[coldhands]

I had high hopes for Assail, and I tried hard to enjoy it as I read this book that was to be the wrap up of the Malazan Empire. To no avail. Unlike some others here I enjoyed I.C.E. earlier books. Orb Scepter Throne was my favorite. I wanted to like his last books but I have to say I think he tried too hard. I think his talents lay elsewhere. I think he used this idea of what the Crimson Guard "were", and the fact they were portrayed in his book to in its self be enough to be a good book. From the little the 10 Malazan books gave us of the Crimson Guard I had enough of an idea of what they COULD be. For me ICE tore that down, almost belittle the promise.

I got my Malazan on again by reading Forge of Darkness. And now I hold out hope for Fall of Light.

This post has been edited by coldhands: 18 January 2015 - 09:52 PM

[Malaz Mule]

coldhands, on 18 January 2015 - 09:51 PM, said:

I had high hopes for Assail, and I tried hard to enjoy it as I read this book that was to be the wrap up of the Malazan Empire. To no avail. Unlike some others here I enjoyed I.C.E. earlier books. Orb Scepter Throne was my favorite. I wanted to like his last books but I have to say I think he tried too hard. I think his talents lay elsewhere. I think he used this idea of what the Crimson Guard "were", and the fact they were portrayed in his book to in its self be enough to be a good book. From the little the 10 Malazan books gave us of the Crimson Guard I had enough of an idea of what they COULD be. For me ICE tore that down, almost belittle the promise.

I got my Malazan on again by reading Forge of Darkness. And now I hold out hope for Fall of Light.

Agreed. Although I think ICE is an OK writer, i feel what he really lacks is the guts to really upscale something. Not much of what the CG did in all 5 of these books was as ace as Iron Bars fighting 4 Teblor gods or "Compliments of the Crimson Guard" in Darujhistan. Instead i feel he likes to play safe and we get these fairly by-the-numbers events.