Bookstooge's Reviews On the Road

Monday, October 29, 2018

Road Trip to Izumo (Shaman King #6) ★★★☆½ (Manga Monday)

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Title: Road Trip to Izumo
Series: Shaman King #6
Author: Hiroyuki Takei
Rating: 3.5 of 5 Stars
Genre: Manga
Pages: 192
Format: Digital Copy

Synopsis:

Yoh and Faust conclude their match. Yoh tricks Faust into overextending his mana and manages to destroy Eliza's corporeal form. This sends Faust into a rage and a monologue where we find out Faust's history and that Eliza is actually his dead wife. Faust wants to become Shaman King to bring her back to life. Yoh uses up his mana to destroy Eliza and thus loses the match. Faust tries to kill Yoh even though the match is over. Yoh is saved by Ren Tao because Ren's next fight is with Yoh.

Yoh realizes he simply isn't powerful enough and so makes a trip to his hometown Izumo. There his grandfather sends him through a cave for a 7day journey in full sensory deprivation.

At the same time it is revealed that Monta is the heir to Japan's largest Electronics company and his getting almost killed doesn't sit real well with his family. His dad tries to bundle him to America but Monta decides last minute to not get on the plane and to go to Izumo He has the company of Wooden Sword Ryu who has decided that he wants Yoh's grandfather to train him as a Shaman. They run into a young girl who is in training who can read the future through her spirit guides Conchi and Ponchi. C&P are dirty minded little tricksters who simply are bored. Anna shows up and takes control and straightens everything out.

Yoh comes forth from the cave much stronger but now has to finish his training with his Grandfather.

The book ends with Ren Tao talking about his family and how he wishes they all were dead.

My Thoughts:

I have a presentiment that most of the future “reviews” of Shaman King will consist more of the synopsis than anything else. That's one of the pitfalls of a fighting shonen manga. The battles themselves become more important than the storyline. This hasn't reached that level yet but the training, powering up, etc has begun in earnest and new tricks will be revealed in each book. It is expected now and thus plot will be taking a second seat.

The background of Monta was really odd, as him being a Magnates heir just doesn't seem to fit him. Of course, him being just 12 somewhat mitigates that. Considering the Oyamada's feelings about Yoh I suspect some drama will ensue in later books. OR they'll just disappear and we'll never see them again. There is certainly enough “family” drama going on what with the Asakuras and the Tao's. Speaking of Ren Tao, his desire to be the Shaman King to end his family's cycle of death and revenge seems a bit off too, as it did with Monta. Doing what they want doesn't seem the way to oppose them. Definitely shows that he's not invested emotionally in his family's vendetta against “whomever”.

The little cartoon spirits of Conchi and Ponchi definitely reminded me of Ren & Stimpy. While I never watched that particular cartoon, my friends all did and I heard more than enough and saw more than enough. Their pairing with the shy and reserved Tamao, the future reader, is genius on the manga-ka's part, as they don't actually have to be that bad to look bad since they're being compared to Tamao. She can barely talk she's so shy. The manga-ka definitely is jumping around with his characters to find the right “comedic” character so we'll see if these 2 make a splash or not.

I think next month I won't be doing a volume every week. It was ok this month but honestly, it's a bit much to keep it up. Well, I say that as I'm recovering from being sick so maybe when I'm healthy I'll feel full of vim and vigor and say “Piss & Vinegar! Give me that manga!” I doubt it though.

★★★☆½

Friday, October 26, 2018

Sweet Silver Blues (Garrett, P.I.) ★★★☆½

Title: Sweet Silver Blues
Series: Garrett, P.I.
Author: Glen Cook
Rating: 3.5 of 5 Stars
Genre: Fantasy
Pages: 320
Format: Digital Edition

Synopsis:

Garrett, a Private Investigator, is hired by the Patriarch of some cobbler elves to carry out his sons last wishes. It doesn't hurt that the son and Garrett both served in Cantard and survived their army stint in that region. The father reveals that his son was getting rich in speculating on silver prices, with help from a woman in the Cantard who is probably on the enemies side. This same woman is one that Garrett fell in love with back in the day. So to help out an old dead buddy and maybe see the love of his youth, Garrett agrees to go into the Cantard and get the woman back to TunFaire where she will inherit a small fortune.

Unfortunately, the dead brother has a sister named Rose and Rose wants all that money for herself. She tries to hire Garrett, seduce Garrett, threaten and assault Garrett and eventually she is forced to team up with Garrett. Garrett also hires the help of various people to go on this trip with him.

Turns out the Lady is a vampire now. Garrett and Co kill the Bloodmaster, escape with the Lady and another vampire Garrett's coworker wants for reasons of his own and make it back to TunFaire. The Lady is welcomed by the cobblers as an unofficial inlaw and given the best treatment to reverse the vampirism. Morly, Garrett's coworker uses his vampire to destroy the local crimelord who has been making threats against Morly.

Everyone is relatively happy and everybody gets paid. Garrett also hooks up with Rose's cousin so the detective fulfills the mission AND gets the girl. Not bad.

My Thoughts:

Nothing brilliant with this book but it was the most fun I've had so far this month besides with Shaman King. Light hearted rompy fun.

Cook is obviously riffing on the Hardboiled Noir Detective thing and if I was better versed in that genre I might be able to appreciate this even more. As it is, a hard drinking, hard headed, hard fisted detective living in an Urban Fantasyland works really well. I guess this isn't strictly Urban Fantasy, as it isn't our world at all, but it has all the earmarks of a mixed group of humans and supernatural and a city and the goings ons that happen in cities. (the stinking, filthy, cowflop places).

Cook still yanks his readers around with making his characters know things that aren't revealed to us and having “things happen” very suddenly with almost no warning. I know I missed particulars but I just sat back and let the story roll, even if I didn't perhaps catch all the whys & wherefores. Cook has a style that while not exactly the same, is similar enough so an astute reader can pick up on it from his Black Company books or his Dread Empire series.

I have zero interest in straight up detective fiction. Not mysteries, but Detective Fiction. However, throw in some paranormal stuff and bam, it really works for me. And Garrett is no whiny, crybaby, “poor me, the Council doesn't like me” miserable sodding jackass like some other character I can think of whose name rhymes with Harry Dresden. I can't say that if you hate Dresden you'll like Garrett, but if Dresden made you give up on Urban Fantasy, Garrett might be able to punch you in the head until you admit you really DO like Urban Fantasy now, honest sir!

As long as no pedophile wizard shows up to ruin the series like Cook did with his last Dread Empire book, I suspect I'll be glad to work my through the 15+ books in this series.

★★★☆½

Wednesday, October 24, 2018

Fail Harder (Caverns & Creatures #2) ★☆☆☆½

Title: Fail Harder
Series: Caverns & Creatures #2
Author: Robert Bevan
Rating: 1.5 of 5 Stars
Genre: Fantasy
Pages: 305
Format: Digital Edition

Synopsis:

The Gang of merry losers runs into some other humans who have been sent to this fantasy world by Mordred. They team up with them and learn of yet another group, of middle graders, who were Mordred's favorites and are sure to run rampant once they learn of his demise.

Katherine, Tim's sister, is kidnapped by a vampire who has also been brought here by Mordred. He turns her before the group can rescue her but they do rescue her and kill the vamp. With the loot and stuff they raid from the dead vamp's castle, they pay a dodgy magician to get Tim back to the real world so he can find Mordred's dice and figure out how to get everyone back.

Tim makes it back, but still in his halfing body and finds Mordred still alive in the freezer. The dodgy magician, having a glimpse of our world through Tim's mind, decides he wants to check things out and brings the whole Gang back with him.

My Thoughts:

You know, I barely even noticed the profanity this time around. However, the reason I didn't was because of the crass humor and the complete stupidity of just about ALL the characters involved.

This group of people who got sucked into the fantasy world? They deserve to die. In fact, the United States is a better place if these people really did die. The fact that scum like them get their vote to count as much as mine, it infuriates me.

Yeah, I was pretty pissed off for almost the whole book. That is how pathetic these people were. So I'm done. I knew I was going to be done with this book one way or another, but my goodness, the amount of idiocy the characters packed into a mere 300 pages was astounding.

Don't get me wrong, this has nothing to do with them being hardcore gamers. I can sit around and play Magic the Gathering for hours on end. But I'm not an idiot who just does whatever he feels like whenever he feels like. I realize I haven't pointed out specifics for you to judge for yourselves. But just think of someone you know who does what they want, when they want, regardless of consequences and you have this group. I've been using the term “stupid” but it is more along the lines of irresponsible in the worst way.

I still would like to thank Swords & Spectres for his very enthusiastic take on this series. For some non-frothing at the mouth reviews, check out his reviews. Maybe he can convince you to read them.

★☆☆☆½

Critical Failures (Book 1)

Tuesday, October 23, 2018

Cover Her Face (Adam Dalgliesh #1) ★★☆☆½

Title: Cover Her Face
Series: Adam Dalgliesh #1
Author: P.D. James
Rating: 2.5 of 5 Stars
Genre: Mystery
Pages: 256
Format: Digital Edition

Synopsis:

A young woman has been taken on as a part time servant at the Maxie resident. Said young woman causes as many small problems as she can and ends up being choked to death one night.

Detective Dalgliesh is assigned to the case and begins to uncover the web of sins connecting the household. The true story is told, the murderess confesses and life continues for those left behind.

Not a cozy mystery but more of a bottom feeding, slime pit mystery.

My Thoughts:

In my review of the Mistletoe Murder, I used the word “sordid”. I was afraid of getting more of that here. Thankfully, that was not the case. However, what I did get wasn't much better.

I am not a fan of series where the titular character is barely there or plays almost no part in the story. Miss Marple springs to mind. I gave up on those mysteries when she stopped being the central “character”. Adam Dalgliesh was almost invisible in this story. In fact, the last 10 pages or so gave him more character than the whole of the book before those 10 pages. I felt like he was a hat rack for James to hang her literary hat upon. He was featureless, bland, plodding and was not a “character”.

I am also not a fan of unlikeable characters. From the murdered woman all the way up to the Matron of the House, there wasn't a likeable person among them. The Matron's two adult children were petty, self-centered bitter people. The two houseguests were delusional on one hand and quick to enjoy the suffering of others on the other. The dead girl's uncle stole her small inheritance. The dead girl pretends to be a single mother so she can get all sorts of free stuff and then claims that the Matron's son asked her to marry him. He doesn't deny it even though he didn't. And through it all, the dead girl was married almost 2 years ago and is expecting her secret husband back any time. She says what she says and does what she does just to cause chaos and turmoil and pain.

Now how am I supposed to enjoy reading about a group of people like that?

I don't read books to experience the worst of humanity. I know it exists and it is real but my books are for me to escape, to aim for something higher. This gave me none of that.

I think I am done with James. Her desire to drag her readers through the mud and slimepits of her characters isn't compatible with my desire to be actually entertained while I read. Her writing ability may be great, but it is wasted as far as I'm concerned, being used that way.

★★☆☆½

Monday, October 22, 2018

The Abominable Dr. Faust (Shaman King #5) ★★★☆½ (Manga Monday)

Title: The Abominable Dr. Faust
Series: Shaman King #5
Author: Hiroyuki Takei
Rating: 3.5 of 5 Stars
Genre: Manga
Pages: 200
Format: Digital Copy

Synopsis:

Yoh and Horohoro conclude their match as Horohoro buries Yoh in an avalanche. Only to have Yoh burst forth and pretty much K-O Horohoro. The Gang all celebrates Yoh's win and Horohoro is part of the celebration. Ryu suddenly wants to be a shaman so he can have a cute spirit companion like Horohoro has. The reader is also introduced to Horohor's trainer, his younger sister Pirka, who is just as unreasonable as Anna.

Yoh finds out his next fight will be in a graveyard. Silva learns from Kalim (both of whom are Patch Officiants) that Yoh's next opponent is a psychopath who murdered at least one other contestant, if not more already. For whatever reason this did not disqualify said contestant.

Manta and Yo meet the contestant, a German doctor by the name of Dr Faust the VIII, a direct descendant of the original Faust, who was also in the last Shaman Fight but lost. Faust can raise the dead and is interested in all things medical. He kidnaps Manta and cuts him wide open in front of Yoh but the Shaman Fight starts before he finishes whatever he is doing.

Faust sends legions of reassembling skeletons against Yoh and forces him to use up most of his mana. Faust then reveals his own oversoul, named Eliza who takes on the form of a Nurse who proceeds to slice and dice Yoh. Silva arrives at the battle and tries to convince Yoh to concede to save his own life. Anna also shows up and tells Silva such questions are pointless as Yoh will never concede.

The book ends with the showdown between a barely alive Yoh and Eliza coming to its conclusion.

My Thoughts:

If you've read any kind of shonen manga before, this will be a walk down familiar territory. Happy go lucky opponents become good friends. A dastardly evil to be faced. A companion who is the weak link. The plucky hero who is full of grit and determination to save his friend and fulfill his dream. This volume has it in spades.

There is a LOT of exposition going in during the battle with both Horohoro and Faust. Faust is almost a bloody blabbermouth, as he isn't physically fighting while controlling the skeletons. He gives a lot of information to the readers and it would be tiresome if it weren't so bloody informative. Thankfully, the manga-ka also knows when to break up the blabbing with the fighting. Also, skeleton babe nurse with a huge scythe? Yeah, that'll do it for most guys.

I think this volume sets the pace for the whole series. One fight concluding, some “stuff” to further the overall Shaman Fight, most likely to do with the Patch Tribe, another contestant introduced and a fight beginning, with Yoh obviously over-matched, Anna and Manta will make witty banter, comical asides or protestations of eternal belief in the ability of Yoh then the book will end just when things get good.

The title of this volume seems to be in the vein of the 70's camp horror movie The Abominable Dr. Phibes. I'm not sure if that is actually the case, but no other obvious link springs up. I guess I'll have to wait to see if Faust the 8^th is in the Fight because of someone he loved dying.

★★★☆½

Friday, October 19, 2018

Love Lost (Kurtherian Gambit #3) ★★★☆☆

Title: Love Lost
Series: Kurtherian Gambit #3
Author: Michael Anderle
Rating: 3 of 5 Stars
Genre: SF
Pages: 260
Format: Digital Edition

Synopsis:

BA (which abbreviation I shall use from here-on out instead of Bethany Anne), has to start getting a handle on the Empire that Michael has left to her. With hundreds of companies under her control and trillions of dollars at her disposal, BA can coast if she wants to. Obviously, knowing the threat is Out There, coasting isn't an option. She has to start assembling a larger team that she can trust. A team not only for fighting the Forsaken but a team to start dealing with the spaceship that TOM came in.

So the recruitment begins. The Fighting Force is the easiest, as she starts picking up specialists that have been disillusioned with the military for one reason or another. The kind of people that don't blink at finding out that vampires are real AND that they are expected to kill such super powerful beings. BA must also recruit information specialists, business specialists, etc, etc, etc. The list is long and she needs to start spreading the responsibility. So she recruits her dad, The General.

The other part of this book was taking the fight to the Forsaken who had attacked her allies here in the United States. Her and her team head to South America and take down one of Michael's granddaughters. BA gives the children of said granddaughter mercy as long as they don't hunt humans, thus assuring herself of more potential allies in the future. She also finds out that one of Michael's First Children was ultimately responsible and BA realizes she has to take care of the Earth's Forsaken before she can concentrate on any extraterrestrial problems.

My Thoughts:

This book had a LOT of character introduction going on. BA is setting up her own personal infrastructure and it is going to take a boatload of people. Trying to make 10+ people memorable and a character on their own is a tough task and Anderle doesn't really accomplish it in this 260page book. I just don't care enough about “Avengers, Assemble!!” for that kind of detail to keep my interest. It was half the book and while necessary for the overall series plot, felt very much like getting dumped on so Anderle could continue on in later books. Not cool.

The couple of battle scenes were enjoyable. I was hoping for a bit more in the fight scene between BA and the Forsaken she had to take down, but BA is just so overpowered that there wasn't much of a fight. Maybe once she moves on to Michael's First Children things will be a bit more even? Or even if BA's fighting teams take them on, that might make for more interesting reading.

Overall, I did enjoy this but there was just too much setup that felt like setup. Hoping the rest of the books don't follow this pattern.

★★★☆☆

Wednesday, October 17, 2018

When the Bough Breaks (The Empire's Corps #3) ★★★☆☆

Title: When the Bough Breaks
Series: The Empire's Corps #3
Author: Christopher Nuttal
Rating: 3 of 5 Stars
Genre: SF
Pages: 422
Format: Digital Edition

Synopsis:

The End of Empire.

Belinda Lawson, a Marine Pathfinder (amped up and maxed out with the latest tech), loses her team when the planet Han's rebellion is crushed. The Terran Marines are being pulled away from Earth on one pretext or another and the Marine Commander on Earth puts Belinda as an slightly undercover Marine bodyguard for the crown prince Roland. Roland has been indulged his whole life and deliberately overfed, overdrugged and oversexed by the Grand Senate, thus making him the perfect puppet. Belinda changes all of that and begins the process of turning Roland into a man.

This follows various storylines showing the destruction of the terran empire and the destruction of Earth. One Grand Senator is making a powerplay to become the next Emperor and centuries of neglect and abuse finally catch up with everyone.

We follow the Grand Senator, Belinda and Roland and then several students at the University. Through their eyes we see as everything unravels, like the bursting of a rotten, maggot infested piece of fruit. It happens quickly, suddenly and violently.

My Thoughts:

Now we know that Captain Stalker and the Marines on Avalon will not be getting ANY help from Earth.

I enjoyed this story a lot more than I thought I would. Besides Belinda and Roland, every character we follow is killed at some point in one way or another. I pretty much suspected that going in and was prepared to be completely blahh'd over it. Thankfully, it didn't happen to me and I was able to enjoy the story.

I was glad to hear the story about the Empire falling apart. If we'd just stuck with Stalker and the group on Avalon we wouldn't know WHAT had happened and there would always be that little niggling hope that “maybe someone from Earth will save us”. Now, we know that isn't the case.

I think this was closer to a 4star book in terms of enjoyment. However, there were quite a few grammar slash spelling errors. Most of them were misused words, not incorrectly spelled words. Irreverent was used when Irrelevant was meant. It happened at least 3 times (not that particular word but that particular issue) and just goes to show that you need to PAY someone to rip your book to shreds and point out everything wrong with it BEFORE you put it out there.

Wordsmithing is not something that has a “good enough” line. Taping up a Yard Sale sign crooked is good enough. But using the wrong word isn't good enough. It is flat out wrong and shows a lack of familiarity with basic English. I felt like I was a beta reader and that just isn't acceptable for a book that has been put out there, indie or not.

★★★☆☆

Tuesday, October 16, 2018

Castle in Cassiopeia (Dead Enders #3) ★★☆☆½

Title: Castle in Cassiopeia
Series: Dead Enders #3
Author: Mike Resnick
Rating: 2.5 of 5 Stars
Genre: SF
Pages: 289
Format: Digital Edition

Synopsis:

The Michtag clone from the first book has decided that he likes being the ruler and using the military knowledge gained from his growing time, begins to crush the Democracy. So the Democracy sends in Nathan Pretorias and the Dead Enders.

Having lost 2 members and gained 1 in the previous book, Nathan still needs one more to complete his team. With the help of the knowledgable Madam, he gets an outlaw with the body of a bear and the mind of a steel trap.

The Dead Enders track down Michtag, kill him and escape. Glory and laughs for everyone.

My Thoughts:

I was a chapter in before I realized I had somehow skipped book 2. By that point I simply didn't care. Honestly, besides finding out that Character X and Y were dead and the introduction of two other characters, it made zero impact on this book.

Unfortunately, I was correct in my assessment that this trilogy would be a dud for me. The characters make their predictable one liners, act spot on just like the script says and the plot follows. I'm sorry, but you don't infiltrate the fortress that holds the galaxy's most notorious war leader and just have everything fall into line.

Bloody A, there was more security and potential problems for the release of the horrible movie Breaking Dawn than Michtag had in his entire fortress. It just felt like a walk in the park and it really, really, really shouldn't have.

I think I am done with exploring Resnick. If I ever feel the need to read anything of his again, I'll just stick to the Santiago and Widowmaker books. I know I liked those at least.

★★☆☆½

The Fortress in Orion (Book 1)

Monday, October 15, 2018

The Over Soul (Shaman King #4) ★★★☆½ (Manga Monday)

Title: The Over Soul
Series: Shaman King #4
Author: Hiroyuki Takei
Rating: 3.5 of 5 Stars
Genre: Manga
Pages: 192
Format: Digital Copy

Synopsis:

The Patch Tribe have been the overseers for the Shaman Fight for quite some time. Their connection to the Great Spirit allows them to determine if a Shaman is capable of being part of the Shaman Fight. Silva and 9 other Patch overseers are sent to Japan to test various candidates and weed out the failures before hand.

Silva tests Yoh and all Yoh has to do is touch Silva. However, Silva manifests his spirits through totems and his mana (chi) gives them physical form, thus preventing Yoh from simply flinging Amidamaru at him. The test is to determine if Yoh can actually channel his own mana and what strength as a shaman he has. Yoh figures out how to manifest Amidamaru using his sword and is able to land one blow on Silva. Yoh now has a genuine Patch Pager Oracle, which will tell him who to fight, when to fight and any conditions.

Ren Tao also defeats his overseer, but kills the guy. The overseer was a friend of Silva and Silva can't figure out why Ren is still allowed to continue in the Shaman Fight even though he has demonstrated he is a little psychopathic killer. The rest of the Overseers basically tell Silva to shut up and do what they say.

Yoh has his first fight against a young shaman named Horohoro, who uses a snowboard as his totem. Horohoro has a dream to make all mankind live in harmony with nature and Yoh almost gives up to allow him to proceed. Thankfully, Anna is there and smacks him around and he gets back on track. But now he has his own dream, of living the easy life, and of making Horohoro's dream come true. The fight is just beginning when the volume ends.

My Thoughts:

I dropped this a half star for a variety of reasons.

First and foremost, while harmony with nature has been chatted up before, here it felt like a date. I too have a dream. To pave the entire planet. I wish more people WOULD get out into nature, REAL nature, not the fake stuff you have around cities and suburbs. Then maybe all those people would die and everyone else would realize how terrible nature is and how it should be conquered.

Second, the whole Patch tribe and the Great Spirit schtick. There is a 2 page long talk about how the Great Spirit is the supreme being of the entire universe but that it can't actually foresee the future, blah, blah, blah. It is a bunch of nonsense (in that it really makes no sense and contradicts itself) and is so amorphous that Takei (the manga-ka) can use it as he wishes. Also, the vibes given off by the Patch Overseers is rather tyrannical.

But if you don't overanalyze things and just let those things drift on by, this was a lot of fun. Yoh is learning new things and picking up new allies, maybe without even realizing it. His Entourage was already started with Anna, Manta and Ryu but now he has made friends with Silva and I'm pretty sure he and Horohoro become good friends. A King needs allies.

The Patch are obviously going to be involved way more than just as Overseers. The whole thing between Silva and the others over the death of his friend showed clearly that the Patch are just as human as any of the shamans. Thus they have their own agendas and schisms. I suspect corruption and collusion at some point in the narrative to help drive the drama.

I think the most amusing part of this volume was when Horohoro finds out that Anna and Yoh are engaged. He starts feeling inferior because he doesn't even have a girlfriend. It made me laugh because it is SO how a boy would think.

★★★☆½

Friday, October 12, 2018

Dust of Dreams (Malazan Book of the Fallen #9) ★☆☆☆½

Title: Dust of Dreams
Series: Malazan Book of the Fallen #9
Author: Steven Erikson
Rating: 1.5 of 5 Stars
Genre: Fantasy
Pages: 950
Format: Digital Edition

Synopsis:

The White Faced Bargast, now returned to their ancestral lands, are hemmed in by the lands current sets of clans and misused.The Bargast are now led by Onos Toolan, a resurrected T'lan Imass. He is trying to change their ways but in the face of a hostile land, the Bargast reject Toolan's leadership, kill him, hobble his wife and drive off his children. Toolan comes back as a T'lan (hence the Dust of Dreams). The Bargast face their enemies but everyone is destroyed when “something” simply freezes them all into little pieces. Toolan hunts down the survivors and kills them all to fulfill his vengeance against the Bargast. In doing so, he ignores a summons by Adjunct Tavore and the Bonehunters.

The Bonehunters are leaving Lether to head through the Wastes into a kingdom where a piece of the Fallen god is. The Adjunct's plan is to destroy said piece. They are supposed to meet up with the Bargast (that obviously doesn't happen) and the Grey Helms, a mercenary branch. The Bonehunters are accompanied by Brys Beddict and his elite guards from Letheri.

A Skykeep of K'chain Che'Malle origin, with the help of a lone surviving human, must find a Shield Anvil and a Mortal Sword if this set of K'Chain want to survive. They get Stormy and Gessler. They meet up with the Bonehunters.

Icarium is now a ghost and haunting a group of people who have found an abandoned Sky Keep. They begin to awaken the Keep, which was created just to destroy the short-tailed K'Chain, the Narruk.

The Narruk, who have a dozen skykeeps from another realm, invade the world of Malaz and end up in the Wastes. It is up to the Bonehunters and everyone else in the area to destroy them. But without the help of the T'lan Imass, the outcome is in doubt.

There is a huge devastating battle at the end and whole armies are destroyed. We don't know who survives.

My Thoughts:

Before I started writing this review, I went and read my original one from 2010, just to see if my perspective on this book had changed. A lot of the time the years give me a new viewpoint and something I used to like I no longer do or something I hated I now enjoy. Unfortunately, the review from 2010 is pretty much exactly the same as what I'll be writing here.

With this book Erikson has cemented in my mind that he is a real bag of crap. Out of 950 pages, the plot is only forwarded by maybe 200 of those pages. The rest is devoted Erikson spewing out depressing cant and nonsense. Complete and utter nonsense. When somebody does do something good and heroic, Erikson makes sure to piss on it by having other characters destroy the moment with their own regrets and melancholy and depression. Any possible good thing Erikson squats over and craps on with a diarrhea quality.

This is a junk book and once again, while the series starts out so awesomely with Gardens of the Moon, it has descended into a morass of soapbox preaching and what's worse, extremely BORING soapbox preaching. I no longer recommend this series because of the last 3 books.

This is the level of bloviated writing that destroyed the sales of his Karkanas trilogy (which is stuck at book 2 and looks like it will never get finished). Thankfully, Ian Esslemont seems to be doing a good job of actually writing a real trilogy with a real plot and keeping the world of Malaz alive. I do plan on reading the last book in this series but after that, I'll just stick to Gardens of the Moon if I ever feel the need to dip my toes into the world of Malaz. It just isn't fun sticking my head under this faucet of filth.

★☆☆☆½