Malazan Empire: Toll the Hounds review - Malazan Empire

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Toll the Hounds review

#1 User is offline   pat5150 

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Posted 11 June 2008 - 09:29 PM

Hey guys!

Just posted my book review of Toll the Hounds on the blog. As was the case with ICE's Return of the Crimson Guard, I enumerate the most important storylines. So if you want to go into this one totally "fresh," maybe you should keep away.

Otherwise, enjoy! :)

Patrick
For book reviews, author interviews, giveaways, related articles and news, and much more, check out www.fantasyhotlist.blogspot.com
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#2 User is offline   wolf_2099 

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Posted 11 June 2008 - 09:35 PM

Can I have the manuscript now?
"HAIL THE MARINES!"
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#3 User is offline   Thelomen Toblerone 

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Posted 11 June 2008 - 09:47 PM

Fantastic review, been desperate to find out what exactly was going to be in it, and now I know and am about as excited as it's physically possible to be. :)

*reps*

Thank goodness my job has been delayed for a week is all I can say. Now I do my last exam, a fortnight to go over the books once again, and then a week to read TtH. Many, many times. :p
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#4 User is offline   kcf 

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Posted 11 June 2008 - 09:49 PM

If I could only will the postal system to move faster.
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#5 User is offline   Abalieno 

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Posted 11 June 2008 - 09:56 PM

Read it but decided to skip about 50% of it when there are infos about the plot. Being at book 2 everything is a spoiler to me.

That's said, let's come to the cold, merciless affair, Pat. Rank the books from best to worst, including ICE. :)
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#6 User is offline   S Ruin 

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Posted 11 June 2008 - 10:00 PM

thanks for the review pat. You more or less confirmed something I noticed in ROTCG that I posted in that forum and a lot of people did not believe me. I think this is going to be my best book yet because I am totally fascinated with Anomander Rake. Since this book says a lot about his past, then its going to be all good.
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#7 User is offline   Jorram 

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Posted 11 June 2008 - 10:11 PM

Yay, finally!!
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#8 User is offline   Veilside 

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Posted 11 June 2008 - 11:30 PM

Pat, I hate you right now. I really, really want to read the book now :)
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#9 User is offline   Rich the Great 

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Posted 11 June 2008 - 11:59 PM

Fuck, got a semi just reading the review.
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#10 User is offline   End of Disc One 

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Posted 12 June 2008 - 01:40 AM

I'm surprised this got a higher rating than RotCG, since Pat seemed to enjoy that one a lot more most of the way through. IIRC, both seemed to have an ending that rivaled MoI.
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#11 User is offline   Silencer 

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Posted 12 June 2008 - 04:02 AM

HOLY SHIT!!!!
This is going to be one of the best books EVAR!!!!!!!
Not only do you give it a 9/10, despite saying that it could have been the weakest book in the series, but some of the stuff revealed in it sounds.....more than amazing! I honestly can't wait! Still ~20 days to go though.....:)
*cries torrentially......rolling on the floor crying.....*
***

Shinrei said:

<Vote Silencer> For not garnering any heat or any love for that matter. And I'm being serious here, it's like a mental block that is there, and you just keep forgetting it.

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#12 User is offline   Optimus Prime 

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Posted 12 June 2008 - 06:09 AM

Finally light shed on the Tiste Andii's past! Man this book sounds like it's gonna rock ass.

Gruntle and Mappo together?

Spoiler

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#13 User is offline   Raymond Luxury Yacht 

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Posted 12 June 2008 - 07:41 AM

I just ordered my copy from amazon. Supposed to arrive on the 16th. Sweet. I just realized that i started my reread of the series way too late, just about finished with GotM. It's going to be tough to plow through the rest before then. Damn near impossible, in fact. Oh well, I guess I'll get as far as I can, read TtH when it gets here, finish the reread, then reread TtH. It's a plan.

:rly
Error: Signature not valid
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#14 User is offline   Optimus Prime 

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Posted 12 June 2008 - 07:43 AM

My copy of TbH and RG are all the way back in Georgia :)

I'm hoping my copy comes July 1st :p
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#15 User is offline   Lancelot 

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Posted 12 June 2008 - 08:08 AM

Nice! *Walks down to waterstones just to check*

Who's the companion that even Karsa cannot cross?? Any thoughts??

BB's against the assassins guild....Schweet!!

And Kruppe and Pust together!!! Heads spinning already:)
Let There Be A Way Through The Waters
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#16 User is offline   Silencer 

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Posted 12 June 2008 - 08:26 AM

Yeah, it's gonna be pretty big to see who THAT is.....Dassem/Traveller? Icarium thought Traveller would beat him.....so, maybe.....
I really can't wait for this......
***

Shinrei said:

<Vote Silencer> For not garnering any heat or any love for that matter. And I'm being serious here, it's like a mental block that is there, and you just keep forgetting it.

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#17 User is offline   Lister of Smeg 

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Posted 12 June 2008 - 09:29 AM

Lots of interesting tidbits in that review. Thanks, Pat!

How the hell did Samar Dev end up back with Karsa? Last we saw of her, she was meeting the Malazans in Lether after Karsa had gone home. Unless he somehow went back for her and Havok. The first name I thought of with regards to Karsa's new companion is Traveller. Either him or Calm, I reckon.

So many storylines I want to see in that. Envy v. Spite, Gruntle and Mappo (now there's a miserable pairing), Iskaral Pust and Kruppe of course, and finally Clip and Nimander facing Rake. Can't wait for this book now.
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#18 User is offline   dktorode 

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Posted 12 June 2008 - 09:45 AM

If pat has shortcomings about the pace of the book and still gives it a 9/10
then i KNOW this one is going to rock.
...┌∩┐(◣_◢)┌∩┐...

Why dont they make the whole plane out of that black box stuff?
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#19 User is offline   Bauchelain the Evil 

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Posted 12 June 2008 - 10:06 AM

Can't wait to read about Kruppe and Iskaral Pust it will be awesome!
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#20 User is offline   Khellendros 

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Posted 12 June 2008 - 10:53 AM

From Pat's review:
"Seba Krafar, new Master of the Assassins' Guild"

Related to Talo Krafar, perhaps, an assassin who was killed by Tiste Andii mages in GotM. Oh yeah, my GotM-fu is strong! :)

How in the heck has Iskaral Pust ended up in Darujhistan? Not that I'm complaining, SE well knows that's what MBotF fans have been looking forward to almost more than anything else - a battle of wits between Kruppe and Pust. Also very much look forward to Clip and Rake's confrontation.

The bit that had me most interested from the review though was the bit about the new god and Itkovian's cult of the Redeemer - anyone else think the Seerdomin is the nice one who looked after Toc the Younger for a bit in MoI?

But all in all, the review made me a bit worried - I loved both TBH and RG, so will I not like this as much? I'm very hesitant about the Kruppe POV thing. Slow moving for 800 pages? That's a bit too slow-moving for my tastes. Still, I do like it when backstory is described. Though I have to agree with Pat - Challice and Gorlas? Who cares? Just sounds like a way to keep Murilio in the series. Ah well, naturally, still very much looking forward to this!
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