Stonewielder, first comments & details

Pat received the page proofs of Stonewielder. The official release is 25 November and official page count is the same as RotCG, 720 pages. It’s odd because Pat says the book is 635 pages and so there’s quite a gap to fill with just map + glossary + Dramatis Personae. Someone speculated there may be an excerpt from The Crippled God, but it’s unlikely as Hardcovers don’t usually have excerpts of any kind. I estimate the wordcount at 250k.

Update: Pat also posted the map that goes with the book, map of the Korel subcontinent. I saved it along my collection of the other maps.

As usual the interesting part is about Pat’s ongoing comments on the book:

Okay, about 100 pages into Stonewielder, so here’s the first update:

Esslemont’s narrative skills have improved yet again, and he seems to be finding his voice.

So Greymane and Kyle are laying low in Delanss, where Greymane opened a fighting school. But shit happens, and it seems that Greymane won’t get to enjoy the perks of retirement. . .

Someone tries to enter the Deadhouse with a surprising plan in mind. . .

An ex-priest of Fener sets up shop in Banith, but soon finds out that he’s disturbing the established order of things. . .

And a new character with Toblakai blood is introduced. . .

There’s more, of course, but that’s about it for now.

Good start. Good pace. Better writing all around. More promising than Return of the Crimson Guard at this point. . .

Now 217 pages into Stonewielder. . .

As far as the writing is concerned, it is by far Esslemont’s best effort.

And now the plot thickens, with a lot of good shit ahead, or so it seems!

Just found out why the Korelri campaign fucked up and seemed to be on a standstill for so long. . .

Okay, I’m done with Book 2.

Stonewielder features a much better pace than RotCG, which makes for a more enjoyable reading experience. Not only has Esslemont’s narrative improved, but so have his characterization skills. In many aspects, this one reads more and more like an Erikson Malazan book.

And though one of the principal storylines focuses on the Malazan invasion, unlike RotCG, the author doesn’t feel the need to throw yet another battle scene every ten pages or so. Although this is a multilayered tale, I feel that Esslemont keeps a tighter focus on the various plotlines.

As is usually the case with a Malazan installment, this one raises way more questions than it provides answers. And the answers usually raise yet more questions.

One thing that bugs me is the timing of this one. Why the hell, when everything in the Malazan Empire is going to shit, did the new Emperor decide to renew a military campaign that went down the crapper over a decade before? Insofar as I’ve read, there is no hint as to what could possibly interest him in the lands of Fist to launch such an invasion. . .

The cult of the Blessed Lady is another enigma, or the Lady is in any case. Whoever she is, Goddess or Ascendant, it feels weird that we haven’t heard about her by now. Even with her ancient name, I can’t find anything about her. . . And given how powerful she is, I feel that more should have been hinted at. Though, to be honest, Erikson hasn’t been very forthcoming about the Korel campaign in his books. The reason why being one of the most interesting secrets about Stonewielder. . .

There is more to Kyle than meets the eye, and it has nothing to do with his blade. Get used to him because, like the Crimson Guard, I have a feeling that he will be one of the star players in every ICE Malazan books.

Can’t really say more without spoiling everything. And unless everything goes to shit in the last 200 pages or so, I’d say that Esslemont has a real winner here!

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