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| Toll the Hounds: Book Eight of The Malazan Book of the Fallen | 
 enlarge | List Price: $17.95
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Avg. Customer Rating:  (based on 18 reviews)
Sales Rank: 20171
Category: Book
Author: Steven Erikson
Publisher: Tor Books
Studio: Tor Books
Manufacturer: Tor Books
Label: Tor Books
Languages: English (Original Language), English (Unknown), English (Published)
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 832
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.8
Dimensions (in): 9.1 x 6.1 x 1.6
ISBN: 0765316544
Dewey Decimal Number: 813.6
EAN: 9780765316547
ASIN: 0765316544
Publication Date: September 16, 2008
Release Date: September 16, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
In Darujhistan, the city of blue fire, it is said that love and death shall arrive dancing. It is summer and the heat is oppressive, but for the small round man in the faded red waistcoat, discomfiture is not just because of the sun. All is not well. Dire portents plague his nights and haunt the city streets like fiends of shadow. Assassins skulk in alleyways, but the quarry has turned andthe hunters become the hunted. Hidden hands pluck the strings of tyranny like a fell chorus. While the bards sing their tragic tales, somewhere in the distance can be heard the baying of Hounds...And in the distant city of Black Coral, where rules Anomander Rake, Son of Darkness, ancient crimes awaken, intent on revenge. It seems Love and Death are indeed about to arrive...hand in hand, dancing. A thrilling, harrowing novel of war, intrigue and dark, uncontrollable magic, Toll the Hounds is the new chapter in Erikson's monumental series - epic fantasy at its most imaginative and storytelling at its most exciting.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 13 more reviews...
 Devastatingly Disappointing December 2, 2008
Let me start by saying that I'm a huge fan. The Malazan Book of the Fallen is, in my opinion, the best fantasy series ever written. That said, this book is devastatingly disappointing. Erickson, ever fond of the roving point of view, takes it much too far in this one. We get entirely too many perspectives, from too many characters we don't really care about. And plot? I'm sure it's there somewhere, but it's so intricate and subtle that it's difficult to turn the pages. But the worst part about the book is this philosophical rambling Erickson has taken to. He waxes poetic on everything from capitalism to cornbread. It's totally pretentious, and it slows the story down to almost a standstill. I hope and pray that the remaining two books are better because it would be a tragedy if this magnificent series just fizzled out.
 This Author is superb November 25, 2008
I don't know what to say, I just had to say something. This author is on a whole other level. I'm aware of all the criticisms heaped on him about length, divergent plots, overload of characters, dropping you right in the middle of things, but his writing is detailed and superb. The overall arc can be hard to follow and understanding things can be elusive but if you sit down and read through the whole series so far you'll find it's not nearly as complicated as you think. You will realize that instead of laying out the story as past present future, he builds the history and all necessary knowledge as you go along. Like life you never know the whole story or the history or the answer to everything or how to do anything or why something happened unless you keep going.
It is unlike traditional fantasy which has a simple cut and paste storyline. Even the greatest fantasy writers suffer from the problem of taking Tolkien's Middle Earth and changing the details, as well as stories and plots that follow Tolkien's blueprint with the only variations caused by those varying minute details. Erickson however, deviates from the traditional model. There are always protagonists and antagonists but it's hard to find any truly good guys or bad guys. The guys you're egging on might capture a town, rape the women, and slit the throats of the others. While the guy you consider the bad guy might try to save those lives and give water to a thirsty enemy. Like real life, the lines are blurred and good or bad is often determined by the situation and the opponent rather than a specific moral bent. Because of that, the characters that are truly moral and good and the ones that are just hopelessly bad stand out from the rest of the gray area folk.
I could go into the plot of this novel but if you haven't read books 1 - 7, there's no point. Read the series either you will hate it, or you will love it, but you won't be indifferent and without opinion.
Erickson's grand tale continues November 11, 2008
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
The return of Erickson's grand Malazan tale to the locale of Darujhistan. Those of you who've read the series will welcome the return. Those of you new to the series, start with 'Gardens of the Moon', and welcome to one of the best fantasy series put to page.
From a rabid Erikson fan - I was a little disappointed October 31, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I'm giving this book 3 1/2 stars, 4 stars officially because Erikson deserves being rounded up. I'll start by saying I am a hugely devoted Steven Erikson fan and consider this the best fantasy series in print right now. However, Toll the Hounds has some shortcomings from my eye that haven't surfaced in the other books of the series. Here's the specifics:
As noted by the author, Erikson changed his writing style with this book. He is writing mostly as though the story is told by Kruppe, to an audience named later. I didn't mind this too much but it comes and goes like a fake Keanu Reeves accent. On top of this, there is far less action for 90% of the book and much more reflection on emotions, internal monologue, pondering the past etc. Most of it honestly, was quite boring and tedious, not to mention inconsequential. Instead of rewarding the readers with more of the interesting storylines (Traveler/Karsa, Bridgeburners in Daru), he almost delights in teasing them and then immediately switching to something boring once the reader's interest get pique'd. I thought most of the Nimander story, Seerdomin/Redeemer, and even the Rake/Endest Silan/Spinnock Durav storylines were FAR too lengthy and fell flat.
Then after all of the musings (kind of mopey musings) of the Tiste Andii, the Redeemer, Seerdomin, etc we get about 100 pages or so of extreme unadulterated mayhem for an ending. Now, I like unadulterated mayhem, don't get me wrong, but it just came across as rushed. The mayhem was more quick, random and confusing than deep and emotional like it should have been. The emotional payoff of this book should have blown Deadhouse Gates and Memories of Ice away, given the material. It doesn't. If the pace of the book was a chart it would be a 1 or 2 for the first 90% and then spike to 200. It didn't work in this book and I have to say Erikson kind of asked for it (I'll explain).
Erikson has always been known to be intentionally vague. He'll have flashbacks or dialogue that is meaningless to the reader because they don't know the context (on the first read at least). I've always liked this about Erikson because I know he'll explain later, making second readings of his books almost more enjoyable than the first. In this one though a second reading is mandatory to reach full enjoyment because he takes it over the top. There is almost nothing given to the reader so they can get an emotional grip on the story. A spoiler free example is the story of the Tiste Andii, Endest Silan, Anomander and his brothers. There is a bunch of depressing talk of sacrifice, betrayal, redemption, etc but we have no idea what Erikson is talking about at the time. How am I supposed to get emotionally involved when I have no idea what the context is? When I finally get the explanation it is too late, and rushed.
I think others may understand what I mean, perhaps not. I recommend reading the book at any rate. The action at the end IS awesome, and this is still the best fantasy series on the market. I hope Erikson goes back to what he does best which is maintaining an exciting pace and leaving the emotional smash over the head for the end, when we're fully vested. Memories of Ice did this and is still one of the top 3 books I have ever read. The way he balanced the action, emotion and mystery of that book was pure genius.
I still love Erikson and I truly hope other readers see something in this book that I did not. A weak Erikson book is still miles ahead of Terry Goodkind's best.
Still on top of the heap of epic fantasy October 28, 2008
Although I fault this book for some of the same reasons listed here, Erikson's writing from Kruppe's point of view is a delight.
I want to take this opportunity to thank Erikson for being so committed and loyal to his readers. To crank out this much material in such a timely manner is no small fete. Unlike the author of another popular fantasy series (who seems to enjoy tally-hoing around the world more than finishing his story), Erikson delivers in both style and function.
Thanks!
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