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Malazan Book of the Fallen #8
Toll the Hounds
In Darujhistan, the city of blue fire, it is said that love and death shall arrive dancing. It is summer and the heat is oppressive, but for the small round man in the faded red waistcoat, discomfiture is not just because of the sun. All is not well. Dire portents plague his nights and haunt the city streets like fiends of shadow. Assassins skulk in alleyways, but the quarry has turned and the hunters become the hunted.
Hidden hands pluck the strings of tyranny like a fell chorus. While the bards sing their tragic tales, somewhere in the distance can be heard the baying of Hounds...And in the distant city of Black Coral, where rules Anomander Rake, Son of Darkness, ancient crimes awaken, intent on revenge. It seems Love and Death are indeed about to arrive...hand in hand, dancing.
A thrilling, harrowing novel of war, intrigue and dark, uncontrollable magic, Toll the Hounds is the new chapter in Erikson's monumental series - epic fantasy at its most imaginative and storytelling at its most exciting.
Hidden hands pluck the strings of tyranny like a fell chorus. While the bards sing their tragic tales, somewhere in the distance can be heard the baying of Hounds...And in the distant city of Black Coral, where rules Anomander Rake, Son of Darkness, ancient crimes awaken, intent on revenge. It seems Love and Death are indeed about to arrive...hand in hand, dancing.
A thrilling, harrowing novel of war, intrigue and dark, uncontrollable magic, Toll the Hounds is the new chapter in Erikson's monumental series - epic fantasy at its most imaginative and storytelling at its most exciting.
1008 pages, Hardcover
First published June 30, 2008
1713 people are currently reading
23961 people want to read
About the author
Steven Erikson
128 books15k followersSteven 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...
http://us.macmillan.com/author/steven...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,603 reviews
June 5, 2019
Against all odds, Toll the Hounds blew my mind away and became one of my favorite installment within the series.
Toll the Hounds, just like House of Chains, is one of the installments which I heard plenty of mixed things about; they’re there for valid reasons. However, unlike House of Chains which disappointed me a lot, I actually found Toll the Hounds mesmerizing, a treasure trove for philosophies, and also one of the most rewarding books in the series so far. The story of the novel focused on the characters in Darujhistan and the Tiste Andii race. That’s right, we’re finally back in Darujhistan after seven books and we finally get to see the story focusing almost completely on the Tiste Andii.
Picture: A fanart of Anomander Rake by artsed-d8joaqa
I won’t lie, a lot of the warnings about the extremely slow pacing and the overload of philosophical content—as amazing as they were—towards this entry were there for good reasons. It took a LONG time to get to the rewarding convergence and believe me, this isn’t by all mean a flawless book; a lot of the philosophical content didn’t add any value to the book other than being there for social commentary. Like the majority of the fans said, the barrage of philosophies was so extreme that it almost damaged the entirety of the book. Every character has become a philosopher here; a single question asked will be answered after four or five paragraphs of self-contemplation. But gods below, the last 25% of the book was totally worth the struggle. Plus, I’m confident that this is a book that will be much better upon a reread due to the touch of omniscient narrative that Erikson added for premonition and foreshadowing value.
The last quarter alone won’t be a sufficient reason to warrant my high rating and love for this book. Let’s start with expectation. This is probably the first time I’m thanking all the warning provided by the fans of the series; without spoilers too! If I haven’t been warned about what kind of pacing to expect here, I most likely would suffer through this read a LOT more. This raised the question of whether the book was actually good or not that it required a warning to be enjoyed but I won’t get into that now. Let’s just say that because of the word of mouth I received regarding this book, I ended up reading all the slow and philosophical contents as a lesson in writings and a dissection of philosophies instead. This made my reading experience much less boring than it was supposed to be.
Talking about studying Erikson’s prose and storytelling structure within this book, I really need to applaud how well-crafted some of the chapters were. As I mentioned before, Erikson added an omniscient narrative to this book, I DISLIKED omniscient narrative, it very rarely worked for me. That being said, the new storytelling direction allowed Erikson’s prose to have freedom in switching POV from a bird's eye view to the standard close third person view. At the same time, Erikson was capable of telling an undiminished epic fantasy quality while effectively portraying what the characters felt with minimum words. In my opinion, one of the most brilliant writing skill in this book was the way Erikson starts and ends his chapter. For example, he starts one chapter with this sentence:
And then he proceeds to tell an entire chapter revolving around that passage and finally ending it with the same passage added with discussions and philosophies that made the chapter more meaningful. This situation happened several times and they were astonishingly brilliant.
Other than readers’ warning, the other crucial aspect on why I found the extremely slow pacing tolerable was due to the familiarity of settings and characters. This doesn’t mean that there weren’t any new characters to find here, Erikson just won’t simplify things for readers. The main difference between this book and the previous installment was that I found the new characters in this novel to be so much better to follow than the one in Reaper’s Gale. There weren’t any ridiculously dumb and pointless story arc just like Redmask or the Shake (forgot his/her name already due to boredom) storyline. In fact, Harllo was one of the few characters Erikson wrote that made me truly empathize with. For god sake, Harllo was practically Fitz plunged into the Malazan world, enough said.
Throughout the majority of the book—give or take 75%—the plot looked like it’s going nowhere and I seriously wondered “what the hell is Erikson trying to do here?”, “what even is the true main plot of the novel?” and “how will he be able to conclude this one satisfyingly!?” and Beru fends, he did. He absolutely nailed the last 25% with massive impact force; making the last 25% of the book the best explosive closing in the series so far; even better than the climax sequences in Memories of Ice. It was astonishing and ingenious the way Erikson unraveled everything he has prepared into the last 25% of the story. I wish I could give you a spoiler-free explanation on how masterful it was but I can’t. I’m honestly speechless and I’m writing this with the convergence playing like a movie in my head. It was truly a cinematic experience of grief, darkness, light, vengeance, ash, destruction, humor, and of course, one of the greatest imagery that epic fantasy has to offer; you must experience this for yourself.
Picture: One of the interior artworks in the Subterranean edition by Marc Simonetti
I’m at the homestretch of the series now and I don’t really have anything else to say about this tome without going into repetition or spoiler territory. Toll the Hounds may have a lot of flaws in pacing and overload of philosophical contents—I love philosophies but anything that’s too much is never good—but overall, it was still expertly crafted. Only two more books to go now. The beginning of the end has been sparked and my journey within this gigantic series is very close to the end. Allow me to close this review with a quote that will definitely stick with me for a long time.
Or in other words of my other absolute favorite series: “Journey before destination.”
You can order the book HERE!
You can find this and the rest of my reviews at Novel Notions
Toll the Hounds, just like House of Chains, is one of the installments which I heard plenty of mixed things about; they’re there for valid reasons. However, unlike House of Chains which disappointed me a lot, I actually found Toll the Hounds mesmerizing, a treasure trove for philosophies, and also one of the most rewarding books in the series so far. The story of the novel focused on the characters in Darujhistan and the Tiste Andii race. That’s right, we’re finally back in Darujhistan after seven books and we finally get to see the story focusing almost completely on the Tiste Andii.
Picture: A fanart of Anomander Rake by artsed-d8joaqa
I won’t lie, a lot of the warnings about the extremely slow pacing and the overload of philosophical content—as amazing as they were—towards this entry were there for good reasons. It took a LONG time to get to the rewarding convergence and believe me, this isn’t by all mean a flawless book; a lot of the philosophical content didn’t add any value to the book other than being there for social commentary. Like the majority of the fans said, the barrage of philosophies was so extreme that it almost damaged the entirety of the book. Every character has become a philosopher here; a single question asked will be answered after four or five paragraphs of self-contemplation. But gods below, the last 25% of the book was totally worth the struggle. Plus, I’m confident that this is a book that will be much better upon a reread due to the touch of omniscient narrative that Erikson added for premonition and foreshadowing value.
“People don’t change to suit their god; they change their god to suit them.”
The last quarter alone won’t be a sufficient reason to warrant my high rating and love for this book. Let’s start with expectation. This is probably the first time I’m thanking all the warning provided by the fans of the series; without spoilers too! If I haven’t been warned about what kind of pacing to expect here, I most likely would suffer through this read a LOT more. This raised the question of whether the book was actually good or not that it required a warning to be enjoyed but I won’t get into that now. Let’s just say that because of the word of mouth I received regarding this book, I ended up reading all the slow and philosophical contents as a lesson in writings and a dissection of philosophies instead. This made my reading experience much less boring than it was supposed to be.
“Survivors do not mourn together. They each mourn alone, even when in the same place. Grief is the most solitary of all feelings. Grief isolates, and every ritual, every gesture, every embrace, is a hopeless effort to break through that isolation.
None of it works. The forms crumble and dissolve.
To face death is to stand alone.”
Talking about studying Erikson’s prose and storytelling structure within this book, I really need to applaud how well-crafted some of the chapters were. As I mentioned before, Erikson added an omniscient narrative to this book, I DISLIKED omniscient narrative, it very rarely worked for me. That being said, the new storytelling direction allowed Erikson’s prose to have freedom in switching POV from a bird's eye view to the standard close third person view. At the same time, Erikson was capable of telling an undiminished epic fantasy quality while effectively portraying what the characters felt with minimum words. In my opinion, one of the most brilliant writing skill in this book was the way Erikson starts and ends his chapter. For example, he starts one chapter with this sentence:
“The soul knows no greater anguish than to take a breath that begins with love and ends with grief.”
And then he proceeds to tell an entire chapter revolving around that passage and finally ending it with the same passage added with discussions and philosophies that made the chapter more meaningful. This situation happened several times and they were astonishingly brilliant.
Other than readers’ warning, the other crucial aspect on why I found the extremely slow pacing tolerable was due to the familiarity of settings and characters. This doesn’t mean that there weren’t any new characters to find here, Erikson just won’t simplify things for readers. The main difference between this book and the previous installment was that I found the new characters in this novel to be so much better to follow than the one in Reaper’s Gale. There weren’t any ridiculously dumb and pointless story arc just like Redmask or the Shake (forgot his/her name already due to boredom) storyline. In fact, Harllo was one of the few characters Erikson wrote that made me truly empathize with. For god sake, Harllo was practically Fitz plunged into the Malazan world, enough said.
Throughout the majority of the book—give or take 75%—the plot looked like it’s going nowhere and I seriously wondered “what the hell is Erikson trying to do here?”, “what even is the true main plot of the novel?” and “how will he be able to conclude this one satisfyingly!?” and Beru fends, he did. He absolutely nailed the last 25% with massive impact force; making the last 25% of the book the best explosive closing in the series so far; even better than the climax sequences in Memories of Ice. It was astonishing and ingenious the way Erikson unraveled everything he has prepared into the last 25% of the story. I wish I could give you a spoiler-free explanation on how masterful it was but I can’t. I’m honestly speechless and I’m writing this with the convergence playing like a movie in my head. It was truly a cinematic experience of grief, darkness, light, vengeance, ash, destruction, humor, and of course, one of the greatest imagery that epic fantasy has to offer; you must experience this for yourself.
Picture: One of the interior artworks in the Subterranean edition by Marc Simonetti
I’m at the homestretch of the series now and I don’t really have anything else to say about this tome without going into repetition or spoiler territory. Toll the Hounds may have a lot of flaws in pacing and overload of philosophical contents—I love philosophies but anything that’s too much is never good—but overall, it was still expertly crafted. Only two more books to go now. The beginning of the end has been sparked and my journey within this gigantic series is very close to the end. Allow me to close this review with a quote that will definitely stick with me for a long time.
“There is no struggle too vast, no odds too overwhelming, for even should we fail - should we fall - we will know that we have lived.”
Or in other words of my other absolute favorite series: “Journey before destination.”
You can order the book HERE!
You can find this and the rest of my reviews at Novel Notions
October 7, 2019
DON'T TALK TO ME ABOUT THIS BOOK RIGHT NOW! Yes, I was prepared, but I hate everything right now!! Moving on to another book so I can get behind this!
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
May 20, 2020
In a series replete with epic endings, Toll the Hounds offered, to date, the most epic one of all. It is with much joy that upon rereading I could upgrade this book as one of my favourites.
Before I start my review proper, I’d like to point out that reading Return of the Crimson Guards from the Malazan Empire series prior to Toll the Hounds is relevant to the timeline, both from an event and character standpoint.
The plot in Toll the Hounds seemingly digressed from the central arc of the Crippled God and was no less captivating because of it. While the past few books gave readers an in-depth view of the Tiste Edur of Shadow, this one brought focus to the Tiste Andii of Darkness, of whom we were only given small morsels of information so far. A mysterious race, given to excessive introspection and deep melancholy, the Andii is led by an utterly enigmatic and supremely great leader, the Son of Darkness. There is still so much fascinating history to be discovered about the Tiste Andii that Erikson’s current series, The Kharkanas Trilogy, is being written to address this.
Anomander Rake, Lord of the Tiste Andii, Son of Darkness, is in my view, one of the greatest fantasy characters that I’ve ever encountered. Even more amazingly, is how Erikson elevated him to such lofty ideals without ever having his own point-of-view, as if the very enigma from doing so made him ever more compelling and charismatic. What we did get were the viewpoints of other characters, be it his people or other races or even gods and ascendants, and their highest regards for him.
There is much skill in creating beautiful yet subtle symmetry in storytelling. A skill that Erikson has in spades as evident from his narrative. Toll the Hounds can be called as the penultimate volume in Malazan Book of the Fallen as the next two books, Dust of Dreams and The Crippled God, form a two-part finale. This vast, sweeping and intricate tale begun in Darujhistan in Gardens of the Moon and had now come full circle with a convergence of mind-boggling proportions. The word 'epic' will not even begin to describe the confluence of almost all the major, or biggest, or most badass characters, descending upon the unwitting citizens of the City of Blue Fire.
I cannot sufficiently praise the brilliant writing commanded by Erikson to tell the tale of this fateful city, in the form of the most engaging and unique voice of that little round man in a red waistcoat, Kruppe. The storytelling literally serenades the reader with a combination of poetic, elegant, graceful and, at times, alliterative turn of phrases.
The ratings for Toll the Hounds were probably among the most divergent of this series, as the pace was very slow for a significant part of the book with a greater level of dense philosophical commentary and seemingly overindulgent introspection. In fact, my initial read suffered because of this aspect. However, being in the right state of mind as I tackled my reread and having gained a newfound appreciation for deep ruminations, I experienced a significant improvement in my level of enjoyment while reading this tome. From themes of mortality and morality; servitude, sacrifice and salvation; redemption and restitution – it was so pervasive and pondering in the narrative that I do acknowledge that pacing suffers but I was so thoroughly immersed in it this time that it no longer was an issue.
While the climaxes of the preceding books tend to commence around the last ten percent or with two main chapters remaining, we are treated to a doubly extended climactic ending in this volume. This was due to the presence of more subplots and arcs in the narrative; all masterfully intertwined towards the aforementioned convergence that was most poignantly expressed in the voice of Kruppe. And the ending set the stage for the two-part finale to come.
Malazan Book of the Fallen is so named for its heart-wrenching and tragic tales. These span from the small and personal ones to the immense and epic. Was all this grief and suffering for nought? For in the words of one of the greatest of all,
You can purchase the book from Book Depository (Free Shipping) | Bookshop.Org
You can find this and my other reviews at Novel Notions.
Before I start my review proper, I’d like to point out that reading Return of the Crimson Guards from the Malazan Empire series prior to Toll the Hounds is relevant to the timeline, both from an event and character standpoint.
The plot in Toll the Hounds seemingly digressed from the central arc of the Crippled God and was no less captivating because of it. While the past few books gave readers an in-depth view of the Tiste Edur of Shadow, this one brought focus to the Tiste Andii of Darkness, of whom we were only given small morsels of information so far. A mysterious race, given to excessive introspection and deep melancholy, the Andii is led by an utterly enigmatic and supremely great leader, the Son of Darkness. There is still so much fascinating history to be discovered about the Tiste Andii that Erikson’s current series, The Kharkanas Trilogy, is being written to address this.
Anomander Rake, Lord of the Tiste Andii, Son of Darkness, is in my view, one of the greatest fantasy characters that I’ve ever encountered. Even more amazingly, is how Erikson elevated him to such lofty ideals without ever having his own point-of-view, as if the very enigma from doing so made him ever more compelling and charismatic. What we did get were the viewpoints of other characters, be it his people or other races or even gods and ascendants, and their highest regards for him.
The chaos in you, yes, a fire on the promontory, a beacon piercing the profound entropy we saw all around us. And yet, so few of you proved worthy of our allegiance. So few, Lord, and fewer with each generation, until now here you stand, virtually alone.
The one who was worth it. The only one.
There is much skill in creating beautiful yet subtle symmetry in storytelling. A skill that Erikson has in spades as evident from his narrative. Toll the Hounds can be called as the penultimate volume in Malazan Book of the Fallen as the next two books, Dust of Dreams and The Crippled God, form a two-part finale. This vast, sweeping and intricate tale begun in Darujhistan in Gardens of the Moon and had now come full circle with a convergence of mind-boggling proportions. The word 'epic' will not even begin to describe the confluence of almost all the major, or biggest, or most badass characters, descending upon the unwitting citizens of the City of Blue Fire.
I cannot sufficiently praise the brilliant writing commanded by Erikson to tell the tale of this fateful city, in the form of the most engaging and unique voice of that little round man in a red waistcoat, Kruppe. The storytelling literally serenades the reader with a combination of poetic, elegant, graceful and, at times, alliterative turn of phrases.
Arrivals. Glory and portent, delightful reunion and terrible imminence, winged this and winged that and escapes and releases and pending clashes and nefarious demands for recompense over a single mouthful of spat wine, such a night! Such a night!
----------------------------------
And this was a night like any other, a skein of expectations and anticipations, revelations and perturbations. Look around. Look around! On all sides, day and night, light and dark! Every step taken with the firm resolve to believe in the solid ground awaiting it. Every step, one after another, again and again, and no perilous ledge yawns ahead, oh no. Step and step, now, step and step.
The ratings for Toll the Hounds were probably among the most divergent of this series, as the pace was very slow for a significant part of the book with a greater level of dense philosophical commentary and seemingly overindulgent introspection. In fact, my initial read suffered because of this aspect. However, being in the right state of mind as I tackled my reread and having gained a newfound appreciation for deep ruminations, I experienced a significant improvement in my level of enjoyment while reading this tome. From themes of mortality and morality; servitude, sacrifice and salvation; redemption and restitution – it was so pervasive and pondering in the narrative that I do acknowledge that pacing suffers but I was so thoroughly immersed in it this time that it no longer was an issue.
While the climaxes of the preceding books tend to commence around the last ten percent or with two main chapters remaining, we are treated to a doubly extended climactic ending in this volume. This was due to the presence of more subplots and arcs in the narrative; all masterfully intertwined towards the aforementioned convergence that was most poignantly expressed in the voice of Kruppe. And the ending set the stage for the two-part finale to come.
Malazan Book of the Fallen is so named for its heart-wrenching and tragic tales. These span from the small and personal ones to the immense and epic. Was all this grief and suffering for nought? For in the words of one of the greatest of all,
'There is no struggle too vast, no odds too overwhelming, for even should we fail - should we fall - we will know that we have lived.'
You can purchase the book from Book Depository (Free Shipping) | Bookshop.Org
You can find this and my other reviews at Novel Notions.
March 17, 2022
The first 3/4 of the book is a slog. The last 1/4 is the greatest ~250 pages ever written in a book.
If you are like me, you will find while reading this book that it feels a little "off". It's far more philosophical than the previous books, and the plot doesn't hook the reader. If I wasn't so invested in Malazan and this was one of the first books I probably would have given up on the book, and the series. It turns out that Erikson's father had passed away just before he wrote this book, and that event translated into a melancholy style of writing.
Everyone knows that the end of every book in this series is where things start to "pop". And I suppose that's true in this book only to the extent that a nuke going off could be described as a pop. The last 1/4 of the book is the best thing I have ever read in my life. Without spoiling anything, the convergence is glorious. You get bombarded with one reveal after another, and then with epic deeds deserving to become legends.
Steven Erikson really is the king of epic fantasy.
If you are like me, you will find while reading this book that it feels a little "off". It's far more philosophical than the previous books, and the plot doesn't hook the reader. If I wasn't so invested in Malazan and this was one of the first books I probably would have given up on the book, and the series. It turns out that Erikson's father had passed away just before he wrote this book, and that event translated into a melancholy style of writing.
Everyone knows that the end of every book in this series is where things start to "pop". And I suppose that's true in this book only to the extent that a nuke going off could be described as a pop. The last 1/4 of the book is the best thing I have ever read in my life. Without spoiling anything, the convergence is glorious. You get bombarded with one reveal after another, and then with epic deeds deserving to become legends.
Steven Erikson really is the king of epic fantasy.
September 14, 2017
It has been over a week since I finished
Toll the Hounds
, so I have had plenty of time to think about how I wanted to review this. Personally, I thought this was the weakest book in the series. Now, before you go all berserk on me I have my reasons, and let me emphasis that while I say it is the weakest book in the series it is also a great book by any other standards. But putting it up against all the other Malazan books it just fell a little short for me. Let me explain!
There were a lot of sections in the book were not much happened. With books this size I understand there isn’t going to be action from beginning to end, and I am used to the (non-combatant interludes) in these books, but it just got to me in this one. I actually felt a lack of interest at certain times, and I believe this contributed to me taking so long to finish it. I just had no desire to pick it up as much as I did the other books. Maybe it’s just Malazan overload from the past few months, but I don’t think so.
Also, I had a hard time figuring out exactly what was going on in some areas of the story. Erikson has a way of befuddling the mind sometimes, and I found that happening a lot to me in this book. I think back to some scenes and still have no clue what he was trying to achieve. Now, knowing how Erikson writes, this may all come to pass with the next two books and I will probably be sticking my foot in my mouth by the end of the series, but until then….
OK! Now that I have gotten my complaints out of the way let us move on to the positive side of the review and other thoughts.
I was so glad to be back in the city of Darujhistan and with characters that got me to fall in love with this series way back in GotM. There is Murillio, Anomander Rake, and of course the linguistic genius who is always a step ahead of everyone else, Kruppe.
‘Whatever happened to common decency? To decent commonry? What’s decent is rarely common – that is true enough, while the obverse is perverse in all prickly irony, would you not agree? Kruppe would, being such an agreeable sort.’
While there were other characters I would like to mention, I can’t due to spoilers for those of you who haven’t made it this far yet.
Erikson has a way of tying in events or little phrases that relate back to previous books that I really enjoy. A joke between characters, a dark omen that finally came to pass, or some reference back to an event that you just hope to catch. This makes these books enjoyable to read, but can also seem impossible to notice with the amount of information in each book. Here is one I happened to stumble upon. See if you can see the relation back to GotM.
‘Love found and love lost. A certain desperation that still spins like a coin – which way will it fall? Question as yet unanswered, a future as yet undecided.’
As with all Malazan books you’re going to have your share of heartache, and a great convergence at least once in every book. These two things are sometimes intertwined and other times not. While I enjoyed the convergence in this one it was definitely overshadowed by the heartache I felt. It is not uncommon to have these emotions battle with each other in this series, but in this book it was no contest.
‘The soul knows no great anguish than to take a breath that begins with love and ends with grief.’
I know I said earlier this is the weakest book in the series, and I will stand by that. There are always going to be weaker books in any series. Having said that, I did enjoy this way more than it frustrated me. I was definitely caught off guard by the problems I had with it, and I think that is why I feel the need to explain my complaints as much as I have. Toll the Hounds is a vital addition to this series, and one I am sure I will look back on as an intricate piece of this vast Malazan puzzle when I am done. Sadly, it did not make my 5 star cut, but of course I encourage all of you to read it and decide for yourselves.
4 stars ****
There were a lot of sections in the book were not much happened. With books this size I understand there isn’t going to be action from beginning to end, and I am used to the (non-combatant interludes) in these books, but it just got to me in this one. I actually felt a lack of interest at certain times, and I believe this contributed to me taking so long to finish it. I just had no desire to pick it up as much as I did the other books. Maybe it’s just Malazan overload from the past few months, but I don’t think so.
Also, I had a hard time figuring out exactly what was going on in some areas of the story. Erikson has a way of befuddling the mind sometimes, and I found that happening a lot to me in this book. I think back to some scenes and still have no clue what he was trying to achieve. Now, knowing how Erikson writes, this may all come to pass with the next two books and I will probably be sticking my foot in my mouth by the end of the series, but until then….
OK! Now that I have gotten my complaints out of the way let us move on to the positive side of the review and other thoughts.
I was so glad to be back in the city of Darujhistan and with characters that got me to fall in love with this series way back in GotM. There is Murillio, Anomander Rake, and of course the linguistic genius who is always a step ahead of everyone else, Kruppe.
‘Whatever happened to common decency? To decent commonry? What’s decent is rarely common – that is true enough, while the obverse is perverse in all prickly irony, would you not agree? Kruppe would, being such an agreeable sort.’
While there were other characters I would like to mention, I can’t due to spoilers for those of you who haven’t made it this far yet.
Erikson has a way of tying in events or little phrases that relate back to previous books that I really enjoy. A joke between characters, a dark omen that finally came to pass, or some reference back to an event that you just hope to catch. This makes these books enjoyable to read, but can also seem impossible to notice with the amount of information in each book. Here is one I happened to stumble upon. See if you can see the relation back to GotM.
‘Love found and love lost. A certain desperation that still spins like a coin – which way will it fall? Question as yet unanswered, a future as yet undecided.’
As with all Malazan books you’re going to have your share of heartache, and a great convergence at least once in every book. These two things are sometimes intertwined and other times not. While I enjoyed the convergence in this one it was definitely overshadowed by the heartache I felt. It is not uncommon to have these emotions battle with each other in this series, but in this book it was no contest.
‘The soul knows no great anguish than to take a breath that begins with love and ends with grief.’
I know I said earlier this is the weakest book in the series, and I will stand by that. There are always going to be weaker books in any series. Having said that, I did enjoy this way more than it frustrated me. I was definitely caught off guard by the problems I had with it, and I think that is why I feel the need to explain my complaints as much as I have. Toll the Hounds is a vital addition to this series, and one I am sure I will look back on as an intricate piece of this vast Malazan puzzle when I am done. Sadly, it did not make my 5 star cut, but of course I encourage all of you to read it and decide for yourselves.
4 stars ****
October 28, 2019
Epilogue: There is no bell that could toll for me now.*
Chapter 24: She was there! All the time!
Chapter 23: Rake, dear me Rake…
Chapter 22: What an army, what an epic army: Bridgeburners on the tip, Dujek on the left and Wickans on the right flank then Brukhalian’s Grey Swords. You could conquer the whole universe!
Chapter 21: Scott said: “Hold on, because this is when it starts!” Well, hold mysword coffee.
Chapter 20: The alliance goals: to keep Darkness in, Chaos out and Death down.
Chapter 19: I am not going to blame your choices on anyone, you are a grown woman, but Chalice, yours is the saddest love story I read in a while.
Chapter 18: Some deaths are late and overdue, late and overdue, and late and late, and overdue and late and Kallor. And not that I am repeating myself. Just emphasising. Or going Kadaspala?
Chapter 17: My fists are clenched for all the Snells of the world. Our world.
Chapter 16: The Dragnipur world is the death toll and toll the death knell at the same time. I am rarely saying this but really, my mind is blown.
Chapter 15: Just thinking about the hypothetical Pink Moranth made me pause.
Chapter 14: When somebody says “oops!” when unleashing an undead dragon, know that they care. Clear all the paths for Traveller. Take all the burdens from Rake (save that one that makes even the stones tremble).
Chapter 13: That is one fat dead-undead army on the march.
Chapter 12: Between Karsa and Traveller versus Itkovian and Seerdomin I think I prefer the second bromance. (please note, both have a female in the background)
Chapter 11: My heart breaks for all the Harllos of the world. Our world.
Chapter 10: This kelyk thing is beyond terrifying.
Chapter 9: Despite all my love, I don’t think I’d ever share a meal with you, Kruppe (perspective as wide as the waistline notwithstanding).
Chapter 8: Gothos! That was an absolute folly!
Chapter 7: I so hoped we see the bole sister finally. Alas, two more brothers (again). And the dark side of the moon.
Chapter 6: If you set personal goals, go for the throat (as they say, he he), don’t be satisfied with the easy. Kill death and vomit rainbows.
Chapter 5: And THIS IS WHY every self-respecting burglar should take a cat on as a team-mate, right Torvald (you ungrateful nob, not even hello kitty!)? Also, best chapter so far, a masterpiece, truly - and there is 19 more to go!
Chapter 4: That is a beautiful prayer when you don’t want your deity to be lonely. (And is there a loneliness more profound than this of a child denied by his mother?)
Chapter 3: It is settled. Next time I am moving countries, I am contracting Trygalle Trade Guild. Anybody’s got their contact details?
Chapter 2: As your resident Tiste Andii in disguise, I think I could move to Black Coral anydaynight. (Ps remember, sun kills, think of the Sahara desert!)
Chapter 1: Attention for POV change. I swear there are more POVs in this one chapter than in some whole fantasy series.
Prologue: Oh no... only three books left...
* I am not going to even pretend that I could in any way give a pale shadow of justice to this book or indeed a whole series in a proper review. There are many better than me, here on Goodreads (and many of those I'm lucky to have among my friends), who managed to grasp and convey the sheer brilliance of what awaits those who open the Malazan Book of the Fallen. All I can give you is a chapter breakdown of my own ponderings for whom the bell tolls.
The Malazan Book of the Fallen:
1. Gardens of the Moon ★★★★★
2. Deadhouse Gates ★★★★★
3. Memories of Ice ★★★★★
4. House of Chains ★★★★★
5. Midnight Tides ★★★★★
6. The Bonehunters ★★★★★
7. Reaper's Gale ★★★★☆
9. Dust of Dreams ★★★☆☆ (and the third star is a testament to my generosity)
10. The Crippled God ★★☆☆☆
Chapter 24: She was there! All the time!
Chapter 23: Rake, dear me Rake…
Chapter 22: What an army, what an epic army: Bridgeburners on the tip, Dujek on the left and Wickans on the right flank then Brukhalian’s Grey Swords. You could conquer the whole universe!
Chapter 21: Scott said: “Hold on, because this is when it starts!” Well, hold my
Chapter 20: The alliance goals: to keep Darkness in, Chaos out and Death down.
Chapter 19: I am not going to blame your choices on anyone, you are a grown woman, but Chalice, yours is the saddest love story I read in a while.
Chapter 18: Some deaths are late and overdue, late and overdue, and late and late, and overdue and late and Kallor. And not that I am repeating myself. Just emphasising. Or going Kadaspala?
Chapter 17: My fists are clenched for all the Snells of the world. Our world.
Chapter 16: The Dragnipur world is the death toll and toll the death knell at the same time. I am rarely saying this but really, my mind is blown.
Chapter 15: Just thinking about the hypothetical Pink Moranth made me pause.
Chapter 14: When somebody says “oops!” when unleashing an undead dragon, know that they care. Clear all the paths for Traveller. Take all the burdens from Rake (save that one that makes even the stones tremble).
Chapter 13: That is one fat dead-undead army on the march.
Chapter 12: Between Karsa and Traveller versus Itkovian and Seerdomin I think I prefer the second bromance. (please note, both have a female in the background)
Chapter 11: My heart breaks for all the Harllos of the world. Our world.
Chapter 10: This kelyk thing is beyond terrifying.
Chapter 9: Despite all my love, I don’t think I’d ever share a meal with you, Kruppe (perspective as wide as the waistline notwithstanding).
Chapter 8: Gothos! That was an absolute folly!
Chapter 7: I so hoped we see the bole sister finally. Alas, two more brothers (again). And the dark side of the moon.
Chapter 6: If you set personal goals, go for the throat (as they say, he he), don’t be satisfied with the easy. Kill death and vomit rainbows.
Chapter 5: And THIS IS WHY every self-respecting burglar should take a cat on as a team-mate, right Torvald (you ungrateful nob, not even hello kitty!)? Also, best chapter so far, a masterpiece, truly - and there is 19 more to go!
Chapter 4: That is a beautiful prayer when you don’t want your deity to be lonely. (And is there a loneliness more profound than this of a child denied by his mother?)
Chapter 3: It is settled. Next time I am moving countries, I am contracting Trygalle Trade Guild. Anybody’s got their contact details?
Chapter 2: As your resident Tiste Andii in disguise, I think I could move to Black Coral any
Chapter 1: Attention for POV change. I swear there are more POVs in this one chapter than in some whole fantasy series.
Prologue: Oh no... only three books left...
* I am not going to even pretend that I could in any way give a pale shadow of justice to this book or indeed a whole series in a proper review. There are many better than me, here on Goodreads (and many of those I'm lucky to have among my friends), who managed to grasp and convey the sheer brilliance of what awaits those who open the Malazan Book of the Fallen. All I can give you is a chapter breakdown of my own ponderings for whom the bell tolls.
The Malazan Book of the Fallen:
1. Gardens of the Moon ★★★★★
2. Deadhouse Gates ★★★★★
3. Memories of Ice ★★★★★
4. House of Chains ★★★★★
5. Midnight Tides ★★★★★
6. The Bonehunters ★★★★★
7. Reaper's Gale ★★★★☆
9. Dust of Dreams ★★★☆☆ (and the third star is a testament to my generosity)
10. The Crippled God ★★☆☆☆
July 1, 2018
"There is no struggle too vast, no odds too overwhelming,
for even should we fail – should we fall
– we will know that we have lived."
Anomander Rake
Son of Darkness
I have just one problem with this book, and that is its slowness, this book is so damn slow, this book could have been better if it was 500 pages shorter, I will read and read yet nothing is happening, it made the reading experience not as fun as the previous ones, I have to admit I was bored at some point, which is the first time since I started this series.
The unnecessary descriptions of morning and evenings got tiring after the first few times, I started skimming the rest, don’t even get me started on the weather. It would have been better if he had adopted the writing style of GoTM or MT, that a part is dedicated to one location, then they all meet at the final part.
Speak truth, grow still, until the water is
clear between us.
Meditations of the Tiste Andii
Moving on to things I love in this book. One we are back to Darujhistan, we’ve heard almost nothing from this city since GoTM, the first book, another location is Black Coral which is now ruled by the Anomander, so the Andiis live there with some humans. We also have few other locations and some new characters which would be discussed in the character section.
Survivors do not mourn together. They each mourn alone, even when in the same place. Grief is the most solitary of all feelings. Grief isolates, and every ritual, every gesture, every embrace, is a hopeless effort to break through that isolation.
Characters
If you are spoiler sensitive or haven’t read the first 7 books, I suggest you jump this section, cause even though I won’t mention spoilers I would mention character names which would tell you who made it this far in the series.
Darujhistan
Here we have Kruppe,Murillio,Coll, Rallick Nom and the rest of the usuals of Pheonix inn. Cutter and Torvald Nom are back to the city,with Scillara, Barathol and Chaur. Stonny now resides there and the remaining retired Bridgeburners that own K’rul’s bar and finally Baruk and Lady Envy.
Nothing much happened with those at Phoenix inn, just the usual, the rest is spoilers, as usual politics and fight for council seat is as hot as ever, an asshole named Gorlas Vidikas really caused trouble for my loved characters. Cutter is as lost as ever, also very pessimistic, Barathol is trying to start a new life same as Scillara. The bridgeburners have some assassin issues, those scenes were one if my favourite in the whole book. Stonny part wasn’t that fun, she was more bitchy than before.
Sacrifice must be weighed by the pain of what is surrendered, and this alone was the true measure of a virtue's worth.
Black Coral
To say the Tiste Andiis are hopeless is an understatement, Mother Dark’s rejection made them all turn to my beloved Anomander for everything, the weight on his shoulders, no wonder he is the way he is. So glad he has people like Spinnock Durav an Andii who would do anything for him, even die if Anomander asks *tears* and Endest Silann, just get ready to have watery eyes or tear up anytime you read his part, its just so sad. The ending part for these three is just so...., I just can’t find an appropriate word to describe it.
People now worship Itkovian and calls him the redeemer, as a new god things are not so easy, some bastards try to pry on that, the rest is spoilers.
Others
My beloved Nimander and co, Skintick, Destra, Nenanda, Aranatha and Kedaviss, how I love this lot. Nimander is so humble and has a low self esteem, I don’t blame him, life hasn’t exactly being kind to him, but despite this he is noble and is willing to die for his love ones, even strangers if need be, no wonder they follow and love him.
'"Emotions are the spawn of true motivations, whether those motivations be conscious or otherwise",' said Nimander.
Karsa, Samar and Traveller made this book more fun, the dialogue between Karsa and Samar is one of one favourites in the book, and guess what they are also heading to Darujhistan.
Gruntle, Mappo and the Trygalle trade guild were in this but their parts was the slowest and boring, if not for the dialogue between the Bole brothers I might have skimmed these parts.
'It's against the law to look in someone else's bag.'
'Swamp law. Does this look like a swamp?'
'That doesn't matter. You broke the law. Anyway, what you found was my spare moccasin.'
'Your one spare moccasin?'
'That's right.'
'Then why was it full of my love notes?'
'What love notes?'
'The ones me and her been writing back and forth. The ones I hid in my moccasin. Those ones, Jula.'
'What's obvious now is just how many times you been breaking the law. Because you been hiding your love notes – which you write to yourself and nobody else – you been hiding them in my spare moccasin!'
'Not that you'd ever look.'
'But I might, if I knew about it.'
'You didn't though, did you? Besides, you don't have a spare moccasin, because I stole it.'
'And that's why I stole it back!'
'You can't steal back what you didn't know was stolen in the first place. That's just stealing. And stealing's against the law.'
'Swamp law.'
Harllo,Bainisk and Bellam Nom are new characters that have managed to crip into my heart and top my favourites.
Plot
There is a prophecy about a convergence in Darujhistan that would involve Anomander, Lady Envy and Spite her sister, The hounds of Shadows and Light, Karsa, Samar, Traveller, Iskaral Pust and many others.
for even should we fail – should we fall
– we will know that we have lived."
Anomander Rake
Son of Darkness
I have just one problem with this book, and that is its slowness, this book is so damn slow, this book could have been better if it was 500 pages shorter, I will read and read yet nothing is happening, it made the reading experience not as fun as the previous ones, I have to admit I was bored at some point, which is the first time since I started this series.
The unnecessary descriptions of morning and evenings got tiring after the first few times, I started skimming the rest, don’t even get me started on the weather. It would have been better if he had adopted the writing style of GoTM or MT, that a part is dedicated to one location, then they all meet at the final part.
Speak truth, grow still, until the water is
clear between us.
Meditations of the Tiste Andii
Moving on to things I love in this book. One we are back to Darujhistan, we’ve heard almost nothing from this city since GoTM, the first book, another location is Black Coral which is now ruled by the Anomander, so the Andiis live there with some humans. We also have few other locations and some new characters which would be discussed in the character section.
Survivors do not mourn together. They each mourn alone, even when in the same place. Grief is the most solitary of all feelings. Grief isolates, and every ritual, every gesture, every embrace, is a hopeless effort to break through that isolation.
Characters
If you are spoiler sensitive or haven’t read the first 7 books, I suggest you jump this section, cause even though I won’t mention spoilers I would mention character names which would tell you who made it this far in the series.
Darujhistan
Here we have Kruppe,Murillio,Coll, Rallick Nom and the rest of the usuals of Pheonix inn. Cutter and Torvald Nom are back to the city,with Scillara, Barathol and Chaur. Stonny now resides there and the remaining retired Bridgeburners that own K’rul’s bar and finally Baruk and Lady Envy.
Nothing much happened with those at Phoenix inn, just the usual, the rest is spoilers, as usual politics and fight for council seat is as hot as ever, an asshole named Gorlas Vidikas really caused trouble for my loved characters. Cutter is as lost as ever, also very pessimistic, Barathol is trying to start a new life same as Scillara. The bridgeburners have some assassin issues, those scenes were one if my favourite in the whole book. Stonny part wasn’t that fun, she was more bitchy than before.
Sacrifice must be weighed by the pain of what is surrendered, and this alone was the true measure of a virtue's worth.
Black Coral
To say the Tiste Andiis are hopeless is an understatement, Mother Dark’s rejection made them all turn to my beloved Anomander for everything, the weight on his shoulders, no wonder he is the way he is. So glad he has people like Spinnock Durav an Andii who would do anything for him, even die if Anomander asks *tears* and Endest Silann, just get ready to have watery eyes or tear up anytime you read his part, its just so sad. The ending part for these three is just so...., I just can’t find an appropriate word to describe it.
People now worship Itkovian and calls him the redeemer, as a new god things are not so easy, some bastards try to pry on that, the rest is spoilers.
Others
My beloved Nimander and co, Skintick, Destra, Nenanda, Aranatha and Kedaviss, how I love this lot. Nimander is so humble and has a low self esteem, I don’t blame him, life hasn’t exactly being kind to him, but despite this he is noble and is willing to die for his love ones, even strangers if need be, no wonder they follow and love him.
'"Emotions are the spawn of true motivations, whether those motivations be conscious or otherwise",' said Nimander.
Karsa, Samar and Traveller made this book more fun, the dialogue between Karsa and Samar is one of one favourites in the book, and guess what they are also heading to Darujhistan.
Gruntle, Mappo and the Trygalle trade guild were in this but their parts was the slowest and boring, if not for the dialogue between the Bole brothers I might have skimmed these parts.
'It's against the law to look in someone else's bag.'
'Swamp law. Does this look like a swamp?'
'That doesn't matter. You broke the law. Anyway, what you found was my spare moccasin.'
'Your one spare moccasin?'
'That's right.'
'Then why was it full of my love notes?'
'What love notes?'
'The ones me and her been writing back and forth. The ones I hid in my moccasin. Those ones, Jula.'
'What's obvious now is just how many times you been breaking the law. Because you been hiding your love notes – which you write to yourself and nobody else – you been hiding them in my spare moccasin!'
'Not that you'd ever look.'
'But I might, if I knew about it.'
'You didn't though, did you? Besides, you don't have a spare moccasin, because I stole it.'
'And that's why I stole it back!'
'You can't steal back what you didn't know was stolen in the first place. That's just stealing. And stealing's against the law.'
'Swamp law.'
Harllo,Bainisk and Bellam Nom are new characters that have managed to crip into my heart and top my favourites.
Plot
There is a prophecy about a convergence in Darujhistan that would involve Anomander, Lady Envy and Spite her sister, The hounds of Shadows and Light, Karsa, Samar, Traveller, Iskaral Pust and many others.
August 28, 2018
This was another good instalment of Steven Erikson's fantastic Malazan series. It was a step up in quality from what we got in Reaper's Gale. Mostly because I think the characters and balance of the story were better in Toll the Hounds!
As always I enjoyed Erikson's weird but engaging writing style and enjoyed his observations and scathing social commentary.
The setting of this instalment was a big plus for me as we returned to the city of Darujistan. It ranks up there with Letheras as my favourite Malazan setting and has the added bonus of having a ton of great characters living in the city. The pick of the bunch being the always entertaining Kruppe, who managed to find himself sharing narration duties with Erikson for some of this story!
Others big hitters who popped up in this story were Rake, Karsa, Traveller, Kallor, Envy, Spite, and the always fun duo of Shadowthrone and Cotillion. Not that the mortals were lacking as we got the return of old favourites like Crokus, Kruppe, Rallick Nom, Picker, Blend, and even Iskeral Pust! Plus we got to meet a bunch of fun new characters as well. The pick of the new guys being Harllo and Endest.
I was not a giant fan of the super bleak tragic tone that ran through the story but Erikson just about managed to offset this with offering a few moments of triumph to go with the tragedy and by countering the tragedy with a story arc focusing on redemption. The tone was also lightened a bit with a some humor! The balance worked OK for me. Though I must admit I'm surprised a few of the characters never off'ed themselves before the big Convergence finally hit given how depressed and suicidal they were!
After a near year long break from the Malazan series I found the start of this one a little hard to get into in the early stages. Erikson has a unique and weird writing style and it took me a little bit of time to acclimatize myself with it and get sucked back into the story. It likely did not help that I had to try and remember who some of the lesser characters were again. Luckily by the 20% to 25% mark I was back into the flow of all things Malazan!
If I have to moan about something it is the fact that a few of the BIG deaths lacked the same level of emotional impact as a few of the very minor ones. That was a little disappointing.
Darujistan, the Tiste Andii, Dragnipur, and that one big epic surprise death were the strength of this instalment.
Rating: 4.5 stars. I always feel a little harsh not giving some of these Malazan stories a full 5 star rating! I think that is mostly because I tend to judge them against the best books in the series like Memories of Ice and Midnight Tides. So this is a 4.5 Malazan rating which equates to a solid 5 star rating in regular terms:)
Audio Note: Michael Page has done a decent job with this series since taking over from the equally good Ralph Lister.
As always I enjoyed Erikson's weird but engaging writing style and enjoyed his observations and scathing social commentary.
The setting of this instalment was a big plus for me as we returned to the city of Darujistan. It ranks up there with Letheras as my favourite Malazan setting and has the added bonus of having a ton of great characters living in the city. The pick of the bunch being the always entertaining Kruppe, who managed to find himself sharing narration duties with Erikson for some of this story!
Others big hitters who popped up in this story were Rake, Karsa, Traveller, Kallor, Envy, Spite, and the always fun duo of Shadowthrone and Cotillion. Not that the mortals were lacking as we got the return of old favourites like Crokus, Kruppe, Rallick Nom, Picker, Blend, and even Iskeral Pust! Plus we got to meet a bunch of fun new characters as well. The pick of the new guys being Harllo and Endest.
I was not a giant fan of the super bleak tragic tone that ran through the story but Erikson just about managed to offset this with offering a few moments of triumph to go with the tragedy and by countering the tragedy with a story arc focusing on redemption. The tone was also lightened a bit with a some humor! The balance worked OK for me. Though I must admit I'm surprised a few of the characters never off'ed themselves before the big Convergence finally hit given how depressed and suicidal they were!
After a near year long break from the Malazan series I found the start of this one a little hard to get into in the early stages. Erikson has a unique and weird writing style and it took me a little bit of time to acclimatize myself with it and get sucked back into the story. It likely did not help that I had to try and remember who some of the lesser characters were again. Luckily by the 20% to 25% mark I was back into the flow of all things Malazan!
If I have to moan about something it is the fact that a few of the BIG deaths lacked the same level of emotional impact as a few of the very minor ones. That was a little disappointing.
Darujistan, the Tiste Andii, Dragnipur, and that one big epic surprise death were the strength of this instalment.
Rating: 4.5 stars. I always feel a little harsh not giving some of these Malazan stories a full 5 star rating! I think that is mostly because I tend to judge them against the best books in the series like Memories of Ice and Midnight Tides. So this is a 4.5 Malazan rating which equates to a solid 5 star rating in regular terms:)
Audio Note: Michael Page has done a decent job with this series since taking over from the equally good Ralph Lister.
January 3, 2024
I’d give this 6 stars if I could. Absolutely phenomenal.
March 1, 2018
“History meant nothing, because the only continuity was human stupidity.”
Where to even begin?
From that magnificent ending? No, who starts with an ending?
But in many ways, Toll the Hounds, eight book in Malazan Book of the Fallen series is the beginning of an end. Interlude into a final book Dust of Dreams/Crippled God; book by which end all pieces are set and ready for a conclusion.
Let's start with the necessary - but I promise very brief - what, where and who.
We're back in Darujhistan, place where inevitable convergence is approaching. Convergence of characters, of destinies, past and future, old and new, friends and enemies, lovers, ascendants, gods, mules - all coming to a single crossroad.
And that's not the only convergence in this book. Deep within the sword, Chaos and Dark are about to battle each other to extinction, possibly ending the world and all realms in it.
The only force that is willing to oppose this imminent end is that which is bound and shackled to a wooden wagon, forces gathered through millennia, consisting of mutual dreaded enemies.
Characters.
Reading this book reaffirmed my opinion that all-powerful characters, such as Anomander Rake, hurts the overall quality of the story.
Yes, you have read those lines properly. Bear with me.
It's not that I hate having these types of characters as much is failing to see what other readers found so compelling in him and characters alike.
I mean, I get it, he is all-powerful, veers into a dragon, have a badass sword, he is also profoundly mysterious and unfathomably tragic.
And most of the time, that’s more than enough, because this is fantasy and something like this is presumable, right?
But, at some point, this vast power, this larger than life part in the story, becomes a burden to a character. Because whenever he comes into a spotlight, readers expect "oooohh's" and "wwoooow's" from him. They expect to be awestruck.
And that ultimately puts limitation on author himself, because there are expectations to be met and when author realizes he can't meet those expectations, like Erikson realized here*, they have none other choice than to put these type of characters on a shelf. To wait their opportunity to shine.
*(Because would you believe it that Steven never intended for Anomander to have a big part in this series? Actually, Erikson himself was quite confused that Anomandaris was received so well by readers because, like myself, he wasn’t infatuated by him at all. Yeah, shocking, I know.
But of course, because he writes for us, he gave us what we want. Well, what most of us want, in any case.)
And if author doesn't have other compelling stories – or if he simply relies too much on a story of this magnificent character – we are bound to read endlessly: "No, it's not the time; no it's not the time; and no, it's still not the time." throughout much of the 1200 pages of a book. Like in this one here.
Honestly, at some point I heard Jaffar saying: “Patience, Iago, patience.”
If other characters have to wait this one character; if other stories have to wait this one story to progress further – than that, in my opinion, hurts the quality of the story.
And this is exactly what happened here. Other stories suffered because of it; stories such as Cutter/Crocus and Chalice D’Arle which we could completely cut off, and except 80 pages of the book, we wouldn’t lose much at all.
Add on that Rallick Nom and his cousin Torvald Nom. Add even Envy and Spite. I would even go so far to cut off Mapo and Gruntle’s story.
All these stories, which served as an underwhelming supplement while we’re waiting – well, we don’t know what exactly is that we’re waiting – all we know is that: “It’s almost the time.”, I would completely cut off, saving approximately 400 pages, without losing any thread whatsoever.
“Perspective, you see? The world changes according to where you stand.”
Which leads us to last 150/200 pages, which were breathless. Something we’re quite used to seeing in Steven’s books and something that doesn’t surprise us anymore.
Now obviously I can’t talk in details about it, but I’ll mention this: the main reason for me why last 200 pages kept me on the edge of my seat is mainly because of the prequels – story and character I’m following from them, all throughout this series, and seeing revelations and seemingly conclusion to that character’s arc. In all of my previous reads I wasn’t as invested as in this one, with all the prequels, as well as side-novels of this world, backing me up.
Just because of it, again, I’ll recommend chronological reading order for anyone that has nerves, time and overall desire to do so.
“To face death is to stand alone.”
– Preparation for character’s death. –
I love the fact that Steven was considerate enough to groom us and prepare for what is to come; for this emotional barrage and sad departure from characters that we love.
In the story we have a character who dies. With Steven Erikson that’s not even a spoiler, it’s something that we expect in each book, at every corner to jump right at us.
But the way he had done it, through seemingly insignificant character and within a minor story in the book, is a masterful preparation for his readers for what is to come by the end.
"Sadness belonged. As rightful as joy, love, grief and fear. All conditions of being.
Too often people mistook the sadness in others for self-pity, and in so doing revealed their own hardness of spirit, and more than a little malice."
Focusing so much and in so many details on this minor story and this insignificant character, and to let us grieve alongside these character’s friends, feeling their pain, paying respect to their fallen comrade, going through all these stages, denial, anger, grief and finally acceptance, actually helped in accepting what is inevitably to come, on our feet, with grace.
Brilliance is in small details.
Symbolism and allegory.
"People don’t change to suit their god; they change their god to suit them."
What do you do when god refuses to acknowledge you?
Would you transform your faith in desperate need for answers? Would you pick an easier way to find whatever meaning you can?
What then hides behind your prayer? When the purpose of the prayer becomes seeking of hope or a blessing, or the sense that something greater than yourself might acknowledge your helplessness – all of which in order to serve your wants and needs – does a prayer becomes a meaning of reciprocity?
Is a prayer nothing more for you than a bargain?
The large part of this book centers on the questions: at the very beginning of the faith, in the cradle itself, who decides what and how do we worship? What is the ‘proper’ way of worshiping a deity?
How is a priesthood born? What are the rules and prohibitions?
And most of all: who defines this moral filter from which we could divide justice from injustice?
Focusing on telling a story how wicked and dangerous priests can become, these mortal messengers of god’s word, how from each next generation that same god’s word can be twisted into something unrecognizable and made to suit selfish needs to whomever currently occupies the highest seat in this newly formed church – especially if when bombarded with questions this deity refuses to answer – we see how easy is for mortal opportunistic desires to become a dogma.
Prose.
I have seen many complaints about occasional shifting of structural narrative, and I have to say that I do not understand two things.
First: why had Erikson decided to introduce this late in the series, practically at the beginning of the end, this change? Was it necessary; to whom actually can we prescribe this change in telling the story - this almost breaking of the fourth wall – and pinching the reader on his nose while doing so?
If we prescribe it to Kruppe – then why now? We had this character for four books and he never ventured into something similar in previous installments.
But if we somehow manage to prescribe this to newly introduced character, this bard: Fisherman – then I suppose we can understand shifting.
But I’m not sure that we can, so overall I’m confused and don’t understand this move Steven decided to make.
Second thing that I don’t understand is why people are complaining so much about it? This shift in narrative structure in each chapter is perhaps four paragraphs long. Which means half a page in fifty pages long chapters per average. Which again, in twenty three chapters long book is merely above eleven pages.
Now, one may try to build an argument around this and say how ten pages in a thousand pages long book actually managed to disturb or even ruin someone’s experience – but, to be honest, I wouldn’t call that a valid argument. I would actually name that something else.
3.33/5
Quite generous rating, if you ask me.
Book is not only its ending, no matter how breathtaking that ending is.
Kharkanas Trilogy
Forge of Darkness
Fall of Light
Path to Ascendancy series
Dancer's Lament
Deadhouse Landing
Malazan Empire series
Night Of Knives
Return of the Crimson Guard
Stonewielder
Malazan Book of the Fallen series
Gardens of the Moon
Deadhouse Gates
Memories of Ice
Midnight Tides
House of Chains
The Bonehunters
Reaper's Gale
Ultimate Malazan Chronological Reading Order
Where to even begin?
From that magnificent ending? No, who starts with an ending?
But in many ways, Toll the Hounds, eight book in Malazan Book of the Fallen series is the beginning of an end. Interlude into a final book Dust of Dreams/Crippled God; book by which end all pieces are set and ready for a conclusion.
Let's start with the necessary - but I promise very brief - what, where and who.
We're back in Darujhistan, place where inevitable convergence is approaching. Convergence of characters, of destinies, past and future, old and new, friends and enemies, lovers, ascendants, gods, mules - all coming to a single crossroad.
And that's not the only convergence in this book. Deep within the sword, Chaos and Dark are about to battle each other to extinction, possibly ending the world and all realms in it.
The only force that is willing to oppose this imminent end is that which is bound and shackled to a wooden wagon, forces gathered through millennia, consisting of mutual dreaded enemies.
Characters.
Reading this book reaffirmed my opinion that all-powerful characters, such as Anomander Rake, hurts the overall quality of the story.
Yes, you have read those lines properly. Bear with me.
It's not that I hate having these types of characters as much is failing to see what other readers found so compelling in him and characters alike.
I mean, I get it, he is all-powerful, veers into a dragon, have a badass sword, he is also profoundly mysterious and unfathomably tragic.
And most of the time, that’s more than enough, because this is fantasy and something like this is presumable, right?
But, at some point, this vast power, this larger than life part in the story, becomes a burden to a character. Because whenever he comes into a spotlight, readers expect "oooohh's" and "wwoooow's" from him. They expect to be awestruck.
And that ultimately puts limitation on author himself, because there are expectations to be met and when author realizes he can't meet those expectations, like Erikson realized here*, they have none other choice than to put these type of characters on a shelf. To wait their opportunity to shine.
*(Because would you believe it that Steven never intended for Anomander to have a big part in this series? Actually, Erikson himself was quite confused that Anomandaris was received so well by readers because, like myself, he wasn’t infatuated by him at all. Yeah, shocking, I know.
But of course, because he writes for us, he gave us what we want. Well, what most of us want, in any case.)
And if author doesn't have other compelling stories – or if he simply relies too much on a story of this magnificent character – we are bound to read endlessly: "No, it's not the time; no it's not the time; and no, it's still not the time." throughout much of the 1200 pages of a book. Like in this one here.
Honestly, at some point I heard Jaffar saying: “Patience, Iago, patience.”
If other characters have to wait this one character; if other stories have to wait this one story to progress further – than that, in my opinion, hurts the quality of the story.
And this is exactly what happened here. Other stories suffered because of it; stories such as Cutter/Crocus and Chalice D’Arle which we could completely cut off, and except 80 pages of the book, we wouldn’t lose much at all.
Add on that Rallick Nom and his cousin Torvald Nom. Add even Envy and Spite. I would even go so far to cut off Mapo and Gruntle’s story.
All these stories, which served as an underwhelming supplement while we’re waiting – well, we don’t know what exactly is that we’re waiting – all we know is that: “It’s almost the time.”, I would completely cut off, saving approximately 400 pages, without losing any thread whatsoever.
“Perspective, you see? The world changes according to where you stand.”
Which leads us to last 150/200 pages, which were breathless. Something we’re quite used to seeing in Steven’s books and something that doesn’t surprise us anymore.
Now obviously I can’t talk in details about it, but I’ll mention this: the main reason for me why last 200 pages kept me on the edge of my seat is mainly because of the prequels – story and character I’m following from them, all throughout this series, and seeing revelations and seemingly conclusion to that character’s arc. In all of my previous reads I wasn’t as invested as in this one, with all the prequels, as well as side-novels of this world, backing me up.
Just because of it, again, I’ll recommend chronological reading order for anyone that has nerves, time and overall desire to do so.
“To face death is to stand alone.”
– Preparation for character’s death. –
I love the fact that Steven was considerate enough to groom us and prepare for what is to come; for this emotional barrage and sad departure from characters that we love.
In the story we have a character who dies. With Steven Erikson that’s not even a spoiler, it’s something that we expect in each book, at every corner to jump right at us.
But the way he had done it, through seemingly insignificant character and within a minor story in the book, is a masterful preparation for his readers for what is to come by the end.
"Sadness belonged. As rightful as joy, love, grief and fear. All conditions of being.
Too often people mistook the sadness in others for self-pity, and in so doing revealed their own hardness of spirit, and more than a little malice."
Focusing so much and in so many details on this minor story and this insignificant character, and to let us grieve alongside these character’s friends, feeling their pain, paying respect to their fallen comrade, going through all these stages, denial, anger, grief and finally acceptance, actually helped in accepting what is inevitably to come, on our feet, with grace.
Brilliance is in small details.
Symbolism and allegory.
"People don’t change to suit their god; they change their god to suit them."
What do you do when god refuses to acknowledge you?
Would you transform your faith in desperate need for answers? Would you pick an easier way to find whatever meaning you can?
What then hides behind your prayer? When the purpose of the prayer becomes seeking of hope or a blessing, or the sense that something greater than yourself might acknowledge your helplessness – all of which in order to serve your wants and needs – does a prayer becomes a meaning of reciprocity?
Is a prayer nothing more for you than a bargain?
The large part of this book centers on the questions: at the very beginning of the faith, in the cradle itself, who decides what and how do we worship? What is the ‘proper’ way of worshiping a deity?
How is a priesthood born? What are the rules and prohibitions?
And most of all: who defines this moral filter from which we could divide justice from injustice?
Focusing on telling a story how wicked and dangerous priests can become, these mortal messengers of god’s word, how from each next generation that same god’s word can be twisted into something unrecognizable and made to suit selfish needs to whomever currently occupies the highest seat in this newly formed church – especially if when bombarded with questions this deity refuses to answer – we see how easy is for mortal opportunistic desires to become a dogma.
Prose.
I have seen many complaints about occasional shifting of structural narrative, and I have to say that I do not understand two things.
First: why had Erikson decided to introduce this late in the series, practically at the beginning of the end, this change? Was it necessary; to whom actually can we prescribe this change in telling the story - this almost breaking of the fourth wall – and pinching the reader on his nose while doing so?
If we prescribe it to Kruppe – then why now? We had this character for four books and he never ventured into something similar in previous installments.
But if we somehow manage to prescribe this to newly introduced character, this bard: Fisherman – then I suppose we can understand shifting.
But I’m not sure that we can, so overall I’m confused and don’t understand this move Steven decided to make.
Second thing that I don’t understand is why people are complaining so much about it? This shift in narrative structure in each chapter is perhaps four paragraphs long. Which means half a page in fifty pages long chapters per average. Which again, in twenty three chapters long book is merely above eleven pages.
Now, one may try to build an argument around this and say how ten pages in a thousand pages long book actually managed to disturb or even ruin someone’s experience – but, to be honest, I wouldn’t call that a valid argument. I would actually name that something else.
3.33/5
Quite generous rating, if you ask me.
Book is not only its ending, no matter how breathtaking that ending is.
Kharkanas Trilogy
Forge of Darkness
Fall of Light
Path to Ascendancy series
Dancer's Lament
Deadhouse Landing
Malazan Empire series
Night Of Knives
Return of the Crimson Guard
Stonewielder
Malazan Book of the Fallen series
Gardens of the Moon
Deadhouse Gates
Memories of Ice
Midnight Tides
House of Chains
The Bonehunters
Reaper's Gale
Ultimate Malazan Chronological Reading Order
March 21, 2017
At this point it's impossible to talk about the plot and characters without spoilers so I won't even try.
When I started this many people have said that it's slowest and worst of the Malazan books for 2/3 and they where right but I can't say I was bored. Erikson knows how make interesting character and and luckily I have good memory since there are lot of characters we haven't seen since books 1 and 3 and I was thrilled that some small events caused ripples that can be seen here.
Now that last third was something. We all know Erikson is absolute master when it comes to writing epic finale but this is where he outdone himself. Convergence of powers in this book is of proportions yet unseen in Malazan world involving gods, ascendants, elder races and mortals and not all of the characters involved get out of it alive and some don't even live to see it. Putting Malazan series on hold until further because I need some time to recover.
When I started this many people have said that it's slowest and worst of the Malazan books for 2/3 and they where right but I can't say I was bored. Erikson knows how make interesting character and and luckily I have good memory since there are lot of characters we haven't seen since books 1 and 3 and I was thrilled that some small events caused ripples that can be seen here.
Now that last third was something. We all know Erikson is absolute master when it comes to writing epic finale but this is where he outdone himself. Convergence of powers in this book is of proportions yet unseen in Malazan world involving gods, ascendants, elder races and mortals and not all of the characters involved get out of it alive and some don't even live to see it. Putting Malazan series on hold until further because I need some time to recover.
April 22, 2019
I have no choice but to give it at least five stars! This is an author who never stops to grow and continues to thug on every emotion I am capable of and some new ones I had no idea I was capable of. If you are a fan of Fantasy, on the darker side, and can cope with some seriously grand philosophical musings on both micro and macro levels, presented in more than realistic way, and can handle some human tragedy... You have to check this series out! I can't begin to even touch on the plot, but if you have the patience to let the author lead you wherever he may, and the ability to concentrate in order to catch the majority of the detail and information, then you HAVE TO READ THIS SERIES! I hope you got my slight hint and follow my advice 🙂!
December 8, 2015
Giving this a 4.5*s overall, the ending was brilliant!! Full review will go up soon as it's 2am here and I stayed up to finish this!
__________________
This storyline is rather a dramatic one when it comes to the overall world of Malazan. For the majority of this (monster) book I was enjoying the different threads and characters (we saw some of my favourites reunite and take leading roles) but it was a slow mover at first. I would say that the first two thirds are thoroughly too slow for my liking. Whilst they didn't bore me at all, which Reaper's Gale and Deadhouse both suffered from, I still found that this leviathan was a (lot) too long overall for what actually happens (this is the major reason that this isn't a 5* book).
We follow all sorts of characters and threads in this book but one of my favourite aspects was that Kruppe (the loveable, rotund and rather crazy man that he is) is narrating the whole book as we go and we get various sections from is pov which talk in detail about some of the elements we might have lost from the story were it not for Kruppe's telling.
There's a section, for example, where a lot of deaths happen but they don't relate much to the plot and they are not any of the major characters and so it could have been left out entirely, but in order to get the true horrors of the event across Kruppe's narration of these 'normal' people from all walks of life dying tragically was terribly moving.
Moving on to some of the other characters and plots I liked, we meet Harllo in this book, he's only 5 years old and yet he's one of the sweetest characters we have yet to encounter in the Malazan books and my heart broke for him as I read of everything that he had to go through in this book (it's not exactly nice!) The story follows him and all the wrongs that are done to him but he's also (unknowingly) one of the major turning points for some of our long-term major characters and his adventure causes them to act too, bringing mayhem.
I also cannot help but to smile when reading about Iskarul Pust and Kruppe because they're both so funny and bizarre and you could never predict what will happen with them or what they will do/say next. They are some of the best, nutty characters I have encountered in a storyline, and I have to say I cannot fault the way that Erikson writes them as they fascinate and beguile me :)
I also think that Kadaspala (another truly mad character, delusional and yet brilliant) is worth a mention for the part that he plays within the story because he's chained within the sword of Dragnipur, and as one of the first to be so he's gone utterly loopy. He's also filled with vengeance and raw hatred, and has a talent for tattooing... His dialogue was wonderful to read.
Then we have the storyline of Cutter and later Challice. I have to say that the progression of Cutter form when we first met him way back in the first few books is phenomenal, but not necessarily in a good way. He seems so vastly different from the character of innocence that we knew back then and in this story he definitely shows his grit.
Challice, meanwhile, annoyed me throughout this book with her simpering and whining as she really didn't stand up for herself and she let others do her dirty work for her. I didn't like her story much, although I see why it's included, but I thought she did bring some interesting moments.
Karsa, Anomander and Traveller are all characters who fall under the 'extremely-epic' bracket for a multitude of reasons, not least their prowess and fire. All three of them are solidly blunt, extreme and energetic character who have a lot to face, a lot to bear or a lot to learn. I particularly liked seeing these character meeting within this storyline as that added a lot of dramatic tension.
Barathol and Chaur's storyline may seems a little less important than many of the other more 'epic' ones but for me it was actually a really touching one and seeing their plight and the way that they were being treated throughout this really did catch on my heartstrings at multiple moments!
Also we see a fair bit of the Hounds of both Light and Shadow in this book and my goodness they're all monstrous!
Throughout this book we see a rise of two Gods, the first one is Hood who has been an eternal force, plucking all the strings and engineering the EPIC ending of this storyline. I have to say that Hood is a character it's easy to overlook because he does seem to have his own agenda and yet he's also very good at hiding it and so when BIG revelations and moments happen with him it's pretty impressive.
We also see a rise in the followers of The Crippled God who has been an ever-growing problem for many of the characters within this world and seeing his power increasing is certainly unnerving.
So overall, I liked a lot of this book, but it was certainly far too long for what it was and what happened, we could definitely have removed around 300+ pages and I think the effect would still have been there. However, I managed to push through the slower sections of course and I did ultimately ADORE the ending which was truly shocking, amazing and filled with so many surprises that I am still trying to wrap my head around it. For the ending and the interest that this brought me, it has to be a 4.5* rating overall. And, I look forward to reading the final two Erikson books after I have read the next two Esslemont ones :)
__________________
This storyline is rather a dramatic one when it comes to the overall world of Malazan. For the majority of this (monster) book I was enjoying the different threads and characters (we saw some of my favourites reunite and take leading roles) but it was a slow mover at first. I would say that the first two thirds are thoroughly too slow for my liking. Whilst they didn't bore me at all, which Reaper's Gale and Deadhouse both suffered from, I still found that this leviathan was a (lot) too long overall for what actually happens (this is the major reason that this isn't a 5* book).
We follow all sorts of characters and threads in this book but one of my favourite aspects was that Kruppe (the loveable, rotund and rather crazy man that he is) is narrating the whole book as we go and we get various sections from is pov which talk in detail about some of the elements we might have lost from the story were it not for Kruppe's telling.
There's a section, for example, where a lot of deaths happen but they don't relate much to the plot and they are not any of the major characters and so it could have been left out entirely, but in order to get the true horrors of the event across Kruppe's narration of these 'normal' people from all walks of life dying tragically was terribly moving.
Moving on to some of the other characters and plots I liked, we meet Harllo in this book, he's only 5 years old and yet he's one of the sweetest characters we have yet to encounter in the Malazan books and my heart broke for him as I read of everything that he had to go through in this book (it's not exactly nice!) The story follows him and all the wrongs that are done to him but he's also (unknowingly) one of the major turning points for some of our long-term major characters and his adventure causes them to act too, bringing mayhem.
I also cannot help but to smile when reading about Iskarul Pust and Kruppe because they're both so funny and bizarre and you could never predict what will happen with them or what they will do/say next. They are some of the best, nutty characters I have encountered in a storyline, and I have to say I cannot fault the way that Erikson writes them as they fascinate and beguile me :)
I also think that Kadaspala (another truly mad character, delusional and yet brilliant) is worth a mention for the part that he plays within the story because he's chained within the sword of Dragnipur, and as one of the first to be so he's gone utterly loopy. He's also filled with vengeance and raw hatred, and has a talent for tattooing... His dialogue was wonderful to read.
Then we have the storyline of Cutter and later Challice. I have to say that the progression of Cutter form when we first met him way back in the first few books is phenomenal, but not necessarily in a good way. He seems so vastly different from the character of innocence that we knew back then and in this story he definitely shows his grit.
Challice, meanwhile, annoyed me throughout this book with her simpering and whining as she really didn't stand up for herself and she let others do her dirty work for her. I didn't like her story much, although I see why it's included, but I thought she did bring some interesting moments.
Karsa, Anomander and Traveller are all characters who fall under the 'extremely-epic' bracket for a multitude of reasons, not least their prowess and fire. All three of them are solidly blunt, extreme and energetic character who have a lot to face, a lot to bear or a lot to learn. I particularly liked seeing these character meeting within this storyline as that added a lot of dramatic tension.
Barathol and Chaur's storyline may seems a little less important than many of the other more 'epic' ones but for me it was actually a really touching one and seeing their plight and the way that they were being treated throughout this really did catch on my heartstrings at multiple moments!
Also we see a fair bit of the Hounds of both Light and Shadow in this book and my goodness they're all monstrous!
Throughout this book we see a rise of two Gods, the first one is Hood who has been an eternal force, plucking all the strings and engineering the EPIC ending of this storyline. I have to say that Hood is a character it's easy to overlook because he does seem to have his own agenda and yet he's also very good at hiding it and so when BIG revelations and moments happen with him it's pretty impressive.
We also see a rise in the followers of The Crippled God who has been an ever-growing problem for many of the characters within this world and seeing his power increasing is certainly unnerving.
So overall, I liked a lot of this book, but it was certainly far too long for what it was and what happened, we could definitely have removed around 300+ pages and I think the effect would still have been there. However, I managed to push through the slower sections of course and I did ultimately ADORE the ending which was truly shocking, amazing and filled with so many surprises that I am still trying to wrap my head around it. For the ending and the interest that this brought me, it has to be a 4.5* rating overall. And, I look forward to reading the final two Erikson books after I have read the next two Esslemont ones :)
November 23, 2015
3.5 Stars.
The painfully slow pace for much of this installment made it the weakest Malazan book in some time, although the typically awesome ending went some way to redeeming it. The return to the city of Darujhistan was cool and I was glad to see some familiar faces (the retired Malazans and the regulars of the Phoenix Inn were both awesome) but these plot-lines were especially slow for much of the book, which was a shame. Although the scene where the Malazan's were attacked in their bar by a small army of assassins was one of the most intense, shocking and ultimately emotionally charged ( ) in the book and possibly the entire series. I also liked how the Murillio/Harllo/Cutter plotline wove together, with a pair of duels being the highlights .
I found Nimander and friends' quest to be one of the more interesting plotline for most of the book although I only started to care about any of the characters a good bit into it. That plotline had a cool resolution that tied it nicely into the overall scheme of things. For some reason I was annoyed by all the comic relief sections in this book: Leff and Scorch, Iskaral Pust (who I normally like) and the entire Trygalle Trade Guild all massively annoyed me, especially the latter who's sections wasted 2 really cool characters in Gruntle and Mappo and seemed to drag on forever. I normally enjoy Erikson's comedic diversions (see Tehol and Bugg) so I don't know why these ones annoyed me so much, maybe it was because the pace of the book as a whole was slow enough without additional diversions. While the Karsa sections were also pretty uneventful (and the whole "why Karsa wants to destroy civilisation" thing was beaten to death) I still found those sections to be enjoyable. Because Witness. Also Karsa's interactions with Samar Dev were really well written to show subtle development in both characters and his bro-mance with fellow badass Traveller was awesome.
I found the new characters of Seerdomin and Spinnock Durav to be interesting, although Endest Silann was a regular Buzz Killington. Despite that I found the Black Coral sections to be pretty interesting, owing in large part to the ominous presence of Anomander Rake and the tension built up by his mysterious plans .
Overall this was one of the weaker installments in the Malazan franchis but one that still had plenty of stuff going for it. Hopefully the series picks up again with the next book and Erikson is able to deliver his accustomed awesomeness down the stretch.
The painfully slow pace for much of this installment made it the weakest Malazan book in some time, although the typically awesome ending went some way to redeeming it. The return to the city of Darujhistan was cool and I was glad to see some familiar faces (the retired Malazans and the regulars of the Phoenix Inn were both awesome) but these plot-lines were especially slow for much of the book, which was a shame. Although the scene where the Malazan's were attacked in their bar by a small army of assassins was one of the most intense, shocking and ultimately emotionally charged ( ) in the book and possibly the entire series. I also liked how the Murillio/Harllo/Cutter plotline wove together, with a pair of duels being the highlights .
I found Nimander and friends' quest to be one of the more interesting plotline for most of the book although I only started to care about any of the characters a good bit into it. That plotline had a cool resolution that tied it nicely into the overall scheme of things. For some reason I was annoyed by all the comic relief sections in this book: Leff and Scorch, Iskaral Pust (who I normally like) and the entire Trygalle Trade Guild all massively annoyed me, especially the latter who's sections wasted 2 really cool characters in Gruntle and Mappo and seemed to drag on forever. I normally enjoy Erikson's comedic diversions (see Tehol and Bugg) so I don't know why these ones annoyed me so much, maybe it was because the pace of the book as a whole was slow enough without additional diversions. While the Karsa sections were also pretty uneventful (and the whole "why Karsa wants to destroy civilisation" thing was beaten to death) I still found those sections to be enjoyable. Because Witness. Also Karsa's interactions with Samar Dev were really well written to show subtle development in both characters and his bro-mance with fellow badass Traveller was awesome.
I found the new characters of Seerdomin and Spinnock Durav to be interesting, although Endest Silann was a regular Buzz Killington. Despite that I found the Black Coral sections to be pretty interesting, owing in large part to the ominous presence of Anomander Rake and the tension built up by his mysterious plans .
Overall this was one of the weaker installments in the Malazan franchis but one that still had plenty of stuff going for it. Hopefully the series picks up again with the next book and Erikson is able to deliver his accustomed awesomeness down the stretch.
April 4, 2017
I'll be honest, the first part 60~70% of this book felt pretty dragged out to me. The stories were all over the place with seemingly no way to come together, and I think knowing a lot of the characters at the beginning (for once) made most of the book pretty easy to follow compared to previous books. It was great to finally feel comfortable starting a Malazan book and not being thrown into mass confusion, and it was even better to see characters I love, but the chaos and confusion of starting a Malazan book is something that has really grown on me and made the series very unique.
That being said, this was still a fantastic book and the last 25~30% of the novel was one of the best endings of the series. I think the more story lines seem distant and separate from one another, the more amazed I am at how it all comes together at last. I really cannot express how great that ending was. Throughout the first long 70%, I was just hanging on to my experience that Erikson always delivers, and oh man, he knocked it out of the park with this ending.
My favourite story lines were Karsa and Traveller, Cutter (still angry about this name) and of course, the one and only Anomander Rake. I especially loved Rake's POV because throughout the series he is always a major player, but one that tends to lurk in the background as we hear about things he does from other characters.
That being said, this was still a fantastic book and the last 25~30% of the novel was one of the best endings of the series. I think the more story lines seem distant and separate from one another, the more amazed I am at how it all comes together at last. I really cannot express how great that ending was. Throughout the first long 70%, I was just hanging on to my experience that Erikson always delivers, and oh man, he knocked it out of the park with this ending.
My favourite story lines were Karsa and Traveller, Cutter (still angry about this name) and of course, the one and only Anomander Rake. I especially loved Rake's POV because throughout the series he is always a major player, but one that tends to lurk in the background as we hear about things he does from other characters.
January 14, 2019
”There is no struggle too vast, no odds too overwhelming, for even should we fail - should we fall - we will know that we have lived.”
The eighth tale of the Malazan Book of the Fallen is dominated once again by Erikson’s philosophical musings. The majority of the book is an intellectual exploration of life and death, society and history, love, lust and war, on a scale not rivalled by even the political treatise that was Midnight Tides.
That is not to say, however, that nothing is happening in this book. The last few chapters are a whirlwind of major happenings and confrontations, and a convergence of the series’ most powerful characters in the streets of Darujhistan. The structure has indeed become quite reminiscent of a Wheel of Time book, with everything going down in the final fifth of the book. Most of this tale, philosophy aside, consists of setting the stage for the endgame, with the most fascinating tangent being that of Karsa Orlong and Samar Dev and their journeys with the mysterious Traveller.
Although there is little action until the end, it is difficult to give this book anything but praise. It has significantly contributed to making the Malazan Book of the Fallen an intellectual achievement within the fantasy genre, combined with the fact that it’s just bloody awesome.
Malazan Book of the Fallen reviews:
#1 Gardens of the Moon
#2 Deadhouse Gates
#3 Memories of Ice
#4 House of Chains
#5 Midnight Tides
#6 The Bonehunters
#7 Reaper's Gale
#8 Toll the Hounds
#9 Dust of Dreams
#10 The Crippled God
The eighth tale of the Malazan Book of the Fallen is dominated once again by Erikson’s philosophical musings. The majority of the book is an intellectual exploration of life and death, society and history, love, lust and war, on a scale not rivalled by even the political treatise that was Midnight Tides.
That is not to say, however, that nothing is happening in this book. The last few chapters are a whirlwind of major happenings and confrontations, and a convergence of the series’ most powerful characters in the streets of Darujhistan. The structure has indeed become quite reminiscent of a Wheel of Time book, with everything going down in the final fifth of the book. Most of this tale, philosophy aside, consists of setting the stage for the endgame, with the most fascinating tangent being that of Karsa Orlong and Samar Dev and their journeys with the mysterious Traveller.
Although there is little action until the end, it is difficult to give this book anything but praise. It has significantly contributed to making the Malazan Book of the Fallen an intellectual achievement within the fantasy genre, combined with the fact that it’s just bloody awesome.
Malazan Book of the Fallen reviews:
#1 Gardens of the Moon
#2 Deadhouse Gates
#3 Memories of Ice
#4 House of Chains
#5 Midnight Tides
#6 The Bonehunters
#7 Reaper's Gale
#8 Toll the Hounds
#9 Dust of Dreams
#10 The Crippled God
May 8, 2019
Alas, time grinds on. All fates spin and not even the gods can guess how each will topple.
The Malazan Book of the Fallen (MBotF) series has quickly risen to be one of my all-time favorite fantasy series. The writing is superb and the world building is better than almost anything else out there. Even the books that I’d rank at the bottom of my MBotF Favorites List are still far and away superior to a lot of other series out there, past and present. Now, from what I’ve seen, opinions on this particular installment are mixed. Some love it and others love it less. A lot of that has to do with the sort of content you prefer. If you love books that are more action oriented then, yes, I can see where this book might fall short of expectations. If, however, you like more introspection from the characters and a deep dive into what makes them tick then you’re in for a treat. Me? I’m firmly in the "love it!" camp and of the eight MBotF (main series) books I've read so far, this one ranks up there in the top four.
Steven Erikson has created a world whose history goes back hundreds of thousands of years but it’s a history that is still very relevant to the current plots of each and every book. And it’s not just the history of one culture, no, it’s the ancient histories of several cultures across at least three continents, all brushing up against each other in ways that shape the world around them. This is a series that not only tells a sprawling, and yet still intimate story - that would be a grand enough achievement on its own - but it also makes you think, long and hard, as the individual characters bump up against philosophical and moral dilemmas as they fight to navigate their often brutal world. And, dear reader, you’ll see our world mirrored in theirs.
This series has so far focused its attention on three separate continents: Genabackis, Seven Cities, and Lether. With this eighth book, the action swings back to Genabackis, where it all started. Just in looking at the Dramatis Personae, I knew I was going to really like this book because it had so many of the characters that I love. I won’t mention any names here but every single POV held my attention this time around and that’s not an easy thing to accomplish for a story with multiple POVs going on. Usually there’s at least one POV storyline, even in an awesome series like this one, that I’m impatient to get past as quickly as possible. There was no danger of that happening here.
"It is an extraordinary act of courage...to come to know a stranger’s pain. To even consider such a thing requires a profound dispensation, a willingness to wear someone else’s chains, to taste their suffering, to see with one’s own eyes the hue cast on all things - the terrible stain that is despair. I have no such courage. It is, without a doubt, the rarest of abilities."
This book presented readers with the mightiest of characters right down to the most vulnerable. It gave us characters whose names are legends and some whose names we were hearing for the first time...and even one whose name was never even revealed. Redemption was a big theme for this book and its effects rippled through the narrative with some characters actively seeking it, some feeling unworthy of it, and still others questioning its meaning. The philosophical workout I get every time I read a MBotF installment is something I always look forward to. There is always so much to think about, to ponder over, and to discuss because there are always so many layers to every sentence...and then layers underneath that. The nuanced prose simply begs for rereads and the themes and events stick with me long after I close the cover and mark the book as 'finished'.
There were many great character moments too. Funny moments, poignant moments, and moments that just flat out broke my heart. In typical MBotF fashion, the story builds to its climax, with the tension slowly increasing so that by the time readers get to those last three or four chapters they couldn’t stop reading even if they wanted to. In my opinion, this book has the best convergence of characters and forces in the series so far. There was just no putting the book down once past the point of no return, even as I dreaded what was coming. And I was right because no MBotF installment is complete without some loss. There is always a price to pay to visit this world and you have to take the bitter with the sweet, the tears with the laughter, and the despair with the hope. It is exquisite heartbreak but, oh, so worth it.
"If we are to live," Rake went on, "we must take risks. Else our lives become death in all but name. There is no struggle too vast, no odds too overwhelming, for even should we fail - should we fall - we will know that we have lived."
The Malazan Book of the Fallen (MBotF) series has quickly risen to be one of my all-time favorite fantasy series. The writing is superb and the world building is better than almost anything else out there. Even the books that I’d rank at the bottom of my MBotF Favorites List are still far and away superior to a lot of other series out there, past and present. Now, from what I’ve seen, opinions on this particular installment are mixed. Some love it and others love it less. A lot of that has to do with the sort of content you prefer. If you love books that are more action oriented then, yes, I can see where this book might fall short of expectations. If, however, you like more introspection from the characters and a deep dive into what makes them tick then you’re in for a treat. Me? I’m firmly in the "love it!" camp and of the eight MBotF (main series) books I've read so far, this one ranks up there in the top four.
Steven Erikson has created a world whose history goes back hundreds of thousands of years but it’s a history that is still very relevant to the current plots of each and every book. And it’s not just the history of one culture, no, it’s the ancient histories of several cultures across at least three continents, all brushing up against each other in ways that shape the world around them. This is a series that not only tells a sprawling, and yet still intimate story - that would be a grand enough achievement on its own - but it also makes you think, long and hard, as the individual characters bump up against philosophical and moral dilemmas as they fight to navigate their often brutal world. And, dear reader, you’ll see our world mirrored in theirs.
This series has so far focused its attention on three separate continents: Genabackis, Seven Cities, and Lether. With this eighth book, the action swings back to Genabackis, where it all started. Just in looking at the Dramatis Personae, I knew I was going to really like this book because it had so many of the characters that I love. I won’t mention any names here but every single POV held my attention this time around and that’s not an easy thing to accomplish for a story with multiple POVs going on. Usually there’s at least one POV storyline, even in an awesome series like this one, that I’m impatient to get past as quickly as possible. There was no danger of that happening here.
"It is an extraordinary act of courage...to come to know a stranger’s pain. To even consider such a thing requires a profound dispensation, a willingness to wear someone else’s chains, to taste their suffering, to see with one’s own eyes the hue cast on all things - the terrible stain that is despair. I have no such courage. It is, without a doubt, the rarest of abilities."
This book presented readers with the mightiest of characters right down to the most vulnerable. It gave us characters whose names are legends and some whose names we were hearing for the first time...and even one whose name was never even revealed. Redemption was a big theme for this book and its effects rippled through the narrative with some characters actively seeking it, some feeling unworthy of it, and still others questioning its meaning. The philosophical workout I get every time I read a MBotF installment is something I always look forward to. There is always so much to think about, to ponder over, and to discuss because there are always so many layers to every sentence...and then layers underneath that. The nuanced prose simply begs for rereads and the themes and events stick with me long after I close the cover and mark the book as 'finished'.
There were many great character moments too. Funny moments, poignant moments, and moments that just flat out broke my heart. In typical MBotF fashion, the story builds to its climax, with the tension slowly increasing so that by the time readers get to those last three or four chapters they couldn’t stop reading even if they wanted to. In my opinion, this book has the best convergence of characters and forces in the series so far. There was just no putting the book down once past the point of no return, even as I dreaded what was coming. And I was right because no MBotF installment is complete without some loss. There is always a price to pay to visit this world and you have to take the bitter with the sweet, the tears with the laughter, and the despair with the hope. It is exquisite heartbreak but, oh, so worth it.
"If we are to live," Rake went on, "we must take risks. Else our lives become death in all but name. There is no struggle too vast, no odds too overwhelming, for even should we fail - should we fall - we will know that we have lived."
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May 8, 2025
So here we are. Another Malazan Tale done. The ending just about killed me and had me in tears.
Oh, Anomander, I can’t believe what you’ve accomplished. Yes, you made Mother Dark turn back, you enigmatic, competent wonder of a man. I will miss you. On the bright side, there is your son Nimander to follow in your footsteps and it looks like he is worthy of adoration.
I also cried when little Harllo, a 5-year-old child of rape, made it back to his birth mother Stonny, after all he’s been through. The emotion those brief paragraphs convey left me shaken; they were just heartbreakingly wonderful and sad.
What else did I love? Being back in Darujhistan felt like coming home, even if not all the old characters, both Bridgeburners and natives, were/are still alive. Picker, Blend, Antsy, Mallet (RIP), Bluepearl (RIP), Cutter, Kruppe, Rallick Nom, Torvald Nom, Murillio (RIP), Barathol Mekhar, Scillara, Duiker etc. – there are just so many characters I loved seeing again. I also loved seeing Karsa Orlong and Samar Dev team up once more. I have a feeling those two will hook up at some point. And adding Dassem Ultor to that team was just really cool. Nimander and his posse of Tiste Andii were fun to observe as well. Clip I could have happily murdered. As for Iskaral Pust, as much as I enjoy his inner monologue voiced out loud, his lusting after women was just disgusting.
Events in Black Coral surrounding the Dying God were probably my least favorite in the book. The whole notion of kelyk and its effects were also deeply disturbing – and I couldn’t really connect with Endest Silann, sadly.
I also felt there was less comic relief than what I’m used to, but I’m not sure if that’s objectively the case. The guards Scorch and Leff were the most notable characters to provide humor, as were some of the Trygalle Trade Guild shareholders. Oh, and I guess Shadowthrone and Cotillion have their moments. (I have ceased being entertained by Iskaral Pust, like I mentioned before.) Still, it felt like not enough comic relief and I also really missed Tehol and Bugg’s verbal sparring and their brand of humor.
I will say that events in and around Dragnipur left me occasionally confused. I guess it’s because I have problems following a soft magic system and that’s been an issue I’ve had occasionally with the series. The outcome was spectacular though.
I could go on and on, so much happened in about 1300 pages; it’s really tough to single out what made this great. The foremost reason, however, is that, like I’ve said many times before, that Erikson is a genius. He is a jack of all trades. He can do it all: create a plethora of varied characters, write beautiful introspective musings, create vivid settings, write excellent dialogue (no matter if humorous, deep, or casual), and all of it in beautiful English. What’s not to love?
Onward!
‘For you, Mother, he did this. For us, he did this. He has brought us all home. He has brought us all home.’
Oh, Anomander, I can’t believe what you’ve accomplished. Yes, you made Mother Dark turn back, you enigmatic, competent wonder of a man. I will miss you. On the bright side, there is your son Nimander to follow in your footsteps and it looks like he is worthy of adoration.
I also cried when little Harllo, a 5-year-old child of rape, made it back to his birth mother Stonny, after all he’s been through. The emotion those brief paragraphs convey left me shaken; they were just heartbreakingly wonderful and sad.
She cannot meet his eyes, but she is weeping none the less. She waves a hand. ‘You don’t understand, Harllo. That time, that time – I have no good memories of that time. Nothing good came of it, nothing.’
‘That’s not true!’ he shouts, close to tears. ‘That’s not true. There was me.’
What else did I love? Being back in Darujhistan felt like coming home, even if not all the old characters, both Bridgeburners and natives, were/are still alive. Picker, Blend, Antsy, Mallet (RIP), Bluepearl (RIP), Cutter, Kruppe, Rallick Nom, Torvald Nom, Murillio (RIP), Barathol Mekhar, Scillara, Duiker etc. – there are just so many characters I loved seeing again. I also loved seeing Karsa Orlong and Samar Dev team up once more. I have a feeling those two will hook up at some point. And adding Dassem Ultor to that team was just really cool. Nimander and his posse of Tiste Andii were fun to observe as well. Clip I could have happily murdered. As for Iskaral Pust, as much as I enjoy his inner monologue voiced out loud, his lusting after women was just disgusting.
Events in Black Coral surrounding the Dying God were probably my least favorite in the book. The whole notion of kelyk and its effects were also deeply disturbing – and I couldn’t really connect with Endest Silann, sadly.
I also felt there was less comic relief than what I’m used to, but I’m not sure if that’s objectively the case. The guards Scorch and Leff were the most notable characters to provide humor, as were some of the Trygalle Trade Guild shareholders. Oh, and I guess Shadowthrone and Cotillion have their moments. (I have ceased being entertained by Iskaral Pust, like I mentioned before.) Still, it felt like not enough comic relief and I also really missed Tehol and Bugg’s verbal sparring and their brand of humor.
I will say that events in and around Dragnipur left me occasionally confused. I guess it’s because I have problems following a soft magic system and that’s been an issue I’ve had occasionally with the series. The outcome was spectacular though.
I could go on and on, so much happened in about 1300 pages; it’s really tough to single out what made this great. The foremost reason, however, is that, like I’ve said many times before, that Erikson is a genius. He is a jack of all trades. He can do it all: create a plethora of varied characters, write beautiful introspective musings, create vivid settings, write excellent dialogue (no matter if humorous, deep, or casual), and all of it in beautiful English. What’s not to love?
Onward!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 8, 2019
I have made it through the biggest chapter of the The Malazan Book of the Fallen and unfortunately, in comparison to all that has come before, it is the weakest addition. Thankfully even a weak Malazan book is still better than 90% of all other fantasy series I have read.
It’s difficult to give a proper synopsis without completely ruining it for anyone that hasn’t read previous Malazan books so I’ll keep it brief. We’re back in Darujhistan with the majority of the characters from Gardens of the Moon including a few extras visiting from other continents. It’s a complex plot which basically boils down to a huge convergence on the City of Blue Fire during the final part of the book. There’s Anomander Rake, Karsa Orlong, Kallor, Caladan Brood and Death himself to name just a few of the heavy hitting names involved in the gathering.
Although extremely lengthy this wasn’t an issue for me. There are lulls but Erikson writes such absorbing prose that I was never bored. I could easily have immersed myself into this book for endless hours if it wasn’t for work or the need of sleep. My only gripe was trying to remember characters and events from previous books to make sense of what was happening but this is to be expected from a fantasy series so epic in scope.
I have scored Toll the Hounds 4/5 but only because I’m having to compare it to seven other amazing books. Reapers Gale is probably my favourite (or Deadhouse Gates, I can’t decide) so Toll the Hounds had a great deal to live up to, especially as I consider Reapers Gale the Avengers Infinity War of the series, with all of the characters finally meeting.
It’s difficult to give a proper synopsis without completely ruining it for anyone that hasn’t read previous Malazan books so I’ll keep it brief. We’re back in Darujhistan with the majority of the characters from Gardens of the Moon including a few extras visiting from other continents. It’s a complex plot which basically boils down to a huge convergence on the City of Blue Fire during the final part of the book. There’s Anomander Rake, Karsa Orlong, Kallor, Caladan Brood and Death himself to name just a few of the heavy hitting names involved in the gathering.
Although extremely lengthy this wasn’t an issue for me. There are lulls but Erikson writes such absorbing prose that I was never bored. I could easily have immersed myself into this book for endless hours if it wasn’t for work or the need of sleep. My only gripe was trying to remember characters and events from previous books to make sense of what was happening but this is to be expected from a fantasy series so epic in scope.
I have scored Toll the Hounds 4/5 but only because I’m having to compare it to seven other amazing books. Reapers Gale is probably my favourite (or Deadhouse Gates, I can’t decide) so Toll the Hounds had a great deal to live up to, especially as I consider Reapers Gale the Avengers Infinity War of the series, with all of the characters finally meeting.
January 24, 2018
Wow, so that was the eighth book. I almost can't believe I have read so much of this series. Then again its taken over my life for over a year now and I still have two books to go on the main series and then there are all the other books and at least one complete reread to go...
Okay, so general consensus on Toll the Hounds is that it is very slow and bogged down in the political. I didn't really get that. Then again, it took me three months to read due to lack of time so I guess I was forced to savor it. It is a gem of a book! What I did find a bit strange is that the book here and there is all of a sudden narrated by a certain character. It had the feeling of a first attempt at a different style which was both confusing, refreshing and a tad sophomoric.
Then there was the stuff that happened.
Strangely enough the deaths don't always get me (death in an Erikson book is never run of the mill) but there were some quite powerful scenes.
Kruppe is getting annoying though.
Now I am pained as to what to do next. Dust of Dreams and The Crippled God are like one book, taking a break in between those two would be madness. So do I force a break now or continue on (which will mean 9 months consecutively reading pretty much only Malazan)? #bookproblems
EDIT: I of course immediately continued with Dust of Dreams. Not sorry I did!
Okay, so general consensus on Toll the Hounds is that it is very slow and bogged down in the political. I didn't really get that. Then again, it took me three months to read due to lack of time so I guess I was forced to savor it. It is a gem of a book! What I did find a bit strange is that the book here and there is all of a sudden narrated by a certain character. It had the feeling of a first attempt at a different style which was both confusing, refreshing and a tad sophomoric.
Then there was the stuff that happened.
Strangely enough the deaths don't always get me (death in an Erikson book is never run of the mill) but there were some quite powerful scenes.
Kruppe is getting annoying though.
Now I am pained as to what to do next. Dust of Dreams and The Crippled God are like one book, taking a break in between those two would be madness. So do I force a break now or continue on (which will mean 9 months consecutively reading pretty much only Malazan)? #bookproblems
EDIT: I of course immediately continued with Dust of Dreams. Not sorry I did!
March 19, 2017
This is the only book in the series that feels long, too long maybe. Of course all of the disparate strands are necessary to bring us to the seriously epic convergence in the last quarter. And yet, I leave it without being overwhelmed with emotion, no weeping buckets or stress palpitations.
Without getting too spoilery (put a tag on just in case),
Without getting too spoilery (put a tag on just in case),
July 18, 2025
This was so depressing for a lot of it but also ended up being so good.
March 28, 2024
“Como pizarra rota
Tomamos nuestro odio
Y lo apilamos en lo alto
Rodando por las colinas
Una línea escaparda que trace
Nuestro auge y caída
Y yo vi bañados
Con el amanecer
Filas de cuervos
Por el muro torcido
Llegados para alimentarse”.
¿Quién me diría que después de tantas y venidas y relecturas con esta saga ya me encuentre por fin en la recta final y me encuentre aún un poco perdida?
“Os reís de los que acuden al Dios Tulllido. Quizás un día yo me ría de los que acuden a vosotros”.
Poco he de decir a estas alturas que ya no haya dicho ya. Sin embargo, sí que me ha gustado esta novela en comparación con la anterior. Erikson tiene una pluma muy buena. Eso sí ha habido cosas que me han dolido y puesto triste y me hubiera gustado no leerlas, pero Malaz es así. Una de cal y otra de arena.
“Si hemos de vivir, debemos correr riesgos. De otro modo nuestras vidas se convierten en muertes en todo salvo en el nombre. No hay lucha demasiado inmensa, no hay probabilidades demasiado inconquistables, pues incluso si fracasaremos, si cayéramos, sabremos que hemos vivido”.
A por el siguiente cuando el cerebro me lo permita.
“Polvo de sueños, ¿te impondrás tú ahora al viento?
Polvo de sueños, ¿no es hora de dejarte libre?”
Tomamos nuestro odio
Y lo apilamos en lo alto
Rodando por las colinas
Una línea escaparda que trace
Nuestro auge y caída
Y yo vi bañados
Con el amanecer
Filas de cuervos
Por el muro torcido
Llegados para alimentarse”.
¿Quién me diría que después de tantas y venidas y relecturas con esta saga ya me encuentre por fin en la recta final y me encuentre aún un poco perdida?
“Os reís de los que acuden al Dios Tulllido. Quizás un día yo me ría de los que acuden a vosotros”.
Poco he de decir a estas alturas que ya no haya dicho ya. Sin embargo, sí que me ha gustado esta novela en comparación con la anterior. Erikson tiene una pluma muy buena. Eso sí ha habido cosas que me han dolido y puesto triste y me hubiera gustado no leerlas, pero Malaz es así. Una de cal y otra de arena.
“Si hemos de vivir, debemos correr riesgos. De otro modo nuestras vidas se convierten en muertes en todo salvo en el nombre. No hay lucha demasiado inmensa, no hay probabilidades demasiado inconquistables, pues incluso si fracasaremos, si cayéramos, sabremos que hemos vivido”.
A por el siguiente cuando el cerebro me lo permita.
“Polvo de sueños, ¿te impondrás tú ahora al viento?
Polvo de sueños, ¿no es hora de dejarte libre?”
January 2, 2025
Reread December 2024/January 2025
Devastating ending. I can't stop thinking about the last 20% of this book. It was a bit slower start than previous books, but the payoff was worth it by the end.
Devastating ending. I can't stop thinking about the last 20% of this book. It was a bit slower start than previous books, but the payoff was worth it by the end.
January 9, 2014
I can't say I enjoyed this book as much as the previous book in the series. There seemed to be an excessive amount of introspection and self indulgent musings(yes, more than usual) touching on the usual Steven Erikson favourites ie politics and religion.
Still, when the characters were done playing with themselves (some literally so) we get the customary, second to none, explosive action scenes that keeps me coming back for more.
The story takes us back to Darujhistan, which is a pleasure to revisit, especially as we get to meet back up with some of our retired veteran Bridgeburners. But even in retirement it appears trouble has a way of finding them out - and look out when it does.
We also get to see a lot of Kruppe who is never short of words and good for a laugh. Iskarel Pust winds up here as well with his worshipping bhokarel in tow - and if those two ever meet up imagine all the words that are going to be spraying then.
Anyway, its festival time in the city of emerald lights and everyone is in party mood. Meanwhile, Death is on the march to our unsuspecting city and Traveller is on his way to have a word or two with Hood, and with him is Karsa Orlong and we know how well Karsa and civilization get along, and former high King Kallor seeing the opportunity presented has no intention of staying away to cash in on the conflagration. And Shadowthrone generously donates The Hounds of Shadow to the party and we all know the Hounds and civilization mix about as good or worse than Karsa.
Will the good (and bad) people of Darujhistan survive this latest convergence? Is anybody looking out for them? Well there's Baruk, and there's Kruppe, a handful of Malazan's.
Fortunately or unfortunately depending on where you are standing there is more at stake than the survival of a city. You see, Chaos is winning the race to catch the Gate of Darkness bound up in Dragnipur - and if that happens then all the universes and warrens turns to crap (apparently), and that is something the Son of Darkness, Anomander Rake, just wont abide.
So its a showdown at the hoe down and there will be lots of blood, brains, guts, severed limbs, slit throats, throw in a few explosive devices and oh . .don't forget to watch out for the undead dragon.
And when everything's turning to custard don't forget to smile as you load your crossbow and sing "Who let the dogs out woof woof woof woof woof."
Reread Review
Not much to add except that I appreciated this book a lot more the second time round. Even the "excessive introspection" I hated initially made more sense this time and even added to the enjoyment.
Rerating this to...
5 stars
Still, when the characters were done playing with themselves (some literally so) we get the customary, second to none, explosive action scenes that keeps me coming back for more.
The story takes us back to Darujhistan, which is a pleasure to revisit, especially as we get to meet back up with some of our retired veteran Bridgeburners. But even in retirement it appears trouble has a way of finding them out - and look out when it does.
We also get to see a lot of Kruppe who is never short of words and good for a laugh. Iskarel Pust winds up here as well with his worshipping bhokarel in tow - and if those two ever meet up imagine all the words that are going to be spraying then.
Anyway, its festival time in the city of emerald lights and everyone is in party mood. Meanwhile, Death is on the march to our unsuspecting city and Traveller is on his way to have a word or two with Hood, and with him is Karsa Orlong and we know how well Karsa and civilization get along, and former high King Kallor seeing the opportunity presented has no intention of staying away to cash in on the conflagration. And Shadowthrone generously donates The Hounds of Shadow to the party and we all know the Hounds and civilization mix about as good or worse than Karsa.
Will the good (and bad) people of Darujhistan survive this latest convergence? Is anybody looking out for them? Well there's Baruk, and there's Kruppe, a handful of Malazan's.
Fortunately or unfortunately depending on where you are standing there is more at stake than the survival of a city. You see, Chaos is winning the race to catch the Gate of Darkness bound up in Dragnipur - and if that happens then all the universes and warrens turns to crap (apparently), and that is something the Son of Darkness, Anomander Rake, just wont abide.
So its a showdown at the hoe down and there will be lots of blood, brains, guts, severed limbs, slit throats, throw in a few explosive devices and oh . .don't forget to watch out for the undead dragon.
And when everything's turning to custard don't forget to smile as you load your crossbow and sing "Who let the dogs out woof woof woof woof woof."
Reread Review
Not much to add except that I appreciated this book a lot more the second time round. Even the "excessive introspection" I hated initially made more sense this time and even added to the enjoyment.
Rerating this to...
5 stars
October 5, 2025
Fanaticism was so popular. There had to be a reason for that, didn’t there? Some vast reward to the end of thinking, some great bliss to the blessing of idiocy.
✨I have 129 highlights; I think that’s all you need to know about my enjoyment of this book. Also, this review is spoiler free for the entire series✨
Toll the Hounds is a bit different from other Malazan books. Maybe that’s why it’s not the favorite of a lot of people, but also why I loved it so much. While this is a military fantasy series, this volume doesn’t fit that category. During the majority of the book, we are following different groups of people who are struggling with different things. This book is very centered on grief, but also on redemption (there is literally a new cult called the Redeemer’s cult) and the systems surrounding religion.
My favorite part, of course, was following the characters I’ve come to love. While I really enjoy Malazan, I don’t consider myself a fan of military fantasy, so having a more slice-of-life, lower stakes story for the majority of the book was more my cup of tea than other books in the series. Instead of following armies, we were following groups of friends!✨ Some are reunited during this book, some are trying to discover who wants to kill them before they succeed, others are trying to save a very annoying Mortal Sword.
Reading Toll the Hounds kind of reminded me of reading The Lies of Locke Lamora, one of my all-time favorite books, but make it bigger, more complex and following a lot more characters. If you are someone who loves to read about people with normal problems struggling with everyday life, you’re going to enjoy this one. There are other points of view that are fighting against Dying Gods, but my favorite chapters were the ones about friends living in the city, grieving for the ones who didn’t make it and trying to sort out how to keep going after everything.
Since I want to keep my reviews completely spoiler free for the entire series, I won’t be talking about characters that appeared before (so, the majority of the cast), but there were really good character arcs here. There is nothing I enjoy more than seeing people evolve, especially when I’ve been following their whole journey. I’ve come to really appreciate a certain character I used to despise, and now I’m even shipping him with a sassy witch that happens to be my favorite POV to read. While I don’t expect a romance between them-I almost dread it, because romances here tend to be insta-love and end badly, so I don’t trust Erikson much in that regard-, it’s nice to see the banter between them. I love how she stands her ground while he waits.
A character I can actually talk about is Harllo, who is a little kid (he’s six or five, depending on who’s telling the story) who was conceived when his mother was raped. He lives with his aunt and is constantly bullied by his cousin, who is the devil himself. Harllo was a gentle soul, so I needed him to be alright. Following him was heartbreaking, but also gave us one of the most beautiful and touching scenes in the whole book.
My only critique is that, even though he went through a lot of things that could explain him being more mature than your average five/six year old child, he shouldn’t have the cognitive development needed to think the way he did at times:
“He likes hurting people”.
Bainisk nodded. “I think he wants to take over my job. He argued over every order I gave him.”
“People like him always want to take over,” Harllo said. “And most times when other people see it they back off and let them. That’s what I don’t get. It’s the scariest thing of all.”
Another highlight for this book was following the Trygalle Trade. I was so curious about them after seeing them in previous books. Getting to know the small details about how they are able to use the Warrens to go everywhere they want was very interesting, but also seeing the consequences of it.
I also liked Endest Silann, especially his relationship with nature. While my favorite POVs were the ones where you were following a group of people, his POV was very insightful and I loved when you realize that he was the one raising some important characters in this book.
“If you destroy the things around you, eventually you destroy yourself. It is arrogance that asserts a kind of separation, and from that notion that we can shape and reshape the world to suit our purposes, and that we can use it, as if it was no more than a living tool composed of a million parts.”*
*this wasn’t said by Endest but he was part of the conversation
As for the religion, I’ve read in some reviews that this was a critique on Christianity, which makes sense because I don’t follow any religion but part of my family is catholic and I kept thinking: ‘well, yeah, that’s how religion works, right?’ But no, because there are a lot of religions in this book (and in the world) that don’t work that way. There is this scene where the priestess of this new cult wonders about how to make a religion work when everyone can be forgiven. Priests can make the rules to avoid forgiving people who don’t deserve it, but priests are humans and, therefore, who can control that they won’t be corrupted? This is one of my main problems with religion. I love that they bring hope to the people who believe in them. I wish I could believe my deceased beloved ones are reborn, or in heaven, or following me as birds in the sky, instead of having to live thinking they aren’t more than ashes. But that doesn’t take away from the fact that the system, the structure around most religions (at least, the catholic religion for sure) is corrupted, unfair and doesn’t always follow what the religion tells them they should do.
There is, in this, no moral compass. No need for one, for every path leads to the same place, where blessing is passed out, no questions asked.
The cult of the Redeemer… it is an abomination.
She had begun to understand how priesthoods were born, the necessity of sanctioned forms, rules and prohibitions, the moral filter defined by accepted notions of justice. And yet, she could see how profoundly dangerous such an institution could become, as arbiters of morality, as dispensers of that justice. () She could impose a harsh, unwavering sense of justice. But what of the next generation of priests and priestesses? () How long before the hard rules make that church a self-righteous, power-mongering tyranny? How long before corruption arrives?
Overall, I can’t believe I’m going to finally do it, but it feels right: Toll the Hounds is my favorite Malazan volume, and it’s going to be the first time I’m going to give it the full 5-stars. I often subtract stars because I really appreciate loving every single second spent reading a book, and there are always chapters or POVs I’m just okay about. But Toll the Hounds gave me a story that hooked me almost from the beginning. While it wasn’t the most shocking (that’s Deadhouse Gates) or had my favorite battles (The Bonehunters), I loved reading it. I can’t wait to see what Erikson has prepared for the ending of this amazing series!
“I was speaking of lessons. You laugh at those coming to the Crippled God. Perhaps one day I will laugh at those coming to you.”
↬ Malazan Book of the Fallen:
1. Gardens of the Moon: 2.5 stars
2. Deadhouse Gates: 4.5 stars
3. Memories of Ice: 3.5 stars
4. House of Chains: 2.5 stars
5. Midnight Tides 4.25 stars
6. The Bonehunters: 4.75 stars (fav book of 2024)
7. Reaper's Gale: 4.25 stars
8. Toll the Hounds: 5 stars first 5-star of 2025!!
9. Dust of Dreams: 2.5 stars
10. The Crippled God: 3.75 stars
My rating is based on terms of enjoyment. Which explains why The Bonehunters was my fav of 2024 yet I didn't give it 5-stars while other books I gave 5-stars to weren't. But that's the problem with trying to rate art (which it's a discussion for another day😂).
June 26, 2025
„Войната носеше травма. Някои хора я преживяваха. Други завинаги оставаха впримчени в нея. За мнозина това обстоятелство не беше тяхна вина. Нито някаква форма на болест или лудост. Беше всъщност следствието от една дълбоко морална лична неспособност да примирят противоречията в душата си.“
„Дан на Хрътките“ е опустошително, но и великолепно книжно преживяване... Книгата представлява не само поредния отличен мащабен епос в Малазанския свят, но и изключително силен философски роман. Стивън Ериксън е споделил страшно задълбочени размисли, описвайки все по- жестоката и загадъчна война, както и вълнуващите съдби на незабравими сложни персонажи. Действието се пренася в град Даруджистан, където постепенно се очертават страховити и трагични сблъсъци... В тази част от поредицата Аномандър Рейк ми стана невероятно любим герой, не ми стигат думите да пиша за Сина на Тъмата!
„Никъде и навсякъде. При тези обстоятелства, Нимандър, първото води до второто, като посягането към врата, за която всички вярват, че е залостена, заключена здраво, но ето, отваря се широко само при допир. Никъде и навсякъде са състояния на ума.“
„...просто някаква имперска чистка, знаеш ли. Ново посолство имат в края на краищата. Може някой да е чул за малазански дезертьори, които въртят кръчма тук. Дезертирането се наказва със смърт, нали така?
— Твърде голям риск, мила Мийзи — отвърна Круппе, извади копринената си кърпа и попи потта по челото си. — Малазанската империя, уви, си има своите убийци, от които двама са в наличност в ижеспоменатото посолство.“
„— Склонна съм да призная — поде Спайт, — че ме обзема известна меланхолия, когато посещавам бликащи от енергия градове, какъвто е този Даруджистан. Дългият живот те учи колко ефимерен е един такъв пищен блясък.“
„Събирането със стари приятели притегляше Кътър като маяк — онзи стар свят, в който той беше знаел своето място.“
„Важни ли са заплетените нишки на приятелството, тъй изпънати и възлести?
Важни ли са житейските тегла, щом грейне слънцето в небето и се размърдат чайките в залива, щом раците запълзят към по-дълбоки и тъмни води? Не всяка пътека е добре отъпкана, прескъпи приятели, не всяка пътека е с гладки павета и недвусмислени знаци.“
„— Знаещ ли, че няма нито един бог или богиня в целия пантеон, който да претендира, че е патрон — или матрона — на бардовете? Все едно сме забравени, оставени сме да се оправяме сами. Това ме притесняваше някога, не знам защо, но вече виждам истинската чест, която представлява.“
„— Няма да се бавя, господарю. Само да видя, със собствените си очи, нищо повече.
Погледът на Аномандър бе по-съсредоточен, кехлибареният блясък бе помръкнал до нещо като… кал.
— Боя се, че може да се разочароваш. Това е просто една дълбока река. Не можем да докоснем миналото, приятелю. — Обърна се отново към паното. — А ехото, което си въобразяваме, че чуваме — то мами.“
„Ако Аномандър Рейк представляваше загадка, загърната в мрак, то Каладън Бруд беше загърнат в сърдечност. Пестелив с думите, той все пак съумяваше да накара буквално всеки да се почувства добре дошъл и желан всъщност. Или по-скоро съумяваше, когато тежестите на командването не бяха струпани на раменете му като проклета планина.“
„Беше започнала да разбира как се раждат жречествата. От нуждата от осветени ритуали, правила и възбрани, от моралния филтър, определен от възприети представи за справедливост. И все пак можеше също така да разбере колко дълбоко опасна може да се окаже една такава институция, като морални арбитри, като разпределители на тази справедливост. Лица на качулати лешояди, които пазят вратата на съда, избират кой да влезе вътре и кой — не. Колко време оставаше, преди първата кесия сребърници да смени притежателя си? Колко време оставаше, преди първият престъпник да си плати входа към прегръдката на слепия безрезервен Избавител?“
„— Все пак малазанците окупираха Седемте града…
— Не, Сеймар Дев. Малазанците завладяха Седемте града. Това е друго. Келанвед разбираше поне това. Ако трябва да стиснеш здраво във вражеска територия, то хватката трябва да остане скрита — на самия връх на местната власт. Тъй че не повече от шепа е под изричен контрол — на всичко останало, търговци, пастири, селяни и занаятчии — на всички — трябва да се покажат по-добри условия, и то колкото се може по-бързо. „Завладявай с грохота на вълна, управлявай с тих ромон.“ Думите на самия император.“
„Сцилара имаше достатъчно опит. Достатъчно често се бе изправяла пред собствената си тъга. Дори когато бе открила своето първо средство да се освободи от нея, в дъранга, знаеше, че такова избавление е просто бягство от чувства, които съществуват правомерно. Просто тогава не бе в състояние да прояви симпатия към тях, защото да го направи означаваше да се примири пред истинността им.
Тъгата бе съвсем уместно чувство. Също толкова на място, колкото и радостта, обичта, скръбта и страха. Всички състояния на битието.“
„Ендест Силан въздъхна, подпря се на тояжката си.
— Камъкът, господарю, не може да понесе това бреме. — „Но ти можеш, а това толкова малко го разбират, толкова малко го проумяват изобщо.“
— Още само няколко мига — промълви Аномандър Рейк.
— Господарю, това не беше упрек.
Бегла усмивка.
— Беше, стари приятелю, и то благоразумен. Камъкът знае тежестта си и границите, които тя може да понесе.“
„Да, виж Дюйкър. Завърта разказа чудесно, онзи за Колтейн и Кучешката верига. Сърцераздирателно, но тия истории винаги са най-хубавите, защото карат човек да го чувства — след като толкова много в живеенето означава да избягваш да чувстваш каквото и да било.“
„Той разбира, че в душата има рани, които не бива да се докосват; но има и други, които се стоплят от нежния допир. Разбира, с други думи, необходимостта от трагичната тема. Душата, знае той, понякога не ще окаже съпротива на разказа, който пуска кръв.
Разтворете старите засъхнали рани. Те напомнят на човек какво е да скърбиш. Напомнят на човек какво е да си жив.“
„Спомня си нежните песни, които е пял тук, без съпровода на никакъв инструмент. Песни, извлечени от стотици култури от различни светове. Гласът му втъкава фрагментите за идването на Сянката, събрала току-що отминалия ден и нощта, жадна да дойде.“
„Богатството не може да схване, че алчността, от която се бои, е негово собствено творение...“
„...Злото не е нищо повече от дума, обективизиране там, където не е нужно никакво обективизиране. „Нека оставим идеята за някаква външна сила като източник на невъобразима нечовечност — тъжната истина е в нашата вътрешна склонност към безразличие, към съзнателния отказ на милост, към изключването на всичко, което е морално в нас.
Но ако всичко това е толкова страшно, то нека да го наречем зло. И да го боядисаме в огън и злъч.“
„Разбираш, нали, истината на шаблоните, как шаблонът намира истина в напрежението на съпоставките, в играта на значение, значещо играта, която е съвършеният шаблон на езика под маската на несъвършенство...“
„Лъжата за мъдрост най-добре се прикрива в монолог. Диалогът я издава. Повечето хора, претендиращи за мъдрост, не се замесват в диалог, за да не проличи нищожността на твърденията им и уязвимостта на убежденията им.“
„Преди да са изминали и петстотин крачки обаче Ралик Ном изведнъж спря и каза:
— Сега трябва да ви оставя.
— Круппе разбира.
А убиецът присви очи към ниския мъж със строгото лице.
— Докъде ще стигне това, Круппе?
— Бъдещето, приятелю, е вечно извърнало гръб, дори когато е с лице към нас.“
„Идва време, когато човек трябва да свие амбициите си, да ги съкрати не до това, което е възможно, а до това, което е управляемо.“
„Самоувереност, войнствена стойка, всички онези пози на б��агочестивост — то��кова детински изглеждаха сега, толкова жалки. „Можех да приема най-чистата истина. Все пак никой нямаше да ме послуша. Колкото по-стар ставаш, толкова по-дебели са стените ти. Нищо чудно, че младите са станали толкова цинични. Нищо чудно.“
„...Сърцевината все още гори, гореща и чиста, и се сбира в себе си, подчинена на несломима воля. Той ще поеме раните на сърцето, защото Аномандър Рейк е мъж, който не вижда друг избор, който не приема друг избор.“
„— Тогава се отдръпни — заповяда Пътника.
— Не мога.
— Проклятие, Рейк, ти не си моят враг.
Синът на Тъмата кривна глава, получил сякаш похвала, неочакван дар.“
„Никоя борба не е твърде непосилна, ничие превъзходство не е твърде непреодолимо, защото дори да се провалим, дори да паднем, ще знаем, че сме живели.“
„Дан на Хрътките“ е опустошително, но и великолепно книжно преживяване... Книгата представлява не само поредния отличен мащабен епос в Малазанския свят, но и изключително силен философски роман. Стивън Ериксън е споделил страшно задълбочени размисли, описвайки все по- жестоката и загадъчна война, както и вълнуващите съдби на незабравими сложни персонажи. Действието се пренася в град Даруджистан, където постепенно се очертават страховити и трагични сблъсъци... В тази част от поредицата Аномандър Рейк ми стана невероятно любим герой, не ми стигат думите да пиша за Сина на Тъмата!
„Никъде и навсякъде. При тези обстоятелства, Нимандър, първото води до второто, като посягането към врата, за която всички вярват, че е залостена, заключена здраво, но ето, отваря се широко само при допир. Никъде и навсякъде са състояния на ума.“
„...просто някаква имперска чистка, знаеш ли. Ново посолство имат в края на краищата. Може някой да е чул за малазански дезертьори, които въртят кръчма тук. Дезертирането се наказва със смърт, нали така?
— Твърде голям риск, мила Мийзи — отвърна Круппе, извади копринената си кърпа и попи потта по челото си. — Малазанската империя, уви, си има своите убийци, от които двама са в наличност в ижеспоменатото посолство.“
„— Склонна съм да призная — поде Спайт, — че ме обзема известна меланхолия, когато посещавам бликащи от енергия градове, какъвто е този Даруджистан. Дългият живот те учи колко ефимерен е един такъв пищен блясък.“
„Събирането със стари приятели притегляше Кътър като маяк — онзи стар свят, в който той беше знаел своето място.“
„Важни ли са заплетените нишки на приятелството, тъй изпънати и възлести?
Важни ли са житейските тегла, щом грейне слънцето в небето и се размърдат чайките в залива, щом раците запълзят към по-дълбоки и тъмни води? Не всяка пътека е добре отъпкана, прескъпи приятели, не всяка пътека е с гладки павета и недвусмислени знаци.“
„— Знаещ ли, че няма нито един бог или богиня в целия пантеон, който да претендира, че е патрон — или матрона — на бардовете? Все едно сме забравени, оставени сме да се оправяме сами. Това ме притесняваше някога, не знам защо, но вече виждам истинската чест, която представлява.“
„— Няма да се бавя, господарю. Само да видя, със собствените си очи, нищо повече.
Погледът на Аномандър бе по-съсредоточен, кехлибареният блясък бе помръкнал до нещо като… кал.
— Боя се, че може да се разочароваш. Това е просто една дълбока река. Не можем да докоснем миналото, приятелю. — Обърна се отново към паното. — А ехото, което си въобразяваме, че чуваме — то мами.“
„Ако Аномандър Рейк представляваше загадка, загърната в мрак, то Каладън Бруд беше загърнат в сърдечност. Пестелив с думите, той все пак съумяваше да накара буквално всеки да се почувства добре дошъл и желан всъщност. Или по-скоро съумяваше, когато тежестите на командването не бяха струпани на раменете му като проклета планина.“
„Беше започнала да разбира как се раждат жречествата. От нуждата от осветени ритуали, правила и възбрани, от моралния филтър, определен от възприети представи за справедливост. И все пак можеше също така да разбере колко дълбоко опасна може да се окаже една такава институция, като морални арбитри, като разпределители на тази справедливост. Лица на качулати лешояди, които пазят вратата на съда, избират кой да влезе вътре и кой — не. Колко време оставаше, преди първата кесия сребърници да смени притежателя си? Колко време оставаше, преди първият престъпник да си плати входа към прегръдката на слепия безрезервен Избавител?“
„— Все пак малазанците окупираха Седемте града…
— Не, Сеймар Дев. Малазанците завладяха Седемте града. Това е друго. Келанвед разбираше поне това. Ако трябва да стиснеш здраво във вражеска територия, то хватката трябва да остане скрита — на самия връх на местната власт. Тъй че не повече от шепа е под изричен контрол — на всичко останало, търговци, пастири, селяни и занаятчии — на всички — трябва да се покажат по-добри условия, и то колкото се може по-бързо. „Завладявай с грохота на вълна, управлявай с тих ромон.“ Думите на самия император.“
„Сцилара имаше достатъчно опит. Достатъчно често се бе изправяла пред собствената си тъга. Дори когато бе открила своето първо средство да се освободи от нея, в дъранга, знаеше, че такова избавление е просто бягство от чувства, които съществуват правомерно. Просто тогава не бе в състояние да прояви симпатия към тях, защото да го направи означаваше да се примири пред истинността им.
Тъгата бе съвсем уместно чувство. Също толкова на място, колкото и радостта, обичта, скръбта и страха. Всички състояния на битието.“
„Ендест Силан въздъхна, подпря се на тояжката си.
— Камъкът, господарю, не може да понесе това бреме. — „Но ти можеш, а това толкова малко го разбират, толкова малко го проумяват изобщо.“
— Още само няколко мига — промълви Аномандър Рейк.
— Господарю, това не беше упрек.
Бегла усмивка.
— Беше, стари приятелю, и то благоразумен. Камъкът знае тежестта си и границите, които тя може да понесе.“
„Да, виж Дюйкър. Завърта разказа чудесно, онзи за Колтейн и Кучешката верига. Сърцераздирателно, но тия истории винаги са най-хубавите, защото карат човек да го чувства — след като толкова много в живеенето означава да избягваш да чувстваш каквото и да било.“
„Той разбира, че в душата има рани, които не бива да се докосват; но има и други, които се стоплят от нежния допир. Разбира, с други думи, необходимостта от трагичната тема. Душата, знае той, понякога не ще окаже съпротива на разказа, който пуска кръв.
Разтворете старите засъхнали рани. Те напомнят на човек какво е да скърбиш. Напомнят на човек какво е да си жив.“
„Спомня си нежните песни, които е пял тук, без съпровода на никакъв инструмент. Песни, извлечени от стотици култури от различни светове. Гласът му втъкава фрагментите за идването на Сянката, събрала току-що отминалия ден и нощта, жадна да дойде.“
„Богатството не може да схване, че алчността, от която се бои, е негово собствено творение...“
„...Злото не е нищо повече от дума, обективизиране там, където не е нужно никакво обективизиране. „Нека оставим идеята за някаква външна сила като източник на невъобразима нечовечност — тъжната истина е в нашата вътрешна склонност към безразличие, към съзнателния отказ на милост, към изключването на всичко, което е морално в нас.
Но ако всичко това е толкова страшно, то нека да го наречем зло. И да го боядисаме в огън и злъч.“
„Разбираш, нали, истината на шаблоните, как шаблонът намира истина в напрежението на съпоставките, в играта на значение, значещо играта, която е съвършеният шаблон на езика под маската на несъвършенство...“
„Лъжата за мъдрост най-добре се прикрива в монолог. Диалогът я издава. Повечето хора, претендиращи за мъдрост, не се замесват в диалог, за да не проличи нищожността на твърденията им и уязвимостта на убежденията им.“
„Преди да са изминали и петстотин крачки обаче Ралик Ном изведнъж спря и каза:
— Сега трябва да ви оставя.
— Круппе разбира.
А убиецът присви очи към ниския мъж със строгото лице.
— Докъде ще стигне това, Круппе?
— Бъдещето, приятелю, е вечно извърнало гръб, дори когато е с лице към нас.“
„Идва време, когато човек трябва да свие амбициите си, да ги съкрати не до това, което е възможно, а до това, което е управляемо.“
„Самоувереност, войнствена стойка, всички онези пози на б��агочестивост — то��кова детински изглеждаха сега, толкова жалки. „Можех да приема най-чистата истина. Все пак никой нямаше да ме послуша. Колкото по-стар ставаш, толкова по-дебели са стените ти. Нищо чудно, че младите са станали толкова цинични. Нищо чудно.“
„...Сърцевината все още гори, гореща и чиста, и се сбира в себе си, подчинена на несломима воля. Той ще поеме раните на сърцето, защото Аномандър Рейк е мъж, който не вижда друг избор, който не приема друг избор.“
„— Тогава се отдръпни — заповяда Пътника.
— Не мога.
— Проклятие, Рейк, ти не си моят враг.
Синът на Тъмата кривна глава, получил сякаш похвала, неочакван дар.“
„Никоя борба не е твърде непосилна, ничие превъзходство не е твърде непреодолимо, защото дори да се провалим, дори да паднем, ще знаем, че сме живели.“
March 16, 2021
"You cannot war against the man you were, And I cannot slay the man I shall one day become, Our enemy is expectation flung backward and fore, The memories you choose and the tracks I would run. Slayer of dreams, sower of regrets, all that we are."
With all honesty, Toll the Hounds might not be a five stars read because of some reasons. If those weren't the most confusing first chapters among all the Malazan books so far, the chaotic switches between pile and pile of POVS was frustrating to say the least. The amount of philosophies were difficult to get through at first. I love philosophy, but I swear at times it felt like its sole purpose was only to make everything muddier and confusing than ever, at least at the beginning. The multiple plot lines were slow going and they didn't seem to connect with each others. Of course, the genius of Erikson struck true in the end by the stunning way he brought them together, but does an ending define a whole book? Arguably it might not. Let's mention the plot logic, that sometimes was not even there for the sake of theatrical effect.
But, it doesn't matter, because, I was completely mesmerized and bemused, broken and elevated, mystified and tore apart. I was lost and found, recognized and touched and confounded. My mind has been blown open and my heart has been shattered, stabbed and healed, again and again, in so many ways. Because, I, once again could only bow in awe and respect to Steven Erikson, master of supreme, breathtaking drama and breaker of hearts, and humbly give all the stars that are allowed.
”As if happiness was the only legitimate way of being. As if those failing at it needed to be locked away, made soporific with medications; as if the causes of sadness were merely traps and pitfalls in the proper climb to blissful contentment, things to be edged round or bridged, or leapt across on wings of false elation. Sadness belonged. As rightful as joy, love, grief and fear. All conditions of being. Too often people mistook the sadness in others for self-pity, and in so doing revealed their own hardness of spirit, and more than a little malice.”
"That idea of 'rights'. The way that claiming a right so often results in someone else losing theirs. At which point it all comes down to who’s holding the biggest sword."
“Can you live without answers? All of you, ask that of yourself. Can you live without answers? Because if you cannot, then most assuredly you will invent your own answers and they will comfort you. And all those who do not share your view will by their very existence strike fear and hatred into your heart."
With all honesty, Toll the Hounds might not be a five stars read because of some reasons. If those weren't the most confusing first chapters among all the Malazan books so far, the chaotic switches between pile and pile of POVS was frustrating to say the least. The amount of philosophies were difficult to get through at first. I love philosophy, but I swear at times it felt like its sole purpose was only to make everything muddier and confusing than ever, at least at the beginning. The multiple plot lines were slow going and they didn't seem to connect with each others. Of course, the genius of Erikson struck true in the end by the stunning way he brought them together, but does an ending define a whole book? Arguably it might not. Let's mention the plot logic, that sometimes was not even there for the sake of theatrical effect.
But, it doesn't matter, because, I was completely mesmerized and bemused, broken and elevated, mystified and tore apart. I was lost and found, recognized and touched and confounded. My mind has been blown open and my heart has been shattered, stabbed and healed, again and again, in so many ways. Because, I, once again could only bow in awe and respect to Steven Erikson, master of supreme, breathtaking drama and breaker of hearts, and humbly give all the stars that are allowed.
”As if happiness was the only legitimate way of being. As if those failing at it needed to be locked away, made soporific with medications; as if the causes of sadness were merely traps and pitfalls in the proper climb to blissful contentment, things to be edged round or bridged, or leapt across on wings of false elation. Sadness belonged. As rightful as joy, love, grief and fear. All conditions of being. Too often people mistook the sadness in others for self-pity, and in so doing revealed their own hardness of spirit, and more than a little malice.”
"That idea of 'rights'. The way that claiming a right so often results in someone else losing theirs. At which point it all comes down to who’s holding the biggest sword."
“Can you live without answers? All of you, ask that of yourself. Can you live without answers? Because if you cannot, then most assuredly you will invent your own answers and they will comfort you. And all those who do not share your view will by their very existence strike fear and hatred into your heart."
March 29, 2019
Re-Read:
Through 8 books with the ranking of the first time around as the second number.
1, 3, TBH
2, 2, MOI
3, 1, DHG
4, 8, TTH
5, 4, MT
6, 5 GotM
7, 7 HoC
8, 6 RG
The last 20% of this book was never in doubt. It might be the best of the convergences. The setup this time was much better and having the power of foresight this time around you can see the connections going forward and see the ones going back ever more clearly. A few scenes I flat out misinterpreted the first time around. A few I completely missed the intent.
I think by book 8 the first time around I was simply feeling the fatigue of the series. Not because it isn't still flat out the best of all time but because it's just so massive with so much going on you're emotionally and mentally exhausted trying to track it all. The second time around sure the surprises don't have quite the impact but the anticipation of knowing what's coming makes up for it. Then you add in being able to relax because you know what's important and what's a misdirection and you pick up so much more.
And for those who have read it.........that ending..........which just goes on and on with one epic face off of epic opposites that we've been waiting to see for forever. One huge goodbye, one huge welcome back and a lot of what are they going to do nexts.
<>Original Review:
Originally published in 2008 I think SE had had enough of George Bush and went a bit overboard on the social-economic and political agenda the first 75% of the book. I love that SE puts so much compassion and addresses current issues in his books but there’s a difference between weaving it into the story and standing on the pulpit and preaching. It was still a good book through that 75% but lacked action and as stated some of the side stories were just to preach.
Then the last 25% and in particular the last three chapters and chapter 23 in particular were WOW. Considering how epic some of the other convergences in his books have been it’s hard to top them and yet not hyperbole to say this was the best ending of them all. So many epic players smashing into each other at the end. I even figured out two of the big story lines in advance and yet the way they went down was still shocking and so epic. Just another amazing masterpiece when all is said and done.
Through 8 books with the ranking of the first time around as the second number.
1, 3, TBH
2, 2, MOI
3, 1, DHG
4, 8, TTH
5, 4, MT
6, 5 GotM
7, 7 HoC
8, 6 RG
The last 20% of this book was never in doubt. It might be the best of the convergences. The setup this time was much better and having the power of foresight this time around you can see the connections going forward and see the ones going back ever more clearly. A few scenes I flat out misinterpreted the first time around. A few I completely missed the intent.
I think by book 8 the first time around I was simply feeling the fatigue of the series. Not because it isn't still flat out the best of all time but because it's just so massive with so much going on you're emotionally and mentally exhausted trying to track it all. The second time around sure the surprises don't have quite the impact but the anticipation of knowing what's coming makes up for it. Then you add in being able to relax because you know what's important and what's a misdirection and you pick up so much more.
And for those who have read it.........that ending..........which just goes on and on with one epic face off of epic opposites that we've been waiting to see for forever. One huge goodbye, one huge welcome back and a lot of what are they going to do nexts.
<>Original Review:
Originally published in 2008 I think SE had had enough of George Bush and went a bit overboard on the social-economic and political agenda the first 75% of the book. I love that SE puts so much compassion and addresses current issues in his books but there’s a difference between weaving it into the story and standing on the pulpit and preaching. It was still a good book through that 75% but lacked action and as stated some of the side stories were just to preach.
Then the last 25% and in particular the last three chapters and chapter 23 in particular were WOW. Considering how epic some of the other convergences in his books have been it’s hard to top them and yet not hyperbole to say this was the best ending of them all. So many epic players smashing into each other at the end. I even figured out two of the big story lines in advance and yet the way they went down was still shocking and so epic. Just another amazing masterpiece when all is said and done.
February 12, 2022
Guardare al domani
"Polvere dei sogni, ora comanderai il vento? Polvere dei sogni, non è giunto il momento di liberarti? [...] I sogni non si soffermano, ma la loro polvere cavalca i venti per sempre."
"Distruggerò ciò che posso, ma non pretenderò mai di possedere ciò che distruggo. Sarò la personificazione del progresso, ma svuotato di avidità. Sarò come il pugno della natura: cieco. E proverò che il possesso è una menzogna. La terra, i mari, la vita che là esiste. Le montagne, le pianure, le città, le fattorie. Acqua, aria. Noi non possediamo niente di tutto ciò. Ecco che cosa proverò, e provandolo lo renderò vero."
"Io sono come il genere umano.
Impermeabile alle lezioni. Compassionevole nella perdita e nella sconfitta, vendicativo nella vittoria. Con ogni possibile virtù vulnerabile allo sfruttamento ed all'abuso da parte di altri, finché tali virtù sono divenute cose vuote, che essudano veleno.
Io discuto la bontà e la vedo trasformarsi in ignominia, e non faccio nulla, la mia voce non protesta, non rinnega. Il mondo che creo l'ho creato per un solo scopo, per fare a pezzi me stesso e chiunque altro."
"Si parlava spesso della morte. La morte di un'amicizia. La morte dell'amore. Che cosa giace nell'aldilà? Gelo, vuoto e cenere? Oppure un luogo dove un nuovo seme viene piantato, trova la vita e cresce? Così può essere la morte?
Percorriamo lo stesso sentiero: alcuni vanno avanti, altri si fermano prima, ma sempre sullo stesso sentiero. Così era quella notte a Darujhistan. Così è questa notte, ovunque."
"Ma forse non deve essere qualcun altro. Forse basta fare qualcosa, esser qualcosa, qualcuno, e sentire il cambiamento dentro di te; sei tu a redimere te stesso. E l'opinione degli altri non ha alcuna importanza. E tu sai di avere ancora tutte quelle domande, alcune giuste, altre sbagliate, e forse sarai in grado di trovare una risposta o due, o forse no. Ma non importa. L'unica cosa che importa è che ora tu sai che non c'entra nessun altro. Quella è la redenzione di cui parlo."
Il redentore lascia il giudizio agli altri. E questo lo rende libero, capisci, per purificare tutto. E l'acqua tra di loro è limpida."
Alla fine è arrivato. Il dio della morte cammina in città: non ci sarà nessuna possibilità di rivedere l'alba. Riesci a vederci, Hood? Cosa si prova a essere la Morte?
Certo, il tuo ruolo è ingrato; non possiamo nemmeno immaginare il fardello che sei costretto a portare affinché la natura continui a fare il suo corso.
Ma sei equo nella tua giustizia; e gli errori del passato ti hanno reso coerente.
Molto più di noi che continuiamo a fallire, a crogiolarci nel dolore senza riuscire a rimediare.
La nostra voce non rinnega le scelte; desideriamo ardentemente quell'autonomia etica che disattendiamo con puntualità ogni giorno della nostra vita.
E c'è quell'essere, quell'abominio immondo che giace sepolto, capace di promettere la redenzione perché il bene è virtù e abituarsi al bene nobilita l'animo.
Abbiamo dimostrato che di quel dono sappiamo solamente approfittare il privilegio della seconda possibilità.
Siamo responsabili del dolore del mondo e non abbiamo ancora finito, mai finiremo; tu sei qui e hai quasi finito.
Un'opera sbagliata: per tempistiche di saga, volume di pagine, condizioni psicofisiche non idonee dell'autore e la spropositata aggiunta di personaggi, alcuni dei quali propedeutici per i famigerati lavori di Esslemont.
Orsù, perché allora questa pioggia di stelline non accenna a fermarsi?
Per l'introspezione profonda e delicata che scava nel dolore quotidiano per metterne alla luce le più disparate forme, comunque inferiori per varietà se confrontate con le reazioni del singolo di fronte a esso; per la drammatica specularità tra l'inedia distruttiva di Kallor e la profusione di bene elargita da chi vorrebbe redimere il mondo senza la facoltà di giudizio; per l'impressionante mondo racchiuso in Dragnipur, la cui salvaguardia implica divinità ridotte a cocchieri e strette collaborazioni con chi la morte l'ha conosciuta da vicino.
"Non esiste lotta troppo dura, né differenze troppo schiaccianti, poiché anche se falliremo, se dovessimo cadere, sapremo di avere comunque vissuto."
"Polvere dei sogni, ora comanderai il vento? Polvere dei sogni, non è giunto il momento di liberarti? [...] I sogni non si soffermano, ma la loro polvere cavalca i venti per sempre."
"Distruggerò ciò che posso, ma non pretenderò mai di possedere ciò che distruggo. Sarò la personificazione del progresso, ma svuotato di avidità. Sarò come il pugno della natura: cieco. E proverò che il possesso è una menzogna. La terra, i mari, la vita che là esiste. Le montagne, le pianure, le città, le fattorie. Acqua, aria. Noi non possediamo niente di tutto ciò. Ecco che cosa proverò, e provandolo lo renderò vero."
"Io sono come il genere umano.
Impermeabile alle lezioni. Compassionevole nella perdita e nella sconfitta, vendicativo nella vittoria. Con ogni possibile virtù vulnerabile allo sfruttamento ed all'abuso da parte di altri, finché tali virtù sono divenute cose vuote, che essudano veleno.
Io discuto la bontà e la vedo trasformarsi in ignominia, e non faccio nulla, la mia voce non protesta, non rinnega. Il mondo che creo l'ho creato per un solo scopo, per fare a pezzi me stesso e chiunque altro."
"Si parlava spesso della morte. La morte di un'amicizia. La morte dell'amore. Che cosa giace nell'aldilà? Gelo, vuoto e cenere? Oppure un luogo dove un nuovo seme viene piantato, trova la vita e cresce? Così può essere la morte?
Percorriamo lo stesso sentiero: alcuni vanno avanti, altri si fermano prima, ma sempre sullo stesso sentiero. Così era quella notte a Darujhistan. Così è questa notte, ovunque."
"Ma forse non deve essere qualcun altro. Forse basta fare qualcosa, esser qualcosa, qualcuno, e sentire il cambiamento dentro di te; sei tu a redimere te stesso. E l'opinione degli altri non ha alcuna importanza. E tu sai di avere ancora tutte quelle domande, alcune giuste, altre sbagliate, e forse sarai in grado di trovare una risposta o due, o forse no. Ma non importa. L'unica cosa che importa è che ora tu sai che non c'entra nessun altro. Quella è la redenzione di cui parlo."
Il redentore lascia il giudizio agli altri. E questo lo rende libero, capisci, per purificare tutto. E l'acqua tra di loro è limpida."
Alla fine è arrivato. Il dio della morte cammina in città: non ci sarà nessuna possibilità di rivedere l'alba. Riesci a vederci, Hood? Cosa si prova a essere la Morte?
Certo, il tuo ruolo è ingrato; non possiamo nemmeno immaginare il fardello che sei costretto a portare affinché la natura continui a fare il suo corso.
Ma sei equo nella tua giustizia; e gli errori del passato ti hanno reso coerente.
Molto più di noi che continuiamo a fallire, a crogiolarci nel dolore senza riuscire a rimediare.
La nostra voce non rinnega le scelte; desideriamo ardentemente quell'autonomia etica che disattendiamo con puntualità ogni giorno della nostra vita.
E c'è quell'essere, quell'abominio immondo che giace sepolto, capace di promettere la redenzione perché il bene è virtù e abituarsi al bene nobilita l'animo.
Abbiamo dimostrato che di quel dono sappiamo solamente approfittare il privilegio della seconda possibilità.
Siamo responsabili del dolore del mondo e non abbiamo ancora finito, mai finiremo; tu sei qui e hai quasi finito.
Un'opera sbagliata: per tempistiche di saga, volume di pagine, condizioni psicofisiche non idonee dell'autore e la spropositata aggiunta di personaggi, alcuni dei quali propedeutici per i famigerati lavori di Esslemont.
Orsù, perché allora questa pioggia di stelline non accenna a fermarsi?
Per l'introspezione profonda e delicata che scava nel dolore quotidiano per metterne alla luce le più disparate forme, comunque inferiori per varietà se confrontate con le reazioni del singolo di fronte a esso; per la drammatica specularità tra l'inedia distruttiva di Kallor e la profusione di bene elargita da chi vorrebbe redimere il mondo senza la facoltà di giudizio; per l'impressionante mondo racchiuso in Dragnipur, la cui salvaguardia implica divinità ridotte a cocchieri e strette collaborazioni con chi la morte l'ha conosciuta da vicino.
"Non esiste lotta troppo dura, né differenze troppo schiaccianti, poiché anche se falliremo, se dovessimo cadere, sapremo di avere comunque vissuto."
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,603 reviews