A few too many pov chapters from characters I really couldn't care less about, but overall a good follow up. ( )

Another installment of greatness

My biggest complaint is that it's over. Enthralling, rich and the missing link connecting the dots of Malazan Book of the Fallen. This look into the early history of the Malazans was life. ( )

I think as a series this is excellent. This is the weakest entry in it but still enjoyable with a lot of cool Malazan backstory. I think it suffered from trying to cover too much - it seemed to have way more plot threads than the previous books which meant some storylines felt a bit rushed in considering it had a similar length to the previous entries. Some of the POV characters were rather passive, Dancer in particular didn't seem to do all that much this time and was relegated to supervising Kellanved's conversations. ( )

Wow, I really enjoyed this.

The main problem of the first book, Dancer's Lament was that it was too stakeless and unimportant for the monolith that was Malazan. The main problem with the second book, Deadhouse Landing was that it was too expansive, too sparse for this personal story of Dancer and Kellanved. This book somehow solves both problems. It is quite close to the platonic ideal of what this trilogy could be, and that's a slightly minor problem, but not what's keeping it from a five (sorta.).

This is a prequel. That means that falling into a cliché, George Lucas-esque nostalgia feeding whore-out is a major possibility. 'Member Whiskeyjack? 'Member Heboric? 'Member the Moranth? 'Member lightsabers? e.t.c. It's not as bad as it could get, but I am still uncertain that anything at all interesting or major about the Malazan Empire happened within the 100 or so year gap. There are one or two specific (spoilerful) points where it was a bit too much, but I'll keep those to myself.

Still good. ICE has come a long way as a writer. ( )

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Title: Kellanved's Reach
Series: Malaz: Path to Ascendancy #3
Author: Ian Esslemont
Rating: 4 of 5 Stars
Genre: Fantasy
Pages: 340
Format: Hardcover Edition

Synopsis:

Not much of a single plot running through this book. More like the many, diverse threads like you see at the beginning of a very large and complicated weaving process.

Kellanved finds the Throne of Bone and is allowed by the T'lan Imass to “rule” over them. Kellanved and Dancer meet the Crippled God for the first time and it doesn't go well.

Surly continues to do all the hard work of creating an empire. She also successfully pulls of a coup on her brother, who ousted her in the first place. She is the de facto leader even while making Napan part of the “Malazan Empire”. Her discontent with Kellanved and his methods continue to grow.

The blind girl who can communicate with birds has her journey and she is called to the Northern Wastes to become some people's shaman (the Jheck perhaps?)

We also follow 2 new characters who long to join the Crimson Guard. One is a mage and the other a battle mage that doesn't know it. They do a lot of fighting and we get to see how the rift between K'azz and Skinner starts.

Finally, we follow a mercenary general who saves his troops despite their contract holder selling them out. He leads the opposing forces a merry chase and after killing a K'chain Ch'malle (or however it is spelled) is rescued by the Malazans and is introduced as Grey Mane.

My Thoughts:

I thoroughly enjoyed this with just a few caveats that kept it from being a 4 1/2star read or higher. First, the lack of a plot running through the book was distracting. The previous 2 books had their own little in book plots and this one should have too. Second, Kellanved finding and using the Throne of Bone was very underwhelming. It was rushed through to make room for everything else. Thirdly, too many various things were happening for such a short book. Finally, this felt “simple” in comparison to Esslemont's Empire of Malaz series and almost childish in comparison to Erikson's Book of the Fallen. Mind you, I didn't want reams of empty philosophy but the dexterous storytelling I am used to from both authors just wasn't there. This was like Glen Cook in one of his better Black Company books.

I realize that sounds like a lot, but while I complain a lot about Erikson and by extension Esslemont, I still expect some seriously well written stuff from them.

What I liked the best was how Esslemont shows just how humorous Kellanved really is, in a young/old way that just made me grin. The insecurity of youth coupled with youth's propensity for brashness allied with an old man's crotchedyness. It was perfect. Dancer very much played the Straight Man in this comedy duo and I could totally see them going up on stage during an Improv Night and doing horrible amateur comedy. And then killing the entire audience for not laughing loud enough!

While I felt there were too many threads being started here, I did really appreciate just how even a glimpse or two of a character was enough to fill in a ton of back story for them form the Fallen series. I knew Skinner, from the Crimson Guard was a real bastard but here we see how he got his name and how much he relished violence and why that would lead him into eventual conflict with K'azz.

Technically this is a prequel trilogy but I would not recommend reading this at all before the Book of the Fallen or Empire of Malaz series. Too much of the revelations in those series would be spoiled and half the fun would simply disappear. I do highly recommend this trilogy though if you made it through the entire set of series and came out alive.

★★★★☆ ( )