Midnight Tides

I was warned in advance that this fifth book brings the story to an entirely new continent with an almost entirely new cast of characters. That had me braced for some heavy lifting, but within the first hundred pages I was as deeply engaged in this volume as any that came before, if not more so.

For the first time in this series I felt like I was reading a conventional novel, and - despite my admiration for the unusual structure of prior volumes - this book is better for it. Erikson still fits in plenty of philosophical introspection, obtuse poetry, grim foreshadowing and elaborate metaphors but this time without getting in the way of the story. I've developed enough comfort with this world now that I never felt disoriented - although show more I've a deep appreciation for the scene in which one character finally asks another: "What's a warren?". Well-rounded characters to care about, humour that turns on parlance, action scenes on a scale to match the prior volumes - all of the best ingredients are here.

There was some very striking imagery in this volume, with key scenes I'm not liable to forget. From the halfway point on, this book frequently had my pulse going. No middle volume quandary here - for me this is definitely the high point of the series so far. show less

The Empire of Letheras has been expanding for centuries. A combination of rampant capitalism, merciless greed and military might has lead numerous peoples to complete cultural annihilation. Now, the empire has turned it gaze towards the lands of six tribes of the Tiste Edur for new resources. After decades of civil war the Tiste Edur tribes have united under a Warlock King and are at peace. What most of the Edur don't know is that peace was bought at a high price - a secret alliance with a maimed and twisted god - and that the Warlock King's ambitions go far beyond just uniting his tribes. The two nations are on a collision course, one that will pit not only armies against each other but also dreadful magic and powerful ideologies. It show more is a clash that cannot fail to attract the notice of the gods.

Midnight Tides is the fifth book in Steven Erikson's epic Malazan Book of the Fallen series. This book is different from the others in that we're a half a world away to the Tiste Edur lands and surrounding areas, a place we have not seen thus far. There is only one character from previous books, Trull Sengar, and we get to learn his back story as well as history of the Edur race.

Again we are introduced to a huge cast of characters. The character development in this book is amazing. Powerful, emotional, brilliant, funny, weird and quite believable. The banter between some of the characters is lough out loud funny at time, similar to that found in Memories of Ice. I hope this is a trend that continues with future books. I was also surprised at the amount of compassion that some characters had for others that could easily have gone more to resentment given the circumstances.

Timeline wise I'm not entirely sure where we are in relation to the previous books. The use of holds for magic instead of warrens suggests we may be a few decades in the past. However some character conversations also lead me to believe that maybe we are in the same time as Gardens of the Moon, just that with this continent being so far away it is stuck in its own bubble, the people never modernizing, choosing instead to stick with traditions of the past.

I noticed a couple minor things that tied in with scenes of previous books, which was a lot of fun to read. I look forward to how more of the set ups in Midnight Tides will relate to future books.

The ending to this book completely blew me away. The last 150 pages really should be read uninterrupted if at all possible. For anyone that enjoys epic, complex fantasy, I cannot recommend this book high enough. show less

Another phenomenal book in the Malazan Book of the Fallen. Transporting to several thousand years before the events of the first four books, we see the beginning of the story of Trull Sengar, who was introduced in House of Chains, told through the war between the humans of the Letherii empire and the united tribes of Tiste Edur. As ever, empires rise and fall, species of all kinds go about their lives doing what seems to be good to them, gods play their games and make their movies; and it is never clear - among all players major and minor - who is good, who is evil, who is right, and who is wrong. Because their is no right answer. Steven Erikson is one of few fantasy writers who can abandoned the "hero's journey" trope and truly make show more every one of his characters and civilizations complex to the point of being unable to completely route for or against anyone. He forces you to be an at most tenuously biased observer of his universe. And this novel is perhaps his most adept at that skill thus far into the series. show less

Another amazing book from Erikson. I am in awe of this author, who if anything is getting better as the series advances.

In many ways this is the easiest book to read of the series so far, with a simpler narrative structure (only two main storylines, set at the same time, on opposite sides of a war). The characters and geopolitical setting are essentially 100% new. While Trull Sengar also appears in House of Chains (here we learn of the earlier momentous events that ultimately--we presume--led to the circumstances of his appearance in that story), otherwise it's not until page 700 that we get a clear reference to the geopolitical arena of the previous volumes.

This is epic storytelling, with memorable, complex characters, lots of bad show more guys and a cast of good guys who inhabit many shades of gray. Erikson has an amazing ability to conceive and describe vast myth-making occasions, frequently echoing great nordic and native american mythology. By now, I think we have learned not to expect an unambiguously happy ending. I never thought I would ever utter the words "better than Tolkien," but at this point I am ready to say that if Erikson can finish the series with five more books as good as the first five, I will call this the best fantasy series ever written.

If you think that the pursuit of wealth is profoundly virtuous you might be troubled by Lether. If you are looking for simple fairly tales where the characters live happily ever after, this is probably not the series for you. But if you are looking for gritty epic fantasy a la Song of Ice and Fire, you are in for a real treat. show less

"We have a talent for disguising greed under the cloak of freedom. As for past acts of depravity, we prefer to ignore those. Progress, after all, means to look ever forward, and whatever we have trampled in our wake is best forgotten."

I'd say this is probably the crowning achievement of the Malazan series - at least up to this point.

Midnight Tides consumed me as I read it - the first in the series that I was literally unable, or unwilling, to put down. Tehol Beddict is easily one of my favorite literary characters of all time, and Erikson's telling of his escapades, aided by the faithful manservant Bugg, are pure genius hilarity.

Unlike the two books immediately preceding it, Midnight Tides also works wonderfully as a stand-alone novel. show more Although series readers will recognize the import of this story in the greater scheme of the Malazan world, the entire novel takes place on a distant continent, with only one major character from previous books playing a substantial role. The Tiste Edur are the last remaining race holding out independence against the Letharii - a money-driven society bent on at last securing subjugation from the six united tribes of the Edur. But as an all-important treaty delegation approaches the Edur lands, events among both societies are rapidly changing the landscape encompassing this already shaky political alliance. In Lethar, an economic war is being waged - a war which Erikson paints with astonishing sophistication. Meanwhile, dramatic events among the Edur lead to a shifting of allegiance, with an Elder god pulling the strings.

Fast-paced, hilarious, and as ever dark and seedy, I think if I now wanted to turn a new reader on to the world of Malazan, this is the book I'd have them read first. Absolutely superb. show less

This is part five in Steven Erikson's epic 'The Malazan Book of the Fallen' series. A series that has to be read completely and in order, because each book is a continuation of sorts of the last. Of sorts, because this book focuses on an area and characters we haven't met before, but who have or will have a connection to the bigger story soon enough.

In this book we mostly meet Letherii (human people) and Tiste Edur from the land of Lether. The Tiste Edur are united for the first time under a Warlock King who has a new kind of power. He sends the four Sengar brothers to find a sword that has been given to him and can be found in the ice of the north. When one of the brothers touches the sword with his skin, something forbidden by the show more King, the world of the Tiste Edur changes. Meanwhile in Letheras (the capital of the Letherii empire), a city in an empire built on greed, we follow Tehol and his servant Bugg, two of the funniest characters in the series, who plot to bring down this economy of greed. When the Letherii plan to overtake the Tiste Edur and make them submit like many people before them, everything comes to a most awful head.

I loved the earlier parts of this series, and I loved this one even more. I think because the story was relatively simple (Tiste Edur on the one side, Letherii on the other) while still relating to the greater mythology of the series. Anyway, I couldn't put this book down and finished it in just three days, and I moved straight on to the next one. Five out of five stars. show less

Just when it seemed as if the massive Malazan cast and plot intricacies were getting manageable, Erikson drops us into a THIRD theater of war in this fifth book of the series, which initially made me back off and put the brick of a book down for a breather, but when I picked it up again it turned out to be arguably the best so far. A far simpler grand conflict throws the emotions of the large cast of striking, original characters into stark relief, and leaves room for some truly shocking and unexpectedly emotional scenes. Amazing twisted moments where the worlds of gods and magic careen off each other at odd angles. A tangled web of a plot that focuses into one unforgettable throne room scene at the climax. And a strong comedic show more supporting cast that feel at times like Shakespeare's Mechanicals. Completely enjoyable from start to epic finish. And it's on to the next one for me. show less