Blood and Bone

(Malazan Empire: 5): an ingenious and imaginative fantasy. More than murder lurks in this untameable wilderness

By: Ian C Esslemont

Narrated by: John Banks

In the western sky the bright emerald banner of the Visitor descends like a portent of annihilation. On the continent of Jacuruku, the Thaumaturgs have mounted another expedition in a bid to tame the neighbouring wild jungle. Yet this is no normal wilderness. It is called Himatan, and it is said to be half of the spirit-realm and half of the earth. And it is said to be ruled by a powerful entity who some name the Queen of Witches and some a goddess: the ancient Ardata.
Saeng grew up knowing only the rule of the magus Thaumaturgs – but it was the voices from that land’s forgotten past that she listened to. And when her rulers launch their invasion of this jungle, those voices send her and her brother on a desperate mission.
To the south, the desert tribes are united by the arrival of a foreign warleader, a veteran commander in battered ashen mail men call the Grey Ghost. This warrior leads these tribes on a raid unlike any other, deep into the heart of Thaumaturg lands.
While word comes to K’azz, and mercenary company the Crimson Guard, of a contract in Jacuruku. And their employer? Could it be the goddess herself...

My least favourite of any Malazan Book.

Malazan books are like pizza to me. Even when they're bad they're still pretty good.
That being said, this is my least favourite Malazan installment by either author.
It is meandering and boring most of the time. The best part about it is that it expands the Malazan canon further but that's it.
The narrator does a half decent job but pronounces names of races, places and people improperly according to what I've heard from Steven Erikson author of The Malazan Book of the Fallen main series. In these books a double "i" at the end of a word or name is supposed to be pronounced as an "ie" or "y" sound. I cringe every time the narrator pronounces each "i". example: The name Andii he will say "Andi-i" when it's to be pronounced "Andy". If you're a big fan of the Malazan universe you should read/listen to this book but keep in mind you're in for a big time slog.
ICE's latest books, the Path to Ascendancy series is his best work and are very fun reads because he streamlines his narrative and weaves fewer characters into each novel. I respect his ambition with this novel and I really liked parts of it but it was a 95% flop for me.