Blood and Bone by Ian C. Esslemont

The fifth installment of the Novels of the Malazan Empire, Blood and Bone, is set in mysterious Jacuruku where the even more strange Himatan lies. This rainforest, known for its link to the spirit world and is supposedly Ardata's domain, is alive with strange creatures and notorious for its hostile conditions. In the tradition of the Malazan world, this book has unforgettable characters and a complex storyline. The scenes are narrated by select characters and the sequence of events is straightforward. The events in the book happen relatively within the same period as the tenth book of the Malazan Book of the Fallen, Crippled God.

The tribes of Jacuruku have decided to invade the seat of the Thaumaturgs' power. Led by a man known only as Warleader, the conflicting natives set aside their petty wars to unseat the mages. The journey of this contingent is mostly told from the perspective of the young prince Jatal who wants to get rid of the stigma as just a powerless scholar. The Thaumaturgs on the other hand have decided to try to conquer Himatan once again to find the mythical city of Jakal Viharn. Meanwhile a group led by Skinner, the Disavowed, search for powerful pieces they call Shards which are parts of the Fallen God. However, they are not the only ones who are after the shards; a certain Ascendant tries to get her hands on one but a group of ex-Malazan soldiers outwit her. More players decide to join the game as K'azz, the reputed leader of the Crimson Guard, receives a request from Ardata. A girl named Saeng discovers a mission she has to fulfill. what's more, Osserc also appears in an important role since House of Chains.

While Thaumaturgs and some of the others search for more power and knowledge, the others are looking for purpose, belonging, and acceptance. The Thaumaturgs' view the world as a phenomenon to be studied; even life has purposes and mechanisms that can be revealed through study. The more superstitious tribes see this approach as cold-hearted and inhumane; true understanding instead can be acquired by communing with nature and the spirits.

Skinner's motivation to acquire power might be compared to the Warleader's motives for seeking to conquer the mages. The Warleader seems to have a lot of knowledge and confidence in achieving this and that is why he is eager to seize every opportunity even if it means sacrificing a few people. These self-serving men are in contrast to the passive Osserc who would rather avoid doing anything, as well as the indifferent K'azz who seems submissive.

Esslemont's description of Himatan's conditions is impressive. His images of the unpredictability of the weather and the hostility of the surroundings in a rainforest were spot-on (you might say it's a bit exaggerated but I live in a tropical country after all). The atmosphere is oppressive and even more unforgiving than the deserts of Seven Cities. In the previous Malazan books, including Erikson's, the setting isn't as critical in the development of the story as the characters; in Blood and Bone however, both the setting and character development are equally given importance. Not all of Blood and Bone is about fighting, intrigue, and personal struggles; it has humor as well. Like most Malazan books, the story might seem complicated to first-time readers and even to a few who have read a few books, but Esslemont handled it well. His imagery in particular is commendable.

Although this can probably be read as a stand-alone book, I don't think its brilliance will be fully appreciated if the reader isn't used to the complicated Malazan world. As for the Malazan fans, it would be a shame to miss this. There are more hints about so many mysteries in previous books and even more mysteries that need clues. Isn't that why we love the Malazan books so much?

Rating: 10 out of 10