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Gavin's Reviews > Toll the Hounds
Toll the Hounds (Malazan Book of the Fallen, #8)
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This was another good instalment of Steven Erikson's fantastic Malazan series. It was a step up in quality from what we got in Reaper's Gale. Mostly because I think the characters and balance of the story were better in Toll the Hounds!
As always I enjoyed Erikson's weird but engaging writing style and enjoyed his observations and scathing social commentary.
The setting of this instalment was a big plus for me as we returned to the city of Darujistan. It ranks up there with Letheras as my favourite Malazan setting and has the added bonus of having a ton of great characters living in the city. The pick of the bunch being the always entertaining Kruppe, who managed to find himself sharing narration duties with Erikson for some of this story!
Others big hitters who popped up in this story were Rake, Karsa, Traveller, Kallor, Envy, Spite, and the always fun duo of Shadowthrone and Cotillion. Not that the mortals were lacking as we got the return of old favourites like Crokus, Kruppe, Rallick Nom, Picker, Blend, and even Iskeral Pust! Plus we got to meet a bunch of fun new characters as well. The pick of the new guys being Harllo and Endest.
I was not a giant fan of the super bleak tragic tone that ran through the story but Erikson just about managed to offset this with offering a few moments of triumph to go with the tragedy and by countering the tragedy with a story arc focusing on redemption. The tone was also lightened a bit with a some humor! The balance worked OK for me. Though I must admit I'm surprised a few of the characters never off'ed themselves before the big Convergence finally hit given how depressed and suicidal they were!
After a near year long break from the Malazan series I found the start of this one a little hard to get into in the early stages. Erikson has a unique and weird writing style and it took me a little bit of time to acclimatize myself with it and get sucked back into the story. It likely did not help that I had to try and remember who some of the lesser characters were again. Luckily by the 20% to 25% mark I was back into the flow of all things Malazan!
If I have to moan about something it is the fact that a few of the BIG deaths lacked the same level of emotional impact as a few of the very minor ones. That was a little disappointing.
Darujistan, the Tiste Andii, Dragnipur, and that one big epic surprise death were the strength of this instalment.
Rating: 4.5 stars. I always feel a little harsh not giving some of these Malazan stories a full 5 star rating! I think that is mostly because I tend to judge them against the best books in the series like Memories of Ice and Midnight Tides. So this is a 4.5 Malazan rating which equates to a solid 5 star rating in regular terms:)
Audio Note: Michael Page has done a decent job with this series since taking over from the equally good Ralph Lister.
As always I enjoyed Erikson's weird but engaging writing style and enjoyed his observations and scathing social commentary.
The setting of this instalment was a big plus for me as we returned to the city of Darujistan. It ranks up there with Letheras as my favourite Malazan setting and has the added bonus of having a ton of great characters living in the city. The pick of the bunch being the always entertaining Kruppe, who managed to find himself sharing narration duties with Erikson for some of this story!
Others big hitters who popped up in this story were Rake, Karsa, Traveller, Kallor, Envy, Spite, and the always fun duo of Shadowthrone and Cotillion. Not that the mortals were lacking as we got the return of old favourites like Crokus, Kruppe, Rallick Nom, Picker, Blend, and even Iskeral Pust! Plus we got to meet a bunch of fun new characters as well. The pick of the new guys being Harllo and Endest.
I was not a giant fan of the super bleak tragic tone that ran through the story but Erikson just about managed to offset this with offering a few moments of triumph to go with the tragedy and by countering the tragedy with a story arc focusing on redemption. The tone was also lightened a bit with a some humor! The balance worked OK for me. Though I must admit I'm surprised a few of the characters never off'ed themselves before the big Convergence finally hit given how depressed and suicidal they were!
After a near year long break from the Malazan series I found the start of this one a little hard to get into in the early stages. Erikson has a unique and weird writing style and it took me a little bit of time to acclimatize myself with it and get sucked back into the story. It likely did not help that I had to try and remember who some of the lesser characters were again. Luckily by the 20% to 25% mark I was back into the flow of all things Malazan!
If I have to moan about something it is the fact that a few of the BIG deaths lacked the same level of emotional impact as a few of the very minor ones. That was a little disappointing.
Darujistan, the Tiste Andii, Dragnipur, and that one big epic surprise death were the strength of this instalment.
Rating: 4.5 stars. I always feel a little harsh not giving some of these Malazan stories a full 5 star rating! I think that is mostly because I tend to judge them against the best books in the series like Memories of Ice and Midnight Tides. So this is a 4.5 Malazan rating which equates to a solid 5 star rating in regular terms:)
Audio Note: Michael Page has done a decent job with this series since taking over from the equally good Ralph Lister.
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Reading Progress
December 5, 2017
– Shelved
December 5, 2017
– Shelved as:
to-read
August 7, 2018
–
Started Reading
August 7, 2018
– Shelved as:
fantasy
August 7, 2018
–
1.0%
"It is back into the Malazan world after a year long break from the series. Hopefully I have not forgotten too many of the characters and happenings lol!"
August 8, 2018
–
19.0%
"'The miracle of hindsight is how it transforms great military geniuses of the past into incompetent idiots, and incompetent idiots of the present into great military geniuses. There is the door, and be sure to take all your pompous second-guessing delusions with you . . .'
Emperor Kellanved
My favourite intro so far in this one. I feel like I'm missing tons of stuff but at least I'm still enjoying the story:)"
Emperor Kellanved
My favourite intro so far in this one. I feel like I'm missing tons of stuff but at least I'm still enjoying the story:)"
August 9, 2018
–
32.0%
"'I saw � I saw a world dying.'
'If that is what you saw, then so it is. Somewhere, somewhen. On the paths of the Azath, a distant world slides into oblivion. Potential snuffed out. What did you feel, Skintick?'
'I felt . . . free.'
Hardly a surprise attitude. The characters in this 8th Malazan book are a singularly bleak and depressed bunch!"
'If that is what you saw, then so it is. Somewhere, somewhen. On the paths of the Azath, a distant world slides into oblivion. Potential snuffed out. What did you feel, Skintick?'
'I felt . . . free.'
Hardly a surprise attitude. The characters in this 8th Malazan book are a singularly bleak and depressed bunch!"
August 13, 2018
–
34.0%
"'Most people pass by, when they pass by. Seeing nothing of interest. None draw close to admire my garden.'
'Your garden?' Skintick asked.
'Yes. Small, I know. Modest.'
'The pot with the two flowers.'
'Just so. Manageable � anything larger and the weeding would drive me mad, you see.'
I'm tempted to like Gothos:) It is a good thing this Malazan instalment has humor to balance out the sad bunch of characters."
'Your garden?' Skintick asked.
'Yes. Small, I know. Modest.'
'The pot with the two flowers.'
'Just so. Manageable � anything larger and the weeding would drive me mad, you see.'
I'm tempted to like Gothos:) It is a good thing this Malazan instalment has humor to balance out the sad bunch of characters."
August 13, 2018
–
35.0%
"“In my empires, philosophers spewed such rubbish for centuries, until, of course, I grew tired of them and had them tortured and executed.�
Kallor might be totally serious but this was still pretty funny:)"
Kallor might be totally serious but this was still pretty funny:)"
August 16, 2018
–
35.0%
"Since when does honesty reflect poorly on one's sense of honour?'
The clerk blinked. 'Why, when it is vindictive, of course.'
That sleepy clerk was hilarious. I'm just surprised he survived the chat with Barathol!"
The clerk blinked. 'Why, when it is vindictive, of course.'
That sleepy clerk was hilarious. I'm just surprised he survived the chat with Barathol!"
August 18, 2018
–
40.0%
"'I throw myself upon the mercy of the Son of Darkness�'
'You can't throw yourself that far, Hegest. I am going to kill you, here, now.
Lol!"
'You can't throw yourself that far, Hegest. I am going to kill you, here, now.
Lol!"
August 22, 2018
–
52.0%
"“No tyrant could thrive where every subject said no. The tyrant thrives when the first fucking fool salutes.�
A common theme in Malazan.
After a year long break from the series it has taken me a little bit of time to adapt to the story and Eriksn's writing again but now that I have I'm really enjoying it!"
A common theme in Malazan.
After a year long break from the series it has taken me a little bit of time to adapt to the story and Eriksn's writing again but now that I have I'm really enjoying it!"
August 23, 2018
–
57.0%
"Acceptable levels of misery and suffering!' The cane swung down, thumped hard on the ground. 'Acceptable? Who the fuck says any level is acceptable? What sort of mind thinks that?'
Karsa grinned. 'Why, a civilized one.'
Shadowthrone has been one of the stars of this instalment for sure!"
Karsa grinned. 'Why, a civilized one.'
Shadowthrone has been one of the stars of this instalment for sure!"
August 27, 2018
–
74.0%
"“It seems,� the undead Tiste Edur said, “my Hounds have found new…pets.�
“Saw his head off, Cotillion,� Shadowthrone said. “I hate him already.�
I usually like Cotillion the best of the duo but Shadowthrone has been a real star in this instalment:)"
“Saw his head off, Cotillion,� Shadowthrone said. “I hate him already.�
I usually like Cotillion the best of the duo but Shadowthrone has been a real star in this instalment:)"
August 28, 2018
–
78.0%
"“Let them fall to the wayside, let them tumble underfoot. He was going where he wanted to be and if that meant pushing them out of the way, or crushing them down, so be it.�
Gorlas is the quintessential politician!"
Gorlas is the quintessential politician!"
August 28, 2018
–
Finished Reading
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Kay
(new)
Aug 28, 2018 08:46AM
Fantastic review, Gavin! I recently finished Gardens of the Moon and need to continue wth Deadhouse Gates.
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Thanks, Jennifer:) I'm glad to hear you enjoyed GotM! Hopefully the rest of the series works out just as good for you. It is definitely one of the more epic stories in the fantasy genre:)
ijeoma Agbaje wrote: "Are you doing a re-read?"This was my first time for this 8th Malazan book. I've only only been reading the series for 20 years so I'm sure I'll finish it within the next 10 years:P
lmaooooo really???? Now i don't feel so bad for taking my my sweet time in completing this book.
ijeoma Agbaje wrote: "lmaooooo really???? Now i don't feel so bad for taking my my sweet time in completing this book."You are on the 8th Malazan book already? I swear you were just starting the series a few months ago. Now I feel like a real snail:P
Funny the perspectives. I didn't like this nearly as much as RG or the next book DoD. I'm currently through MT on my reread of the series. The first time through HoC and TtH were my least favorite. HoC was much better on reread. I'm hoping when I get to this it is as well. Not that it wasn't still 5*'s but really a lot of that was the last 20% of the book.
I totally get what you are saying as I seem to be out of sync with the masses when it comes to rating the Malazan books. I loved Gardens of the Moon even though most seem to think it one of the weaker books in the series. I think my love of GotM probably helped with my enjoyment of this instalment since we returned to Darujistan and the cast was filled with a bunch of characters from the first book. I'm with you that the last 20% was really strong. It made the difference for me to up this to a middling Malazan book. I think the big issue I had with RG was the fact that it felt like a lot of the wrap up climaxes went nowhere or missed. RG and DG were the two books for me where Erkison got the endings wrong and those are the two books I think of as the weakest in the series.
I quite liked HoC but I can see why others would struggle. If memory serves that is the one that dedicates a lot of time to Karsa at the beginning of the story? I like his character but he did take a bit of time to grow on me for sure.
Gavin wrote: "You are on the 8th Malazan book already? I swear you were just starting the series a few months ago. Now I feel like a real snail:P lol nah, I'm on the 6th one but yeah you should feel like a snail :)
Gavin wrote: "I totally get what you are saying as I seem to be out of sync with the masses when it comes to rating the Malazan books. I loved Gardens of the Moon even though most seem to think it one of the wea..."Yes, HoC is Karsa and that's a slog but then the ending isn't an epic convergence like the other books.
I'm surprised you didn't like the ending for DG. Even on reread that gutted me.
I kind of put the books into levels.
Elite: DG, MOI, MT, TBH and TCG.
One Notch Down: GotM, RG and DoD
Two notches down: HoC and TtH
On reread I'd move HoC into tier two.
RG I think might be better on reread as well because there's things that happen in DoD and TCG which bring closure to some of those events.
Scott wrote: "Yes, HoC is Karsa and that's a slog but then the ending isn't an epic convergence like the other books...."I honestly cannot remember the ending of HoC but I do recall enjoying the book at lot after Karsa grew on me a bit.
My big issue with DG was that I felt like Erikson got the balance of the story wrong. It was too bleak and filled with too many unlikeable characters I had zero emotional investment in to pack any real emotional punch. (view spoiler)
I'd rate GotM, MoI, and MT as the best books of the series with HoC, TB, TtH in the middle of the pack and then DG and RG lagging at the back of the pack.
Hopefully you are right about RG faring better on reread. I felt MT really benefited from a reread. I liked it a lot first time around but could not place it in relation to the other books in the series and was a little surprised by the complete cast change. First time around I read it was back in 2004 and it had been a few years since I read HoC so I was a little lost. Back then I was not online much to look any of this stuff up lol! Second time around I knew what to expect so really loved it all the more.
I think my big issues with RG were (view spoiler)
