by Steven EriksonStarted: December 31, 2009
Finished: January 13, 2010
Notes: I've had this book for a while but been putting it off because it's so darn long, nearly a thousand words, but I like the author and am in the mood for some action fantasy.
Mini review: An excellent read. I was surprised how little actual combat there is in this book, at least until the very end. Most of it was sort of political intrigue with some religous and family elements tossed in. I was also quite surprised at the socio-political commentary put forth in the book, often leaning quite left (or, at least, anti-right), in my opinion. Not that I'm taking sides. Just found it interesting. The ending was a bit disappointing for me. Not that it was a bad ending, just that I felt it didn't quite live up to all that had come before. Still, I'll definitely be reading more in this series.
I keep meaning to start the series but get distracted with shorter books. Took an awful lot for me to start George RR Martin's Song of Ice and Fire-worth it and it also took a lot to start Robert Jordans, Wheel of Time kinda think it sucked after Book 5.
ReplyDeleteHave high hopes for Erikson, once I actually start that is.
I've got the first of GRRM's Fire and Ice books, but I keep putting it off also because of length. The Wheel of Time series has turned me off partially because of length, but also because of the fan-boy attitude surrounding it. Guess I've just run across too many folks who not only tell me Jordan is the greatest thing since Shakespeare, but that I absolutely have to believe it, too. Just me, though. I'm sure I'll get around to Jordan eventually.
ReplyDeleteI held off Jordan for years in part because friends were nutso about it.
ReplyDelete"There's truths in there!"
I heard that so many times I now mock it.
If you can get into GRRM its worth it-third book is the best IMAO.
Jordan is good but he's not that good and the series really starts to drag bad after book 5. In a perfect world books 6-11 would be 1book.
Oooh, finally. Though you skipped Gardens of the Moon and started Erikson with Deadhouse Gates, right Ty?
ReplyDeleteYou're reading a great book, but you're actually cheating yourself of a good portion of its impact as you're missing a lot of the emotional baggage of the characters.
You'll follow it, Erikson's books are all rather standalone plot, characters, locale, and arc -wise, but you sure do gain a much better appreciation of his depth and the scope of the tale if you read them in order.
I plan on rereading the entire series 10 books in a row once book 10 comes out next year.
I wish you a most enjoyable read.
DJW - Jordan's already dim light in the heavenly galaxy of fantastic fantastical fiction (IMO), was eclipsed by GRRM's SOIAF and extinguished by Erikson's MBOTF. :)
von Darkmoor, actually I've got Gardens of the Moon in my TBR pile, and might get to it after a couple of biographies.
ReplyDeleteOn a side note, if you couldn't tell, bourbon and e-mails to editors don't mix. Lesson learned.