Thursday 16 November 2017

FANTASY REVIEW: Path to Ascendancy 2: Deadhouse Landing - Ian C Esslemont

Release Date: 16/11/17
Publisher: Bantam Press

SYNOPSIS:

After the disappointments of Li Heng, Dancer and Kellanved wash up on a small insignificant island named Malaz. Immediately, of course, Kellanved plans to take it over. To do so they join forces with a small band of Napans who have fled a civil war on their own home island. The plan, however, soon goes awry as Kellanved develops a strange and dangerous fascination for a mysterious ancient structure found on the island.
The chaos in the region extends to the metaphysical planes also as a young priest of D'rek starts to question the rot at the heart of the worship of the god of decay. And back in Li Heng, Dassem, now the proclaimed Sword of Hood, finds himself being blamed for a plague which leads him to a crisis of faith - and searching for answers.
During all this, war with the neighbouring island of Nap threatens, recruited allies wonder at Kellanved’s sanity, and powerful entities take more of an interest in the little mage from Dal Hon. Dancer faces a hard choice: should he give up on his partnership? Especially when the fellow’s obsession with shadows and ancient artefacts brings the both of them alarmingly close to death and destruction.
After all, who in his right mind would actually wish to enter an Elder mystery known to everyone as the 'Deadhouse'?


REVIEW:

I love returning to the world of the Malazan and whilst its Steven Erikson that is mainly known for his Decad into the world, his co-creator, Ian also manages to bring the same complexities into his work that delivers pre-Book of the Fallen histories to life.

The characters are top notch, the world wonderfully diverse and complex and all round the reader is delivered a book that is not only richly complex but one of action as well as intrigue that should be used as a blueprint to writing fantasy.

Add to this a tale that really doesn't let up, delivers some wonderful twists and all round give the reader a story that will not only engross them but have them salavating for more. Cracking.

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