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Going back to The Bonehunters, while reading BH, I felt that there were some lengthy bits in the first half of the book; I was in a funny way annoyed with all the new soldier characters which were introduced to the Malazan Army, the Fourteenth- to me that was like a betrayal of the Bridgeburners , and I felt they could never live up to their predecessors anyways.
However, I also have to admit that from a storytechnical point of view this part is kind of genius: after all, we entered the story long after the Bridgeburners were forged in Raraku whereas in BH, we, the Readers, are given the unique opportunity to be witness to the birth of the Bonehunters, the Adjunct's army, so to speak, and it was an intense story powerfully written.
After the account of the firestorm at Y'Ghatan, I was truly impressed. I also felt that the additional storylines were really well integrated, well structured and brought to conclusion either in BH, followed up on older elements or extended the existing arcs in well balanced ways, such as Icarium and Mappo, Cutter, Scillara and Heboric etc...
The events then culminate in Malaz City in a most spectacular manner. I believe that's one of the best ends to any volume in the series. I could even forgive SE the death of Kalam, I mean, he had one hell of a run through the Mouse (and will probably turn up at some point again), and how Apsalar cut through the Claw like a scythe through ripe corn was superb, and the last stand of Tavore and T'Amber and so forth; but actually, this essay here is about RG.
In my opinion RG fails in most of the points which make BH a really great read. Of course I'm aware that a lot of elements introduced here will cast ripples into the later volumes and will be important before the end and that I have to continue reading in order to understand the importance of certain elements introduced here, such as the Awl or Rautos Hivanar.
I still think the whole book is not well as balanced as the previous books, and although the beginning of BH starts off on a par with where the story ends in BH, the end of RG sucks.
Let's start with the good things first:
The first 700 pages are really good and thrilling. Lots of action, character developments, curious incidents and so forth.
Karsa Orlong and Samar Dev's journey is fine, as well as their stay in the Arena with the other champions and the Emperor's last stand was a great story and well finished. I thought the encounter between Icarium and Karsa was well worked out too.
The journey of Seren Pedac, Udinaas, Fear Sengar, Kettle, Clip and Silchas Ruin was equally fine, and although the end at the gates of Starvald Demelain is sad, the whole episode makes sense and is well written.
The developing friendship between and journey of Trull, Onrack, Quick Ben and Hedge was a good read.
Tehol and Bugg are superb as per usual.
I really enjoyed reading how the Bonehunters/marines advance towards Letheras. That was actually an amazing part of RG and we get to see the marines in action for the first time.
The journey of Nimander Golit and his sorry bunch of survivors from Drift Avalii is fine too. Not particularly stimulating, but hey.
I liked the story of Bruthen Trana and how he journeys to find the Champion, Brys Beddict. That was well told.
Although I have not much sympathy for the Errant and his erratic quests, I think he comes across really well, and his story with Feather Witch was also good.
What really annoyed me about this book, particularly the last 200 or so pages:
Overall I felt that the balance of certain story elements was somewhat off. Whilst at the beginning these elements start promising, the (temporary) conclusion of said elements towards the end of the book just doesn't justify the amount of time spent at the beginning.
For example, I really never got my head around the whole storyline concerning the Awl and Redmask, and the revolution which developed in the East around Drene, and Toc the Younger who turns up to get butchered yet again. This funky storyline is then topped off with the miraculous appearance of the White Face Barghast, which nobody has heard of since the third book, and now they just happen to pop out of nowhere in Lether. It's only in the eighth book the reader learns rather early on that they have disappeared miraculously from where they were before.
What didn't make sense was that the long heralded champion of the Awl failed them and then got cut down by his bodyguards. I mean- did he want to ruin the Awl people? Was it revenge? Or was it that he just didn't have any idea about strategy or tactics? Or was he just unlucky? No clue as towards that- and normally, you can get an idea at what SE is trying to get at throughout all of his books.
Whilst I am aware that SE introduced yet another element which will play a role later on, as he has been doing all along, I found that in RG he didn't manage to work that out as well as in other books. In my opinion, it doesn't add anything to the story. It tasted somewhat of self-indulgence – yet another great idea which couldn't be left out, or a lot of pressure from the editors. Either way, it's a shame.
Frankly, I would have preferred to read one page of the conversation between Mael and the Errant rather than the whole 300 pages of the Awl and Redmask story.
I couldn't believe when Tehol Beddict got married to the scholar and the last scene with him as new Emperor is so cheesy. Cheap movie ending to that.
I don't even want to start about the death of Trull Sengar. The Knight of Shadow who stood against Icarium gets stabbed in the back by the lousiest character in this book. I mean, Kalam got at least a worthy last stand in the Mouse, and Trull- he got fucked all over until the end. Well, there's always the HOPE that he will turn up again, I figure that's what happens to a lot of other characters in the series.... If not, at least Seren Pedac has his child, so he does live on in a way, and his offspring seems to be under the protection of Mael.
Almost done… how Silchas Ruin gets his ass blown off above Letheras. WTF? He is the biggest meanest dragon of them all, he survives the Azath, all of his draconic relatives are shitting themselves since he has escaped the Azath, and then he gets blown into bits by the Bridgeburners. Now, I know that Fid and Co know what they're doing with Moranth fireworks, because after all, they are still alive.(Why didn't that happen in Pale, with a lot more Bridgeburners and other sappers around and a lot more Moranth munition at hand?) This temporary conclusion to the Silchas story line is ridiculous, in all seriousness, particularly because of the way he was first introduced. He is a the most draconic of the sons of Mother Dark, he is super intelligent and super powerful, now why would he fly all the way to Letheras when he could go and take the Crippled God on straight away?
And along the same lines: Quick Ben suddenly turns into this guy who smacks dragons before breakfast. When and how did that happen? I mean, he is a powerful wizard, no doubt, and superbly intelligent, but until now, he had not been portrayed as a mage who can take on dragons.
The title Malazan Tales of the Fallen is ambiguous. I always understood it in terms of the Fallen God, not all the fallen people.
All in all, still worth the read. Just not as great a book as the others in the series.
This post has been edited by Miss Savage: 15 June 2011 - 04:22 PM
