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Mayim de Vries's Reviews > Midnight Tides
Midnight Tides (Malazan Book of the Fallen, #5)
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Epilogue: I was swept by the tide.*
Chpater 25: There is only one piece of advice I can give those reading Malazan: "Make no assumptions. About anything. Ever. Stay mindful, my friend, and suspicious. suspicious, but not frightened by complexity." Clever, Mr Erikson, clever.
Chpater 24: The brothers unable to save each other. What a mess.
Chpater 23: The nudge, the pull, the push... or all of them?
Chpater 22: From now on, this is how I am going to be greeting strangers: "The tumult of your presence invites discord". Serenity is my middle name after all. Oh, wait no, it's still Sarcasm.
Chpater 21: Not that I am ungrateful but this chat about warrens comes four books too late Mr Erikson.
Chpater 20: By the Errant! Consorting with gods suddenly takes a new meaning!
Chpater 19: Culture of debt and greed, and profit is about to fall. And the crash is going to be mighty. Sounds familiar?
Chpater 18: You know that things are bad when a demon comforts you in your sorrow.
Chpater 17: Between consorting with rats and wrestling angry cacti Bugg also leads people to salvation that comes a generation too late. How not to love him?
Chpater 16: I could be fine behind this kind of Iron Bars, for sure!
Chpater 15: Reminder: always strive for the courage to be the dissenting voice. To go against the tide.
Chpater 14: Somebody should develop the Tehol&Bugg Invigorating Diet (TaBID™️) and earn a lot of money on it.
Chapter 13: Gold encased slavery with disgusting lust in the background. Also, when in doubt, plan on becoming a pirate (particularly when expert in Drowning).
Chpater 12: Rat Catchers Guild versus Bugg. Who do you bet against? :D Oh and another sibling duo with a homicidal schemer and a dead-but-not vampire wannabe.
Chpater 11: Strutt becomes insufferably imperial. I don’t see how to stem this tide.
Chpater 10: The little guardian of the Azath tower breaks my heart. I could adopt her, I think. I just hope she could be talked out of casually killing people.
Chapter 9: I’m imagining the weight of all these gold coins. But the weight of the invisible chain is much greater I gather.
Chapter 8: The sword lost and reclaimed through death. Oh Trull, your wish of failure is as lost as your brother.
Chapter 7: Three divine sisters somewhat lacking in sisterhood. This is a sibling-themed instalment, no doubt about it.
Chapter 6: The dead-but-not thief and her priorities. Ootooloo anyone?
Chapter 5: The ever-swirling spiral of debt. How well we know it. How quickly we drown in the deep roll of its tides.
Chapter 4: That is four wholesome lungs and one considerable penis. Guess what is more appreciated. Poor Ublala.
Chapter 3: Three Edur brothers and the triangle between them at least as complex as the Pythagorean triple.
Chapter 2: Three Beddict brothers, the loyal, the cunning and the brave. Different debts of the same heritage.
Chapter 1: If you thought the Dragon Deck was complicated hold on to this notion when the Holds are introduced. If you thought Tiste Andii dark, brace yourself for the children of Father Shadow.
Prologue: Back to Malazan! I am as happy as a clam at high tide. Of course, it is a brand new ocean and all the other fish want to eat me, but who cares.*
* I am not going to even pretend that I could in any way give a pale shadow of justice to this book or indeed a whole series in a proper review. There are many better than me, here on ŷ (and many of those I'm lucky to have among my friends), who managed to grasp and convey the sheer brilliance of what awaits those who open the Malazan Book of the Fallen. All I can give you is a chapter breakdown of my own drifting with the tide.
The Malazan Book of the Fallen:
1. Gardens of the Moon ★★★★�
2. Deadhouse Gates ★★★★�
3. Memories of Ice ★★★★�
4. House of Chains ★★★★�
6. The Bonehunters ★★★★�
7. Reaper's Gale ★★★★�
8. Toll the Hounds
9. Dust of Dreams ★★★☆� (and the third star is a testament to my generosity)
10. The Crippled God ★★☆☆�
Chpater 25: There is only one piece of advice I can give those reading Malazan: "Make no assumptions. About anything. Ever. Stay mindful, my friend, and suspicious. suspicious, but not frightened by complexity." Clever, Mr Erikson, clever.
Chpater 24: The brothers unable to save each other. What a mess.
Chpater 23: The nudge, the pull, the push... or all of them?
Chpater 22: From now on, this is how I am going to be greeting strangers: "The tumult of your presence invites discord". Serenity is my middle name after all. Oh, wait no, it's still Sarcasm.
Chpater 21: Not that I am ungrateful but this chat about warrens comes four books too late Mr Erikson.
Chpater 20: By the Errant! Consorting with gods suddenly takes a new meaning!
Chpater 19: Culture of debt and greed, and profit is about to fall. And the crash is going to be mighty. Sounds familiar?
Chpater 18: You know that things are bad when a demon comforts you in your sorrow.
Chpater 17: Between consorting with rats and wrestling angry cacti Bugg also leads people to salvation that comes a generation too late. How not to love him?
Chpater 16: I could be fine behind this kind of Iron Bars, for sure!
Chpater 15: Reminder: always strive for the courage to be the dissenting voice. To go against the tide.
Chpater 14: Somebody should develop the Tehol&Bugg Invigorating Diet (TaBID™️) and earn a lot of money on it.
Chapter 13: Gold encased slavery with disgusting lust in the background. Also, when in doubt, plan on becoming a pirate (particularly when expert in Drowning).
Chpater 12: Rat Catchers Guild versus Bugg. Who do you bet against? :D Oh and another sibling duo with a homicidal schemer and a dead-but-not vampire wannabe.
Chpater 11: Strutt becomes insufferably imperial. I don’t see how to stem this tide.
Chpater 10: The little guardian of the Azath tower breaks my heart. I could adopt her, I think. I just hope she could be talked out of casually killing people.
Chapter 9: I’m imagining the weight of all these gold coins. But the weight of the invisible chain is much greater I gather.
Chapter 8: The sword lost and reclaimed through death. Oh Trull, your wish of failure is as lost as your brother.
Chapter 7: Three divine sisters somewhat lacking in sisterhood. This is a sibling-themed instalment, no doubt about it.
Chapter 6: The dead-but-not thief and her priorities. Ootooloo anyone?
Chapter 5: The ever-swirling spiral of debt. How well we know it. How quickly we drown in the deep roll of its tides.
Chapter 4: That is four wholesome lungs and one considerable penis. Guess what is more appreciated. Poor Ublala.
Chapter 3: Three Edur brothers and the triangle between them at least as complex as the Pythagorean triple.
Chapter 2: Three Beddict brothers, the loyal, the cunning and the brave. Different debts of the same heritage.
Chapter 1: If you thought the Dragon Deck was complicated hold on to this notion when the Holds are introduced. If you thought Tiste Andii dark, brace yourself for the children of Father Shadow.
Prologue: Back to Malazan! I am as happy as a clam at high tide. Of course, it is a brand new ocean and all the other fish want to eat me, but who cares.*
* I am not going to even pretend that I could in any way give a pale shadow of justice to this book or indeed a whole series in a proper review. There are many better than me, here on ŷ (and many of those I'm lucky to have among my friends), who managed to grasp and convey the sheer brilliance of what awaits those who open the Malazan Book of the Fallen. All I can give you is a chapter breakdown of my own drifting with the tide.
The Malazan Book of the Fallen:
1. Gardens of the Moon ★★★★�
2. Deadhouse Gates ★★★★�
3. Memories of Ice ★★★★�
4. House of Chains ★★★★�
6. The Bonehunters ★★★★�
7. Reaper's Gale ★★★★�
8. Toll the Hounds
9. Dust of Dreams ★★★☆� (and the third star is a testament to my generosity)
10. The Crippled God ★★☆☆�
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Reading Progress
September 2, 2018
–
Started Reading
September 2, 2018
– Shelved
September 5, 2018
–
Finished Reading
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To be honest, it takes both guts and incredible intelligence (not to mention resilience) to be Tehol. So, no bad my friend, no bad!
A high five for chapter 21 comment and a Bwhahahaha!! for chapter 22. :-)
Mayim wrote: "To be honest, it takes both guts and incredible intelligence (not to mention resilience) to be Tehol. So, no bad my friend, no bad!"Guts and intelligence I have. Rest of my pants... now that's a real issue.
Seriously though, while both of us here: half of the series. Impressions so far?
This one ended up being my favorite in the series. Your review makes me want to reread just this book :)
Stefan Bach wrote: "Mayim wrote: "To be honest, it takes both guts and incredible intelligence (not to mention resilience) to be Tehol. So, no bad my friend, no bad!"Guts and intelligence I have. Rest of my pants......"
The first layer undeniably consists of the pure pleasure of reading. It is a smart, well written AND funny book. The kind of book that favours an intelligent and engaged reader. I cannot but love it. Deeper in, there is the wickedly fiendish design for the series; now this will require a reread to discover and appreciate fully, but I new this is bound to happen after finishing the Prologue to the Gardens. And it is OK. It would be silly to think that I can absorb something that has been created over God knows how many years at one sitting, then burp (pardon me!) and move on. And then, at the very core, there is this something that literary critics call the meta-level. I know it lies there, hidden, contrary and not quite as evident as the long philosophical passages and ruminations which Erikson tosses at the reader offhandedly. This I aspire to pin down one day. Not soon, though.
Narilka wrote: "This one ended up being my favorite in the series. Your review makes me want to reread just this book :)"It's also Stefan's (here in the comments) favourite, Narilka. What are your reasons for picking this one? When I think about the ONE I'd have to chose, my head spins.
It was the perfect blend of everything I love most in epic fantasy. A highly detailed world, complex and interesting characters, the magic system continues to be layered upon, comedy, tragedy, deep philosophy, some world politics, one hell of an convergence and Tehol/Bugg :D Seriously though, this book and book 3 were the only ones I rated at 5 stars, though I may have rounded up some of my 4.5 ratings here on GRs. Books 2, 4 & 10 were runners up.
That is fantastic to know. I so do wonder which one will be the one for me. Anyway, happy reading!
Mayim wrote: "Stefan Bach wrote: "Mayim wrote: "To be honest, it takes both guts and incredible intelligence (not to mention resilience) to be Tehol. So, no bad my friend, no bad!"Guts and intelligence I have...."
I know exactly what you mean. It took me 4 reads and a new perspective in life to realize how book 3 is first and foremost about motherhood. Or it maybe suited me, at certain point, to seek and find things in it, things that are there, under the surface, patiently awaiting for you.
You'll see, in couple of years when you decide to reread this series, remember it will be a completely new and probably different journey for you. It was for me, at least.
I am sure this is precisely what it is going to be like, Stefan Friend.
I know, I am insane. But, I dare say, one is allowed a gentle lapse into madness once upon a series.
Serenity is your middle name after all. Oh, wait no, it's still Sarcasm :D
Sad wrote: "Serenity is your middle name after all. Oh, wait no, it's still Sarcasm :D"On the other hand, Granny always called me Blitzkrieg. :D
Can't believe :D You seems like one of the calmest and nicest people on GR.
After. I am always calm after. :D
"Culture of debt and greed, and profit " are persistent through time and space and seem to appear where ever humans congregate. Probably afflict the Gods too.
As I gather years behind me, I try to be as much as I can alike Bugg... but as time passes, I realize I'm more of a Tehol than anyone else. I ridicule the system, while sitting on my roof in my halfpants... :D:D