Return of the Crimson Guard

By Ian C. Esslemont

Book Overview

From the pen of million copy seller Ian C Esslemont comes this breath-taking, thrilling and captivating epic fantasy - a must read for fans of Steven Erikson, David Gemmell and Brandon Sanderson."Everything you expect of a Malazan story, being both epic and relevant... nail-biting and anything but obvious" - SFFWORLD"The Malazan franchise is fighting fit in the hands of its co-creator" - SFX"A true Malazan tale to sink your teeth into" -- ***** Reader review"Fast paced, truly involving, with characters who are not just realistic but who also seem to draw out the reader's empathy." -- ***** Reader review"Complex and engaging" -- ***** Reader review******************************************************************************The return of the Crimson Guard could not have come at a worse time for an empire exhausted by warfare and weakened by betrayals and rivalries. Into the seething cauldron of Quon Tali - the Malazan Empire's heartland - they march, and with their return comes the memory of their vow: undying opposition to the Empire. Yet, elements within the Guard's lite, the Avowed, have set their sights on far greater power. As the Guard prepare to wage war, the Empress Laseen's generals and mages grow impatient at what they perceive as her mismanagement of the Empire. Is she losing her grip on power or has she outwitted them all? Could she be using the uprisings to draw out and finally eliminate the last irksome survivors from the days of Kellanved, her illustrious predecessor? This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0765363488
• Release Date: May 2011
• Publisher: Tor Fantasy
• Length: 880 Pages
• Weight: 0.88 lbs.
• Dimensions: 6.9" x 1.4" x 4.4"

Customer Reviews

Fits right into the series

This book follows "The Bone Hunters" in the time line. You need to have read that book and "Dead House Gates" to be able to follow the characters. "Night of Knives" is also useful. This is a good book in that it fits right in the series. Style and pacing are very close to Steve Erikson work. It is almost a perfect fit in all respects. We learn what happens to several characters from previous works. The book itself...

WOW

Hey, I get the criticism of Erikson - I mean, how could anyone avoid a comparison when two authors share such a well developed fantasy world? Erikson's background surfaces in his writing, the details, the complexity, the layers upon layers of plotting. Please, Please would they hire someone to start building a concordance! Humble readers of the world, face facts - Tolkein would be toasting the success of such an incomparable...

Masterpiece of military fantasy

This novel, by the co-creator of the malazan world, may be the best novel in that series by either author I have read. Some familiarity with events up through The Bonehunters in the main sequence, as well as Night of Knives by this author, would be very helpful in understanding some of the situations/persons in this story. Additionally, this novel advances major plot threads of the main sequence, and will be necessary reading...

Esslemont...A new star author in the Malazan series

'The Return of the Crimson Guard' by Ian C Esslemont, is the second book revolving around Steven Erikson's original 'Malazan Book of the Fallen' series. It is my understanding that both Erikson and Esslemont are good friends and are co-operative co-authors of the Malazan world, and both are agreeable to and welcome each other contributions. I'd like to comment on two different facets... First, this book... I was enthralled...

Fantastic Follow-up to Night of Knives

Wow, what can I say? I am a huge fan of the Malazan Tales of the Fallen series, having read all of Erikson's books (including the novellas), and this book ranks up there with Erikson's finest. The pacing, the characters, the action, the dialogue--all handled extremely well for Esslemont's second book ever. In all fairness, he have a slam-dunk subject to deal with, as Steven Erikson has been building the tension and curiousity...