Book 3) (The Malazan Book Of The Fallen) - (Malazan Book of the Fallen

This book picks up where the second one stopped, but refocuses on characters we haven't seen since the first book. The pasts of both the main characters and several of the races are revealed, and they are not disappointing.

The reason for the low rating, and my main complaint about this book is the editing. Frankly, it is so bad I often have to re-read a paragraph several times to figure out what was being said because it lacks all punctuation, every third word is italicized, and random words are capitalized. I feel like I'm reading Facebook. If I didn't enjoying the story quite so much, I would not have been able to finish this book. Large portions of the book are almost unreadable.

These books aren't for everyone. There's a lot of good. But then there's also a lot of bad. Whenever I read Erikson, I feel like i'm fighting a dragon. His prose is convoluted and his story even more so but not in a great way. It's a tad irritating to have to read 3 commas and 2 dashes in every other sentence. He tries really hard to sound sophisticated in favor of keeping things simple and explaining things. I've all ready gotten past the hard parts like having to remember 20 generic names like Gruntle, Picker, Spindle, Fiddler, etc.

The number of plot holes is astounding. For example, the Moranth Munitions are incredibly powerful. How come none of the Moranth flew some of the munitions to Capustan? Because then there would be no siege to write about. Anomander Rake can literally breathe darkness upon a mob of Tenescrowri and wipe an entire line down the ranks. Why didn't he fly to Capustan in his Soletaken form (bring Caladan Brook with him)? Both of them probably could've wiped out the entire Pannion Domin army by themselves! There are many, many more. I know every story will inevitably have plotholes. But the ones in these books are so blatant it just makes it kind of eyerolling to read.

There's no balance of power at all in the books. It seems Erikson just writes whatever he wants, introduces new powers or limits them according to whim. The Hounds are supposed to be so powerful, yet Fiddler admitted he could slay all of them with a rigged crossbow bolt. I'm not even sure why they have regular infantry. A K'Chain Che'Malle can take down 20 Grey Swords by themselves, yet three Seguleh can kill one easily, but they can be controlled by Lady Envy just as easily. It just makes no sense a lot of the time. One second, an ultimate force arrives, then another one, then another. A girl appears and she becomes all of a sudden the leader of the T'lan Imass, then another is the leader of the whirlwind. No ones powers are really explained and they just seem to be able to do anything when it's necessary. Kalam can pull out a rock and magically warp anywhere along the Imperial Warren. What the heck is the imperial warren and why dont' they do that more often instead of traveling by horse and foot?

Some of the parts are really overly dramatic. Anomander Rake just finishes wiping out a line of Tenescowri. I'm guessing thousands have just died. He then feels the need to use Dragnipur to slay the 6 insane witches for some reason (plot device for Whiskeyjack to intervene?). The commander comes up and kills the 6 insane witches and he feels guilty. The character development feels forced. I felt the exact same way when I read the part about Itkovian and how he 'eased' all the souls burdens.

All of a sudden Paran is the master of the deck and he has to decide whether or not to let the Chained God in. Seriously, what the heck is the deck and why is it so powerful? Who made the deck and how does it work? Who selected Paran? I'm guessing it's because he escaped Dragnipur, but some details would be useful. Perhaps Erikson mentioned what the deck was in 2 sentences in Gardens of the Moon. Forgive me if haven't been taking notes.

Everyone talks the same. Except for perhaps the eccentric characters, like Kruppe. Everyone refers to everyone else by rank whenever they address them. They all say, "Damn Bastard." They all use "... [adjective]" profusely. In fact, he must do that once in every paragraph, no matters who's talking.

Erikson has potential. The world does feel epic. Some of the characters are really very intriguing. But this is a first series, and it shows. I'm not sure if everyone is just impressed superficially by his prose. If someone could explain to me if i'm missing something, that would be great. I will probably continue the series, but I will not be expecting that much. My desire to find out what happens just isn't as great as it was when I read Gardens. The novelty is gone, and you realize that Erikson is just going to continue writing without really making the story grow other than adding new characters, new enemies and changing things according to his whim when he needs a plot device to bridge events.

I read the first two books of the series and it is on this one that I've decided to quit reading the series indefinitely and here is why:

While I love overpowered wizards (which is why a friend recommended these books) this author fails repeatedly to actually describe much of anything beyond, "they used magic." He has a fantastic magic system that is completely underused as we very often don't even know which warren people are using or for that matter what each warren can do. An example of which is Lady Envy who unleashes magic nearly every time she shows up in the books but not once has it been hinted at the flavor of the magic or which warren it draws from.

The author through inability or unwillingness doesn't explain/describe much (occasionally there are descriptions but they are often lacking). The bulk of the book is dialogue in which if the characters don't say what's happening around them, you don't know what's happening around them. It's very reminiscent of a script in which the environment and physical actions are left out with all the dialogue maintained. Even the author's dialogue however is often overly cluttered with grand metaphors about the nature of humanity that even as a 4.0 GPA college graduate I have trouble sorting through at times. It seems as if none of the characters are able to speak without using metaphors.

My final critique of the book is that the author tries to weave a grand interlocking tale. The trouble is that it seems like he contradicts himself and loses track of his own web. An example of this is that during the book Whiskeyjack and Dujek both lament that Laseen is forcibly controlling/holding them hostage through having a knife at their backs. Dujek says, "Are you suggesting we spread our hand on the table for Brood and Korlat? In the hopes they'll do something about our ...predicament?" Later on in the books both have changed their tune and praise Laseen for being empress and proclaiming their loyalty to the empire, all without any event to have led to this change of heart.

With contradictions like these lurking in the books I set out to look at some fan-forums of the books and what I found there was that not even the fans have any idea what goes on in these books. Their boards are filled with little bits of story they remember that are later contradicted or proven false with no idea what actually happened.

In conclusion if you read books with an eye for details and understanding a story I do not under any circumstances recommend these books, quite the opposite. If you plan to read the books quickly skimming over details without trying to remember them all then you'll be fine. The real tragedy is that this story could have been good with a different author.

I liked book one a good deal. By book three however Erikson has thrown us a ridiculous number of new concepts and characters so it's very hard to keep track. The writing and plot are less tight. Characters "growl" a LOT. Major plot points Erikson had set up get overturned frivolously or get lost in a sea of competing grand new ideas. Way too many characters are on the verge of great power. I'm about ready to put down the series. Too bad because book one was quite good.

After reading Gardens of the Moon, I cared enough about the world and characters to continue this series. I skipped the second book because it did not focus on the characters that drew me in, and so it was a bit jarring to see how Erikson had changed his writing style in Memories of Ice. The integration of the characters' thoughts mixed with the narration often felt clumsy and frequently took me out of the story. It started to feel like a chore to read about a third of the way through. There were too many threads and characters that were given importance when he would have been better off developing others. It felt like his grasp on the characters and their motivations got a bit loose in this book. The ways in which conflicts were resolved felt random and somewhat sloppy.

I read the Kindle edition, which was unfortunately littered with typos and missing punctuation marks here and there.

Despite all of that, Erikson is great at building worlds and describing graphic battle scenes. I had hoped to continue reading this series, but after this book, I'm not certain that I will.

Perhaps the best of the Malzan novels so far, it nevertheless follows the same patterns as the previous. The narrative is often nonsensical, the characters brood and brood and brood and brood and brood. Everything is "terrible" everything is "bleak". War is everywhere, and there seems to be no oasis or moment of peace for a single soul. In such a world, where millions of casualties are but a drop in the pond each novel, one finds little reason to care. Yet, Erikson's world is ripe for the plucking -- begging to be populated with good stories and characters. The world itself is filled with lore and wonder. The peoples, lands, and cities are well detailed and prove to be the overwhelming strength of this fantastical world, and worth 4 stars alone as I believe them among the best in fantasy literature, however, the plots are astoundingly overwrought and over the top. It is never enough for the author to describe the vile atrocities that exist in war, he tends to taint his writing by going so out of bounds as to be silly. A reader of mature and sound mind is sure to be put off by the over-grotesque and ridiculous extremities that befall the inhabitants of this world. It is a wonder that anyone is left alive in it. Thirteen thousand children crucified after having their eyes pulled out. An army of a quarter million rampaging cannibalistic religious fanatics! A tower so full of dead bodies, it explodes! Vultures stuffed full of demons! Instead of being subjected to fear and terror, as is the author's clear intent, I find myself laughing out loud at the sheer absurdity. How do they eat all those people without getting diseases and dying themselves? We are to believe that such an army can cross a continent living purely off other people alone, and all of this because of religious devotion? How does a tower get stuffed full of dead bodies ceiling to floor, wall to wall during a course of a battle? How does an army suffer from 90% casualties in a time of medieval weapons? Ridiculous plot points such as these often destroy the suspension of disbelief, which is most important in fantasy. Furthermore, too much time is devoted to side characters who are then eliminated anyway. Two of the three most interesting and well developed characters in this series were discarded to make room for one dimensional characters that aren't that interesting at all. The amazing Tattersail, the single most engaging character in the novels, was eliminated only to be resurrected in this novel as a terrible imitation called Snowfox, a character so dull and irritating, that we are almost glad she is sidelined into obscurity. The love story that drove the first novel, discarded as mere sentimentality and rendered pointless on a whim. After reading 3 and a half of this books (currently halfway through House of Chains) I begin to lose interest. It's a pretty world, but there is nothing in it to grasp onto and hold dear, and that, to my mind, is the real tragedy of Malazan.

This is my third third time trying to read this series and I think ill just give up.the store reviews, other online reviews and even people I know have assured me that the malazan series is a modern classic of the genre .apparently the scale and depth of eriksons world building and magic system make up for any of the books flaws such slow pacing, inaccessible story line and unlikeable dreary characters that talk like something out of a medieval poem. I disagree , I dont care how world weary the bridge burners are, couldnt give a hoot about anomander rakes sword or that other guys hammer and I refuse to read one more word of whining from paran.
These books are filled with good ideas or at least big ones but have no plot or characters str9ng enough to them together.
I give up

I love this story. I am a big fan of Steven Erikson. I'm not sure where this complaint should be addressed but I'm putting it here. Even in modern printing, in scifi/fantasy, there are a couple of misspellings. It happens, made-up names of people and places. I bought the kindle version of this book and it seems that no one checked the book at all after converting to the kindle format. There are misspellings every couple of pages. I've read this book four or five times, so I can figure it out. Someone new to the book must be frustrated, because things don't make sense. This is also a problem with the Kindle edition of Gardens of the Moon, although there were not as many errors. I'm not sure who is responsible for the text translation to kindle format, but it really is a black eye for everyone involved, Tor, the store and Erikson.

I have to agree with other comments about the extraordinarily poor proofreading done on the Kindle edition. You might be willing to let it slide for a $0.99 book, but for ten bucks, the publisher ought have been able to come up with a decent, proof-read edition.

As a result, I'm not going to buy any more of this series on Kindle, nor would I recommend anyone else do so. I'll wait till I can dig them up in a used bookstore for considerably less for a better edited version.

Warning: Current Kindle download is corrupted as of Nov 7, 2015, around 08:25 PM. I have notified support via chat and had my order cancelled and refunded and will try it again in a few days. the store needs to restore/replace the corrupted download file.

This book deserves five stars in my mind, in physical form. Kindle edition on the other hand earned this book the above one star, mis-types and spelling errors run rampant and detract much from the beauty of this story, at some points the paragraphs seem to end part way through, leaving you to wonder what you are missing. I can tollerate the occasional mis-type but come on, it's as if they ran a spell checker and just chose the first available word. Toc the Younger is now Toe the Younger and Morn is now Mom, those two are the most blatant and repetitive, the problem is when the subject is something the reader is less familiar with and has no way of referencing to make sure the translate and associate it right. Great book but do yourself the favor of buying the paperback else you will be lost.

This book is amazing, the story telling is amazing and i love how it keeps you on edge every chapter. There is only one thing i can not stand. The book i ordered is missing about 30 pages from 273-304. i am missing an entire chapter and a half. if you order this book and get a black,red cover with a man holding an ax coming down a hill return it immediately or check if the pages are there. i was so upset especially since it ruined the whole flow of the book.

With apologies to Steven Erikson, the story was good and I would rate it higher, but this review is for potential Kindle customers and the quality of the Kindle version of this story is what the rating is based on.

The Kindle copy is currently 9.99, but features numerous spelling errors, varied indentations, missing italics, and so on. There were several times where I was required to pause and re-read portions of the book in order to make sense of them due to spelling errors (assuredly from transcribing). Unfortunately, this is the only copy available for the Kindle and, for some unfathomable reason, it cost more money than the previous two titles or the fourth, all of which do not suffer from the aforementioned problems. If you're eager to find out what happens in the book, I wasn't able to find an alternative (short of summaries on Wikipedia or the like), but be prepared to deal with a low quality text.

Very disappointed.

A dark shadow has fallen across eastern Genabackis: the Pannion Domin, an empire of madness and death whose coming has been heralded by poison and chaos in the warrens of sorcery. The Domin's armies are now marching against the small city-state of Capustan, defended by an army of doubtful skill and the Grey Swords of Elingarth, a religious order of soldiers. Aware of this threat, the outlawed Malazan 5th Army - Onearm's Host - has allied with their former enemies: Caladan Brood's mercenaries, the Rhivi tribes, the Tiste Andii of Moon's Spawn and the city-state of Darujhistan. Their goal is to relieve Capustan and destroy the Pannion Domin. From the south comes another force, the punitive army of the Seguleh (consisting of an unprecedented three of the greatest warriors in the world). But the Pannion Domin is no mere mortal empire and three impossibly ancient, terrifying forces have joined together to spread its evil across the world, an evil which will challenge all that face it.

Memories of Ice is the third novel in Steven Erikson's Malazan Book of the Fallen, returning the action to the continent of Genabackis, the setting of the first novel in the series, Gardens of the Moon and taking place simultaneously alongside the second, Deadhouse Gates. Memories of Ice is a direct sequel to Gardens of the Moon, so whilst is possible to start reading the Malazan series with Deadhouse Gates, it is not really possible to do so with Memories.

Like Deadhouse Gates, Memories of Ice consists of four major storylines proceeding in tandem. In the first, Onearm's Host has to ally with its former enemies to march against the Pannion Domin. This storyline follows the awkwardness of the former bitter enemies working alongside one another. In the second storyline, the entity Silverfox (created during the events of Gardens of the Moon) has summoned the undead T'lan Imass legions to undergo the Second Gathering, which will determine the future of the species and their endless (and increasingly pointless) war against the Jaghut, which has now spanned a quarter of a million years. In a third storyline, Toc the Younger and Onos T'oolan (both from Gardens of the Moon) find themselves on the other side of the continent, where they meet and ally with the Seguleh punitive army (all three of them) and the enigmatic sorceress Lady Envy. In the fourth, we join the Grey Swords as they strive to defend Capustan against utterly overwhelming odds. Numerous subplots - such as the fate of the Mhybe, Silverfox's mother whose lifeforce is inadvertently being consumed by her daughter; the journey of a T'lan Imass emissary with news of a desperate war on the distant continent of Assail; the misadventures of two necromancers and their long-suffering servants; and the story of Gruntle, a caravan guard who suddenly becomes something more - abound.

As with Deadhouse Gates, Memories of Ice is an epic and sprawling novel but which benefits from rotating its storylines on a regular basis to give the novel an impressive sense of momentum, so that it's 1,100 pages fly past at an impressive rate of knots once the story gets underway. That does take a little while, though. Memories opens slow, with the various forces gathering, and there's perhaps a couple too many intense strategy meetings near the start of the book as characters gather and discuss the plot. This is quite refreshing - the primary criticism of Gardens of the Moon is that Erikson fails to explain what's going on, whilst Memories of Ice is lot clearer on the stakes and what's happening - but it does mean that it takes a while for the story to start picking up.

Once it does, things don't let up until the end of the book. The storylines build towards a convergence (to use a favoured term of the author) in the city of Coral and it's fascinating to see the players moving towards this meeting. It's also interesting to see how our protagonists deal with having an unusual preponderance of force on their side, unlike the previous novel where the Chain of Dogs is up against superior odds all the way through the book. The combination of the Tiste Andii, the Bridgeburners, Caladan Brood, the Rhivi, the Barghast and, later, the Seguleh and the T'lan Imass give them an immense advantage over the Pannion Domin. This is later reversed when see what other forces the Seer can bring to the field, not to mention infighting within the alliance that threaten to shatter it, but it's unusual in epic fantasy to see characters realising the overwhelming power they have at their command and the moral responsibility this entails.

The Malazan series has always excelled in sometimes avoiding or inverting epic fantasy tropes and sometimes playing them straight, but always interrogating them. There is a lot of blood-letting, duels, battles and sorcerous enfilades in the series, but the cost of such violence is always laid bare. The core themes of the Malazan series (and one that I think belies its occasionally-claimed status as grimdark) are compassion and the moral cost of whatever conflict is to be fought. Actions result in consequences, some of which can stain the soul, and Memories of Ice is the novel that most directly, painfully and tragically deals with this cost, particularly through the moving story of Itkovian, the soldier who volunteers to carry the guilt and trauma of thousands on his own shoulders. The Malazan Book of the Fallen is a tragedy and Memories of Ice is perhaps the novel that most dramatically embodies that, through the awe-inspiring finale (still one of the finest in all of fantasy fiction) at the city of Coral.

There are a few minor issues. In terms of pacing, the book takes a little longer to get going, so in that sense it's not quite as tight a novel as Deadhouse Gates (which is a clear 200 pages shorter as a result). Whilst the central conflict - the battle against the Pannion Domin - is resolved in this novel, the book is also a little more plugged in to the story arcs that will span the rest of the series, most notably the saga of the Crippled God. It's highly arguable - fans have been arguing about it for seventeen years so far - but it's also debatable that a late-novel act of profound treachery was set up a bit too obviously and supposedly intelligent characters should have picked up on that earlier and stopped it, but this feels a little bit too pedantic a complaint and one reliant on hindsight.

Memories of Ice (*****) almost matches the dramatic power and intensity of Deadhouse Gates, perhaps falling a little short in structure and tightness but making up for it with the sheer scope of the tragic (and traumatic) final battle. This is a fantasy novel about compassion, forgiveness, war, peace, sacrifice and everything inbetween, related through a huge cast of interesting and sympathetic characters. (Very) arguably, the Malazan series will never quite reach these heights again, but will often come close. One of the strongest books in the series and one of the very finest fantasy novels published this century.

Book three of the Malazan Book of the Fallen is a little more accessible than the first two installments. After pretty much dropping the reader straight into the water in Gardens of the Moon and The Deadhouse Gates, Erikson eases us into Memories of Ice and even provides some backstory about the peoples and world, and even elucidating some of the events from the prior books. The reader is also introduced (three books in!) to what I suspect (although I may be wrong in this) is the overarching plot of the series.
Although I did enjoy MoI, it is still a very dense read, with a lot of characters and a lot going on. Not surprisingly in a 900 page book there are some slow points *cough Mhybe cough* and some characters (Bauchelain & Broach) whose scenes are interesting but don't really serve to advance the plot. But having said that it is a great series, full of imagination, with great plot and world building.
Can I also just say, although I dislike most names in Fantasy, I just love the name Stonny Menackis

I cried twice during this book. And I don't mean teared up either, I mean cried. That's probably telling enough as to how I felt about it. I am deeply invested in these characters, and deeply invested in this world that Erikson has created. I realized about a quarter of the way into Memories that the series was really clicking for me. Whereas before I was really enjoying the Malazan series, it was at that point that I realized I truly felt comfortable in the world. I was truly feeling a connection to the characters, and I was interested in learning more about them, wherever that may lead. Hell, some of the characters in this book could just sit at a table drinking ale and discussing battle tactics chapter after chapter and I'd still read the hell out of it. I feel I am finally at a point where I am not overly confused, and I'm seeing the overarching plot. I now see what must be done in these seven remaining books. Does that mean I understand every little thing that is happening? Hell no. But figuring it out is half the fun. I'm excited to continue on and read House of Chains.

8/17 revision
Steven Erikson’s 10 book Malazan series is a brilliant, highly accomplished series I’m very glad I read, but which I’m hesitant about giving a full throated endorsement. As for the hesitancy, Erikson’s writing style, which at times makes for tedious reading, and the sheer word count of this series, which involves great opportunity cost, must be noted. In addition, the bloated second half of the series does not strike me as being quite as good as the first. Most importantly, I am not entirely comfortable with what I take to be the series’ general outlook, a point of view conveyed in full (though never really unambiguously spelled out) by the end of The Crippled God. Even so, this series clearly is one of the all time great fantasy efforts, and it contains a wealth of wonderful material. So I would say that the series is at least definitely worth sampling. I would put three entries into my “top tier” category: Deadhouse Gates, Memories of Ice, and Midnight Tides. All three of these books from the first half of the series managed to astonish me. Although I’m not sure I have a definite favorite among the three, if I was forced to say which one I considered the greatest, I would go with MoI. Fantasy is seldom done this well.

The story involves a war between the forces of the dreaded Pannion Seer on the one hand, and the combined forces of the ostensibly outlawed Malazan High Fist Dujek OneArm and his erstwhile formidable enemies from Gardens of the Moon on the other. The story goes deeper, though, because the seer is not what he seems to be, and there are manipulatory forces behind him. The Seer's threat is ultimately but a pawn move in a much larger chess game. The Malazan side is ready to match wits with the opposition in this larger struggle as well.

This book is a great war novel, and strikes me as the most epic of Erikson’s forays into epic fantasy. A horrific enemy; two grim and powerfully depicted large battles; an unstable, tension filled alliance amongst the various legendary protagonists; treachery and betrayal; the involvement of gods; bold, brilliantly resourceful humans working with (and against) divine personages; this book achieves a genuinely mythic feel. And of course, it is infused and enriched with Erikson’s characteristic valorization of compassion.

Regarding the Malazans, MoI is surely the Bridgeburners' finest hour, and is possibly, though I will not insist on it, Erikson’s best depiction of Malazan military life in the entire series. Quick Ben deserves special mention for the way he matches wits with the Crippled God and manages to right an ancient wrong, thereby gratifyingly resolving multiple issues/problems at the end of the story. And Ganoes Paran, who provides crucial assistance not only to Quick Ben but to others such as Itkovian, manages not only to earn the respect of his fellow Bridgeburners as their Captain, but to accept and face up to his responsibilities in an entirely new, and even more daunting role.

Speaking of military units, the “first in, last out” Bridgeburners are forced to share some of the spotlight in this book with the wonderfully rendered Grey Swords. In fact, the biggest show stealer in this very crowded story is the Grey Swords’ Shield Anvil, the aforementioned Itkovian, whose compassion drives many developments in the novel, and who casts a shadow over this book almost as large as Coltaine's in Deadhouse Gates.

Other developments in this novel deserve mention as well: The caravan guard Gruntle’s plot thread, especially during the siege of Capustan; the romance between the charismatic Malazan Whiskyjack and the Tiste Andii Korlat; Toc’s rough road and his friendship with Tool; Anomander Rake’s party crashing at Coral; the spine chilling yet at times humorous episodes involving Bauchelain & Korbal Broach; the welcome reappearance from book 1 of Darujistan residents Coll, the big hearted Murillo, and, of course, Kruppe himself; the Moranth achievant Twist; the Mott Irregulars; the forging of the alliance between the Malazans and the White-faced Bhargast; so much of this book is absolutely fabulous and impossible to forget. Though Erikson’s brilliance shines through in all his writings, this is just one of those books where everything manages to come together in an almost magical way.

Though it does not overwhelm the story or come across as heavy handed, Erikson also articulates what one could call a general outlook on our contemporary world in MoI. Through his valorization of what the Malazan Empire aspires to, he defends a cosmopolitan vision entailing the shared benefits of global commerce and cultural diversity. Interestingly enough, though this outlook in some sense legitimates the status quo, the Malazan vision is less coercive, both externally and internally, than the reality of our globalized, “diverse” society. For instance, we learn the Malazans ideally seek to refrain from imposing themselves on those societies they have made treaties with that choose to remain outside of the Malazan fold. And, generalizing about the Malazans by what we know of their soldiers, the irreverent, independent thinking deliberately permitted the Malazan rank and file and encouraged by their leaders, which makes them the most effective and potent force around, seems far removed from the servile groupthink encouraged by political correctness. Erikson’s vision is not only less coercive than pc ideology, it is also less paternalistic. Women are not presented as victims in need of help; in fact, through characters like Hetan, Detoran, and Lady Envy, Erikson conveys female sexual power in a way that someone like Camille Paglia would likely appreciate. In general, though Erikson celebrates diversity, tolerance, relaxed sexual mores and compassion, this book (and series) hardly comes across as some sort of social justice warrior manifesto. According to the Malazans, diversity is the birthplace of wisdom. This has a socratic ring to it. SJW’s see diversity as a program that must be achieved. They already presume to be in possession of the truth, and thus they undermine diversity while ostensibly fighting on its behalf. How then is wisdom to emerge?

A digression: An apparent exception to what I emphasize is the non-pc aspect of this book (and series) is the fact that the Malazan military is about 50 percent female, with the women soldiers engaged in all the tasks that the men do, and that on multiple occasions in the text the rulers of Capustan are criticized both by the Malazans and the Grey Swords for not strengthening their military by integrating women. Since I think Erikson uses his fantasy military to make commentary about society generally, I’m not sure he is primarily making a point about women in the military at all, but rather a point about societies being stronger for tearing down various restrictions to female participation. Of course, when such restrictions come down, questions regarding what one might expect the military ultimately to look like must eventually be faced. To the extent that one wants to view Erikson’s portrayal of the Malazan military as aspirational commentary about the real world military, then sure, he is content merely to go along with the politically correct homogenization of nature and the erasure of meaningful differences between the sexes, at least those particular differences that might be construed as being unfavorable to women in the aggregate. Even if this was the proper way to read Erikson, one could still point out that Erikson manages to valorize irreverent, independent thinking even while personally “going with the flow” on certain PC topics. The two are not mutually exclusive. End of digression.

I would argue-and this is another reason for considering MoI as the greatest individual Malazan volume-that Erikson’s series can be fruitfully interpreted as an elaboration and refinement of his cosmopolitan vision articulated in MoI. Of course, Erikson makes plenty of qualifications to his outlook over the course of his books, and is sympathetic to a variety of different perspectives. For instance, civilization does not always come across as superior to what is sometimes called primitivism. And certainly no reader of book 5 could accuse Erikson of ignoring problems emerging from civilizations ruled by capitalistic greed. Furthermore, throughout the series, the realities of imperial politics (and of politics generally) often lead to some very ugly actions and consequences. And the realities of “modern” military technology are presented as nightmarish. Yet despite such qualifications, Erikson’s outlook is neither backwards looking/nostalgic nor progressive utopian. His anti-utopian vision celebrates life, friendship, an enriching diversity, and compassionate understanding in the here and now. Erikson’s outlook is philosophically rich, thought provoking and humane; I’ll mention that my ambivalence regarding his cosmopolitan vision centers most basically around the anti-monotheistic slant Erikson seems to give it in the second half of the series. (In Book 6 explicitly through one particular plot thread, and, I would argue, implicitly in book 10 through the main story itself.) Engaging and discussing this aspect of Erikson’s work is a task best left for another review.

This series continues to be amazing and heartbreaking at the same time. I had to really psych myself up to read the last 150 pages, because I knew it was going to be bad (a lesson learned from Deadhouse Gates).

There was so much to love in this book:
-Caladan Brood - who had a very small part in GotM - I knew I was going to end up liking him
-Hetan - OMG LOVE her
-The big reveal about where Moon Spawn was...very epic
-The comradery between the Bridgeburners
- the BAMF that is Anomander Rake
- Also loved meeting others of the Tiste Andii (Korlat and brother)

Few minor things that irked me:
-The Mhybe - hated her storyline...she was way to whiny. It seemed like every POV section from her was the exact same thing. Her section could have been cut significantly.
-Korbald Broach and his friend - what was the point of them? I found them irritating and pointless in the story
-While it breaks my heart when characters I love die, it feels cheap to have so many of them come back to life or to come back in a new body (I won't list them all because it's too spoilery, but there's a lot of them). I cried through the entire last hour of this book - it diminishes that experiences if dead people don't stay dead.

Memories of Ice felt much better than the previous two volumes in the series. Where-as in those books I struggled to become engaged, this entry was much stronger. It's the second part of the wider story told in Deadhouse Gates; the timelines run parallel, but there's very little indication of where exactly they're syncing.

I think, at this point in the series, it's fairly obvious that Erikson will be relying very heavily on plot. The plotting is intricate and generally well-thought out, but for epic fantasy books of this length the story has to be exceptional on every level; holding the tension for so long is a tough ask. I didn't think Erikson managed this with Deadhouse Gates, but Memories of Ice was definitely stronger in this regard. It didn't carry through the whole way, but for the majority of the book the plot had me interested. The conclusion to all this, lasting 100-150 pages, is magnificent, and had me truly engaged.

However, the flip side to this story-telling coin is the characters, and i'm still not fully clicking with them. Many of them are, at this point, believable, interesting on their own merits, and I care about some of these characters to a limited extent. But this isn't a character-driven story, it's a plot-driven story, and because of that I find it difficult to engage with any of the people here. It seems as though Erikson is trying, but there's something missing; if there's not something interesting happening in the plot then there's very little tension coming from the characters, and it's here that I start to become uninterested.

And this brings me back to my primary complaint about the writing style of Erikson; the way he jumps between characters. During the middle sections of the book there were several consecutive chapters that were dedicated to one, or a few, character perspectives. Those chapters were more engaging, and I felt more in sync with the characters because there was continuity in the tale. But at the beginning, and after (roughly) the halfway mark, Erikson went back to his fragmented chapter structure, skipping between perspectives, the scene placement tending to be dependent on the timeline. This works sometimes - for example, specific parts of the climax - but other than that I find it irritable, and it makes engaging with the characters more difficult.

Despite the above complaints, there is an underlying tenderness and humanity to the storytelling which is touching. Certain events managed to stir my emotions. These moments struck me because they were based on the character relationships. I really think that Erikson has the capacity to enhance this aspect of his story, because it's certainly showing. I hope, in future volumes, he manages to draw this out some more.

Overall, this was an enjoyable read. I think that it'll take another similar effort in the next book to get me hooked, though.

4.5/5

After reading Gardens of the Moon I told myself I'd give Erikson one more shot. It was nearly unreadable, but the ambitious work he put on the page was certainly something to applaud. Deadhouse Gates was better, but still difficult to read in many sections. As such, I gave him one more shot and I'm glad I did. Memories of Ice is such an improvement that he didn't seem like the same author. For the first time, I was excited to see what would happen next. The characters are easier to remember, the action is brilliant, and a sense of humor appeared out of nowhere. All of these things help make Memories of Ice a much more readable book. I'm not sure how much was just me getting used to his style or him changing it up, but either way I was quite pleased with this book.

After a detour to another continent in Deadhouse Gates, Memories of Ice picks up where Gardens of the Moon finished up. As far as the timeline is concerned, it takes place during the same time (more or less) as Deadhouse Gates. Dujek Onearm has gone rogue against the Malazan Empire, and teams up with the Tiste Andii Anomander Rake to travel south and take on the cannibalistic armies of the Pannion Seer. As all these different pieces come together for the army, a clash of personalities occur and, as expected, all the different sides are looking to gain an advantage over the other in case the worst should happen. No one trusts anyone. In the midst of all this, the girl Silverfox is approaching her destiny as she ages faster every day, taking the life of her mother. And the Bridgeburners are back to take on another task in which there is no hope of success.

As with past volumes, there are a lot of different characters doing different things. Erikson is able to handle all the different plotlines effectively and his organization of the point-of-view characters showed he had a grasp on the story the whole time. The set-up is easier to understand this time, partially because we have already met a lot of these characters before. This was really the first time where I found the set-up just as interesting as the climax. The action is top notch, as well. The Siege of Capustan was thrilling and seemed to be the centerpiece in which the novel was formed around. There has been mention of an anti-climax, but I still thought the final battle was well done and exciting.

It should also be noted that many of the pages are devoted to a plot that is meant for the series as a whole. The Crippled God makes his first appearance in the series and starts his overall plan. Nothing is really resolved, and I can see how people will feel many pages could be cut out as it doesn't seem to connect well with the plot of the actual book. Personally, I found the plots of the Gods to be exciting and fun to read. A lot is resolved in Memories of Ice (more than I expected) but the thread about The Crippled God continues for future novels.

The only issue I had was Erikson's characterization. It is so much better than in previous novels, but it's still not quite there. The point-of-view characters are all likable and easy to root for, but there are many emotional scenes that didn't quite pay off. Erikson is known for killing of characters, and there is no exception here, but the emotional payoff just wasn't there. Beyond that, Memories of Ice was a well crafted novel, and by far the best of the series so far. I'm excited to see what Erikson has in store next in House of Chains.

4/5

Fair warning... I haven't read the whole series yet, in fact I'm only on the fourth book, so to be honest I'm not sure the series will continue as strongly as this third book appears to.

That said, this book makes some of the slowness and incredible denseness of the first two books worthwhile. At this point in the series, Erikson has introduced many of his major characters and while he introduces more and takes the already introduced characters to a new place, there is at least some familiarity and cohesion now for the reader to hold onto. This book is also much more of a sequel to "Gardens of the Moon" than it is to "Deadhouse Gates" (which had an almost completely different cast of characters and took place in a completely different area of the world portrayed than did the first book). Events in "Deadhouse Gates" are mentioned in passing, but the focus is on the characters and general area of "Gardens of the Moon".

So what makes this book worthy of a 5 star rating for me?

In addition to yet again ending with some stunning imagery and scenes (I won't give much away, but let's just say that Erikson isn't afraid to shake things up, sometimes so quickly that I had to stop to reread a section to make sure I'd read it correctly), Erikson ties events in the first book to this book's prologue (which by the way is the first bit of this series I'd ever read, and is excellently done). Not only that, but when the actual connections are made after the prologue itself, it suddenly changed my perception of the first book's linked events. I won't go into much detail, but suffice it to say, I thought the linking was very well done.

One of Erikson's weaknesses in the first book was characterization. Obviously, if you have a ton of characters being introduced, there's not going to be much of a chance for each individual one to be fleshed out to the same extent as books that focus on far fewer characters. However, this book did add a bit more fleshing out, and as a consequence, made at least some of the characters much more three dimensional.

I realize I've covered almost nothing of the plot. The main thrust of the story regards a military operation against a new threat to the Malazan Empire. There's political intrigue to spare. Individuals end up on their own quests. Loose ends abound. In other words, the plot itself is similar to the first two books in feel, even if the specifics are different. What becomes obvious is that there is much more going on beneath the surface of the story and Erikson seems to be a master at giving just enough to make the reader itch like crazy to find out more, while not giving away his secrets too quickly.

Simply put, Erikson's writing style is much more mature and surefooted in this novel than it was in "Gardens of the Moon" and even "Deadhouse Gates". He continues to impress with the ability to paint vivid scenes, including epic ones that rival anything I've read. And finally, by tying together some loose ends (which the reader really didn't even realize were loose to begin with) he makes the previously read "Gardens of the Moon" a better book in retrospect. The series may not be for everyone, but the payoff in this novel is worth some of the rough edges in the first two.

The first two books had their issues though maintained a fantasy world of depth and complexity enough for me to read more books of the series. I am glad I did. This third book was stupendous! It captured me again in this unique world, while GREATLY improving on the literary flow, narration, story structure, and character depth as shown by grabbing you from the first with the hilarious humor written for the character Toc the Younger. The humor threaded throughout is what gives this book an edge over other fantasy novels.

"Memories of Ice" resumes Ganoes Paran's storyline two months after the second novel in "The Malazan Book of the Fallen" saga. The superb writing effectively illustrates the detailed world with great action and imaginative engagements against an exceedingly overwhelming and slightly improbable enemy. The series has become darker with more adult themes and violent encounters.

The T'lan Imass Tool develops into a strong character, expressing a subtle sense of humor. Quick Ben and Ganoes engage in various exciting key encounters where much of Quick Ben's history and overall skill is revealed. The Malazan foe Caladan Brood and a caravan guard Gruntle adequately compliment the cast but fellow guard Buke's storyline vanishes. Significant incidents happen to some of the major characters with a surprise appearance at the end tying in the prior book.

Many characters have unusually high skills, whether combat or magical, which unbalances the series. Allied characters deduce hidden agendas far too easily as to become commonplace. After three novels, I find it difficult understanding the process of channeling magic or for ascending characters.

Given the abundant quantity of characters, a comprehensive appendix is necessary including racial characteristics, relating magical powers, and describing creatures.

Thank you.

First, a warning: when you read this book, be very prepared to not be able to set this book down for the final 250 pages. The word that comes to mind is "epic".

This book brings many drastic storyline changes; epic battles; friends come & gone; old companions revisited; and much, much more. There are a couple of surprises that will make you rock back in reaction! "Oh. no. he. didn't!" Oh yes, he did!

Erikson's development of several characters is nothing less than astounding. Picker, Kruppe, Rake, Silverfox, Ganoes Paran, Whiskeyjack, Brood, Toc the Younger, Korlat, Tool, and so many others just come to life in your mind. The sarcastic humor interlaced throughout makes chasing the many, many threads of Erikson's tale a joy.

I simply can't recommend this series highly enough. I find myself reading every available second that I can find. I can only hope the next 7 volumes are this good; fortunately, book 4 is at my side, 5-9 are on the table in front of me, and the final book is due out in FEB 2011. I would never have enjoyed this series as much were I not able to immediately pick up the next volume.

5 stars, without a doubt.

With Memories of Ice, Erikson adds another great title to the Malazan series. This third installment continues the grittiness and maturity of the first two and adds some interesting characters to the mix. As in all of the fantasy that I enjoy, no one is safe, regardless of their seeming importance to the story line so you will likely lose a character that you like, but that's what keeps the suspense real. I love Erikson's ability to build life into his characters and indeed the story is driven by them rather than having them simply respond to events on a plotline. Overall it was a great read and a wonderful contribution to one of the best series in fantasy today.

As far as criticisms are concerned, there are only a couple from my perspective. One is that the author's writing style, while having a distinctly mature and gritty feel, can be stylistically difficult to follow at times. Not impossible by any means, and not enough to significantly diminish the impact or enjoyability of the book as a whole, but complicated nonetheless. The only other thing that I found irksome is the repeated and heavy overuse of the expression 'growled' as in "Go away", he growled. It seems everyone in this book is constantly growling. Again, little thing but you will almost certainly notice it as it is VERY prevalent.

Overall I would highly recommend this and all of the Malazan books. And if you like the feel and story of these, give R. Scott Bakker's Prince of Nothing series a try as well, you won't be disappointed.

The first 200 pages is OK.
After that it's just slow and boring.
You wait and wait for the chars to show their awesome powers but they really don't delivery it.
It's more stories inside stories there it saying that this char is so powerful so he/she can kill whole armies or destroy the whole continent.
But it's never happens.

One guy have a hammer that can destroy mountains but he don't use it. Another can walk the deck of dragons but he don't do it because he doesn't want to run the gods errands.

Most annoying is that every character is a mass murderer. You can't care about a character that kills men women and children. And like the other have said, bad editing, hard to follow the story.

I sometimes find myself lost in the story's complexity. I think I'm getting the general idea that the gods of this world have a more direct relationship with the mortals then what we're used-to, and that the tale here really started hundreds of thousands of years ago. Also, sometimes when it seems like I've missed something; it eventually comes together, more or less.

I also get very frustrated over the lack of visual descriptions. That may be only my own personal pet-peeve, because I have this complaint for a lot of today's fantasy writers. It's just bothersome to me when I'm trying to enter a fantasy world and the creator doesn't always paint a good picture of its creatures or the characters. I'm infuriated when I surrender to the fact that I'm just going have to go with my best idea of what something looks like, and then a description comes pages after it has been introduced and I find I'm way-off. That's if you get a description at all.

Usually those things are enough for me to stop reading a book mid-way through and go find something more to my liking, but not with The Malazan Book of the Fallen. Erikson is still telling a great story despite my personal problems with the details. What he lacks for in visuals, he makes-up for in action and gritty dialog.

You can't help but admire the boot-leather-tough characters, with their true soldier-mentalities. The Bridge-burners have that by the wagon-load. You can never tell who to trust or who to kill when you've got the chance. Erikson has woven a great, complex tapestry from many courageous threats of individual glory and honor.

I've been drafted by the Malazan army, and like the rest of these poor troopers, I'll have to see this thing through to the last battle. That's not because I'm above desertion either. I'm ashamed to say I've been tempted, but I'm too damned loyal to these guys for that now.

So you can't say you weren't properly warned. Be careful, or you'll be slooshin' along, belly-aching about the lousy grub, and lack of sleep, and be expected to hold your own when the fighting starts along with the rest of us. Who knows? Maybe you'll survive to collect your back-pay. :)

Memories of Ice is the third volume in Steven Erikson's epic Malazan Book of the Fallen series. This volume picks up after the events of the first book Gardens of the Moon. Book 2 dealt with mostly a second set of characters in a different part of the world. It all starts to come together, though, as there are brief references made to characters we know.

Dujek Onearm and Whiskeyjack are the leaders of a now renegade outlawed army. They lead Dujek's Host against the invading army of the Pannion Domin. The Pannion Seer is pushing north to the city of Capustan. Dujek's Host is pushing south and has allied itself with the former enemies of Malaz the Tiste Andii, a nearly immortal non-human race of powerful beings.

So, one aspect of this novel is the impending great clash of two armies and how to stop the Pannion Domin. Another aspect is the rapidly aging child Silverfox who has the souls of at least three mages inside her. She is called abomination, but she is clearly an individual of great power and import. Yet another aspect is Ganoes Paran, a captain of the legendary Bridgeburners in Dujek's Host. He was not trusted by the Bridgeburners when first given the command, but they don't trust anyone. By this point he is truly becoming their captain but he is also becoming so much more, a major player in the mystical realm and quite against his wishes.

This is a novel of hard men and women, of magic and common soldiery, of mystical beasts and gods, of leaders and followers. Memories of Ice, like the previous two Malazan novels defies description. This is a great military novel, but it is also a great magical novel, but above all it is a hard, grim novel with flashes of humor. The actual plotline is unclear (in this volume it is the fight against the Pannion Domin) because while an individual novel might be clear it is unclear where the entire series is going.

But the quality of work here by Steven Erikson is staggering. It isn't for everyone and it takes some work trying to figure out what is actually happening, but it is worth the effort. I think that Memories of Ice is better than the first two volumes and characters the irritated me in the past are now favorites. It is an epic of world building even though it is hard to get a sense of the world. This is challenging fantasy and Erikson is an author who has no fear in killing off a popular character. While each volume has been described by the publisher as standalone, I do not think it is. Each volume tells and individual story, but without having read the previous volumes it would be much more difficult to understand.

Bottom line: The Malazan Book of the Fallen is among the top of the fantasy genre. It is quite excellent and quite challenging and it is a major time investment and brings with it an expectation that the reader takes the time to work out the relationships and figure out what is going on...and then Erikson turns our previous notions on their heads by changing how we view characters. Well done.

-Joe Sherry

This third entry in Steven Erikson's mammoth "Malazan Book of the Fallen" fantasy series is the best so far, despite being the longest. Erikson's writing reads more smoothly and is more consistently absorbing than in the first two volumes ("Gardens of the Moon" and "Deadhouse Gates").

However, there are the usual challenges. Erikson's plots are extremely complicated, and you need to pay close attention to follow what's happening. In some cases, his ideas are so abstract and obscure even two or three readings won't make things clear.

The story is well-paced and comes to a shattering climax ... three quarters of the way through. Then the action slows down for a few hundred pages before it builds again to an almost interminable final climax, in which things mentioned 800 pages earlier are suddenly brought back into play. In fact, so much happens in the last 200 pages that my brain started to glaze over.

Erikson has little interest in politics or culture; his focus is metaphysics. Most fantasy novels create an imaginary world; Erikson creates an imaginary reality. There is no religion, as such, because everyone's gods are real, so there is no clash of incompatible belief systems. Much of the story is like Greek myths, with rival gods scheming behind the scenes and using humans as their pawns.

Like SF writer A. E. Van Vogt, Erikson has a lot of Big Ideas, which he sometimes introduces in a clumsy fashion. Fantasy buffs complain of other writers who explain things over and over again; Erikson is the opposite. He hates to explain *anything*.

Still, I have to give this book four stars. The utter weirdness of Erikson's reality is chilling, moody and often spellbinding, and there are powerful story elements, unusual for epic fantasy. I couldn't finish a book of this extreme length unless it were exceptionally well written.

I just wish it weren't so perplexing.

Maybe the fourth and fifth books (available in England, with book six due in March 2006) will clear everything up...

I had promised myself that if I felt that Memories of Ice was going to go down the same path as Deadhouse Gates, then I was going to put it down and never look back. I have to admit, even if it had only been as slow to begin as Gardens of the Moon, that might have been it for me with the Malazan Book of the Fallen.

Instead, I am delighted to report that Memories of Ice combines all of the outstanding features of the first two books and is nearly perfect to read. Believe it or not, every one of the 1180 pages flew by. I found myself anxious to read House of Chains as soon as it was over. The complex weave of plot, character and back story worked in harmony. I was fascinated by the world that was described, and I felt like I finally got the Warrens for the first time in the series. Best of all, I did not get lost in all the characters. I instead was involved in them, and able to follow them with interest and attention. In the first book, I was engaged with the characters despite the level of detail. In Memories of Ice, it was because of the level of detail. I was really impressed with the quality of the prose. Like all of his work or not, Erikson is one of the most interesting writers working in the fantasy genre these days.

If you were like me, and unsure whether to continue after Deadhouse Gates, I encourage you strongly to give it a try. Readers new to the series will be hopelessly lost without the first two books, and should begin with Gardens of the Moon. Be aware that the Malazan Book of the Fallen has many very adult themes. It can be extremely violent, and is not for younger readers.

These books are epic. Not many fantasy books have ever affected me like Erikson's novels. There's some seriously powerful stuff going on in these books; sometimes gory, sometimes poetic, and always entertaining, the Malazan series is, for me, the pinnacle of fantasy. Memories of Ice is one of the best so far.

The funny part is, I don't recommend him to a lot of people. This guy's work is for serious readers. I've got a master's in English--I've ready some pretty heady stuff--and still it took me four novels to understand Erikson's world. These are complex books. His writing is awesome, and when he gets rocking, he's capable of some incredible action, but you've got to be a patient reader if you want to penetrate his world. I've spent a lot of time on the Wiki Malazan page, and I've spent a lot of time retracing my steps. But once the greater vision becomes clear, and you begin to understand it all, you feel like you've accomplished something!

I hope this review doesn't deter would-be readers. If you're thinking about reading him, and you feel up to the challenge, I say pick up Gardens of the Moon and get involved. And I can leave you with one piece of \advice: you don't have to understand it all from the begining. Let the story unfold. Try to keep up, but don't wrack your brain. Eventually you'll get the gist of it. And then you'll realize that it wasn't your fault for not understanding, it was just part of the design! Good luck and happy reading!

Remember those fantasy worlds created before 1980, worlds full of wonder and earthly or unearthly beauty, worlds that we, as fantasy readers, so longed to visit or inhabit? Such worlds are rare in "modern" fantasy. Readers (like me) may find enough interesting ideas in Erikson's books to keep turning pages through three or more poorly focused novels, but who would want to actually inhabit or even visit Erikson's desolate, ugly, revolting world? Although I found too little reward in Memories of Ice (and Erikson's previous two entries) to read more of these Malazan books, I do give these books three stars because they are better than 90% of the bad fiction that's been published in the fantasy genre since the 1970s. Erikson is not a bad writer, but he's not great or even good either. Writing three novels in rapid succession seems to have exhausted his repertiore. Everyone frowns, growels, rumbles, or grunts, sometimes two or three times in a page, and everyone, gods, sorcerers, the nobleborn, soldiers, and tribalists, talk like an English lit undergrad trying to impress someone.

I'm so happy that there are still 7 novels in this series ahead of me! The epic sweep of this tale, the fantastic prose, the massive scale of the characters, races, etc. (it's not uncommon for someone to have been kicking around for 300,000 years) I love it. I read a ton of fantasy, probably too much, and there's a level of authorship that only a few writers seemed to have achieved in this genre. I love Salvatore, Feist, Sanderson, Weeks, and others, but they don't compare to the likes of GRRM, Scholes, Bakker, and Erikson. Fantasy for grownups.
My one quibble with these books is something that other authors do as well, using the same phrases or adjective over and over and over. In just the first 3 books, someone's "grin broadened" at least a hundred times. People are constantly growling as well. Minor annoyance in a great series.

I enjoyed this book at least as much and probably more than the first two in the series. This is almost certainly the easiest read so far although I think the material from the first couple of books is important in being able to quickly dive in and understand this one. This book did not seem to suffer from the act three lull that the first couple did. The Deus Ex Machina was slightly better explained but leavong that bit od godly whimsy that appears to be a mainstay of the series.

I think this book is the of those I've read in this series, to date. If abythong I've grown used to the challenges of reading the series abd this nook felt a bit pedestrian at times by comparison.

I would honestly suggest reading this as the second book the series instead of the third as it flows better (It has the same characters as Book 1).

The first three books in the Malazan series are are good as anything in fantasy, I would rate them in the same ballpark as JRR Tolkien and GRRM. After book 3, the series starts to head downhill.

Still this is a very very very good book.

Pros
One of the best Military Fantasy (Or all of fiction) books out there.
Wiskey Jack is a legend comparable to any major character out there. (Gandalf, Ned Stark, Kvothe, Rand etc...)
Very unique feel for cultures slang and magic (with associated gods).

No major cons.

Memories of Ice is an amazing piece of writing. Not since reading Glen Cook's original Black Company trilogy, the P.C. Hodegell's tales of Jamie the Kencyrath, Paul Edwin Zimmer's Dark Border series and the books of David Gemmell have I found a writer that produces fantasy of such high calibre. Tolkien /Howard /Lovecraft /Lewis /Leiber /Ashton/ Moorcock/ and those authors that I've already mentioned have all been part of my diet of fantasy as well the less palatable Eddings/Brook/Jordon. But the Malazan series is one that has truly captured my imagination, in it's depiction and depth of the key characters, the sheer scope of it's world building, the mythos and the nature of magic within this world and the images that it paints of the glorious battles and wars of the past and present that have been fought, particularly those between the Jaghut and the T'lan Mass. Wars that stem back hundreds of thousands of years. All this and more bound together by a very fluid writing style. Again it is another massive tome but as in the case of "Deadhouse Gates" the pages literally turn themselves, Whiskeyjack - the only thing I don't like about the series is this character's name, Quick Ben and the rest of the Bridgeburners return, as do Rake, Kallor and the Brood. The now outlawed Malazans form an alliance with former enemies to battle a new terrifying foe backed by the power of ancient sorcery long thought lost and forgotten and the might of a fallen god. New characters are introduced as well as some familiar faces who Erikson seamlessly weaves into the fabric of the story. This story is dark epic fantasy at it's best, it is a harrowing tale of herorism, duty, vengeance and finally redemption.
If you like Eddings/ Fiest/ Jordon/ Goodkind/ Brooks I'd suggest that this book is not for you...
I wish I could award the book more than 5 stars, it certainly deserves more.

Steven Erikson's world continues to inspire me with this third amazing volume in the Malazan book of the fallen series. The memories that I gained, the experiences aren't something that I'm going to forget any time soon. This is a truly heart wrenching story about love lost and compassion, how in our ignorance people don't understand this concept that we express every day, but yet we express it anyway. Now Erikson's series definitely improves with this novel, there seems to be more meaning to this story than the previous two, and the it's easier to become attached to the characters, unlike the last two volumes. It's even easy to become attached to new characters that are introduced such as Gruntle and Ikovian. This novel is much easier to read than the last two now that much of the world building is done, but Erikson's writing can still make certain parts hard to understand. He often hides and hints at information in layers of dialogue. Most of the loose ends are resolved, unlike in gardens of the moon which had a lot of plotlines that weren't resolved yet. I understand why a lot of people don't like this series, but as a writer I find that what Erikson has done in creating such a vivid world full of imagination and wonder is going to continue to influence many other new writers in the future to come. I often times felt like I was sucked into the world right along with the characters. Some people have mentioned Dujek's army and the bridge burners being outlawed which actually isn't true; this was done as a ruse to unite moon's spawn, the rhivi, the barghast, and others against the Pannion Domin. The army was not literally outlawed as other readers imply, apparently some readers forgot how Gardens of the moon ended.

This is the 3rd in a mammoth series. A series that is spawning further series after it, and a series that is not based on some giant media property like Star Wars or Star Trek.

Now, having finished the 3rd, about 7 years after I bought it, i can give it a solid recommendation. One that you might even read as a stand-alone, though Erikson has done such a stellar job of world building that reading the first two is seriously encouraged. These books are rich. Rich in story, rich in detail, rich in pieces that are hidden to you as a reader and then a reveal happens and you know that something that just happened will be very important later even if it was trivial as you read it.

That is how rich and well planned out the writing is. In a series that has several million words, to think that far ahead and place a seed shows that there is a vast difference between this and something like Jordan's Wheel of Time. WOT is my favorite, but Jordan's work shows that as he was successful and more books were called for, things were added. Here, reading this work, it gives the impression that everything that you encounter was thought of before Erikson wrote the first sentence.

Something that perhaps forces Sanderson at present to reexamine how he tackles his Stormlight epic, and how others should regard their work. If you like fantasy, though this has many dark moments, and some of the abundance of magical and godlike interactions I found difficult to follow, you should be sure to add this to your library and read it.

Memories of Ice (2001) is the third Fantasy novel of the Malazan Book of the Fallen, following Deadhouse Gates. In the previous volume, Fiddler, Apsalar and Crokus reached the Malaz Deadhouse and discovered an unexpected guardian. Kalam confronted the Empress and decided not to try to assassinate her. Later, Shadowthrone reunited Kalam and Minala with the thirteen hundred rescued Malazan children.

The Army of the Apocalypse marched from the Whirlwind to discover ten thousand rotted bodies nailed to the trees of the Aren Way. Korbolo Dom bragged of the betrayal, but Sha'ik brought him to heel. She ordered Leomam to have the bodies on the plain buried, but left the bodies along the Aren Way, and then returned to Raraku.

Iskaral found himself facing a black spider D'iver, who reassembled into a wiry, black-haired woman, Mogara, and they returned to his domicle. Two knee-high creatures took Duiker down from his tree and delivered him to their master. Mappo used his last two potions to save the lives of a pair of dogs and then had to wait for his friend Icarium to recover naturally, whereupon they walked off toward Jhag Odhan.

In this novel, on Genabackis, Dujek Onearm has appointed Whiskeyjack as second in command of his outlawed army. Dujek and Calladan Brood have allied against the Pannion Domin. They are meeting for their initial parley as allies outside the city of Pale.

In the Gadrobi Hills outside Darujhistan, caravans traveling over the river are being delayed due to the destruction of the bridge by the Jaghut Tyrant on his way to the city. The nearby ford is rather deep and muddy, so crossing the river takes time and much effort. Many conveyances become stuck until the other merchants decide to help clear the ford.

Gruntle is captain of his small caravan -- one carriage and two other guards -- and has time on his hands while the preceding vehicles are worked across the ford. He is invited to talk to a pair of merchants in a huge carriage. At first he demurs, but then his employer asks that he find out what the pair want with him. They offer to hire him, but he refuses and carefully eases out of their camp.

Gruntle's friend Buke, however, later accepts their offer. Buke had been left jobless when his former employer ignored his advice and tried to cross the ford. After the river washed away the remains of his wagon and goods, the man returned to Darujhistan without Buke. Gruntle tried to talk Buke out of accepting the position, but Buke was convinced that one of the men was a serial killer and he wanted to keep an eye on him.

Further south, Toc the Younger awakes in the barrows of Morn. He seems to be alone until he finds a corpse lying in the dust. The body is that of an undead T'lan Imass. Toc searches his memory and comes up with the name of Onos T'oolan, but the undead informs him that he is now named Tool.

Tool is waiting for Lady Envy, daughter of Draconus. When she appears shortly thereafter, Lady Envy is accompanied by an ay -- a canine ally of the T'lan Imass -- and a large dog. She also has three Segulah waiting in the tower in which she currently resides. After some discussion, all depart the tower and head north toward the Pannion Domin.

Outside Pale, Corporal Picker and Blend intercept an old trader with a large leather pack. Picker buys a set of interlocking torcs dedicated to Treach, the Tiger of Summer, from the man and then slips a tracker into his pack. Picker slides the torcs onto her arm and the trader continues on to his rendezvous with the Crippled God.

Picker later learns that the torcs can't be removed, even by Quick Ben, the cadre mage. Quick Ben followers the tracker and encounters the Crippled God. He learns that the Chained One has infected Burn -- goddess of the world -- but barely escapes with his life. Still, he does retrieve the tracker.

While fleeing, Quick Ben is pulled down into the ground and drops into a tunnel that is occupied by Burn's servants, huge clay figures. He learns still more from one servant before it dies. He resolves to free Burn from her sleep and leaves the tracker within the tunnel so that he can return later.

Captain Ganoes Paran still commands the Bridgeburners -- all thirty-eight of them -- and refuses to take another command. He is feeling very sick since his encounter with Dragnipur, Anomander Rake's soul eating sword, but tries to hide it from the others. Whiskeyjack and Mallet discuss his illness, but Whiskeyjack decides not to relieve him of command.

In the army of Caladan Brood, Silverfox is the Rhivi child of the Mhybe, but carries the souls of two dead sorceress: Tattersail and Nightchill. She may even carry more than two souls. Mhybe had been a young maiden, but she has aged decades in the six months since the delivery of Silverfox. Silverfox has also aged, for she is now about twelve years old.

In this story, Kallor, the High King and Brood's second in command, fears Silverfox and tries to kill her. Brood himself has defended her and, after the merger of the armies, so has Whiskeyjack. Paran still loves Tattersail and has a mental connection to Silverfox.

Lady Envy and her companions destroy several armies sent against them. Yet Toc the Younger leaves these companions and joins the Tenescowri to learn more about the Pannions. Then the Pannion Seer sends an escort for him.

The allies march toward Capustan, but cannot reach the city before it is taken. Gruntle reaches the city before the Pannion Domin army invests it; he becomes greatly angered at their treatment of his friend Stonny Menackis and leads a mixed group of fighters against the Pannions. The Grey Swords under their Shield Anvil hold the city for three days.

This story is increasingly about the gods themselves. The Crippled God remains in the shadows, but others -- including the Elder God K'rul -- participate in the campaign against the Pannion Domin. During the siege of Capustan, Treach becomes the God of War and appoints his Mortal Sword.

Highly recommended for Erikson fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of offensive strategy, defensive tactics, and godly intrigue.

-Arthur W. Jordin

This is a powerful, intriguing and disturbing book with tremendous action and great world-building. Erikson's Malazan world is a land of tyrants, armies, war, pillage, betrayal, destruction that is highlighted with themes of honor, duty, loyalty, perserverance, and some humor. The scope and depth is even greater than Jordan, and the timetable has been much better because Erikson is essentially publishing at a volume per year pace.
Memories of Ice, the third in the series, essentially continues the story after Gardens of the Moon. The Malazan warriors seeking to conquer the continent of Genabackis have been deemed traitors by their Empress. They join with former opponents to halt a mad cult that has conquered cities in the southern part of the continent. The reason: the Pannion cult acts as if possessed, and starves its followers; they become an army of cannibals to conquer new territories for (ahem) food.
But that's only a small part of the larger scope of these tales. A great war is about to begin that makes the Malazan imperial aspirations seem petty by comparison, and Erikson begins to reveal its major actors in this volume. The war includes gods, demigods, and humans. Erikson's world also is peopled with numerous (usually humanoid) non-human creatures, all of whom have different powers and abilities and different societal structures.
It's about time that Steven Erikson has begun to get some well-earned attention and kudos in the US for his Tales of the Malazan Book of the Fallen series. Previously available only in the UK and Canada (US stores would purchase from Canadian stocks), Tor recently became Erikson's US publisher and the books will come out in Tor editions starting in 2004.

Just finished Memories of Ice (referred to as MoI), Steven Erikson's third installment in his Malazan Book of the Fallen series, and it is by far my favorite book in the series thus far. This is the first time in the series where instead of being left with questions like "what on earth just happened" or "what the heck is an Ascendant/Warren/Azath etc.", the only questions I had were "how soon can I get my hands on the next book" and "what's so-and-so going to do next?" The good kind. Not the confusing kind. And though no less complex than its predecessors, that's what makes this the most rewarding book in Erikson's series yet.

MoI is a direct sequel to the series' first book, Gardens of the Moon, and thus shifts the focus back to Genabackis and, almost literally, all of the characters who did not make an appearance in Deadhouse Gates. Paran, Whiskeyjack, the Bridgeburners, Anomander Rake and Caladan Brood's camp, Kruppe and his fellow Darujistanians, and some other familiar faces return to unite against a fanatical Theocracy spreading mayhem in Southern Genabackis. Events take place concurrently to the plot of Deadhouse Gates, and it was very interesting to hear secondhand through conversation and rumors the events taking place in Seven Cities and these characters' reaction to them.

Like it's predecessors, MoI's plot also features frequent meddling on the part of the Malazan world's deities, and many of characters finding themselves used as pawns in the gods games and struggles against each other. MoI mostly features new gods we haven't encountered yet, and I found all of them just as captivating as Oponn, Shadowthrone and the rest. What also makes MoI's plot stand out from other typical 'meddling god' fantasies is that most of the characters KNOW they're being used as pawns, and often try to twist that to their own benefit or fight against it. MoI's storylines all wrap up very nicely by the end of the book, while at the same time there are scenes, conversations, and hints of future threats and what's to come for these characters in future books. Erikson clearly put alot of work into structuring the plot, and while in the past I found myself utterly lost by the time I finished the book, he definitely succeeded this time around, and it shows.

The plot is just as complicated as the previous two books, yet finally, it's all starting to make sense. All of the characters, both main and supporting, are incredibly fascinating, and almost all of the new characters introduced are welcome additions to the series. Gruntle, Stonny, Itkovian,the Seguleh, the Mott Irregulars, and Lady Envy, especially. However, my favorite characters were by far Kruppe as well as Picker, Blend and their fellow Bridgeburners. Their segments bring much needed humor and wit to the story, and I fell in love with all of them.

I say "almost all of the new characters" for two reasons. First, I LOVED Bauchelain, Korbal Broach, and Emancipor Reese, but I felt that they weren't utilized well at all. I guess that might be why Erikson came out with a novella featuring the trio, but I was waiting every time they were featured for them to have that 'awesome', jawdropping moment that seemed to be building up for them, and it never came. Second, the Mhybe. I hated her. I didn't care about her, her selfish troubles or her stupid dreams at all. Her parts interrupted the flow of the story. Worse, she more or less wasted the time of compelling characters Coll and Murillio, two of my favorites from GotM who aren't left with much to do because of her. That's just me, but, I really can't see many readers finding the Mhybe one of the more compelling storylines.

There really isn't much more to say. Great rewarding story, excellent characterization and writing, thrilling plot, and perfectly descripted (and gruesome) battles. Problems from the previous installments still remain (overly complicated, useless appendices, and poor physical descriptions of the characters, making it hard to visualize some of them) but they are less pronounced here and the overall story and how well it all comes together more than makes up for them.

This is quickly becoming one of my favorite series. Can't wait to return to Seven Cities and see what's going on there. Though, one slight nitpick for Erikson: NO Crimson Guard, after so much buildup and their very brief but awesome appearance in GotM? Without even a decent explanation? Come on now. They better come back (for all I know, they may have already).

I started the Malzan Book of the Fallen series based on my cousin's recommendation. The first novel, Gardens of the Moon, made my head spin. You know how, when you read a trilogy, by the third book the author doesn't waste any time explaining who's who and what's what? This series started like that. I felt like I had been dropped in the middle of a story. A good one, but I was frequently lost. Of the 600-page book, the first 450 was a trial and the last 150 were frenetically awesome as it all paid off.

The second volume, The Deadhouse Gates, wasn't as satisfying. It takes place in a new setting with mostly new characters and it never got to that point of gaining downhill momentum at the end. And the bad part was that with all new characters and locales, it was still that feeling of walking in to a movie halfway through.

I had about given up when my cousin explained that the second book wasn't his favorite and the third one, Memories of Ice, featured the return of my favorite characters, a military unit called The Bridgeburners. So I gave it a try. And it was excellent.

It felt like the author attended a writer's workshop between the second and third books. That, or hired an editor. The story moved at a brisk pace throughout and there was much more dialogue. He even used two background characters as foils for some occasional exposition to reset the story. It was awkward, but so needed in the first two books that I didn't mind. And finally, he started fleshing out his characters. Erikson can create some killer character concepts. The fisherman's daughter possessed by the Patron Saint of Assassins. The most powerful mage in the world whose best trick is being completely anonymous. The immortal shapechanger with the massive sword whose victims are banished to the prison world within the sword. Oh, and he lives in a flying mountain.

Erikson never had trouble with interesting concepts, but he's finally giving those characters unique voices. I'm impressed with the progression I see in him as a writer. I'm going to keep going.

I am not going to rehash all the other reviews, but just wanted to add my two cents. If you made it through Gardens of the Moon and are enthralled with Erikson's style, you owe it to yourself to read this book. If you need everything spoon fed to you with explanations of the magic system and every characters background and motivations, this is not the series for you. This is my favorite book in the series and as a bonus you get to meet Bauchelain and Korbal Broach--two of the best side characters in the series. You can skip Deadhouse Gates, for now if you want, as this book is the direct follow up to GotM, but make sure to read it as well as it is a GREAT book.

Much easier to get into than Deadhouse Gates, as the majority of the cast return from Gardens of the Moon, and I was happy to see the return of my favourite characters, namely Anomander Rake, Whiskeyjack and Ganoes Paran.
We also learn what happens to Toc the Younger after he is tossed into a Warren by Hairlock, and his story with Lady Envy and Onos T'oolan. The developing relationship of Toc and Tool was one of my favourite plotlines.
The now-outlawed Malazan army under Dujek Onearm must now ally itself with Caladan Brood and Anomander Rake to combat the greater threat of the Pannion Domin, a mysterious new force that threatens them all. It also introduces us in the prologue to Kallor, a cruel tyrant from countless millennia ago who, when cursed by a trio of elder gods, responded by cursing them in turn.
Much quicker to get into than Gardens of the Moon or Deadhouse Gates, Memories of Ice is filled with plot twists, excellent characters and brilliant action scenes. To date, it remains one of my favourites in the series.

I've read fantasy for over 20 years. From Tolkien to Brooks...from Moorcock to Guy Gavriel Kay...from Jordan to Keyes. This series, which does owe a bit to Glen Cook's series (but not a ripoff at all like Goodkind to Jordan's series)...this book starts where Gardens of the Moon (book 1) leaves off. Paran, the Bridgeburners, Quick Ben, Kruppe, Anomander Rake, Whiskeyjack...they all play big parts as they begin to set off to the new threat of the Pannion Seer. New allies come onboard...the Grey Swords...the Barghast White Faces....but with much cost and their own issues. This is not your grandfather's fairy tale...these are adults with issues and flaws which affect others. This is not a happy tale. This is a tale of war, battles, victories, defeats, mayhem, and honor. This is Platoon meeting Fantasy. Told from the warriors. Gods are humanlike and falliable...playing their games, but also very flawed and power-hungry, themselves. In a time where we are in a place of uncertainity with terrorism and a world at large that is out of control, this series carries great power, insight and a realism that most fantasy books lack, or can't even touch. These are complex characters, with complex thoughts, and not always laid out for you like a connect-the-dots. And BOOK 3 is a fantastic tome that simply redefines the genre itself.

The third book of Steve Erikson's Malazan series picks up where the first book left off. The Empress Laseen has outlawed Whiskyjack, the Bridgeburners, and Dujek Onearm after their failure to capture the jeweled city of Darujistan. The seasoned soldiers are not long out of work. On the continent of Genabackis there is word of a terrifying new threat. A deranged prophet known as the Pannion Seer is on the march with a massive army of powerful mages, undead lethal warriors and thousands of cannibalistic zealots. He has set his sights on the city of Capustan to conquer the city and for its citizens to serve as food for his ravening hordes.
Realizing that the city's lone defenders, The Grey Swords, are woefully outmatched, Whiskeyjack and Dujek offer assistance. Because there are other more powerful forces propelling the Pannion, former enemies of the Malazans also offer alliance. The Warlord Caladan Brood and the mysterious Tiste Andii Anomander Rake march with WhiskeyJack and Dujek to Capustan amidst an uneasy truce.
In the midst of this, the child, Silverfox is aging at a rapid rate as she attempts to fulfill her destiny. Ganoes Paran learns the price of having walked within the sword Dragnipur, a tribe is reunited with their Gods, an ancient wrong is righted, ordinary people become heroic, heroes are shown that they are all too human and a mortal man attempts to save a God.
Right from the start in the first book where we are plopped in the middle of a devastating war and see a young girl possessed with the spirit of a deadly assassin, we are immediately wrapped up in the lives and fortunes of a great many interesting people. There is Whiskeyjack the beloved leader, who is weary of war and politics. There is Tattersail the clever mage whose reincarnation comes at a devastating price. There is Ganoes Paran , once a pawn to be played, becomes a master of the game. There is the fat, affable Kruppe who confounds everyone he meets. There is the mysterious (and wonderfully monikered) Anomander Rake, who has untold powers and hinted at sorrow. There is Empress Laseen, who may not be as evil as we think. And there is Quick Ben, who has many surprises up his sleeve.
Although the subject matter of bloody, horrible war (along with rape, torture, cannibalism and possible world destruction) can be quite heavy, there are still glimpses of humor and wonder in his writing. I like the world he has built. I like the deep history that we learn as the stories progress. I like the idea of the Deck of Dragons where the hierarchy of Gods manifests itself in a deck of cards. And I especially like the fact that while I am pretty sure whom to root for, I am not always sure whom I should root against. Even the seemingly unsympathetic characters seem to have good reasons to do what they do.
While I did read the books in order, I found that I actually had to go back and reread the first book in order to bring myself up to speed for this third one. The second book takes a bit of a detour and, rather than picking up right where the first book left off, it instead follows the story of Ganoes Paran's sister, Felisin and her travels in the deserts of the Seven Cities. While this was a bit of interruption in the action, it does whet the appetite for the eventual reunion of the two siblings both of whom have undergone both physical and metaphysical changes.

What an amazing series. The first book requires sheer willpower to get through, but the payoff is big. As far as I am concerned, Mr. Erikson is on par with George Martin and lazy Patrick Rothfuss. The sheer size of his world and the number of characters within it far eclipse those of GRRM and put Rothfuss to shame. Most importantly, these books are huge. I'm only on the 4th and am so thankful that I am nowhere near the end of this series.

Check this site for help remembering characters and for maps: [...]

The Good
-Bauchelain & Korbal Broach are simply hilarious and brilliant
-Brukhalian is great
-Lady Envy and Toc the Youngers plot thread is good too
-More insight into the Tiste Endur, Tiste Andi and Caladan Brood
-appearance of the Crippled God
-some of the dialogue is simply hilarious
-definitely the best book of the series I have read so far and right up there with the best in the fantasy genre
-it is surprising how much more I have grown to remember characters in this book. I think the character development in this series leaves Robert Jordan for dead

The Bad
-I honestly found nothing bad in this book. Maybe the final battle could have had a bit more page space as I really enjoy the descriptive nature of Erikson's writing style whilst explaining combat to give me a real feel without getting bogged down which is very rare indeed

The Ugly
-the Pannions in general :OP
-again nothing I can put in this category either

It is rare that I would give a fiction book 5 stars indeed!

Steven Erikson has broken my heart once again. What an absolutely fabulous novel! The fact that I care so much about these characters only attests to his brilliance. As in Deadhouse Gates, the conclusion of Memories of Ice had me on the verge of tears (indeed, choked sobs did occur). I won't bother extrapolating on plot, as other reviewers have already done so succinctly. I will, however, offer my 5 star rating into this woefully small bunch of peers. I have been reading fantasy since I was 13, I'm now 29. I have read tons of books, including Jordan (increasing dreck), Goodkind (increasing dreck), R.R Martin (decreasing output), and, of course, Tolkien (long lost). Not to mention Feist, Gemmell, Duncan, etc... Erikson, in my opinion, is the best of the best. If you have grown increasingly frustrated with this genre (as I have), then this is the series for you. Harshly brutal, painstakingly heartfelt, ultimately vast, yet overwhelmingly wonderful. I am in awe, as you will be too if you undertake this journey that is the epic of all epics. Erikson's praise deserves to be sung to the rafters!!!

First: Why are these books having a "stealth" US realease. These are certainly better, and more enjoyable, than Robert Jordan's most recent case of episodic diarreah of the pen. Terry Goodkind gets good press (why?). Wi'it'ch War had a big release (why?), and this book is left to founder without any support? There is clearly a market for big fantasy right now, and darker fantasy, in general, has been getting remarkably good press--and these are released the store only? These are great, great books--I can only assume they are offered here because so many people were ordering them from the store.co.uk, rather than waiting for the US release.
This, the most recent book in the series is excellent. A trifle cloying (near the end), but with such a richly imagined history, and excellent characters, this book deserves a much larger audience. The first in the series was a bit weak--but bear with it--it was the authors first book, while the second in this series is the authors 5th, and the added practice shows.
The action in these books is brutal, and the outlook grim. Imagine glen cook's black company series with the battles, and their attendant horror, magnified, and told explicitly. Evil has a very powerful, very real face, and it isn't hidden, or pretty.
Perhaps the most powerful aspect of the book, however, is the strong moral center. Hidden under an extraordianry world, with amazing characters and maic lies a book about compassion and tolerance. If my suspicions are born out, it is the birth of those virtues which forms a large part of the fundamental conflict in these books, and that is a powerful message. There is a moral center to these stories, and for all their gore, it is satisfying to see a reason for it. Or at least, I can hope for a reason.
Even if you don't care about those aspects, the world of Genabackis, and its attendant gods, ascendants, soletaken, and elder races, is absolutely incredible. The fantasy and world building is a fresh and interesting amalgam of religious and cultural traditions. There are only a few worlds that can match the epic nature of this series--and none hat offer such an incredible history. If big fantasy is at all appealing, then you _must_ read these books. There is nothing out there that is equivalent to the world building in these books. Enjoy them, and spread the word.

Memories of Ice is starting to fulfill the promise the series started off with in Gardens of the Moon and continued with the further improved Deadhouse Gates. The marked improvement in Erikson's writing is refreshing and I can only hope it continues. Memories doesn't have the disjointed dialogue and storyline of Gardens (had to read it twice) and holds the plot much better. However, if I see the word efficacy again I think I'm going to vomit! 4 stars for this one (as opposed to 3 for Gardens and 3 1/2 for Deadhouse)I just wish there was a sourcebook or something as opposed to flipping to the front or back of the book to reacquaint oneself with the characters/religions/etc. Also, can't we get a decent map? On to House of Chains!

If you have liked the first books of the Wheel of Time but you were really dissapointed with the next this series maybe just what the doctor ordered. Huge and well developed world and really complicated plot, many different cultures, races, tribes, nations. Characters who are not one-dimensional but are truely believable and for my money are among the best in the whole fantasy genre. No defined "heroes" and "villains". Emotional scenes who can bring nearly everyone to tears with their tragic feeling plus some of the funniest dialogue ever - Lady Envy anyone?:) The author uses as few cliches as possible - there is no boy-hero saving the world and such stuff. Simply stunning series with this book easily the best so far in it!

This book is a little much for me. There's lots of gore and bodies piled six deep, etc. Steven Erikson has some writing talent, but he would do better to focus more on the plot and characters than constant eviscerations, bones breaking, and heads being lopped off. This book is not for mature readers.

The newest king of fantasy ought to be crowned following this materpiece. Erikson is simply the best fantasy writer today--bar none, that includes Martin, Hobbes, Kearney, Keyes and Marco (all very good by the way).
Erikson is simply a magician that creates imagery for the blind, music for the deaf and texture for the unfeeling. Breathing taking in scope, immaculately detailed, and wonderfully paced, Memories of Ice and Snow is without question, one of the greatest books I have ever read. My God, there are no less than 15 characters that I actually like and can relate to. Buy the series, get into Erikson and put down the Goodkind books. Go

I agree with the positive comments concerning the books complexity. Yet, I found the phrase "none the less" to be used profusely and way too much. One reviewer commented that the characters tend to speak the same. I believe these instances (along with the phrase) are, however, signs of editorial errors. Although not a professional in the field, I would hope that a reviewer for publication would note these concerns and suggest that this is a problem to the author, who may be too immersed in the plot design to notice.

On the other hand, I disagree with the negative comment regarding overuse of character's titles. Sometimes this makes the reading easier with so many characters and it provides diversity rather than repetitive naming. Moreover, in some cases such as the historian in the second book, a title may be used by others as a sign of respect. As a reader, I felt that the people placed great honor on the role of historian as she or he would tell the tale to others and for future generations.

These minor concerns don't remove a star for me but could enhance the readability.

This book picks up with some of the characters from the first novel. Heboric/felisin, apsalar/crokus, icarium/mappo are not present here.

Tale introduces a new enemy only alluded to before (the Pannion Seer), re-introduces Toc the Younger, as well as the re-incarnated nightchill/tattersail/?, Silverfox, now a living t'lann imass bonecaster. The efforts of the Crippled God to disrupt warrens and his other goals, as well as the appearance of a new master of the deck, feature prominently in this story. Major features include a major city siege, and an even larger engagement later (Coral). A fair amount about the overall background of the t'lann imass, barghast, jaghut, and tiste andii is revealed here. While it is somewhat disconcerting to have each novel feature new characters and characters who were skipped in the previous novel, you get up to speed fairly fast.

This is a very enjoyable series. While at times the bantering dialogue seemed to drag the story down, overall you get the feeling the author is moving his story forward. I certainly have continued reading (now on 5th novel) after finishing this last week.

Stephen Erikson is undoubtably one of the best fantasy writers in the world today! Easily as highly skilled a storyteller as George RR Martin, Guy Gavriel Kay and Tolkien, he's head and shoulders over Jordan, Goodkind, Eddings and many others who spin out their tales ad infinitum at ever descending levels...
Stephen Erikson. Having met him in Calgary, Canada two years ago at an FF/SF conference, I can relate the author somewhat to the writing. Although his first book, Garden of the Moons, starts slowly, it's not long before the discerning reader is swept along by the tale ... that later is broadened by the 2nd volume Deadhouse Gates, and now by the 3rd Memories of Ice.
How to qualify this work? In a huge world, with complex characters and a fascinating array of real life and magical events, we visit another place that also often cuts to the core of the meaning of life. I think that Stephen writes from many different places, and quite simply is a must read for avid readers of any genre.
A shortfall? Perhaps fleshing out the characters somewhat more deeply, so that the reader can more easily "feel" the yearnings, the pain, the perplexity of events and life as it churns around and in them. That would perhaps also assist the unfolding of events in his sprawling world.
I would encourage anyone reading this mini-review to get into Erikson's work today ... and spread the word. I would like to see a writer of this calibre do so well that he can focus only on furthering our reading pleasure for many years to come.

i found steven erikson while looking for reviews of david keck's 'in the eye of heaven'. erikson liked it (and so did i), however, i then took a chance on the second malazan book (reviews said it was less complicated than the first). i now slightly regret reading out of order, but only because of the abiding love i have found towards erikson's malazan series. each book has been great. the first is wonderful, but they continue to imrove. i grew up as a tolkien brat and despise the mercedes lackey's and anne mccaffrey's, but erikson is a tops writer who challenges tolkien in scope and mythic history. his prose is engaging, his grasp of characters is vast - the # of characters is weblike (but none of the branching stories makes you wish for a separate one!). the manner in which he weaves the smallest details from pg 37 into pg 488 is a testament to his devotion to his books and his readers. certainly, don't expect cliches or black and white plots/characters; these are evil characters you hate and pity and these are good or tragic characters you love and empathize for. each book is long -- you will be thankful. i am thankful the series is 10 long. i'm just glad i discovered steven erikson.

Not since GRRM's Storm of Swords have I been this utterly blown away by a fantasy novel. Apples and oranges you say? Fair enough, they are nothing alike.

Everything that was good about Gardens of the Moon and Deadhouse gates becomes mind-bogglingly amazing in this book. The amount of information revealed, the new questions that arise, the increase in the depth of Erikson's world, the scope of its history.. it's enough to make you dizzy.

It also differs from the previous books in that it's far more emotional of a book. The brotherhood of soldiers, the love that is born in misery and suffering, deep betrayals, true friendships, despair, hope.. HISTORY. Over 300,000 years of history!

This is NOT a simple tale. It's possibly the most complex and confusing story I have ever read. It is NOT a character-driven tale, although in this book the characters are incredible. But I could NOT have enjoyed it more than I did. Period.

In Memories of Ice, Erikson continues his epic fantasy series The Malazan Book of the Fallen. As with his prior 2 books he shows that he is one of the top fantasy writers in the market.

Don't bother reading his books if you want simplistic fluff.

Don't bother reading his books if you want your questions answered within a few pages.

Don't bother reading his books if you need a storyline spoon fed to you.

For those of you that like a challenge, like a unique world and a unique system of magic then this is for you.

I have read all the books in the Malazan world that have been written (the US publishing lags behind the rest of the world), including Night of Knives by Esslemont (a book that the store in the US doesn't even know about) and without exception this series and world are at, or damn near, the top of fantasy today.

"Memories of Ice" was fantastic. Even at 1180 pages, I found the entirety of the book to be entertaining and was frequently surprised by the plot twists built in by Erikson.

There is little more to say. If you enjoyed the previous two books in the series, I strongly recommend "Memories of Ice." It reveals new secrets and tracks the progress of numerous character from the first two novels. Read it.

I've been reading fantasy for nearly 30 years. I've read them all: Martin, Jordan, Tolkien, Eddings, Goodkind, Brooks, etc. I can honestly say that NONE of these authors (with the exception of Tolkien maybe) come close to Erikson in creating a world that sucks you in and squeezes every drop of blood out of you before letting you go. I have never read a series where every character has POWER in their own unique way. Where every plot and subplot is complex and meaningful and interlaced to complete a perfect whole. Where plotlines are resolved whilst others are begun. This author's imagination just flows and he has created a living, breathing world so deep and breathtaking that I truly am amazed. You will never be bored reading these books. You will never want to skip through a section so you can get to something exciting. I am an avid fantasy reader and have truly read them all. There has been nothing written in this genre that comes close to the Malazan saga. And what's better yet, he's not done....

In his previous two books set in the Malazan Book of the Fallen series, Erikson showed the promise of what he was capable of. Finally, in Memories of Ice, he truly hits his stride. From here on- and I have read this and books four and five, already published in the UK -he delivers relentlessly upon his promise.

The world he has constructued is, bar none, one of the most complex and detailed, showing echoes of Eriksons' studies in Anthropology. The complexity of this universe isn't, however, handed to you upon a silver platter- the Malazan world is a work in progress, each book hinting at deeper and deeper histories, at the myriad of cultures and peoples, both human and non, who occupy it.

In Memories of Ice, he details a truly breath-taking tale, shifting perspective between a vast array of important character. It continues the tale of the outlawed Dujek's Host and Whiskeyjacks Bridgeburners from the first tale, Gardens of the Moon.

Here, enemies become friends and friends become divided, as Erikson finally delves more into such characters as Anomander Rake and the occasionally mentioned Caladan Brood.

True to his previous books, he also introduces a whole new cast of fascinating characters: the Grey Swords, led by Brukhalian, and the tale of their desperate battle in the city of Capustan; Gruntle and Stonny, caravan guards for the mysterious trader Keruli, as they travel south. He also delves into characters of the first book, such as the undead "Tool."

This isn't fantasy for the weak of heart: Erikson delivers a brutal, heart-wrenching tale of war and betrayal, tempered by occasional moments of levity. Like in reality, in war, people die, and so goes this tale.

Each book, thus far, has surpassed the one prior, with moments of clarity and beauty, as well as a series of emotional gut-punches, that will draw the breath from your lungs and leave you disbelieving.

It is, with the exception of a rare few fantasy authors writing today, one of the truly best-told tales I have ever read. This series shall, without doubt, write Erikson's name as one of the most influential fantasy authors of this generation.

.david

Typically I skip the review portion, but this book deservers more than just a 5 star rating.

If you want a wonderfully entertaining read pick this one up, but be sure that you don't have any plans for the foreseeable future. This story has a way of throwing you deeply into its world, and you won't want to leave!

It is a complicated tale that cannot, and should not be contained in just this one novel. I truly hope the author has more tales from this incredibly rich, and interesting world.

Yes, I do mean just this book. I have not had the pleasure of reading any other books in this series, but I will be ordering them for immediate delivery as soon as I finish this review!

REVIEWER UPDATE 01/19/2010:
I have not in fact given up on this series. After reading two abyssmally simple and shallow books (Green Rider by Kristen Britain which was absolutely horrible!!) and (The Crown Conspiracy by Michael Sullivan which was so so), I have regained my appreciation for Erikson's abilities. Nonetheless, my critical observations on Memories of Ice still stand. Read below.

ORIGINAL REVIEW:
After this book, I've given up on this series. Let me tell you why....

I thought Gardens of the Moon (the first book in this series) was really good. It was intelligent, it certainly wasn't written in your typical narrative structure, and it introduced a new and interesting kind of world building. Erikson flat out drops you into his world and makes you attempt to figure out what is going on. All said, it was a unique reading experience. Deadhouse Gates was more of the same ( albeit in a different setting), but it was while reading this second book that I began to notice some charateristics that I don't care for. Memories of Ice made me frustrated with these things and I got to the point where I began to question the HUGE time committment that would be necessary to finish this series. I've decided to give up.

1) Like another series I know (GRRM's Song of Ice and Fire), the author likes to describe everything and I mean everything in the very grossest of terms. The settings are always certain to be the most foul that they can be (rats crawling around, drinking from filthy cups, cannibalism!!, etc. etc.). I can't help but ask: Has a day ever dawned in this world that at least started out as a sunny and pleasant day?

2) Similarly, after a awhile you notice the lack of depth in the characters. Ok. I know this is about war on a global scale. Some of the characters do understand their duty as soldiers (even if all they are amounts to nothing more than being a tool for the gods), but not once in my opinion (in 2000 pages!!!) does any character in this series exhibit any reasons for what they do AND THEY NEVER EVER do anything that is genuinely compassionate for anyone else. This is way too depressing for me.

3) Too many circumstances are just plain absurd. Like characters who stand and continue to fight while on a two story tall mound of dead bodies that they killed!! Come on, that's laughable right? And by the way, where do all these people come from? I mean all the hundreds of thousands of dead bodies amounting to nothing more than fodder. In a world ravaged by warfare for centuries, where are all these people coming from? I'll also point out that not once have I noticed any reference to farms on this world. Where are the support mechanism for these societies? In his desire to create the epic of all epic struggles, Erikson fails to create a legitimate and realistic setting.

Despite these hugh problems, I'll admit to the fact that there are still some interesting and innovative qualties to this series. For example, I do like the deck of dragons, the magical warrens and the ancient races he has created. For me, it's just that this series has become too depressing and unrewarding for me. My time is much more valuable than that.

Lastly, the overall impression I have of Erikson's world is to equate it to playing the most violent, dark, campy and gruesome slash em' up video game you can imagine. If you like that, then this series may be for you.

Memories of Ice was an intriguing look into yet another peril facing the people of Erikson's fantastic world. The Pannion Domin presents an immediate and deadly threat to the Malazan Empire as it devours the continent. This story follows the bravery of the last remaining Bridgeburners, their brave sergeant Whiskeyjack, and the hesitant Cpt. Ganoes Paran. A tangent of the story focuses on the fall of the god of war and the ascendancy of its replacement. The novel does not have a boring spot but the ultimate battle climax at the end is pristinely done. This is a must read for fan's of Erikson, but if this is the first Erikson novel you've picked up, you are missing out on some important background presented in Gardens of the Moon and Deadhouse Gates. Read as much Erikson as possible!

It's long, epic, complicated and brutal. You need to be able to remember lots of characters, places and storylines and that some of it may be speculation or irrelevant details. You also need to remember much of what's been happening in the last two books. If this is the kind of thing you like, then it's great. It can also be damn emotional and heavy. Lots of humanity, both hilarious comedy and terrible tragedy.
People compare this series to A Song of Fire and Ice, which in some ways I agree with but only in wide strokes - it's an epic, somewhat fantasy-medieval tale where the main characters are gut-wrenchingly mortal. These books however are more or less all centred around warring.

Why am I not surprised that only knowledgeable fantasy readers are reviewing this book?

Its depth, originality, dark poesy and broad emotional range have no known equivalent.

It is really breathtaking and makes one wanting more of the same.

I am not yet sure that I have fully tasted and appreciated all that is within.

Like many said, and I will chime in - if you liked Brooks, Eddings, Goodkind, Harry Potter, last 5 Jordan books and consider that they are great fantasy writers, pass your way.

But if you have read all that and found it wanting, then very definitely there are only 2 things on the top of the contemporary fantasy writing - S.Erikson and G.R.R Martin.

I am an old hand at fantasy novels. I have read all the biggies, Jordan, Goodkind, Martin, and of course, Tolkien. Steven Erikson easily joins the foresmost ranks of fantasy authors. His novels are immense both in scope and in pure imagination. The characters are not mere cariactures of humans but are humans in the fullest meaning of the word. They have dreams, fears, hopes all to rival those of a real person. Even those characters that are not human are infinitely complex and interesting. The writing is uniformly excellent, showing Erikson to be a true master of the English language. His descriptions of battles are incredibly detailed and realistic. The plot is dense and forces a reader to pay close attention to the story. One point that should be told is that the book is not for the faint of heart. The plot veers sharply into the darkest parts of the human psyche and can be disturbing. However, the novel is so excellent and mesmerizing, I would recommend it to anyone who is seriously interested in fantasy. Steven Erikson is an incredible author and you owe to yourself to pick up his novels!

After the adolescent material that had driven me out of this genre ten or more years ago, it was so thrilling to walk unawares into "Gardens of the Moon" based on a friend's recommendation. Stephen Erikson has succeeded where so few other writers have -- in creating a work of epic fantasy that doesn't insult the intelligence or maturity of his readers. And as this series progresses, I just get more and more impressed. I have not been affected by any novel the way I was by "Memories of Ice". Not in a long time.
...If any of that sounds familiar to you, read Stephen Erikson. Now. His works are mature, sophisticated, imaginative and profound explorations of the human condition, with tons of swordfights, magical duels, freaky monsters and complex political history thrown in. These are great books in every sense of the word.
Frankly, not since Tolkien have I read anyone command this genre so masterfully. Unlike virtually everyone else in epic fantasy, Erikson is not rewriting or re-interpreting Tolkien. He is creating something entirely new. And it's brilliant.
On the other hand, if you love Jordan and Eddings and Brooks and all that gang, then these books aren't for you. But if you're fed up with fantasy that assumes you're thirteen, read these books. Read them!

I found Memories of Ice the most compelling work of fantasy I have read to date. The characters are vivid, and Erikson lends a certain amount of gravitas to this serious soap opera unfolding before us. It is easy to develop a bond with certain characters, thus when one is "killed off" one is pained. I find this an exponent of good writing. Credit has to be given to Erikson's editor. It would be easy for the writer to be carried away by the majesty of this characters, his convoluted plot and is lurid battles scenes - magical and mundane - and one more star should be added to this review for Erikson's success in marrying all the threads into a cohesive, exciting and "cant put me down" epic. My hat off to him.
Sergio Ben, Cape Town

this is my second time reading all ten volumes of The Malazan Book of the Fallen . the writing is amazing, characterization one hasnt come across in a very long time and just the sheer enormity of keeping track of all the stories, people, events and making it work fascinated me . please dont turn it into a tv series and lose the magic .

In this book the author has chosen to take advantage of unifying storylines. In ALL his other books, he is reluctant or not equipped to fufill. Erikson is hyperactive in extreme, but not in this book. Erikson should see his third novel as the plan for others. Steve can get overabundant in characters and while HE may know where they are going the audience does not even have a chance to try and figure it out. I find myself skipping and reading back so much my eyeballs hurt.
That doesn't make this a good read. His story does, however. As much as I would like to throw his books away because of his newbie writing...his genius keeps drawing me in.
D H

I cannot praise this series highly enough. I am an avid reader of fantasy fiction and many other genres. I am absolutely blown away by the complexity, strength of vision, and incredible characters that Erikson writes in this series. I read "War and Peace" two years ago, and when I say this series is the fantasy equivalent, I don't mean so lightly. Both books employ a huge score of characters, with multiple viewpoints and story lines, most of which converge as the novels wrap up.

I do agree with the other reviewers, though, that this is not a book, or a series for the faint of heart. If you're looking for something easy, that you can read through without doing much thinking, then Eddings or Jordan would definitely be a better fit. However, if you're willing to put the work in, and can see the merit and value of the many viewpoints in the novel here, it is an amazing experience. I was nearly brought to tears many times throughout the book, having spent over one thousand pages with the characters, some of whose stories end in heartbreak and tragedy.

Once again, I can't recommend this book nearly enough. Erikson is a master. His work should be on the shelf of every serious reader of both fantasy, and good literature in general.

Best Fantasy Series out there. Hands down. This one's my favorite so far, but I haven't read House of Chains, yet. :) If you like fantasy, and you haven't read Steven Erickson... umm. You're missing out on the good stuff. Wasn't sure what to make of the first pair of books. Things never seem to go the way you want or expect the action to take. But this book pulls together elements of the first two and was really hard to put down. Steven Erickson is so good, I'm rationing myself to only reading one every couple of month. These are books to be savored.

This is one of the two best authors (Alistair McReynolds being the other) to come along in a very long time. After reading the first two books in this series, I immediately ordered all the rest. If long, and complex, epics do not suit you, your probably better off with the 200pg story you can read over the weekend at the cabin.
The rumor that the US publishing market would not publish for this guy speaks volumes about what they only think they know about the sci-fi/fantasy genre readers.

I have read alot of fantasy...and this series definitely ranks up there with the best of 'em. To be honest, the complexity of the books can be overwhelming at times but after reading it one begins to appreciate the breadth of the story and strength of the characterizations and plot. This series can be best described with perhaps one word...EPIC.

This whole series has truly blown me away with its scope and power, and I feel that Memories of Ice was one of the high points of this series. If you kept wondering when it would mention Paran, Whiskeyjack, Anomander Rake, and Caladan Brood during The Deadhouse Gates, this is what you've been waiting for.

Enough others have written their reviews, so I'll be short and to the point. Erikson is the best fantasy writer alive. Gammell and Jordan are very good, but Erikson's writing has a grit, depth, and breath that is unmatched by anyone out there. If you enjoy high fantasy with a mature grasp of emotions tossed in with a complex plot, then you can do no better than Erikson. I ordered the first volume from the store UK and have just completed the fouth volume and still can not get enough. Enjoy the ride.

Stunning literary talent yet often too prolific. The talent drowns in its own profusion. A complex story with compelling characters yet one is left wanting as the pantheon of gods and mortals is ever expanding and one struggles to find a thread in the storyline that will not unravel.

Great as a stand alone, yet having read the previous books in the series the way he writes seemlessly adds depth to the book. I love that in each book he doesn't rehash everything like some authors are prone to do in their series.

When Deadhouse Gates was fond of angst, philosophy, and violence levels typical of a teenage audience, I realized that maybe I shouldn't be reading these books. But all the same, maybe a bit of that juvenile element was what drew me in. The characters are all overpowered with plenty of magic and the extent of their identities are, save few, how cool they are because of all their power. People raved about this book and I was still hopeful I might come to love something in this story, especially after the major crybaby tirade that was Deadhouse Gates.

Where Deadhouse Gates was angsty, this book was just whiny. The Mhybe is a disastrous offender in this category and Erikson will spend five to ten pages with consistent line breaks where this character just tells us how bad she has it and this happens about seven to ten, maybe more times, in the whole book. That in itself is leastwise tolerable but there are other cases where the book just tells us how bad things are and characters often just ramble for pages upon pages at a time where these internal monologues could oft be shortened or outright killed and then I would have cared.

The story involves the outlawed Malazan forces going to fight the Pannion Domin, a new religious empire that would allegedly shame the Spanish Inquisition. Dujek's joined with Rake and the Crimson Guard since they share a common enemy. Meanwhile, Toc the Younger has survived his encounter with Hairlock and wakes near a ruined tower where he meets the demi-goddess Lady Envy and Lorn's Tellann Imass, Tool, while experiencing the effects of being touched by a god. A group of caravanserai is tasked to guard a strange duo with doubtlessly murderous intentions and later fall in with defending the vulnerable city of Capustan from the Pannion Domin's armies. The Grey Swords, a cultic mercenary band hired by Capustan, encounter ineffable magic phenomena (is there any other kind in this series?) and ponder about how to deal with the situation.

Where do all these gods come from and why do they act in the incomprehensible manner they do? How does the magic system work? Apparently in the Malazan universe, just meeting a god will make you a demigod or some other celestial entity sooner or later and with how many gods and goddesses they are and they're tendency to walk on the earth, you wonder why there are any normal people in this world to begin with. Paran escaped from Rake's magic sword and now he's the master of the deck. Its akin to saying that you escaped prison and now you're automatically the head of the judicial system. Caladan Brood has an earthquaking hammer and is also revealed to be a demigod whose lived for generations. He loses his temper over forcedly eccentric Kruppe and makes an earthquake but won't use it in battle where it could be put to good use.

Most characters are annoying too. The caravanserai story involves warrior woman Stonny who is typically feisty, lesbian, butt of most of the jokes, and can't fight at all, along with Harllo, token comic relief who acts typically stupid all the time. The otherworldly characters are typical racial stereotypes that would make William J. Simmons proud. There's plenty of examples like the Barghast race who are only spiritual because they're forced to and one Barghast character in particular, Hetan, can be summed up as: "Me so horny. Me love you long time." Korlat, a Tiste Andii demi-goddess black woman is noted for her beauty first and foremost and has a relationship which can be accurately be noted as: "Looking good there cracker, let's do it." The Seguleh are warriors who can move at the speed of light and don't have a culture aside from fighting and violence. The Tellann Imass decided to exterminate an entire race based on a few bad apples. The Moranth all talk in cryptic aphorisms.

Upon the debut of the Tenescowri, the Pannion Domin's cannibal army, the whole thing seems absurd and implausible, but there are hints of a brutal forced assimilation to sane townspeople and villages alike what happens to freshly incarcerated prisoners and how they become part of the vile system that forged them into twisted monsters. This is the closest to mature storytelling that Erikson has ever achieved. Unfortunately this idea is quickly thrown away for when we're introduced to the Tenescowri, we just see women humping guys who just died in an attempt to impregnate themselves. The whole thing is quite disgusting but comes off as juvenile and silly much like all the other violence in this book because its there for its sake alone and not for a message, almost like Erikson is saying, "See guys, this book is really dark and grim! That makes it mature!"

What kind of name is the Tenescowri anyway? When I remember them, their name doesn't stick out but what they are composed of and their unsavory activities do. Why not the Corpse Legion, the Necrophiliac Brigade, or the Man Eaters?

But despite my complaints, this book did have my attention for the first hundred and some pages so there is some merit to the praise this book has received. We get a concrete set of antagonists in the form of the evil deity, the Crippled God, and Tattersail's reincarnation Silverfox faces a genuine dilemma from a miserable, murderous cursed king. The former situation is refreshing in a story where we've little to root for and the latter is given so much attention that you get the idea a resolution will come up soon enough and...it drags for hundreds of pages and a solution only comes up in the final pages of the book.

Reading interviews with Erikson confirms that he is extremely proud of his work. There's almost a hint of narcissism in a response from a question posed by the interviewer. The interviewer repeats a quote that downplays the excessive world building typical of fantasy and sci-fi, saying that it gets in the way of the genre's ability to become real literature. Erikson either ignores or misunderstands the issue in his response then sharply reprimands the questioner for having brought it up. I'm reminded of that attitude when I read these books sometimes because there is a definite sense of arrogance in how Erikson mentions previous gods, plot points, characters, and other devices like we should care and know for them immediately and expects the same just as much when he introduces new ones who are just as bland as the others.

*SPOILERS*

After Gardens of the Moon, I didn't think it was possible to write a worse fantasy novel. Then I read Deadhouse Gates, and thought it can't get worse from there. How are we meant to accept that a Malazan army, whose soldiers disobey or murder their officers on a regular basis without consequence and have done since the start of Gardens of the Moon, suddenly obeys their incompetent "nobleborn" commander who leaves Coltaine to die, then surrender without a fight to be slaughtered needlessly by following insane orders? Just plain ludicrous, and did away with any sense of suspension of disbelief for the series.

Then I read Memories of Ice. The characters are even more facile than the previous books. You know Whiskeyjack is dead as soon as he falls in love (though doubtless he'll return later in some form or other - no one important to the story ever really dies in Malazan). Kruppe is even more annoying than the first book (how can that be, one asks?). The evil bad guys, the Pannion Domin, are just comical in their vile nastiness. But I just didn't care who lived or died, won or lost, or why. Very little actually happens in 1000 pages, despite the usual massive body-count of extras who exist to be slaughtered en masse to provide suitable wailing and woe for all the pacifist activists at war for no reason that matters very much.

So Memories of Ice combines the lack of plot, storytelling ability and characterization of the first book, then adds the endless whining self-pity of the second to make something even worse than either. The Malazan Realm remains utterly unbelievable in any and every way, the magic does whatever the author wants at any given moment without any discernable rhyme or reason, gods die and are born all the time and are constantly being bested by "mortals" (who never die or are reborn or Ascend), and once-in-a-million-years magical convergences happen every week (making them rather more common than once every million years or whatever ridiculous number he tries to use for effect).

Why bother having an army if any and every critter they encounter wipes out scores of them without effort? Of what use is an army if it cannot defend or attack with any success (unless it suits the author in the moment)? How is discipline maintained if the soldiers murder the officers with impunity - except when it doesn't suit the author's momentary purposes?

Does anyone on this "world" actually grow any food? If so, when and where? All the ordinary people are wiped out repeatedly (what size of population does this fool think the land can sustain to feed people without crop-rotation and industrial agricultural techniques - and he never uses magic to explain it, just to wipe out populations and even the possibility of agriculture?) or go into a cannibalistic frenzy for no reason other than it suits the non-plot of this absurd monstrosity. "Magic" and "the gods" are used in place of sensible motivations. People don't go to war over territory, crop failure, dynastic dispute or any mere human concern - it is all due to magic and gods folk "worship" without any theology or practical reason behind it.

The Master of Deck is so simply because he happened to be standing closest to Tattersail when she was killed, although she wasn't Mistress of the Deck yet. Or maybe it was because he patted a puppy-dog (sorry, Hound of Shadow) hit with a Big Magic Sword. Huh? Just a ridiculous plot device to make Paran the Master of Deck (whatever that may mean - I know, whatever the author wants it to at any moment) for no good reason. Assassins are everywhere (the basic Malazan tactic is to bribe the local Assassins Guild - and every city and country has one).

Anything and everything converts ordinary folk into gods - if it suits the author. Toc the Younger lost an eye to a falling rock in Gardens of the Moon: now he has Sight of Stone or something just as ridiculous and becomes one of the Wolf Gods or something. I lost interest.

Just a bad non-D&D campaign (he used GURPS) converted from rejected scripts into endless, boring novels. That wouldn't be so bad except for the tedious self-pity that constitutes most of the pages of this book.