Originally published in the UK as limited edition novellas, Steven Erikson’s tales of the necromancers Bauchelain and Korbal Broach are now finally available to the masses of Steven Erikson fans courtesy of this collected volume from Erikson’s American publishers. Readers of the doorstop-sized volumes that constitute the Malazan Book of the Fallen have long been aware of Erikson’s talent for dark, dry humour and snappy dialogue amidst all the nihilism and introspection, and this is a wonderful opportunity to see those talents brought to the fore. Of the many notable comic relief characters, Bauchelain and Broach, and their substance-addled manservant Emancipor Reese, have long stood out, making this volume even more welcome.

That’s not to say that the novellas eschew Erikson’s fascination for the darker side: as necromancers, adherents to dark arts, the anti-heroes of these books are involved in some pretty nasty stuff, with the eunuch Korbal Broach being undoubtedly the more evil of the two, though as he spends much of his time in the guise of a crow his presence is often brooding and sketchy. Bauchelain is the brains behind the outfit, and Broach’s enabler, and the city of Lamentable Moll is where it all kicks off. Broach has brought the city to its knees in fear, killing every night in pursuit of his own sick objectives, and Sergeant Guld is on the case – a copper that Pratchett’s Sam Vimes would truly be able to admire. As Guld closes in on the truth of the matter, Bauchelain is recruiting the luckless Reece as their new helper. Their exit from the city, as so often will be the case, is made in rather a hurry.

The second tale, ‘The Lees of Laughter’s End’, follows their flight from Lamentable Moll on board a ship of dubious character, and when all hell breaks loose, courtesy of long-dormant spirits inadvertantly brought on board, passengers Bauchelain and Broach, and Broach’s monstrous creation from the previous book, are called on to save the day, although the cure is almost as bad as the disease. Some great comic passages pepper the gore-splattered pages, with Emancipor inadvertently giving Bauchelain Toblakai blood wine, inducing an unexpected amorous interlude, and there’s a bickering uber-zombie that assembles itself from the body parts of slain crew members. Emancipor, as is becoming his wont, takes refuge in substance abuse, but somehow survives.

The third tale, ‘The Healthy Dead, is the most effective standalone story, the funniest and in many ways the one that embodies most Erikson’s attitude to moral ambiguity, for despite their dubious methods, the necromancers are very much on the right side. This parable about Erikson’s views of health fascism sees the dubious crew arrive at the city of Quaint, where a fanatical attitude to exercise and virtue by the new king has seen the city dragged in to a unique reign of terror. Aided by Emancipor’s gift for causing chaos and their own talent for awakening the dead, Bauchelain and Broach liberate the population, leaving them free to return to a life of vice.

Don’t buy this book expecting a continuation of the Malazan Book of the Fallen – but if you like Erikson’s light moments, it’s hard not  to enjoy Bauchelain and Korbal Broach – and with further novellas available to be collected in a future edition, this reviewer greatly looks forward to following their next adventures.

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