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44 of 48 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fabulous, August 13, 2002
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.
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18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Erikson truly hits his stride., November 14, 2005
In his previous two books set in the Malazan Book of the Fallen series, Erikson showed the promise of what he was capable of. Finally, in Memories of Ice, he truly hits his stride. From here on- and I have read this and books four and five, already published in the UK -he delivers relentlessly upon his promise. The world he has constructued is, bar none, one of the most complex and detailed, showing echoes of Eriksons' studies in Anthropology. The complexity of this universe isn't, however, handed to you upon a silver platter- the Malazan world is a work in progress, each book hinting at deeper and deeper histories, at the myriad of cultures and peoples, both human and non, who occupy it. In Memories of Ice, he details a truly breath-taking tale, shifting perspective between a vast array of important character. It continues the tale of the outlawed Dujek's Host and Whiskeyjacks Bridgeburners from the first tale, Gardens of the Moon. Here, enemies become friends and friends become divided, as Erikson finally delves more into such characters as Anomander Rake and the occasionally mentioned Caladan Brood. True to his previous books, he also introduces a whole new cast of fascinating characters: the Grey Swords, led by Brukhalian, and the tale of their desperate battle in the city of Capustan; Gruntle and Stonny, caravan guards for the mysterious trader Keruli, as they travel south. He also delves into characters of the first book, such as the undead "Tool." This isn't fantasy for the weak of heart: Erikson delivers a brutal, heart-wrenching tale of war and betrayal, tempered by occasional moments of levity. Like in reality, in war, people die, and so goes this tale. Each book, thus far, has surpassed the one prior, with moments of clarity and beauty, as well as a series of emotional gut-punches, that will draw the breath from your lungs and leave you disbelieving. It is, with the exception of a rare few fantasy authors writing today, one of the truly best-told tales I have ever read. This series shall, without doubt, write Erikson's name as one of the most influential fantasy authors of this generation. .david
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9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Malazan Book of the Fallen series, March 5, 2002
Stephen Erikson is undoubtably one of the best fantasy writers in the world today! Easily as highly skilled a storyteller as George RR Martin, Guy Gavriel Kay and Tolkien, he's head and shoulders over Jordan, Goodkind, Eddings and many others who spin out their tales ad infinitum at ever descending levels... Stephen Erikson. Having met him in Calgary, Canada two years ago at an FF/SF conference, I can relate the author somewhat to the writing. Although his first book, Garden of the Moons, starts slowly, it's not long before the discerning reader is swept along by the tale ... that later is broadened by the 2nd volume Deadhouse Gates, and now by the 3rd Memories of Ice. How to qualify this work? In a huge world, with complex characters and a fascinating array of real life and magical events, we visit another place that also often cuts to the core of the meaning of life. I think that Stephen writes from many different places, and quite simply is a must read for avid readers of any genre. A shortfall? Perhaps fleshing out the characters somewhat more deeply, so that the reader can more easily "feel" the yearnings, the pain, the perplexity of events and life as it churns around and in them. That would perhaps also assist the unfolding of events in his sprawling world. I would encourage anyone reading this mini-review to get into Erikson's work today ... and spread the word. I would like to see a writer of this calibre do so well that he can focus only on furthering our reading pleasure for many years to come.
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