Signor Finzione Posted June 6, 2015 Author Share Posted June 6, 2015 Review: 'Midnight Tides' by Steven Erikson After decades of warfare, the tribes of the Tiste Edur have at last united under the rule of the Warlock King. But peace has been exacted at a terrible price - a pact made with a hidden power whose motives are at best suspect, at worst deadly. To the south, the expansionist kingdom of Lether has devoured all of its less-civilised neighbours with rapacious hunger. All save one - the Tiste Edur. But Lether is approaching a long-prophesied renaissance - from kingdom and lost colony to Empire reborn - and has fixed its gaze on the rich lands of the Tiste Edur. It seems inevitable that the tribes will surrender, either to the suffocating weight of gold, or to slaughter at the edge of a sword. Or so Destiny has decreed. A pivotal treaty between the two sides nears - but unknown ancient forces are awakening. For the impending struggle between these two peoples is but a pale reflection of an altogether more profound, primal battle - a confrontation with the still-raw wound of betrayal and the craving for vengeance at its heart. Midnight Tides marks the third point of the epic triangle that is the Malazan Book of the Fallen. While the first books in the series introduced and then expanded upon events occurring on the two Malazan-occupied continents of Seven Cities and Genabackis, Midnight Tides instead presents us with a brand new continent and an (almost) entirely new cast of characters – a bold risk, yet one that yields substantial reward in the form of a complex yet tightly-woven tale of dark intrigue and tragedy. Although Midnight Tides is the fifth book of The Malazan Book of the Fallen, its story actually takes place chronologically before the events of the first four books, and as such could potentially be a great starting point for newcomers to the series. Erikson kicks off Midnight Tides in stunning fashion with yet another amazingly cinematic prologue. Outlining the huge-scale historical conflict between three ancient races, he immediately sets the scene by painting a vivid and horrifying picture: of betrayal on an appalling scale, and of the destruction of an entire race, simultaneously foreshadowing future events and introducing with a bang several of the novel’s major themes. A new continent, complete with two major civilisations and a plethora of oppressed subcultures, opens up new opportunities for Erikson to explore themes of expansion and greed, stagnation and tradition, power and empire; all of which have to some extent been underlying themes throughout the series, but are perfectly epitomised here in the conflict between the tribal Tiste Edur and the wealth-centred people of Letheras. Admittedly there are instances where the author painfully belabours the point by occasionally falling into rambling sermons about the evils of capitalism; nonetheless, Midnight Tides does an excellent job of introducing a hefty new chunk of the Malazan saga. Thus begins the story of a nation’s fateful journey into conflict and madness, poignantly symbolised through the hateful yet tragic character of its Emperor. Despite being filled with a cast of completely new characters and unfamiliar locations, Midnight Tides is actually remarkably easy to follow. Unlike the previous books in the series, which zip about between numerous parallel storylines and often leave casual readers scratching their heads, here the main story boils down to the rising conflict between two factions: the Tiste Edur and the Letherii. Almost all characters fall into one camp or the other, and for the majority of the story Erikson uses their alternating POVs to tell the tale of how these two powerful nations descend into war with one another. Although limited in comparison with other books in the series, the variety of characters gives us radically different perspectives on each of the two warring cultures. The ‘barbaric’ Edur are alternatively shown from the point of view of a nihilistic slave, a morally-conflicted high-born warrior, and a tired Letherii ranger; while the ‘civilised’ Letherii are shown to us through the eyes of a proud kingsguard, an eccentric citizen and a cynical manservant. Each character is interesting in his or her own way, and all of them are used to weave a tapestry of smaller scenes, each as fascinating and as poignant as the main story itself. Indeed, many of the main events would have occurred quite differently were it not for each of these smaller tales: three estranged brothers, a warrior doomed to die a thousand deaths, an entire race deceived into fighting a war on behalf of a malignant entity, a slave’s battle against possession, a merchant’s descent into despair, an abused slave with supernatural powers, and a badly-used noblewoman driven to madness. Thankfully, Midnight Tides is saved from becoming too bleak by regular infusions of Erikson humour, largely provided by the citizens of Lether. An undead nymphomaniac thief, an absent-minded sorcerer, and a half-giant with an enormous . . . set of lungs are just some of the highlights; and that’s without mentioning the most entertaining aspect of the book, which is without doubt the eccentric pairing of Tehol Beddict and his trusty manservant Bugg. Exceeding even the laugh-out-loud value of previous ‘comedic’ figures like Kruppe and Iskaral Pust, Tehol and Bugg are by far my favourite characters of the series to date, surpassing other spectacular Erikson pairings such as Mappo and Icarium, Gesler and Stormy . . . even Quick Ben and Kalam. The droll humour suffusing Tehol and Bugg’s every interaction is a perfect counterpoint to the dark tragedy unfolding around them, and provides a welcome contrast to characters such as Seren, Trull and Udinaas, who are all rather more serious and isolated within their own unhappiness. Add to this a series of minor characters who, despite being given minimal page time, are just as interesting as some of the major players – Silchas Ruin and Iron Bars, FTW – and you have one of the reasons Midnight Tides is regarded by many as one of the strongest entries in the Malazan series. Perhaps another reason for this is the sense of place Erikson creates, particularly as much of the novel is set in only two main locations: the Tiste Edur village and the city of Lether. Although the story shifts back and forth between the two, the reader is transported instantly from one world to the next as a result of the fantastically vivid settings. Upon arriving at the Edur village we immediately smell the woodsmoke, hear the waves crash on the beach, feel the incessant rain on our skin and see the ever-present shadow of the Blackwood forest looming over everything. The city of Lether is similarly vivid and well-drawn, in sharp contrast to the Edur village: here, we hear the roaring cheers of the crowd at the Drownings, smell the rubbish-filled canal and rotting alleyways, feel the stifling heat of summer, and see corruption and oppression personified in the displaced victims of the city’s materialistic expansion. And throughout the whole of Midnight Tides is the sense that both societies are a throwback to a much earlier time. In contrast with the Malazan Empire and the cultures shown in earlier novels, neither the Edur nor the Letherii are familiar with the sophisticated magic utilised there: the Letherii mages draw their power from Holds, the primal ancestors of the Warrens used by the Malazans; and instead of the Tarot-esque Deck of Dragons, the Letherii use the Tiles of the Cedance. It’s obvious that this entire continent has lived in isolation from the rest of the world; that, despite their notions of civilisation, both the Edur and the Letherii still have a long way to go . . . and that perhaps each nations’ conviction regarding the superiority of their own empires may soon be tested by conflict with another, more advanced, empire. This is my second re-read of Midnight Tides, and remembering it as my favourite instalment of the entire series meant that I was kind of worried about revisiting it, particularly after my slightly disappointing experience of Memories of Ice. Thankfully, Midnight Tides managed to meet and even exceed most of my rose-tinted expectations. I’ll admit that the story took a little longer to get going than I remembered, but the rest of the book more than made up for that, particularly the last 200 pages or so. Erikson’s talent at creating jaw-dropping convergences is such that I can’t find the words to praise it highly enough. This book is perhaps the finest example yet of the author’s ability to seamlessly entwine numerous plot threads towards the end of the story: Erikson writes using ever-shortening segments and rapidly-changing POVs to simultaneously quicken the pace and draw out the finale, creating a spectacularly extended denouement of adrenaline-filled action and almost unbearable tension. Is it still my favourite book of the series? I’d say it’s currently vying with Deadhouse Gates for the top spot . . . but of course there are still five more books to go before I can say for sure. 5/5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karsa Orlong Posted June 6, 2015 Share Posted June 6, 2015 Fantastic review, Laura Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted June 7, 2015 Share Posted June 7, 2015 Thanks! I can't wait to play it properly. I only had chance to play it for a little bit last night, and I spent most of that time riding around on a horsey. Well there are worse things ! I hope you get some more time with it soon, and that it will be good . Feel free to post about it on the forum, I mean, I'd be interested to know your experiences and whether you like the game and how different it is from the first two . I agree with Steve, that was a brilliant review ! I really enjoyed reading it, and it's made me want to read the book now . I am however tied up in my library loans and a couple of books of my own, but your review makes me think I should definitely start the series some time. Well, I've got two books of the series on my 'TBR-soon' shelf, so who knows . I guess I'm just reluctant to start a new series as well as worried about my memories of reading the first book back when I was a teenager, but your review makes it sound like a series I think I'd really enjoy (besides, there have been other books I didn't get on with the first time around, and loved years later when my language skills improved). So at some point I will just start it . And I'll be sure to tell you of my experiences. I'm really glad you loved this book just like you did the first time you read it, it's always nice when that happens . I have the same cover for Midnight Tides, it's pretty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karsa Orlong Posted June 8, 2015 Share Posted June 8, 2015 Although Midnight Tides is the fifth book of The Malazan Book of the Fallen, its story actually takes place chronologically before the events of the first four books, and as such could potentially be a great starting point for newcomers to the series. Ah, the old 'trying to read the series in chronological order trick Which probably means reading Forge of Darkness first, which would probably put anyone off for good I agree with you, though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Signor Finzione Posted June 8, 2015 Author Share Posted June 8, 2015 Fantastic review, Laura Thank Steve. I fear I got a bit carried away. . I guess I'm just reluctant to start a new series as well as worried about my memories of reading the first book back when I was a teenager I remember you saying that you didn't get on very well with Gardens of the Moon, which is book #1 in the Malazan series. I'd definitely recommend giving Midnight Tides a go first if you ever do return to the series. And I will keep you updated on The Witcher 3. I faffed about on it yesterday for about 20 minutes, and got far too excited by the fact that you can swim underwater. Haven't had chance to sit down and play it 'properly' yet though - I can't wait for the summer holidays, which I'll probably spent cloistered in front of the Xbox with the curtains shut and the phone off the hook. We had to buy a new Xbox One controller yesterday, because ours has broke (we only bought the damn thing last year!). It's been dodgy for a while but has got to the point where it stops you from playing games properly. Whenever you load up anything on the Xbox, it behaves as though the LS stick thingy is pushed forward even when it isn't. So, characters walk around of their own volition, and it's impossible to choose dialogue options because it's skimming through them too quickly. Same with Netflix. So, yeah. Ah, the old 'trying to read the series in chronological order trick Which probably means reading Forge of Darkness first, which would probably put anyone off for good Don't, you'll put me off FoD for good! I'm definitely saving it until last. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karsa Orlong Posted June 8, 2015 Share Posted June 8, 2015 We had to buy a new Xbox One controller yesterday, because ours has broke (we only bought the damn thing last year!). It's been dodgy for a while but has got to the point where it stops you from playing games properly. Whenever you load up anything on the Xbox, it behaves as though the LS stick thingy is pushed forward even when it isn't. So, characters walk around of their own volition, and it's impossible to choose dialogue options because it's skimming through them too quickly. Same with Netflix. So, yeah. Probably the result of 100+ hours on DA:I Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted June 9, 2015 Share Posted June 9, 2015 I remember you saying that you didn't get on very well with Gardens of the Moon, which is book #1 in the Malazan series. I'd definitely recommend giving Midnight Tides a go first if you ever do return to the series. And I will keep you updated on The Witcher 3. I faffed about on it yesterday for about 20 minutes, and got far too excited by the fact that you can swim underwater. Haven't had chance to sit down and play it 'properly' yet though - I can't wait for the summer holidays, which I'll probably spent cloistered in front of the Xbox with the curtains shut and the phone off the hook. We had to buy a new Xbox One controller yesterday, because ours has broke (we only bought the damn thing last year!). It's been dodgy for a while but has got to the point where it stops you from playing games properly. Whenever you load up anything on the Xbox, it behaves as though the LS stick thingy is pushed forward even when it isn't. So, characters walk around of their own volition, and it's impossible to choose dialogue options because it's skimming through them too quickly. Same with Netflix. So, yeah. Yes, I didn't. I think it was because my English wasn't so good at the time, so it was one of the first few of my own English (fantasy) books I ever read (outside of school, where we read some English books such as the first Harry Potter book, On the Beach, To Kill a Mockingbird, In Cold Blood, Across the Barricades, Macbeth. But then we'd always talk about it in class. I read textbooks for university). I think I was confused by a lot of the words in the book. I hope I get on better with it when I read it now, my English has improved a lot so I hope that that was the problem. I'm happy you're enjoying the game . I'm sorry to hear about the controller . We have the same problem with one of our PS3 controllers, that one of the sticks pushes forward when no one is touching it. It's quite annoying! Gladly though that's not the only controller we have. Controllers are always pretty expensive . Is Netflix any good? I know it is available in the Netherlands (for a fee of course), but our internet connection isn't fast enough for it, I think. Probably the result of 100+ hours on DA:I That's a lot . I didn't play DA:I (I don't own it), but I did spend a lot of hours on the original DA (on PC). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Signor Finzione Posted June 9, 2015 Author Share Posted June 9, 2015 Probably the result of 100+ hours on DA:I It's more like 200+ if you count all three playthroughs . . . Seriously, though, that was my thought at first! Especially as DA:I involves almost constant clicking of the LS stick to 'search' the area around you for stuff, as well as to ride horses. But we Googled it and it's actually a common problem, apparently. Honest. Yes, I didn't. I think it was because my English wasn't so good at the time, so it was one of the first few of my own English (fantasy) books I ever read (outside of school, where we read some English books such as the first Harry Potter book, On the Beach, To Kill a Mockingbird, In Cold Blood, Across the Barricades, Macbeth. But then we'd always talk about it in class. I read textbooks for university). I think I was confused by a lot of the words in the book. I hope I get on better with it when I read it now, my English has improved a lot so I hope that that was the problem. I can definitely see how it wouldn't be an easy book for you to read at the time. I myself struggled with it the first time I read it, to the point where I went back to the beginning and started again after getting about 200 pages into it! I'm happy you're enjoying the game . I'm sorry to hear about the controller . We have the same problem with one of our PS3 controllers, that one of the sticks pushes forward when no one is touching it. It's quite annoying! Gladly though that's not the only controller we have. Controllers are always pretty expensive . Is Netflix any good? I know it is available in the Netherlands (for a fee of course), but our internet connection isn't fast enough for it, I think. It's very annoying, isn't it! It was only doing it intermittently at first . . . I kept wondering why my DA:I character would throw himself off ledges every time I left the room. £44 for a new controller - ouch indeed! Netflix is quite good, yes. I think it costs us around £6.99 per month, and you get a ton of movies and TV shows. But we're thinking of cancelling it, because neither of us are going through a 'TV-watching' phase at the moment. The best thing about it is that you can cancel and sign up again whenever you like. What a pain that your internet can't support it. Although, I know you're not able to 'binge-watch' stuff, so I imagine not having it doesn't bother you too much? (Also, it can be dangerously addictive). Speaking of watching stuff, you need to catch up on Game of Thrones! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Signor Finzione Posted June 9, 2015 Author Share Posted June 9, 2015 Review: 'Fortress Frontier' by Myke Cole The Great Reawakening did not come quietly. Suddenly people from all corners of the globe began to develop terrifying powers - summoning fire, manipulating earth, opening portals and decimating flesh. Overnight the rules had changed... but not for everyone.Alan Bookbinder might be a Colonel in the US Army, but in his heart he knows he's just a desk jockey, a clerk with a silver eagle on his jacket. But one morning he is woken by a terrible nightmare and overcome by an ominous drowning sensation. Something is very, very wrong.Forced into working for the Supernatural Operations Corps in a new and dangerous world, Bookbinder's only hope of finding a way back to his family will mean teaming up with former SOC operator and public enemy number one: Oscar Britton. They will have to put everything on the line if they are to save thousands of soldiers trapped inside a frontier fortress on the brink of destruction, and show the people back home the stark realities of a war that threatens to wipe out everything they're trying to protect. Whew! That was one hell of a fast and fun read. I just devoured Fortress Frontier in less than 24 hours, racing through a dynamic story full of likeable characters living in a not-too-distantly futuristic world. The second instalment in Myke Cole’s awesome Shadow Ops series is insanely fast-paced: the story races along a mile-a-minute, with every few pages introducing something new and exciting, be it an explosion, a magical beastie, an enemy attack or a supernatural discovery. Fortress Frontier is essentially much like its predecessor, Control Point, only better; it’s as though the first book has been patched and updated, not to the point where it’s perfect, but to a point where it feels much more smooth and satisfying than the original. In my review of Control Point I described the Shadow Ops series as a combination of X-Men, Black Hawk Down, Avatar and Heroes. I stand by these comparisons after completing the second book, focusing as it does on a minority of people with special abilities in a military setting in hostile territory inhabited by alien races (which is AWESOME, by the way). To drag in more names, Fortress Frontier is dedicated to J.R.R. Tolkien and the father of D&D Gary Gygax, which is fitting since a big chunk of the book is taken up with a small group of characters embarking on an intrepid journey across thousands of miles in order to try and save the day. But despite all the comparisons with other writers and franchises, I’ve never read anything quite like it, and I would say this is another huge point in the author’s favour. The one issue I had with the first book was a lack of sympathy with the mercurially-mooded main character Oscar Britton. Thankfully that’s largely resolved here by the addition of a new POV character who dominates the majority of the novel. Alan Bookbinder is a much more likeable protagonist than Oscar, focused as he is on his struggle to overcome his own lack of experience and self-confidence in order to survive in a strange and lonely environment. Alan’s character develops steadily and believably throughout the book, unlike Oscar in Control Point; and while his overnight mastery of his newfound abilities is almost as implausible as Oscar’s in the first book, I found Alan to be so likeable that I didn’t mind turning a blind eye. It’s been about a year since I read the first book, and so I was a bit confused regarding the time frame of events relating to the original characters. When Oscar and the others finally did make their appearance I was a little disoriented, and the subsequent pages of characters squabbling repetitively didn’t exactly do a stellar job of getting me back on top of things. But the events of the first book came back to me in dribs and drabs, and if it hadn’t been so long since I first started the series I imagine I’d have had no trouble following at all. Either way I definitely don’t intend to wait nearly as long before moving on with the series this time. After Fortress Frontier’s explosive (if slightly rushed and chaotic) finale there are still a lot of plot threads waiting to be resolved, and I can’t wait to see how they play out in the next book, Breach Zone. To those who haven't tried this series yet, I highly recommend that you do. To those who've read the first book and are still on the fence: if you liked Control Point, you’ll love Fortress Frontier. If you didn’t like Control Point, give Fortress Frontier a try anyway – it’s much better! 4/5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted June 9, 2015 Share Posted June 9, 2015 (edited) Great review, you read that really fast . Netflix is quite good, yes. I think it costs us around £6.99 per month, and you get a ton of movies and TV shows. But we're thinking of cancelling it, because neither of us are going through a 'TV-watching' phase at the moment. The best thing about it is that you can cancel and sign up again whenever you like. What a pain that your internet can't support it. Although, I know you're not able to 'binge-watch' stuff, so I imagine not having it doesn't bother you too much? (Also, it can be dangerously addictive). Speaking of watching stuff, you need to catch up on Game of Thrones! No, it doesn't really bother me . I buy DVDs (or Blu-rays) of the shows I'm really interested in, and I watch those. I will ! I keep asking my boyfriend, because we're watching it together, but somehow we haven't yet got around to doing so . It doesn't help that in the evening (when my boyfriend usually wants to watch something) we prefer to be in front of the TV rather than squished together behind a smaller computer screen . Edited June 9, 2015 by Athena Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karsa Orlong Posted June 10, 2015 Share Posted June 10, 2015 It's more like 200+ if you count all three playthroughs . . . Seriously, though, that was my thought at first! Especially as DA:I involves almost constant clicking of the LS stick to 'search' the area around you for stuff, as well as to ride horses. But we Googled it and it's actually a common problem, apparently. Honest. I saw yesterday that they're bringing out a 'tweaked' version of the controller - maybe this problem has been addressed? Great review of the Cole book. I hope the new character's super power is binding books really quickly, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timstar Posted June 10, 2015 Share Posted June 10, 2015 I remember enjoying Control Point but loving Fortress Frontier same as you. Great review, I have the third and fourth books and have been meaning to start them for ages but too many others keep getting in the way. What's next? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted June 10, 2015 Share Posted June 10, 2015 I've just been catching up on your thread...your review of Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell was brilliant! Great work. Between you and the TV series, I'm really getting a hankering to re-read it. But there are so many other books calling me as well... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Signor Finzione Posted June 11, 2015 Author Share Posted June 11, 2015 Great review, you read that really fast . I will ! I keep asking my boyfriend, because we're watching it together, but somehow we haven't yet got around to doing so . It doesn't help that in the evening (when my boyfriend usually wants to watch something) we prefer to be in front of the TV rather than squished together behind a smaller computer screen . Thanks Gaia! I forgot you said they were on your computer rather than your TV. Maybe you could do something fancy and technological to connect your PC to your TV . . . wires or something? Actually, I have no idea how that would work. I saw yesterday that they're bringing out a 'tweaked' version of the controller - maybe this problem has been addressed? Great review of the Cole book. I hope the new character's super power is binding books really quickly, though. No, sorry to disappoint! Argh, that's just my luck with that controller. I remember enjoying Control Point but loving Fortress Frontier same as you. Great review, I have the third and fourth books and have been meaning to start them for ages but too many others keep getting in the way. What's next? Cheers Tim. I've put the next two books on my wishlist and can't wait to get hold of them! I think once I've finished Night of Knives it'll be either Perdido Street Station or the third Expanse novel . . . although I also want to finish my First Law re-read, and Steve has kind of talked me into going back to the Milkweed series too. Too many books! I've just been catching up on your thread...your review of Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell was brilliant! Great work. Between you and the TV series, I'm really getting a hankering to re-read it. But there are so many other books calling me as well... Aw, thanks! A few people have been saying the same thing about wanting to re-read it . . . maybe sometime in the future we could make it a group thing on the forum. I only read it very recently, but my first reaction upon finishing it was wanting to start back at the beginning again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Signor Finzione Posted June 11, 2015 Author Share Posted June 11, 2015 Went trawling the charity shops in Rochdale this afternoon and found this lot! £16 in total. Most of them were from the British Heart Foundation, though, and it took me AGES to scrape off all the b0llocks stickers they stick all over their books. Bloody heathens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted June 12, 2015 Share Posted June 12, 2015 Thanks Gaia! I forgot you said they were on your computer rather than your TV. Maybe you could do something fancy and technological to connect your PC to your TV . . . wires or something? Actually, I have no idea how that would work. I tried yesterday but their site wasn't working . I'm sure that would be possible but our cables aren't long enough (we tried once before but I can't remember now why). Went trawling the charity shops in Rochdale this afternoon and found this lot! £16 in total. That's a lot of books for the money ! I've got a couple of those . I love The Wheel of Time books as I'm sure you know. I have some of the Katherine Kerr ones but I haven't read them yet. I hope you enjoy all of them . The covers are certainly pretty. How annoying about the stickers ! I like your new avatar, btw . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karsa Orlong Posted June 12, 2015 Share Posted June 12, 2015 (edited) That's a lot of Katherine Kerr I've heard a lot of good things about Daggerspell, to the point where I nearly bought it a few years ago. But then didn't I also owned the first of the Paul Hoffman books, The Left Hand of God, for several years . . . and never read it Looking forward to hearing what you think of them ETA: Katharine Kerr Edited June 12, 2015 by Karsa Orlong Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Signor Finzione Posted June 13, 2015 Author Share Posted June 13, 2015 I like your new avatar, btw . Thank you! It's the cover image from The Bonehunters by Steven Erikson. Sorry you couldn't get your TV connected up to your computer - what a pain!! That's a lot of Katherine Kerr I've heard a lot of good things about Daggerspell, to the point where I nearly bought it a few years ago. But then didn't I also owned the first of the Paul Hoffman books, The Left Hand of God, for several years . . . and never read it Looking forward to hearing what you think of them Yeah, I've had Daggerspell on my wishlist for a while, but the paperback is £15 on Amazon, so it was nice to see it here for £2. And when I saw the others on the shelf with it - all brand new and shiny - I decided it would be a shame NOT to buy them all. I bought The Left Hand of God last year - also from a charity shop! - and am looking forward to starting it now that I have the whole trilogy. ETA: Katharine Kerr God, Steve, imagine not being able to spell an author's name properly EVEN when you've seen a picture full of all their books. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karsa Orlong Posted June 13, 2015 Share Posted June 13, 2015 God, Steve, imagine not being able to spell an author's name properly EVEN when you've seen a picture full of all their books. At least I noticed, unlike some Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted June 13, 2015 Share Posted June 13, 2015 Thank you! It's the cover image from The Bonehunters by Steven Erikson. Sorry you couldn't get your TV connected up to your computer - what a pain!! I thought the style looked familiar ! Yeah . At least I noticed, unlike some Sorry . I know you were talking about me . I blame my tired brain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Signor Finzione Posted June 13, 2015 Author Share Posted June 13, 2015 (edited) Sorry . I know you were talking about me . I blame my tired brain. Either that, or he was moaning about me misspelling Patrick O'Brien a few months back. ETA: O'Brian!! Damnit!!!! Edited June 13, 2015 by Signor Finzione Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted June 13, 2015 Share Posted June 13, 2015 Either that, or he was moaning about me misspelling Patrick O'Brien a few months back. ETA: O'Brian!! Damnit!!!! That could also be the case, I forgot about that . !!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timstar Posted June 15, 2015 Share Posted June 15, 2015 Cheers Tim. I've put the next two books on my wishlist and can't wait to get hold of them! I decided to start Breach Zone this weekend after reading your review Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Signor Finzione Posted June 15, 2015 Author Share Posted June 15, 2015 I decided to start Breach Zone this weekend after reading your review Make me jealous, why don't you. Glad to hear it. Hope it's good!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Signor Finzione Posted June 15, 2015 Author Share Posted June 15, 2015 Review: 'Night of Knives' by Ian C. Esslemont The empire is named for the tiny island and city of Malaz, now a sleepy, seedy backwater port. Tonight however, a once-in-a-generation Shadow Moon brings demon hounds and darker beings. And a prophecy promises the return of long missing Emperor Kellanved to the contended imperial throne. This night will determine the fate of the world. Night of Knives is the first of Ian C. Esslemont’s six Malazan Empire books, which are designed to be read alongside the ten-book Malazan Book of the Fallen series written by Steven Erikson. Erikson and Esslemont co-created the incredible world of Malaz over thirty years ago, and given that they’re writing about the same world and characters I don’t think it’s at all unfair to directly compare Esslemont with Erikson . . . but, sadly, there is no real comparison here. The story of Night of Knives is set several years before the events of Erikson’s (vastly superior) series, and focuses on an event that has hitherto been only mysteriously alluded to: the night the Emperor disappeared. It’s a great idea for a novel, and the actual story itself should feel quite nicely self-contained, set as it is over the course of a single night. Unfortunately Esslemont’s somewhat pedestrian writing style makes this relatively short novel feel like a real slog. The plot is slow and clumsy when it should be fast-paced and exciting; the settings are flat and repetitive when they should be evocative; and the characters are distant and passive when they should be sympathetic and engaging. Night of Knives centres around two major POV characters: Kiska, a local-born thief; and Temper, former bodyguard to the great Dassem Ultor (another legendary figure name-dropped throughout the main series). While neither of these characters is dislikeable, I felt a complete lack of connection with Kiska, and had only marginally more sympathy for Temper due to the few flashbacks granting us a little of his history. Esslemont’s characterisation is far from subtle, with Kiska coming across as an irritating self-centred youth and Temper’s every action seemingly completely contradicting his thoughts. I found that I had no idea what either character was going to do next, and even less idea of whether or not I cared. I think one of the main problems regarding the characters is how little they actually do. Characters from the main series such as Tayschrenn and Temper seem to spend most of the novel acting like curious bystanders rather than major players and, while it’s nice to see them given more page time here, seem to have no real impact on the plot itself. Even Kiska spends pretty much the entirety of the book reacting to events rather than participating in them. This sense of passively witnessing proceedings, rather than actively taking part in them, is perhaps a large part of why Night of Knives doesn’t feel particularly engaging. Although Esslemont does manage to scrape together a nice (if somewhat feeble) air of tension, most of the real action happens off-screen, and as such the characters – and thus the reader – feel as though they are of little importance in the night’s events, and have even less at stake in their outcome. And it’s not just the characters I had issues with: I also felt the pacing of events to be a little off, with the expected climax occurring off-screen, followed by another series of events with yet another climax. These final events involved a vague subplot comprising an Azath house and a magical attack on the island, and its relevance to the rest of the events is not made entirely clear. It all feels a bit bewildering, as though two separate stories have been shoehorned together. Another thing I found confusing was the surplus of ‘dark figures’ and ‘men in cloaks’; Esslemont’s use of noun phrases rather than names meant that I sometimes had difficulty keeping track of who was who, and just what the hell was going on, particularly in the ongoing conflict between the Claws and the shadow cultists. However, it’d be unfair to say that there are no positives to be found in Esslemont’s debut novel. For instance, I really enjoyed the extended flashbacks involving Temper’s time in Y’Ghatan: these segments reveal a lot about events that have so far been only cryptically alluded to in the main series, and provide a nice bit of backstory for Temper’s character. The novel as a whole actually improves as it progresses, and the imagery the author manages to evoke – mystic ice-bound beings, fog, darkness and shadow, monstrous hounds, undead – creates a nicely eerie atmosphere. In fact, the entire concept of the novel – set on a single night, on an ice-besieged island, during a Shadow Moon – is awesome. It’s just a shame it’s so awkwardly executed, and that the presenting of circumstances seems so painfully contrived (what are the chances an unpredictable Shadow Moon would just happen to occur on this night of all nights?). So, the premise of Night of Knives is fairly solid, and its resolution fairly satisfying. However, I find myself left with a lot of questions, such as: Why is Temper so desperate to involve himself in the night’s events when his current mission in life is to remain under the empire’s radar? What exactly is a Shadow Moon? Why are they so unpredictable, how do they work, and why are they never mentioned in the main series? Who is Agayla? Who was the old man in the fishing boat? Who was the old man in the pub? What was that vague mention of a prophecy all about? Why couldn’t Steven Erikson have written this book instead? 3/5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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