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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Utter ly fabulous,
By
This review is from: Das Spiel der Götter, No. 3: Im Bann der Wüste (Mass Market Paperback)
The third book of Steve Erikson's Malazan series picks up where the first book left off. The Empress Laseen has outlawed Whiskyjack, the Bridgeburners, and Dujek Onearm after their failure to capture the jeweled city of Darujistan. The seasoned soldiers are not long out of work. On the continent of Genabackis there is word of a terrifying new threat. A deranged prophet known as the Pannion Seer is on the march with a massive army of powerful mages, undead lethal warriors and thousands of cannibalistic zealots. He has set his sights on the city of Capustan to conquer the city and for its citizens to serve as food for his ravening hordes.
Realizing that the city's lone defenders, The Grey Swords, are woefully outmatched, Whiskeyjack and Dujek offer assistance. Because there are other more powerful forces propelling the Pannion, former enemies of the Malazans also offer alliance. The Warlord Caladan Brood and the mysterious Tiste Andii Anomander Rake march with WhiskeyJack and Dujek to Capustan amidst an uneasy truce. In the midst of this, the child, Silverfox is aging at a rapid rate as she attempts to fulfill her destiny. Ganoes Paran learns the price of having walked within the sword Dragnipur, a tribe is reunited with their Gods, an ancient wrong is righted, ordinary people become heroic, heroes are shown that they are all too human and a mortal man attempts to save a God. Right from the start in the first book where we are plopped in the middle of a devastating war and see a young girl possessed with the spirit of a deadly assassin, we are immediately wrapped up in the lives and fortunes of a great many interesting people. There is Whiskeyjack the beloved leader, who is weary of war and politics. There is Tattersail the clever mage whose reincarnation comes at a devastating price. There is Ganoes Paran , once a pawn to be played, becomes a master of the game. There is the fat, affable Kruppe who confounds everyone he meets. There is the mysterious (and wonderfully monikered) Anomander Rake, who has untold powers and hinted at sorrow. There is Empress Laseen, who may not be as evil as we think. And there is Quick Ben, who has many surprises up his sleeve. Although the subject matter of bloody, horrible war (along with rape, torture, cannibalism and possible world destruction) can be quite heavy, there are still glimpses of humor and wonder in his writing. I like the world he has built. I like the deep history that we learn as the stories progress. I like the idea of the Deck of Dragons where the hierarchy of Gods manifests itself in a deck of cards. And I especially like the fact that while I am pretty sure whom to root for, I am not always sure whom I should root against. Even the seemingly unsympathetic characters seem to have good reasons to do what they do. While I did read the books in order, I found that I actually had to go back and reread the first book in order to bring myself up to speed for this third one. The second book takes a bit of a detour and, rather than picking up right where the first book left off, it instead follows the story of Ganoes Paran's sister, Felisin and her travels in the deserts of the Seven Cities. While this was a bit of interruption in the action, it does whet the appetite for the eventual reunion of the two siblings both of whom have undergone both physical and metaphysical changes.
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Book #3 is better than 1 & 2 combined,
By
This review is from: Das Spiel der Götter, No. 3: Im Bann der Wüste (Mass Market Paperback)
I've read fantasy for over 20 years. From Tolkien to Brooks...from Moorcock to Guy Gavriel Kay...from Jordan to Keyes. This series, which does owe a bit to Glen Cook's series (but not a ripoff at all like Goodkind to Jordan's series)...this book starts where Gardens of the Moon (book 1) leaves off. Paran, the Bridgeburners, Quick Ben, Kruppe, Anomander Rake, Whiskeyjack...they all play big parts as they begin to set off to the new threat of the Pannion Seer. New allies come onboard...the Grey Swords...the Barghast White Faces....but with much cost and their own issues. This is not your grandfather's fairy tale...these are adults with issues and flaws which affect others. This is not a happy tale. This is a tale of war, battles, victories, defeats, mayhem, and honor. This is Platoon meeting Fantasy. Told from the warriors. Gods are humanlike and falliable...playing their games, but also very flawed and power-hungry, themselves. In a time where we are in a place of uncertainity with terrorism and a world at large that is out of control, this series carries great power, insight and a realism that most fantasy books lack, or can't even touch. These are complex characters, with complex thoughts, and not always laid out for you like a connect-the-dots. And BOOK 3 is a fantastic over 1000 pg. tome that simply redefines the genre itself.
Other good books: Tigana: Guy Gavriel Kay The Barbed Coil: J.V. Jones
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
There are no adequate words...,
By
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Das Spiel der Götter, No. 3: Im Bann der Wüste (Mass Market Paperback)
In Gardens of the Moon, the world of the Malazans was unfurled and the daunting potential of Steven Erikson became evident.
In Deadhouse Gates, book two of the series, the inimitable Chain of Dogs with Coltaine wrought and forged the universe into the fantasy series history books. With Memories of Ice, amazingly, dazzingly, wondefully, Steven Erikson has bested the first two books in the series. Perhaps, as a whole, better than the first two combined (but (admittedly) with singular event better than the closure of Coltaine's march). Back are Ganoes Paran (my favorite), Whiskeyjack and Korlat and Anomanader Rake, Dujek and Quick Ben and Mallet and Troc. Introduced are Itkovian and Gruntle and Stonny and Anaster and the Pannion Seer. Additionally greater (much Greater) depth is given to the conflict between the Jaghut and T'lan Imass and the Tiste Andii (with a little mentioned of the the Tiste Edur). The book, as is Erikson's hallmark, has a bitter end with several not-insignificant characters dying. However, the tale holds together well. Very well. The bottom line: A classic series is expanded. The whole of literature is the better for it.
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