"We are just twists and turns of suffering in a river of pain"
After the previous events in Darujhistan, the Malay Empire is weakened. A rebellion breaks out in the Seven Cities, and the Malazšstí occupiers quickly turn from rulers into hunted beasts. Led by Commander Coltain and the rest of the army, a stream of refugees heads for their rescue. However, the fanatical insurgents try to prevent them at all costs. And to make matters worse, there is an increased activity of magic in the desert... The plot of the second part directly follows on from the previous book, therefore, in addition to new characters, familiar ones also appear. For an inexperienced reader, the number of concepts, names, environments may seem "a little" confusing at first, but it is worth persevering. Don't expect love that moves mountains or teenage heroes saving the universe. We are in the midst of a Holy War whose heroes are mostly professional soldiers and fighters with their own agendas. Without any sentimentality, Steven Erikson torments, tortures... he even lets favorite characters die. The battle scenes and the description of the suffering of people and animals are incredibly realistic. Truly superbly constructed, grim, raw and gritty - not for the faint of heart. Among other things, I also give five stars for Coltain's Dog Chain, which is simply impossible to forget. I read the conclusion itself in one breath with goosebumps all over my body. Steven Erikson proves again and again that quality fantasy is not dead! "There will come a time when life cannot be paid for with money, and once a person crosses that line, there is no going back" schovat popis