Customer Reviews

Midnight Tides: Book Five of The Malazan Book of the Fallen

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Another fantastic work by Mr. Erikson. I believe he is the best author currently writing this genre. His ability to write multiple plot lines, while maintaining a large cast of believable characters is a testament to his talent. His works evoke every possible emotion in a reader and this latest addition is no exception. This is not your run-of-the-mill juvenile fantasy with hobbits, orcs and elves. He has created a very believable world with flawed heroes and sympathetic villains. With Midnight Tides, I found myself referring to previous books to tie together plotlines and the scope is truly epic. As far as I'm concerned, the next book cannot be published soon enough!

The problem, such as it is a problem, is that this fantasy series lessens the enjoyment of the others. On a quality basis, the only series to approach this one is Neal Stephenson's "System".

And that includes GRRM whose recent release is at the top of the best-sellers.

There are several Laurel&Hardy routines in this book which are particularly amusing and not all by the major characters... I appreciate Eriksen's talent in allowing the minor characters to breath life and depth into the book.

I especially enjoy the tying-off of loose ends from the earlier works.

A Malazan book without the Bridgeburners?
For me, this book seemed to take on a different tone than the previous books in the series - a little more sombre, a little more introspective (character wise). While there are some battles, this book does not proceed with the same pace and action as the previous books.

Perhaps it is this difference that makes this a good read. You are drawn into the characters and constantly find yourself trying to figure out how each of these characters fit into the overall plot line of the series.

I eagerly awaited this book and wasn't disappointed in the least. I can't wait for the next one!

Ericson is an unbelievable author how has not been given enough coverage in the US. The first 5 books of this series have been out for a while in the UK and i ordered them from there and found them well worth it. The Malazan Book of the Fallen series is the best in fantasy, bar none. Do not hesitate to pick these up.

Midnight Tides is the 5th book in the series that began with Gardens of the Moon. Is set on a distant continent that is about to break out into all out war between the Tiste Edur and the Kingdom of Lether, all put into motion by the Chain God. I havent gotten to the end of this yet, about 2/3rds of the way there and i cant put it down. Great characters, funny dialog in places, incredible battles and magic. Get this series!

I'm a big fan of fantasy novels, having read well over 500 in the last 10+ years since I've discovered this litterary niche. Erikson continues to impress, and he is quickly becoming my favorite author as his world building skills are unparalleled.

I first discovered his "Gardens of the Moon" a couple of years ago while I was travelling back and forth to University. I stopped into the bookstore just off campus and was caught off guard by the sort of post apocalyptic setting depicted on the cover. I'm not a big fan of sci-fi, other than Orson Card's work, so I was hesitant, as I couldn't really tell by the short synopsis whether the setting was fantasy or sci-fi. Rest assured fantasy lovers, this is as good as it gets!

His heroes are memorable, and I was actually moved as some of them eventually die in the course of the series. The world and the political intrigue possesses a vastness I have never encountered in a book before. Even though this one, his fifth novel, revolves around a different set of main characters, the political intrigue between the "Gods" is still very much present. I was a bit disappointed to have to delve into a new set of characters, but I wasn't disappointed, as they are some of his best persona's.

If you can, run to the bookstore and pick them all up. Lock yourself inside for a week, you won't regret it!!

I'm half-way through this book, and I've been late for work every day this week. I can't put it down.

At first I was a little irritated that Midnight Tides bears little connection with the first four books of the series, but by a third of the way in I was hooked. Now I'm beginning to see the connections, and expect this part of the series to clash with the earlier parts pretty soon.

This book concerns the Tiste Edur who, earlier in the series are mentioned as living on a distant contenant. The timeline is confusing at first, but it all seems to be taking place at the same time as the previous book. However, I'm not at the end yet, and so I could be wrong. Just about the only familiar character in the book is the crippled god, everyone else is new, but there are some nice surprising links to the first four books.

i've been reading fantasy for a long time now and it takes a really good book to excite me. needless to say i feel like a 10 year old at christmas all over again just waiting to read the next in a series of excellent books!! i read the first 4, and it costed a pretty penny to get them here in the U.S. but it was well worth it. i just wish he could pump them out faster!!

For the third time in the series, Erikson starts off a book with characters, setting, and history completely new to the reader. As deep into the series as book five, this would be considered taboo for most writers. Yet somehow, I came to enjoy each and every one of the new characters. The story is again epic, yet it seems extremely well managed and simple, as if Erikson is getting even more comfortable with his complex and broad scope of storytelling.

Despite the fact the story tells of a tragedy spanning two empires, humour is abundant in this book. The amusing exchanges between Tehol Bennedict and pretty much anyone he meets keeps the mood light in the face of the dark nature of the novel as a whole. The book starts slow since the reader is unfamiliar with many of the characters, but like all the preceding books, it takes off a quarter of the way in, and builds to an incredible climactic ending which pulls together threads spanning a continent.

Within the scope of the series, the only book I enjoyed more was Book 3, Memories of Ice. Within the scope of the entire fantasy genre, I'd still say the same. Including Tolkein, Jordan, Goodkind, Martin, Donaldson, Feist, and about 15 others I've read. Erikson is by far the best and brightest author to come into the fantasy scene since Martin (and better than Martin anyway).

Warning however, to those who don't enjoy complexity in plots and ambivilant characterization in their main characters, for that is here. And that's why I'm going to stay here right until the end.

This was definitely a good read. Kept me interested and was hard to put down. This fifth book is action packed and the detail in which the author constructs the different societies makes it even better. I'd advise anyone who loves fantasy to buy this book!!

**A book I would also recommend is The Unsuspecting Mage by Brian S. Pratt. This, the first installment of The Morcyth Saga is a great beginning for a new author. Battles, magic, gods, secret passages and intrigue, all the elements of a classic epic fantasy! Any fantasy reader will enjoy it.

Erikson continues to astound me with the depth and complexity of his characters and plot. This 5th book in the series goes back and brings the background of Trull Sengar who we followed in a previous book.

The story takes place on a different continent as the previous 4 books but you can see the conflicts that will arise in the future.

Erikson brings crisp writing with distinct dialogue that was humourous and stirring at times. He continues to astound me with his creative characters and his races and gods are all unique.

The more I've read this series I start getting a broader scope of the Malazan world.

Amazingly he's also left many open plot lines to continue to develope.

I hope he returns to the world of Segulah and their culture of strenth and skill.

An amazing world and an amazing read.