Book description for Assail:
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Into this turmoil ventures the mercenary company, the Crimson Guard. Not drawn by contract, but by the promise of answers: answers to mysteries that Shimmer, second in command, wonders should even be sought. Arriving also, part of an uneasy alliance of Malazan fortune-hunters and Letherii soldiery, comes the bard Fisher kel Tath. And with him is a Tiste Andii who was found washed ashore and cannot remember his past life, yet who commands far more power than he really should. Also venturing north is said to be a mighty champion, a man who once fought for the Malazans, the bearer of a sword that slays gods: Whiteblade.
And lastly, far to the south, a woman guards the shore awaiting both her allies and her enemies. Silverfox, newly incarnated Summoner of the undying army of the T'lan Imass, will do anything to stop the renewal of an ages-old crusade that could lay waste to the entire continent and beyond.
Casting light on mysteries spanning the Malazan empire, and offering a glimpse of the storied and epic history that shaped it, "Assail" is the final chapter in the epic story
January 1st 2020 we began the re-read of the main series of the Malazan books. The plan being to read one book a month. We've now added additional Erikson and Esslemont publications to the schedule, to be read roughly according to the publication order.
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January: Gardens of the Moon
February: Deadhouse Gates
March: Memories of Ice
April: House of Chains
May: Midnight Tides
June Night of Knives & The Bonehunters
July: Return of the Crimson Guard
August: Reaper's Gale
September: Stonewielder
October: Toll the Hounds
November: Orb Sceptre Throne
December: Dust of Dreams
2021
January: The Crippled God
February: Blood and Bone
March: Assail
April: Forge of Darkness
May: Fall of Light
You can read our thoughts from earlier months in these threads:
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2020 Malazan Re-read: Deadhouse Gates
2020 Malazan Re-read: Memories of Ice
2020 Malazan Re-read: House of Chains
2020 Malazan Re-read: Midnight Tides
2020 Malazan Re-read: Night of Knives
2020 Malazan Re-read: Bonehunters
2020 Malazan Re-read: Return of the Crimson Guard
2020 Malazan Re-read: Reaper's Gale
2020 Malazan Re-read: Stonewielder
2020 Malazan Re-read: Toll the Hounds
2020 Malazan Re-read: Orb, Sceptre, Throne
2020 Malazan Re-read: Dust of Dreams
2020 Malazan Re-read: The Crippled God
2020 Malazan Re-read: Blood and Bone
March 1st we begin the re-read of Assail, the 6th and final book in the Novels of the Malazan Empire series.
There will be spoilers for all published books. So beware. Spoiler blocks are not mandatory but if people want to use boxes for the latest Kharkanas books or the Path to Ascendance books for example, I'd personally appreciate it.
Are you ready? What do you remember about Assail.
I thought this book was interesting, had a strong premise but ended in a really unsatisfactory fashion.
After all the foreshadowing and speculation, the continent didn't really live up to expectations. The massive armies, tyrants, the ascendant killing continent - There was nothing off that. It's just a bunch of savages killing one another with some enclaves of ancient peoples. And then at the end, we get a really cool reveal of what the idea behind the founding races actually means - But why waste that revelation and conclusion on Assail? Why not use that ending in The Crippled God?
This post has been edited by Aptorian: 25 March 2021 - 10:17 AM