Midnight Tides (The Malazan Book of the Fallen, Book 5) | 
 enlarge | Author: Steven Erikson
Publisher: Tor Fantasy
Category: Book
List Price: $7.99
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Avg. Customer Rating:  11 reviews
Sales Rank: 25757
Media: Mass Market Paperback
Edition: 1st
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 960
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.9
Dimensions (in): 6.6 x 4.2 x 1.7
ISBN: 0765348829
Dewey Decimal Number: 823.92
EAN: 9780765348821
ASIN: 0765348829
Publication Date: August 28, 2007
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: New Book - Excellent Condition - Gift Quality - Next Day Shipping
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Product Description
After decades of internecine warfare, the tribes of the Tiste Edur have at last united under the Warlock King of the Hiroth, There is peace--but it has been exacted at a terrible price: a pact made with a hidden power whose motives are at best suspect, at worst deadly. To the south, the expansionist kingdom of Lether, eager to fulfill its long-prophesized renaissance as an Empire reborn, has enslaved all its less-civilized neighbors with rapacious hunger. All, that is, save one--the Tiste Edur. And it must be only a matter of time before they too fall--either beneath the suffocating weight of gold, or by slaughter at the edge of a sword. Or so destiny has decreed. Yet as the two sides gather for a pivotal treaty neither truly wants, ancient forces are awakening. For the impending struggle between these two peoples is but a pale reflection of a far more profound, primal battle--a confrontation with the still-raw wound of an old betrayal and the craving for revenge at its seething heart.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 6 more reviews...
 The best Malazan tale so far November 3, 2008
I think Midnight Tides is the best Malazan book so far - because it has nothing to do with the Malazan Empire whatsoever. There's no Malazan involvement, so why it is called a Tale from the Malazan Book of the Fallen is a bit strange, but avoiding the Malazan Empire and its lack of even imaginary credibility is a major positive for this work.
There is still no point to all the armies that assemble - they are all wiped out without a fight by magic and gods, as usual, to provide some groovy "special effects", bodycount and mandatory ghastliness. But at least this time 'round there isn't the feeble and ridiculous plan of conquest by hiring the local Assassins Guild. Indeed, Midnight Tides is thankfully bereft of the abundance of assassins found in the Malazan parts of this interminable epic.
Also thankfully missing are Kruppe and Iskaral Pust. We still had the obligatory whining, infantile pacifist bilge from supposedly hardened soldiers (has Erikson ever spoken to an actual soldier? I come from a military familiy and have never heard such whining drivel), but it doesn't dominate the book like it did in Deadhouse Gates or Memories of Ice. As usual, folk turn into gods or archmages or can kill gods without raising a sweat (the Avowed) for no rhyme or reason and defeats one's suspension of disbelief, but that's Erikson for you. It isn't quite as bad as in the previous volumes.
And for the first time, even if it was childish and simple, one of his awful poems actually rhymed! I had been wondering how it could be that every poet from every culture from the entire "history" of this alternate world had no idea of structure, rhyme and meter. All "poems" sounded exactly the same and - surprise, surprise! - all were postmodernist and utterly lacking the most basic notions of structure. Boring, dull, obsessed with repeating words like blood, doom, bones, crows, death and so forth, these dismal introductions to the chapters have become progressively funnier in just how bad they are.
But it was mostly harmless, if pointless and lacking all credibility even as fantasy, as usual. If the purpose was to give the background of Trull Sengar and a few others, it could have all been told in about 50 pages if the writer had the talent. He does not.
 Funniest book so far! October 13, 2008
This book is about on par with the other books in terms of story, so if you liked the others, this one equals them in story. It is very slow in the beginning, and once again the author is throws out a bunch of new terms in the beginning and doesn't explain any of them for a long time. As other reviewers have said, there are a lot of great, funny conversations and situations, especially with Tehol and Bugg. I really liked it, but it left a little gap between Trull in the fourth book and Trull in the fifth book. Hopefully it will be explained in book 6.
New characters, new location.....perhaps Erikson's best so far! August 14, 2008
I had Midnight Tides on my shelf for a few months before I read it. After finishing House of Chains, I was completely in awe of Erikson's masterpiece series. I wanted more immediately, but I knew that MT would not offer me the characters or settings I was familiar with. So, I waited on it...reading other books, reading around the Internet to see whether or not I could skip MT and move directly to The Bonehunters (book 6 of the series). After seeing on Wiki that this book introduced a storyline I probably should know before BH, I picked it up. Am I ever glad I did not skip this one!
Yes, MT introduces you to an almost completely new set of characters and a new continent in Erikson's world. BUT, these characters are well developed, very interesting, and (now I see) going to very integral to the larger Malazan series storyline.
As usual, Erikson does a great job putting you in his world. This new continent of Lether is just as interesting and full of history as the others. Erikson's writing in MT might just be his best in the series so far. The action is great, descriptions of places/people is great, and some dialogue is genuinely funny. Seeing The Crippled God take an active role unlike the previous four books was also very good.
I am very anxious to get back with the Malazan Army, etc. in Tne Bonehunters, but MT was excellent and should not be missed.
Good book in the Malazan Series July 25, 2008
This is the fifth book in the Malazan series and Erikson does something amazing with it. He introduces a whole new set of characters on a different contintent. There are a few characters from the other books, but its mostly new characters.
This is another great book in the series and anyone who is a fan of Erikson or Martin will love it.
The best fantasy being written today April 9, 2008
Just amazing stuff. I can't really say much that hasn't been said already, but I will say that I agree that this may be the best book in the series.
I was worried that a book with no characters I'd met before (and no Bridgeburners, rawr) would be boring, or I'd have trouble connecting. Wow, was I wrong. I should have trusted Erikson. Tehol Beddict, Bugg, Iron Bars...some of the best characters in the series to date.
The book is emotional, bringing tears to my eyes multiple times. The action is incredible, and you literally won't be able to stop turning pages when you get to the final hundred.
Before this, I read "The Sword of Truth" by Goodkind and various Riftwar novels by Feist. I thought those were great fantasy, but man...This series makes them look like trash in comparison. That's not to diss on Goodkind/Feist...I will always hold them in my heart. That said, they can't compare to "The Malazan Book of the Fallen." These books are what fantasy should be.
They're amazing, and this book is amazing. Read them as soon as you can.
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