It’s only a matter of time, probably after Steven Erikson finishes the ten book epic that is the Malazan Book of the Fallen, before someone publishes an entire encyclopedia devoted to helping his readers (or at least those like me who don’t have photographic memories) remember who is who, what is what and when it happened, and who changed their name to what and when. When that book arrives, only then will I commit to re-read the entire saga. As I have said before, it’s perfectly usual to spend the first third of a Malazan book trying to work out what’s going on and how it relates to previous volumes. That’s especially the case here, because although I read the preceding volume, Reaper’s Gale, earlier this year, the events in Toll the Hounds mostly reference events in much earlier books in the series: the main setting and focus, the city of Darujhistan, was the stage for much of the first book, Gardens of the Moon, and a key location in the third book, Memories of Ice – but the reader, with little prompting from the author, needs to remember much of what transpired in those volumes. Converging on the city are many other characters, some of whom have not been seen for a long while. The decision not to have any kind of recap or prologue in this context seems almost deliberately perverse.

If this seems like I’m whinging, that I don’t like being made to work for my enjoyment, well I am a bit, but this is still an amazing, jaw-dropping piece of work, so let me tell you what I love about it and why I won’t hesitate to read the next book as soon as I can. Erikson’s depth of world, the potency of the mythology, the sheer bloody ambition of the whole thing, continues to astound. I would have to re-read the early volumes to be sure, but I think Erikson is also getting even better as a writer. His comic characters – the thief Kruppe, the deranged priest Iskaral Pust with his habit of voicing his thoughts aloud – are simply brilliant, yet the pathos of other characters can be almost overwhelming at times. Erkison’s ability to combine humour and menace is impressive – witness Shadowthrone, the god who was the Emperor Kellanved, who can exude threat and dark purpose one moment and come across as vaguely senile the next. Erikson’s gods are certainly not immune from flaws of any kind.

Trying to summarise the plot of an Erikson book is difficult, and I don’t know how to do it justice. As mentioned, the Free City of Darujhistan is the central location, but we also spend time in Black Coral, the new home of the Tiste Andii; in the warren contained within the sword Dragnipur, populated by all the souls of the people slain by that fell weapon; with a group of Tiste Andii refugees heading back to their kin at Black Coral; and in sundry warrens. The entirety of Kruppe’s crew is in attendance, along with the Bridgeburners Picker, Blend and Antsy who deserted in order to run a bar; Crokus Younghand returns; Karsa Orlong continues on his quest to eliminate the stain of humanity upon the world, in the company of the mysterious Traveller. Needless to say we are introduced to a host of new characters as well, and the threatening presence of the titular Hounds of Shadow is never far away. The climax, as so often with Erikson, is a major convergence, again on Darujhistan, to battle for the possession of Anomdander Rake’s sword Dragnipur.

All I can say is this – it’s brilliant overall, although I find some bits harder going than others, especially the backstory of the ill-fated Tiste Andii. If you have got this far, keep going (I am sure you don’t need me to tell you that). If you are thinking of starting the Malazan Book of the Fallen for the first time, my advice is: get yourself a stout notebook – maybe you could be the one to write the Encyclopedia Malazanica! Someone certainly needs to…

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