Steven Erikson: Toll the Hounds (2008, Doherty Associates, LLC, Tom)
English language
Published Dec. 24, 2008 by Doherty Associates, LLC, Tom.
The eighth book in Erikson's extraordinary, acclaimed and bestselling fantasy sequence.It is said that Hood waits at the end of every plot, every scheme, each grandiose ambition. But this time it is different: this time the Lord of Death is there at the beginning...Darujhistan swelters in the summer heat and seethes with portents, rumours and whispers. Strangers have arrived, a murderer is abroad, past-tyrannies are stirring and assassins seem to be targeting the owners of K'rul's Bar. For the rotund, waistcoat-clad man knows such events will be dwarfed by what is about to happen: for in the distance can be heard the baying of hounds.Far away, in Black Coral, the ruling Tiste Andii appear oblivious to the threat posed by the fast-growing cult of the Redeemer - an honourable, one-mortal man who seems powerless against the twisted vision of his followers.So Hood waits at the beginning of a conspiracy that …
The eighth book in Erikson's extraordinary, acclaimed and bestselling fantasy sequence.It is said that Hood waits at the end of every plot, every scheme, each grandiose ambition. But this time it is different: this time the Lord of Death is there at the beginning...Darujhistan swelters in the summer heat and seethes with portents, rumours and whispers. Strangers have arrived, a murderer is abroad, past-tyrannies are stirring and assassins seem to be targeting the owners of K'rul's Bar. For the rotund, waistcoat-clad man knows such events will be dwarfed by what is about to happen: for in the distance can be heard the baying of hounds.Far away, in Black Coral, the ruling Tiste Andii appear oblivious to the threat posed by the fast-growing cult of the Redeemer - an honourable, one-mortal man who seems powerless against the twisted vision of his followers.So Hood waits at the beginning of a conspiracy that will shake the cosmos, but at its end there is another: Anomander Rake, Son of Darkness, has come to right an ancient and terrible wrong...
The ennui of the Tiste Andii sometimes drags on, the author is good at that. This whole series is fantastic. Plus, the showdown between kruppe and iskaral pust...what a book.
My problem with these books are that there simply are too many characters and that they constantly change names doesn't make it easier. I have just a few I find interesting to follow. With this particular installation I found the one story line boring... drags the book down
Made it to Chapter 10 and stopped. I didn't have the patience to keep on going on the hope that the story would get better. The time between the great moments dragged on and I found myself just not caring. Seven months of my year was put in to reading this series, so I gave it an effort, but at this book I stopped.
This book was good, though it took me quite a while to finish. Most of the characters are old friends now whose stories we know well. The plot, while somewhat rambling and meandering, is cool and ties up neatly. We see some amazing events that I will not tell so as not to spoil the story. Overall, it's another fine addition to the Malazan universe and does feel like it's starting to wrap up.
For my full review, see my blog: strakul.blogspot.com/2013/08/book-review-toll-hounds-by-steven.html
