Malazan Book Of Fallen 9 : Dust Of Dreams

Well, it's almost over. Malazan Book of the Fallen. the series that gave new meaning to the term 'epic fantasy', has reached its penultimate volume. Although it's probably more accurate to say that Dust of Dreams is part one of an immense closing episode to be completed by the release of The Crippled God in 2010.

It's impossible to sum up the vast, twisting myriad of subplots and character movements and if you haven't read the first eight books you're wasting your time starting with this one (though if you are a fan of epic fantasy and have not yet picked up a Malazan novel, start with Gardens of the Moon - it's an experience you won't regret). What I can say is that there is a huge convergence of many different groups to a single, monumental battle that dwarfs anything that has come before in this series, or indeed in any epic fantasy series I have ever come across. There are huge casualties too, though Erikson keeps us on the dge of our seats with a cliffhanger ending as many important characters are left unaccounted for at the end.

The entire Malazan enterprise can only be described as ambitious and it is to Erikson's eternal credit that he has managed to keep the behemoth chained for so long. And, while many threads do start to come together in Dust of Dreams, there are also a number of new characters and plot directions introduced and it seems foolishly optimistic to expect them all to be tied up nicely at the end of the final book. Robert Jordan fans will find this a familiar feeling, especially when you learn that Erikson has been contracted to write a further nine novels in the Malazan universe. It appears he is going to keep a few cards up his leave to draw us into a new series. Well, as long as he keeps writing so majestically, why would you want to stop reading them?

Reviewed by Richard Bilkey, Booktopia Buzz Editor