No Life Forsaken

The Tales of Witness #2

by Steven Erikson

The epic fantasy sequence continues with the new book from the bestselling author of Gardens of the Moon.

A goddess awakens to a new world, only to find that some things never change.

Amidst the ashes of a failed rebellion in Seven Cities, new embers are flaring to life.

There are furrowed brows at the beleaguered Malazan Legion headquarters in G’danisban for it would appear that yet another bloody clash with the revived cult of the Apocalyptic is coming to a head.

Seeking to crush the uprising before it ignites the entire subcontinent, Fist Arenfall has only a few dozen squads of marines at his disposal, and many of those are already dispersed - endeavouring to stamp out multiple brush-fires of dissent. But his soldiers are exhausted, worn down by the grind of a simmering insurrection and the last thing Arenfall needs is the arrival of the new Adjunct, fresh from the capital and the Emperor's side.

The man's mission may be to lend support to Arenfall’s efforts . . . or stick a knife in his back. 'Twas ever thus, of course. That a popular commander should inevitably be seen as a threat to the Emperor - such is the fatal nature of imperial Malazan politics.

And what of the gods? Well, as recent history has proved, their solution to any mortal mess is to make it even messier. In other words, it's just another tumultuous day in the chequered history of the Malazan Empire.

Acclaim for The God is Not Willing:
'Awe-inspiring. Prepare to fall in love with epic fantasy all over again.' ANNA SMITH SPARK, author of The Court of Broken Knives

'As good as I expected it to be . . . Erikson continues to showcase his talents as an impressive wordsmith . . . mesmerising and memorable. Add to this intense battles, witty banter, advanced warfare, new curses, new gods, and escapades with warrens and this world's supernatural and you'll see why I had such a good time.' GRIMDARK magazine

'It is beautiful, it is captivating and utterly enthralling . . . Erikson is unparalleled in both the scope of his imagination and the talent of his prose, but more importantly, he is as insightful and funny as Terry Pratchett ever was.' FANTASY BOOK REVIEW

'Erikson at the top of his game, a lean, sharply honed and powerful addition to what is already in my mind the pre-eminent fantasy universe of the last few decades.' TOR.COM

'Determined, focused, well-paced and immensely rich novel of war, peace, hubris, consequence, sorcery and compassion . . . this is Erikson bringing his A-game, turned up to 11, and delivering what is comfortably one of his three or four best novels to date.' THE WERTZONE

'Could be Erikson's most accessible novel to date . . . a must for all Malazan fans.' FANTASY HOTLIST

'Erikson burnishes his reputation as a superior epic fantasy world-builder . . . a treat both for his returning readers and lovers of George R.R. Martin-style epic fantasy who have yet to discover his work.' PUBLISHERS WEEKLY *starred review

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Epic Fantasy, High Fantasy, Military Fiction, Speculative Fiction, Canada

432 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 23, 2025

About the author

Steven Erikson is the pseudonym of Steve Rune Lundin, a Canadian novelist, who was educated and trained as both an archaeologist and anthropologist. His best-known work is the series, the Malazan Book of the Fallen.

http://us.macmillan.com/author/steven...

Reviews

[CHIP · Rating 5 out of 5]

You would think after 20 books I might start feeling fatigued over any author but somehow Steven Erikson has delivered yet again with one of his best works yet. Moreso a follow up on a few loose threads from the Book of the Fallen rather than the god is not willing in typical Malazan fashion but still beyond fantastic and if the quality keeps ramping up, Witness has the potential to reach the same pedestal that I hold BotF to.

[Faisal]

The greatest fantasy author is back

[Greg Trenowden · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s Steven Erikson.

[Pranav Prabhu · Rating 5 out of 5]

The second tale of Witness continues tracing Karsa Orlong's journey and exploring his legacy through the Malazan world, from Genebackis in TGINW, to the Seven Cities in this novel. Similar to my thoughts on the writing style and structure of the first book, I think this is Erikson at his most distilled: the writing is sharp and elegant, characters are well sketched, the setting is evocatively descriptive, and the narrative lacks the ponderous pace (which I did love) of the Book of the Fallen. Instead, this is a tight-knight, contained story with minimal obfuscation where every plot thread is tied to and converges upon the rebellious unrest in the city of G'danisban. It's great to see Erikson actually doling out satisfactory answers to questions of magic and metaphysics (in small amounts! Which leads to more questions, anyway) rather than seeing it through various layers of unreliable obfuscation. Of course, there is also the typical Malazan craziness, with the inexplicable movements of various Elder Gods, intriguing snippets about the Azath, amnesiac powerhouses trapped for millenia, and conflicts long past, and some returning characters disguised under new names.

We have perspectives from the surprisingly competent High Fist Arenfall, the conflicted Adjunct Inkaras, Inquisitor Bornu Blatt, a non-religious priest of Va'Shaik, High Priestess Shamalle, among many other minor PoVs. We also see some familiar faces: Mael, Iskaral Pust (in minor amounts), and of course, the mule. The marines are somewhat of a lesser presence in this novel, which I quite enjoyed. TGINW had a lot of marine perspectives, and while I love their dialogue and shenangians, this story was better served with a multitude of other perspectives, and the small dose of marines was great for the flow of the story. My favorite character by far was Bornu Blatt; his anger at the injustice of his physical misshapen-ness, his thirst for knowledge, his desire to do good, and his irreligiosity and impiety while being the reluctant Inquisitor for a Whirwind goddess, all combine to produce a compelling character of fascinating contrasts. Throughout, we also get hints as to what major characters we know were up-to after the Cripped God (the mysterious Hasten Thenu, for one).

Erikson once again demonstrates his ability to depict changing political, religious, and cultural traditions in such a realistic evolution as a result of the events of the Book of the Fallen. The continent stirs with rebellion in the name of Va'Shaik once again, repeating cycles of violence and upheaval, and there is commentary on the nature of people in power in such fanatical hierarchies. The setting of Seven Cities is one my favorites in the Malazan world, you can feel the dust and grit and the history of the place as you read, and this was no different here. I did feel that the terseness of the plot took away somewhat from this immersion, since this is one continent which benefits from immense length and slow pace to really be steeped in the atmosphere.

Thematically too, I quite enjoyed what Erikson did with the new religions of Karsa, Va'Shaik, Burning Y'Ghatan, and Coltaine's Crow, with themes of misplaced (and righteous) injustice, cycles of violence and repeating history, and religious fervor. All of it informed by Karsa Orlong's impact on various peoples and events in history that shape interactions and decisions to this day. Overall, a really great follow-up to both book one as well as a return to many threads in Seven Cities that were left hanging after the Bonehunters, resolved and explored in interesting ways following major events later in the Book of the Fallen. I am really looking forward to the next novel to see how this world keeps evolving and what Erikson comes up with next.

[Alex W · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sappers!

[Kevin Jenkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

86/100

[James Tivendale · Rating 3 out of 5]

Please be aware that I discuss some topics that could be classed as spoilers.

No Life Forsaken is the second Tale of Witness, and the events take place a decade after the conclusion of the Malazan Book of the Fallen. Set in G'danisban during the time of Emperor Mallick Rel, we join the action during a period of uncertainty and high tensions. In recent times, there have been uprisings of many religious cults, and influential followers of Va'Shaik are not content with their Malazan overseers. High Fist Jalan Arenfall faces a difficult task to keep everything in order, backed by only a small contingent of marines. Fortunately or unfortunately, he is one of the most competent leaders within the Malazan Empire, which has not escaped the Emperor's notice. Mallick Rel has requested that his Adjunct investigates how the High Fist performs his duties. Will the most formidable threats for Arenfall be from the cult of Va'Shaik, other external sources, or from within the Empire? And how many assassins can there be in one city?

As the follow up to 2021's much-admired The God is Not Willing, it could be surprising that none of the characters from that novel's dramatis personae return here. However, I am at the point in my Malazan universe reading journey where I have faith in Erikson and believe the payoff will be worth the initial confusion. Erikson's characterisation is always top-notch and there are some great additions to the Malazan world here. Arenfall, a military leader, poet, and assassin who is extremely competent, instantly promoted himself to one of my favourite Malazan characters. Bornu Blatt, librarian and Inquisitor for the religion of Va'Shaik (even though he is not religious), is a likeable and thought-provoking academic of reason in a world of blossoming deceit. Two further fine additions were Shamelle, the High Priestess of Va'Shaik, an intriguing and charming drunk, and her seemingly nondescript yet remarkable handmaiden. Also, Corporal Hasten Thenu is intriguing, shrouded in mystery that I frequently tried to decipher.

For me, Erikson made a couple of missteps with some characters and decisions in No Life Forsaken. It was always going to be a monumental task to replicate the banter and love for the marines and soldiers that the original series garnered. The God is Not Willing was mostly successful in not being eclipsed by the former series in this area. This time, I did not care for the humour or interactions of characters such as sappers Fedilap and Pulcrude. They seemed as if they were trying to be too witty, kooky, and edgy, and it did not work. Their exchanges were forgettable and it felt tired. Similarly, the point of view from a Bhok'arala (monkey) missed any attempt at humour and did not add anything of significance to the worldbuilding. The shorter novels of Esslemont (Path to Ascendency) and Erikson (Witness) tend to feature a few cameos. In No Life Forsaken, one cameo is excellent, but others are just minor easter eggs or even groan-inducing.

One area where Malazan novels always thrive is the magic system and the supernatural elements and No Life Forsaken does not disappoint here. Warrens are the magical power sources and fast-travel secret networks and realms. Only powerful mages and the unfortunate walk these roads, and the scenes that take place within the warrens in No Life Forsaken are suspenseful and engrossing. It is intriguing to see that the warrens and powers generated are altering and evolving, and the effects that this has on the tale's inhabitants. Interestingly, one of the only areas where this novel crosses over with The God is Not Willing is in a chance encounter within a warren.

Unfortunately, there is one element that borders on the supernatural that I have to criticise in No Life Forsaken. In Malazan Book of the Fallen, some of the deaths of beloved characters hit so emotionally because they came on so unexpectedly and because of the finality of these actions. Now, it seems like a large percentage of the major character deaths are not final, and that a few scenes later, they somehow appear again to plot revenge or impact the narrative in some way. One moment in No Life Forsaken was so shocking and unpredictable that it was amazing, until I realised it was a fake-out death, and I felt cheated. Surviving after death in some manner is not unheard of in the original series (Iskar Jarak being an important ascendant now), but it seems overdone and cheap.

Steven Erikson is one of my favourite writers and Malazan Book of the Fallen is one of my top three all-time favourite fantasy series. Unfortunately, with No Life Forsaken, I feel that I have become Malazan-fatigued. On one hand, the story features some stunning set pieces and a fine ending, which increased my overall appreciation for the novel. On the other hand, there were times that I really had to drag myself through the burdensome pages to get to the next moments that I would care about more. For readers who have gotten to this part of their Malazan reading experience, there is a lot to enjoy in No Life Forsaken. For me, it felt like an isolated Malazan adventure, only linked to The God is Not Willing by the tiniest threads, which did not reach my high expectations. I have had a wonderful time with my Malazan experience so far, yet I am afraid this might be where I leave the journey to seek new and exciting fantasy experiences elsewhere.

I received a review copy of No Life Forsaken in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to Steven Erikson and Bantam Press.

[Adam Whitehead · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yet again, rebellion is stirring on the subcontinent of Seven Cities. More than a decade ago, the native tribes launched a vast rebellion, the Whirlwind, to destroy the occupying armies of the Malazan Empire. Through the legendary last stand of Coltaine and his army, escorting thousands of refugees to safety, and the arrival of the legendary Bonehunters, the rebellion was defeated. But the embers continue to burn and threaten to ignite once more. Events are converging on the city of G'danisban, seat of High Fist Arenfall, as both the Malazans and the followers of the goddess Va'Shaik seek to set in motion the rebellion and resulting bloodbath...or try to stop it.

Twenty years ago, Steven Erikson was gleefully producing his Malazan Book of the Fallen sequence at a pace that even Brandon Sanderson might feel was a bit much. Every year-and-a-bit, Erikson would unload a near-thousand-page brick packed with epic battles, moral philosophising and wry humour. We ate well, my friends, and perhaps took it for granted.

In the decade and a half since the Malazan Book of the Fallen was completed in all its yak-stunning, shelf-bending, potsherd-uncovering glory, Erikson has switched to a more well-deserved, chilled pace. He has produced two volumes of a prequel trilogy (put on hold due to slow sales, but he's back at work on the finale now), Kharkanas; several unrelated science fiction works; and has now delivered the second of four books in a planned Malazan sequel series, checking in on the Malazan Empire and its world ten years after the events of The Crippled God.

This new series - The Tales of Witness - feels like the main Malazan sequence in miniature. The original series opened on the continent of Genabackis before switching to Seven Cities. The first book in this new series, The God is Not Willing (2021), checked in on Genabackis and here this second volume switches gears and visits Seven Cities once again. No Life Forsaken acts as a sequel or coda to the entire Seven Cities arc from the original series, in fact, including House of Chains and The Bonehunters. That arc in the original series was about Seven Cities fighting for its independence and ultimately failing, whilst here the original, failed rebellion is now inspiration for a bloodier, renewed fight.

No Life Forsaken muses on the idealism of the cause. The Malazan Empire, especially under the redoubtable Emperor Mallick Rel (the effective villain of the original Seven Cities arc, particularly the monumental Deadhouse Gates), is an imperial, occupying, exploitative power and the natives demanding their independence is understandable. But the natives of Seven Cities are also a fractious and unruly lot, more likely to plunge the subcontinent into an orgy of violence, religious blood-letting, ancestral score-settling and a genocidal pursuit of ideological or holy purity than they are to usher in a new age of enlightened peace. It's interesting that there are those on both sides who seem eager for war and also those anxious to stop the carnage before it can start.

As usual with Erikson, the story rotates through a cast of almost entirely new faces (only three characters and a donkey show up from earlier novels and have a bare handful of paragraphs between them). We have the High Fist of Seven Cities and the Adjunct of the Emperor, who has shown up to gauge the threat of rebellion from both the natives and the charismatic Fist himself. The Claw, the sorcerous and elite agents of the Emperor's will, are on the scene as well. Malazan soldiers and marines, philosopher-savants one and all, also provide perspectives on events, alongside the High Priestess of Va'Shaik in G'danisban and even the goddess herself, along with her Inquisitor, a figure noted for his peculiar brand of atheism. Mercenaries, criminals, a random Toblakai (no, not that one), an Elder God or two, and of course Nub, King of the Bhokaral (all hail Nub!), all chime in. The book may be promising more than its modest page count can allow, in fact, and several subplots are left to unfold off-screen.

Also as usual, Erikson is more interested in the themes of his story than delivering crowd-pleasing results. The book hints at gargantuan battles of apocalyptic proportions and teases vast scenes of carnage, but never quite gets there. Everyone involved in the story seems to have read Deadhouse Gates and The Bonehunters as well, and are not eager to blow up more cities and kill tens of thousands of people for the spectacle. The struggle in the book is less between opposed ideologies or politics or faiths, but between common sense and those who measure success in how high the innocent dead can be stacked like cordwood. No life should be forsaken, indeed.

It's certainly a slower, more thoughtful book than The God is Not Willing, which felt like a more crowd-pleasing, focused, directed slice of Malazan. This book is the other side of the series, the more philosophical, chewing-the-fat and enjoying wry humour side of things. It's not Malazan at its most indulgent - the book fills just 400 pages, making it a novella by some of Erikson's earlier standards - and the story benefits from its slimline approach, but there's definitely less of an urge to deliver the Greatest Hits to readers. Karsa fans will probably be unsurprised to hear that, once again, he is playing the role of Sir Not-Appearing-In-This-Volume. On the negative side the book feels like it takes a while to find its feet but, once it does, events accelerate to a typically impressive conclusion.

No Life Forsaken (****½) is a dusty, thoughtful book that takes a while to get going, but once it does it delivers a thoughtful and striking piece of compassionate, intelligent fantasy. And the good news is that we won't have too long to wait for more, as Erikson completed the third book in the series, Legacies of Betrayal, at the same time as this one, and hopefully that should be with us next year. The book is available right now.

[Hrishi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Steven Erikson does it again! Take a bow, sir! In a reminder of how he started his Malazan Book of the Fallen series, this book shows events concurrent with or just after the first book. While the first is set on the continent of Genabackis (like Gardens of the Moon), this one picks up on the continent of Seven Cities (like Deadhouse Gates) where there's another rebellion brewing. On the surface, nothing connects the plot except some character cameos. Turns out the end of the first book that left a key character in Seven Cities was a misdirect... but just like with Deadhouse Gates, this book Delivers. There's a convergence of plots and characters at the end that subverts expectations... it's just another banger Malazan Empire tale!

Incredible characters get fully fleshed out in no time. Their monologues are both insightful (Bornu Blatt), rip roaring funny (Shamalle, who at this point I want to see have a conversation with Kruppe) or heartbreaking (Pash/ Inkaras). Arenfall is a wonderful new enigma, and I loved speculating who he is (Grub?)

This is the third time Erikson completely revamps the magic system, and deliciously so. The events of The Crippled God and thebfate of Icarium loom large on the book, as does the disposition of Icarium's frenemy Karsa Orlong, who again does not make an appearance (!) but that's ok, we good.

Look, if you're a fan of the Malazan series, this is a must read. It convinces me that if he wants, Erikson could write another ten books set in this world and there's plenty of juice. If you're not steeped in the lore and a fan, sorry, this is not a book for you. It explains little and you'll miss half the plot or the many character cameos and obscure interconnecions. Reading this without reading at least 8 or 10 prior books will be like watching Agatha all Along as your first MCU content :)

Me? Happy customer! I read this in one of the more trying weeks of my life and it was my one escape... a timeless, familiar and intriguing place. Not unlike Arenfall's private warren actually! :)

[Allen Walker · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great read!

I was excited to be back with Erikson, especially in Seven Cities, my favorite of the continents. The first 'book' of NO LIFE is actually some of my favorite Malazan written recently and perhaps my second favorite start to a book, after DUST OF DREAMS. As the book went on, I felt that what was being set up with Part 1 just didn't pan out as I had anticipated it going, but I think this is largely due to the fact that this was split into 2 books, so I'm eagerly awaiting the second one.

Some great new characters introduced here - Bornu, Arenfall, Fedilap, and certainly Shemalle to name a few, and I love what the book has to say about vengeance, buried hurts, and the responsibility of religious leaders toward those they're supposed to guide. Seven Cities remains a continent shrouded in mystery, and I don't understand some of the decisions that Mallick Rel makes, but all in all, a great addition. My hope is that this series spawns more than just two more books.

[Kali · Rating 5 out of 5]

Turns out I shouldn’t have worried about not remembering the details of The God is not Willing - in the most typical Malazan fashion we’re on a whole other continent, doing something completely different (I did not read the synopsis so this was a nice surprise). Erikson does touch on some elements from that first book, and Karsa Orlong’s… uhhh shadow? Presence? Lack of presence? is still felt.

Scale of the plot is just as substantial as in any entry of MBotF but made to fit the considerably lower page count. Is it me or is this one much more tame than usual? Specifically when it comes to the horrors TM. I’m so used to Ekrison hitting me with some of the most horrific and sad things to eve be put on page, and this didn’t really have anything like that. It was nice? Reminds me a little of Esselmont’s novels, they have a similar tone if I recall correctly.

The new cast of characters is great. Of course they’re great. Erikson is a master at establishing very vivid and striking characters within just a page or two. We have some fun duos as well, of course. Pulcrude and Fedilap; Bornu Blatt (and Gilakas); high Priestess Shamalle, have to be my favorites, to name a few. And I really wanted Inkaras Sollit to be on that list, but something with him was lacking for me. Not how everything develops in the end, but before that.

Next book very likely will be set somewhere else again. I wonder if there’s a way to figure out where that will be…

[Andy Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some very good, some not as good.

Review: https://youtu.be/lGdUkS60JUE?si=bAzoS...

[Chris Torres · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yes I did read this. This novel feels more like a Malazan book than TGinW, especially since it takes place in the Seven Cities continent. The characters are diverse and the plot lines tie up rather neatly. Soon you too will Witness.

[Slick · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is everything you love about Malazan, I cannot convey how much I love this series, this world, these characters. Even when they’re new characters it’s like visiting old friends. I cannot get this readers high from any other series.

Back to seven Cuties where a new Whirlwind is raising but times have changed, new characters, same scenario amazing excecution.

Arenfall was a badass character, scratch that, I loved them all. And so many cameos !! Old faces in the background that didn’t overshadow the new.

Really hope Erikson just says "Fuck it" and does 10 books

[Alexandru · Rating 5 out of 5]

What can you expect? Erikson confirms his status as the greatest fantasy author. He somehow manages to distill the complexity of a Malazan book into a shorter, tighter novel but still has all of the signature philosophy, mystery, powerful characters and edge of your seat action scenes

In typical Erikson fashion this is book 2 of a series but barely has any returning characters from book 1. Instead we have a whole host epic new characters as well as some returning characters from the main Malazan series as well as the Kharkhanas trilogy too. There's so many connections and plot threads picked up from previous series this almost feels like a bit of a sequel to Bonehunters.

The story returns to Seven Cities where once again the Apocalypse is threatening with a major rebellion and the High Fist needs to deal with it. The various cults in the cities are fighting and there's new gods that have risen and are now worshipped to replace the ones that have died.

We have marines, we have an assassins war, we have a religious war and to top it all off we have a supernatural disaster too. What more can one want?

The sad thing is that now we have to wait for the next book. The good thing is that Erikson has actually already finished it and will likely be published next year.

I'm really hoping that after this series he writes another 10 book mega series with 1000 pages per book. Because these shorter books really leave me wanting for me.

[Amine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating tale.
In No Life Forsaken Erikson revisits a region known for rebellion and discontent for its latest episode of resisting the empire.
The novel discusses freedom, religion, worship, corruption, and love. As always, the dissection of humanity is complex and insightful.
The humor and absurdity in the story were also very entertaining to experience.
Cannot wait to see how the Witness series is going to come together.

[Alexander · Rating 5 out of 5]

Savored the ending. Might be time to do my Book of the Fallen reread now!

[Цветозар · Rating 2 out of 5]

Втори пропуск след Fall of Light, може би е рано и затова виждам само позитивните ревюта, но не разбирам въобще какво са харесали в тази книга феновете.

Сюжетът е объркан разтегнат локум без ясно начало или край, целият първи том сякаш не принадлежи на тази книга, а средните два сякаш са част от друга, която не приключва в четвъртия. Ериксън ползва няколко тропи, които мога да нарека най-ясно като марвелски, колко пъти трябва да ни се напомни, че герой, който даже не играе важна роля в историята, е гей? Колко пъти ще видим някакви персонажи от предишни романи, без те реално да направят к��квото и да е за развитието на действието? Колко пъти ще се отварят някакви 'мистерии' за да не бъдат споменати повече? Нима трябва да чакаме трета или четвърта книга, за да разберем аджеба каква е била идеята зад Мют или Хастен Тену? Авторът си е оставил ръцете, романът не се усеща като нищо друго, което е писал, а имайки предвид, че това е втора книга от уж четирилогия, която нито е свързана с предишната, нито играе ролята на основа на нещо, което да го последва, не мога да кажа друга дума за романа освен тази -- разочарование.

[Jason Waltz · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is good to be again re-immersed within the Malazan world and story. Although this story, even with its typical Malazan marines humor, is a somber one. Whereas the first book of this Witness trilogy sunk its talons (yes, I did it, and I chose that word over claws) deep into my feels and gave me a singular character to invest in, this book has done neither, though I must admit to a fondness for a certain High Fist. Yes, Erikson does it again; book 2 takes us to another continent with another set of characters. No Rant here, sadly. Arenfall, however, moves high upon my list of favorites within the Malazan world. Steven, Steven, you've gifted me so many dear characters!

Very, very interesting things happen in this tale -- as do very mundane and even boring things. Va'Shaik has never been high on my list of interests. And I am not the most tolerant of insufferable characters. I find Kruppe irritating, a particular priest inane, and now a drunken mini-priestess-cum-goddess irksome. Blatt is a unique character study, which is a good thing, as much of this story is built around him. Of other new characters, Mute was an interesting creation, but much too powerful...though I did expect his tale to continue. The marines and sappers, so much fun! Oh, and let's not forget the assassins, always a joy.

So many layers, laid and delved and hinted. And as usual, numerous excellent observations on humanity. Some rather surprising things occur, such as the return from death of a particular character and in a memorable place, accompanied by a wonderful new (I think) character. This is cool and exciting. This tale has taken some most interesting turns, not unexpected in an Erickson Malazan book and yet... leading in curious directions. Anticipation abounds.

It is astounding how Erikson can weave such tenderness and introspection amidst the carnage and death and sorrow of his world. I don't always fully grasp everything, every layer, but I can honestly say I think there is no other story that moves my being as his does. And the fact he continues to do so across a very large body of words and list of books, is so very impressive.

This interlude in the study of Karsa's bearing Witness ends rather irresolutely - leaving us in limbo, as it were. It is the thinnest of Erikson MBOTF books - I was a bit surprised when I first received the book. Speaking of -- and no reflection on Erikson at all! -- why the hell did Tor change the hardcover dimensions? I'm quite tired of these publishers changing formats/sizes/etc, in midst a series. The UK hardcover is the correct size and the better art, so I will continue the series with Bantam.

I look very much forward to continuing to learn more of Arenfall...and Hasten. :)

[riddbook · Rating 4 out of 5]

I 🩶 shamalle

[Ty MaC · Rating 5 out of 5]

5/5

Some of the best assassins plots in all of Malazan. Decent politics and some fun marine and god play.

Love how Erickson is bring in stuff from all the other malazan series. We have stuff in here from path to ascendancy to Kharkanas.

If Karsa is not in book 3 we ROIT.

This is in my book of the year contention for 2025.

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to love this more than I did. I have a feeling it’ll be one of those books I’ll like more on a reread once there’s more context. A classic Erikson move of throwing us in with a new cast which I enjoyed but I was hoping for more connections to TGINW. That said, some great characters here Shamalle!!

[Chapters & Chives · Rating 4 out of 5]

As always, Steven Erikson knocks it out of the park. The intricate powerful storytelling, the world building, the character development are all just perfection. Erikson delivers another strong edition to his high fantasy collection. This book wasn't my all time favourite of his novels, but it was still excellent!

Narrator Emma Gregory was phenomenal. They didn't just narrate the novel - they went full out voice acting all the characters and creatures, both young and old. They've really made me realize how much I've been missing out on with fantasy audiobooks. They brought Erikson's world alive past the point my own imagination could!!

Huge thank you to Netgalley for the gifted copy of the ALC of this book in exchange for my honest review. I'm a huge fan of Steven Erikson, so it was an honour to be able to read and review one of his books!!

[JD Racing (Nick) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this is his best yet, I am extremely bias towards the Seven Cities but this is all thriller and no filler. I have more questions than before I read it, as a MALAZAN! nutter this is my preferred state. Now I must read again.

[Wild Bill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Worthy sequel to Deadhouse Gates, House of Chains, The Bonehunters and the whole of Malazan Book of the Fallen.

Witness.

[Kyle Foley · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5/5 stars. It's everything I love about Erikson's writing. Not as fast paced, action-heavy as TGiNW, but when it does pick up it *really* picks up. I wish it was longer though, especially the final third. The philosophical musings on godhood and what it means to follow a god are, as always, incredible.

[Varadia · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was fine. Maybe it will give a better account once the whole series is complete. Right now it is fine, but has all the usual flaws of Erikson -- all characters sound the same, they philosophize a lot, and the poetry that opens sections has definitely gotten more wordy and less interesting. Some interesting plot and world developments, but meh.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm a huge Erikson fan having picked up Gardens shortly after release in my university days 20+ years ago. His early stuff up to Bonehunters was sublime, later stuff including the Tiste books was a lull from his high standards as he went really self indulgent.

tGinW seemed like a fantastic return to form. Capturing his characterisation at its best, a vast interconnected story/world mixed with the right amount of emotional depth/philosophising he likes.

This? it's a weird book. It starts and ends excellently but the middle is him at his self-indulgent worst once again. A host of mostly pointless characters with unearned arcs who own a swathe of page time for no real purpose, dead end storylines, hints that lead nowhere... I know Erikson plays the long game but a lot of this felt ill thought out as opposed to foreshadowing.

The marines in this were boring and lacked the flair he normally brings. Arenfall was fascinating but not really fleshed out. Pash was irritatingly pointless. Shaemalle felt like just re-writing Pusk/Kruppe/Tehol with a new mask. The new adjunct(s) were purposeless....

There's a lot to dislike and it feels like it could be 100 pages longer and benefit from it, or, the snoozefest that was parts 2 & 3 could have been edited better and pages assigned to more worthwhile storylines.

I feel like I'm being hyper-critical but having just re-read the excellent tGinW in advance of this it really brings home how average this entry was.

I hope it's building towards something but if recent books are anything to by I expect the two interesting characters in this book (Arenfall and Thenu (obviously Quick)) will fade away for another brand new cast for the third book.

I'll keep reading, I love the series as a whole, and this compared to generic fantasy is streets ahead, but for Erikson's extremely high standards this felt average.

[Tyler Miko · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first book since The Return of the Crimson Guard that's left me fatigued with Malazan. I felt like I've read this book before, by the same author, exploring even the same themes and plots. There wasn't much new ground to cover and this was personally the least interesting take on these subject by Erikson to date.

[Lucas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book, don't think I understood all the implications but thought it was a lot closer to classic Malazan and had really awesome world building elements. I liked The God is not Willing quite a bit but liked this substantially more.

Also the prose is top tier Erikson at the top of his game, definitely wish it was larger and even more epic.