Onefinemess

by: Steven Erikson

This book was just as bizarrely addicting/engrossing/consuming/headaching as its predecessor.

I must have grown used to the alien style of dialogue, because I only notice that I’m really confused when I think about it.

More crazy shit happens here.   Some of it related to the previous book.  Some of it tying into the next book (I think).  Suspicions are confirmed (identities of 2 gods.  Ascendents.  Whatever?).   Bizillions of people die horribly.

I still don’t get what it means that butterflies.  And they took his soul?  Is that worse?  Will the warlock be reborn in the butterfly tribe?

We meet a couple new PoV characters – one of whom is related by blood to a character from book 1.  We also get several new supporting characters, many of whom die.  At least one will be reborn.

And the craftiness of the Empire becomes legendary?  Or have they confused even themselves.  Annnnd I seriously don’t get why the revealed god dude was acting all batshit wacky at the end there.  What?

BUT IT DOESN’T MATTER IF THE ROCK WANTS TO BUY A DIAMOND RING.

Uhh.  I mean.  The weirdness.  It’s all good.  Characters … I dunno, I’m still not sure if I can call any of them characters.  I think “fucked up partially inverted archetypes” works better so far.  I keep feeling heavy echoes of Elric (but much more interesting to me, of course) everywhere.  Especially in the way characters are treated.

Really important stuff happens off camera.  The bit about the god making a deal with the (hard to like) female POV character?  That’s Kind Of A Big Deal (TM).  But hey, that’s how Erikson rolls.  Off camera!  I … yes, I like how wacky and convention molesting the series is.  It is quite, quite dark though.  One has to wondersuspect if even the grand finale to book 10 will not be morbidly depressing.  But will the ride be worth it?  I kind of think so, if just to take a trip (if being tied  to and dragged by six legged goats can be considered such) through a fantasy realm of madness, by madness, and all up in madness.

I also don’t get the bit with the monkey being not a monkey but a demon no he’s an elder race but still a demon what!?   And demons saying things to gods that we’re not allowed to hear.

This isn’t much of a book review is it?

THREE AND A HALF STARS

Because it was exactly as engrossing as its predecessor.  And I will keep reading.  Might need to drink more while doing so.  I still have some absinthe in the cupboard.

 

Tags: Malazan Book of the Fallen, Steven Erikson

This entry was posted by onefinemess on Thursday, May 12th, 2011 at 8:32 am and is filed under Book Review, Books. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.