The God is Not Willing

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The God is Not Willing
The God Is Not Willing novel.jpg
Author Steven Erikson
Cover artistSteve Stone
Country United Kingdom
Language English
Series The Witness Trilogy
Genre High fantasy
Publisher Bantam (UK & Canada) & Tor Books (USA)
Publication date
1 July 2021 (UK), 16 November 2021 (USA)
Media typePrint (Hardback & Paperback)
Pages496 pp (UK hardback edition)
ISBN 9781787632868
Followed byNo Life Forsaken
(forthcoming) 

The God is Not Willing is the first novel of The Witness Trilogy by Canadian author Steven Erikson, set after the events of the Malazan Book of the Fallen . [1] [2] Upon its release, the book was generally praised for its prose, narrative, and worldbuilding. [3] [2]

Contents

Development

In a 2019 interview, Erikson states he intends for The Witness Trilogy to be a single novel split into three volumes. [4] Erikson has stated he found The God is Not Willing more difficult to structure than his previous works. [5]

In May 2022, Erikson announced work on a sequel titled No Life Forsaken. [6]

Plot

The novel is set 10 years after the events in the Book of the Fallen and explores aftermath and legacy of Karsa Orlong.

Reception

The novel received positive reviews upon publication. Bill Capossere from Tor.com described the novel as "a lean, sharply honed, and powerful addition to what is already in my mind the preeminent fantasy universe of the last few decades." The review also complimented the "little ways Erikson shows us a changed world." [7]

Fantasy Book Review gave it a 10 out of 10, stating "it is beautiful, it is captivating and utterly enthralling, and it is a high-water mark for literature." [3] Similarly, Grimdark Magazine gave the book 8 out of 10 and described it as "a worthy next step after the mighty Malazan Book of the Fallen. Not as grandiose in scope but still packed with the qualities that I previously adored." [8] Publishers Weekly gave the book a starred review, praising the descriptive prose and details. [2]

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<i>Dust of Dreams</i> (novel)

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<i>Return of the Crimson Guard</i>

Return of the Crimson Guard is a fantasy novel by Canadian author Ian Cameron Esslemont, his second book set in the world of the Malazan Book of the Fallen, co-created with friend and colleague Steven Erikson. Chronologically, Return of the Crimson Guard takes place after the events in Erikson's sixth Malazan novel, The Bonehunters. Return of the Crimson Guard is the second of six planned novels by Esslemont to take place in the Malazan world, starting with Night of Knives and followed by Stonewielder.

<i>Stonewielder</i>

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The Kharkanas Trilogy is an epic fantasy series by the Canadian writer Steven Erikson. The series consists of three novels, two of which—Forge of Darkness and Fall of Light—have been published as of 2019. The series serves as a prequel to Erikson's Malazan Book of the Fallen series, and tells the story of the Tiste, Jaghut and Azathanai, three hundred thousand years before the Malazan Empire began its conquest on Genabackis, with a focus on characters such as Anomander Rake, Draconus, Hood, Gothos and K'rul. The series draws inspiration from the Shakespearean declamation style, and is framed as being told by one poet to another. It was received positively by critics as well as readers.

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Fall of Light is the second novel in the Kharkanas Trilogy written by Canadian author Steven Erikson. The story is divided into three main plot threads told from major and minor character POVs. The first tells the story of the Tiste race as they struggle to find their place in a society now divided into three factions — Andii, Liosan and Deniers — and which is on the brink of civil war. The second tells the story of the Jaghut who have now declared war against Death itself, and of various groups and races who have answered this call to arms. And the last tells the story of the Azathanai K'rul who has gifted the world sorcery, yet now finds himself vulnerable against his own kin.

<i>Dancers Lament</i>

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<i>Toll the Hounds</i> Eighth book of the Malazan Book of the Fallen series

Toll the Hounds is the eighth novel in Canadian author Steven Erikson's epic fantasy series, the Malazan Book of the Fallen. It was first published on June 30, 2008 in the UK and Canada, and on September 16, 2008 in the USA.

<i>Deadhouse Landing</i>

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References

  1. "The God is Not Willing". Steven Erikson. 2021. Retrieved 25 July 2022.
  2. 1 2 3 "The God Is Not Willing: The First Tale of Witness by Steven Erikson". www.publishersweekly.com. Retrieved 2022-09-10.
  3. 1 2 Hill, Joshua S; Davis, Emma (2021). "The God is Not Willing by Steven Erikson (The First Tale of Witness)". Fantasy Book Review. Retrieved 22 July 2022.
  4. "An Evening With Steven Erikson". Nerdaí Irish Nerds. 2019. Retrieved 25 July 2022.
  5. Erikson, Steven (2019). "Life on Thin Ice: Updating my Progress on The Witness Trilogy". Steven Erikson. Retrieved 25 July 2022.
  6. Barman, Marc (2022). "Steven Erikson starts work on sequel to THE GOD IS NOT WILLING 2021". The News Dairy. Retrieved 28 July 2022.
  7. Capossere, Bill (2021). "Back to Genabackis: Steven Erikson's The God Is Not Willing". Tor. Retrieved 22 July 2022.
  8. Tivendale, James (2021). "REVIEW: THE GOD IS NOT WILLING BY STEVEN ERIKSON". Tor. Retrieved 25 July 2022.