After reading Knight of Knives earlier this year, I also wanted to read its follow up Return of the Crimson Guard. I started on the preview, but I wasn’t very engrossed. Also the high price has kept me from buying it.

Now, I’ve started with Forge of Darkness. And I must say that I like it very much! I haven’t read very much yet, but I like how it predates the main story by hundreds or maybe thousands of years. And there seems to be no magic yet. Or not very much at least. I think I like Erikson more than Esslemont.

I cannot wait to see how this plays out. We already know the outcome, but not how they get there. How do the get their soletaken abilities? And what’s the deal with Mother Dark?

I read somewhere that even the authors recommend starting with this novel before reading the main series. But I’m glad I didn’t do that and that I started with the main series. The main series has a terrific built up to the more exotic races. While this book starts out with them, and while they don’t seem very special yet, they will become very powerful. Reading this before the main series probably diminishes the sense of wonder of the main series.