Orb, Sceptre, Throne by Ian C. Esslemont

Ebbin thinks he's onto something. Finally he has the proof that Darujhistan's mythical past is true. But something went wrong. Not only was he able to dig up history but he'll probably be involved in the making of a historic, terrifying episode of the famed city.

Meanwhile Kiska's search for Tayschrenn continues. The seemingly pointless journey takes her to the strange realm of the Maker and they're about to discover something surprising.

While a veteran is on an expedition to Moon's Spawn. He finds himself in the company of an unusual collection of treasure hunters, mages (and necromancers), and travelers.

The fourth installation of the Novels of the Malazan Empire is set in Darujhistan. Most of the characters will be familiar to the readers of the Malazan books. There will be no shortage of surprises (this I guarantee) and fans will finally get to know the Seguleh firsthand. The Moranth will also be on the spotlight as well as two unlikely Bridgeburners.

Esslemont has done a much better job in the flow of the narrative even if he obviously struggled with Kruppe. If you've been following this series and Steven Erikson's, you know what to expect: there are no easy answers. There will be clues but most of them are good only for forming speculations. Then again, that's what makes this series so great.

I enjoyed this book a lot. I like Esslemont's humor and the longer character introspection. The action scenes weren't bad but they're not that good either. The fights from Jan's POV however were my favorites. He may not have done a great job with his descriptive skills but he's written Jan's character effectively. I'm giving this a 10 out of 10 rating.

The Epic of Gilgamish: A Fragment of the Gilgamish Legend in Old-Babylonian Cuneiform by Stephen Langdon

This book provides a translation and analysis of a fragment of the South Babylonian version of the epic on a six-column tablet. The tablet was among Ashur-bani-pal's collection. I don't recommend this as a replacement for the complete and enhanced versions of the epic as this only includes a few parts of the epic. The transliteration is also incomplete because the author left out undecipherable and missing parts of the tablet. This is great as a supplementary reading material for those who wish to read more or study the epic.

Included are the introduction of the epic and the possible origin of its hero, photos of the tablet, and autograph plates.

The Babylonian Legends of the Creation and the Fight Between Bel and the Dragon Told by Assyrian Tablets from Nineveh by E.A. Wallis Budge

Full title: The Babylonian Legends of the Creation and the Fight Between Bel and the Dragon Told by Assyrian Tablets from Nineveh

This book is a translation of the Seven Tablets found in the library of Ashur-bani-pal at Nineveh and additionally has an analysis by E.A. Wallis Budge. He provides an account of the contents of each tablet and cites possible interpretations of the symbols used. The author also provides the different versions of the legend as told by Berosus and Damascus beforehand.

For those who have had readings in mythology as well as those who are still new to this genre, the book is reader-friendly. However, I do not recommend this to those who are looking for an improved narration (where author fills in missing details because the seven tablets have missing inscriptions). The translation provided is a verbatim interpretation of the legend. Nevertheless, readers who are already familiar with the story will have no trouble grasping the content and this can be treated as a supplementary reading.

Hero Tales and Legends of the Rhine by Lewis Spence

Hero Tales and Legends of the Rhine is a collection of myths and legends about the Rhine and the communities it fosters. Some of these are myths fused with real stories. Lewis Spence first provides an introduction of the topography of the Rhine. To better understand the pervading beliefs and temperament of the people living near the famous river, the author provides a background and brief history of Germany.

There is also a section about the folklore and literature of Rhine in general. The author cited examples of the type of stories that are usually produced or become popular. Readers do not have to immerse themselves in the stories right away but are given a proper introduction.

Although Spence did not write an exhaustive comparative study of the folktales, he was able to provide some background of and explanation for most of the stories. The section on Nibelungenlied in particular was very informative and clear-cut.

Spence's writing is easy to understand and readers do not need a background on mythology and folklore to enjoy this book. This is a good introductory material if the reader wishes to study folklore. I'm giving this an 8 out of 10 rating.

Hood

Hood from the Malazan series.

Link to my dA: http://fav.me/d4ylk2f

Samanosuke Akechi

Samanosuke from the Onimusha series.

Link to my dA: http://fav.me/d4yliqg

Kenpachi

Link to my dA: http://fav.me/d4yli4w