A novel of the Malazan empire, this book is the fifth in a series with that title and it is probably my favorite of the bunch. Normally, it’s tough to do a review on the 5th book of a six book series, but Esslemont pulled off some major mental gymnastics to keep many of these novels as individually contained as possible, while still evoking the magical connections to everything else Malazan. Yes, if you were to read this in a vacuum, there would be a few things you may be confused about, but it wouldn’t take too much away from the main story.
Blood and Bone takes place on a previously unexplored continent in the Malazan series. This island continent, Jacaruku, contains a vast jungle known as Himatan. And let me tell you, Himatan is a haunting and beautiful character all to itself in this tale. Esslemont truly evokes the emotion and feel of this setting with rich prose that details every aspect of jungle life. He has real scenic beauty that turns with tension and apprehension into visceral horror. He is also quite adept at subtly making the distinction that the horror is brought on by those who notice the jungle but refuse to actually see it for what it is.
There are plenty of interesting thematic conflicts running through the book. One is tradition versus innovation, as the various tribes recruit outside help, they have to deal with how outsiders approach resolutions as opposed to how they would traditionally do it. These same outsiders also have to adapt their tactics to follow a traditionally entrenched cultural methodology. So as the thematic conflict of man versus man plays out on the surface, the deeper conflict of man versus nature goes on below. Nature, in the case of a high magic world like Malazan, sometimes takes the form of spirits, gods, and demigods. These inhuman entities work in conjunction with the land itself, even if inadvertently.
Esslemont also came up with fascinating characters that he really explores to full extent, as well as bringing in a couple of old favorites. Saeng and her brother Hanu make for a wonderful pair of protagonists that you want so badly to succeed and you’re able to cheer for while watching a fantastic arc of character growth and the strong bond of sibling love that, in some cases literally, carries them through very trying times. That is the most obvious arc, but there are plenty of others, and Esslemont plays wonderfully with the classic theme of Malazan duos. Another thematic arc was that of a mirrored duplicity between the leader of the Unavowed Crimson Guardsmen, Skinner, and the vaguely named Warleader (a bit tongue and cheek there). Both men are hired with their followers as mercenaries and both have ulterior motives that differ from their employers, and both are much more than what they seem. I’m not spoiling anything there. It is quite obvious from the beginning. These motives support the major conflicts in the book and watching them unfold is utterly fascinating. Esslemont also plays with the ideas of history, how it’s recorded and how it’s remembered. He does so with humor and wit that gives some of the characters a human quality they might otherwise be lacking in.
Even though this was a re-read for me, I was still surprised and amazed at some of the developments. Of course, I loved all the hints and connections to the greater Malazan story, but these Easter eggs, while fun, are not required to be understood in order to enjoy this book for its richness to detail, beautiful prose, and bold directions.
