Steven Erikson, best known for the fantasy series The Malazan Book of the Fallen, has also written a number of novellas set in the Malazan world like The Fiends of Nightmare (2016). Necromancers Bauchelain and Korbal Broach were minor characters in Erikson’s The Malazan Book of the Fallen series, only appearing in Memories of Ice. But fans loved the dark humor of the necromancers and Erikson responded by writing novellas about them for the past 20 years.
“Aye, sir, sly as a fox you are, that’s for sure.”
“I am not sure, Mister Reese, if I like the comparison. Foxes are often the prey of frenzied packs of dogs let loose by the inbred classes, after all. I do not see myself as the object of such sport.” (p. 85)
That’s snippet of conversation between Bauchelain and Emancipor Reese who is the necromancers’ aging manservant. He frequently uses drugs and alcohol to numb his mind to the bizarre acts he witnessed working for the deadly duo.
In this 100 page novella, the story takes place in the dismal kingdom of Farooq. The King has been murdered and on the throne now sits Bauchalain, with Korbal Broach acting as the Grand Bishop, terrorizing the peasants. Since becoming a self-professed tyrant monarch, Bauchalain has emptied the Treasury. All actors and musicians have been arrested for their crimes against humanity. To distract the populous from the rampant corruption and increasing violence, Bauchalain declares war against the border state of Nightmaria, land of solitary lizard-people.
Bauchalain summons demons and the chaos is complete.
I have to be in the mood for these dark fantasy comedies with their wild action and headless corpses running amok. But, when I am in the mood for dark magic and dark deeds, these Bauchelian and Korbel Broach novellas are Guilty Pleasure. GRADE: B
Bauchelain and Korbal Broach series:
1. Blood Follows (2002)
2. The Healthy Dead (2004)
3. The Lees of Laughter’s End (2007)
Bauchelain and Korbal Broach (2007)
4. Crack’d Pot Trail (2009)
5. The Wurms of Blearmouth (2012)
6. The Fiends of Nightmaria (2021)
Upon A Dark of Evil Overlords (2021)
You make it sound appealing but, unsurprisingly, I won’t be reading it! Nice cover, though!
Bob, Steven Erikson’s books are very addicting!
Maybe, but I don’t read in that genre!
Bob, I know your favorite Genre is Westerns! I just bought two W. C. Tuttle books!
I think this is too dark for me but who knows? Maybe my son will find one of these books at the book sale and then I can try it also. He is always surprising me.
Tracy, this seems to be the season for Book Sales. I just bought 77 paperbacks at the American Association of University Women Annual Book Sale (proceeds go to scholarships).