Midnight Tides (Malazan Book of Fallen) [IMPORT] (Paperback)

by Steven Erikson (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 509 pages
• Publisher: Bantam Press; New Ed edition (March 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0593046285
• ISBN-13: 978-0593046289
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6 x 1.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #2,098,241 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars How does he do it?, June 12, 2004

By	Sameet Dalvi (Toronto, ON) - See all my reviews

For the third time in the series, Erikson starts off a book with characters, setting, and history completely new to the reader. As deep into the series as book five, this would be considered taboo for most writers. Yet somehow, I came to enjoy each and every one of the new characters. The story is again epic, yet it seems extremely well managed and simple, as if Erikson is getting even more comfortable with his complex and broad scope of storytelling.

Despite the fact the story tells of a tragedy spanning two empires, humour is abundant in this book. The amusing exchanges between Tehol Bennedict and pretty much anyone he meets keeps the mood light in the face of the dark nature of the novel as a whole. The book starts slow since the reader is unfamiliar with many of the characters, but like all the preceding books, it takes off a quarter of the way in, and builds to an incredible climactic ending which pulls together threads spanning a continent.

Within the scope of the series, the only book I enjoyed more was Book 3, Memories of Ice. Within the scope of the entire fantasy genre, I'd still say the same. Including Tolkein, Jordan, Goodkind, Martin, Donaldson, Feist, and about 15 others I've read. Erikson is by far the best and brightest author to come into the fantasy scene since Martin (and better than Martin anyway).

Warning however, to those who don't enjoy complexity in plots and ambivilant characterization in their main characters, for that is here. And that's why I'm going to stay here right until the end.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The best in Fantasy, June 3, 2004

By	David W. Lesko (Gilberts, IL United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Ericson is an unbelievable author how has not been given enough coverage in the US. The first 5 books of this series have been out for a while in the UK and i ordered them from there and found them well worth it. The Malazan Book of the Fallen series is the best in fantasy, bar none. Do not hesitate to pick these up.

Midnight Tides is the 5th book in the series that began with Gardens of the Moon. Is set on a distant continent that is about to break out into all out war between the Tiste Edur and the Kingdom of Lether, all put into motion by the Chain God. I havent gotten to the end of this yet, about 2/3rds of the way there and i cant put it down. Great characters, funny dialog in places, incredible battles and magic. Get this series!

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Read, April 19, 2004

By	Kelley Gradert "lunarfire" (Moline, IL United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I would have given this book 4.5 if it was possible, but only full stars allowed and therefore it gets the lower of the 2.

This series is the best I have read since Cook's Black Company, and Stackpole's Dragoncrown Cycle. To me it even over shadows the Fire and Ice series from Martin.
I ordered all 5 from the UK, and even after paying shipping, I don't regret the purchase one bit. If you can find these, PICK THEM UP!

Unlike the first 4 books, this one is not about, nor does it involve the Bridgeburners. This is where the loss of the half star comes from, and it's possibly just my own little peeve. I get annoyed by the introduction of all new characters 5 books into a series.
After finishing the book, I stopped minding it at all. While not yet appearing to fit into the grand scheme of the first 4, it stands on it's own.

Erikson is a major player in the fantasy field in my mind. He EASILY tops both Goodkind and Jordan for epic fantasy and is a serious challenger to the perpetually delayed Martin.