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All manner of folk have come for riches or fame, but few are prepared for Assail.This is a thrilling close to the Malazan Empire series and just as engaging as a standalone, this novel will not disappoint. Ideal for fans of Steven Erikson, David Gemmell and Brandon Sanderson.'Esslemont nails the feel and flavor of Erikson's books and brings the historical characters to life with a dexterity that will win over even the most skeptical fans.' - ***** PUBLISHERS WEEKLY'The Malazan franchise is fighting fit in the hand of its co-creator' - ***** SFX'The story just gets more engrossing with every page. Love it.' - ***** Reader Review'His best novel so far' - ***** Reader Review********************************************************A NEW HORIZON DAWNS. WRAP UP WARM.To the North lies Assail. It is a land that has been impenetrable for centuries.Now, as the ice begins to melt, it starts to yield its long-hidden secrets and the steady march through this hostile environment begins. Awaiting those brave enough to make the journey is the murmured promise of riches and reverence.Some go seeking answers, some wealth, and some simply adventure.In the South waits Silverfox.The newly incarnate Summoner of the undying army of the T'lan Imass, she will do anything in her power to halt the renewal of an ages-old crusade - a crusade that could lay waste to the entire continent... and beyond.Shedding light on the mysteries that span the Malazan Empire, and offering glimpses into the epic history that shaped it, Assail brings this empire's epic story to a thrilling close.********************************************************Further praise for Esslemont's Malazan 'Everything you expect of a Malazan story, being both epic and relevant... nail-biting and anything but obvious.' - SFF WORLD'Terrific... impossible to put down and highly recommended for all fans of The Malazan Book of the Fallen.' - FANTASY HOTLIST'Hugely promising... a contained, concise romp that's also dense with fan-pleasing information... an entertaining romp.' - DEATHRAY'Maybe I'm prejudiced since I love the Malazan books so much, but I had a blast reading Night of Knives... I highly recommend it to anyone.' - FANTASY BOOKCRITIC'Esslemont handles action and brooding atmosphere equally well.' - STARBURST'Extremely readable... All credit to Esslemont and Erikson. They have created a wonderfully energetic world that is just crying out for adventures.' - ETERNAL NIGHT
786 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 7, 2013
131 people are currently reading
5778 people want to read
About the author
Ian C. Esslemont
18 books2,157 followersIAN CAMERON ESSLEMONT was born in 1962 in Winnipeg, Canada. He has a degree in Creative Writing, studied and worked as an archaeologist, travelled extensively in South East Asia, and lived in Thailand and Japan for several years. He now lives in Fairbanks, Alaska, with his wife and children and is currently working on his PhD in English Literature.
Ian C. Esslemont and Steven Erikson co-created the Malazan world in 1982 as a backdrop for role-playing games. In 1991 they collaborated on a feature film script set in the same world, entitled Gardens of the Moon. When the script did not sell, Erikson greatly expanded the story and turned it into a novel.
Ian C. Esslemont and Steven Erikson co-created the Malazan world in 1982 as a backdrop for role-playing games. In 1991 they collaborated on a feature film script set in the same world, entitled Gardens of the Moon. When the script did not sell, Erikson greatly expanded the story and turned it into a novel.
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February 7, 2020
“This is what journeys are for, my love. You have to take the path to learn where you want to be.”
Lo and behold! This hasmost probably been my last Malazan book for a while, at least. Thus, breathe a collective breath of relief, my dear Goodreads, for your feed is going to be spared from my unholy love for this series that has in time morphed into an unholy determination.
The ultimate instalment of Ian C. Esslemont’s Malazan Empire series is set on the most dangerous continent in Malazan world. Or so we’ve been led to believe and we are continuously reminded throughout the book. Not that we can see a substantial difference in all the dangers: implied and real. What we can see is basically Alaska during the gold rush enhanced with random magic special effects, but among those, there was nothing that could explain the general “wow, Assail!” exclamations every time this name popped up during the series proper.
What do you think of when you hear Assail? Assail? As [in] SAIL?
Yes! Bingo! Precisely!
As in: Sailing to assailing balance is skewed. Sailing takes nearly half of the book and assailing not nearly enough space. This posed a problem for me because all these seafaring novels do not appeal to me. I genuinely enjoyed only The Fox and even Locke Lamora taken to the sea lost nearly two stars off his charms. In Assail, half of the protagonists spend most of their time on the deck rather than on the continent.
⚔️Kylarral-ten, son of Tulo, of the People of the Wind (psst, we know him as Kyle) is going home. Because.
⚔️Reuth, a sheltered youngster on his first adventure is an exceptionally skilled navigator helping his uncle to get to Assail in one piece rather than many splinters.
⚔️Jute of Delans and his Falarian crew ofpirates mariners among whom the most wonderful person was Jute’s wife, Ieleen of Walk. A blind navigator by profession vocation. Jute accompanies Cartheron Crust in his evidently unsinkable Ragstopper and one Timmel Orosenn, Primogenitrix of Umryg (it should ring a bell, we had a glimpse of her already in the previous book) as well as Tyvar Gendarian, Mortal Sword of Togg and a commander of Blue Shields (essentially Grey Swords save from the different colour and prop, I am seriously waiting for the Green Helmets now). These four band up together and form a rather impressive force but their adventures are presented from Jute’s POV.
⚔️Fisher Kel Tath is another old friend of ours. He tags along with an expedition because even bards fell that homecoming is in order at least once in a while. I have never liked the songster before but in this book either there was something special about him or the rest of the cast was so vapid that he was standing apart.
⚔️Fisher rescues a Tiste Andii who has lost all his memories and therefore is renamed by Fisher as Jethiss. He also changes company on his journey. Initially, he tags along one Malle of Gris only to swap her for Coots and Badlands later on in the book.
⚔️Silverfox, Summoner to the T’lan Imass. I don’t know about you but I have been undying to see Silverfox in proper action, therefore, please do not blame me that the one allegedly so powerful, foretold and destined to Hood knows what is a prematurely aged and essentially ineffectual individual who at first is utterly passive, then too late, and when she pushes herself towards the convergence the best we get from her is: This time I won’t ask. Really?
⚔️Shimmer and the selected elite of the Crimson Guard (K’azz included) make their way to Assailbecause their whole existence is senseless anyway because what else were they supposed to do after the previous instalment.
⚔️There are also the locals, among them Orman - a youth with the spear; the spear is more important than the youth she perhaps the entry should read: Svalthbrul and ancient spear wielded by a random young adult.
The basic idea for the plot is that different people come to the same places, e.g. the Sea of Dread and do the same things over and over again with only slight variations that do not take away the repetitiveness. Also, the story is nothing we didn’t see (in Malazan proper): a sad tale of conquest and evisceration of a small traditional society by a more advanced and ruthless culture. The T’lan Imass are as always obsessed only with one thing so this strand does not bring anything new or surprising. The Crimson Guard evidently lost its rationale so they are grasping at the straws to have a reason to go on.
As I was reading, it became apparent that the plot lines are managed just fine (there is no doubt that ICE has grown as an author, I am still cringing thinking of the Night of Knives in my back), but the character development or even portrayal (except for the mustaches they all seem to love to excess in this instalment) or the subtle message that would go beyond truisms and platitudes (something I love Malazan proper for, even though Mr Erikson became a bit excessive towards the end) - that was entirely missing.
Maybe this was rooted in the fact that from the very beginning I had a problem with ascertaining the main plot/arc of this series. You will notice that my reviews in each book more or less list the main POVs. But if you ask me what is the binding, overarching theme, I would be at a loss to point my finger. We started with Kiska but that journey has earlier met its end. Is it the Crimson Guard? Perhaps it is Kyle’s story set against their background? Or maybe T’lan Imass stole the show in the end?
Eventually, I came to a conclusion that the worst thing is that it entirely does not matter. There could easily be six or even sixty six more books in this series and all of them would not lead us anywhere because the whole Malazan idea has been going in circles for some time already.
I’d recommend the book and the series to the devoted fandom but then the fandom does not require recommendations. I have serious misgivings whether “normal people” would appreciate the book or indeed the whole series.
Also in the series:
1. Night of Knives ★★☆☆☆
2. Return of the Crimson Guard ★★★★☆
3. Stonewielder ★★☆☆☆
4. Orb Sceptre Throne ★★★☆☆
5. Blood and Bone ★★★☆☆
Lo and behold! This has
The ultimate instalment of Ian C. Esslemont’s Malazan Empire series is set on the most dangerous continent in Malazan world. Or so we’ve been led to believe and we are continuously reminded throughout the book. Not that we can see a substantial difference in all the dangers: implied and real. What we can see is basically Alaska during the gold rush enhanced with random magic special effects, but among those, there was nothing that could explain the general “wow, Assail!” exclamations every time this name popped up during the series proper.
What do you think of when you hear Assail? Assail? As [in] SAIL?
Yes! Bingo! Precisely!
As in: Sailing to assailing balance is skewed. Sailing takes nearly half of the book and assailing not nearly enough space. This posed a problem for me because all these seafaring novels do not appeal to me. I genuinely enjoyed only The Fox and even Locke Lamora taken to the sea lost nearly two stars off his charms. In Assail, half of the protagonists spend most of their time on the deck rather than on the continent.
⚔️Kylarral-ten, son of Tulo, of the People of the Wind (psst, we know him as Kyle) is going home. Because.
⚔️Reuth, a sheltered youngster on his first adventure is an exceptionally skilled navigator helping his uncle to get to Assail in one piece rather than many splinters.
⚔️Jute of Delans and his Falarian crew of
⚔️Fisher Kel Tath is another old friend of ours. He tags along with an expedition because even bards fell that homecoming is in order at least once in a while. I have never liked the songster before but in this book either there was something special about him or the rest of the cast was so vapid that he was standing apart.
⚔️Fisher rescues a Tiste Andii who has lost all his memories and therefore is renamed by Fisher as Jethiss. He also changes company on his journey. Initially, he tags along one Malle of Gris only to swap her for Coots and Badlands later on in the book.
⚔️Silverfox, Summoner to the T’lan Imass. I don’t know about you but I have been undying to see Silverfox in proper action, therefore, please do not blame me that the one allegedly so powerful, foretold and destined to Hood knows what is a prematurely aged and essentially ineffectual individual who at first is utterly passive, then too late, and when she pushes herself towards the convergence the best we get from her is: This time I won’t ask. Really?
⚔️Shimmer and the selected elite of the Crimson Guard (K’azz included) make their way to Assail
⚔️There are also the locals, among them Orman - a youth with the spear; the spear is more important than the youth she perhaps the entry should read: Svalthbrul and ancient spear wielded by a random young adult.
The basic idea for the plot is that different people come to the same places, e.g. the Sea of Dread and do the same things over and over again with only slight variations that do not take away the repetitiveness. Also, the story is nothing we didn’t see (in Malazan proper): a sad tale of conquest and evisceration of a small traditional society by a more advanced and ruthless culture. The T’lan Imass are as always obsessed only with one thing so this strand does not bring anything new or surprising. The Crimson Guard evidently lost its rationale so they are grasping at the straws to have a reason to go on.
As I was reading, it became apparent that the plot lines are managed just fine (there is no doubt that ICE has grown as an author, I am still cringing thinking of the Night of Knives in my back), but the character development or even portrayal (except for the mustaches they all seem to love to excess in this instalment) or the subtle message that would go beyond truisms and platitudes (something I love Malazan proper for, even though Mr Erikson became a bit excessive towards the end) - that was entirely missing.
Maybe this was rooted in the fact that from the very beginning I had a problem with ascertaining the main plot/arc of this series. You will notice that my reviews in each book more or less list the main POVs. But if you ask me what is the binding, overarching theme, I would be at a loss to point my finger. We started with Kiska but that journey has earlier met its end. Is it the Crimson Guard? Perhaps it is Kyle’s story set against their background? Or maybe T’lan Imass stole the show in the end?
Eventually, I came to a conclusion that the worst thing is that it entirely does not matter. There could easily be six or even sixty six more books in this series and all of them would not lead us anywhere because the whole Malazan idea has been going in circles for some time already.
I’d recommend the book and the series to the devoted fandom but then the fandom does not require recommendations. I have serious misgivings whether “normal people” would appreciate the book or indeed the whole series.
Also in the series:
1. Night of Knives ★★☆☆☆
2. Return of the Crimson Guard ★★★★☆
3. Stonewielder ★★☆☆☆
4. Orb Sceptre Throne ★★★☆☆
5. Blood and Bone ★★★☆☆
March 7, 2018
Almost nothing in this Malazan world is infinite. Neither a life, nor seemingly neither a death.
When characters die, their spiritual manifestation aptly goes through Hood’s gate.
(Hood being a Lord of Death and patron god of dead.)
Others – because this is a big world and Hood is not a god of death everywhere – maybe even get cursed and they never get to die, they just move on, trapped in their dead bodies. Others elusively manage to stay above the ground for some time, and of course, there are Ascendants and gods with unnaturally long life.
But, the rule is: everyone at some point will die and their spirit continues its existence somewhere else.
Yes, for the sake of the story, here and there, someone slips under the fence, escapes the realm of death and gets back to life. And that’s OK. That I understand. It worked for the story.
Until we were introduced with a possibility that spirits, which moved on, can meet a far more definitive end. With ferocious finality.
You see, everyone in this world is inside a dream. Be they living or be they dead, they exist inside a Burn’s sleep. Outside of hers sleep there’s a chaos. Nonexistence. Oblivion.
So, when a character in his living flesh and blood, or as a dead spirit, gets out of this dream and into the chaos – that’s it. A true end.
Those are the rules that we have learned at the middle of the series and rules that were applied on numerous occasions.
So, if I ever wrote a book (I won’t. Hence this nonchalant bravado in criticizing Ian and Steven here, I guess.), that’s a part of the thirty inter-connected book series, and if we build a world and I followed the rules that we set in it – I definitely wouldn’t change them so abruptly and cheaply in the final page of the epilogue of my last book in the series!
I understand. Both authors are alive and well. They need to provide source of income. There are many spinoffs, sequels and prequels more to write.
But please, if you took upon yourself to write tie-ins and answer questions we’ve been waiting for, could you please, first bring us to necessary closure – before you start raising new questions?
Assail, sixth and final book in Ian C. Esslemont’s Malazan Empire series is set on the most dangerous continent in Malazan world. All books and mysteries within lead up to this moment. Ice is melted and Assail is open for business.
Overall, while I did enjoy parts of the book, enjoyed some of the much beloved characters from the main series – but not necessarily their stories – I got myself many answers and somewhat satisfying conclusion.
When characters die, their spiritual manifestation aptly goes through Hood’s gate.
(Hood being a Lord of Death and patron god of dead.)
Others – because this is a big world and Hood is not a god of death everywhere – maybe even get cursed and they never get to die, they just move on, trapped in their dead bodies. Others elusively manage to stay above the ground for some time, and of course, there are Ascendants and gods with unnaturally long life.
But, the rule is: everyone at some point will die and their spirit continues its existence somewhere else.
Yes, for the sake of the story, here and there, someone slips under the fence, escapes the realm of death and gets back to life. And that’s OK. That I understand. It worked for the story.
Until we were introduced with a possibility that spirits, which moved on, can meet a far more definitive end. With ferocious finality.
You see, everyone in this world is inside a dream. Be they living or be they dead, they exist inside a Burn’s sleep. Outside of hers sleep there’s a chaos. Nonexistence. Oblivion.
So, when a character in his living flesh and blood, or as a dead spirit, gets out of this dream and into the chaos – that’s it. A true end.
Those are the rules that we have learned at the middle of the series and rules that were applied on numerous occasions.
So, if I ever wrote a book (I won’t. Hence this nonchalant bravado in criticizing Ian and Steven here, I guess.), that’s a part of the thirty inter-connected book series, and if we build a world and I followed the rules that we set in it – I definitely wouldn’t change them so abruptly and cheaply in the final page of the epilogue of my last book in the series!
I understand. Both authors are alive and well. They need to provide source of income. There are many spinoffs, sequels and prequels more to write.
But please, if you took upon yourself to write tie-ins and answer questions we’ve been waiting for, could you please, first bring us to necessary closure – before you start raising new questions?
Assail, sixth and final book in Ian C. Esslemont’s Malazan Empire series is set on the most dangerous continent in Malazan world. All books and mysteries within lead up to this moment. Ice is melted and Assail is open for business.
Overall, while I did enjoy parts of the book, enjoyed some of the much beloved characters from the main series – but not necessarily their stories – I got myself many answers and somewhat satisfying conclusion.
August 22, 2019
The final book in I.C.E’s original series of six is a bit of a mixed bag of highs and lows. Just like the Crippled God i had an idea in my mind of how i wanted this to end but it wasn’t even close. I guess that’s just life; what you want and what you get are rarely the same.
I was expecting at least 90% of the book to be set on Assail. This is what happened in Blood & Bone with Jacuruku and i wanted to explore Assail in the same manner but it always felt as if i was stuck on the coast in a ship. Rather than just arriving at Assail and setting off for the Sea of Gold the main characters spent most of their time navigating the coast looking for an appropriate place to land. This was fine for a while but eventually it became tiresome and resembled Pirates of the Caribbean. When the Malazans et al do eventually land the book is two thirds done. The parts set on Assail followed Orman, who has acquired his dead fathers legendary spear, and the rest of his clan as they battled other clans. I think this was the general gist of the story as it was pretty boring and after a while i realised i wasn’t sure what was happening.
Luckily there were a few sub-stories that made Assail worth the effort. The Crimson Guard are on their way to Assail to save member Cal-brinn, who was left stranded many years before, and to find the secrets of their ‘Vow’. Yes, they do spend most of their time on a ship but they’re far more interesting than the invading Malazan and Letherii soldiers. The other character who i hope appears in future books is Kyle; he’s great. As is Fisher kel Tarth who travels to Assail for a homely visit and meets a Tiste Andii with memory loss.
The main crux of the story is the returning T’lan Imass to Assail to stir up some more trouble with the Jaghut. Silverfox, our beloved Summoner from Memories of Ice, is there to stop them and calm the situation.
Beyond this point there will be Spoilers:
Not as consistently good as the Erikson series but i still enjoyed it.
In true nerd style i’m going to put the books in the order of favourite to least favourite
1. Stonewielder
2. Blood & Bone
3. Return of the Crimson Guard
4. Orb Sceptre Throne
5. Assail
6. Night of Knives
I was expecting at least 90% of the book to be set on Assail. This is what happened in Blood & Bone with Jacuruku and i wanted to explore Assail in the same manner but it always felt as if i was stuck on the coast in a ship. Rather than just arriving at Assail and setting off for the Sea of Gold the main characters spent most of their time navigating the coast looking for an appropriate place to land. This was fine for a while but eventually it became tiresome and resembled Pirates of the Caribbean. When the Malazans et al do eventually land the book is two thirds done. The parts set on Assail followed Orman, who has acquired his dead fathers legendary spear, and the rest of his clan as they battled other clans. I think this was the general gist of the story as it was pretty boring and after a while i realised i wasn’t sure what was happening.
Luckily there were a few sub-stories that made Assail worth the effort. The Crimson Guard are on their way to Assail to save member Cal-brinn, who was left stranded many years before, and to find the secrets of their ‘Vow’. Yes, they do spend most of their time on a ship but they’re far more interesting than the invading Malazan and Letherii soldiers. The other character who i hope appears in future books is Kyle; he’s great. As is Fisher kel Tarth who travels to Assail for a homely visit and meets a Tiste Andii with memory loss.
The main crux of the story is the returning T’lan Imass to Assail to stir up some more trouble with the Jaghut. Silverfox, our beloved Summoner from Memories of Ice, is there to stop them and calm the situation.
Beyond this point there will be Spoilers:
Not as consistently good as the Erikson series but i still enjoyed it.
In true nerd style i’m going to put the books in the order of favourite to least favourite
1. Stonewielder
2. Blood & Bone
3. Return of the Crimson Guard
4. Orb Sceptre Throne
5. Assail
6. Night of Knives
December 14, 2015
Dang...what a convergence!
This is Book 6 in a series. If you don't read the other books you wont get this. (Duh, but there is a reviewer who apparently does not)
Appearing in time after Blood and Bone, this book wraps up the storyline of the Crimson Guard and the Imaas war on the Jaghut, The story behind Stalker, Badlands and Coot, and also what happened to all those stolen munitions! I loved the re-appearance of Crust....
At the end, there is a twist involving an unexpected returning character (although I dont know why I was surprised...Malazan is teeming with the back-from the-dead types)
I really think Esslemont has improves with every book. He isnt Steven Erikson, and it doesn't make sense to expect him to write the same way.
This is Book 6 in a series. If you don't read the other books you wont get this. (Duh, but there is a reviewer who apparently does not)
Appearing in time after Blood and Bone, this book wraps up the storyline of the Crimson Guard and the Imaas war on the Jaghut, The story behind Stalker, Badlands and Coot, and also what happened to all those stolen munitions! I loved the re-appearance of Crust....
At the end, there is a twist involving an unexpected returning character (although I dont know why I was surprised...Malazan is teeming with the back-from the-dead types)
I really think Esslemont has improves with every book. He isnt Steven Erikson, and it doesn't make sense to expect him to write the same way.
December 22, 2023
"In queste righe ci sono racconti.
Per ogni linea, un sorriso spezzato.
Avvicinati allora e asciuga queste lacrime.
Perché ho una storia da raccontare"
Sesto e ultimo romanzo del ciclo Malazan di Esslemont.
Ambientato due mesi dopo la fine di "Blood and Bone" anche in questo romanzo seguiremo, tra le altre storie, il destino dei membri della Guardia Cremisi.
Un romanzo che si prende i suoi tempi presentando una decina di sottotrame con punti di vista capaci di intrattenere e allo stesso tempo descrivere al meglio un territorio selvaggio, le sue popolazioni e le loro tradizioni.
Voci di giacimenti d'oro nel territorio inospitale di Assail hanno attraversato i mari e da tutte le terre conosciute velieri pieni di cercatori di fortuna si dirigono verso le sue coste impervie per raggiungere infine le sue immense montagne avvolte da nebbie e ghiacci millenari.
Cercatori d'oro di ogni etnia, barbari delle montagne, truppe di conquista Letheri e Malazan. Tra personaggi nuovi e vecchie conoscenze, giungono in questi territori anche i T'lan Imass nel perseguire e forse portare a termine la loro millenaria faida con i loro nemici di sempre, gli Jaghut.
Leggendo il romanzo si può avere la sensazione di smarrimento, si cerca di trovare un senso agli scopi dei protagonisti ma, in effetti, gli scopi sono stati costruiti nel corso dei romanzi precedenti e Esslemont non sente assolutamente il bisogno di ripeterli.
Con questi romanzi bisogna lasciarsi trasportare e godersi il viaggio facendo sempre molta attenzione. Alla fine si viene profondamente ricompensati.
Questo porta alla conclusione che è quasi impossibile leggere questi romanzi senza seguire l'ordine cronologico di pubblicazione, pena il rischiare di perdersi talmente tanto da rimanere delusi.
Erroneamente.
Anche questo è un altro ottimo romanzo del ciclo, degno, come tutti, di più letture per apprezzare le sottigliezze della trama generale e delle molte sottotrame, la maestria nella gestione dei dialoghi e dei caratteri dei personaggi in gioco.
La saga Malazan è già leggenda, tappa fondamentale per ogni lettore fantasy.
----------------------
"In these lines there are stories.
For every line, a broken smile.
Come closer then and dry these tears.
Because I have a story to tell"
Sixth and final novel of Esslemont's Malazan cycle.
Set two months after the end of "Blood and Bone", in this novel we will also follow, among other stories, the fate of the members of the Crimson Guard.
A novel that takes its time presenting around ten subplots with points of view capable of entertaining and at the same time best describing a wild territory, its populations and their traditions.
Rumors of gold deposits in the inhospitable territory of Assail have crossed the seas and from all known lands sailing ships full of fortune seekers head towards its rugged coasts to finally reach its immense mountains shrouded in mists and age-old ice.
Gold miners of all ethnicities, mountain barbarians, Letheri and Malazan conquering troops. Among new characters and old acquaintances, the T'lan Imass also arrive in these territories in order to pursue and perhaps bring to an end their thousand-year-old feud with their long-time enemies, the Jaghut.
Reading the novel one can have the feeling of loss, one tries to find meaning in the protagonists' goals but, in fact, the goals have been built over the course of the previous novels and Esslemont absolutely feels no need to repeat them.
With these novels you have to let yourself be carried away and enjoy the journey while always being very careful. In the end you are deeply rewarded.
This leads to the conclusion that it is almost impossible to read these novels without following the chronological order of publication, otherwise you risk getting so lost that you end up disappointed.
Wrongly.
This is also another excellent novel of the cycle, worthy, like all of them, of multiple readings to appreciate the subtleties of the general plot and the many subplots, the mastery in managing the dialogues and the characters of the characters in play.
The Malazan saga is already legend, a fundamental stage for every fantasy reader.
Per ogni linea, un sorriso spezzato.
Avvicinati allora e asciuga queste lacrime.
Perché ho una storia da raccontare"
Sesto e ultimo romanzo del ciclo Malazan di Esslemont.
Ambientato due mesi dopo la fine di "Blood and Bone" anche in questo romanzo seguiremo, tra le altre storie, il destino dei membri della Guardia Cremisi.
Un romanzo che si prende i suoi tempi presentando una decina di sottotrame con punti di vista capaci di intrattenere e allo stesso tempo descrivere al meglio un territorio selvaggio, le sue popolazioni e le loro tradizioni.
Voci di giacimenti d'oro nel territorio inospitale di Assail hanno attraversato i mari e da tutte le terre conosciute velieri pieni di cercatori di fortuna si dirigono verso le sue coste impervie per raggiungere infine le sue immense montagne avvolte da nebbie e ghiacci millenari.
Cercatori d'oro di ogni etnia, barbari delle montagne, truppe di conquista Letheri e Malazan. Tra personaggi nuovi e vecchie conoscenze, giungono in questi territori anche i T'lan Imass nel perseguire e forse portare a termine la loro millenaria faida con i loro nemici di sempre, gli Jaghut.
Leggendo il romanzo si può avere la sensazione di smarrimento, si cerca di trovare un senso agli scopi dei protagonisti ma, in effetti, gli scopi sono stati costruiti nel corso dei romanzi precedenti e Esslemont non sente assolutamente il bisogno di ripeterli.
Con questi romanzi bisogna lasciarsi trasportare e godersi il viaggio facendo sempre molta attenzione. Alla fine si viene profondamente ricompensati.
Questo porta alla conclusione che è quasi impossibile leggere questi romanzi senza seguire l'ordine cronologico di pubblicazione, pena il rischiare di perdersi talmente tanto da rimanere delusi.
Erroneamente.
Anche questo è un altro ottimo romanzo del ciclo, degno, come tutti, di più letture per apprezzare le sottigliezze della trama generale e delle molte sottotrame, la maestria nella gestione dei dialoghi e dei caratteri dei personaggi in gioco.
La saga Malazan è già leggenda, tappa fondamentale per ogni lettore fantasy.
----------------------
"In these lines there are stories.
For every line, a broken smile.
Come closer then and dry these tears.
Because I have a story to tell"
Sixth and final novel of Esslemont's Malazan cycle.
Set two months after the end of "Blood and Bone", in this novel we will also follow, among other stories, the fate of the members of the Crimson Guard.
A novel that takes its time presenting around ten subplots with points of view capable of entertaining and at the same time best describing a wild territory, its populations and their traditions.
Rumors of gold deposits in the inhospitable territory of Assail have crossed the seas and from all known lands sailing ships full of fortune seekers head towards its rugged coasts to finally reach its immense mountains shrouded in mists and age-old ice.
Gold miners of all ethnicities, mountain barbarians, Letheri and Malazan conquering troops. Among new characters and old acquaintances, the T'lan Imass also arrive in these territories in order to pursue and perhaps bring to an end their thousand-year-old feud with their long-time enemies, the Jaghut.
Reading the novel one can have the feeling of loss, one tries to find meaning in the protagonists' goals but, in fact, the goals have been built over the course of the previous novels and Esslemont absolutely feels no need to repeat them.
With these novels you have to let yourself be carried away and enjoy the journey while always being very careful. In the end you are deeply rewarded.
This leads to the conclusion that it is almost impossible to read these novels without following the chronological order of publication, otherwise you risk getting so lost that you end up disappointed.
Wrongly.
This is also another excellent novel of the cycle, worthy, like all of them, of multiple readings to appreciate the subtleties of the general plot and the many subplots, the mastery in managing the dialogues and the characters of the characters in play.
The Malazan saga is already legend, a fundamental stage for every fantasy reader.
February 4, 2020
*** 4.75 ***
Once again, this Malazan world and its inhabitants completely wrecked me! I must be a masochist, because I keep reading this series, which is a prolonged commentary on the human condition and all the good and the bad it encapsulates... And if new books come after this one, I will keep reading them with hunger and relish, because I obviously love to live through all the suffering and pain! But it hurts so good...!
Once again, this Malazan world and its inhabitants completely wrecked me! I must be a masochist, because I keep reading this series, which is a prolonged commentary on the human condition and all the good and the bad it encapsulates... And if new books come after this one, I will keep reading them with hunger and relish, because I obviously love to live through all the suffering and pain! But it hurts so good...!
February 11, 2022
Best book in the series! The last installment, Blood and Bone, was a little disappointing. I'm glad this one ended on a high note. I hope to see some of these characters in future Malazan books.
Actual Rating: 4.5 stars
Actual Rating: 4.5 stars
January 19, 2020
I'll summarize this book/series with one word: MEH.
Note to self: Stop reading books you don't enjoy just for the sake of completing the series.
Note to self: Stop reading books you don't enjoy just for the sake of completing the series.
January 21, 2018
The final book in Esslemont's Novels of the Malazan Empire series was a disappointment.
Most of my problems revolve around the structure of the plot. Specifically, the reader is given no reason to care about anything. Much like was the case in the previous book, *Blood and Bone*, Esslemont seems to want to exploit the Malazan setting by writing books that do little beyond featuring events set in the world of Erikson's outstanding Malazan Book of the Fallen series.
Some of the character (e.g., Kyle) have been around since Esslemont's second book, *Return of the Crimson Guard*, and it's sad to see that the characters haven't really had much of a trajectory at all. It's possible that we'll encounter some of these characters in later Malazan books, so that would explain the lack of closure. Yet, inexcusably, the reader discovers that these characters have hardly had any quest or story arc to speak of.
The vast majority of this book is set in Assail, a mysterious land that we have heard a lot about but have never really seen before. Most of the characters are drawn to Assail due a gold rush in the region. However, I don't think this motivation is sustained throughout the book for very long, for anyone; there's practically nobody who wants gold when the book is even thirty-five percent done. It's easy at that point to ask 'OK, so, why, for instance, is Fisher here?'. He was someone who was never in Assail for gold, at all, it seems -- and there seems to be absolutely no reason why Fisher is in Assail. The same can be said for Kyle: why is he here? What's keeping him here?
The answer: there's no reason. There is nothing to motivate the characters, and there's no reason for a reader to want to see what they do.
There is one exception: the Crimson Guard, who are in Assail for the sake of learning something mysterious about the vow they've sworn. Still, that story falls flat for a variety of reasons. One is that the story is stretched out too long. Another is that some characters are already aware of the secret but don't want to disclose it, on the grounds that others characters should 'see it for themselves'. (This makes the [very] long wait for the reveal seem contrived.) A third reason is that the reveal is not that exciting, when you learn it after around 750 pages. The very last and most damning reason is we're told basically nothing about this mystery other than that is a mysterious mystery. Esslemont makes no effort to make the reader care about it; instead, he relies exclusively on the hope that since this is a mystery concerning some longtime players in the Malazan world, the Crimson Guard, the reader will care.
This is a motif in Esslemont's writing: he makes no effort to make the reader care.
I do not recommend *Assail*.
Most of my problems revolve around the structure of the plot. Specifically, the reader is given no reason to care about anything. Much like was the case in the previous book, *Blood and Bone*, Esslemont seems to want to exploit the Malazan setting by writing books that do little beyond featuring events set in the world of Erikson's outstanding Malazan Book of the Fallen series.
Some of the character (e.g., Kyle) have been around since Esslemont's second book, *Return of the Crimson Guard*, and it's sad to see that the characters haven't really had much of a trajectory at all. It's possible that we'll encounter some of these characters in later Malazan books, so that would explain the lack of closure. Yet, inexcusably, the reader discovers that these characters have hardly had any quest or story arc to speak of.
The vast majority of this book is set in Assail, a mysterious land that we have heard a lot about but have never really seen before. Most of the characters are drawn to Assail due a gold rush in the region. However, I don't think this motivation is sustained throughout the book for very long, for anyone; there's practically nobody who wants gold when the book is even thirty-five percent done. It's easy at that point to ask 'OK, so, why, for instance, is Fisher here?'. He was someone who was never in Assail for gold, at all, it seems -- and there seems to be absolutely no reason why Fisher is in Assail. The same can be said for Kyle: why is he here? What's keeping him here?
The answer: there's no reason. There is nothing to motivate the characters, and there's no reason for a reader to want to see what they do.
There is one exception: the Crimson Guard, who are in Assail for the sake of learning something mysterious about the vow they've sworn. Still, that story falls flat for a variety of reasons. One is that the story is stretched out too long. Another is that some characters are already aware of the secret but don't want to disclose it, on the grounds that others characters should 'see it for themselves'. (This makes the [very] long wait for the reveal seem contrived.) A third reason is that the reveal is not that exciting, when you learn it after around 750 pages. The very last and most damning reason is we're told basically nothing about this mystery other than that is a mysterious mystery. Esslemont makes no effort to make the reader care about it; instead, he relies exclusively on the hope that since this is a mystery concerning some longtime players in the Malazan world, the Crimson Guard, the reader will care.
This is a motif in Esslemont's writing: he makes no effort to make the reader care.
I do not recommend *Assail*.
June 7, 2016
Oh, dear god, and it all comes to an end...
I have avidly--and with great passion, joy, sadness, and grief--read every installment in the episodes of 'The Malazan Book of the Fallen' and the 'The Malazan Empire' by Steven Erikson and Ian C. Esslemont, respectively. This stuff is absolutely 'off-the-hook' good...the very best fantasy fiction that you'll ever encounter. It is a mythology for our time--something akin to what J.R.R. Tolkien intended with his crafting of The Silmarillion. These two Canadian authors have given us a tale of a world and its peoples and alternative belief systems just like the world we live we in today.
Ian C. Esslemont's last installment in his 'Malazan Empire' series, Assail is, without a doubt, his very, very best novel. The convergence of characters and activities on the mysterious island continent of Assail are meant to be, I believe, somewhat contemporaneous in time with Erikson's tale's in Dust of Dreams and The Crippled God, and damned if it all doesn't make sense and shine new light on some unresolved issues in Erikson's novels.
Suffice it to say that if you're a Malazan junkie like me, I am not gonna breathe a word about the plot here; and if you have no knowledge of the world that Messrs. Erikson and Esslemont have created you could care less. If you are a 'newbie', all I can tell you is to start at the beginning and find yourself completely and unalterably ensorcelled by some of the very best fantasy fiction in the last several decades. Esslemont's Assail is a more than worthy exclamation point to this awesome series of novels.
I have avidly--and with great passion, joy, sadness, and grief--read every installment in the episodes of 'The Malazan Book of the Fallen' and the 'The Malazan Empire' by Steven Erikson and Ian C. Esslemont, respectively. This stuff is absolutely 'off-the-hook' good...the very best fantasy fiction that you'll ever encounter. It is a mythology for our time--something akin to what J.R.R. Tolkien intended with his crafting of The Silmarillion. These two Canadian authors have given us a tale of a world and its peoples and alternative belief systems just like the world we live we in today.
Ian C. Esslemont's last installment in his 'Malazan Empire' series, Assail is, without a doubt, his very, very best novel. The convergence of characters and activities on the mysterious island continent of Assail are meant to be, I believe, somewhat contemporaneous in time with Erikson's tale's in Dust of Dreams and The Crippled God, and damned if it all doesn't make sense and shine new light on some unresolved issues in Erikson's novels.
Suffice it to say that if you're a Malazan junkie like me, I am not gonna breathe a word about the plot here; and if you have no knowledge of the world that Messrs. Erikson and Esslemont have created you could care less. If you are a 'newbie', all I can tell you is to start at the beginning and find yourself completely and unalterably ensorcelled by some of the very best fantasy fiction in the last several decades. Esslemont's Assail is a more than worthy exclamation point to this awesome series of novels.
February 28, 2022
A very good ending to the "Novels of the Malazan Empire" series
I was pretty disappointed with the previous entry in this series (Blood and Bone), which I found to be the weakest of the "Novels of the Malazan Empire" series. I had read quite a few reviews that said this book was more of the same, but I thankfully do not agree.
This book felt like classic Malazan, with a fresh new continent that had previously not had any attention. I absolutely love everything about the T'lan Imass, so having them be the focus of this story really resonated with me in a wonderful way.
This doesn't quite hit the "highs" of an Erikson Malazan book, but it is nonetheless very good.
I was pretty disappointed with the previous entry in this series (Blood and Bone), which I found to be the weakest of the "Novels of the Malazan Empire" series. I had read quite a few reviews that said this book was more of the same, but I thankfully do not agree.
This book felt like classic Malazan, with a fresh new continent that had previously not had any attention. I absolutely love everything about the T'lan Imass, so having them be the focus of this story really resonated with me in a wonderful way.
This doesn't quite hit the "highs" of an Erikson Malazan book, but it is nonetheless very good.
February 1, 2022
This is the way the world ends
Not with a bang but a whimper.
Not with a bang but a whimper.
June 16, 2018
(Comentario en español más abajo)
"What was he like?"
"Who?"
"The old Emperor."
Cartheron pulled a hand down his greying jowls, nodded his understanding of Jute's interest. "I could never make up mind if he was the biggest fool I'd ever met, or the most cunning bastard."
Another Malazan book added to my all-time favourite books! Assail was amazing and an awesome ending for the Crimson Guard plot.
I can't believe I've already read all 16 main books of the Malazan universe! This is by far the longest fantasy series I've ever read, and probably the best I'll ever read; nothing can compare to the epic scope of this series. Any fantasy fan should read these books.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Assail es la épica conclusión del segundo arco argumental de Malaz. Me pareció el mejor libro de Esslemont por lejos, lleno de acción y respuestas a muchos de los misterios ancestrales que se plantean en los 10 libros de Steven Erikson.
Al estar ambientado después de los eventos de The Crippled God, este libro sirve de epílogo para la saga principal. Me encantó cómo Esslemont exploró las diferentes facciones existentes en Assail, el único continente del mundo de Malaz que quedaba por explorar. Muchos personajes nuevos y viejos convergen para una última batalla y para revelar el misterio de los Jaghut.
La saga de Malaz es la más extensa que he leído y me fascinó, cada uno de los 16 libros que componen esta obra maestra de la fantasía es brutal y abarca un montón de cuestiones como el destino, el poder de los dioses y cómo las diferentes razas están condenadas a enfrentarse entre sí hasta el fin de los tiempos. Considero que todo fanático de la fantasía debería leerla.
Subiré una reseña completa de estos 6 libros próximamente =)
"What was he like?"
"Who?"
"The old Emperor."
Cartheron pulled a hand down his greying jowls, nodded his understanding of Jute's interest. "I could never make up mind if he was the biggest fool I'd ever met, or the most cunning bastard."
Another Malazan book added to my all-time favourite books! Assail was amazing and an awesome ending for the Crimson Guard plot.
I can't believe I've already read all 16 main books of the Malazan universe! This is by far the longest fantasy series I've ever read, and probably the best I'll ever read; nothing can compare to the epic scope of this series. Any fantasy fan should read these books.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Assail es la épica conclusión del segundo arco argumental de Malaz. Me pareció el mejor libro de Esslemont por lejos, lleno de acción y respuestas a muchos de los misterios ancestrales que se plantean en los 10 libros de Steven Erikson.
Al estar ambientado después de los eventos de The Crippled God, este libro sirve de epílogo para la saga principal. Me encantó cómo Esslemont exploró las diferentes facciones existentes en Assail, el único continente del mundo de Malaz que quedaba por explorar. Muchos personajes nuevos y viejos convergen para una última batalla y para revelar el misterio de los Jaghut.
La saga de Malaz es la más extensa que he leído y me fascinó, cada uno de los 16 libros que componen esta obra maestra de la fantasía es brutal y abarca un montón de cuestiones como el destino, el poder de los dioses y cómo las diferentes razas están condenadas a enfrentarse entre sí hasta el fin de los tiempos. Considero que todo fanático de la fantasía debería leerla.
Subiré una reseña completa de estos 6 libros próximamente =)
August 17, 2016
Must re-read the entire series.
March 1, 2022
Liked it better on the re-read. Now I can begin to read Malazan books I've never read before (Path to Ascendancy, Kharkanas, The Witness) and I couldn't be more excited.
April 30, 2015
The continent of Assail. . . Most dangerous and mysterious place in the Malazan universe, or so we've been led to believe. Ever since Steven Erikson's Memories of Ice, the mere mention of Assail and its secrets has gotten Malazan fans giddy with excitement. And now, finally, Assail's mysteries would be revealed in what is dubbed "the final novel of the Malazan Empire." Problem is, could Ian Cameron Esslemont pull it off?
Esslemont's writing has been divisive from the very beginning, when Night of Knives was first released as a limited edition. From then on, a number of Erikson fans wrote him off and turned their backs on the Malazan co-creator. Others elected to stick with him and were rewarded by two thrilling and fascinating additions to the Malazan canon, Return of the Crimson Guard and Stonewielder. Unfortunately, two major letdowns in a row, Orb Sceptre Throne and Blood and Bone, made even some die-hard fans lose hope in Ian Cameron Esslemont. So much so that even on malazanempire.com, the emperor's own palace, so to speak, the biggest Malazan aficionados appear to be split into two camps. On the one hand, you have those who are happy with whatever helps further flesh out Steven Erikson's storylines. And on the other, you have those, like me, who have pretty much lost faith with Esslemont and bemoan the fact that the author seems to be unable to make his Malazan novels live up to the lofty expectations generated by his friend and fellow co-creator.
Understandably, my expectations were as low as humanly possible when I set out to read Assail. For some reason, it appears that the epilogue novel(s) is/are no longer scheduled to be published. Hence, Assail, to all ends and purposes, will likely be the last Malazan installment covering the main story arcs introduced by Steven Erikson. Early on, when the novel was slow-moving and focused on extraneous plotlines, it was obvious that Assail would fail to wrap everything up in true Malazan fashion. And in the end, this book miserably failed to meet even my oh-so low expectations. . .
Assail is Ian Cameron Esslemont's The Crippled God. The culmination of a variety of far-reaching storylines spread through his last four novels. Some of them first explored by Erikson in the original sequence, years ago. And although many fans doubted that Esslemont could close the show the way Erikson did in the last volume of The Malazan Book of the Fallen, I would never have expected that Assail would be such a disheartening disappointment. . .
Here's the blurb:
Tens of thousands of years of ice is melting, and the land of Assail, long a byword for menace and inaccessibility, is at last yielding its secrets. Tales of gold discovered in the region’s north circulate in every waterfront dive and sailor’s tavern and now countless adventurers and fortune-seekers have set sail in search of riches. All these adventurers have to guide them are legends and garbled tales of the dangers that lie in wait - hostile coasts, fields of ice, impassable barriers and strange, terrifying creatures. But all accounts concur that the people of the north meet all trespassers with the sword. And beyond are rumoured to lurk Elder monsters out of history’s very beginnings.
Into this turmoil ventures the mercenary company, the Crimson Guard. Not drawn by contract, but by the promise of answers: answers that Shimmer, second in command, feels should not be sought. Also heading north, as part of an uneasy alliance of Malazan fortune-hunters and Letherii soldiery, comes the bard Fisher kel Tath. With him is a Tiste Andii who was found washed ashore and cannot remember his past and yet commands far more power than he really should. It is also rumoured that a warrior, bearer of a sword that slays gods and who once fought for the Malazans, is also journeying that way. But far to the south, a woman patiently guards the shore. She awaits both allies and enemies. She is Silverfox, newly incarnate Summoner of the undying army of the T’lan Imass, and she will do anything to stop the renewal of an ages-old crusade that could lay waste to the entire continent and beyond. Casting light on mysteries spanning the Malazan empire, and offering a glimpse of the storied and epic history that shaped it, Assail brings the epic story of the Empire of Malaz to a thrilling close.
The worldbuilding is always one of the key ingredients in every Malazan installment. And in this regard at least, Esslemont doesn't usually disappoint. Almost nothing is known with certainty about Assail, and like all fans I relished the idea of getting an opportunity to explore this mysterious corner of Wu. Sadly, unlike Blood and Bone, in which I felt the author captured the Southeast Asian jungle setting to perfection in his depiction of the Himatan jungle in Jacuruku, Assail feels more or less like Northern British Columbia or Alaska. And yet, it's not the imagery that's the problem. Esslemont's descriptive narrative is probably as good as in any of his other novels. It's the essence of Assail, its mysteries, its aura, its dangers; all of these the author failed to convey. We are talking about a continent which the Emperor and Dancer steered clear of, for it was deemed too dangerous. A place where human rulers supposedly not only stood up against legions of T'lan Imass, but destroyed thousands of them in the process. But for all that, there is nothing in the narrative that conveys that aura of utmost danger. Frankly, Erikson's depiction of Seven Cities felt a hundred times more perilous. Readers looking forward to revelations about Assail's numerous secrets will also be disappointed. The book offers very little in that regard, which makes me wonder how/why Assail could ever be the final volume of the Malazan Empire.
The characterization is by far the weakest aspect of this work. How the hell it could once again be that bad, I'll never know. While the plotlines don't necessarily lack any sense of direction the way they did in Blood and Bone, they are nevertheless uninvolving for the most part, and most of the protagonists remain flat, generic, cardboard cutout characters. Especially anything involving the members of the Crimson Guard, which is reminiscent of inane Forgotten Realms-like crap. How unimpressive, boring, and pathetic have they all become. . . And the dialogue? As was the case in Blood and Bone, too often is the back-and-forth between the protagonists adolescent and puerile. In addition, the unexpected romance between two members turned out to be a little lame. The plotline exploring Silverfox and the T'lan Imass is by far the least exploited. Which is odd, as I expected it to lie at the heart of the tale. One of Assail's biggest shortcomings is the inexplicably high number of points of view. With so little taking place throughout this book, one has to wonder why Esslemont felt the need for readers to witness events occur through the eyes of so many characters. Following several extraneous plotlines that often bring little or nothing to the overall story arc killed the flow of the novel and slowed the rhythm to a crawl in various portions of the story. I could have done without many of the sailors' POVs. Other than Cartheron Crust, who somehow stole the show in every scene in which he appeared. Still, way too much "air time" was devoted to Kyle and Orman. Fisher and Jethiss' storyline proved to be one of the most interesting, and kudos to Esslemont for the unanticipated surprise at the end!
In the past, we have often overlooked Esslemont's occasional shortcomings, maintaining that he was "fleshing out" Erikson's storylines, providing answers and raising more questions. No matter from what angle you look at it, Assail remains a somewhat poor and unispired work. As was the case with its two predecessors, with Assail it is evident that Ian Cameron Esslemont didn't have what it takes as an author to truly do justice to the storylines that were his. Though the quality of both Return of the Crimson Guard and Stonewielder argues against such a statement. Now that his arcs are done, it is obvious that, unlike Steven Erikson, his skills were not necessarily up to the task. Which is a shame, as he had some awesome plotlines to work with, chief among those the Crimson Guard, the T'lan Imass, and the mysteries of Assail.
The only positive facet of Assail would be its ending. It was a good ending. Not great, but good. In no way a fitting end to the Malazan saga, however. Truth to tell, it wasn't even an ending per se. Hence, without the epilogue book(s), it makes very little sense for the saga to end this way. There was no major convergence, no mindfuck, no proverbial shit hitting the fan. It is decidedly anticlimactic, but it does tie up all the Ian Cameron Esslemont books. So does the ending save the entire book? No way. Not by a long shot. Assail is 80% filler material, bloating up the book between the scenes that actually matters.
So in the end, Assail is not a total loss. No matter how anticlimactic the endgame proved to be, Esslemont closed the show on a high note. But for the most part, Assail can be nothing but another major disappointment. . .
For more reviews: www.fantasyhotlist.blogspot.com
Esslemont's writing has been divisive from the very beginning, when Night of Knives was first released as a limited edition. From then on, a number of Erikson fans wrote him off and turned their backs on the Malazan co-creator. Others elected to stick with him and were rewarded by two thrilling and fascinating additions to the Malazan canon, Return of the Crimson Guard and Stonewielder. Unfortunately, two major letdowns in a row, Orb Sceptre Throne and Blood and Bone, made even some die-hard fans lose hope in Ian Cameron Esslemont. So much so that even on malazanempire.com, the emperor's own palace, so to speak, the biggest Malazan aficionados appear to be split into two camps. On the one hand, you have those who are happy with whatever helps further flesh out Steven Erikson's storylines. And on the other, you have those, like me, who have pretty much lost faith with Esslemont and bemoan the fact that the author seems to be unable to make his Malazan novels live up to the lofty expectations generated by his friend and fellow co-creator.
Understandably, my expectations were as low as humanly possible when I set out to read Assail. For some reason, it appears that the epilogue novel(s) is/are no longer scheduled to be published. Hence, Assail, to all ends and purposes, will likely be the last Malazan installment covering the main story arcs introduced by Steven Erikson. Early on, when the novel was slow-moving and focused on extraneous plotlines, it was obvious that Assail would fail to wrap everything up in true Malazan fashion. And in the end, this book miserably failed to meet even my oh-so low expectations. . .
Assail is Ian Cameron Esslemont's The Crippled God. The culmination of a variety of far-reaching storylines spread through his last four novels. Some of them first explored by Erikson in the original sequence, years ago. And although many fans doubted that Esslemont could close the show the way Erikson did in the last volume of The Malazan Book of the Fallen, I would never have expected that Assail would be such a disheartening disappointment. . .
Here's the blurb:
Tens of thousands of years of ice is melting, and the land of Assail, long a byword for menace and inaccessibility, is at last yielding its secrets. Tales of gold discovered in the region’s north circulate in every waterfront dive and sailor’s tavern and now countless adventurers and fortune-seekers have set sail in search of riches. All these adventurers have to guide them are legends and garbled tales of the dangers that lie in wait - hostile coasts, fields of ice, impassable barriers and strange, terrifying creatures. But all accounts concur that the people of the north meet all trespassers with the sword. And beyond are rumoured to lurk Elder monsters out of history’s very beginnings.
Into this turmoil ventures the mercenary company, the Crimson Guard. Not drawn by contract, but by the promise of answers: answers that Shimmer, second in command, feels should not be sought. Also heading north, as part of an uneasy alliance of Malazan fortune-hunters and Letherii soldiery, comes the bard Fisher kel Tath. With him is a Tiste Andii who was found washed ashore and cannot remember his past and yet commands far more power than he really should. It is also rumoured that a warrior, bearer of a sword that slays gods and who once fought for the Malazans, is also journeying that way. But far to the south, a woman patiently guards the shore. She awaits both allies and enemies. She is Silverfox, newly incarnate Summoner of the undying army of the T’lan Imass, and she will do anything to stop the renewal of an ages-old crusade that could lay waste to the entire continent and beyond. Casting light on mysteries spanning the Malazan empire, and offering a glimpse of the storied and epic history that shaped it, Assail brings the epic story of the Empire of Malaz to a thrilling close.
The worldbuilding is always one of the key ingredients in every Malazan installment. And in this regard at least, Esslemont doesn't usually disappoint. Almost nothing is known with certainty about Assail, and like all fans I relished the idea of getting an opportunity to explore this mysterious corner of Wu. Sadly, unlike Blood and Bone, in which I felt the author captured the Southeast Asian jungle setting to perfection in his depiction of the Himatan jungle in Jacuruku, Assail feels more or less like Northern British Columbia or Alaska. And yet, it's not the imagery that's the problem. Esslemont's descriptive narrative is probably as good as in any of his other novels. It's the essence of Assail, its mysteries, its aura, its dangers; all of these the author failed to convey. We are talking about a continent which the Emperor and Dancer steered clear of, for it was deemed too dangerous. A place where human rulers supposedly not only stood up against legions of T'lan Imass, but destroyed thousands of them in the process. But for all that, there is nothing in the narrative that conveys that aura of utmost danger. Frankly, Erikson's depiction of Seven Cities felt a hundred times more perilous. Readers looking forward to revelations about Assail's numerous secrets will also be disappointed. The book offers very little in that regard, which makes me wonder how/why Assail could ever be the final volume of the Malazan Empire.
The characterization is by far the weakest aspect of this work. How the hell it could once again be that bad, I'll never know. While the plotlines don't necessarily lack any sense of direction the way they did in Blood and Bone, they are nevertheless uninvolving for the most part, and most of the protagonists remain flat, generic, cardboard cutout characters. Especially anything involving the members of the Crimson Guard, which is reminiscent of inane Forgotten Realms-like crap. How unimpressive, boring, and pathetic have they all become. . . And the dialogue? As was the case in Blood and Bone, too often is the back-and-forth between the protagonists adolescent and puerile. In addition, the unexpected romance between two members turned out to be a little lame. The plotline exploring Silverfox and the T'lan Imass is by far the least exploited. Which is odd, as I expected it to lie at the heart of the tale. One of Assail's biggest shortcomings is the inexplicably high number of points of view. With so little taking place throughout this book, one has to wonder why Esslemont felt the need for readers to witness events occur through the eyes of so many characters. Following several extraneous plotlines that often bring little or nothing to the overall story arc killed the flow of the novel and slowed the rhythm to a crawl in various portions of the story. I could have done without many of the sailors' POVs. Other than Cartheron Crust, who somehow stole the show in every scene in which he appeared. Still, way too much "air time" was devoted to Kyle and Orman. Fisher and Jethiss' storyline proved to be one of the most interesting, and kudos to Esslemont for the unanticipated surprise at the end!
In the past, we have often overlooked Esslemont's occasional shortcomings, maintaining that he was "fleshing out" Erikson's storylines, providing answers and raising more questions. No matter from what angle you look at it, Assail remains a somewhat poor and unispired work. As was the case with its two predecessors, with Assail it is evident that Ian Cameron Esslemont didn't have what it takes as an author to truly do justice to the storylines that were his. Though the quality of both Return of the Crimson Guard and Stonewielder argues against such a statement. Now that his arcs are done, it is obvious that, unlike Steven Erikson, his skills were not necessarily up to the task. Which is a shame, as he had some awesome plotlines to work with, chief among those the Crimson Guard, the T'lan Imass, and the mysteries of Assail.
The only positive facet of Assail would be its ending. It was a good ending. Not great, but good. In no way a fitting end to the Malazan saga, however. Truth to tell, it wasn't even an ending per se. Hence, without the epilogue book(s), it makes very little sense for the saga to end this way. There was no major convergence, no mindfuck, no proverbial shit hitting the fan. It is decidedly anticlimactic, but it does tie up all the Ian Cameron Esslemont books. So does the ending save the entire book? No way. Not by a long shot. Assail is 80% filler material, bloating up the book between the scenes that actually matters.
So in the end, Assail is not a total loss. No matter how anticlimactic the endgame proved to be, Esslemont closed the show on a high note. But for the most part, Assail can be nothing but another major disappointment. . .
For more reviews: www.fantasyhotlist.blogspot.com
February 22, 2017
Right, chaps - I'm sorry I went AWOL on this one for a while, but now back and ready to race into Forge of Darkness. I have my shiny copy sat right next to me and ready to go.
Which means revisiting my thoughts on Assail.
What's strange is that this is the first novel in the re-read that I came to with more of an editorial hat on, and recognised more of the problems with the balance of Assail.
Take, for instance, those first giddy chapters where we were offered a mysterious Tiste Andii, who suffered amnesia and had no idea who he might be. The wondering about which character it was. His determination to find out who he is. The scene on the bone bridge. All very exciting, very dramatic and part of my favourite scenes in the novel. However, towards the end of the novel, he suddenly vanished. Even in scenes where he was supposed to be (featuring Fisher and Kyle) he wasn't even mentioned. It was as though Esslemont thought "I need a Tiste Andii for the ending" and then got excited with the possibilities of a mystery as to who it was, but then went too far down the Anomander Rake red herring route that he couldn't really write anything more and so dropped the character.
Speaking of the ending... When you are less than fifteen pages from the end, it is pointless having a character look to a huge mountain with Forkrul Assail at the top and wonder if they're going to get out alive. There is no tension. We know they're going to survive.
And there was a problem with balance at the end. We had read pages and pages of description at other points, but the ending gets wrapped up with dizzying speed. To the point where I wasn't *entirely* sure what had been achieved. Also, Kyle being the saviour of the novel? No, just no. The random necklace that had barely seen a mention in prior novels suddenly being the one thing that would save them all from Forkrul justice? Didn't work for me.
So what did work?
Well, I actually enjoyed the setting and the Jaghut magic wreathed through it. For me, it was such a contrast with Blood and Bone, and it was beautifully achieved. I could feel the cold making my teeth ache in some of those scenes.
I adored the Cartheron Crust sections. That scene in the camp where the Malazans are drawn together and then cause havoc? One of the finest scenes Esslemont has ever written. It did bring to mind something - these Crimson Guard books have not had the vigour and fun of the Malazan series, because the Guard generally seem more po-faced and serious. And then it occurred that perhaps it was a deliberate tonal shift by Esslemont because of the Vow they have taken and their ultimate destiny. Which would be just superb, in my eyes, and an excellent recognition by the author of what needed to be conveyed.
With the Vow - yes, it was long-drawn-out and most of us got there before the big "reveal", but consider the audacity of Esslemont and the vision that led him to realise what a wonderfully poetic resolution that would be. The execution was lacking a little, but the idea was breathtaking and did lead to some brilliant moments.
So, not my favourite novel, by any means, even of Esslemont's (I think I would list Blood and Bone as the favourite), but one that had some great sections and showed an author really developing into his own voice.
Which means revisiting my thoughts on Assail.
What's strange is that this is the first novel in the re-read that I came to with more of an editorial hat on, and recognised more of the problems with the balance of Assail.
Take, for instance, those first giddy chapters where we were offered a mysterious Tiste Andii, who suffered amnesia and had no idea who he might be. The wondering about which character it was. His determination to find out who he is. The scene on the bone bridge. All very exciting, very dramatic and part of my favourite scenes in the novel. However, towards the end of the novel, he suddenly vanished. Even in scenes where he was supposed to be (featuring Fisher and Kyle) he wasn't even mentioned. It was as though Esslemont thought "I need a Tiste Andii for the ending" and then got excited with the possibilities of a mystery as to who it was, but then went too far down the Anomander Rake red herring route that he couldn't really write anything more and so dropped the character.
Speaking of the ending... When you are less than fifteen pages from the end, it is pointless having a character look to a huge mountain with Forkrul Assail at the top and wonder if they're going to get out alive. There is no tension. We know they're going to survive.
And there was a problem with balance at the end. We had read pages and pages of description at other points, but the ending gets wrapped up with dizzying speed. To the point where I wasn't *entirely* sure what had been achieved. Also, Kyle being the saviour of the novel? No, just no. The random necklace that had barely seen a mention in prior novels suddenly being the one thing that would save them all from Forkrul justice? Didn't work for me.
So what did work?
Well, I actually enjoyed the setting and the Jaghut magic wreathed through it. For me, it was such a contrast with Blood and Bone, and it was beautifully achieved. I could feel the cold making my teeth ache in some of those scenes.
I adored the Cartheron Crust sections. That scene in the camp where the Malazans are drawn together and then cause havoc? One of the finest scenes Esslemont has ever written. It did bring to mind something - these Crimson Guard books have not had the vigour and fun of the Malazan series, because the Guard generally seem more po-faced and serious. And then it occurred that perhaps it was a deliberate tonal shift by Esslemont because of the Vow they have taken and their ultimate destiny. Which would be just superb, in my eyes, and an excellent recognition by the author of what needed to be conveyed.
With the Vow - yes, it was long-drawn-out and most of us got there before the big "reveal", but consider the audacity of Esslemont and the vision that led him to realise what a wonderfully poetic resolution that would be. The execution was lacking a little, but the idea was breathtaking and did lead to some brilliant moments.
So, not my favourite novel, by any means, even of Esslemont's (I think I would list Blood and Bone as the favourite), but one that had some great sections and showed an author really developing into his own voice.
August 5, 2020
Review full of spoilers
I had really expected a lot from this book. I can't say whether that was because I had in my mind the Steven Erikson style of epic convergences or whether it was because of the way so many epic characters were introduced in the beginning of the book- Kyle, Fisher Kel Kath (the legendary bard who was also a consort of Lady Envy), Silver fox (the amalgamation of Nightchill, Bellurdan and Tattersail, and the Summoner of all the T'lan Imass), a random Tiste Andii with obviously a historical past, all the Crimson Guard (Shimmer, K'azz, Blues, Bars, etc.), Orman son of Bregin, Cartheron Crust on his famous Ragstopper. Not to mention the name of the book was exciting, named after the mysterious continent of Assail in turn named after the even more mysterious race of the Forkrul Assail- which we see in like four pages at the end. All the difficult journeys and navigating through perilous seas ended only in a peace treaty, so it was really disappointing.
Three stars I give are for the general points which merit any Malazan book- the well written characters, the vast world and the practicality. Some of the new entries in the Dramatis Personae were interesting- the lad Reuth who came aboard a ship for a journey for the first time and is amazing at piloting a ship as it turns out; the captain of Silver Dawn Jute and his blind wife Ileen who came to Assail looking to enrich their coffers but in turn enrich their souls by saving the lives of an entire town of Mantle; Malle, the trainer in the ultimate assassin organisation of Claws; Orman who swears his life as hearthguard of the Iceblood clan of Sayers and who wields the mighty Imass spear Svathbrul. These characteristics made the book fun to read and I had expected an epic conclusion to the series. But frankly this series cannot hold out on it's own, without the Steven Erikson's Big 10.
(My favourites of the series were the Return of the Crimson Guard, Orb Sceptre Throne and Stonewielder.)
I had really expected a lot from this book. I can't say whether that was because I had in my mind the Steven Erikson style of epic convergences or whether it was because of the way so many epic characters were introduced in the beginning of the book- Kyle, Fisher Kel Kath (the legendary bard who was also a consort of Lady Envy), Silver fox (the amalgamation of Nightchill, Bellurdan and Tattersail, and the Summoner of all the T'lan Imass), a random Tiste Andii with obviously a historical past, all the Crimson Guard (Shimmer, K'azz, Blues, Bars, etc.), Orman son of Bregin, Cartheron Crust on his famous Ragstopper. Not to mention the name of the book was exciting, named after the mysterious continent of Assail in turn named after the even more mysterious race of the Forkrul Assail- which we see in like four pages at the end. All the difficult journeys and navigating through perilous seas ended only in a peace treaty, so it was really disappointing.
Three stars I give are for the general points which merit any Malazan book- the well written characters, the vast world and the practicality. Some of the new entries in the Dramatis Personae were interesting- the lad Reuth who came aboard a ship for a journey for the first time and is amazing at piloting a ship as it turns out; the captain of Silver Dawn Jute and his blind wife Ileen who came to Assail looking to enrich their coffers but in turn enrich their souls by saving the lives of an entire town of Mantle; Malle, the trainer in the ultimate assassin organisation of Claws; Orman who swears his life as hearthguard of the Iceblood clan of Sayers and who wields the mighty Imass spear Svathbrul. These characteristics made the book fun to read and I had expected an epic conclusion to the series. But frankly this series cannot hold out on it's own, without the Steven Erikson's Big 10.
(My favourites of the series were the Return of the Crimson Guard, Orb Sceptre Throne and Stonewielder.)
August 7, 2014
The book sounds like it will be really interesting to read from the title and description but the writing style is hard to engage with and the story doesn't really go anywhere, there is a slight build to a climax but it is lacking in suspense. This is underlined by a huge number of characters that are thrown at the reader with very little time given for characterization meaning that it is hard to keep track of who is who and their importance within the story.
October 5, 2014
4.5 stars
Oh, yeah, I did it. All sixteen books. There is still the Kharkanas Trilogy, but, at this point, I decided to wait and not turn my brain into a mush.
To paraphrase Robert Jordan, this is not the ending, but an ending. So, if you expected every thread neatly tied up, I've got to ask - have you paid attention at all?! Yet, Esslemont does surprisingly well. The pace, storytelling, characters are superb. He answers several big questions and, sometimes, offers resolutions far, far in the future. Some readers won't like it but I thought it was very nicely done.
The news of discovered gold on Assail spreads through the world and, naturally, every adventurer rushes to the cursed island. And it is cursed: from inhospitable shores, residues of old magic to very hostile natives, Assail will do everything to kill you. However, there are those among outsiders that have different motives. The Crimson Guard seeks its lost members and answers. Malazans (who else) have hidden agenda. We encounter some old friends here. T'lan Imass are divided between those who seek genocide of every human with even a drop of Jughut blood (which is pretty much everyone on Assail) and those who seek ending of hostilities and redemption. Letherii, of course, seek riches and they are still assholes in spite of Tehol's attempts to change them.
I enjoyed almost every POV character. Kyle was great; he has certainly grown from unfortunate Return of the Crimson Guard. His battles with the Silent People were awesome, yet, he is human and not every battle is going to go his way in spite of Osserc's sword. I like how he in the end embraces his title. On his side of the story, it was also great to learn more about Fisher. I also liked Orman, the Reddin brothers and Old Bear. The best human face was given by Jute, his wife and crew.
Some spoilers ahead, click at your own peril.
The best story line is, of course, about Crimson Guard. We finally have the truth about the Vow. Them turning to be a new who have to wait for their own was a great touch. I suspected something similar, but the way Esslemont does it gives them a nice conclusion in the series.
The biggest mystery is this: is Jethiss - Anomander Rake reborn? Spinnock Durav who lost all his memories? Some other, completely new Tiste Andii? It really doesn't matter, in my opinion, though, while I adore Anomander Rake, I feel his ending in Toll the Hounds was perfect and the reset is not needed. But, sword was awesome and drove the point about Forkrul Assail home once again. I would like to know more about his, Fisher's and Kyle's further adventures though.
All in all, this is Esslemont's best novel and great addition to the Malazan world. It might not have an emotional punch of The Crippled God, but dealt a punch or two and gave us certain conclusion to this era in the Malazan history. I am happy to hear Esslemont is writing a pre-Empire trilogy and the title of the first book (Dancer's Lament) made me very, very happy (just think about all the things he and old Emperor were up to). I cannot wait. I am glad both him and Erikson are staying in this world, possibly one of the best in all the fantasy.
I am now taking a break from the world. I earned it. It's your turn, fantasy-loving friends. :D
September 12, 2015
I've found Esslemont's previous Malazan books to be a bit mixed, at their best they have had some fascinating world-building and compelling plots but they have a tendency to be let down by often bland characterisation and some of his plots have been a bit underwhelming. I thought Assail was a reasonably entertaining book but I think it's one of the Esslemont's weaker efforts. One problem is that the continent of Assail where the book is set is probably one of the less interesting settings in the Malazan world and it feels a bit underwhelming compared to how it has been built up by mentions in previous books by Erikson and Esslemont. In previous books Assail was referred to with dread by many characters but while it is an inhospitable land I would say there have been more forbidding settings in previous Malazan books (including the jungle setting of Esslemont’s last book, “Blood and Bone”). Many Malazan books are based on a diverse group of different factions journeying towards a convergence at the end of the novel and this is no exception. Most of the characters seem to spend most of the novel travelling to the same destination and while the pacing is reasonable (it isn't as tedious as some of the journeying in Erikson's later Malazan books) this part of the story isn't all that compelling. Once the journeying has ended the pace does pick up and the plot does become more compelling, the book does have a good ending and offers some conclusion to long-running plotlines first brought up in Erikson's books over a decade ago, although some bits do seem a bit rushed and a key part of the final confrontation seems to centre on a character I can barely remember from a previous Esslemont book. It's also a bit irritating that although it's nice to finally have a conclusion a plotline left hanging at the end of Erikson's "Memories of Ice" (which I read over a decade ago) virtually the first thing that happens in this book regarding the plotline is an explanation about why what the ending of Memories of Ice implied about the future was inaccurate, and the actual plotline seems less interesting than what I was expecting.
I think the biggest problem is that while the characterisation isn't exactly bad (there are a decent variety of characters and there is some reasonable character development), there is a lack of really memorable characters. This is perhaps not helped by a sprawling cast that means most characters don't get a huge amount of time spent on them, even important characters like Silverfox. Comparing the two Malazan authors I'd say this is one area where Erikson does have a real advantage, while his characterisation was always a bit hit-and-miss he does have some fascinating and compelling characters.
Overall, this is a moderately entertaining epic fantasy novel but I suspect it won’t turn out to be a particularly memorable one and it feels a bit underwhelming for something described on the cover as the ‘Final Novel of the Malazan Empire’.
I think the biggest problem is that while the characterisation isn't exactly bad (there are a decent variety of characters and there is some reasonable character development), there is a lack of really memorable characters. This is perhaps not helped by a sprawling cast that means most characters don't get a huge amount of time spent on them, even important characters like Silverfox. Comparing the two Malazan authors I'd say this is one area where Erikson does have a real advantage, while his characterisation was always a bit hit-and-miss he does have some fascinating and compelling characters.
Overall, this is a moderately entertaining epic fantasy novel but I suspect it won’t turn out to be a particularly memorable one and it feels a bit underwhelming for something described on the cover as the ‘Final Novel of the Malazan Empire’.
May 7, 2017
Very good ending to a good series. I think from start to finish this was the most engaging book of the series. ICE has really grown as an author from start to finish.
For those of you who love BotF and wonder if you should read this series you should. It fills in a lot of gaps and story lines that are passed back and forth. The story isn't complete without reading Empire.
However you shouldn't expect BotF. It's simply not the same epic writing. ICE doesn't tie things in the way SE does. Nor are his foreboding as good. ICE tends to either overstate or understate depending on his mood leaving you either feeling clubbed like a seal pup or confused like a nun at a nymphomaniac convention.
I do look forward to reading Path to Ascendancy and seeing ICE grow more as an author. As a final note we do see an old friend from BotF in this book.............. :)
For those of you who love BotF and wonder if you should read this series you should. It fills in a lot of gaps and story lines that are passed back and forth. The story isn't complete without reading Empire.
However you shouldn't expect BotF. It's simply not the same epic writing. ICE doesn't tie things in the way SE does. Nor are his foreboding as good. ICE tends to either overstate or understate depending on his mood leaving you either feeling clubbed like a seal pup or confused like a nun at a nymphomaniac convention.
I do look forward to reading Path to Ascendancy and seeing ICE grow more as an author. As a final note we do see an old friend from BotF in this book.............. :)
July 2, 2018
Eventually this would happen, and I'm incredibly happy and sad at the same time that this has come to pass. I have finished the Malazan Empire saga and the Malazan Book of the Fallen saga. After almost a year and a half of reading, and letting my imagination flow in this epic, incredible and alien world.
Assail is a magnificent book, one that has all that it needs to stand alone by itself, and that feeds from the fact that the whole saga is amazing, and that the Malazan Empire books buildup has been pretty well curated.
I can't say much without spoilers, or without being way to obscure in the description, that no one would understand what I'm saying. So I'm just gonna say that all the necessary questions are answered, and all the plot lines that where left open for the Malazan Empire characters, are continued and given a nice... Ending? (it leaves the possibility of some future books coming with some of the characters, and I really liked how that was handled).
Anyway, I'm not gonna talk much more.
Good story, good book.
I'm going to cry in that corner for a few days while I figure out what the hell am I gonna read after this.
Assail is a magnificent book, one that has all that it needs to stand alone by itself, and that feeds from the fact that the whole saga is amazing, and that the Malazan Empire books buildup has been pretty well curated.
I can't say much without spoilers, or without being way to obscure in the description, that no one would understand what I'm saying. So I'm just gonna say that all the necessary questions are answered, and all the plot lines that where left open for the Malazan Empire characters, are continued and given a nice... Ending? (it leaves the possibility of some future books coming with some of the characters, and I really liked how that was handled).
Anyway, I'm not gonna talk much more.
Good story, good book.
I'm going to cry in that corner for a few days while I figure out what the hell am I gonna read after this.
August 6, 2024
700 страници очаквам краят да е различен, все пак би било прекалено очевидно, ако това се окаже истината зад Заклетите от Гвардията... е, Еслемънт ни оставя с едно от най-очевидните разкрития в историята на фентъзито, разкритие за което бях на 80% сигурен още в Midnight Tides, едни 10 книги по-рано.
Половината герои въобще не ми бяха от интерес и четох на диагонал след първата 2/3та от книгата, интересна като идея можеше да е историята с Ка'аз, ако не беше просто "пътуваме за да стигнем до един връх" и после на върха е "това, което си мислеше, е така".
Фишър и Джетис, както и Кайл, носят целият интересен сюжет на гърба си, но той за съжаление не е чак толкова интересен.
Въпреки всичко ми хареса повече от "Stonewielder" та оставям тази оценка, все пак е хубаво да получим край на историята на Силвърфокс, започнала вече едни 12 (или 16 зависимост ако броим Татърсейл) книги по-рано.
Половината герои въобще не ми бяха от интерес и четох на диагонал след първата 2/3та от книгата, интересна като идея можеше да е историята с Ка'аз, ако не беше просто "пътуваме за да стигнем до един връх" и после на върха е "това, което си мислеше, е така".
Фишър и Джетис, както и Кайл, носят целият интересен сюжет на гърба си, но той за съжаление не е чак толкова интересен.
Въпреки всичко ми хареса повече от "Stonewielder" та оставям тази оценка, все пак е хубаво да получим край на историята на Силвърфокс, започнала вече едни 12 (или 16 зависимост ако броим Татърсейл) книги по-рано.
August 15, 2021
I really enjoyed this book and this series in general. I know ICE gets a little bit of hate after coming from Erikson but I think it's a great addition to the Malazan world.
September 17, 2014
originally posted at: http://thebookplank.blogspot.com/2014...
For many a fantasy reader the words Malazan Empire of the Fallen shouldn't come as an unknown. Steven Erikson is perhaps the best known for these books, well let me rephrase, EPIC works. But Steven Erikson wasn't the sole inventor of the universe of Malaz, together with Ian C. Esslemont this universe was created. A few years after Garden of the Moon, Ian C. Esslemont published his first book in his own series tightly linked to that of Steven Erikson, his debut Night of Knives focused on the Crimson Guard and has been followed intensively though all the other books. When I picked up Assail is found out that it would wrap up the Malazan Empire series, I actually hadn't anticipated this and wanted to put it down again, having to once again say goodbye to a series, especially a Malazan series isn't something I like to do. Luckily there is still the new prequel series of Steven Erikson and what is to be expected of any Malazan book, in the end there are always answers but many more questions are raised. I don't think this will be the last we have seen of Ian C. Esslemont.
From the beginning of his Malazan Empire series, Ian C. Esslemont has shown the story through different perspectives than those of the other series. Yes big names made appeareance or reference in both, but he really put his own influence on the world and so far every book for me has been a terrific reading experience. I am a big fan of the Malaz universe and have found the further building on this universe by Ian C. Esslemont a true treat. There have been made many a comparison between the writing of Steven Erikson and that of Ian C. Esslemont and how they interpret the world of Malaz etc, for me they both do a great job. The books of Ian C. Esslemont read differently but well an apple isn't the same a pear now is it?
The world of Malaz has always intrigued me with the different continents like Genabackis, Quon Tali, Lether and many more. Now for a first time ever Ian C. Esslemont takes the reader to a place that have remained obscure for a very long time. Assail, which lies in between Genabackis and Lether. This place has been rumored to be one the most inhospitable and dangerous places to venture in. But one thing has always made people abandon even the most dangerous premises and that is the promise of riches and untold fortunes. The word is spreading the gold can be found amass on the lands of Assail and this draws with it many adventures willing to go beyond everything to claim their riches. Besides the occasional pirate and mercenary that has set out for his or her riches, there are also other travels that have set their course on the lands of Assail purely for their own reasons, where most of them are to finally find some answers or just to return.
In the beginning of the story of Assail you get (re)introduced to several different characters that each have their own motivation for being on, or venturing to Assail. This should come as a surprise as I think that if you are familiar with the Malaz universe you undoubtedly must know that the character cast is huge. One of the point of views that you follow is that of the Crimson Guard, to whom most of this series is more or less dedicated. Here you will find many characters that featured early on the the series: K'azz, Shimmer, Blues and Bars and lets not forget Kyle, who actually goes by a different name and inhereted a new name after Korel, that of Whiteblade. A different point of view is offered by Silverfox, a T'lan Imass that carries with her more than one soul. Silverfox is the summoner of the undying T'lan Imass army and all she wants to do it put a final halt to an age long battle. A third perspective is added by one of my favourite characters Fisher kel That, the immortal bard and oft narrator of several important poems set in the Malaz universe. Fisher comes to the land of Assail with an Tiste Andii who suffers from loss of memory, vague references in the beginning and all throughout the story allow you to think about just who this "unknown" Tiste Andii is. These characters should need an introduction as they should be most familiar to everyone.
Next to these "old" players in the Malaz universe, Ian C. Esslemont also introduces completely new characters and writes about them with the same amount of determination and creativeness than the other more established ones. To be completely honest, perhaps even more so since they are characters of his own devising. These are the native inhabitants of the lands of Assail, tribesmen and shipmen. The most noteworthy characters here are Jute and Orman. Orman is a tribesman and now when I am writing this, his youthfully character and his quest closely reminds me of another warrior whom we got to meet in House of Chains. Karsa Orlong. Orman's inexperience and persistence drives him to do things that other would easily shy away from. Against the strong backdrop of established character Orman makes a very determined introduction and the way that Ian C. Esslemont builds his character, I am sure it wont be the last of him that we have seen. (I hope so).
When it comes down to the recurring characters, I do have to say I am a big fan of many of them and having the chance to read again of their adventures really puts a smile on my face. Having followed their journey across many different books and even in both series, really fortifies their characters in the story, it is impossible to not feel connected with them. I really liked how Kyle evolved along the story and grew more into a resolute self. It's like a journey of rediscovery. One element in the storyline of Fisher was the unknown Tiste Andii, though you will undoubtely find out just who this person is and many people say it is to obvious, frankly I liked this part as well, giving an obscure character reference really allowed me to think about it and revisit several of the scenes that might have led up to this.
And what would a Malaz story be without some solid swordfighting and Warren usage! There is a very powerful display of both of them in Assail. The fighting is mostly shown from Kyle and Orman's. Kyle is known as The White Blade and with the sword he wields he wrecks some havoc when push comes to shove. Though Kyle had to fight his way through most encounters, the amount of tension that Ian C. Esslemont brought to the forefront really got me to edge of my seat. Top notch stuff. The Warrens of the Malaz Empire have always been something of intrigue to me, they are so, so, so cool to read about and the whole concept is striking. On Assail there is one Warren that reins supreme, for other mages and even high mages to break it and be able to access their own requires tremendous power and all but a few manage to fail, even several high mages find that is requires a strong exertion of power. This unavoidably led to much more dire and bleak future for several characters; when you have always been able to rely on your power and now all of a sudden you can't...
Last but definitely not least is the world building of the continent of Assail. It's a first time it is being visited in a book of the Malaz universe and all I can say is WOW. The way that Ian C. Esslemont writes about this new continent really inspires a many good feeling withing me. In his writing he manages to create very lush details surrounding the places visited and you also get the complete overview of the continent in the bigger picture. Also in building this world Ian C. Esslement tells much about the history of several events and explains them in reference to Assail, he goes in on many of the earlier proposed rumors surrounding it. Thereby only further letting the world come to life, once you finish the story you will be wishing that this visit to Assail won't be a one time thing.
Assail is a great finisher to the Malazan Empire series that started with Night of Knives. In Assail Ian C. Esslemont really pulls all the stops when it comes down to showing the ending. I think many readers, especially in the build up of the series might have come to expect a different kind of ending and for some it might come as a bit of an anti climax but with not proposing a full flashy sword and sorcery kind of display the ending does proposes some other things and might even be set for a point to pick up yet another series. Also by creating the ending Assail got it does answer many questions that were raised earlier on in the series which for me was the reason I read these books. I want answers and coinciding with answers there are always more questions... Luckily! The Malazan Empire series just as it's "Big Brother" the Malazan Empire of the Fallen, is obligatory reading material for every Epic Fantasy fan, don't let the page count be thing to shy you away, they are over in a heartbeat and offer a terrific reading experience. Give me more!
For many a fantasy reader the words Malazan Empire of the Fallen shouldn't come as an unknown. Steven Erikson is perhaps the best known for these books, well let me rephrase, EPIC works. But Steven Erikson wasn't the sole inventor of the universe of Malaz, together with Ian C. Esslemont this universe was created. A few years after Garden of the Moon, Ian C. Esslemont published his first book in his own series tightly linked to that of Steven Erikson, his debut Night of Knives focused on the Crimson Guard and has been followed intensively though all the other books. When I picked up Assail is found out that it would wrap up the Malazan Empire series, I actually hadn't anticipated this and wanted to put it down again, having to once again say goodbye to a series, especially a Malazan series isn't something I like to do. Luckily there is still the new prequel series of Steven Erikson and what is to be expected of any Malazan book, in the end there are always answers but many more questions are raised. I don't think this will be the last we have seen of Ian C. Esslemont.
From the beginning of his Malazan Empire series, Ian C. Esslemont has shown the story through different perspectives than those of the other series. Yes big names made appeareance or reference in both, but he really put his own influence on the world and so far every book for me has been a terrific reading experience. I am a big fan of the Malaz universe and have found the further building on this universe by Ian C. Esslemont a true treat. There have been made many a comparison between the writing of Steven Erikson and that of Ian C. Esslemont and how they interpret the world of Malaz etc, for me they both do a great job. The books of Ian C. Esslemont read differently but well an apple isn't the same a pear now is it?
The world of Malaz has always intrigued me with the different continents like Genabackis, Quon Tali, Lether and many more. Now for a first time ever Ian C. Esslemont takes the reader to a place that have remained obscure for a very long time. Assail, which lies in between Genabackis and Lether. This place has been rumored to be one the most inhospitable and dangerous places to venture in. But one thing has always made people abandon even the most dangerous premises and that is the promise of riches and untold fortunes. The word is spreading the gold can be found amass on the lands of Assail and this draws with it many adventures willing to go beyond everything to claim their riches. Besides the occasional pirate and mercenary that has set out for his or her riches, there are also other travels that have set their course on the lands of Assail purely for their own reasons, where most of them are to finally find some answers or just to return.
In the beginning of the story of Assail you get (re)introduced to several different characters that each have their own motivation for being on, or venturing to Assail. This should come as a surprise as I think that if you are familiar with the Malaz universe you undoubtedly must know that the character cast is huge. One of the point of views that you follow is that of the Crimson Guard, to whom most of this series is more or less dedicated. Here you will find many characters that featured early on the the series: K'azz, Shimmer, Blues and Bars and lets not forget Kyle, who actually goes by a different name and inhereted a new name after Korel, that of Whiteblade. A different point of view is offered by Silverfox, a T'lan Imass that carries with her more than one soul. Silverfox is the summoner of the undying T'lan Imass army and all she wants to do it put a final halt to an age long battle. A third perspective is added by one of my favourite characters Fisher kel That, the immortal bard and oft narrator of several important poems set in the Malaz universe. Fisher comes to the land of Assail with an Tiste Andii who suffers from loss of memory, vague references in the beginning and all throughout the story allow you to think about just who this "unknown" Tiste Andii is. These characters should need an introduction as they should be most familiar to everyone.
Next to these "old" players in the Malaz universe, Ian C. Esslemont also introduces completely new characters and writes about them with the same amount of determination and creativeness than the other more established ones. To be completely honest, perhaps even more so since they are characters of his own devising. These are the native inhabitants of the lands of Assail, tribesmen and shipmen. The most noteworthy characters here are Jute and Orman. Orman is a tribesman and now when I am writing this, his youthfully character and his quest closely reminds me of another warrior whom we got to meet in House of Chains. Karsa Orlong. Orman's inexperience and persistence drives him to do things that other would easily shy away from. Against the strong backdrop of established character Orman makes a very determined introduction and the way that Ian C. Esslemont builds his character, I am sure it wont be the last of him that we have seen. (I hope so).
When it comes down to the recurring characters, I do have to say I am a big fan of many of them and having the chance to read again of their adventures really puts a smile on my face. Having followed their journey across many different books and even in both series, really fortifies their characters in the story, it is impossible to not feel connected with them. I really liked how Kyle evolved along the story and grew more into a resolute self. It's like a journey of rediscovery. One element in the storyline of Fisher was the unknown Tiste Andii, though you will undoubtely find out just who this person is and many people say it is to obvious, frankly I liked this part as well, giving an obscure character reference really allowed me to think about it and revisit several of the scenes that might have led up to this.
And what would a Malaz story be without some solid swordfighting and Warren usage! There is a very powerful display of both of them in Assail. The fighting is mostly shown from Kyle and Orman's. Kyle is known as The White Blade and with the sword he wields he wrecks some havoc when push comes to shove. Though Kyle had to fight his way through most encounters, the amount of tension that Ian C. Esslemont brought to the forefront really got me to edge of my seat. Top notch stuff. The Warrens of the Malaz Empire have always been something of intrigue to me, they are so, so, so cool to read about and the whole concept is striking. On Assail there is one Warren that reins supreme, for other mages and even high mages to break it and be able to access their own requires tremendous power and all but a few manage to fail, even several high mages find that is requires a strong exertion of power. This unavoidably led to much more dire and bleak future for several characters; when you have always been able to rely on your power and now all of a sudden you can't...
Last but definitely not least is the world building of the continent of Assail. It's a first time it is being visited in a book of the Malaz universe and all I can say is WOW. The way that Ian C. Esslemont writes about this new continent really inspires a many good feeling withing me. In his writing he manages to create very lush details surrounding the places visited and you also get the complete overview of the continent in the bigger picture. Also in building this world Ian C. Esslement tells much about the history of several events and explains them in reference to Assail, he goes in on many of the earlier proposed rumors surrounding it. Thereby only further letting the world come to life, once you finish the story you will be wishing that this visit to Assail won't be a one time thing.
Assail is a great finisher to the Malazan Empire series that started with Night of Knives. In Assail Ian C. Esslemont really pulls all the stops when it comes down to showing the ending. I think many readers, especially in the build up of the series might have come to expect a different kind of ending and for some it might come as a bit of an anti climax but with not proposing a full flashy sword and sorcery kind of display the ending does proposes some other things and might even be set for a point to pick up yet another series. Also by creating the ending Assail got it does answer many questions that were raised earlier on in the series which for me was the reason I read these books. I want answers and coinciding with answers there are always more questions... Luckily! The Malazan Empire series just as it's "Big Brother" the Malazan Empire of the Fallen, is obligatory reading material for every Epic Fantasy fan, don't let the page count be thing to shy you away, they are over in a heartbeat and offer a terrific reading experience. Give me more!
September 9, 2025
“Reaching out for companionship – for a human touch – is not a mistake. Withholding such a thing is the mistake.”
3.75★
The Novels of the Malazan Empire comes to a close. Rating this one proves difficult, as it's not my favourite of the series. It stands alongside Blood & Bone as a solid instalment and a fitting send-off. That said, I’d still place Blood & Bone slightly higher in my personal ranking, with Orb Sceptre Throne as my personal favourite of the series.
Assail is a solid entry, Esslemont's writing is decent, and while several plotlines shine, others didn’t land as well for me. The Crimson Guard sequences remain reliably engaging, and both Kyle’s and Fisher’s arcs are highlights, however I found a couple of the other POVs somewhat underwhelming. The stronger plotlines do really shine though, and the story does converge and wrap up well, pulling storylines from throughout this series and the Book of the Fallen together in a satisfying way, though I did feel like the series as a whole did lack a clear direction at times.
It does give some excellent reveals, one of which I cannot believe I didn't see coming, however it also leave some lingering questions regarding the state of the world and characters, some that I'm not sure we'll see explored, unfortunately.
In the end, Assail is a worthy and fairly satisfying conclusion, if imperfect. I've enjoyed my time with the Novels of the Malazan Empire as a whole, though, as much as I love this world, I think a break from it is in order.
March 19, 2024
This book is about the tendency of abusers to play victim when the underdogs fight back. And despite the consequences of past mistakes, forgiveness is always an option and there is still hope to correct them and start a new beginning.
September 10, 2024
4.4/5
Love a God rush story and that is the driving plot of this book. This was a great conclusion to the novels of the malazan empire as well as wraps up many of the book of the fallen storylines as well. Very good ending to stories I have been reading for years.
Love a God rush story and that is the driving plot of this book. This was a great conclusion to the novels of the malazan empire as well as wraps up many of the book of the fallen storylines as well. Very good ending to stories I have been reading for years.
November 27, 2024
Well now what
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