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3/19/2023
EPIC fantasy the likes of which doesn't exist in my experience. The level of complexity, depth, and scope that Erikson has in both plot and worldbuilding is astounding. His command of the English language is unparalleled.
Most of the characters are new after reading Gardens of the Moon, but the exposition is smoother and it flows a liitle bit faster. Make no mistake -- this takes work to understand, but it is oh so worth it, and this is just the 2nd book.
It teems with philosophy, action, suspense, characterization... pretty much any superlative used for literature can be assigned (it even has some poetry).
Coltaine and the Chain of Dogs, the Mappo-Icarium relationship, Felisin's journey. On the one hand, a person can't reasonably expect Erikson to equal this quality in susequent books, but knowing how he writes and what these books have already done so far, I don't expect any less.