Memories of Ice

ALL MY SADNESS. FOREVER. ( )

I just finished the third installment in Steven Erikson's "Malazan Book of the Fallen" and while I loved it very much and I couldn't put it down, I am finding it pretty hard to write a review that conveys my enthusiasm for this book and this series.The main reason for this is that I want to say that this book is 'more of the same'. And that sounds like it is a bad thing, a boring thing, but for me this couldn't be farther from the truth.

The third book in a series of ten, Memories of Ice takes place right after Gardens of the Moon and during Deadhouse gates. In this book we mainly follow Dujek Onearm's army, who have been exiled from Malazan. They join forces with their former enemies Caladan Brood and Anomander Rake to fight the Pannion Domin. This is a new empire trying to take over everything in sight, let by a Seer, and having a terrible cult-like way of life, which includes cannibalism as a strategy of reward and feeding, and having demon-like undead creatures with swords for hands. Meanwhile, Toc the Younger, the former Claw and Onos T'ooolan the T'lan Imass warrior meet up and meet Lady Envy, a powerful sorceres who has three Segulah warriors as servants. Ganoes Paran finds he has a new role he is reluctant to accept, and we are also introduced to some new characters, new gods, and new legends. In the background The Crippled God is playing a bigger and bigger role.

When writing that short summary (without trying to spoil too much) I realize just how much was in this book. I haven't even named half the character (groups) and the new revelations in this novel. That's why it is easier for me to see these Malazan books as one long story, with each book looking at a different aspect, group of people or location but still fitting in the bigger picture. The world Steven Erikson creates is so complex that I can see links appearing between events happening in this book and the previous one, and I am sure I (with my crappy memory for plot details and characters) am missing a whole lot of the finer points. I am still addicted to these books, and I can't wait to start the next installment. Besides the complexity in legends, gods, magic and back story, I also enjoy something I loved in George R.R. Martin's books, which is that characters can die. Even the heroes, even the ones you love. And they might die, not in a grand way, but in an ugly, stupid and preventable way. That makes the books even better to me, because they feel more honest. I am glad I discovered these books while the first series is finished so I can just read them all back to back. This one also gets five out of five stars. If you liked the first two, you'll like this one. ( )

i'm upgrading this shit to 5 stars!! why!? because when i read it the first time i was nothing but an ignorant fool!!!! i curse my ignorance!!! my stupidity!!! curse me!!! curse me to hell!!!! this book is awesome!!! i just didn't know who was who when i was reading it the first time!! nor how funny Erikson can fucking be!!!! poor Toc the Younger!!!! and lady Envy is awesome!!! and hot!!! and funny!!!!!! guaaaa!!!!!! ! ( )

Erikson doesn't give you a lot of time to breath in stories. There is always something important happening or preparing to happen. You can skim over some of the descriptive fluff if that's your style but don't skim for more than a paragraph or two lest you miss the opening to a great confluence of peoples or events that set the stage for even greater moments.

So far in the three books we have met the forces of the Malazan Empire, the people of Pale (who fought the Malazan's), the people of Darujhistan (who also opposed the Malazan encroachment), Caladan Brood's armies, the Tiste Andii and Anadomer Rake, a couple Jaghut's, K'Chain Che'Maille, the army of the apocolypse in Raraku, a single Toblaki (some other race), the Pannion Domin's forces, the tribal Barghast, insect like Moranth, Gods, Ascendants, and quite a bit more. It can be a bit overwhelming at times but, at the same time, it all ends up making sense. So if you start to feel intimdated by the sheer scope of the novels stick with it - I don't think you'll regret it. ( )

More and more this series is impressing me. ( )