Book Review: Kellanved's Reach, by Ian C. Esslemont (Path of Ascendancy #3)

I think Malazan is perhaps the best fantasy series ever written. There isn't a series in fantasy quite like it. In fact, if there is such a thing as "War and Peace" for fantasy, then Malazan is probably it. Yet, Malazan is not the creative imagination of one man, but two; Steven Erikson, who authored the series' canon, The Malazan Book of the Fallen, and Ian C. Esslemont, who authored 6 companion novels to Book of the Fallen, as well as a prequel trilogy called Path to Ascendancy.

Although these two authors are writing stories set in the same universe, but their books differ vastly from each other. While Steven Erikson is well known for his quality writing and philosophical depths, Ian C. Esslemont approached the storytelling in a way more traditional to the fantasy genre. Each author tells the Malazan story in his unique voice, and the result is spectacular.

Long time readers of my blogs would know that I am a big admirer of Erikson's Book of the Fallen series. I adore it for the characters, the stories, and most importantly its exploration for the problem of suffering. However, I never read Esslemont works until I picked up Dancer's Lament and Deadhouse Landing in 2017.

Dancer's Lament and Deadhouse Landing belong the cycle of Path to Ascendancy, it is a prequel trilogy to Erikson's Book of the Fallen series. The trilogy narrates the misadventures of Dancer and Kellanved, both are key players in Book of the Fallen series. I loved both books, but the wait for the concluding installment was 18 months long. When the final book, Kellanved's Reach, finally became available at the book seller's website it was like magic. I have high expectations for Kellanved's Reach because of my love for the first two books, and I am very happy to report that the book did not disappoint, although I think there are minor issues in its structures.

The story picked up from the end of Deadhouse Landing. Petty feuds and wars raged across the city states in Quon Tali. Meanwhile, our upstart mage and assassin, Kellanved and Dancer, now control the southern seas and the Malaz city, they are a power to be reckoned with. However, Kellanved could care less about the politics and the war strategies, because the little mage from Don Hon has his eyes set on an ancient flint spear and uncovering its ties to an Elder race of legends. His friend, Dancer, is sceptical and therefore reluctant about chasing after this myth about an army of dusts and bones. But the eccentric mage can be persistent, therefore the duo set out once again in another misadventure into the unknown, and their journey will pave the way to the birth of an empire.

I like Kellanved's Reach, it is a very good book. For those who have read Book of the Fallen this book has many Easter eggs and it also sets up the stage for the canon. This book is more true to the Malazan fashion where the story features dozens of characters and multiple plots. While one would expect such a complex story to be a sizable volume, yet Kellanved's Reach is curiously short, for the book is only 330 pages. I enjoyed the book, it is fast-paced and rich, but I couldn't help but feel the book was a bit rushed and another 100 pages would have improved the story expositions. As a result, while Kellanved's Reach is a good conclusion to Dancer and Kellanved's misadventures, but the two preceding volumes are better than this one by a notch.

The book features many characters. Some are newly introduced characters, and some returning characters from the previous books, and finally the book marks the entrance for some big players in the Book of the Fallen canon. For example (spoiler ahead) I was jumping up and down in excitement when Onos T''oolan appeared in the late chapters. However, I also feel that Esslemont should have explored each character more. I mean, I was disappointed that Dassem only has a minor role in this book. Furthermore, Dancer and Kellanved are almost like secondary characters themselves in this installment. All in all, while the characters in this book are as interesting and memorable as always, but I could not help but feel that book could have explored these characters a bit more, that the book feels rushed.

Every Malazan book finish with a "convergence" event, where the multiple plots and characters finally clash in a crescendo. Kellanved's Reach has the convergence event too, and it was spectacular. However, after the climax the story continued on for another 50 pages. While the last 50 pages tied up the loose ends for the subplots but it is, inevitably, anticlimactic It just feels like those last 50 pages are in the wrong place, they should have appeared before the convergence rather than after. This is yet another example where a lengthier book and more story expositions could have made Kellanved's Reach better.

In the end, Kellanved's Reach is still a very good book and a worthy installment to the Malzan saga. I had a great time reading it. But at the same time, the book feels rushed and it could have been better if Esslemont had written an additional 100 pages to better explore the characters and their stories. Therefore while I like Kellanved's Reach but I think it comes slight short of both Dancer's Lament and Deadhouse Landing. Having said this, Kellanved's Reach is still a great conclusion to the trilogy, and it is definitely worth reading if you are a fan of the Malazan series.