Book Seven of The Malazan Book of the Fallen 1st (first) edition Text Only

Captivating characters who journey first alone and the. In ever more complicated circles make this book and the series a wonder to read. Great suspense and almost none stop action are varied and enjoyable. Although the first book is abut hard to get into.

I read twice the whole serie. This says very much about how much I like them. They are very well written, incredible display of the English language. Incredible account of the history of a fantastic world and fantastic characters.

Nothing to complain about here. Just like many of the other Malazan novels, it takes a couple hundred pages before you really get into it, but the rest of the book is as compelling as you will find in the genre.

Erikson's writing keeping getting better on a technical level. But this was the first book in the series where I was getting bogged down to the point of not wanting to read it. Of course I did finish and enjoyed what was there, but there are so many character switches, the story is flipping between POV every other page. The first six hundred pages is a lot of musing about the situations, with the situations themselves not really moving. I also prefer the other continents compared to letheras.

Definitely one of the best fantasy writers of all times, at least on my list. I like how the characters develop and how he sees things from different points of view.

Can't wait for the next one!!!!

Great installment in a growing world with a host of characters that entice, interest and even annoy you (in a good way, as bad guys are wont to do.....).

Like Erikson's works enough that I am re-buying them for my Kindle.

I admittedly put this down for a bit and it took sometime before I got back into it, but once I did I couldn't put it back down. Strong start and finish, but slow with new characters. The deus ex machine that saves all the favored people gets a bit tiresome, when people that are no longer needed for the next book die just so there is some death of people.
That would be my only complaint.

Anyone interested in high-fantasy stories should consider the Malazan series. The depth of the world, history, settings, and characters will astound any reader. Steven Erikson has crafted an incredible tale that spans continents and time. Reaper's Gale is one of my favorite books of the series. This is a must read series!

I quit the series after this one. It was hard after trudging through 7 of these books, but man, all 7 of them have been exactly the same. Overpowered, unrelatable characters trudging across some uninhabitable place, until the last 100 pages where every single book ends in a convergence where all of your faves come out unscathed. For me to quit at this point shows how redundant his writing is.

Where to start on a review for this book/series? I mean with something on the epic scale and imagination as this story, characters, and world building. The Mythology of the world alone is on such a epic scale. So much to comprehend.

All I have been hearing since I started reading Fantasy again in 2011 is “you have to read Malazan!” So I finally listened and started. I think I have a new obsession. I can now see what everyone has been going on and on about for all this time. I am hooked and I now need more! So yes I will be continuing this series, and I can’t wait! I know more greatness awaits and I am highly anticipating the journey to come.

Overall a great read. I was entertained, I loved the epic sprawling world created here, and I want to go right into the next book and get more from this series. This might not be for everyone but after starting this series, I know it is for me. A magnificent read. The only thing I can think to describe it is a mind blowing. Everything is just so rich and complex, and such a joy to wrap your mind around.

I loved the first six books, and this one is great as well. I keep thinking the change of locations, story lines, and characters are gong to lessen these books, but they never do. Such fantastic and intriguing characters. That reminds me of a question I always seem to get asked when I post these reviews. Who are your favorite characters from this book?

So a new section in my Malazan reviews.

FAVORITE CHARACTERS FROM THIS BOOK: Well this book had the distinction of having all of my favorite characters in it. It had the dynamic duo of Tehol Beddict and Bugg. Man I really love these two. The way they play off each other is a true pleasure to read. Then there is the great Karsa Orlong! Who is a awesome Conan clone. Not quite as great as Conan but a fantastic character none the less. To my great pleasure I have seen that back in October Steven Erikson announced he is working on the Karsa Orlong Trilogy sooner than expected. Very exciting, if anyone should have their own trilogy it is Karsa. Unfortunately I have a feeling this is the last of Tehol and Bugg. At least as major characters in a book. But I have a feeling Karsa will play a large part to come. We shall see. Three books to go!

As you know if you have read my reviews before I am not about long reviews with synopsis and spoilers. I just give my opinion on my experience with this book and you can take it from there. Now on to the next book.

5/5 Stars! - Mighty Thor JRS

Based on my other Malazan reads, I fully expected Erikson to deliver the goods with Reaper’s Gale, and he did not disappoint. However, I must confess I did find myself interrupting my reading of RG several times to focus on other books before eventually finishing it. This hadn’t happened with any of the first 6 books in the series. This is not a knock on the book-which, though it takes a long while to pick up steam, actually ends up as one of the stronger Malazan entries-so much as it is an acknowledgment that after having read the first 6 volumes, fatigue is simply beginning to set in. A common point of view is that the second half of the 10 volume Malazan series diminishes in quality; after reading RG I begin to wonder if at least some of this outlook can be explained away by readers simply becoming too tired (or too sick and tired of the time commitment) to “stay the course.” Everyone will have to weigh the opportunity cost of reading the Malazan books for themselves, and it is fair to criticize Erikson for not being more “user friendly.” But as to the question of intrinsic quality, Erikson’s series has not declined as of book 7. I also do not want to overstate the extent to which reading Reaper’s Gale was a chore. In fact, near the end of the book-say, from chapter 22 on-I became highly absorbed in Erikson’s tale.

RG brings together plot threads from Midnight Tides and The Bonehunters, and even incorporates some characters we haven’t seen since Memories of Ice. The renegade Bonehunters invade the Letherii Empire in the recent aftermath of the Edur conquest. The hyper-exploitive, expansionary Letherii economic system has survived the Edur takeover; the corrupting lure of wealth, the economic and political sophistication of the Letherii relative to the Edur, and the fact that Emperor Rhulad is mentally unstable and easy to manipulate, all beg the question: who has really conquered whom? However, the brilliant Tehol and his manservant Bugg have launched an effort to undermine the Letherii economy from within. Meanwhile, Karsa Orlong and Icarium await showdowns with the the seemingly unbeatable Rhulad, whose power and torment come at the hands of the Crippled God. Also, Silchas Ruin, brother of Anomander Rake, leads a band with conflicting agendas in an effort to find the trapped soul of his betrayer, Scabandari Bloodeye. This plot thread eventually intersects with one involving Quick Ben, Trull, and Onrack, who have been sent on a mission by Cotillion and Shadowthrone. If all this wasn’t enough, Letherii expansion leads to a war against the Awl, led by the mysterious Redmask, who has somehow obtained some incredibly powerful help. And one shouldn’t forget that the Errant, who caused such mischief in Midnight Tides, is still lingering about. There are other plotlines as well, but you get the idea: this book is extraordinarily crowded and complex. And it it is amazing just how much is satisfactorily resolved by the end.

In terms of highlights, I would first mention Tehol and his manservant Bugg , who continue to delight and edify the reader with their humor, friendship, and insight. Speaking of insight, in Bugg’s meeting with advocate Sleem and in one of Tehol’s discussions with the scholar Janath, this scheming duo are especially eloquent as to their rationale and justification for bringing down the Letherii economic system. Erikson’s hard hitting critique here of “triumphant acquisitiveness” is impressive and timely. And Tehol’s solution to the “puzzle” he stumps Karos Invictad with is both humorous and instructive.

Another highlight is Erikson’s satisfying rendering of friendship and compassion generally. The Malazan mage Beak must be mentioned in this context. His story is clearly the most powerful among the Malazan storylines, and one of the most memorable in the book overall. Trull Sengar, as always, appears as a paragon of friendship and compassion. Other examples abound; let me simply note that the Awl conflict, criticized by some for not really impacting the main story, manages to display the inspiring compassion of Toc the Younger and the short but meaningful friendship of an Edur soldier and his Letherii bodyguard. The whole Awl conflict storyline also provides a characteristic Eriksonian example of good soldiers being used as pawns by corrupt higher-ups; that organized power tends to become oppressive and destructive of course provides a compelling context for Erikson's valorization of friendship, compassion and open-mindedness.

Speaking of Erikson’s suspicion of social/political complexity, in RG he makes the effort to celebrate what one might call Tellann primitivism. I would consider this a highlight as well, as Onrack the Broken’s transformation in Tellann, his home realm, makes for some very powerful reading. Though Erikson has never been shy about extolling the particular virtues of what one might consider less advanced peoples, RG handles this issue differently than previous Malazan volumes. For instance, in Deadhouse Gates, Coltaine was an impressive blend of “savagery” and civilization, wedding Wiccan toughness and martial prowess to a Malazan cause that he recognized as superior in some respects to the continued Wiccan tribal fighting of the past, an old way of life that had no future in any case. In RG, civilization is not presented as recognizably superior in some respects to life in Tellann, the virtues of Tellann are not martial in nature but are restorative of a wholeness and happiness somehow lost in the complexities and mistakes of history, and, as it turns out, Tellann looks to be somehow enduring.

Erikson’s numerous battle scenes in RG (whether involving the Bonehunters or focused on the Awl conflict) were characteristically impressive. And the Malazan soldiers are (as always) well rendered and quite colorful. Karsa is Karsa-hence highly entertaining-and ends up playing a hugely important role in the book. And an unexpected death near the end of the story packs a punch.

There were some aspects of the book I didn’t particularly appealing. The Silchas Ruin plot thread, though important, made for tedious reading at times, largely because of the unpleasant interaction between the characters. And though I’m a fan of Icarium, I wish at this point in the series there was more clarity and progress regarding his story arc. The Shake storyline may prove important in later volumes, but here I did not find it especially interesting. The same goes for the Nimander storyline. In general, my criticisms of this book are pretty minor.

One aspect of The Bonehunters I didn’t much like was its attack on the notion of an afterlife and those who would believe in it, and on monotheism generally. The religiously orthodox in our society are suffering enough soft persecution that it seemed strange to me that an author who so valorizes compassion and open mindedness proved willing to “pile on” with a book that would fit right in with a library of “new atheism” readings. Interestingly enough, however, certain aspects of RG will surely resonate with a Christian audience. I’m thinking in particular of a character who well illustrates the Gospel of John’s assertion that “greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends,” and this character’s seemingly happy ending on the other side of Hood’s Gate. This difference between the two books regarding their potential appeal to religious readers, along with the aforementioned difference between Deadhouse Gates and RG regarding the issue of civilization and primitivism, highlights for me that whatever overarching Malazan Book of the Fallen philosophical outlook will be articulated by the end of book 10, each volume can also be treated as its own distinct world of ideas and meanings.

Book 7 down, and this one was a roller coaster. If only I had known how appropriate the title would turn out to be.

In Reaper's Gale, we hop back to the continent of Lether. This leads to an initial slowdown while we explore some of the moving pieces there, but things really kick off when some unexpected guests arrive on the continent. This was especially exciting for me because it just so happens to be my favorite plot line.

Similar to Book 6, we see a convergence of plot lines here. 90% of the plot lines (totally didn't pull that percentage out of my ass) are represented here, so we get the satisfaction of seeing how these plot lines we have been reading about for several books have come together and affected each other. This one has a little bit of everything, political maneuvering, close combat warfare, exploration of magic & warrens, brutal battles, and heart-wrenching sub stories. I think this and The Bonehunters have shown a little of everything that Malazan has to offer, and they are both fantastic reads.

Toll the Hounds is up next.

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After reading so many books in a series it becomes more difficult to rate them against each other, but after some consideration I think I am rating Reaper's Gale at a 3.5. It was still a great book, I just didn't enjoy it as much as the others.The story really didn't become interesting for me until the last 150 or so pages when everything started coming together. There were also a bunch of new characters and this late in a series that tends to bother me, especially if they don't play a role later on or are difficult to tell apart.

In this novel there are so many different things going on. The large part of the book was the invasion of Tavore's army into Lether; there was also Fear and Silchas Ruin and their company who attempt to find the soul of Scabandari Bloodeye. We find out later that Trull and Quick Ben as well as a long lost Bridgburner attempt to find the soul as well. Not to mention Icarium and Karsa who await the duel with the Emperor. I have to say that anything with Trull, Onrack, Quick Ben, Fiddler, and Tehol was pretty interesting. I loved the part of the book where we get to see Tool again, but it was also very upsetting. There is so much going on that I can't even explain it all here. I believe that if you read the book you will enjoy it, maybe even more than I did. I know everyone has their favorite characters and enjoys their parts of the story more than others just like I do.

All of our favorite characters are back in this novel. Quick Ben has to be one of my favorites and there is just so much we still don't know about him. We do get to see a lot more from him in this book though. His story-line is fantastic! There are also Fiddler and Bottle whom I can't get enough of either. Even though I hate new characters so late into a series, I really enjoyed Beak, a mage in Tavore's army. He really leaves a lasting impression and is quite different then the other mages.

As always Bugg and Tehol are very entertaining and it wouldn't have been a book without them! A lot happens with them in this book and it was amazing to find Tehol in the position he was in at the end of the book. Also, Karsa and Samar Dev's story was great! I love Karsa as a character and his final battle with the Emperor was incredible and just like him!

There are TONS of other characters including Toc the Younger, Redmask, and some new ones as well. There are just so many to keep track of it becomes a little overwhelming. At least I know who my favorites are, and hopefully there won't be so many new characters to keep track of in the next book.

The writing and world building in this and all the previous novels is fantastic. The world is huge and we get to see more of it as we read each book and learn more about all these different people. I can't believe Erikson came up with such a detailed, complex, and complicated world.

Overall, I thought the book was great, but just not as good as the others. It wasn't until the final few chapters when I decided I couldn't put it down. Hopefully, the next book will move a little faster for me. If you are enjoying the series then I highly recommend reading this one; I know you will enjoy it, probably more than I did.

Erikson is a genius. Almost too smart. Reading his books, I lament that someone of his caliber of intelligence should be applying that grey matter to something much more important to the well-being of humanity, e.g., curing cancer. That said, we are very lucky to have him as an author.

The scope and complexity of the Malazan world exceeds those of GRRM's Song of Ice and Fire a/k/a Game of Thrones. And this book, perhaps better than any previous ones in the series, offers characters who are incredibly funny and otherwise entertaining, e.g., Tehol Beddict (I would welcome a whole series based on him), Sergeant Hellian, Bugg/Mael. Even Karsa Orlong, who has continued his journey from barbarian to sage, is more comedian than warrior.

In my review of the earlier Malazan books, I complained of Mr. Erikson's lone weakness: Minimal physical descriptions of some characters, which created problems for me differentiating one from another. That issue remains, somewhat, although it is overshadowed by many of the fantastic things that Erikson does. The book seems to include almost two dozen Malazan soldiers, and telling one from the other is extremely difficult.

I'm approaching the end of the series. That realization is very depressing.

In Reaper's Gale we return to Letheras, where the events of Midnight Tides and The Bonehunters - books 5 and 6 respectively in this series - tie together, as well as several loose ends from Memories of Ice - book 3 - are picked up.

I think it would be unfair to say Erikson's lost control of his story here - he's in control, sure, but the breadth of his story has continued to grow and it's really stretching this book. Several old plotlines are continued, and several more are begun. The thing is, as I noted in my review of Bonehunters, whilst most of these plotlines span the timeframe of the novel, they each have differing levels of content. As a result, there are often several main plotlines which take up the bulk of the novel, while other plotlines are stretched out, with a scene here and there, so that they span the timeline. It's a shame, because several of these shorter plots are fantastic, but lose their potency because of the one or two hundred page gaps between new scenes. It's also a shame because it means this book had the biggest sagging middle of the lot, and to get the whole thing up, running and running smoothly requires more and more effort and more and more space.

In addition to this, some of these plotlines didn't have any conclusion or seeming relevance to the main story. They have questionable worth being in this book, unless they become significant in a later volume. We also get a few more perspectives from people which aren't really needed, padding the book out a bit more; at the length of this book, this was more annoying than anything else, and as much as I like characters these perspectives didn't really serve much use.

Despite the above complaints, I found Reapers Gale to be the most emotionally moving of the books yet. There were three moments throughout this book which moved me to tears. One was a new character, and one involved a set of quite possibly my favourite characters in the series resurfacing from Memories of ice - both of whom share a certain honourable journey (you'll know when you get there) - and one character who was introduced in House of Chains, and their own group of characters. These were, unsurprisingly, the characters who had less time involved with plot-driven action and more time with character-driven relationships. Unfortunately, though, in Reaper's Gale they were all part of the shorter plotlines, and so I fear some impact was lost with the stretching of their stories.

I've come to a realisation with Erikson's characters. There are a handful who are exceptionally compelling, and who always engage me; another handful who are compelling, but as I spend large amounts of time with them I become more engaged; a few handfulls who fall flat, one-dimensional and unbelievable; and the rest, all of which tend to be compelling, but I don't get to spend much time with them and so, until the plot picks up, are only mildly interesting. And the thing is, Erikson is trying to elaborate on these compelling characters, by showing large chunks of introspection, but his writing style of constantly skipping between characters and perspectives prevents that, making these introspective sections annoying rather than engaging.

Several reviews i've read have noted an apparant loss of direction in regards to themes, particularly the ones prevalent earlier on in the series of compassion. I don't think that's quite the case though - rather, Erikson is tackling the theme in a different way. I think this is most obvious with the three characters I mentioned above which so moved me. Yes, compassion is still the main theme, but simply in a different way.

All in all, I think this is the weakest of the series since Deadhouse Gates. The middle section dragged, and the conclusion - apart from those few shining lights here and there - either isn't quite up to the standard of the previous books, or there was just too much to cover earlier to get to the payoff.

3.5/5

I just wish she would stick to the main mullahs on Empire and go from there! I like those parts because that way I can understand what's going on. Instead of jumping around all over the place I don't know what's going on, and what I'm supposed to do! LOL forget it sorry, I am done with the seriesHere is my problem with this book. Firstly, the first few books in the series was very well done, and very well written. After people explained to me exactly what was going on.I don't believe that I'm going to continue the series because he jumps around so much from plot the plot continent to continent storyline to extreme storyline, that I have no idea what in the world is going on. I have come to the point where I don't even know what the story is about. It's just giving me a headache. I just wish you would stick to one story plot line and MoveOn throughout the series.it just makes me sad that some of my favorite characters aren't even in half of the series! They keep jumping around and jumping around I'm so irritated. I don't even want to finish the series anymore. Also, the way the book is written is so weird!! Also, the names of the characters are so beyond pronunciation it's ridiculous

Another great addition to the "Malazan Book of the Fallen" series.

Erikson's latest book (the 7th in the series) is set in the locale of Lether; an area that has been conquered by the Tiste Edur but is stilled "governed" by the Letheriis (with some non-too subtle direction from the Edur). Some internal strife is beginning to show and the backstabbing and double dealing has begun. As with previous books in the series, there are several side tales that add to the overall enjoyment of this latest installment.

The book is rife with the Erikson's usual host of intriguing characters; some kinky, some downright perverted and some with unusual talents and skills. Needless to say these various personalities can make for interesting exchanges at times...with sometimes unexpected results.

As well as the usual cast of our favorite Malazan army regulars (although not introduced until about halfway through), this novel reacquaints us with two old friends from "Midnite Tides"; that being Tehol and Bugg. These were two of my favorite "benign" characters from that novel and they've returned with their usual weird (but often funny), devious schemings.

In addition, at the front of the book there is a good map and a list of characters (with brief descriptions) that you'll meet in this novel.

What makes this (and others in the series) so good?...it's Erikson's extraordinary skill with prose; that ability to seemingly transport you to the scene of the action using the vehicle of the written word on paper...amazing. I've been a devoted Erikson fan ever since the first book ("Gardens of the Moon") and feel his works easily rank beside the upper echelon of writers of the fantasy genre.

My only minor complaint of this work would be that I found one side story a little hard to follow at times...but this doesn't take away anything from the overall quality of this excellent novel.

900 pages long and these seemed to just fly by; I can hardly wait for the next installment. 5 Stars... more if I could.

R. Nicholson

Steven Erikson, Reaper's Gale (Tor, 2007)

Erikson finally ties the Malazan and Letherii storylines together in Reaper's Gale, the seventh entry in his Malazan Book of the Fallen series. Reaper's Gale takes place a year or so after the end of The Bonehunters, when the Letherii have grown somewhat complacent under Edur rule, and the Bonehunters have sailed for Letheras in order to avenge the wiping out of an entire Malazan island's population (the why of this is explained at one point in the book). As well, some of the rogue elements get tied back in; it seems everything's happening on Letheras these days.

As always, to read an Erikson book is to gradually get lost in the story, so totally immersed that one forgets to do things like sleep and eat. Still, this isn't Erikson's strongest work, as has been pointed out by many others; to me, however, that doesn't make it any less worth reading. Erikson has created an incredible world here, and he knows how to lay out the pieces to come up with a wonderful story. If you're already invested in the series, this one's an obvious must; if you haven't yet discovered the brilliance of Erikson, the first book in the series is Gardens of the Moon, and you should start there. ****

This series has been accused of having too many characters and too many plots and sub-plots and of the author using deus ex machina too often, and I never really felt that until this book. At more than 1,200 pages, for the first time in this series, I truly felt it could have lost a bunch of pages, at least 300. And I finally got what some complainants meant by the deus ex machina because there were a few situations in the end where the "saving grace" was a little out of the blue, at least for the overall series if not for this one particular novel (ie. characters who had never been around before suddenly showing up in this particular novel to save the day in the end ... then only to disappear in one fashion or another). But, that being said, the payoff in the end makes up for a lot. This is still the best fantasy series I've read in a long time, and I'm looking forward to reading the next book.

An interesting and worthwhile continuation of the great story.
All in all, a very good book. However, a few bits and pieces annoyed me.

How many times can I read the same description over and over again?

"wiped his mouth with the back of his hand"
or
"spat onto his hands and smoothed back his hair"

Another one was a thinly veiled representation of our society by introducing to us all the nitty-gritty of the Letherii society. I would expect such a blatant trick from Sci-Fi story, but stumbling across it in the Epic Fantasy was a bit too much.

Regardless, I am still fascinated by the universe, characters and the story line.
The next one in the line of The Malazan Book of the Fallen will be Ian Cameron Esslemont's - [Malazan Empire #02] - Return of the Crimson Guard.

The Malazan Book of the Fallen is my favorite fantasy series going on right now. It has a beautifully developed world, interesting characters, and epic action. But if you've made it to Book 7 of the series, Reaper's Gale, then you already know all this. For fans of the first 6 books, this latest entry will not disappoint...and will leaving anxiously waiting for book 8.

Reaper's Gale starts off right where Bonehunters left off and picks up some of Midnight Tides loose threads. The Malazan 14th Army under Adjunct Tavore and featuring the remaining Bonehunters is heading to the continient of Lether to deal with another empire. Also heading to Lether are two champions recruited to face the Emperor of a Thousand Deaths in combat: Karsa Orlong and Icarium. Meanwhile, Trull, Onrack, and Quick Ben are recuperating in the realm of Shadow, but they won't be able to remain inactive for long. Picking up from Midnight Tides Tehol and Bugg continue their conspirtacy to undermine the Empire and Fear, Slichas Ruin, Udinaas, Kettle, and Seren Pedac continue their quest, as fugitives, to find the sould Scabandari Bloodeye. All the storylines really begin to come together and this makes for a great read.

That being said, Erikson does add a few new storylines that are tangential at best. We read from the POV of many new Letheri characters, most of whom are part of sinister organizations - and are not very compeling. There is also a storyline featuring a war between the Letheri and a neighboring tribe that seems to bear no relevance to the overall story. Some characters feature briefly and then fade away quickly or seem to be thrown in; Featherwitch and the Errant come to mind.

So while the story does sag with the weight of these additional storylines this is still a great read for all fans of everything Malaz. It has definitely whetted by appetite for Book 8 A Toll of Hounds.

Another great addition to the "Malazan Book of the Fallen" series.

Erikson's latest book (the 7th in the series) is set in the locale of Lether; an area that has been conquered by the Tiste Edur but is stilled "governed" by the Letheriis (with some non-too subtle direction from the Edur). Some internal strife is beginning to show and the backstabbing and double dealing has begun. As with previous books in the series, there are several side tales that add to the overall enjoyment of this latest installment.

The book is rife with the Erikson's usual host of intriguing characters; some kinky, some downright perverted and some with unusual talents and skills. Needless to say these various personalities can make for interesting exchanges at times...with sometimes unexpected results.

As well as the usual cast of our favorite Malazan army regulars (although not introduced until about halfway through), this novel reacquaints us with two old friends from "Midnite Tides"; that being Tehol and Bugg. These were two of my favorite "benign" characters from that novel and they've returned with their usual weird (but often funny), devious schemings.

In addition, at the front of the book there is a good map and a list of characters (with brief descriptions) that you'll meet in this novel.

What makes this (and others in the series) so good?...it's Erikson's extraordinary skill with prose; that ability to seemingly transport you to the scene of the action using the vehicle of the written word on paper...amazing. I've been a devoted Erikson fan ever since the first book ("Gardens of the Moon") and feel his works easily rank beside the upper echelon of writers of the fantasy genre.

My only minor complaint of this work would be that I found one side story a little hard to follow at times...but this doesn't take away anything from the overall quality of this excellent novel.

900 pages long and these seemed to just fly by; I can hardly wait for the next installment. 5 Stars... more if I could.

R. Nicholson

"Reaper's Gale" is the seventh of ten novels in the main Malazan Book of the Fallen sequence written by Steven Erikson. The novel acts as a direct sequel to both "Midnight Tides" and "The Bonehunters", as it combines characters from both novels together to push the plot forward in a frenzy that has not been seen in any other of the previous installments. Rhulad Sengar and the Tiste Edur now rule the Empire of Lether, but the Letherii have found their own niche to carve out their own power. As Rhulad continues to go through constant phases of insanity and madness, Chancellor Triban Gnol rises to run everything in truth. Off to the east the Awl tribes have massed together and pose a threat, led by the infamous Redmask. Meanwhile, champions continue to find their way to Lether to challenge Rhulad in combat. Only this time, Karsa Orlong and Icaarium Lifestealer have shown themselves. And quickly approaching are the Malazans, headed by Adjunct Tavore with plans that nobody else knows of.

A lot more plots and subplots emerge in "Reaper's Gale", even more than in "The Bonehunters" but that doesn't stop Erikson from losing control of the story. It has been very clear from the start that he knew exactly where each novel was headed and he doesn't leave any room for plots that don't matter. He moves the story along further than any other novel I have ever read. I'm not sure there's any other author out there who could have accomplished this much in just 830 pages. However, this is also his biggest weakness. There is so much to cover that it leads to shallow characterization and world-building. More than anything, it is the former that bothers me the most. Yes, every character has their strengths and weaknesses that is supposed to make them three-dimensional, but there really is not much time devoted to actually exploring the characters. There are a few moments that I wish Erikson would have slowed down and spent more time on character moments. It takes a year for the Malazans to arrive at Lether, and the catch-up the reader is afforded is about ten pages. With the stirring conflict that was brewing on those ships, 100 pages easily could have been devoted, with all of it being interesting.

Ironically enough, I found the first half of the novel extremely difficult to read through. I have not had so much trouble with that since "Deadhouse Gates". I understood everything that was happening, but I just couldn't bring myself to care all that much. New antagonists that are brought into this story were just not all that interesting. When the Malazans finally arrive, though, is when the story really takes off and finds new life. It pushes strong to the ending pages, with three separate climaxes taking place in wonderfully staggered format, and the death count really rises up. No less than 30 of the characters listed in the Dramatis Personae are killed off, many of whom are very important. Many other characters seem to find their way to a natural conclusion to their personal story arc. They might return in the sequels, but I was given the feeling that Erikson is preparing for the final conflict ahead and cutting ties to many characters.

I think Erikson just simply stumbles a number of times. He pushes forward when he should take a breath, and he takes a breath when he should push forward. There are a couple of plotlines that are given no conclusion (at least on stage), and it seems a disservice to them. It is easy to assume their various fates, but a couple pages at the end wouldn't have hurt. On subplot in particular is accorded about two paragraphs after a (relatively small) build-up, which just simply struck me as strange. Erikson also doesn't explain some events very well (especially regarding Icarium), but I've learned to just let it go and not think too much on it. I imagine many other readers who have made it this far have learned to do the same. Additionally, there is a lot of philosophic discussions -- more than normal. This is the first time it has really annoyed me.

My advice to readers who have made it this far is to keep going. There isn't really anything unexpected. It is typical Erikson, the good and the bad. He doesn't particularly improve on any certain elements of his writing, but he hasn't regressed all that much either. Push through the first half and you will be rewarded. The ending is sufficiently pleasing that I'm curious as to what will happen in the next installment, "Toll the Hounds", tough I might need to take some time off to recover. Don't stop now -- the end is in sight and it really is an enjoyable story, just not quite as good as his best.

3/5

Malazan Book of the Fallen Book Ratings (from best to worst):

The Bonehunters -- 4/5
Midnight Tides -- 4/5
Memories of Ice -- 4/5
House of Chains -- 3.5/5
Reaper's Gale -- 3/5
Deadhouse Gates -- 2/5
Gardens of the Moon -- 1/5

Seventh Tale of the Malazan Book of the Fallen, REAPER'S GALE is only for readers already entrenched in the saga. I find the series awesome, but this particular volume is a bit tedious and occasionally confusing because of the numerous changes in viewpoints, and because it does represent the middle of the story where all authors tend to bog down. Fans do need to read it, though, in preparation for promised volumes 8-10. But even with this bogging middle, Steven Erikson still remains one of my favorite authors because of his diverse skill with words, the incredible density of his story-telling, and because of his talent for taking reader emotions through an entire spectrum in just one page.

So, what is REAPER'S GALE about? We're back in Letheras (which I finally understand now to be in the same time as the Malazan Empire, just on the other side of the world). Irate Malazans--peeved for the Edur attack on their fleet, and with nowhere else to go--follow the Edur back to Letheras with the intention of repaying the favor. As Malazans attack Letheras, the people of that empire have problems of their own. Numerous subplots follow:
1. Letherii Acquitor Seren Pedac, Fear Sengar, runaway slave Udinaas, and Tiste Andii ascendant Silchas Ruin as they search for the soul of Scabandari Bloodeye;
2. Destitute resident Tehol Beddict and his elder god friend continue their plot to financially ruin Letheras;
3. Many other Letherii are engaged in sedition against their Edur masters;
4. While other Letherii and some Edur are working together on their frontier border with a violent expansion project;
5. And the Edur emperor Rhulad is oblivious to all but challengers to his throne because of isolating sedition;
6. ...can anyone kill Rhulad so he'll stay dead?...
7. And of course, we continue to follow Trull Sengar, his Imass friend Onrack, and their new companion Ben Adaephon Delat as they seek something not even the ascendant sending them will describe;
8. While Jaghut ice begins to melt (there's something horrifying in there...);
9. And treachery between the gods, ascendants, and their chosen wizards/mages/etc as magic finds new, clashing pathways;
10. and the usual mix of ghosts, undead, and bloody battles with
many other subplots not even mentioned'
The ending--both hilarious and heartbreaking--makes this read worthwhile, and I am already missing my daily dose of Erikson [alas--(in-joke grin)], for no other author can compare. ~kc

And that's just to get to the end of the story!

Reaper's Gale concentrates on bringing many scattered elements of the previous books towards another huge convergence. The story loosely centers around the battle between the Tiste Edur and the Letherii, the former lead by a most perilous character. It also draws in more of the Elder gods, ascendants, Karsa Orlong, T'lan Imass, and, of course, some of the Bridgeburners!

Like nearly all of his previous installments, the final 20% of the book is an absolute whirlwind, and you can't put the book down.

The humorous banter between Tehol and Bugg continues throughout the book, and the deviously funny mind of Erikson really shines.

4.5 stars rounded down; not the best in the series, but far from the worst.

If I could sum it all up in two words, it would have to be "hot damn!"

As Malazan fans, we all know how Steven Erikson enjoys using misdirection to fool us. Every single thread of this convoluted, multilayered plot seems to be twisted upon itself, and nowhere is it more apparent then in this novel. One piece of advice: Expect the unexpected. You think you know where the tale is headed? The author will rapidly disabuse you of that notion! There are more surprises in Reaper's Gale than in the rest of the series, it seems. On several occasions, I found myself closing the book, shaking my head, unable to believe that this had just happened.

Although titanic in size (910 pages), the pace throughout Reaper's Gale keeps you turning those pages, eager to discover more and more. There is no sluggish plotline akin to the Mhybe in Memories of Ice, making this one a veritable page-turner. Still, a few storylines at the very end were, at least in my opinion, a little rushed. It doesn't take anything away from the tale, mind you, yet I would have liked for Erikson to maintain the same rhythm from start to finish, as the pace in this one was more or less perfect. After all, when a book weighs in at over 900 pages, what's 10 or 20 extra pages thrown into the mix!?!

The worldbuilding is, once more, grandiose. No other fantasy series, past or present, can match The Malazan Book of the Fallen in vision, ambition and scope. Steven Erikson seems to delight in making us squirm, offering us tantalizing glimpses that make us beg for more. In a series that already resounds with more depth than anything ever written in the genre, the author still raises the bar even higher.

Most storylines grab hold of you and won't let go. In addition, I felt that many scenes bring a new emotional level that had yet to be seen in the series.

Much like The Bonehunters, this novel contains its share of cliffhangers. With so many different threads interwoven together, I don't believe that it's humanly possible for Erikson to write self-contained installments anymore, not with the action occurring on various continents and realms of existence. Having said that, even though the ending doesn't offer resolution of every single plotline, Reaper's Gale is brought to a satisfying conclusion. Unlike The Bonehunters, which ended with a series of cliffhangers, this one does provide readers with closure.

The characterizations play a major role in this one. Erikson has the damnable ability to introduce us to characters on which very little is known and who somehow become fan favorites. Redmask and Silchas Ruin are two such characters. As for the rest of this immense cast, I must admit that character development made me like Quick Ben, Seren Pedac and Trull Sengar even more. A lot has already been said about the bodycount. As the title implies (Hood is the Reaper of Souls), no on is safe in this novel. There are a lot of casualties in Reaper's Gale, especially toward the end, when several important characters die. I think even George R. R. Martin would be impressed by the number of deaths! Now, everyone is dying (no pun intended) to discover who will live and who will die. Please don't ask me, for I won't say. I'll tell you that one death in particular is as important -- at least to me -- as the one that shocked readers in Memories of Ice. For the rest, you'll have to find out for yourself!

Steven Erikson's broadness of vision fills me with awe. Reaper's Gale is one of the best Malazan volumes, second only to Memories of Ice and Deadhouse Gates. It is definitely one of the fantasy books to read this year. If you only have money to buy a single book this spring, this is the one to purchase!

Call me crazy, but for my money The Malazan Book of the Fallen is the best fantasy series around! I know it's early yet, but unless Jordan and/or Martin release something before the end of 2007, Reaper's Gale could well be the fantasy book of the year.

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Once again this story is set in the Empire of Lether, which on first notice I wasn't too thrilled about as I found the previous book a little dry. But how wrong I was, the previous book was just a set-up to Reaper's Gale and this book is where everything on Lether gets really interesting. This book was so action packed and thrilling to read I would rank it as one of Erikson's best in this series so far. The third book and this one have been my favorites in the series.

The Tiste Edur has conquered Lether and now rules the empire, or so they think. Rhulad the emperor with his cursed sword is doomed to paranoia thinking everyone is out to get his empire, and the Letherii Triban Gnol, the chancellor, is there to feed his every fear and run the empire behind his back with the Patriotists; a group of Letherii who are rulling and undermining the Tiste Edur. This group of thugs is now the police and is run by another paranoid type: Rautos Havanar.

As usual there seems to be about 20 different plots and 100 characters to keep up with, and they are all exciting. One plot follows Quick Ben, Onrack the Broken and Rhulad's brother Trull Sengar as they venture toward an unknown location on a different plane, pushed there by Cotillion. Another of Rhulad's brothers: Fear Sengar seeks out the Tiste Edur god along with Silchas Ruin a Tiste Andii (mortal anemies the Edur and Andii), Clip a mortal sword of the Tiste Andii and a couple of humans and Kettle the little demon girl found in the cemetery in the last book. Another plaotline follows the Awl who are fighting against genocide of their people against the Letherii, and their war leader is Redmask, a former exile now come back as a mortal sword of the Che'Malle. And my favorite characters from the previous book: Tehol Beddict and his manservant Bugg are still up to their scheming within Letharas. And a surprise, the Malazans have landed in the Empire of Lether led by the adjunct Tavore Paran. We read about 75% of the characters created by Erikson so far in this book as they've all come to this continent for some reason or another, to me this book seems to address more of Erikson's creations than any other so far.

These are the plotlines that run through this massive book and I can't give more without giving anything away. But let's just say things are getting more powerful in the series, powerful beings are dying, and main characters are being killed off. The stakes are being raised in this book, and it's a good thing. I was having a few doubts (really small ones) after the last book but Erikson erased them easily by one of his best books so far in this series. A highly recommended read!

It's Book 7 of the series. If you're thinking about jumping into the Malazan series, run (don't walk) to the store, and start with Book One (Gardens of the Moon). Read it twice. Then read it again after getting through Bonehunters, because you'll be amazed at the level of detail and foreshadowing that exists.

If you've read the prior books in the series, do you really need a review to influence your decision to purchase ? Steven Erikson is some kind of freak. His ability to churn out absolute mammoth books, filled with unbelievable complexity, imagery and stunningly intriguing characters is unparalelled in modern fantasy, and Reaper's Gale is superior, even for him. While I loved Midnight Tides (especially Tehol Beddict), this volume is great, as it involves the further adventures of all your favorites ... and you begin to see the really big picture that ties everything together.

As far as I'm concerned, the only fantasy authors fit to even exist in the same discussion with him are Tolkien and George RR Martin. And as much as I like George, Erikson's ability to churn out 900 page masterpieces EVERY YEAR just gives him the edge. Erikson once again has treated us to a full unvailing of the Warren of Brilliance. In fact, it's frustrating for me that the store only allows me to give a 5 star review, because if some sad people out there think Terry Goodkind's pablum deserves 5 stars, then Reaper's Gale needs to at least be given 14,000 stars.

If you are a fan of the Malazan Book of the Fallen, it is likely that anything that I say will fly right out of your brain. That being said, I thought Reaper's Gale was a fine addition to, bar none, the best fantasy series out there. I did like the way Erikson tied the Lether and Malazan empires together and brought the storylines from Midnight Tides and The Bonehunters together.

Here's some of the things I didn't like. The Icarium storyline. I just still cannot see where this is going (though he is one of my favorite characters). The inserting of the White Face Barghast seemed very forced. How did Tool become warleader? Why are they in Lether? The Gray Swords. Huh? Where did they come from?

Here's some of the good: The coninuation of the Bonehunters. They actually get to see significant action. Tehol Beddict. Is there a cooler character than Tehol? And the bantering? Inspired. Karsa Orslong's continuing development. Who can't help but love such an arrogant, and rightfully so, character.

The death of a some very important characters left me stunned, but that is to be expected. All in all, a worthy addition to Erikson's masterpiece.

DISCLAIMER: This is the only Erikson book I have read. Therefore, perhaps I am not a fair judge I haven't read the previous books in this series. Nevertheless, one should be able to pick up in the middle of a series and get more out of a book than I did.

PROS:
- High word/$ ratio.
- Prose flows fairly swiftly, although awkward at times.

CONS:
- Too many characters (50+) - hard to follow
- Too many parallel stories
- No main protagonist/hero
- Endless filler and unnecessary detail

It's said that good writing involves sharing what the main events, skipping the boring stuff. For example, you don't need to know when the hero goes to the bathroom. Not surprisingly, Erikson, at one point in this novel, shares about a MINOR character desire to go to the toilet and having to take off his armor to do it. Must of the novel consists of random side stories that don't really move the story forward.

CONCLUSION: It's said (for garage sales) that one person's junk is another one's treasure. For me, the myriad of details in this book were often useless junk. For others, it might be a fascinating way of fleshing out the world or the characters. I prefer tighter storytelling. At 1,200 pages, this is not tight. With no obvious hero, there is no focus. If you like a fantasy that is written like a soap opera, then you will like this. It is epic in length, but not in quality.

This was one of the books that I picked up in a bargain bin for $3.00, it wasn't until I got home and opened it up to the title page that I realized that it was the seventh book in the series. Having read none of the previous six books, I was hesitant to attempt reading it but how else would I know if this was a series that I would be interested in?

It took me more than three weeks to read this book, that's incredibly slow for me. The volume contains a small glossary and a fair sized "Dramastis Personae" the latter lists all of the main characters and there are quite a few. What seemed to be missing was a list of the different races of the world this adventure takes place in. I was often confused by the many names, ranks and titles that each character had. Atri-Preda, Letherii, Invigilator, Tiste,Tiste Andii, Tist Edur are a few of the titles and races, many of them have no explanation in the book and you have to guess at what they mean. I found myself constantly flipping from the story to the glossary to the Dramastis Personae in an attempt to keep up with who is who and what is what. I can't recommend jumping into the middle of this series as it is far too expansive to completely grasp. I am, without any hesitation, going to purchase the first volume so that I can begin this series at the beginning.

The world that Steven Erikson has created is as massive as the mans vocabulary and unlike many books where the reader follows along as a single character moves through the tale, Reaper's Gale is filled with a living population. While some characters remain throughout the entire story, many do not survive, some of my favorites died horrible deaths. Having so many individual characters made this a hard book to keep up with but it also took me to an extreme that I have found in no other series. I liked the way that I saw the world, not as an individual but as a god, from a gods point of view. I saw the world as if I were everywhere at once and I have never read a book that accomplished that so well as Reaper's Gale.

I know that this isn't really a review but I wanted to let people know what to expect if they attempt to jump into the middle of this series and that is, a very slow read with much studying and speculation but a volume well worth the effort.

With every book Erikson writes I become more and more impressed. In the beginning I thought it was good writing, interesting story and world, but wasn't too sure. Book 1 was pretty good, book 2 fell a little short, but book 3 picked up and from then on each successive book got that much better, which brings us to the most recent book, by far the best so far.

Erikson writes epic fantasy on a level all his own. The world is massive and engaging. It is at once believable and yet otherworldly, creating a fusion of worlds that leaves your jaw hanging. I am amazed at how well he writes the characters and holds such a complex and huge story together, with each book at least 800 pages.

In Reaper's Gale we finally see the two worlds, the Malazan and the Letherii, finally begin to converge. We get to see the Bonehunters as well as the Tiste Edur. But it wouldn't be Erikson if some new aspect were not introduced to add such color and flavor to an already mind numbingly full bodied book. We see the Awl, the Benetract, an Ascendent previously undisclosed and a bunch of Elder gods.

I could go on and on but I wouldn't do the book or Erikson justice. His writing is amazing. His world is amazing. Everything is amazing about this series. I think he is by far my favorite fantasy author out there right now, and is one of the few authors who can write more than a three book series and make every single one of them an amazingly complex book that is also a page turner. Bravo Erikson.

If I could give this a 10 out of 5, I wouldn't hesitate. And the upside? Book 8 is coming out in a few months so we don't have long to wait to indulge ourselves once again.

5 stars.

The brutal Tiste Edur tribe of the north rules the Letherii Empire that they only recently conquered, but their control is weak and shaky as most people oppose them and Chancellor Gnol still runs the government. The Emperor of a Thousand Deaths Rhulad Senger symbolizes all that is wrong with the monarchy as everyone believes he is insane even his own people yet he sits on the throne. As the Edur purists fear Letherii economic assimilation, opposition from within grows as each time Rhulad dies, he returns to life less lucid and coherent.

That inside threat is still jelling but the external assaults are greater to the stability of the tottering empire. Redmask leads the belligerent Awl'dan tribes of the east against the Letherii and the powerful rival Malazan Empire sees an opportunity has sent its armada to take the capital by sea. Others also seek to usurp the Edur.

REAPER'S GALE, tale seven of the Malazan Book of the Fallen, is an extremely complex fantasy and fans of the series will marvel at the epic scope; newcomers need to start at the beginning (see GARDENS OF THE MOON). The myriad of subplots are much more convoluted and complicated than the simplicity described above, but for the most part the often vividly brutal events tie to the beleaguered Edur and its rule over the Letherii Empire. The threads left dangling forebode quite a future in this saga as Steven Erickson provides his strongest entry in a deep series in quite awhile.

Harriet Klausner

After enduring endless soliloquy, philosophizing and introspective character self analysis, the end of this book is just plain bad. I can't remember being more disappointed by the ending of a book. This installment of the series should have been about 600 pages, not over a thousand! There are some compelling moments in the book, but over all I found myself thinking that the characters were just, well, shallow. Many were on the verge of something, but I guess we just have to read another 3,000 pages to find out what that is (as if the 7,000 plus already invested counts for nothing).

Every body has a secret in this series, more so in this book. It gets really annoying after a while. And frankly, trying to keep track of all the "Elder Gods" and their progeny is an exercise in insanity. It's hard to believe that after ten books in this series there isn't some better fleshing out of the ancient history constantly being referred to.

I gave it three stars just because I actually finished the book. I think I might just buy book ten, used; I won't spend another ten dollars, or thirty for that matter, on this series.

Reaper's Gale (2007) is the seventh fantasy novel in the Malazan Book of the Fallen series, following The Bonehunters. This novel is also a direct sequel to Midnight Tides, the fifth novel in the series.

In the previous volume, Travore Paran -- Adjunct of the Empress -- returned to Malaz Island with the Fourteenth Army and the Perish. A crowd was waiting by the jetties for the Bonehunters to debark. They had been enflamed against the Wickans and the Khundryl by lies spread by subverted Claws.

The Adjunct reported to Empress Lassan in Mock's Hold and then turned back toward the harbor. Claws attacked them all the way down the hill into the city, but Shadowthrone sent Apsalar to assist the Adjunct, T'Amber, and Kalam. Hundreds of the Imperial assassins died. After sending the Wickans to their own lands, the Fourteenth Army and their allies left Malaz harbor to never return.

In this novel, Silchas Ruin is a Tiste Andii Ascendant who can become a dragon. He had been stabbed in the back by his brother Scabandari long ago. Now Silchas leads a party of survivors to find the Finnest that holds the soul of Scabandari Bloodeye.

Seren Pedac is a Letherii Acquitor who carries a Tiste Edur sword. Trull Sengar had given it to her as a proposal of marriage, but she refuses to believe in the ritual. Seren had led Silchas and the others out of Letheras the City.

Fear Sengar is the eldest brother in the Sengar line. He is fleeing his brother Rhulad, who has been driven mad by the sword. Fear does believe that Seren is the betrothed of his brother Trull, even though they also believe Trull to be dead.

Udinaas is likewise fleeing the Emperor. Yet he is fleeing others as well, including Featherwitch and the Ascendant Menandore. He argues often with Fear, one of his former masters. Naturally, Fear is rather derogatory toward Udinaas.

Kettle is a youngster who has lived on the grounds of the Azath tower for many years. She came to the group with Silchas, but has since become a friend of Seren. Kettle no longer kills unsavory types to feed the Azath spirit.

Wither is a shadow wraith. The ghost of a Tiste Andii. He was the first to welcome Silchas back from the grave.

In this story, the Letherii are busily appropriating the powers of the Emperor. Triban Gnol encourages Rhulad to let him handle the everyday tasks that are too sordid for Imperial handling. At the same time, the Patriots are finding subversives everywhere and tossing them into prison, where they are tortured until finally confessing their wrongs.

The Liberty Consign of very rich men is becoming even richer. The middle class and the poor are becoming poorer. More and more of the population have become officially Indebted or dead.

Tehol and Bugg are busily setting up the collapse of the economy. Bugg Construction is building more and getting more loans. Coins are vanishing from circulation. Everybody else is becoming more nervous.

Meanwhile, the Awl'dan tribes have acquired a legendary leader and are fighting back against the Letheran intrusion. Redmask forces all the remaining tribes to fight under his command against the Letherii. The Awl successes make them more confident.

Then the Malazan Fourteenth Army reaches Lether. The Adjunct has told her troops that they have come to pay the Tiste Edur back for the depredations committed on Malazan territory. The troops are a bit skeptical about that explanation, but follow her orders anyway.

The Marines land on the western shore of Lether. The Adjuncts believes the Letherii to be ready to rebel against the Tiste Edur, but that happens not to be the case. The Marines soon learn the truth and vary their techniques. They are advancing rapidly toward Letheras the City, killing or driving the Tiste Edur and Letherii armies before them.

This tale is really the conclusion of Midnight Tides. Still, the Malazan would not have been in Lether without the happenings in The Bonehunters. Most of the dangling threads are nicely wrapped up in this story.

Nonetheless, the Malazans are still on the continent. More must be coming. But probably not in the next volume.

The story has more than the normal combat. The Fourteenth Army is flinging cussers and crossbow bolts at the natives. The Letherii Army is invading the Awl'dan plains. The Eastern Alliance is invading Lether. The Tiste Edur are becoming disenchanted over the whole thing. Enjoy!

Highly recommended for Erikson fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of armed conflict, exotic magic, and revolution of the masses.

-Arthur W. Jordin

"Reaper's Gale" returns with many of the characters from "Midnight Tides" in "The Malazan Book of the Fallen". A couple more characters are introduced however a thinning of the herd helps keep the vast cast from further spiraling out of control. I enjoy the glimpses into a fringe characters, where a main character interacts directly or indirectly with them and how it briefly affects the lives. However the declining editing unnecessarily joins words, features the rarely misused word, and grossly overuses "burgeon".

The primary character additions are Redmask, an Awl'dan warrior having issues with the Tiste Edur conquered Letherii and Clip, an annoying Tiste Andii. Silchas Ruin, brother of Anomander Rake and once trapped by an Azath House in the earlier novel, appears forced in his behavior as if trying to find a reason to have him in the storyline. Then Beak with a vague yet disturbing background has a clever outlook on magic.

The maps are mediocre and the hopeless appendix provides names with little or no information, for example "Bugg, Tehol's manservant" or "Shurq Elalle, an itinerant pirate". Perhaps stating something like "Shurq Elalle, undead due to a curse by an unknown party and currently an itinerant pirate" would be more acceptable. Given the abundant quantity of characters, an improved comprehensive appendix is necessary including racial characteristics, relating magical powers, and describing creatures.

Thank you.

This review is being written with attention to not including spoilers. The book is available from the store.co.uk and the store.ca now.

Erikson mostly returns to the letherii continent for this 900-page short book, and carries on the story following the aftermath of the Tiste Edur conquest of Letherii, the Sengar brothers, the eventual arrival of Karsa and Icarium for their fights with Rhulud, as well as bringing elements from The Bonehunters into the story and following events after the end of that novel. Some major plot threads are explored or expanded, others resolved, others left more nebulous than before. He certainly moves his story forward, avoiding the trap so many long-series fantasy authors seem to fall into.

At times Erikson is jumping between literally a dozen perspectives in 5 or more distinct geographic locations, and between pages 500-700 this does begin to get old, but in all this story moves nicely and you are left wishing there was another book in sight to continue...

It's a great story, and well worth the extra shipping expense of ordering now rather than waiting for US publication.

Another great addition to the "Malazan Book of the Fallen" series.

Erikson's latest book (the 7th in the series) is set in the locale of Lether; an area that has been conquered by the Tiste Edur but is stilled "governed" by the Letheriis (with some non-too subtle direction from the Edur). Some internal strife is beginning to show and the backstabbing and double dealing has begun. As with previous books in the series, there are several side tales that add to the overall enjoyment of this latest installment.

The book is rife with the Erikson's usual host of intriguing characters; some kinky, some downright perverted and some with unusual talents and skills. Needless to say these various personalities can make for interesting exchanges at times...with sometimes unexpected results.

As well as the usual cast of our favorite Malazan army regulars (although not introduced until about halfway through), this novel reacquaints us with two old friends from "Midnite Tides"; that being Tehol and Bugg. These were two of my favorite "benign" characters from that novel and they've returned with their usual weird (but often funny), devious schemings.

In addition, at the front of the book there is a good map and a list of characters (with brief descriptions) that you'll meet in this novel.

What makes this (and others in the series) so good?...it's Erikson's extraordinary skill with prose; that ability to seemingly transport you to the scene of the action using the vehicle of the written word on paper...amazing. I've been a devoted Erikson fan ever since the first book ("Gardens of the Moon") and feel his works easily rank beside the upper echelon of writers of the fantasy genre.

My only minor complaint of this work would be that I found one particular side story a little hard to follow at times...but this doesn't take away anything from the overall quality of this excellent novel.

900 pages long and these seemed to just fly by; I can hardly wait for the next installment. 5 Stars... more if I could.

R. Nicholson

The main storylines of this book following the situation in Letheras between the Edur and Letherii as well as the guerilla war waged by the Bonehunters when they hit the continent at about the halfway point are excellent.

That being said, is there anyone that can justify the Twilight/Shake storyline or the Redmask/Awl war as being anything more than fat to satisfy Tor's need to publish obscenely long fantasy novels?

The fifth major storyline, involving Silcas Ruin, Seren, Udinaas et al seems a bit more necessary as we push closer to the truth of what these ascendants did to the dragons way back when, but did anyone actually find any of these characters likable?

And for god's sake, can we stop inventing storylines where a character such as Quick Ben may be needed for something near the end of the book, so we are forced to spend 800 pages watching them wander a featureless, barren realm until the story needs them? This happens far too often in Erikson's books as he cannot let go of certain characters, and I am convinced that the vagueness surrounding the idea of 'ascendancy' is deliberate so that he can bring dead characters back at will.

Any chance that Toll the Hounds can focus on the main story without having to invent 300 or 400 pages of filler? Imagine, a Malazan book that wraps up in about 500 or 600 pages.

This series of books is one of the most complicated and intricate pieces of epic fantasy that I have ever read. In spite of the complexity of relationships between the dozens of characters it has become one of my favorite series.
The "Reapers Gale" installment along with other characters sees the return of two of my favorite players, Tehol and Bugg, along with their cadre of deceptively simple associates. They are Erikson's best outlet of his often seen great sense of humor.
If, like me, you needed a good story to fill the time during the interminably long wait for the eventual release of the next GRR Martin "Song of Ice and Fire" book or Sanderson's next "Stormfall Archive" this will fit the bill.

I love this book. Epic journeys. Betrayal. Magic. Gods. Ascendants. Good heroes with flaws. And Mr. Erikson weaves it all together with humor and with power. I envy you, if you have not yet read this book for you have hours of pleasure ahead of you. Mr. Erikson is not stingy with words but I've never yet finished one of his wordy epics without wishing it was just a bit longer. Enjoy.

Another fantastic installment in Erikson's epic series. My personal favorite of the series is Memories of Ice, but Reaper's Gale comes very close to taking that spot. So many plot lines through the previous books start to come together here. Erikson's mastery of the military angle of his fantasy is highlighted in Reaper's Gale. The descriptions of the Malazan Marines invasion of and progress through Lether is some of the best military fantasy writing I have seen.

Despite its length (1260 pages for mmpb edition), this book flies by. You will not be disappointed.

Once again Erikson has delivered.
Most authors that take on such an expansive series tend to suck after the 4th or 5th book (ex: Robert Jordan, Terry Goodkind, etc.) because they try to extend the series too long or lose sight of their original goal.
Erikson on the other hand has defined this series as only being ten books. He has thought out each book in advance and how all the main and side characters interact leaving a breathtaking glimpse into the world he has created. If you decided to go back and chronical all interactions and time frames I am sure they would match up perfectly. A VERY well thought out series and some incredible writing.

Steve Erikson is a gifted writer. I have been impressed as I've read up to this point in the series at how he has somehow made such a chaotic mash of plots, characters, philosophical diatribes and oddball concepts mesh. Although to this point the series has been exceptionally readable and often enjoyable, it has proven an increasing challenge to stay interested and with this book my interest has regrettably expired.

The world Erikson creates, while compelling, is often very sloppily constructed. Characters are thrown in haphazardly and dispatched often contemptuously. Plot-lines tangle and twist seemingly beyond even the author's ability to control. Erikson's obsession with preachy political and social sermonizing reach a fevered pitch in Reaper's Gale, striking an insulting foreground to the heartless brutality and glory in violence evident throughout the novel. While Erikson does successfully move ahead with his hugely epic tale, the humanity of his early novels and characters has been largely replaced with a host of murderous, amoral thugs. The moments of comedy so successfully employed previous has slipped in the wake of butchery and sociopathic horror. This is a very twisted, scattered and brutish tale and the messy rush towards conclusion left me not only dissatisfied with Reaper's Gale, but I find myself no longer curious where Erikson is taking this story.

I enjoy epic fantasy, but I have felt some sense of structure and direction is the crucial distinction between good and great within the genre. I begin to understand why great writers like George R.R. Martin and the like tend to take so much time to complete their works versus the impressively rapid pace of Erikson. Erikson is a masterful writer, but the cohesion just isn't there. His world feel large beyond even his grasp. Some may enjoy that aspect of him, and for most of the series so did I, but the chaotic taint has grown too much for my palette, though I am thankful to Erikson for his fine work overall.

The sheer volume of new characters had me speed reading through entire chapters of this...this ridiculous double jointed hinge in the middle of what is turning out to be a really top heavy series!
I have become increasingly disenchanted with the endless succession of poems and prose at the beginning of EVERY chapter, none of which I have bothered with since Book 3, and oddly enough, I don't seem to be missing the plot!!

This book was the most difficult to slog through of the series , and I seriously contemplated quitting the series over 6 times.
I am conducting a comparative analysis of this type of bottomless series -Sword of Truth, Wheel of Time - already completed, and admittedly these series made me fear for my sanity at times but never well before Book10!!!!!

I wish this series were better edited , because the characterization is really good, when it doesn't introduce you to well over 300 different faces, moods, attitudes, proclivities, penchants etc etc per book

I hope I am still sane by the end, if not I shall return to comment with the words of yet another epic: "Lasciate ogne speranza, voi ch'intrate" (Abandon all hope, ye who enter here).

This book was the first of the Malazan saga that I found myself skimming. Previous books in this series compelled more interest and a thorough reading as introductions of new fascinating arenas/characters overcame shotgun character development.

Erikson's gift in crafting a believable messy universe is undeniable. Unfortunately, a loosely common yarn he threads to present this vast realm to the readers includes too many protagonists and excessive focus on peripheral players with cryptic powers whose actions often remain perplexing before and after (even volumes later) the deeds. His style of intermixing short snippets of events from many different characters within a page or two further discourages readers' involvement.

By sacrificing character development in the previous volumes, the conclusions reached with more or less the same characters in Reaper's Gale seem impersonal and uninvolving. Often, I had to remind myself that I am reading a fantasy novel not a history book. Maybe if Erikson took Tolkien's apprach to Arda... or introduced a Thomas Covenant or two!!!

Can't say enough about Erikson and the Malazan Book of the Fallen. However, this trade paperback of Reaper's Gale had a packet missing in it. 32 pages were repeated after page 544, so I missed 32 pages of action. Very annoying. I don't know if it was just my copy or all of them, but I was pretty upset about this. TOR really should proof their ashcans before sending them to press, or at least pull the bad copies before shipping them to market.

The 7th book in the series is a well told tale in the saga. Its not the best of the series (Memories of Ice, Bonehunters, Gardens of the Moon) but it is welldone nonetheless. The last 250 pages just race by and you will not want to put down to stop. The first 2/3 of the book is hard to put down as well. Throughout, there are tragedies and triumphs, grief and humor.

Its a truly complex book and ultimately rewarding, as well.

This book, and in fact this whole series, is absolutely fantastic. I have literally read hundreds of fantasy books, and while I have many that are fantastic and are favourites, I can honestly say that this series is the best series of books, from any genre, that I have ever read.

The 7th book is a great installment, continuing on with at least as good as any of the other books. One word of caution though - if you've never read the series, start at the beginning rather then jumping in part-way through. The story is way, way too complex to pick-up otherwise. Buy this book now.

Erikson just starts moving new peoples and plots into this book with only the most pointless of reasons. What the heck do all these armies do for supplies, Magic food?
New group, most of group gets wiped out, few godlike individuals get to play with the big boys.
He does this again and again. Bridgeburners, 7th Army at Chain of the Dogs, the Grey Swords, at least 2 others that would be spoiler etc...
There is always a new army to show up and get wiped out and leave some godlike heroes behind.

It is a very weak book in a series that is hit and miss. Erikson really just loses focus and will not wrap up many of these plot threads by the end of the series.

A shame for a series that started off so strong.

As Erikson continues this series his stories become far more complex than the previous volumes. While not an easy, light fantasy the rewards of paying attention to everything from the poetry at the beginning of each chapter to the nuances of the characters (the many,many characters) makes the effort worthwhile. When first considering reading this series, I read a reveiw of the first book that described this body of work as a tapestry and find that it is an accurate description.

It might be an easier series of plotlines to follow if each chapter was consolidated from the many shorter scenes, but as presented it is a marvelous read. The depth of the characters is phenomemal and the story continues. I have just received my copy of Toll of the Hounds and look forward to as many more of this series as Mr. Erikson cares to write.

Thought provoking, challenging, funny, intelligent, and on top of it all, a great story with truly compelling characters. As a lifelong reader of SciFi and Fantasy, I've set the bar pretty high for new authors, however, Steven Erikson has topped the list.

This is, by far, the best series I've ever read - better than Tolkien, Herbert, Stephen Donaldson, etc.

If you are a fan of George R.R. Martin, or Robert Jordan, you will love this series. If you're on the fence, go for it, it will be a decision you never regret!

Enough for now, have to go start the next book...

I love the whole series, my problem is working out how he holds it all together. This book "goes sideways" in my mind as its complex with many subplots and doesn't conclude very much. Yes its nice to learn more about the rich character set, but one was hoping for some conclusions...I also found towards the end it was getting a bit draggy and lost in its own complexity....

This book is epic.
the beginning was too slow to my taste, but it was still very good. but after the middle things started to go much faster, and the book became the BEST one in the whole series.

I've cried a lot. Erikson is the best in the business.

Another stunning, solid book by Erikson in his malazan book of the fallen series, which is if anything getting better with each book. Although I wont try to describe the myriad of plots in this book I will say that this book is of interest in that we learn a great deal more about rake's brother, silchas ruin.

I would give it a 4.5 if it was an option. This is a very good book, probably ranked third after Book 2 and 3. There are a few new characters that make the book drag out a bit, however the rest of it is great. The interaction between Tehol and Bugg delivers again and they remain my two favorite characters in the series. If you've gotten this far, this book shouldn't disappoint.

I ordered book 6 from the store UK because I couldn't wait the extra month. After 6 books Erikson has not slowed one bit, in fact it has just gotten more and more exciting. I feel epic clashes on the horizon.

This is the best book that I have not yet read. When it is released, I am sure it will be worth 5 stars. Why am I posting a review a year before the book is released ? I figure if hack authors like Terry Goodkind can have his mom and his neighbors posting glowing reviews the day before his latest book is released, then someone needs to do the same for the author of the best fantasy series going.