Reaper's Gale (The Malazan Book of the Fallen, #7)

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Reaper's Gale (The Malazan Book of the Fallen #7)

4.32 of 5 stars 4.32 · rating details · 5,253 ratings · 148 reviews

All is not well in the Letherii Empire. Rhulad Sengar, the Emperor of a Thousand Deaths, spirals into madness, surrounded by sycophants and agents of his Machiavellian chancellor, while the Letherii secret police conduct a campaign of terror against its own people. The Errant, once a farseeing god, is suddenly blind to the future. Conspiracies seethe throughout the palace,...more

Hardcover, 928 pages

Published May 7th 2007 by Bantam Press (first published 2007)

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Dec 27, 2011 Traci rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: aficionado-top-100-challenge, fantasy

Done. Finally. This one took me awhile. I learned a few things with this book. Number one, I didn't have the stamina for a marathon Malazan reading. I think I sprained something in my brain in the attempt. I also learned that while Steven Erikson is a master of writing tragedy I don't care for his over the top humor. With a few exceptions, I do love Tehol and Bugg. And that hidden beneath this dark tale hides the heart of a romantic. And an author who can write male friendships like no one else...more

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Nov 20, 2012 Eyjólfur Örn Jónsson rated it 5 of 5 stars

Supreme storytelling! Erikson kept me on the edge of my seat with some of the greatest fight scenes i´ve ever had the pleasure to read about. Somehow managing to keep the reader interested and emotionally connected with both sides of the conflict Erikson takes the Malazan series to new heights in this amazing volume. With two huge battles and three opposing forces fighting for completely different ideals Erikson manages to portray pros and cons for every eventuality and gives us amazingly true t...more

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Mar 02, 2009 Jeffrey rated it 5 of 5 stars

Steven Erikson is a phenomenal writer. His world is unique and fresh, with fully realized characters, that all have a unique and compelling story to tell. All of these people fill a world complete with it's own history, age upon age, that pulls the reader in, wanting to discover more. It's a continuing tale of worlds ending, and new ones being born.
The central world that the myriad of characters that have been introduced over the series, live in, is the cornerstone for the outlying planes of ex...more Steven Erikson is a phenomenal writer. His world is unique and fresh, with fully realized characters, that all have a unique and compelling story to tell. All of these people fill a world complete with it's own history, age upon age, that pulls the reader in, wanting to discover more. It's a continuing tale of worlds ending, and new ones being born.
The central world that the myriad of characters that have been introduced over the series, live in, is the cornerstone for the outlying planes of existence.
Bleak at times, this series also has its fair share of humor, although somewhat of a gallows humor at that. There are musings about the tendencies of human societies, existential matters, and the metaphysical. None of it ever comes across as too heavy handed, nor is the author trying to sway the reader from one point of view to another. His characters speak for him, each of them with their own perspectives, drawing their own conclusions about life. Just when you think he might be putting forth his opinion on the matter, the author switches characters and presents another outlook.

There does however, hang an agnostic tapestry over these books. The bleakness of these stories is something that all of the characters seem to have in common with one another. No matter how perceptive the point of view, the conclusion drawn is one of futility, even amongst the gods. So, perhaps this is the author's outlook. Perhaps, this is just the unavoidable context that the characters find themselves in, throughout the world Steven Erikson has created for them. I don't sense any malice toward a spiritual view, or a strictly secular one. As contemplative as his books can get, they never fail to pull you in and entertain.

There are currently eight books in the series, although I am confident there will be more. While it's preferable to start with the first one, I don't think it's absolutely necessary. There will be characters and events that appeared in the earlier volumes dropped here and there, but one can enjoy them starting in at any point. Most of the books do not focus on the original characters that began the series. Many in fact, were killed, and often the reader is taken to different lands and kingdoms, made witness to battles and the crumbling of empires; all of which signify the end of the current age of Erickson's vast world. The books aren't a quick read, not something I'd recommend taking to the beach, but for nestling inside one's home, on a cold winter weekend, or delving into, a couple of hours before going to bed. His vernacular style may take getting used to, as it's meant to give a feel for the world you visit while reading theses stories. He doesn't over indulge however, and if you have a dictionary or thesaurus handy, you'll find your vocabulary expanding as well. Don't let that deter you. It's well worth the effort, and once you've got the feel for it, You'll proceed into the story just fine.

Steven Erikson has become one of my favorite authors. Not since I first read a Stephen King novel, or before that, Tolkien's works, have I felt so compelled to keep reading page after page, never wanting the story to end. As I've grown older and more experienced, that kind of excitement has become a much rarer commodity. I must warn you, that after reading this series, the bar for what constitutes good fantasy literature, or literature of any kind, will have been raised considerably. Your reading satisfaction will be challenged when moving on to other authors' works. But don't let that stop you.
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May 12, 2013 Nev Percy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy

What would I say now that I haven't probably said about Books 1-6?

I'm pretty well tuned in to Erikson's style now, and enough of the characters are already known from previous volumes that there aren't too many new ones to accommodate, so it gets into my head more easily than the first ones did.

The first half all rather washed over me. Stuff was building, and quite eventful enough along the way, but not quite engaging my full excitement.

But I must admit, some of the characters were a bit blurry...more

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Nev Percy What would I say now that I haven't probably said about Books 1-6?

I'm pretty well tuned in to Erikson's style now, and enough of the characters are al...more
May 12, 2013 07:42am

Nov 19, 2012 Onefinemess rated it 4 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Wow. You know Erikson always has to be killing people (especially out of nowhere) … but some of them still hurt. Especially because I think this one – the last one (one of the “big” ones) – does not come with the resurrection clause that has brought so many others back on the rebound (2 resurrections just in this book, but we knew they were both coming).

This book was solid. Just solid. I tore through at least a third of it yesterday and stayed up way too late again to finish it. So much buildup...more Wow. You know Erikson always has to be killing people (especially out of nowhere) … but some of them still hurt. Especially because I think this one – the last one (one of the “big” ones) – does not come with the resurrection clause that has brought so many others back on the rebound (2 resurrections just in this book, but we knew they were both coming).

This book was solid. Just solid. I tore through at least a third of it yesterday and stayed up way too late again to finish it. So much buildup at the end that I couldn’t go to sleep without wrapping it up. Icarnium’s bit was… odd though. Of course not the end (since Mappo is still out there), but just oddly empty.

Anyway. So this is the book where the Letherii/Edur empire (from book 5) and the Bonehunters/(ex-)Malazan plots and armies finally collide. And, as with everything Erikson, nothing goes as expected. Almost no one dies gloriously. Almost no one. One guy does and you really feel for him. Main characters don’t seem to though – they just catch a knife in the back or something else tragic and “realistic”.

One thing that bums me out about this world is all the r#pe. Seriously, 50 pages in and there were already 2 (with a couple more by the end). Three of the ~major females (with significant dialogue or a plot arc) so far have been r#ped (one in book 5, the other two as mentioned). I’m trying to think who *hasn’t* been. Tavore – but we don’t know her background. For the others it seems sadly more realistic to just assume they have. Harsh world – yet in other aspects, genderwise, it’s much, much more egalitarian. Is Erikson trying to make some kind of statement here? Probably. There are lots of statements in these books (but they work in context)… maybe something about the violence & lust innate in masculinity?

The best scene in the series so far was in this book. The one in Tehol’s place when Janath wakes up. I ?guess? some people don’t like Tehol? I don’t know, something must be broken inside… finding a way to work absurdity into this series was a masterstroke by Erikson. A little levity goes a long way in all this bleakness. I mean, there are other spots (the 3 critters from the Crippled God’s island, Pust, other assorted bits), but this one works the best for me.

I really wasn’t expecting the fight between the second two parties that intersected at Bloodeye’s soul… I mean, they could have just talked it out and it would have been good. Seriously. Except that douche, Chip. Seriously. Ugh. Although maybe the bit with the baby Azath might not have gone over so well. Oh well. I’m not a huge fan of happy endings, but I really felt like the two brothers that died deserved some kind of happiness together, at least a moment.

I wonder when the Bonehunters are going to run out of Moranth munitions? I mean, it’s not like they can resupply anymore.

Also, Quick Ben leveled up again.

FOUR AND A QUARTER STARS

Because it was 1250 pages of goodness.

[EDIT: Random plot thread: WTF was up with the Segulah that walked out of the Letherii capital near the end? It said something about all the challengers being dead except Karsa & Icarnium - but then she walks out? Why would a Segulah avoid a fight? Did she decide it was rigged? Would that matter?

Also: Re: the way to kill Rhulad: DUH. Super obvious - at least the first step. I seriously cannot believe that no one tried that before.](less)

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Apr 24, 2012 David Sven rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy

Another solid entry in the Malazan Series. In this 7th book we have a convergence of story arcs started in "Midnight Tides" as well as "The Bonehunters" and throw in a couple more that nobody really cares about and adds a couple hundred unnecessary pages and you have another epic adventure with its unique brand that is The Malazan Series.

So here we have the rebel Bonehunters having escaped from Malaz appointing themselves as the avengers of the Edur/Letherii atrocities committed on the Malazan E...more

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Feb 20, 2012 Zane rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy

Review of the series rather than individual works. Check my star ratings to gauge how the books themselves stack-up. No spoilers. Summary: difficult to get into, post-modern style, well worth the effort, jam-packed with action and complexity and one of my all-time favourite authors.

Erikson writes in a post-modern style. You are catapulted right into the action and exposed to character names, lore references, magical concepts and even fantastical races with no descriptions or explanation provided...more Review of the series rather than individual works. Check my star ratings to gauge how the books themselves stack-up. No spoilers. Summary: difficult to get into, post-modern style, well worth the effort, jam-packed with action and complexity and one of my all-time favourite authors.

Erikson writes in a post-modern style. You are catapulted right into the action and exposed to character names, lore references, magical concepts and even fantastical races with no descriptions or explanation provided. This makes his work very inaccessible to new readers, who may not be as captivated by his world or characters and therefore not see the merit in finishing the books.

This also means that the books are not necessarily in chronological order. Books 2 and 3 take place simultaneously, the first part of book 4 occurs at the same time as events in book 1, book 5 occurs before book 1 etc. While this may seem confusing, and nothing described above is encouraging for someone wanting to start this series, this is actually one of the joys of Erikson's writing.

Fantasy, unlike any other genre, encourages epic plots of unparalleled complexity and intrigue with multiple point-of-view characters engaged in complementary quests. Erikson's style, though not accessible, complements the genre's central themes. Each novel increases your understanding of the world, the magic and races. Rather than bog you down with back-story and exposition, your eyes are opened as the story unfolds without any delays to the narrative.

The jumping around chronologically also allows for increased complexity in the plot, with so many subtle links that you miss. What Erikson has wrought is admirable in scope, as well as how internally consistent it is. Try write a ten book epic that isn't in chronological order, keeping each book as engaging as its predecessors while never once accidentally contradicting yourself - I dare you.

Erikson is also the only writer apart from Robert Jordan who manages to pack action of a cinematic quality into his novels. And unlike Jordan, he maintains the same quality throughout all his novels, never once disappointing.(less)

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Nov 20, 2011 Dzver rated it 2 of 5 stars

Малазанска книга на мъртвите том 6 и 7 са всъщност 1 особено тлъста книга.

Във 7-ата част има 20-тина преплетени сюжетни линии. Към 15 от тях са пълнеж на страници. На мен ми беше интересно да видя какво ще се случи с Тавори, Карса, Техол, Кетъл и Шурк Елале. Повечето от останалите сюжетни линии са безумно скучни и е трябвало да отпаднат при редакцията на книгата.

Цялата история е лесно предвидима. Единствените изненади са къде точно ще се появи Деус Екс Машина, за да затрудни някой прекалено сил...more

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Aug 29, 2010 Jonathan rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I can see that the overarching story might add up to a wonderful jigsaw, but Erikson is a demented pounder of the keyboard, someone needs to edit him savagely, take away his computer and make him write longhand. He has long since lost control of his creation. As Stalin may have said 'Quantity has a Quality all of its own', it pounds your mind into numbed submission as you trudge towards the slopes of Mount Doom, bearing the ring of steadily reducing expectations.

After 500 pages of this the 7th M...more

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Jan 04, 2012 Beth rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012reads, noncomic2012

This only made me cry once! Almost twice, but not quite. Not quite as soul destroying as The Bonehunters (there was a reason it took me 5 months before I'd touch this one) but just as enjoyable. I still don't really like Hellian, and that annoys me because it's a stupid reason to dislike a character, I just can't find her sympathetic or funny or really all that likeable. Quick Ben is really starting to scare me and Fiddler continues to be made of win.
This one felt a bit tighter than some of the...more

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Nov 10, 2011 Patrick rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, spec-fic

I like this series. It has its faults (which I'll get to in a minute), but the author has created a rich, deep world with a complex history and mythology, and he's populated it with a legion of characters, some of whom are genuinely likable. I keep reading because I'm definitely interested in what happens next.

That said....

Holy crap, is this series long. This book was over 1200 pages, and is representative of the others. The characters are often similarly named and difficult to tell apart, and t...more I like this series. It has its faults (which I'll get to in a minute), but the author has created a rich, deep world with a complex history and mythology, and he's populated it with a legion of characters, some of whom are genuinely likable. I keep reading because I'm definitely interested in what happens next.

That said....

Holy crap, is this series long. This book was over 1200 pages, and is representative of the others. The characters are often similarly named and difficult to tell apart, and the mythology is so complex that if you take time off between books, you won't remember what a Barghast is, or how it differs from a Trell, a Jhag, a Toblakai, or a Tarthenal. This book seriously needs a "reader's companion" so you can flip through and remind yourself who these people are and what their story is.

Speaking of story... I complained in my last review in the series that the author was introducing new story threads in book 6, and I lamented that the series would ever end. This book was mercifully short on new threads, and only introduced a few new characters. I have hope that we'll eventually wrap things up.

Last time, I also complained that the author used these books to muse on a theme of the day. Last time it was expansionist politics. This time it was on capitalism and financial collapse. I don't find his themes too overbearing, but I do wish Erikson was a little less "topical".

Characterization is not one of the author's strengths. Most of the characters are cardboard cutouts, defined by one trait. They're mostly interchangeable, and it's difficult to care too much about most of them. There are some standouts, and I wish we'd spend more time with them than with Heavy Infantry Soldier #4 (i.e. the one who has tattoos and isn't smart). Often, these characters are killed off, and we're left yawning, since there was hardly anything there to mourn in the first place.

The author has a bit of a Deus Ex Machina problem. Every book, someone who appeared to be a normal, relatable everyman is suddenly gifted with special powers or immunities. It appears that there's a Blue Light Special on magical ability in the Malazan world, and everyone is loading up. The stories would be stronger if, a heretofore normal human didn't suddenly develop a talent for mind-reading.

I like this series. I will keep reading for the detailed world, the military action, and the few characters developed deep enough to care about. I wouldn't warn you away from it if you like epic fantasy, but there are certainly ways it could be better.

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Feb 24, 2012 Yashima rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: ebook, fantasy

Despite many distinct story lines I got attached to nearly all characters in the books.

In this one I particularly enjoyed he portrayal of Beak an autistic wizard with the Malazans who surprises all. And Hellian is coming through as one of the more funny characters, I liked "Hellian's Art of War" - quite successful by the way.

Somehow Erikson manages to keep me on my toes throughout this whole book. I kept wondering who was on which side, who would win, who would live and who would be sacrificed...more

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Aug 04, 2011 Tim James added it · review of another edition

Well, I must say I thought it'd take me more than a few weeks to read this mighty tome. I had not really enjoyed the previous two books from Erikson and was only prepared to read this one to stubbornly not give up before the end of the 10 book series.

I'm glad I did, it kept me turning the pages from the word go, and was as good as the earlier ones I had really enjoyed. A genuinely exciting story, the feel of threads that have been languishing since the start coming together, excellent characters...more

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Jul 01, 2011 Lynyrd rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, favourites

The Letherii Empire is in turmoil. Rhulad Sengar, the Emperor of a Thousand Deaths, spirals into madness, while the Errant, once a farseeing god, appears suddenly blind to the future. Driven by the corruption and self-interest, the empire edges ever-closer to all-out war with its neighbouring kingdoms. And the great Edur fleet draws ominously ever closer. With Karsa Orlong and Icarium Lifestealer among its warriors, that blood will be spilled is certain.

But a band of fugitives look to escape fro...more

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Feb 19, 2009 Adam rated it 5 of 5 stars

It was, indeed, amazing!!!
First, it tied together the Malazan side of the story and the Letheri side of the story.
Second, it had the marines doing what they were meant to do!
Third, it had Hellian (who is quickly growing to be one of my favorite characters), Fiddler, Tehol Beddict, and Karsa Orlong ALL IN ONE BOOK.
Fourth, some secrets are revealed...
Fifth, Shadowthrone & Cottillion are still the masters of deceit.
Sixth, 'twas hilarious.
Seventh, it definitely wasn't even close to as weird as...more

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Jan 14, 2013 Michael rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy-sci-fi

Erikson, as always, has continued to build upon this wonderfully large and intriguing world. The problem is that there's so damn much stuff to keep track of. Whenever I run into something new, I find myself thinking, "Okay, well that's cool," but then I forget about it. There's absolutely no way to keep track of all the mysteries Erikson has set up in this series. That being said, the mysteriousness and all the allusions to past events creates a depth to the world that most other fantasy series...more Erikson, as always, has continued to build upon this wonderfully large and intriguing world. The problem is that there's so damn much stuff to keep track of. Whenever I run into something new, I find myself thinking, "Okay, well that's cool," but then I forget about it. There's absolutely no way to keep track of all the mysteries Erikson has set up in this series. That being said, the mysteriousness and all the allusions to past events creates a depth to the world that most other fantasy series lack, so I appreciate the ambition. A few of the old mysteries were solved during this book; I don't remember which ones specifically, but I remember reading something and thinking, "Oh! So in book 3 when this happened, that's what he was talking about."

The pacing of this book is pretty slow. There is A LOT of build up; and that's saying something for Erikson, because the majority of most of his books is rising action. So for me to think this book was A LOT of build up is significant (to me). The last hundred or 150 pages was climax and resolution. Now, this is a 1200 page book. That's like reading a 300 page book and having the first 270 pages be rising action, build up and anticipation, for a paltry 30 page climax and resolution. What ended up happening in the end was awesome, as per usual with Erikson's work. I just kept asking myself if reading these giant books was worth it when he spends 1000 pages on witty banter between marines (which establishes character, themes, and adds humor; I get it), odd schemes for revenge that sometimes seem a bit stretched for the story line (although they usually involve gods and dragons, so I'm good with it), and see-through pedantic philosophical rants (with this last one, there is an argument that the Malazan Book of the Fallen is a deconstruction of epic fantasy on a large scale, and if you look at it in this light, it's not so bothersome, and even becomes a bit humorous)? The answer, I think, is yes. The only reason for this answer is that I expect the last few volumes of this series to be absolutely breath taking.

The only other thing that bothered me in this book was that there were a few scenes where characters would reminisce about all the cool things that have happened to them (they don't necessarily think they're cool, but I do), which only highlighted the fact that nothing really breathtaking happens in this book until the very end--and even then it was kind of what you expected (minus the specific details, of course).

I will say this: the funniest thing I've ever read in a fantasy book happened in this volume. I don't have the book with me so I can't quote it, but I will paraphrase (WARNING: this is almost a sort of kind of spoiler, but not really at all). Some preface: the "he" character has just thrown an explosive at a dragon, which is now flying away from the scene of battle.

He looked up at the dragon, who was receding into the fire bitten sky. "This ain't your fight!" he said. "Fucking dragon."

I don't know, it was funny. But that speaks to the sort of deconstruction aspect, too, I think. Dragons are always getting in the way and showing up in fantasy series even if they shouldn't necessarily be there, because they're such a staple. So to have a character shoo the dragon away and swear at it shows Erikson's awareness of the tropes of the genre, his ability to underplay said tropes, and his handle on humor (which is accelerated if you read the series with an eye open to the author playing with conventions).

All in all, I liked it, but it's not the best out of the series. Pretty slow, and not enough COOL SHIT happens. Although MOST of the characters from earlier in the series show up at one point or another, which was deeply appreciated on my part.

Read it if: well, if you're already invested in the series and like it.(less)

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Jul 09, 2012 Suzie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: liked-books

This really is a book of two halves, one of which is the most boring thing Steven Erikson has written so far. The Awl plotline is really pretty bland and not particularly engaging, and although it has one or two important points as regards the overall arc of the series, I'm pretty sure they could have been slotted into the story different because to be perfectly honest, I didn't give a shit about Redmask. On the other hand, the latter half of the book is REALLY GOOD. I mean REALLY REALLY GOOD. I...more

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May 01, 2012 Jonathan Simpson rated it 3 of 5 stars

I remain floored by the breadth of Erikson's series. The scope of these books is daunting, to say the least. Erikson handles it well, for the most part. I enjoyed it more than its immediate predecessor, The Bonehunters, but not by much, which makes it second from the bottom if I was to rank the series to date. One comment I received before starting it was "Erikson abandons some plotlines pretty quickly once the climax starts" and that was pretty spot on. The time jump between this book and the l...more

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Feb 03, 2009 Mason Jones rated it 4 of 5 stars

I'll have to wait a bit and ponder how to review this. All of Erikson's Malazan books are so incredibly dense that no summary is really possible. This is another great one which I enjoyed completely. The scale of this series is monumental, and I really love the fact that huge, important things happen, and they really effect people -- major characters die, all characters are changed by the events, and it feels more real because of that. Some of my favorite characters from the series came back in...more

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Jul 13, 2011 Tim rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Reaper's Gale, the seventh book in Steven Erikson's Malazan Books of the Fallen series, is a major entry in the series. Significant events occur through out, moving the series along towards its conclusion. We see a major convergence of characters from Midnight Tides and The Bonehunters, which leads to cataclysmic and often tragic results.

Once again, I found the book a little slow at the beginning. It took me about 3 weeks to finish the book. 2 of those weeks were spent getting through the first...more

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May 05, 2011 Mike Paulhus rated it 5 of 5 stars

The action of the Malazan series has slowed in this book, but only slightly. The intrigue of the Letheri empire makes the reader really think politically and socially to understand how 1 single action can effect an entire empire. I do feel like the story line is branching quite a bit to encompass more and more characters . . . normally not a bad thing in my mind but can become difficult to keep track of who is where and what part of the plot they are working. Then again I'm only about 200 pages...more

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Mar 27, 2009 Stefan rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

Well, I finally finished this 1260 page monstrosity, which is the 7th installment in a 10 book series. Although it suffers from the same flaws all other books in this series suffer from, it's actually a pretty decent read. I would just recommend doing what I did and treating every book in this series as 3 or 4 separate books --- in other words, take a break every 300-400 pages or so. If not, it's just too much all at once --- at least for my taste.
I've been trying to formulate what exactly I lik...more

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Nov 07, 2007 Jeremiah Hebert rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

Great book! As always, Erikson delivers action in spades. Can't wait for book 8!

-Spoilers Below-

We finally get to see the Malazan and Letharii empires clash in earnest! Karsa vs....well, I won't ruin it for you.

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Mar 30, 2013 Brad rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013, fantasy, favorites

Wow, these books are long. Still really enjoying them, and impressed at how much stuff Erikson packs in. More focus on the continent where Midnight Tides took place, and we see a lot of the fallout from what happened in that book.

Fortunately, some of the characters from MT have grown on me and we also see some of my favorites from earlier in the series. I'm curious to see what the end-game is of the series, because I really don't have a good feel for where we're going (but that's not a complaint...more

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Feb 25, 2013 Bill rated it 3 of 5 stars

The 7th book in the Malazan series was rather enjoyable. The first fifth of this book was slow, and I was worried that the series was losing some of its momentum. That changed as more old characters started to show up in later parts of the book, and the second half moved quickly and actually started to resolve several things in the larger series narrative.

My only quibble with the plot of the book is that what seemed like a major part of the plot went nowhere (or I missed its import.) I hesitate...more

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May 19, 2011 Peter rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy

This series is still holding steady at very good but not great. In this particular book, I found myself more emotionally invested than I had been in before (the Seren Pedac - Trull Sengar / Trull Sengar - Onrack story lines were particularly well told, as was the Udinaas story line).

The one negative that seems to be cropping up more and more is a tendency to (lazily) rely on extended debates between two characters to illuminate themes in the novel. There are some fairly complex ideas going on i...more

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Aug 05, 2011 Janne Frösén rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The book slowly builds up and FINALLY some of the different plot lines started many books ago converge in Letheras. This book is definitely a step up from the previous one (Bonehunters) and the 7th in the series. The writing style remains gritty and graphic, now with some added elements of humor thrown in - I don't remember chuckling aloud in the previous installments. Erikson still keeps us in dark in many areas, and the number of characters may be a bit overwhelming at times. Some plot solutio...more

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Mar 24, 2010 Rob rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: random-comments-review

...Although it would be nice if Erikson could keep his novels in the three digit range, I have to say Reaper’s Gale was a very satisfying read. More so than The Bonehunters. Memories of Ice is still my favourite but Reaper’s Gale does not fall short of that achievement by much. If it wasn’t clear already, this book definitely shows the Tales of the Malazan book of the Fallen is going to be a landmark in epic fantasy once the series is completed....

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May 13, 2012 Stephanie Manson rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-fantasy

Reaper's Gale starts off with the usual Erickson slow start that picks up speed as you go until your eyes are flying over the pages and the story is thundering right on by at lightning speed. I particularly enjoyed the banter between the soldiers in this 7th book of the series. The humor -sometimes subtle, sometimes outrageous- was just brilliant in this book. I absolutely loved the parts involving Hellian. What a great character she is! Right on up there with Whiskeyjack, Fiddler, Kalam and Kar...more

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Dec 02, 2010 Tina rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is going to sound ridiculous but I cried for a good ten minutes when I closed the back cover of this one. I'm so involved with the characters now, especially given how some love stories are progressing. The sexual tension in this one is the best (so far) with Karsa and Samar especially, which I'm thoroughly enjoying (and this tension was something the earlier books were sorely lacking, in my opinion). The action scenes were amazing, as usual, but why did my favorite character have to... (I'...more

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About Steven Erikson

Steven Erikson is the pseudonym of Steve Rune Lundin, a Canadian novelist, who was educated and trained as both an archaeologist and anthropologist. His best-known work is the on-going series, the Malazan Book of the Fallen.

http://us.macmillan.com/author/steven...

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Books by Steven Erikson

Gardens of the Moon (The Malazan Book of the Fallen, #1)

Deadhouse Gates (The Malazan Book of the Fallen, #2)

Memories of Ice (Malazan Book of the Fallen, #3)

House of Chains (Malazan Book of the Fallen, #4)

Midnight Tides (Malazan Book of the Fallen, #5)

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Quotes from Reaper's Gale

“Retribution seen in natural catastrophes is manufactured by all too eager
and all too pious people, each one convinced the world will end but spare them and them
alone. But we all know, the world is inherited by the obnoxious, not the righteous” — 4 people liked it

“(...) niegdyś wierzył nawet w to, że nad całym bytem panuje wszechmocna, dobroczynna istota. A świerszcze grają po to, by pomóc nam zasnąć. Nie sposób odgadnąć, jakie jeszcze głupoty mogły się zakraść do jego młodej, naiwnej głowy przed tymi wszystkimi tysiącleciami.” — 1 person liked it

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Reaper's Gale (The Malazan Book of the Fallen #7)

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