Sections
Return of the Crimson Guard is the second novel written by Ian C. Esslemont that complements the main narrative told in The Malazan Book of the Fallen series written by Steven Erikson. If the previous volume, Night of Knives, was simple and straight to the point, here Esslemont aims for a complexity similar to that of Erikson’s, betting on the multitude of points of view, plotlines, and conflicts. The author, however, gets lost amidst his ambition, presenting several poorly developed characters, problematic prose, contradictory discussions, and a climax that focuses on the wrong characters.
As the title indicates, the plot of Return of the Crimson Guard follows the return of [...]
There is a note at the start of Night of Knives, written by Gardens of the Moon author Steven Erikson, stating categorically that despite being a story set in the same rich universe presented in his series of novels, the work of his colleague Ian C. Esslemont cannot be considered fanfiction. The author states that Esslemont participated in the process of developing the characters and conflicts of that world since its inception. And Erikson goes one step further by describing their books as a dialogue between friends – a dialogue made special by the opportunity for readers to read it. Indeed, in Night of Knives, Esslemont proves to be well-acquainted with the world of the Malazan [...]