Submitted by anthony lyle 
(Sep 10, 2009)I love that Esslemont helped create the malazan world. I don't love this book.
It’s told from a different perspective than Erikson takes. Esslemont's story travels with 2 characters on the outside looking in. it's a tested style and often used by Erikson in limited quantity. but the expansive and inclusive style Erikson employs where the you jump from character to limitless number of characters - while acceptably tiring sometimes - gives the malazan world it's depth and due. You feel the grandiosity of the arcane and mythic expanse. With 'knight of knives,' you don't get that and you're stuck with the 2 characters that lead you around, watching not initiating. While erikson forces some annoying people, you can escape them in a couple pages. Here, you're stuck with one interesting but not spectacular soldier in hiding and one irritating numb-nuts of a waif. I felt claustrophobic stuck w/these characters. And wasn't given any of the trademark Erikson grandiosity to charge the atmosphere.
Honestly, the best thing in the book is the soldier's dassem ultor related backstory. Otherwise, not a bang-up beginning. The fact that the hook of this world is mythic hugeness means anything that doesn't retain that expected 'wow!' reward better have an equally excellent hook to replace it...and that simply wasn't here for me.
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(6 ratings)