REVIEW: Reaper’s Gale by Steven Erikson
A rich tide of convergence, Reaper’s Gale is one of the most action packed, heart-breaking, and metal books in Steven Erikson’s Malazan: Book of the Fallen. Featuring new characters and old locations, Erikson’s plot surges forward and the armies march steadily to the end.
“We left a debt in blood,’ she said, baring her teeth. ‘Malazan blood. And it seems they will not let that stand.’
They are here. On this shore.
The Malazans are on our shore.”
Reaper’s Gale is where the series becomes married. Previously, we had essentially three different chains with Gardens & Memories, Deadhouse & House of Chains, and the seemingly separate Midnight Tides. Bonehunters brought together the first two entities, and Reaper’s Gale is the book that unites all of them, complete with bringing in more Malazan marines, more meddling gods, and a new major character in Redmask: an exile guarded by two K’Chain Che’Malle leading the clans to war against Letheras.
As with any Malazan novel, Erikson is juggling at tens of plot threads and hundreds of characters. Reaper’s Gale is no different, although the arcs generally center on what’s going on in Letheras. There’s wars coming from both the Malazan marines and Redmask’s Awl rebellion; there’s Rhulad—the immortal emperor—taking on any and all challengers in a manic/suicidal frenzy; there’s gods watching it all and putting their fingers on the scale.
Reaper’s Gale is bursting with action. Knives in the dark, mages wielding catastrophic magic, and soldiers carrying spears fill these pages. Most of the time it’s intense and keeps you on your toes, especially since Erikson keeps a steady introduction of new characters and isn’t afraid to kill the old. There’s room to kill off so many characters that the fear of losing one you care about keeps you reading every word.
The dialogue in Reaper’s Gale is hard to capture. At times, it’s his best, and at others it’s his worst. While the wittiest character in the series isn’t quite as prominent as in a separate book, their presence is still felt and every page featuring them is a blessing. The Malazan marines are as entertaining and philosophical as ever, but some of the other discussions from characters fell flat for me.
From a prose perspective, Reaper’s Gale is as gorgeous as Erikson’s other works. At this point the reader should know what to expect, and he doesn’t let them down. There’s some evocative language and questions here, particularly on themes of colonialism and war.
I’d argue this is Erikson’s most mysterious book. Reaper’s Gale has an iron grip on plot threads with massive implications, but he never fully dispels the mystery. A few are solved by the end of the novel, but the larger questions and conspiracies are still at play, with the full information being played close to the chest by Erikson and his characters alike.
One character deserves a special shout out. They can’t be named, but those who have read the book know exactly who I’m talking about. Erikson’s skill at bringing characters to life—despite the huge size of the cast—is shown off in a dazzling way in Reaper’s Gale. This character is brought to highs rarely seen in fantasy, and the climax of the story makes him an unforgettable fan favorite.
I’d be remiss if I wrote this review without mentioning that my favorite poem comes from this book. I’m not well versed in poetry, but that one is a poem I think of often, even if it does not think of me.
“Never mind the truth. The past is what I say it is. That is the freedom of teaching the ignorant.”
Unfortunately, Reaper’s Gale is Erikson’s most frustrating novel. It’s got some of his highest highs and lowest lows. There’s a ton to love in this book, but we spend a fair number of hours on plot threads and characters that simply don’t work as well as others. If this book were reduced to 800 or 900 pages it’d be one of the greatest in the series. Instead, Erikson makes us focus on plot threads that don’t have as fulfilling as a resolution as others, or characters who don’t leap off the page like others.
Still, Reaper’s Gale is a great novel. There’s some filler and some parts don’t work as well as others, but there is so much to love about this heartbreaking novel. Frustrations included, Reaper’s Gale is one of my personal favorites from the series, and if you’re someone who’s read The Bonehunters and are hesitant to continue, I implore you to. Erikson gives you a sneak peek into the heights this series is going to hit, and it hurts and delights in just the right way.
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