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A review by grongoculon
The God Is Not Willing by Steven Erikson
5.0
TGiNW begins as many of Erikson's Malazan novels do, establishing various plot threads that at first seem only tangentially related. Those familiar with his work know his way of tying these threads back together at the end of a book, sometimes subversively so.
That might not be a surprise for veterans of the series and the world, but TGiNW represents as good an entry point as any other. There are references to the events of the main Book of the Fallen series, and clues as to a certain characters fate. But while the world behind the story is rich, one need not have followed the adventures of Dujeks host, the Letherii empire and the various races that all contribute to the history of this world. Half the stories characters tell of their forebears are half remembered, twisted by the passing of time into something new. This may irk those who wish for 100% consistency but to me, it's a plus.
And those characters, oh! those characters. Rants innocence, the redeemed hunter, and the varied inhabitants of the Laederon plateau all give life to a part of the world only visited hastily in the main 10 books, with all their cultures feeling real enough to carry the story forward. But it's the marines, as usual who steal the show.
Perhaps the new reader will be put off by the neurotics in their ranks, the marines bring you to laughter and tears in equal measure. And, considering some of the brutal combat scenes, as thrilling as ever, one can be forgiven for thinking you'd have to be insane to do their job, in a world of gods, undead dinosaurs and alchemical explosives.
Reading about the changes to the world of malazan, it's cosmology and pantheons was a delight but wouldn't have been so without a human core to the story and again, Erikson delivers in spades. A true delight, for oldheads and newcomers alike.
That might not be a surprise for veterans of the series and the world, but TGiNW represents as good an entry point as any other. There are references to the events of the main Book of the Fallen series, and clues as to a certain characters fate. But while the world behind the story is rich, one need not have followed the adventures of Dujeks host, the Letherii empire and the various races that all contribute to the history of this world. Half the stories characters tell of their forebears are half remembered, twisted by the passing of time into something new. This may irk those who wish for 100% consistency but to me, it's a plus.
And those characters, oh! those characters. Rants innocence, the redeemed hunter, and the varied inhabitants of the Laederon plateau all give life to a part of the world only visited hastily in the main 10 books, with all their cultures feeling real enough to carry the story forward. But it's the marines, as usual who steal the show.
Perhaps the new reader will be put off by the neurotics in their ranks, the marines bring you to laughter and tears in equal measure. And, considering some of the brutal combat scenes, as thrilling as ever, one can be forgiven for thinking you'd have to be insane to do their job, in a world of gods, undead dinosaurs and alchemical explosives.
Reading about the changes to the world of malazan, it's cosmology and pantheons was a delight but wouldn't have been so without a human core to the story and again, Erikson delivers in spades. A true delight, for oldheads and newcomers alike.