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Path to Ascendancy #3
Kellanved's Reach
Returning to the turbulent early history of what would become the Malazan Empire, here is the third awesome chapter in Ian C. Esslemont's new epic fantasy sequence.
The incessant war between the bickering city states of Quon Tali rages. So engrossed are the warring lords and princes in their own petty feuds that few notice that an upstart mage from Dal Hon has gained control of the southern seas. But some powers are alarmed.
And in the meantime, as Purge and Tali indulge in what seems like a never-ending game of war, a mercenary caught up in the fight between the two states suddenly refuses to play along and causes all sorts of chaos. Simultaneously, a pair of escapees from Castle Gris make their way across this ravaged landscape of flame and butchery. Their intention is to seek out the legendary Crimson Guard.
And then there's Kellanved, who could not care less about any of this petty politicking or strategy or war. Something other and altogether more mysterious has caught his attention and he - together with a reluctant and decidedly sceptical Dancer - traverse continents and journey through the Realms in pursuit . . . But this ancient mystery that has so captivated Kellanved is neither esoteric nor ephemeral. No, it is of an altogether darker and more dangerous hue. It involves the Elder races themselves, and more specifically - certainly more alarmingly - the semi-mythic, and universally dreaded, Army of Dust and Bone.
Surely no one in their right mind would be so foolish as to embark on a journey from which none have returned? Well, no one except Kellanved that is . . .
The incessant war between the bickering city states of Quon Tali rages. So engrossed are the warring lords and princes in their own petty feuds that few notice that an upstart mage from Dal Hon has gained control of the southern seas. But some powers are alarmed.
And in the meantime, as Purge and Tali indulge in what seems like a never-ending game of war, a mercenary caught up in the fight between the two states suddenly refuses to play along and causes all sorts of chaos. Simultaneously, a pair of escapees from Castle Gris make their way across this ravaged landscape of flame and butchery. Their intention is to seek out the legendary Crimson Guard.
And then there's Kellanved, who could not care less about any of this petty politicking or strategy or war. Something other and altogether more mysterious has caught his attention and he - together with a reluctant and decidedly sceptical Dancer - traverse continents and journey through the Realms in pursuit . . . But this ancient mystery that has so captivated Kellanved is neither esoteric nor ephemeral. No, it is of an altogether darker and more dangerous hue. It involves the Elder races themselves, and more specifically - certainly more alarmingly - the semi-mythic, and universally dreaded, Army of Dust and Bone.
Surely no one in their right mind would be so foolish as to embark on a journey from which none have returned? Well, no one except Kellanved that is . . .
420 pages, Paperback
First published February 19, 2019
303 people are currently reading
3688 people want to read
About the author
Ian C. Esslemont
18 books2,148 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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April 25, 2022
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A wonderful journey into the founding of the Malazan empire
Before I get properly into this review, I have to say that I properly recognize that this book isn't for everyone. If you aren't a *huge* Malazan fan, you probably won't love this book as it's not quite to the quality of the Book of the Fallen series, and you have to have a lot of knowledge about Malazan in general to be able to enjoy this.
So why the five stars? I happen to be an enormous Malazan fan, and one of the biggest things I constantly wondered while reading the main series was how the Malazan empire was founded. So to have a series that fully addresses that main question is right up my alley and is leaving me extremely satisfied.
I'm generally not a big fan of prequel books, I feel they are typically just fan service without the substance that made the originals good. But this series so far is feeling extremely well written and the stories are fascinating on their own. I love reading about the backstories of the characters, and the big "set pieces" that Malazan is known for is on full show in this book.
I also thoroughly enjoyed that the scope of this book is finally really starting to expand, and that the plot takes wild turns that are constantly unexpected. I thought multiple times that I knew where the story was going, only to have it subverted in a very positive way.
The one downside I would say is that the finale to this book doesn't have all the characters coming together in one big convergence, but instead is split into several smaller moments where the characters see their arc end individually. While a bit disappointing, it didn't overall detract from what was otherwise a wonderful read.
A wonderful journey into the founding of the Malazan empire
Before I get properly into this review, I have to say that I properly recognize that this book isn't for everyone. If you aren't a *huge* Malazan fan, you probably won't love this book as it's not quite to the quality of the Book of the Fallen series, and you have to have a lot of knowledge about Malazan in general to be able to enjoy this.
So why the five stars? I happen to be an enormous Malazan fan, and one of the biggest things I constantly wondered while reading the main series was how the Malazan empire was founded. So to have a series that fully addresses that main question is right up my alley and is leaving me extremely satisfied.
I'm generally not a big fan of prequel books, I feel they are typically just fan service without the substance that made the originals good. But this series so far is feeling extremely well written and the stories are fascinating on their own. I love reading about the backstories of the characters, and the big "set pieces" that Malazan is known for is on full show in this book.
I also thoroughly enjoyed that the scope of this book is finally really starting to expand, and that the plot takes wild turns that are constantly unexpected. I thought multiple times that I knew where the story was going, only to have it subverted in a very positive way.
The one downside I would say is that the finale to this book doesn't have all the characters coming together in one big convergence, but instead is split into several smaller moments where the characters see their arc end individually. While a bit disappointing, it didn't overall detract from what was otherwise a wonderful read.
May 25, 2025
Right, I’m going to start with some opinions, they’re intrinsically linked and maybe slightly controversial, but that’s ok because I’m up for an argument or two. So: don’t read these books before Erikson’s Malazan Book of the Fallen and if you don’t have a passion for that series and the big name characters in it that borders on an unhealthy obsession, don’t bother with them at all. Every part of what makes these prequels worth reading is the chance to experience what comes before: seeing where characters come from, how they meet, the way they get their names/nicknames, what they’re like before or as they become legend. There’s a thrill in reading hints about who someone is and guessing or knowing the answer before it’s given. There’s trepidation in registering the fractures that are going to crack wide enough to shatter worlds, shake the gods, swallow armies, and end lives on an uncountable scale. There are meaningful, layered conversations that can only be understood in reference to what comes afterwards, and there are silly jokes that work in the same way. The seeds of destruction are laid out before the reader here and we know how they end. For fans, it's hard to resist. As for the plot that surrounds it all, it’s light and often fun, but limited in what it achieves. It’s easy enough that it feels like it should be an entry point to a series which some might see as overly complicated or unapproachable. HOWEVER, it is not (please see above for details). The hill I'm going to die on: start with Gardens of the Moon... or just read something else you enjoy.
Even though this is still described everywhere (as far as I can see) as a trilogy, Kellanved’s Reach doesn’t feel like the end of anything. Whether that means more books in the Path to Ascendancy or the arbitrary creation of another series title to cover what comes next, who knows, but there’s still so much ground to cover. There was certainly a hell of a lot of time spent on introducing new characters if there’s not going to be more from them soon. It was problematic for this instalment in any case, taking away the focus from Kellanved and Dancer. They are the glue that held together Dancer's Lament and Deadhouse Landing- after all, it is predominantly their path to Ascendancy that we’re supposed to be following. They fade in and out of the picture in this book (see what I did??), with a bucket load of new characters taking their place. Obviously, many of those were cracking additions, but honestly the structure couldn’t take the weight. And this is the essential problem with Esslemont’s writing and the relative shortness of his books, neither allow for the necessary depth. Everything just that bit too clunky and repetitive. I’m not sure how many times we’re reminded that Dancer makes sure to take his trusty length of rope….yes, we get it. Once is enough. It’s part of a general lack of consistency, some things said again and again, others rushed through. The ending seemed like it was going to be a proper Malazan style climax, then…wasn’t. So not only is there not enough time to do each of the storylines properly, the time spent on each isn’t always utilised that well. This is particularly evident in the later part of this instalment, jumping from one thing to the next and barely managing to get the highlights down. There’s no emotion here save that we carry with us and it’s kinda shoddy for the author to rely on that.
All this sounds like I didn’t much enjoy the book, which I did, but it worries me that things are already starting to slide. The first two books were unabashed fun, this one tries to do too much with too little and doesn’t hit the mark. I hope whatever comes next picks that energy back up, because otherwise the impact of all the hugely important stuff just around the corner is going to be non-existent. It’s genuinely going to be sadder to read it like that than it it would be to not have it at all. Here’s hoping, then.
ARC via Netgalley
Even though this is still described everywhere (as far as I can see) as a trilogy, Kellanved’s Reach doesn’t feel like the end of anything. Whether that means more books in the Path to Ascendancy or the arbitrary creation of another series title to cover what comes next, who knows, but there’s still so much ground to cover. There was certainly a hell of a lot of time spent on introducing new characters if there’s not going to be more from them soon. It was problematic for this instalment in any case, taking away the focus from Kellanved and Dancer. They are the glue that held together Dancer's Lament and Deadhouse Landing- after all, it is predominantly their path to Ascendancy that we’re supposed to be following. They fade in and out of the picture in this book (see what I did??), with a bucket load of new characters taking their place. Obviously, many of those were cracking additions, but honestly the structure couldn’t take the weight. And this is the essential problem with Esslemont’s writing and the relative shortness of his books, neither allow for the necessary depth. Everything just that bit too clunky and repetitive. I’m not sure how many times we’re reminded that Dancer makes sure to take his trusty length of rope….yes, we get it. Once is enough. It’s part of a general lack of consistency, some things said again and again, others rushed through. The ending seemed like it was going to be a proper Malazan style climax, then…wasn’t. So not only is there not enough time to do each of the storylines properly, the time spent on each isn’t always utilised that well. This is particularly evident in the later part of this instalment, jumping from one thing to the next and barely managing to get the highlights down. There’s no emotion here save that we carry with us and it’s kinda shoddy for the author to rely on that.
All this sounds like I didn’t much enjoy the book, which I did, but it worries me that things are already starting to slide. The first two books were unabashed fun, this one tries to do too much with too little and doesn’t hit the mark. I hope whatever comes next picks that energy back up, because otherwise the impact of all the hugely important stuff just around the corner is going to be non-existent. It’s genuinely going to be sadder to read it like that than it it would be to not have it at all. Here’s hoping, then.
ARC via Netgalley
November 27, 2019
"The elders were powerful and dreadful - it was a blessing their days were over. Only a fool, or an insane power-craving... He shook his head once again, this time in exasperation. Ah..."
I received an advanced review copy of Kellanved's Reach in exchange for an honest review. I would like to thank Ian C. Esselmont and TransworldBooks/ Penguin Books UK. Before I start the review proper I will quickly state that I am quite lucky as a reviewer because of some of the books I get to read early. Ever so often a book arrives on your doorstep and everything else ceases to exist until a certain novel has been completed. This was one such occasion. I was deep through Mark Lawrence's Holy Sister and John Gwynne's A Time of Blood - by far, two of my favourite authors but the works of Erikson and Esslemont, and the world they've created is incomparable and the pinnacle of not just fantasy but current literature in general. I had to drop everything and start this immediately.
Originally touted as being a trilogy, I can safely say that the way this book ends we will have a lot more in store in this prequel series, but I'll come back to that shortly. Kellanved, now the ruler of Malaz with his friend, the dexterous and handily swift assassin Dancer continue the shadowy Mage's conquest for utter world domination. Kellanved found a flint spearhead at the end of Deadhouse Landing and believes it is the key to unlock an elder mystery and obtain and perhaps even control an overwhelming ancient power that could tip the balance in his favour - to aid his plan, even though nobody is truly aware of what he wants to accomplish. Not even Dancer.
I would say 25% of the narrative follows the exploits of my favourite fantasy duo but, like all Malazan books, you cannot rest on your laurels with what you already know. About another 100 new characters are introduced. As if there weren't already enough in this behemothic but amazing fantasy experience! For anyone who has (and if you haven't I recommend you do) read the main series' before, you'll be happy that many of the series superstars and most important players are featured and more and more are introduced.
"The main body of the force was some thirty Malazan fighters, hand-picked and led by Dassem, and including their early recruit Dujek and his shadow, Jack... Tasyschrenn stood with Dancer."
*Spoiler* - So many great moments I've really been waiting for are revealed here. Such as how Whiskeyjack earned his name, how Greymane joined the Malazan Empire and why Shimmer is such a bad-ass.
Apart from Dancer and Kellanved's story, it seems war is waging everywhere and we witness events from both sides of multiple battles that are happening concurrently. Typical to Malazan, generally there are no 'black or white' good or bad guys during point of view perspectives, so you feel for the players on both sides. To begin with, it was confusing as to who had an allegiance with who and what their required end game was and what their objectives were. At about 30% it all clicked and then it seemed to flow expertly. After reading 60% of this book and reading some stunning set-pieces, in my opinion, up there with some of the best in the overall Malazan canon, I couldn't put this book down and I couldn't see this book getting less than a 9/10.
Dancer's Lament had 3 point of view perspectives, Silk, Iko and Dancer. This new entry has approximately 15. As previously hinted at, with unfamiliar character perspectives it takes a few of their passages to work out where they fit on the board of the greater game but all will come clear. I don't think there was a single perspective I didn't enjoy. These included Dancer's friend and blind bird lady Ullara who is wandering without knowing what fate has in store, Gregor and his mage accomplice (who cannot be hit) who both wish to join the Crimson Guard, and war commander Orjin who really doesn't know his place in this waring world at the moment but just knows he can aid somehow. We see brief but excellent snippets of The Crimson Guard hierarchy before K'azz D'Avore was commander and seeing his character at this stage was really interesting. Warning - I made the typical newbie mistake. There was a new character who I wasn't familiar with who seemed like a stunning creation so I Googled his name and was told who he'd become and what his alias is, and that he's very important in later novels. Do not make the same mistake!
On many forums, there are often heated debates of the best way to start the Malazan series to get the best experience. I personally think there are 5 ways to start but that's an unpopular view. After reading this the image of Ouroboros came to my mind. If you start with the Path of Ascendancy series then Gardens of the Moon won't be so difficult. However, if you don't read the main series first then you'll miss the amazing reveals and air fist-bump moments (which I'm sad to admit happened a lot whilst I was reading this book so made me look like a lunatic to my housemate!)
So, why didn't it get five-stars? It was doing everything perfectly, until the ending. There is nothing wrong with what actually happens at the climax but it seemed a bit muddled and out of order for me. There is a stunning set-piece, the typical BOOM - wow that was amazing Malazan finale experience. Then, it spent about 6% of the book wrapping other characters arcs off. I must admit these chapters were done well, but it completely disjointed the pacing and experience. It was almost as if we'd had the finale and Esslemont was just tidying up a few threads before moving on. It might be my personal opinion but I enjoy the explosive, climatic culmination to be the final segment in a novel and that I then will not be able to stop thinking about it for weeks. This is perhaps just personal taste though. To conclude, the works of Malazan are by far my favourite fantasy series and experience I've had with reading, period. I rate quite harshly on this site because I don't think I'll ever read a book again that is as good as Midnight Tides which is my only 10/10 rating. I don't need to do a sexy statement for a blurb here. If you are reading this you know how good this series and Malazan in general is. Pre-order it now!
I received an advanced review copy of Kellanved's Reach in exchange for an honest review. I would like to thank Ian C. Esselmont and TransworldBooks/ Penguin Books UK. Before I start the review proper I will quickly state that I am quite lucky as a reviewer because of some of the books I get to read early. Ever so often a book arrives on your doorstep and everything else ceases to exist until a certain novel has been completed. This was one such occasion. I was deep through Mark Lawrence's Holy Sister and John Gwynne's A Time of Blood - by far, two of my favourite authors but the works of Erikson and Esslemont, and the world they've created is incomparable and the pinnacle of not just fantasy but current literature in general. I had to drop everything and start this immediately.
Originally touted as being a trilogy, I can safely say that the way this book ends we will have a lot more in store in this prequel series, but I'll come back to that shortly. Kellanved, now the ruler of Malaz with his friend, the dexterous and handily swift assassin Dancer continue the shadowy Mage's conquest for utter world domination. Kellanved found a flint spearhead at the end of Deadhouse Landing and believes it is the key to unlock an elder mystery and obtain and perhaps even control an overwhelming ancient power that could tip the balance in his favour - to aid his plan, even though nobody is truly aware of what he wants to accomplish. Not even Dancer.
I would say 25% of the narrative follows the exploits of my favourite fantasy duo but, like all Malazan books, you cannot rest on your laurels with what you already know. About another 100 new characters are introduced. As if there weren't already enough in this behemothic but amazing fantasy experience! For anyone who has (and if you haven't I recommend you do) read the main series' before, you'll be happy that many of the series superstars and most important players are featured and more and more are introduced.
"The main body of the force was some thirty Malazan fighters, hand-picked and led by Dassem, and including their early recruit Dujek and his shadow, Jack... Tasyschrenn stood with Dancer."
*Spoiler* - So many great moments I've really been waiting for are revealed here. Such as how Whiskeyjack earned his name, how Greymane joined the Malazan Empire and why Shimmer is such a bad-ass.
Apart from Dancer and Kellanved's story, it seems war is waging everywhere and we witness events from both sides of multiple battles that are happening concurrently. Typical to Malazan, generally there are no 'black or white' good or bad guys during point of view perspectives, so you feel for the players on both sides. To begin with, it was confusing as to who had an allegiance with who and what their required end game was and what their objectives were. At about 30% it all clicked and then it seemed to flow expertly. After reading 60% of this book and reading some stunning set-pieces, in my opinion, up there with some of the best in the overall Malazan canon, I couldn't put this book down and I couldn't see this book getting less than a 9/10.
Dancer's Lament had 3 point of view perspectives, Silk, Iko and Dancer. This new entry has approximately 15. As previously hinted at, with unfamiliar character perspectives it takes a few of their passages to work out where they fit on the board of the greater game but all will come clear. I don't think there was a single perspective I didn't enjoy. These included Dancer's friend and blind bird lady Ullara who is wandering without knowing what fate has in store, Gregor and his mage accomplice (who cannot be hit) who both wish to join the Crimson Guard, and war commander Orjin who really doesn't know his place in this waring world at the moment but just knows he can aid somehow. We see brief but excellent snippets of The Crimson Guard hierarchy before K'azz D'Avore was commander and seeing his character at this stage was really interesting. Warning - I made the typical newbie mistake. There was a new character who I wasn't familiar with who seemed like a stunning creation so I Googled his name and was told who he'd become and what his alias is, and that he's very important in later novels. Do not make the same mistake!
On many forums, there are often heated debates of the best way to start the Malazan series to get the best experience. I personally think there are 5 ways to start but that's an unpopular view. After reading this the image of Ouroboros came to my mind. If you start with the Path of Ascendancy series then Gardens of the Moon won't be so difficult. However, if you don't read the main series first then you'll miss the amazing reveals and air fist-bump moments (which I'm sad to admit happened a lot whilst I was reading this book so made me look like a lunatic to my housemate!)
So, why didn't it get five-stars? It was doing everything perfectly, until the ending. There is nothing wrong with what actually happens at the climax but it seemed a bit muddled and out of order for me. There is a stunning set-piece, the typical BOOM - wow that was amazing Malazan finale experience. Then, it spent about 6% of the book wrapping other characters arcs off. I must admit these chapters were done well, but it completely disjointed the pacing and experience. It was almost as if we'd had the finale and Esslemont was just tidying up a few threads before moving on. It might be my personal opinion but I enjoy the explosive, climatic culmination to be the final segment in a novel and that I then will not be able to stop thinking about it for weeks. This is perhaps just personal taste though. To conclude, the works of Malazan are by far my favourite fantasy series and experience I've had with reading, period. I rate quite harshly on this site because I don't think I'll ever read a book again that is as good as Midnight Tides which is my only 10/10 rating. I don't need to do a sexy statement for a blurb here. If you are reading this you know how good this series and Malazan in general is. Pre-order it now!
July 31, 2020
2,5 stelline
Ian, Ian, perché sei inciampato su questo libro? Sembravi uno scrittore così cresciutello nei tuoi ultimi lavori! Ma cosa ti è saltato in testa?! Troppe storyline, troppi personaggi tutti insieme, tutto concentrato - a malapena accennato - ogni cosa si risolve in maniera sbrigativa, insoddisfacente. Non sono riuscito a gustarmi nulla.
Eravamo partiti bene con i due libri precedenti, ma la Path to Ascendancy ha accelerato troppo ed è finita in testacoda. Che botta😒
Ian, Ian, perché sei inciampato su questo libro? Sembravi uno scrittore così cresciutello nei tuoi ultimi lavori! Ma cosa ti è saltato in testa?! Troppe storyline, troppi personaggi tutti insieme, tutto concentrato - a malapena accennato - ogni cosa si risolve in maniera sbrigativa, insoddisfacente. Non sono riuscito a gustarmi nulla.
Eravamo partiti bene con i due libri precedenti, ma la Path to Ascendancy ha accelerato troppo ed è finita in testacoda. Che botta😒
November 22, 2019
ARC received from the publisher, Random House UK, in exchange for an honest review.
Kellanved's Reach was a great continuation to the story behind the rise of Kellanved and Dancer, and the beginnings of the Malazan Empire.
Judging from the direction of the narrative, I strongly doubt that this would be the end of the series (which was marketed initially as a trilogy). Compared to the previous books, the number of character POVs in the third book had more than doubled. There were multiple storylines told from the perspective of all the different warring city-states within the continent of Quon Tali. Arising from these were several new characters being introduced. While most of these individuals will have significant roles in the later Malazan books, their respective subplots at in this book seemed largely detached from the main story. There was one character whose nickname was yet to be known by the end of the book, and it made me want to tear my hair out. I was certain that he's a prominent person in the later books, but his character development at this stage did not provide sufficient clues.
What I loved most about the two previous books was that it focussed on our two major characters. The development of their partnership and friendship and their interaction with one another were always a great delight to read. In this third book, however, their story probably took up at most a quarter of the book, if not less. The length of the books in this series so far have been relatively short by Malazan standards. Given this, some compromise will be required when it comes to handling a broader range of subplots and a larger cast of characters. The more ambitious scope in Kellanved's Reach resulted in a narrative which I felt was too rushed in places.
Despite all that, I still enjoyed reading Kellanved's Reach simply because I loved the worldbuilding in Malazan. And there was also the excitement of discovering what happened before - all the incidences or events, some earthshattering and some seemingly benign, which would cumulatively lead to what we've known and seen in the Malazan Book of the Fallen and Malazan Empire. Truth be told, I haven't finished the Empire books because I was not particularly enthralled by Esslemont's writing there. However, reading this prequel series had sufficiently rekindled my interest to read the rest of his books.
The ending had the flavour of the usual epic Malazan climax, but it was also where it suffered the most from the shorter length of the novel. I would really, truly loved to have a much longer chapter of the climactic sequence with all the anticipation built up from the deadly assault of the mage cadre and the unleashing of elder powers. The last section of the book then served to wrap up some of the 'loose ends' of the various new characters. Without any doubt, it opened up the possibility of more prequel stories coming our way. Not that I have no complaints if there are. If Esslemont keeps up with his current writing style to continue treating Malazan fans with more and more books, I will keep on reading. And I definitely wouldn't mind if these books are a tad longer.
You can pre-order this book from: Amazon UK | Book Depository (Free shipping worldwide)
You can also find this and my other reviews at Novel Notions.
Kellanved's Reach was a great continuation to the story behind the rise of Kellanved and Dancer, and the beginnings of the Malazan Empire.
Judging from the direction of the narrative, I strongly doubt that this would be the end of the series (which was marketed initially as a trilogy). Compared to the previous books, the number of character POVs in the third book had more than doubled. There were multiple storylines told from the perspective of all the different warring city-states within the continent of Quon Tali. Arising from these were several new characters being introduced. While most of these individuals will have significant roles in the later Malazan books, their respective subplots at in this book seemed largely detached from the main story. There was one character whose nickname was yet to be known by the end of the book, and it made me want to tear my hair out. I was certain that he's a prominent person in the later books, but his character development at this stage did not provide sufficient clues.
What I loved most about the two previous books was that it focussed on our two major characters. The development of their partnership and friendship and their interaction with one another were always a great delight to read. In this third book, however, their story probably took up at most a quarter of the book, if not less. The length of the books in this series so far have been relatively short by Malazan standards. Given this, some compromise will be required when it comes to handling a broader range of subplots and a larger cast of characters. The more ambitious scope in Kellanved's Reach resulted in a narrative which I felt was too rushed in places.
Despite all that, I still enjoyed reading Kellanved's Reach simply because I loved the worldbuilding in Malazan. And there was also the excitement of discovering what happened before - all the incidences or events, some earthshattering and some seemingly benign, which would cumulatively lead to what we've known and seen in the Malazan Book of the Fallen and Malazan Empire. Truth be told, I haven't finished the Empire books because I was not particularly enthralled by Esslemont's writing there. However, reading this prequel series had sufficiently rekindled my interest to read the rest of his books.
The ending had the flavour of the usual epic Malazan climax, but it was also where it suffered the most from the shorter length of the novel. I would really, truly loved to have a much longer chapter of the climactic sequence with all the anticipation built up from the deadly assault of the mage cadre and the unleashing of elder powers. The last section of the book then served to wrap up some of the 'loose ends' of the various new characters. Without any doubt, it opened up the possibility of more prequel stories coming our way. Not that I have no complaints if there are. If Esslemont keeps up with his current writing style to continue treating Malazan fans with more and more books, I will keep on reading. And I definitely wouldn't mind if these books are a tad longer.
You can pre-order this book from: Amazon UK | Book Depository (Free shipping worldwide)
You can also find this and my other reviews at Novel Notions.
November 30, 2019
Book 1: 5*
Book 2: 5*
Book 3: 3.75*
Just when I thought ICE had it all worked out........
The problem is you have dozens of legendary characters and you try to wrap things up in a 350 page book. If I could describe this book in one word it would be smattering. A smattering of Heboric, a smattering of Blues, Skinner, Dassem, Shimmer, Surly, Urko, Catheron, TCG, Silk, Greymane, Dujek, Whiskeyjack, Tool.......WTF? These are characters who could have their own books.
I understand he wanted this as a compliment to Empire and to set up those events but he needed to think BotF as well. If the first book was Dancer's and the second was an ensemble of the main old guard this was just spread too thinly. It was still enjoyable because any Malazan will be but some of the events and explanations were almost YA in feel.
I did love the throne of Telann scene, the meeting of the Moranth and TCG part.
Book 2: 5*
Book 3: 3.75*
Just when I thought ICE had it all worked out........
The problem is you have dozens of legendary characters and you try to wrap things up in a 350 page book. If I could describe this book in one word it would be smattering. A smattering of Heboric, a smattering of Blues, Skinner, Dassem, Shimmer, Surly, Urko, Catheron, TCG, Silk, Greymane, Dujek, Whiskeyjack, Tool.......WTF? These are characters who could have their own books.
I understand he wanted this as a compliment to Empire and to set up those events but he needed to think BotF as well. If the first book was Dancer's and the second was an ensemble of the main old guard this was just spread too thinly. It was still enjoyable because any Malazan will be but some of the events and explanations were almost YA in feel.
I did love the throne of Telann scene, the meeting of the Moranth and TCG part.
June 19, 2023
The pieces of the puzzle are slowly falling into place, including some internal squabbles between the major protagonists.
The third book in this series was certainly the weakest so far, and it is now evidently not maintaining the same level as the main Malazan series, but it is interesting enough that I keep wanting to know what happens next (beyond what the reader of the Malazan Book of the Fallen already knows).
The third book in this series was certainly the weakest so far, and it is now evidently not maintaining the same level as the main Malazan series, but it is interesting enough that I keep wanting to know what happens next (beyond what the reader of the Malazan Book of the Fallen already knows).
September 2, 2021
2.5. No plot, bland dialogues and lazy explanations to the names and titles of characters from the Malazan Book of the Fallen...
December 16, 2019
2.5 stars? Weak. What a letdown. At least 50% (or more) of the book is about the origin stories of Crimson Guard characters that I care nothing about. The parts with Kellenved and Dancer were great, and I enjoyed those, but the rest was just weak. And - this isn't really a spoiler I don't think, but Dancer and Kellenved don't ascend by the end of the book. I feel a bit cheated.
May 20, 2022
Terzo e conclusivo romanzo del Path of Ascendancy di Esslemont sulle origini dell'impero Malazan. Tutto procede attraverso molti punti di vista, ognuno intrigante e nella maggior parte dei casi adeguatamente strutturato.
Credo comunque che solo i veterani della saga riusciranno ad apprezzare appieno la presentazione di alcuni personaggi che saranno grandi nomi nel futuro delle saghe principali di Erikson ed Esslemont.
Ho notato un netto calo rispetto ai due libri precedenti con risoluzioni troppo accelerate che avrebbero meritato maggiore approfondimento e la più totale mancanza di colpi di scena o eventi epici come ci si aspetta da un romanzo ambientato nel mondo Malazan.
Notevole l'evento centrale a Napan, meraviglioso il rapporto tra il folle Kellanvend e la pazienza sconfinata di Dancer, deludente la ricerca del Trono e le sue conseguenze.
Nel primo romanzo avevamo come teatro la sola città di Li Heng, nel secondo l'isola pirata di Malaz, ora il campo si allarga al livello di un intero continente seguendo due guerre ai suoi lati opposti oltre alla gestione e all'organizzazione delle truppe Malazan da parte degli uomini della "famiglia" di Kellanved e di Dancer.
Il lettore può avere difficoltà a seguire il quadro generale ma Esslemont riesce nell'intento portando il fuoco su alcuni personaggi coinvolti in entrambi gli schieramenti. Ritornano alcuni personaggi presenti nei libri precedenti e se ne aggiungono di nuovi.
Un romanzo a mio parere troppo corto per la moltitudine degli eventi trattati e la mole di personaggi presentati. Eventi fondamentali poco approfonditi e risolti senza adeguato pathos rendono la lettura deludente.
Credo comunque che solo i veterani della saga riusciranno ad apprezzare appieno la presentazione di alcuni personaggi che saranno grandi nomi nel futuro delle saghe principali di Erikson ed Esslemont.
Ho notato un netto calo rispetto ai due libri precedenti con risoluzioni troppo accelerate che avrebbero meritato maggiore approfondimento e la più totale mancanza di colpi di scena o eventi epici come ci si aspetta da un romanzo ambientato nel mondo Malazan.
Notevole l'evento centrale a Napan, meraviglioso il rapporto tra il folle Kellanvend e la pazienza sconfinata di Dancer, deludente la ricerca del Trono e le sue conseguenze.
Nel primo romanzo avevamo come teatro la sola città di Li Heng, nel secondo l'isola pirata di Malaz, ora il campo si allarga al livello di un intero continente seguendo due guerre ai suoi lati opposti oltre alla gestione e all'organizzazione delle truppe Malazan da parte degli uomini della "famiglia" di Kellanved e di Dancer.
Il lettore può avere difficoltà a seguire il quadro generale ma Esslemont riesce nell'intento portando il fuoco su alcuni personaggi coinvolti in entrambi gli schieramenti. Ritornano alcuni personaggi presenti nei libri precedenti e se ne aggiungono di nuovi.
Un romanzo a mio parere troppo corto per la moltitudine degli eventi trattati e la mole di personaggi presentati. Eventi fondamentali poco approfonditi e risolti senza adeguato pathos rendono la lettura deludente.
April 11, 2019
2.5 stars.
Hm. This was a weird one. I feel like I'm one of the few Malazan fans who feel a bit meh about the Path to Ascendancy series.
My criticism of this might seem contradictory.
This book follows a lot of different characters and there were quite a few I did not really care about and whose storylines I found boring.
The thing is, the book felt too short to me. Huh, she found it too short but boring?? I feel like the characters and storylines did not have enough room to develop. The book often felt rushed and key elements happened way too quickly for my liking. This made it hard to really connect to and care for the characters. This book could have easily been twice as long.
Also, I feel like this book was targeted at readers who have read both MBotF and the Malazan Empire series. I have not read the latter and I buddy read this with some of the Malazan enthusiasts at Fantasy Buddy Reads. They picked up a lot of things I did not and I think this diminished my reading enjoyment.
As for the writing: I can't say that Esslemont's writing is bad in this one, but there is something about it that does not work for me. I can't put my finger on it, though.
There were some great moments and scenes I really enjoyed where I felt the fascination for this world but unfortunately those were muddied by a lot of rushed scenes. I wish the book had focused more on those storylines I enjoyed and had spent more time developing them.
The rest of the series:
Dancer's Lament: 2.5 stars
Deadhouse Landing: 3-5-4 stars
Hm. This was a weird one. I feel like I'm one of the few Malazan fans who feel a bit meh about the Path to Ascendancy series.
My criticism of this might seem contradictory.
This book follows a lot of different characters and there were quite a few I did not really care about and whose storylines I found boring.
The thing is, the book felt too short to me. Huh, she found it too short but boring?? I feel like the characters and storylines did not have enough room to develop. The book often felt rushed and key elements happened way too quickly for my liking. This made it hard to really connect to and care for the characters. This book could have easily been twice as long.
Also, I feel like this book was targeted at readers who have read both MBotF and the Malazan Empire series. I have not read the latter and I buddy read this with some of the Malazan enthusiasts at Fantasy Buddy Reads. They picked up a lot of things I did not and I think this diminished my reading enjoyment.
As for the writing: I can't say that Esslemont's writing is bad in this one, but there is something about it that does not work for me. I can't put my finger on it, though.
There were some great moments and scenes I really enjoyed where I felt the fascination for this world but unfortunately those were muddied by a lot of rushed scenes. I wish the book had focused more on those storylines I enjoyed and had spent more time developing them.
The rest of the series:
Dancer's Lament: 2.5 stars
Deadhouse Landing: 3-5-4 stars
March 5, 2024
So, here I am at the end of this Kellanved's and Dancer's journey and I am sad to report it was definitelly the weakest of the three Path to Ascendancy novels so far.
As far as I understand, Esslemont's current plan is to write atleast six PtA books, but originaly this was suppose to be the final one and it is the last one that focuses on the main Kellanved's and Dancer's storyline. And if that is the case... I feel very underwhelmed.
I have read Esslemont's Novels of the Malazan Empire and my main issue with those usually were the endings. They often felt rushed, anticlimatic and they left too many things unresolved. It is not as bad with Kellanved's Reach, but it evokes a similar feeling.
I enjoyed most of the book, especially K a D parts and the staff with mages. But I can not help but feel like so much time and space was devoted to characters and plotlines that did not really got any resolution and it took the spotlight from the main duo, whose story therefore in the end felt unfinished (I know it continues in Night of Knives etc, but still, I expected to get much more) and simplified.
Once again, I did not hate it, it shares the positive aspects with previous two PtA novels, but the feeling of the let down, caused by the ending and overall structure of the "trilogy", is strong for me right now. I am very curious how I will feel about the sequels. 6/10.
As far as I understand, Esslemont's current plan is to write atleast six PtA books, but originaly this was suppose to be the final one and it is the last one that focuses on the main Kellanved's and Dancer's storyline. And if that is the case... I feel very underwhelmed.
I have read Esslemont's Novels of the Malazan Empire and my main issue with those usually were the endings. They often felt rushed, anticlimatic and they left too many things unresolved. It is not as bad with Kellanved's Reach, but it evokes a similar feeling.
I enjoyed most of the book, especially K a D parts and the staff with mages. But I can not help but feel like so much time and space was devoted to characters and plotlines that did not really got any resolution and it took the spotlight from the main duo, whose story therefore in the end felt unfinished (I know it continues in Night of Knives etc, but still, I expected to get much more) and simplified.
Once again, I did not hate it, it shares the positive aspects with previous two PtA novels, but the feeling of the let down, caused by the ending and overall structure of the "trilogy", is strong for me right now. I am very curious how I will feel about the sequels. 6/10.
December 6, 2020
2.5🌟 Unlike the first 2 of the series this was a real drag for me. There are too many irrelevant characters. The book is way too short giving a rush feel that felt like I was reading off bullet points for some chapters. I dont even know if there really was a plot tbh hahaha. The finale was kind of a cop out really. I guess my main problem was the story format. I still enjoyed the tone of story which was more on the whimsical side rather than the cold hardships of war. Esslemont is still a quality author there are just some suspect choices with this one...
Book 1: Dancers Lament 5🌟
Book 2: Deadhouse Landing 4.5🌟
Book 1: Dancers Lament 5🌟
Book 2: Deadhouse Landing 4.5🌟
March 22, 2023
Fue el que menos me gustó de las precuelas hasta ahora, me dio la sensación de que Esslemont quiso meter la mayor cantidad de personajes posible y eso le sacó bastante protagonismo a Kellanved y Danzante.
Al igual que en los libros anteriores, conocemos el origen de muchas figuras del imperio de Malaz y de la Guardia Carmesí, solo que esta vez algunas de estas historias se sintieron forzadas o directamente fueron intrascendentes, como el origen de Possum.
Igual hubo cosas que me gustaron mucho y que son mencionadas en la saga principal como eventos históricos. Me encantó ver cómo el emperador tomó el Trono de los T'lan Imass y el origen de Graymane fue igual de épico que sus hazañas en El libro de los caídos y en Stonewielder.
Sin dudas son libros dirigidos para fans de la saga principal y llenan algunos vacíos que son contados como leyendas en otros libros.
Mucha gente critica que Esslemont contradice cosas de los libros de Erikson (como ciertos orígenes de algunos personajes y cómo sucedieron algunos eventos), pero después de haber leído 19 libros de Malaz en lo personal no me importan. Creo que las famosas contradicciones solo pueden molestarle a gente con el suficiente tiempo libre como para recordar que un personaje secundario era descrito con ojos celestes en vez de marrones. El fandom de Malaz se agarra de cualquier cosa con tal de pegarle a Esslemont y olvidan que él también creó este universo y merece el mismo crédito que Steven Erikson.Malditos fans de Malaz, arruinaron Malaz.
Al igual que en los libros anteriores, conocemos el origen de muchas figuras del imperio de Malaz y de la Guardia Carmesí, solo que esta vez algunas de estas historias se sintieron forzadas o directamente fueron intrascendentes, como el origen de Possum.
Igual hubo cosas que me gustaron mucho y que son mencionadas en la saga principal como eventos históricos. Me encantó ver cómo el emperador tomó el Trono de los T'lan Imass y el origen de Graymane fue igual de épico que sus hazañas en El libro de los caídos y en Stonewielder.
Sin dudas son libros dirigidos para fans de la saga principal y llenan algunos vacíos que son contados como leyendas en otros libros.
Mucha gente critica que Esslemont contradice cosas de los libros de Erikson (como ciertos orígenes de algunos personajes y cómo sucedieron algunos eventos), pero después de haber leído 19 libros de Malaz en lo personal no me importan. Creo que las famosas contradicciones solo pueden molestarle a gente con el suficiente tiempo libre como para recordar que un personaje secundario era descrito con ojos celestes en vez de marrones. El fandom de Malaz se agarra de cualquier cosa con tal de pegarle a Esslemont y olvidan que él también creó este universo y merece el mismo crédito que Steven Erikson.
December 9, 2019
The enigmatic sorcerer Kellanved has seized control of Malaz Island. His cohort and ally Surly plots the conquest of her homeland, the Napan Isles. Meanwhile, the mainland of Quon Tali is wracked by war and civil war. Purge and Tali are locked in incessant conflict in the west, whilst to the east the Bloorian League is trying to crush the city of Gris. Conflict stalks the world but great changes are coming in the warrens as well, as Kellanved seeks the Throne of Shadow and also the First Throne of the T'lan Imass, the Army of Dust and Bone...
Kellanved's Reach is the third novel in Ian Esslemont's Path to Ascendancy series, which acts as a prequel to both the Malazan Book of the Fallen sequence by Steven Erikson and Esslemont's own earlier Malazan Empire series. Following on from Dancer's Lament and Deadhouse Landing, this book continues the story of Kellanved and Dancer, the founders of the Malazan Empire.
The events described in this trilogy, and in this single novel especially, are vast, epic and the stuff of myth. Kellanved's seizure of the First Throne, his alliance with the T'lan Imass and the military campaigns which saw the Malazan Empire start coming together have been referenced in hushed tones throughout the sixteen novels of both of Erikson and Esslemont's original series, so to see those events first-hand is thrilling. Or rather it should be.
If one word comes to mind when reading Kellanved's Reach it is "rushed". The book is only 330 pages long (barely a third as long as some of Erikson's books) and Esslemont tries to fit into this modest page count no less than five major military campaigns, a major subplot with Kellanved and Dancer exploring the Shadow Realm and the stories of numerous POV characters. There simply isn't enough room to do this justice and as a result we end up bouncing back and forth between characters and stories like a pinball machine. Massive, major events (like the nascent empire's capture of the strategically vital city of Cawn) take place in sentences, let along paragraphs, and the epic final battle which ends with Kellanved's crowning feels perfunctory at best.
This is a shame because the improvement in Esslemont's writing and character voice which has been building since Dancer's Lament continues apace here. The early chapters, which relax a little to focus on the military campaigns on opposite coasts of the continent, are well-written and excellent, and it's fun to see future important characters like Greymane and Skinner arise from the masses to start their own steps down the road to destiny. But around the halfway mark the pace accelerates and suddenly major plot events are whizzing by like they've been shot out of a machine gun.
There's still much to enjoy here, of course, even if the later chapters of the book do start feeling more like a plot summary than a novel. I suspect it will be even more frustrating as - if as seems possible - more books in this series follow; Path to Ascendancy was contracted for three books but the series has sold extremely well, so it may be extended. There's plenty of scope if so (the book ends with Kellanved crowned but only a very small part of Quon Tali under his control), and it'd be interesting to fill the gaps in between this book and Night of Knives (set roughly 100 years later), where Kellanved's plans are finally fully realised.
Kellanved's Reach (***½) is a reasonably solid addition to the Malazan mythos, with some genuinely exciting, myth-making moments. It also feels like the novel should have been either twice as long as it is, or its events should have been split over two books. As it stands, the brake-neck pacing means that the emotional resonance and dramatic power of some long-awaited scenes are diluted. The book is available in the UK now and next month in the USA.
Kellanved's Reach is the third novel in Ian Esslemont's Path to Ascendancy series, which acts as a prequel to both the Malazan Book of the Fallen sequence by Steven Erikson and Esslemont's own earlier Malazan Empire series. Following on from Dancer's Lament and Deadhouse Landing, this book continues the story of Kellanved and Dancer, the founders of the Malazan Empire.
The events described in this trilogy, and in this single novel especially, are vast, epic and the stuff of myth. Kellanved's seizure of the First Throne, his alliance with the T'lan Imass and the military campaigns which saw the Malazan Empire start coming together have been referenced in hushed tones throughout the sixteen novels of both of Erikson and Esslemont's original series, so to see those events first-hand is thrilling. Or rather it should be.
If one word comes to mind when reading Kellanved's Reach it is "rushed". The book is only 330 pages long (barely a third as long as some of Erikson's books) and Esslemont tries to fit into this modest page count no less than five major military campaigns, a major subplot with Kellanved and Dancer exploring the Shadow Realm and the stories of numerous POV characters. There simply isn't enough room to do this justice and as a result we end up bouncing back and forth between characters and stories like a pinball machine. Massive, major events (like the nascent empire's capture of the strategically vital city of Cawn) take place in sentences, let along paragraphs, and the epic final battle which ends with Kellanved's crowning feels perfunctory at best.
This is a shame because the improvement in Esslemont's writing and character voice which has been building since Dancer's Lament continues apace here. The early chapters, which relax a little to focus on the military campaigns on opposite coasts of the continent, are well-written and excellent, and it's fun to see future important characters like Greymane and Skinner arise from the masses to start their own steps down the road to destiny. But around the halfway mark the pace accelerates and suddenly major plot events are whizzing by like they've been shot out of a machine gun.
There's still much to enjoy here, of course, even if the later chapters of the book do start feeling more like a plot summary than a novel. I suspect it will be even more frustrating as - if as seems possible - more books in this series follow; Path to Ascendancy was contracted for three books but the series has sold extremely well, so it may be extended. There's plenty of scope if so (the book ends with Kellanved crowned but only a very small part of Quon Tali under his control), and it'd be interesting to fill the gaps in between this book and Night of Knives (set roughly 100 years later), where Kellanved's plans are finally fully realised.
Kellanved's Reach (***½) is a reasonably solid addition to the Malazan mythos, with some genuinely exciting, myth-making moments. It also feels like the novel should have been either twice as long as it is, or its events should have been split over two books. As it stands, the brake-neck pacing means that the emotional resonance and dramatic power of some long-awaited scenes are diluted. The book is available in the UK now and next month in the USA.
April 5, 2019
Better than a 3-star so I'm rounding up, yet not of the same high caliber of books 1 and 2 in this Path to Ascendancy. Lots of players of the Big Game that is the MBOTF assume their roles in this one, and learning much of what lies behind many of them is quite fun and very interesting. Most interesting is the 'luck' that seems to propel much of it; luck for a particular emperor that is. Dancer is my favorite character, and the reputation he gained/delivered in the MBOTF is bolstered here, as it has been throughout this series. On the other hand, while I enjoy Kellanved and love their team-up, and despite his obvious skills and dexterous schemes, Shadowthrone seems somewhat lessened in this book, a bit of tarnish dulling his shine. I'm thankful Dancer remains true, saddened at this lesser turn in Kellanved. Outside this, there's lots of bloodshed, a lot of character manuevering, some nice tactics, even better magicks, and a few good lines. It's difficult for any author to sustain nigh perfection, and after the first 2 books a let-down was to be expected. Definitely glad to have returned to Malaz and this duo though.
Want to read
December 2, 2019Oh. You've came out.
March 15, 2024
Edit 2024: I am upgrading this book to four stars meaning I really liked it. What helped was knowing that this is not a trilogy like I had believed before. As an ending to the Ascension it was awful, there were way to many gaps left and that colored my previous review. I'm sorry Ian.
Aso part of my campaign to read these in internal chronological order and fill out a personal notebook also added to my enjoyment. This set of books sets up a ton of things that become important in the Books of the Fallen later on. Many places, and more importantly names, and powers are explored in this book.
All in all I really had fun with it. Looking forward to book 4 in the path to ascendency which is due out April 9. Tempted to pre-order it but since my birthday is April 8 I am under strict instruction not to buy myself anything.
Original review:
I haven't done reviews for each book in this particular part of the full Malazan story. So.. uh spoilers follow.
I enjoyed the first book the most. The very beginning of Dancer as a character was fascinating to see, as well as introducing a number of other characters that will eventually play a role in the Malazan Empire stories.
The second was pretty good too. More about combining the abilities and sensibilities of Kellanved and Dancer as they become partners in an audacious scheme. Driven by Kellanved's quirky madness, and Dancers practical sensibility they make a pretty good team.
This book, supposedly the last of the Path to Ascendancy feels incomplete and rushed. Dancer and Kallanved continue their pursuit of power, and Esselmont explains how the Malaz Empire comes into being, but I contend that neither Dancer or Kellanved 'ascended' to anything really. Sure, an empire and emperor are created, but in the later (meaning written earlier but later in the internal timeline of the stories) books Dancer and Kellanved are mysterious, powerful beings, who have transcended human power levels to take place in the pantheons of powers and ascendants of this world.
It feels like we are only halfway to true ascendancy at the end of this trilogy and so I'm left feeling unsatisfied.
Will I read more. Yup. I really like this world and this particular book being my least favorite will not stop me from reading more, heck two of Eriksons books are in the wobblily huge stack of books next to my bed right now.
Aso part of my campaign to read these in internal chronological order and fill out a personal notebook also added to my enjoyment. This set of books sets up a ton of things that become important in the Books of the Fallen later on. Many places, and more importantly names, and powers are explored in this book.
All in all I really had fun with it. Looking forward to book 4 in the path to ascendency which is due out April 9. Tempted to pre-order it but since my birthday is April 8 I am under strict instruction not to buy myself anything.
Original review:
I haven't done reviews for each book in this particular part of the full Malazan story. So.. uh spoilers follow.
I enjoyed the first book the most. The very beginning of Dancer as a character was fascinating to see, as well as introducing a number of other characters that will eventually play a role in the Malazan Empire stories.
The second was pretty good too. More about combining the abilities and sensibilities of Kellanved and Dancer as they become partners in an audacious scheme. Driven by Kellanved's quirky madness, and Dancers practical sensibility they make a pretty good team.
This book, supposedly the last of the Path to Ascendancy feels incomplete and rushed. Dancer and Kallanved continue their pursuit of power, and Esselmont explains how the Malaz Empire comes into being, but I contend that neither Dancer or Kellanved 'ascended' to anything really. Sure, an empire and emperor are created, but in the later (meaning written earlier but later in the internal timeline of the stories) books Dancer and Kellanved are mysterious, powerful beings, who have transcended human power levels to take place in the pantheons of powers and ascendants of this world.
It feels like we are only halfway to true ascendancy at the end of this trilogy and so I'm left feeling unsatisfied.
Will I read more. Yup. I really like this world and this particular book being my least favorite will not stop me from reading more, heck two of Eriksons books are in the wobblily huge stack of books next to my bed right now.
November 24, 2019
This is a solid conclusion to Esslemont's Path to Ascendancy trilogy, but its flaws highlight what is worst about his writing.
Specifically, the fact that it is apparently impossible for Esslemont to create characters who have interesting backgrounds or motivations. We saw this problem even in his first six books before this trilogy, and the fact that the same pattern is repeated here just worsens the problem. Esslemont introduces characters who are basically blank slates: they want nothing to do with the past or where they came from; all they want is to forge a new identity based on fighting, the one they were good at it in their old tribe or something that just didn't want them.
It gets old. It got old a while ago, after *Return of the Crimson Guard*, which was Esslemont's best book for a while -- but *Dancer's Lament* was excellent and remains his best book ever and one of the best entries in the Malazan world.
The other problem is that this book is mostly about nothing at all. When it's about Dancer and Kellanved, it's excellent -- but there's so much else here that doesn't fit at all with anything else. It very frequently reads like pointless, directionless vignettes -- with no unity at all (plot-wise, subtextually, thematically, etc.). It isn't like these vignettes are good and are just lacking unity, either: they often feel empty because the characters just have nothing to them at all.
But! There is a lot here to enjoy. It never reaches the heights of *Dancer's Lament*, but the story, when it follows Dancer and Kellanved, is really great and rewarding. It feels to me like this should have been *their* story. It's easy to, upon looking back on the series, actually think it *was* their story: after all, it's hard to remember all the other meaningless vignettes and substance-less characters; so, you might just think that these books are 300+ pages of Dancer and Kellanved. And it's more flattering to think of them that way for sure. The dynamic between the two characters is great, and I wish it could have been explored more! Thankfully, their appearance in Erikson's main series more than compensate for that! And I hope we get to see more of them in whatever Esslemont writes next.
Specifically, the fact that it is apparently impossible for Esslemont to create characters who have interesting backgrounds or motivations. We saw this problem even in his first six books before this trilogy, and the fact that the same pattern is repeated here just worsens the problem. Esslemont introduces characters who are basically blank slates: they want nothing to do with the past or where they came from; all they want is to forge a new identity based on fighting, the one they were good at it in their old tribe or something that just didn't want them.
It gets old. It got old a while ago, after *Return of the Crimson Guard*, which was Esslemont's best book for a while -- but *Dancer's Lament* was excellent and remains his best book ever and one of the best entries in the Malazan world.
The other problem is that this book is mostly about nothing at all. When it's about Dancer and Kellanved, it's excellent -- but there's so much else here that doesn't fit at all with anything else. It very frequently reads like pointless, directionless vignettes -- with no unity at all (plot-wise, subtextually, thematically, etc.). It isn't like these vignettes are good and are just lacking unity, either: they often feel empty because the characters just have nothing to them at all.
But! There is a lot here to enjoy. It never reaches the heights of *Dancer's Lament*, but the story, when it follows Dancer and Kellanved, is really great and rewarding. It feels to me like this should have been *their* story. It's easy to, upon looking back on the series, actually think it *was* their story: after all, it's hard to remember all the other meaningless vignettes and substance-less characters; so, you might just think that these books are 300+ pages of Dancer and Kellanved. And it's more flattering to think of them that way for sure. The dynamic between the two characters is great, and I wish it could have been explored more! Thankfully, their appearance in Erikson's main series more than compensate for that! And I hope we get to see more of them in whatever Esslemont writes next.
February 4, 2020
Meh. I could write a scathing review of this book, but I won't out of respect for the fact he contributed to this world - which is my favourite.
If this wasn't a book set in the malazan world, I'm certain most people would rate it far lower (me included). Nostalgia pushes it up.
This is not a well written book at all. Far too rushed in every aspect. Important scenes are just glossed over 😐.
Disappointed.
Wish Erikson wrote this. A back story as important as Kellanved and Dancer should've been written by the better writer. And ICE should only cover the fringe topics like the Crimson Guard.
If this wasn't a book set in the malazan world, I'm certain most people would rate it far lower (me included). Nostalgia pushes it up.
This is not a well written book at all. Far too rushed in every aspect. Important scenes are just glossed over 😐.
Disappointed.
Wish Erikson wrote this. A back story as important as Kellanved and Dancer should've been written by the better writer. And ICE should only cover the fringe topics like the Crimson Guard.
January 23, 2020
2.5 This is very plot lead and I prefer my characters more drawn out then they were here.
August 20, 2023
If Song of Ice and Fire went with such pace as Kellanved's Reach, it could be over at the third book) All in all a pretty good outing with familiar cast, amazing humor and trademark landscape. But still, not for a wide audience. Strictly for the fans of the main series.
May 6, 2020
This book gets a lot of criticism; it’s too short, it does too much, and some events and character introductions are glossed over far too quickly. Those things are all true, and it could justifiably be double the length. If assessing this in isolation, that would count heavily against it. However, as an entry in the Malazan world, it is still very good.
This is nominally Kellanved’s book, and the character is fantastic here. On the flip side, Dancer is sadly reduced to a spectator, having been superb in prior books. The power dynamics of the emerging Malazan empire are excellent, be it in terms of the subtle, the confounding of expectations, or the trademark humour of this world; there are some very entertaining moments.
Most of the criticism of the book centres on some of the other character viewpoints. They do take up too much space (or rather, the main focus of the book doesn’t get enough), yet are all significant. Yes, Esslemont pays too much attention to the Crimson Guard and Greymane. However, while not as good, these chapters are never boring, and certainly not irrelevant; they establish significant characters (there are none of the usual generic soldier viewpoints here), explain why the Guard is so opposed to the Empire, and crucially, expose just how far Kellanved’s reach (sorry) extends in terms of destabilising the continental city states or exploiting the chaos that already exists.
This latter point is often overlooked, given its relevance to the central plot of the book and series. It is true that rather than being an excellent novel in its own right, this book is really about moving pieces around the board, yet it does that rather well. Ultimately though, it is the world this book takes places in that is so good, and that makes this particular entry easy to enjoy — if you have read the other twenty or so that is.
This is nominally Kellanved’s book, and the character is fantastic here. On the flip side, Dancer is sadly reduced to a spectator, having been superb in prior books. The power dynamics of the emerging Malazan empire are excellent, be it in terms of the subtle, the confounding of expectations, or the trademark humour of this world; there are some very entertaining moments.
Most of the criticism of the book centres on some of the other character viewpoints. They do take up too much space (or rather, the main focus of the book doesn’t get enough), yet are all significant. Yes, Esslemont pays too much attention to the Crimson Guard and Greymane. However, while not as good, these chapters are never boring, and certainly not irrelevant; they establish significant characters (there are none of the usual generic soldier viewpoints here), explain why the Guard is so opposed to the Empire, and crucially, expose just how far Kellanved’s reach (sorry) extends in terms of destabilising the continental city states or exploiting the chaos that already exists.
This latter point is often overlooked, given its relevance to the central plot of the book and series. It is true that rather than being an excellent novel in its own right, this book is really about moving pieces around the board, yet it does that rather well. Ultimately though, it is the world this book takes places in that is so good, and that makes this particular entry easy to enjoy — if you have read the other twenty or so that is.
May 22, 2024
Mind changed. Though there were waaaaaaay too many characters needing development and the book was decidedly too short to be totally effective, Esslemont managed to put together a great story that finally gives us the formation of the Malazan Empire and how Kellanved pulled it all off. Anyone who is a fan of this world- like me- is doing themselves a great disservice by not reading this book. Can't wait for the next adventure.
December 19, 2025
''I'm cool like a fool in a swimming puh-puh-puh-pool.''
- Jimmy Valmer
I'm honestly tempted to just drop a recipe for chocolate chip cookies in lieu of a review. It'd be fully deserved, but it's Christmas, so I'll play nice for a change. Fuck you though, fellow.
The Malazan Empire has FINALLY been founded, and I also just discovered, having only read 14 books in the series, that I've completely misunderstood the timeline of the entire story. That's great. No, no that's just fucking great. Anyhoo, my feelings on this book are more mixed than any dog breed I've ever owned. Like, it's probably the best of his books so far? But also... a pretty significant portion of the book feels pretty inconsequential to just about anything, really. I'll give some credit, though, seeing as those portions, disconnected as they were, were mostly fun enough in their own right. I got some answers I didn't expect, and found some questions I never knew I wanted to ask. Lol wut, what kind of Narnia bullshit am I writing right now?
Towards the end, the book even had it's own little mini version of The Chain of Dogs, albeit one that didn't actually make me cry. The actual one made me bawl my eyes out as if Marek Hamsik had died. This? This didn't, but it was a cute enough attempt all the same.
It's a travesty that Sky Ferreira's second album STILL hasn't been released after all these years, but at least 'Lost In My Bedroom' will forever remain a belter.
Gorlami.
- Jimmy Valmer
I'm honestly tempted to just drop a recipe for chocolate chip cookies in lieu of a review. It'd be fully deserved, but it's Christmas, so I'll play nice for a change. Fuck you though, fellow.
The Malazan Empire has FINALLY been founded, and I also just discovered, having only read 14 books in the series, that I've completely misunderstood the timeline of the entire story. That's great. No, no that's just fucking great. Anyhoo, my feelings on this book are more mixed than any dog breed I've ever owned. Like, it's probably the best of his books so far? But also... a pretty significant portion of the book feels pretty inconsequential to just about anything, really. I'll give some credit, though, seeing as those portions, disconnected as they were, were mostly fun enough in their own right. I got some answers I didn't expect, and found some questions I never knew I wanted to ask. Lol wut, what kind of Narnia bullshit am I writing right now?
Towards the end, the book even had it's own little mini version of The Chain of Dogs, albeit one that didn't actually make me cry. The actual one made me bawl my eyes out as if Marek Hamsik had died. This? This didn't, but it was a cute enough attempt all the same.
It's a travesty that Sky Ferreira's second album STILL hasn't been released after all these years, but at least 'Lost In My Bedroom' will forever remain a belter.
Gorlami.
August 9, 2021
Like most Malazan books this feels like an episode out of a grand fantasy epic, many threads and questions left unanswered yet still satisfying and well written on it's own. The epic nature of this series is both It's strenght and weakness. Any individual book will fail to be quite as grand as the massive whole of it. But it's still great.
The first arc of Dancer and Kellanved reaches its end, empire has been achieved, but there us so much more to come.
The first arc of Dancer and Kellanved reaches its end, empire has been achieved, but there us so much more to come.
February 22, 2019
Great read for the fans!
As is usual for any reviews I write for books in the Malazan universe let me say I'm an unabashed, biased fan. This book, completing (?) the backstory of how Kellanved and Dancer became Shadowthrone and Cotillion was therefore like a designer drug to me and I read it in all of twenty four hours.
It's great! Enough by way of Easter eggs and cameos and long awaited reveals etc to keep any Malazan fan sated, but you do have to be steeped in the knowledge of the 20 or so books preceding this to truly enjoy it. This is interesting because of course this is a prequel trilogy!
My one complaint is this book feels like it was shortened and it very much ends in media res. Most plotlines are resolved, if I think about it a bit, but when u was reading it and the copyright page came up after the end of the last chapter, I thought I'd got a buggy ebook! I certainly hope there's more books coming in the series, as this one has ended at a point where all the big players are arrayed just so on the chessboard and from memory, some of the biggest steps on the duo's Path to Ascendancy are a few moves away
As is usual for any reviews I write for books in the Malazan universe let me say I'm an unabashed, biased fan. This book, completing (?) the backstory of how Kellanved and Dancer became Shadowthrone and Cotillion was therefore like a designer drug to me and I read it in all of twenty four hours.
It's great! Enough by way of Easter eggs and cameos and long awaited reveals etc to keep any Malazan fan sated, but you do have to be steeped in the knowledge of the 20 or so books preceding this to truly enjoy it. This is interesting because of course this is a prequel trilogy!
My one complaint is this book feels like it was shortened and it very much ends in media res. Most plotlines are resolved, if I think about it a bit, but when u was reading it and the copyright page came up after the end of the last chapter, I thought I'd got a buggy ebook! I certainly hope there's more books coming in the series, as this one has ended at a point where all the big players are arrayed just so on the chessboard and from memory, some of the biggest steps on the duo's Path to Ascendancy are a few moves away
September 30, 2022
Of the three books in the Path to Ascendancy trilogy, this is probably my least favorite. As I’ve mentioned in my other reviews, I have not read the original Malazan series, and now that I’ve read these I think that is to my detriment of really enjoying this prequel series. There is no wrap up of anything by the end of this, and is clearly meant to supplement what readers already know about what happens in the future of this universe.
There were a lot of little sub-plots going on in this one that were a little hard to keep track of, and a lot of the battle logistics and specifics and names went right over my head and I had to just keep reading.
I can’t say I particularly like Kellanved hah. It feels like despite his obvious talent, most of what he has fell into his lap or he stumbled upon it or it was thanks to the actions of OTHERS that he is so successful. He’s reckless and borderline incompetent.
I don’t know, this book was just meh. One day perhaps I’ll dive into the main series and this will all make sense.
There were a lot of little sub-plots going on in this one that were a little hard to keep track of, and a lot of the battle logistics and specifics and names went right over my head and I had to just keep reading.
I can’t say I particularly like Kellanved hah. It feels like despite his obvious talent, most of what he has fell into his lap or he stumbled upon it or it was thanks to the actions of OTHERS that he is so successful. He’s reckless and borderline incompetent.
I don’t know, this book was just meh. One day perhaps I’ll dive into the main series and this will all make sense.
April 7, 2019
This book was quite anti-climactic and disappointing after how great the first two books are. It felt like Esslemont had to meet a publishing deadline and he just submitted this. I usually don't say this, but this book should have been much longer. It felt like I read half a book. Too many characters and plotlines were crammed into one short book.
I read that Esslemont is writing another trilogy, which I can only assume continues Kellanved's group's story. So I'm not sure why he rushed this story. This was just a strange book.
Overall, the best parts are always the scenes with Kellanved and Dancer.
I read that Esslemont is writing another trilogy, which I can only assume continues Kellanved's group's story. So I'm not sure why he rushed this story. This was just a strange book.
Overall, the best parts are always the scenes with Kellanved and Dancer.
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