The Bonehunters: Malazan Book Of Fallen 6 (The Malazan Book Of The Fallen, 6) Mass Market Paperback – 2 April 2007

Such detailed description of characters motivations and contemplation about the meaning of life and Gods can be problematic for the pace of a story. It can slow down the action just when you don't want it to. In this epic it doesn't detract too much but adds intrigue to a complex saga which continues to surprise again and again. It's dark humour and dramatic action is maintained throughout. He's not shy in killing off main characters but in this world, death may not be permanent.

The entire Malazan series is astounding, must be read from book one. This is no ordinary fantasy novel, its breadth and complexity is something I have nothing that I have read to compare it against. The characters are absorbing and diverse, you are drawn effortlessly into the world they occupy, I experienced genuine regret at the demise of some, and punched the air when the truly awful received their just deserts. The "Goodies" do not always win, they fail, they have faults, they have doubts and Mr Erickson,s consummate attention to detail ensures you understand the path they took to get to their destination.An unusual experience for "fantasy novels " These books contain genuine humour, mainly within the character interplay, read this book and you will be dazzled by Kruppe, you will laugh out loud at the conversations between the ghosts that accompany Apsalar. You will ache at the tragedy of Icarium.You need to concentrate, this is not an "Easy read" it is truly a work of genius, I was bereft at the conclusion. Buy it, get lost inside it for day, and days and days...........

The first half of the book of the fallen series feels very disjointed to myself, and I guess this feeling is shared by other first time readers. The second and third books take place at the same time, the fourth mostly deals with elements only from the second, and the fifth appears to be set earlier than the others, although I'm not sure on that part myself. In the Bonehunters, the various narrative threads which have been floating around have finally begun to pull together, and the plot begins to make sense.After the anticlimax for the 14th, now called the Bonehunters in the holy desert of Raraku, the remnants of the rebellion are being hunted down. They flee to Y'ghatan, a city with a ominous history for the besieging Malazans. And taking the city will only be the start of the Bonehunters worries. Meanwhile, The indomitable Karsa Orlong is unchained from his loyalties, and is seeking more people to upset and get in fights with. Apsalar is fulfilling the wishes of Cotillion by murdering everyone in sight, Crokus and Heboric charged by L'oric to escort a important personage to safety, Mappo and Icarium are roaming around, one searching for his lost memories, the other doing everything in his power to prevent him finding those memories. Paran is also headed for seven cities, with yet another dodgy plan to orchestrate before he vanishes until the final book of the series. Meanwhile, something is stirring in the imperial warren, and the Empire is having internal issues of it's own.So, If you have read the first five books, you will probably be quite excited for this one, and rightly so. All the characters that we love are back and roaming around the desert, and not just the ones you would expect. The Tiste Edur storyline reveals it's connection to the rest of the plot, and even the first of Esslemont's novels ties into this one (I would actually recommend reading that first, as Kiska and Temper make appearances, and it helps to know who they are). The book is the point where, more than anything the story begins to feel like a series. This also comes at a cost however, as the first couple of hundred pages are for the resolution of the Whirlwind storyline, and the last three hundred set up the rest. Between, there is a ungodly amount of various characters rambling and wandering around the desert. Whilst not quite reaching the level of filler, one can wonder if the book could have been published as two short volumes instead of this doorstopper tome without this section, as whilst it is quite philosophically interesting, not much happens (bar Paran being a badass) and readers who are not fans of reading long philosophical discussions may not enjoy it. Regardless of this, it still remains a great read, and reaches the point where the series finally begins to have a somewhat linear narrative.....except toll the hounds... and anything written by esselmont... and now forge of darkness.... oh dear.In conclusion, the writing is as good as always, and we to see more and more of the characters who we hopefully love by this point. More of the world, and a setup for the rest of this excellent, and unique series

In this books we once again meet Heboric Ghost Hands, Apsalar, Cutter, Karsa Orlong and Icarium and Mappo.Except for Karsa Orlong and Icarium each character struggles with the way they perceive themselves. Icarium is on a constant search for knowledge while Mappo has to keep him away from it.Karsa Orlong is confident that he will be able to conquer the world and destroy the humans one step at a time. This time he is stuck in the desert slowly dying from thirst, but that does not cause less confidence. Semar Dev, his companion, wants out but is constantly drawn to Karsa.Heboric is still struggling with his perceived destruction of his god, while at the same time becoming destriant to the new war god. He is not a willing subject. His goal is to get back to that large finger in the desert in order to set things right again.Apsalar has left Cutter in what she perceives is a noble gesture and is forced by circumstances to do what she hates most, killing people. Cutter, on the other hand, has changed his name and is embracing the killer in himself. At the same time he is stuck as a protector. He and his companions wander as well.Steven Erikson weaves a complex and thrilling tale of politics, betrayal, warcraft and friendship. The world in the books of the Malazan isn't the safest. But it does give the reader insight into anthropological and archeological ways of thinking. I love their complexity. I'm forced to think. Highly recommended.

After the slight disappointment of the last book, Midnight Tides, I am pleased to report that the sixth book in the Malazan book of the Fallen is back to this saga's stunning best. More great new characters and increasing revelations about the many introduced in previous books, making this series often feel like some sort of reunion. As I have said before, the care with which Erickson paints not just his characters but the emotional and antagonistic interactions between them is of a calibre rarely found in your normal Sci Fi or fantasy novel.Battles, betrayals, comedy, and magic of the highest craft decorate a rich storyline whilst slowly steering this epic towards a looming conclusion. I am so glad I discovered this series whilst I still have life left in me!Fleecy Moss, author (writing as Nia Sinjorina) of the Folio 55 series, available on Amazon

Unbelievably good

Para mi hija, le gustó, viene en inglés pero así lo buscaba

There is a lot going on in this monster of a novel. As usual for the series, the action and intrigue start immediately and never slow down. Also as usual, no mercy is shown to the reader, who is thrown in to a complex epic with little in the way of refreshers regarding what happened before. When I read these books I am constantly beset by a feeling of unease that I am missing something important, and that is no doubt the case. These are books that need to be read carefully and probably more than once, to fully absorb (at least by most people). Besides having a very substantial character list, the setting of Erikson’s universe is complex and only revealed on an as-needed basis. The often unexplained components of the world, including Elder Gods, Warrens, and Aspects, is dispersed out in fits and starts, and only by long immersion does the reader start to feel familiar with the setting. But even then, it isn’t long before Erikson jolts you with some new revelation or an introduction of a new continent or group of people. Personally, it is the very complexity and challenging nature of the reading that I find so attractive with these books. They are definitely well-written, with excellent characters and an engaging plot, but sometimes I wonder if it might be some subconscious desire for mental punishment that keeps me coming back to the series.After this book I find that I have even more questions and areas of confusion than normal. It may be that I was more distracted this time, but I think it more likely that this volume was even more complex than normal. Plot lines from all of the previous books finally start coming together here as an apparent war among the gods is heating up. Two major story arcs take up most of this volume. First, the birth of the Bonehunters, members of Tavore’s army and survivors of the cataclysmic end of Y’Ghatan. Second, the unexpected confrontation between the triumphant 14th army and the people of their home port, Malaz City. There is also substantial progress made on the stories of the Titse Edur and their new Emperor, the ongoing drama of Ganoes Paran learning his role as the Master of the Deck of Dragons, and the building war between the gods. There is so much going on in these stories now that it is hard to keep up.Despite trying hard to do so, I find that after finishing the book I am full of questions for which I feel like I must have missed the answers. Some of these questions are rather trivial: Are the Perish the same people we read about in a previous book with Shield Anvils and First Swords? Why did the 14th find it necessary to travel a dangerous Warren to get home faster? Other questions are much more consequential: What is the deal with the Eres’al?? What is going on with these jade statues filled with souls?? Another question central to this book - What happened with the cult of D’rek? I know a summoning took place that went badly for the priests involved, a demon was released, which was later killed by some other demons released by Paran, but what was the overriding purpose? Are these events connected to the shady group trying to use Icarium? What is Tayschrenn’s role in all of this? It seemed like a big reveal that he was a member of the cult, but I was left feeling like “Wait, what?”. If you think you've got a clear understanding of what I'm missing, please do fill me in.Regardless of my inadequacies in absorbing all I should have, I still found this book a rewarding experience. That is partly because the characters here are so well-done and somehow both larger-than-life and relatable. So many of these characters seem destined (literally) for some grand purpose, but there are far too many of them for this to be universally true (I think). Which of the following does not have a critical destiny? Tavore, Felisin, Ganoes? Quick Ben, Fiddler, Kalam? Apsalar, Karsa, Icarium, Trull Sengar? These are some of the best characters in fantasy, each apparently being guided to their own Save-the-World moment. I definitely look forward to seeing what fate awaits these amazing characters.All that being said, I do have some frustrations with parts of THE BONEHUNTERS. Firstly, I was disappointed with the portrayal of both Shadowthrone and Empress Laseen. These behind the scenes characters from previous books deserved better treatment. To find them acting so shallow, almost silly, was jarring. Secondly, it was terrible of Erikson to leave us in the dark about the pact between Hood and Paran. What did they agree to? Hard to understand what was gained from not revealing more about this deal.Overall though, this is an excellent continuation of the series, merging multiple divergent storylines and seeming to approach a path towards a conclusion of sorts, though we are still a long way off from The End. Like all of the books in the series, I can highly recommend this one.

What a wonderful book.

This is a large sweeping tail. As such it has multiple plotlines that requires the reader to pay attention but it's worth it. On one level we get the conclusion of the rebellion, where the 14th army earns it's place, the sequence was enjoyable, sacrifice, heartbreak and the characters really shined as they try to survive. In doing so we learn more about the characters and the backstory that made them soldiers. On another level we have a war between the Gods and Ascendants, a war in which the mortals are but pieces on the board, but in this world the mortals aren't helpless. Some recurring characters are always a laugh, the Magi of High House Shadow and his wife, bickering and pretending to be mad as hatters whilst keeping several steps ahead of everyone else. On the action side we get an extended assassin hunt through the city of Malaz. I'll be reading the next to find out what happens.