old vow. One in an unending search for answers. A tragic tale of friendship.

After a time, as they walked on the plain, Icarium glanced at Mappo. ‘What would I do without you, my friend?'

The realization that came from that simple, innocent question is too terrifying.
It literally gave me goosebumps. No wonder Mappo flinched at that.

Felisin’s arc (although not my favorite) is such a complex, multi-layered journey of survival and loss of innocence which profoundly shaped her character. In other books, it should be a coming-of-age story, I guess, but Deadhouse Gates twisted it into something way darker and more traumatic.

It's also very sad to see how capable characters such as Kalam and Fiddler be overwhelmed by helplessness and insignificance. I’m seeing the hero in them, but the world is just too harsh and brutal.

Heroism is stupidity. Futile even.

… the sapper was left trembling in the realization of his insignificance and that of all his kind. Humans were but one tiny, frail leaf on a tree too massive even to comprehend.

Kalam feared insignificance, he feared the inability to produce an effect, to force a change upon the world beyond his flesh.

The seemingly headlong plunge this journey had become was in truth but the smallest succession of steps, of no greater import than the struggles of a termite.

'Of course, Kalam wanted to save them! But he knew it was impossible! Only vengeance was possible!'

I love the few scenes we got with Shadowthrone. No matter how freaking shady he is. I can’t deny that the god is growing on me. Looking forward to loving and/or hating the guts out of that scheming giggly bastard. I'd also love to see more of Uncle Cotillion and the shadow folks (The Hounds, Apt and Panek, Iskaral Pust)

The god giggled again. ‘Cotillion will be so pleased, won’t he just.”

Hee hee!

I could do with a leisurely reread to catch the easter eggs and references I missed
but... I’m reeling here. Deadhouse Gates left such heaviness in my heart. I am ruined. Devastated.
YET so excited to dive into the next book! Peeking at Memories of Ice's character list, seems like we're back to the folks in Darujhistan, of course, with a plethora of new names added. Probably, key players. Yay!

On a last note,

"The Wickans! The Wickans! The Wickans!" 😭

Content Warnings