Stonewielder

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Stonewielder
Stonewielder cover.webp
Author Ian Cameron Esslemont
Cover artistSteve Stone
Language English
Series Novels of the Malazan Empire
Genre High fantasy
Publisher Bantam Books (UK & Canada) & Tor Books (USA)
Publication date
25 November 2010
Publication place United Kingdom
Media typePrint (Hardback)
Pages634 pp (Bantam UK hardcover edition)
ISBN 0-593-06444-5 (Bantam UK hardcover edition)
OCLC 679929269
Preceded by Return of the Crimson Guard  
Followed by Orb Sceptre Throne  

Stonewielder is the third fantasy novel by Canadian author Ian Cameron Esslemont set in the world of the Malazan Book of the Fallen , co-created with Esslemont's friend and colleague Steven Erikson. [1] Stonewielder is the third of six novels by Esslemont to take place in the Malazan world. [2] [3]

Contents

Plot

Reception

Booklist wrote: "The canvas is vast, the cast vaster (although there could be more backstory here for newcomers), and the whole Malazan Empire saga is rapidly approaching the size and popularity of Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time. Proceed accordingly." [4] Blogcritics said: "Stonewielder is not an easy read by any stretch of the imagination, but it is an immensely satisfying one." [5] Theaker's Quarterly Fiction called it "a well-polished, confident and commercial novel". [6] Fantasy Literature said: "Some of the storylines lag a bit here and there, some parts feel a bit stretched or repetitive, but there’s no doubt Stonewielder is not simply an improvement but a big jump up in class and the first of Esslemont’s Malazan books I can fully recommend." [7] Elitist Book Reviews called it Esslemont’s best novel to date. [8] Reactor re-read the novel and one of the reviewers wrote: "I thought when I read this the first time it was the best of Esslemont’s works to this point, and I can’t say I’ve changed my mind in the reread." The other reviewer said: "I feel rather meh about the whole thing. Sure, there were aspects that I enjoyed and some of the action sequences were very well written. But I found that the storylines just didn’t seem to hang together all that well." [9]

References

  1. ↑ Jones, Jeremly L. C. (2009). "The Minimal and Finely Focused Fantasy of Ian C. Esslemont". Clarkesworld Magazine. Retrieved 11 November 2014.
  2. ↑ Hill, Joshua S; Peters, Koen. "Stonewielder by Ian C Esslemont". Fantasy Book Review. Retrieved 10 November 2014.
  3. ↑ Bedford, Rob (2013). "Ian C. Esslemont Interview for Blood and Bone: A Novel of the Malazan Empire". SFFWorld. Retrieved 11 November 2014.
  4. ↑ Green, Roland (1 May 2011). "Stonewielder". Booklist . American Library Association. Archived from the original on 3 June 2023. Retrieved 27 June 2025. From: Booklist (Vol. 107, Issue 17)
  5. ↑ Marcus, Richard (18 December 2010). "Book Review: Stonewielder by Ian C. Esslemont". Seattle Post-Intelligencer (Blogcritics). Hearst Communications. Archived from the original on 3 June 2023. Retrieved 27 June 2025.
  6. ↑ Theaker, Stephen (29 August 2011). "Stonewielder, Volume I, by Ian Cameron Esslemont - reviewed by Stephen Theaker". Theaker's Quarterly Fiction. Archived from the original on 3 June 2023. Retrieved 27 June 2025.
  7. ↑ Capossere, Bill (7 January 2011). "Stonewielder: Esslemont's best book so far". Fantasy Literature. Archived from the original on 9 June 2023. Retrieved 27 June 2025.
  8. ↑ Diamond, Steven (11 March 2011). "Review: Stonewielder". Elitist Book Reviews. Archived from the original on 27 September 2020. Retrieved 17 July 2025.
  9. ↑ Capossere, Bill; Rutter, Amanda (20 December 2013). "Malazan Reread of the Fallen: Stonewielder, Epilogue". Reactor . Macmillan Publishers. Archived from the original on 26 March 2025. Retrieved 27 June 2025.
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