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As with the previous two books in the Malazan Series, my reread of Memories of Ice was a very different, far superior experience than my first read. Again, the density of world building combined with the layers of mystery and foreshadowing are just mind boggling and difficult to appreciate the first time round, but are a wonder to unpack on subsequent reads.

This third book of the series takes us back to the continent on Genabackis where we are reunited with the Bridgeburners as we pick up the story from book one. The events in this book occur concurrently with the second book and Erikson takes time every now and then to let us know where we are timewise in relation to the events in the second book. For example, we see where The Trygalle Trade Guild is sent off to resupply Fiddler and Coltaine, or we have a character receive a vision of a scene that we recognise from the second book.

Returning this book are The Bridgeburners, WhiskeyJack, Paran Ganoes, Quick Ben, Dujek and OneArm’s host, Anomander Rake and the Tiste Andii, Caladan Brood, Silverfox, Onos Toolan and more. This book also properly introduces us to the arch antagonist of the series ie The Crippled God � lured from another world, brought down as a weapon of mass destruction to be used against a tyrant, only to be shattered and then chained in an attempt to avert it’s growing malignant power.

Former enemies will unite and march against a hunger crazed and insane army. Undead hordes will be summoned. Gods will die and new ones ascend. The pantheon will divide against itself. Mortals will be seduced into choosing sides. Its Onearm’s host against the Pannion Seer, T’lan Imass vs Jaghut, old gods vs new gods, Nihilism vs humanity, Chaos vs Order. And when its all done and finished, when your sole reason for being has been war, what is left when all you have hated is gone? Only dust and Memories of Ice.

But the Bridgeburners have little use for all these high and mighty themes and personalities. Their motto is “First in, last out� and they don’t do it for gods or kings or any other assholes out there. They fight for the man on their right and on their left and the gods can go to Hood. And when Hood comes to collect with his Death’s head grin, well they’ll just grin back and greet him with a flatbow in their right hand and a cusser in their left ‘cause Hood’s got no comeback for wide-eyed stupid.


5 stars