The Bonehunters (Malazan Book of the Fallen, #6)

My rating:

add to my books

The Bonehunters (The Malazan Book of the Fallen #6)

by Steven Erikson

4.33 · rating details · 2,409 ratings · 103 reviews

The Seven Cities Rebellion has been crushed. Sha’ik is dead. One last rebel force remains, holed up in the city of Y’Ghatan and under the fanatical command of Leoman of the Flails. The prospect of laying siege to this ancient fortress makes the battle-weary Malaz 14th Army uneasy. For it was here that the Empire’s greatest champion Dassem Ultor
was slain and a tide of Malaz...more

Paperback, 1231 pages

Published April 13th 2007 by Bantam (first published 2006)

more details... edit details

Get a copy:

More…

There is a good chance some of your friends read this book. Sign in to see!

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Lists with This Book

Military Fantasy

20th out of 66 books — 54 voters

A Morbid Taste for Bones by Ellis Peters

The Skull Beneath The Skin by P.D. James

rag and bones - and skellies and skulls

20th out of 65 books — 14 voters

More lists with this book...

Community Reviews

(showing 1-30 of 3,888)

filter | sort: default (?) | rating details

Apr 09, 2009

Lori rated it

It's useless. I keep intending to take a break between these and read something else that I've been eagerly anticipating, but the fact of the matter is I'm addicted to this series. And it's all I want to read. So why deny myself?

Finally finished! I haven't had much reading time this whole past month, and I have been so so frustrated, because this is such a marvelous addition that continues to satisfy and feed my obsession with this series. Also, it does meander a bit in the middle so...more

like 8 likes

· see review

Jun 05, 2008

uroš rated it

· review of another edition

Recommends it for: to every fan of Epic (with a capital E)

Shelves: fantasy

The review is originally available at Realms of Speculative Fiction

It took me the better part of the month to work -- yes, sometimes it really felt like a chore, but which ultimately paid off in the end -- my way through the sixth novel in the sprawling Malazan Book of the Fallen series. I found out that most of the things I’ve ascertained in my review of Midnight Tides (review) still hold true for its successor – The Bonehunters. Erikson is a genius epic fantasy writer, but alas, th...more

like 6 likes

· see review

Jun 13, 2007

Tiffany Shaw rated it

Recommends it for: Heroes and grunts

Erikson is my fantasy savior. I was beginning to think I would need to give up on the genre as a whole until I started reading the Malazan Book of the Fallen series. Well-written fantasy? Surely not.

Never-the-less, the Bonehunters was a little disappointing. The first half was great, and I couldn't put it down. But a little over halfway through, everyone starts traveling, and things get boring. One of my favorite aspects of this series is Erikson's willingness to kill off chara...more

like 3 likes

· see review

May 24, 2010

Viridian5 rated it

Shelves: fantasy

I enjoyed Steven Erikson's The Bonehunters more than his last book in this series, Midnight Tides, but my problem with Midnight Tides is more about my expectations when reading a series than Erikson failing as a writer. I found Midnight Tides involving enough once I really got into it, but it felt like a huge digression from the events of the previous novels and Erikson choosing to talk about this part of Trull Sengar's history after he'd already been introduced in what appeared to be the future...more

like 1 like

· see review

Sep 19, 2011

Andre rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: epic-fantasy

NO SPOILERS

The theme of my limited review is commitment, so if anyone is uncomfortable with that, I recommend a review written by the TNT tag team over at Speculative Fiction who wrote a great one about the book. No commitment required.

At a bit over 1,200 pagers of densely packed script, it was a commitment to read The Bonehunters. In fact, since about book four, picking up an Erickson book has been about like agreeing to date exclusively. I have been reading a few other ...more

like 1 like

· see review

Jan 18, 2012

Chris rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: malazan-books, 2012-read-owned, bb-completed-challenge-4

3.75 stars.

I almost dropped it to 3 stars, as there were lots of WTF moments and confusing drawn out parts. In truth, this book could have probably been half the length and been just as good (as long as it was the right half).

The Bonehunters were great. Paran, Kalam and Quick Ben, and Karsa Orlong. Oh, and I loved (view spoiler) Badass stuff.

When this book was good, it was fantastic. When n...more

like 7 likes

· see review

Jan 05, 2011

Brian rated it

· review of another edition

Series 6/30/08 - 9/10
The Malazan series is one of the better fantasy series I've read in a while. It's extremely densely plotted, in a very vast and detailed world. Each book takes a new jump that leaves you wondering. Sometimes the books can be a little tough to follow and the characters are not the most detailed, but I really enjoyed these books overall. I can't wait to reread and catch up with the newer books I haven't read yet.

For more info, check out:
</b>
Malazan on wikipedia
Malazan Si ...more

like 1 like

· see review

Mar 16, 2009

Guy rated it

Shelves: science-fiction-and-fantasy, have-read-more-than-once

The stories that are interwoven in each book of this epic series keep on flowing, and my appreciation grows apace. I have just ordered hardcover copies of each of the books... something I almost never do if I have the bought a paperback copy first... because, as with the Lord of the Rings, they deserve it. I'll be reading these books again. Several times.

And what about "The Bonehunters"? It is less of jewel than its predecessor, "Midnight Tides" and it does no...more

· see review

Nov 18, 2011

Rob rated it

Shelves: random-comments-review

...After this reread I still consider The Bonehunters something of a bridge between two stages of the story. As a novel, it is not quite as successful as the neighbouring volumes. That being said, it still contains the complex narrative, the huge cast, military heroics and tragedy, a overarching story of divine conflict and many more elements that makes the Malazan Book of the Fallen series stand out among epic fantasy. As with previous parts I've reread, I discovered a lot of detail I missed th...more

· see review

Apr 12, 2010

Jesse Whitehead rated it

The meaning of the word epic is changing. The word is derived from the Greek epikus meaning 'word song.' To the greeks an epic was a ballad or poem of great length that centered on the heroic actions of one or a group of characters. The elevated style of the series of fantastical events that the hero(es) went through was one key element of an epic. The Illiad, Aeneid, Beowulf, Gilgamesh, are all great epics.

In recent years epic has grown to mean anything that is “heroic, majestic, or...more

· see review

Jun 20, 2011

Tim rated it

· review of another edition

The Bonehunters is my favorite Malazan novel so far. The sixth novel in the series brought together almost all my favorite characters, while telling a captivating story from beginning to end.

Unlike most of the Malazan novels, I did not find The Bonehunters to have a slow start. Most likely, this is due to the fact that it did not focus on a new location with a multitude of new characters. This allowed me to breeze through the novel much quicker than I had the previous ones (I would ha...more

· see review

Jul 08, 2008

Eric rated it

This might be my least favorite in the series. It meanders for quite a while. It's like an entire volume of set-ups and exposition. There is some great stuff in the last 1/4 of the book though. Erikson really knows how to end strong.

like 1 like

· see review

Feb 06, 2011

Christopher H. rated it

· review of another edition

Recommended to Christopher by: lonebearimages@gmail.com

Shelves: adventure, canadian-authors-translators, fantasy-scifi, modern-literature, malazan-book-of-the-fallen, favorites, read-in-2011, favorite-rereads

Well, we've officially turned the corner in this series--there is a dim light ahead that is the end of the tunnel. The pieces are all on the chess-board now, and 'The Game' has begun. The Bonehunters is Steven Erikson's sixth book in his multi-layered epic high fantasy series, "The Malazan Book of the Fallen." I've actually moved far beyond just recommending this series for folks who love fantasy fiction. This is a complex tale that breathes life into Erikson's fictional world; a w...moreWell, we've officially turned the corner in this series--there is a dim light ahead that is the end of the tunnel. The pieces are all on the chess-board now, and 'The Game' has begun. The Bonehunters is Steven Erikson's sixth book in his multi-layered epic high fantasy series, "The Malazan Book of the Fallen." I've actually moved far beyond just recommending this series for folks who love fantasy fiction. This is a complex tale that breathes life into Erikson's fictional world; a world comprised of a uniquely awesome mythology, philosophical examinations, geo-politics, archaeology, anthropology, military tactics, a truly fascinating magical scheme, and character development and world-building that is beyond amazing.

The first five novels in the series (i.e., Gardens of the Moon, Deadhouse Gates, Memories of Ice, House of Chains, and Midnight Tides) carefully, and quite originally, place the reader in the world of the Malazan Empire. It is an ambiguous and grey world, where sometimes right is wrong, or where wrong is actually right. Where what occurs, what you see and what you hear is not always precisely is as it ought to be interpreted. The Bonehunters only reinforces this notion.

A couple of 'rules' to keep in mind as you read these novels--The First Eriksonian Law--Pay very close attention to every word written; and the Second Eriksonian Law--Not everything can be interpreted correctly initially. I also cannot stress enough the reliance the reader must place on the maps, 'Dramatis Personae' and the Glossary included in each novel. I would also encourage the reader to carefully read and think about each of the epigraphs that Eerikson leads each chapter off with. There are always valuable little 'nuggets' that can be gleaned from these bits of prose or poetry. It is my experience that to fully experience all that Erikson offers, the reader must simply and unhesitatingly yield and immerse themselves in the Malazan world. And trust me, it ain't hard to do with this series!

The Bonehunters is largely the story of the Malazan 14th Army, under the command of Adjunct Tavore Paran, and its pursuit of the remnants of 'Sha'ik's' The Whirlwind' rebellion on the continent of 'Seven Cities.' The siege and battle at the city of Y'Ghatan is not only some of the most riveting military fiction you'll ever read, but the reception the Malazan 14th Army receives after the battle from the Malazan Empress Laseen in Malaz City is jaw-droppingly suspenseful. The geo-political events/conundrums and mysteries that Erikson introduces in this novel are really nothing short of amazing and mind-boggling. There are truly mysteries layered upon mysteries nested in this novel, and I can only look forward to the remaining novels to answer the new batch of questions that I now have.

Erikson, it now seems, has now developed and cleverly woven into the story-line all of the major and minor characters into this massive and clever plot. While there are very, very many characters, not only in this novel, but each of the previous books; we are now reaching the stage in the series that we can see that convergences are beginning to form. For this novel, the reader is treated to approximately 700 pages of character and plot development/build-up, and then the novel's pacing kicks into an afterburner and you simply can't put it down (I dare you!). Fortunately, I had a long (very long) day-trip flight from Burbank, California to Denver, Colorado (and return) for a meeting yesterday, and I was able to plow through the remaining 500 pages virtually non-stop! It bears repeating, but this series really is some of the most clever and smartest fiction that I've ever encountered.

All I can say is that if you are with the series this far; well, there is then absolutely nothing that I need tell you. Frankly, for anyone who has read the first five novels in this series, the only question I have is--How could you quit now? Yeah, I know, you can't. And I completely agree. I couldn't stop reading these books even if I wanted to--I must see how it ends, and so should you! The plot of The Bonehunters is an eye-opener, it answers a ton of questions, and it raises a million more. Oh, how Eriksonian is that?

Happy Reading!(less)

like 4 likes

· see review

Jun 15, 2008

Alfonso rated it

· review of another edition

War, assassins, treason, mages on crack, psychopathic alcoholics, maniac depressive gods, retarded magi, horny spirits from the past, and a stubborn mo fo warrior!! You name this book got it!!! Pure gold!!!

like 4 likes

· see review

Apr 13, 2011

Peter rated it

Shelves: fantasy

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

· see review

Sep 07, 2010

Susanne rated it

Shelves: fantasy-and-science-fiction

After Memories of Ice, this is my favourite book in the series so far. A LOT of stuff happens here, and we're introduced to a great many characters, solely, in the words of my friend Jana, so we know what order they die in. But not everyone dies, and those who live continue to amuse me greatly. Erikson is a master of soldier-ly dialogue. And of knowing how to press emotional buttons not only when it comes to death, but even more so when it comes to reunions. If I read one more Bridgeburner reuni...more

· see review

Jan 12, 2012

Nicki rated it

Shelves: challenge-bb4, challenge-osga-decades, challenge-osga-reviews

Erikson is back on top form with the sixth book in the Malazan Book of the Fallen. We return to the land of Seven Cities and, for once, to a familiar cast. It picks up largely where House of Chains left off. Leoman of the Flails is leading the survivors of Sha'ik's Apocalypse to Y'Ghatan for a stand against the pursuing Malazan Fourteenth under the command of Adjunct Tavore. Y'Ghatan is a cursed city, one that's seen all too much Malazan blood already, including the fall of Dassem Ultor.

...moreErikson is back on top form with the sixth book in the Malazan Book of the Fallen. We return to the land of Seven Cities and, for once, to a familiar cast. It picks up largely where House of Chains left off. Leoman of the Flails is leading the survivors of Sha'ik's Apocalypse to Y'Ghatan for a stand against the pursuing Malazan Fourteenth under the command of Adjunct Tavore. Y'Ghatan is a cursed city, one that's seen all too much Malazan blood already, including the fall of Dassem Ultor.

This is above all else their story, but it's also where we see threads from the disparate places we've visited so far begin to come together. Malazan finally begins to feel like one tale -- a sprawling, epic, unwieldy and incredibly intricate tale, but one tale nonetheless -- rather than the three or more it's felt like so far. As a result, it isn't quick about its business. It takes a long time to build to its first truly pulse-pounding moment, and much of what makes it so memorable is packed into the final quarter. Does that make it a poorly-paced book? In this case, I would say no. Looking back over all of that buildup I cannot see anything that was out of place, unnecessary or overly drawn out. It might be easier to love if the moments that twisted my heart and stomach into knots had been spread more evenly throughout the tale, but easier isn't necessarily better.

And when it does pick up the pace, my word does it do it in style. Erikson proves his ability to make even secondary characters we've spent little time with leave their scars on our minds.

I mentioned in my review of House of Chains that I was growing tired of the characters of Apsalar and Crokus/Cutter, and that I felt their story should be over with by now. It's funny that I should have said that, because it's become an example to me of how important it is to see the bigger picture in these books and that Erikson is an author who rewards trust that such loose threads will be artfully woven back in. Apsalar is a vital character in many of the large scale events in The Bonehunters, and the centre of some of the most amusing and poignant scenes as well. Her new companions of dubious veracity, Telorast and Curdle, are a delight, and then of course there's the ever-enticing Cotillion... One of my favourite passages in the book comes from a moment shared between her and the Patron of Assassins, and I think it demonstrates that while Erikson is unlikely to join the ranks of lyrical writers such as Guy Gavriel Kay and Patricia McKillip, he can turn a beautiful phrase:

Truths, yes. One after another, one boulder settling down, then another. And another. Blotting out the light, darkness closing in, grit and sand sifting down, a solid silence when the last one is in place. Now, dear fool, try drawing a breath. A single breath.

There were clouds closed fast round the moon. And one by one, gardens died.

What a memorable way to bring the imagery of Gardens of the Moon full circle.

Those who wondered about the tangent he went off on in Midnight Tides will also be rewarded for their patience, as it plays an important role in the action-packed final quarter of the book. There are many echoes of (and some characters from) Night of Knives by his co-creator Ian Esslemont when the action turns to Malaz City (and we finally get to see a bit more of Laseen in person!), as well, so you'll get the most benefit out of this if you're weaving the two authors' books together in the proper order.

The negatives are few. Some readers will have an issue with the pace of the first half, but as mentioned above, I think that's a necessary evil. My only real complaint is that some of my favourite characters, like Mappo, Icarium and Karsa Orlong, get featured and yet don't accomplish very much besides moving into position for later events. I was glad to see them anyway, but a bit disappointed that I finished with little to really say about their sections except that it will be fun to see where they go from here, and I think this book could have been just a little tighter had that setup somehow been worked into a later book -- one in which they go on to be proactive!

An easy 5 stars. On to Reaper's Gale.(less)

like 4 likes

· see review

Mar 03, 2009

John rated it

Recommended to John by: I actually found these myself

I don't know how he does it. Every book gets better (with the possible exception of book 2 - Deadhouse Gates - which was the best in my opinion). Thousands of years of history is baked into these novels. I've never seen such a fully realized world (worlds?). He must have done an incredible amount of work on it before he even started writing.
The action is exceptional. The sense of humor marvelous and with excellent timing. And when the story gets down and dirty, Erikson shows no merc...more

· see review

Dec 21, 2010

Ryan rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: highly-recommended

One word can easily sum up my overall feelings for this book: wow. The Bonehunters grabbed me by the tonsils and whipped me around from the first to the very last page. Erikson’s world, which in the first books is almost incomprehensible in its span, is slowly beginning to converge. All the concepts, ideas, story lines, layers—all aspects of the story begin to meld together in this sixth book, and reading it was truly cathartic.

This volume of the Malazan Book of the Fallen brings t...more

like 1 like

· see review

Jun 02, 2011

David Kerr-wilson rated it

OK - Reviewed Books 1,6 & 10 individually with my opinion. This review is for the series. This whole series in the alternate reality created by Erikson is a great long tale. It is enjoyable, but can be frustrating at times. The author introduces a great many characters, races, nationalities. It is truly epic. It is also truly difficult to keep track of who is who. There are a great many sections that could stand alone as short stories. The concepts and action are well delivered, but the di...more

· see review

Jan 09, 2011

Matt rated it

This is by far the best fantasy series that is currently being written. This is book 6 and ranks up there with the rest of the series. It is military fantasy so doesn't rely soley on magic. MANY characters and plot lines throughout this book and series. You need to start with Gardens of the Moon and read through them all. This is 1,200 pages so will take some time unless you are a very fast read.

Numerous interesting and well developed characters. I need a break before the nex...more

· see review

Apr 16, 2009

JW rated it

I'm so lost at this point. I'm not sure how much this book advanced the overall arc, and the novel's internal story was weird and confused. Which was maybe the point. It's very much a transitional book. The Malazan part picks up from the last novel in the Seven Cities thread, while the Karsa thread sputters out and presumably is picked up somewhere else.

Frankly, I'm a little tired of reading about Seven Cities. Erikson' is relying far too much on his archaeological training with...more

· see review

Oct 21, 2011

Duffy Pratt rated it

Shelves: fantasy, shared-world

This series keeps getting better. This book doesn't work as a standalone novel, but that's not too surprising in a book for number six in an ongoing saga. Rather, this one felt to me like two novels in one. First, there is the baptism by fire of the Bonehunters. And then second, there is the Return of the 14th Army to Malaz Island. Both of these sections stand up with anything already in the series.

GRR Martin got famous by killing off a beloved character. He did it once, and si...moreThis series keeps getting better. This book doesn't work as a standalone novel, but that's not too surprising in a book for number six in an ongoing saga. Rather, this one felt to me like two novels in one. First, there is the baptism by fire of the Bonehunters. And then second, there is the Return of the 14th Army to Malaz Island. Both of these sections stand up with anything already in the series.

GRR Martin got famous by killing off a beloved character. He did it once, and since then the main characters have been pretty much safe. Not so with Erikson. By now, he's killed off many of his main characters, and I don't have the sense that anyone in these books is at all safe. I have pretty much zero idea who is going to make it through to the end. Also, I've now gotten over Erikson bringing back the dead in these books. It no longer feels to me like Gandalf redux, and is simply a part of his world.

The main difficulty I'm now having with these books is my level of confusion with some of the characters motives. Almost every character we see in these books is both a puppet and a puppet-master. They are all manipulating things according to their own plans, while at the same time being manipulated by others. This makes things fascinating, and it makes the characters very intricate, but it also keeps me more than a little disoriented at times. For example, its not easy for me to figure out the relationship between Quick Ben and Shadowthrone.

For that reason, my poor simpleton brain gets a strange feeling of relief whenever Karsa is on the scene. He's refreshingly blunt, and unmoved by the manipulations of others. More than anyone else in this book, he is simply his own man. He's a bastard, but a pure one. On the opposite end of the spectrum, I suppose, is Quick Ben. Instead of being his own man, he's twelve people literally rolled into one. He deals and double-deals with gods. At no point in these books have I been fully clear where he stands, nor with whom he is truly allied (except probably Kalam). He's an amazing character, and very cool, but I find him to be very confusing.

When I'm done with this series, I may have to go back and re-do my ratings for the individual books. Even though I haven't given any of the books five stars yet, the series as a whole is shaping up to be a five star series.
(less)

like 5 likes

· see review

Aug 25, 2008

jenn rated it

Recommended to jenn by: Jason

this is not a book or series that I could recommend to many of my friends, i think our interests diverge when it comes to epic war & magic fantasy novels. This 6th installment is a hefty 1200 pages and since most of you have lives its difficult to find the time to commit to that level of reading for pleasure.
and yet...
mr. erikson creates such vivid characters, i grow attached to them all (even the ones i dislike) and he loves to make us really feel for the bad guy. this series has...morethis is not a book or series that I could recommend to many of my friends, i think our interests diverge when it comes to epic war & magic fantasy novels. This 6th installment is a hefty 1200 pages and since most of you have lives its difficult to find the time to commit to that level of reading for pleasure.
and yet...
mr. erikson creates such vivid characters, i grow attached to them all (even the ones i dislike) and he loves to make us really feel for the bad guy. this series has made me laugh out loud and sob so fiercely I had to put the book away. without being bombastic it makes me think, about the darkness and cruelty in our own world and it forces me to recognize how little action I have taken in the past 5 years to counteract that. this series, especially this book, has made me see - its time to live again.

I'll share two quotes that struck a nerve in me:
"Who can say where divides truth and the host of desires that, together, give shape to memories? There are deep folds in every legend, and the visible, outward pattern presents a false unity of form and intention. We distort with deliberate purpose; we confine vast meaning into the strictures of imagined necessity. In this lies both the failing and the gift, for in the surrender of truth we fashion, rightly or wrongly, universal significance. Specific gives way to general; detail gives way to grandiose form, and in the telling we are exalted beyond our mundane selves. We are, in truth, bound into greater humanity by this skein of words..."

"There is something profoundly cynical, my friends, in the notion of paradise after death. [...] I defy this notion of paradise beyond the gates of bone. If the soul truly survives the passage, then it behooves us - each of us, my friends - to nurture a faith in similitude: what awaits us is a reflection of what we leave behind, and in the squandering of our mortal existence, we surrender the opportunity to learn the ways of goodness, the practice of sympathy, empathy, compassion and healing - all passed by in our rush to arrive at a place of glory and beauty, a place we did not earn, and most certainly do not deserve." (less)

· see review

Oct 19, 2009

Terence rated it

Shelves: sf-fantasy

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Upon rereading The Bonehunters, I'm going to nudge up my initial rating to 5 stars. Outside of Gardens of the Moon, this is the best installment of a great series (Gardens is my first love - where I came to know "my Malazans" - so it will always hold a particularly fond place in my heart).

NOTA BENE & SPOILER ALERT: The notes below assume the reader has read the books so there's a lot of detail I skip over.

I'm going to focus on that part of the book that has made...moreUpon rereading The Bonehunters, I'm going to nudge up my initial rating to 5 stars. Outside of Gardens of the Moon, this is the best installment of a great series (Gardens is my first love - where I came to know "my Malazans" - so it will always hold a particularly fond place in my heart).

NOTA BENE & SPOILER ALERT: The notes below assume the reader has read the books so there's a lot of detail I skip over.

I'm going to focus on that part of the book that has made it a "5" in my mind even though, as usual, Erikson continues to follow a variety of plotlines and introduces a few new ones (we (and the novels' characters) are finally beginning to see the scope of the coming war with the Crippled God).

The bulk of the book is taken up with the forging of the Bonehunters (aka the Malazan Fourteenth Army). It opens a few months after the events in House of Chains. Sha'ik Reborn (aka Felisin Paran) has been killed by the Adjunct, Tavore Paran, her older sister, and the remnants of the Whirlwind army are fleeing to the city-state of Y'Ghatan led by Leoman of the Flails. As an army, the Bonehunters are "shaky." Their victory at Raraku was won by ghosts of the Bridgeburners, and Sha'ik's death was anticlimactic. Morale is low and the competence of the Adjunct as a commander remains in doubt. Unfortunately, Tavore's personality does little to alleviate the problem as she remains cold and aloof even from her commanders.

Erikson anchors The Bonehunters around two defining moments in the army's evolution as a fighting force. The first is the siege of Y'Ghatan. This city is a cursed memory to the Malazans for it's here that the First Sword Dassem Ultor was (apparently) killed (actually he escaped both the swords of his Seven Cities' opponents and the Claw assassins sent by Surly (soon to be the Empress) to become the Ascendant known as Traveller). Leoman boobie traps the city with oil so that when the Fourteenth breaches the wall, they ignite a firestorm that consumes the soldiers who had entered the city with the exception of a few who escape into catacombs. Symbolic of a rebirth, these survivors wend their way through the bowels of Y'Ghatan to emerge, naked and with a new sense of identity forged by their ordeal. Meanwhile, the rest of the Fourteenth heads west to escape a plague unleashed in the east by Poliel, the Consort of High House Chains and goddess of disease, and meet up with the Imperial Fleet to return home. This is the first part of the novel.

The culmination of the book and the army's second defining moment occurs at Malaz City, where the Adjunct has brought the Bonehunters to confront Laseen. In the aftermath of the Seven Cities rebellion, Mallick Rel and Korbolo Dom - sent back in chains as traitors - have twisted the truth to make it appear that Coltaine and the Wickans conspired with the rebels. On Quon Tali, pogroms have been launched against the Wickans and a virulent xenophobia has gripped the minds of the city's citizens, abetted by sorcerous manipulations of the Mockra warren. In the course of Tavore's return, the Bonehunters have acquired new allies in the guise of the Perish - an army devoted to the new gods of war, Togg and Fanderay. She also learns that the Fourteenth is being forged to be the main army against the Crippled God's legions in the final battle.

At Malaz City, Tavore breaks with Laseen and flees the city with the Bonehunters and her new allies. Meanwhile, Korbolo Dom and Mallick Rel assume positions as Laseen's advisors (and the resolution of that will come in Esslemont's Return of the Crimson Guard).

Tavore has become one of my favorite characters, ranking up there with Trull, Duiker and Tattersail, and I find myself caring more about the fates of the Fourteenth's soldiers than I do about the characters introduced in the Letherii thread of the series. Both considerations making The Bonehunters my second favorite chapter of the series.(less)

like 1 like

· see review

Mar 29, 2008

Chad rated it

· review of another edition

Recommends it for: 13th level halfling barbarian-assassins.

Recommended to Chad by: Alby

Shelves: morally-ambiguous-fantasy

This is book 6 of a series (The Malazan Book of the Fallen).

Hard-core "sword and sorcery" stuff. Looking for a trashy adventure escape to elf filled woods? Go elsewhere! When Erikson goes adventuring feet hurt, bugs bite, and after the last torch burns out you remember why you should be scared of the dark.

This a tale of a world at war, told from every point of view possible, from common soldiers in the trenches to the gods themselves. The characters are complex ...more

· see review

Aug 13, 2011

Craig rated it

· review of another edition

I have to admit that Bonehunters was probably the weakest book of the series so far, just because it's a wrap-up/setup sort of beast. There's a lot that happens, and pretty much everyone who's appeared in the series so far shows up, but aside from the siege of Y'Ghatan there's not a whole lot of terribly memorable stuff going on.

Oh, but the siege. What an amazing chapter. Easily up there with any other "important events" that have happened in the series so far.

...more

· see review

Jan 19, 2012

Nathan rated it

I really like Erikson. Sweeping, epic, tales of gods, demigods, demons, wizards, scheming empresses, crazy archpriests, magical animals, wondrous assassins and common soldiers. And Erikson, unlike some other epic fantasy authors I could name, is in control over his plot - there are many threads and in previous books there has been more than one instance of "what?" and "huh?", but he's starting to bring them together in this volume. I'm a fan. 5/5

· see review

Jan 05, 2010

Reid rated it

Our first real extended glimpse of Tavore, more Fiddler and action in Seven Cities makes this an exciting read for a long-time fan of the series. In addition to wrapping up Seven Cities, we see where the Edur fit in and get a long look at Malaz City and the Empress, as well as finding out more about Cotillion and Shadowthrone. As Erikson gets nearer the end of the series, the books become tighter and we learn more and more of our favorite characters.

· see review

Jul 31, 2011

Pat D Mackan added it · review of another edition

Just finished the Bone Hunters and immediately dived right into Reapers Gale. I just can't say enough about this book series. Some old characters are back from earlier books and the story is getting better. Will Rhulad be killed or will he continue to grow insane after each death he experiences? Now I have to get back to read a few more chapters. Happy reading.

· see review

« previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 … 129 130 next »

new topic
Discuss This Book

topics	posts	views	last activity
Icarium	2	8	Feb 07, 2012 09:44pm
Icarium	3	8	Jan 24, 2012 06:31am

combine
Other Editions (10)

More editions...

Genres

Fantasy

274 users

Fantasy > Epic Fantasy

27 users

Epic

10 users

Science Fiction Fantasy

9 users

War

5 users

Fantasy > Dark Fantasy

3 users

Science Fiction

3 users

Novels

3 users

War > Military

3 users

Fantasy > High Fantasy

2 users

See top shelves...

Readers Also Enjoyed

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.

More about Steven Erikson...

Books by Steven Erikson

Gardens of the Moon (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)

More…

Share This Book

Facebook Twitter Your website

Pin It

Trivia About The Bonehunters

1 trivia question

More quizzes & trivia...

Quotes from The Bonehunters

“Save your explanations, I got some questions for you first and you'd better answer them!' [slurred Hellian.]
'With what?' [Banaschar] sneered. 'Explanations?'
'No. Answers. There's a difference-'
'Really? How? What difference?'
'Explanations are what people use when they need to lie. Y'can always tell those,'cause those don't explain nothing and then they look at you like they just cleared things up when really they did the opposite and they know it and you know it and they know you know and you know they know that you know and they know you and you know them and maybe you go out for a pitcher later but who picks up the tab? That's what I want to know.'
'Right, and answers?'
'Answers is what I get when I ask questions. Answers is when you got no choice. I ask, you tell. I ask again, you tell some more. Then I break your fingers, 'cause I don't like what you're telling me, because those answers don't explain nothing!” — 12 people liked it

“There is something profoundly cynical, my friends, in the notion of paradise after death. The lure is evasion. The promise is excusative. One need not accept responsibility for the world as it is, and by extension, one need do nothing about it. To strive for change, for true goodness in this mortal world, one must acknowledge and accept, within one's own soul, that this mortal reality has purpose in itself, that its greatest value is not for us, but for our children and their children. To view life as but a quick passage alone a foul, tortured path...is to excuse all manner of misery and depravity, and to exact cruel punishment upon the innocent lives to come.” — 11 people liked it

More quotes…

Groups That Shelved The Bonehunters

Fantasy Book Club Series

978 members

last activity 24 minutes ago

shelf: read

The Bridgeburners

110 members

last activity Jan 19, 2012 12:01am

shelf: read

Reading and Ramblings of ...

19 members

last activity Feb 04, 2012 11:22am

shelf: read

title link	preview: The Bonehunters
avg rating	preview: The Bonehunters Goodreads rating: 4.33 (2409 ratings)
small image	preview: click here [close]
med image	preview: click here [close]
BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/478951.The_Bonehunters?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1320434864m/478951.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/478951.The_Bonehunters?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]The Bonehunters by Steven Erikson[/url]

The Bonehunters (The Malazan Book of the Fallen #6)

Friend Reviews

Community Reviews

Readers Also Enjoyed

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website