The crippled god free download

About the Book The Bonehunters are marching to Kolanse, and to an unknown fate Tormented and exhausted, they are an army on the brink of mutiny But Adjunct Tavore will not relent If she can hold her forces together, if the fragile alliances she had forged can survive and if it is within her power, one final act remains For Tavore Paran means to challenge the gods Ranged against Tavore and her allies are formidable foes The Fokrul Assail are drawing upon a terrible power; their desire is to cleanse the world – to eradicate every civilization, to annihilate every human – in order to begin anew The Elder Gods, too, are seeking to return And to so, they will shatter the chains that bind a force of utter devastation and release her from her eternal prison It seems that, once more, there will be dragons in the world And in Kurald Galain, where the once-lost city of Kharkanas has been found, thousands have gathered upon the First Shore Commanded by Yedan Derryg, they await the coming of the Tiste Liosan Are they truly ready to die in the name of an empty city and a queen with no subjects? In every world there comes a time when choice is no longer an option – a moment when the soul is laid bare and there is nowhere left to turn And when this last hard truth is faced, when compassion is a virtue on its knees, what is there left to do? Now that time is come – now is the moment to proclaim your defiance and make a stand… And so begins the final cataclysmic chapter in Steven Erikson’s extraordinary, genre-defining ‘Malazan Book of the Fallen’ ABOUT THE AUTHOR A graduate of the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, archaeologist and anthropologist Steven Erikson recently moved back to the UK from Canada and now lives in Cornwall His début fantasy novel, Gardens of the Moon, marked the opening chapter in the epic ‘Malazan Book of the Fallen’ sequence, which has been hailed as one of the most significant works of fantasy of this millennium To find out more, www.malazanempire.com visit www.stevenerikson.com and Also by Steven Erikson GARDENS OF THE MOON DEADHOUSE GATES MEMORIES OF ICE HOUSE OF CHAINS MIDNIGHT TIDES THE BONEHUNTERS REAPER’S GALE TOLL THE HOUNDS DUST OF DREAMS THE FIRST COLLECTED TALES OF BAUCHELAIN & KORBAL BROACH THE CRIPPLED GOD A Tale of the Malazan Book of the Fallen Steven Erikson This eBook is copyright material and must not be copied, reproduced, transferred, distributed, leased, licensed or publicly performed or used in any way except as specifically permitted in writing by the publishers, as allowed under the terms and conditions under which it was purchased or as strictly permitted by applicable copyright law Any unauthorised distribution or use of this text may be a direct infringement of the author’s and publisher’s rights and those responsible may be liable in law accordingly Version 1.0 Epub ISBN 9781409010845 www.randomhouse.co.uk TRANSWORLD PUBLISHERS 61–63 Uxbridge Road, London W5 5SA A Random House Group Company www.rbooks.co.uk First published in Great Britain in 2011 by Bantam Press an imprint of Transworld Publishers Copyright © Steven Erikson 2011 Steven Erikson has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this work This book is a work of fiction and, except in the case of historical fact, any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library ISBNs 9780593046357 (cased) 9780593046364 (tpb) This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, resold, hired out, or otherwise circulated without the publisher’s prior consent in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition, including this condition, being imposed on the subsequent purchaser Addresses for Random House Group Ltd companies outside the UK can be found at: www.randomhouse.co.uk The Random House Group Ltd Reg No 954009 10 Contents Acknowledgements Map Dramatis Personae Book One: ‘He was a soldier’ Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three Chapter Four Book Two: All the takers of my days Chapter Five Chapter Six Chapter Seven Book Three: To charge the spear Chapter Eight Chapter Nine Chapter Ten Book Four: The fists of the world Chapter Eleven Chapter Twelve Chapter Thirteen Book Five: A hand upon the fates Chapter Fourteen Chapter Fifteen Chapter Sixteen Book Six: To one in chains Chapter Seventeen Chapter Eighteen Chapter Nineteen Chapter Twenty Book Seven: Your private shore Chapter Twenty-One Chapter Twenty-Two Chapter Twenty-Three Chapter Twenty-Four Epilogue I Epilogue II Appendix About the Author Many years ago one man took a chance on an unknown writer and his first fantasy novel – a novel that had already gone the rounds of publishers a few times without any luck Without him, without his faith and, in the years that followed, his unswerving commitment to this vast undertaking, there would be no ‘Malazan Book of the Fallen’ It has been my great privilege to work with a single editor from start to finish, and so I humbly dedicate The Crippled God to my editor and friend, Simon Taylor fish were asleep Day after day, he’d seen the old man carrying that silly bucket with the rope tied to the handle for the fish he never caught – and the fishing rod in his other hand would most likely snap in half at a crab’s tug Bored, as he was every day, the boy ambled down to stand on the edge of the pier, to look out on the few ships that bothered sheltering in the harbour of Malaz City So he could dream of the worlds beyond, where things exciting and magical happened and heroes won the day and villains bled out in the dirt He knew he was nobody yet Not old enough for anything Trapped here where nothing ever happened and never would But one day he would face the whole world and, why, they’d all know his face, they would He glanced over to where the old man was sitting down, legs over the edge, working bait on to the hook ‘You won’t never catch nothing,’ the boy said, idly pulling at a rusty mooring ring ‘You sleep in too late, every day.’ The old man squinted at the hook, adjusted the foul-smelling bait ‘Late nights,’ he said ‘Where? Where you go? I know all the taverns and bars in the whole harbour district.’ ‘Do you now?’ ‘All of them – where d’you drink, then?’ ‘Who said anything about drinking, lad? No, what I is play.’ The boy drew slightly closer ‘Play what?’ ‘Fiddle.’ ‘You play at a bar?’ ‘I do, aye.’ ‘Which one?’ ‘Smiley’s.’ The old man ran out the hook on its weighted line and leaned over to watch it plummet into the depths The boy studied him suspiciously ‘I ain’t no fool,’ he said The old man glanced over, nodded ‘I can see that.’ ‘Smiley’s doesn’t exist It’s just a story A haunting People hearing things – voices in the air, tankards clunking Laughing.’ ‘That’s all they hear in the night air, lad?’ The boy licked his suddenly dry lips ‘No They hear … fiddling Music Sad, awful sad.’ ‘Hey now, not all of it’s sad Though maybe that’s what leaks out But,’ and he grinned at the boy, ‘I wouldn’t know that, would I?’ ‘You’re like all the rest,’ the boy said, facing out to sea once again ‘Who are all the rest, then?’ ‘Making up stories and stuff Lying – it’s all anybody ever does here, ’cause they got nothing else to They’re all wasting their lives Just like you You won’t catch any fish ever.’ And he waited, to gauge the effect of his words ‘Who said I was after fish?’ the old man asked, offering up an exaggeratedly sly expression ‘What, crabs? Wrong pier It’s too deep here It just goes down and down and for ever down!’ ‘Aye, and what’s down there, at the very bottom? You ever hear that story?’ The boy was incredulous and more than a little offended ‘Do I look two years old? That demon, the old emperor’s demon! But you can’t fish for it!’ ‘Why not?’ ‘Well – well, your rod would break! Look at it!’ ‘Looks can be deceiving, lad Remember that.’ The boy snorted He was always getting advice ‘I won’t be like you, old man I’m going to be a soldier when I grow up I’m going to leave this place For ever A soldier, fighting wars and getting rich and fighting and saving people and all that!’ The old man seemed about to say one thing, stopped, and instead said, ‘Well, the world always needs more soldiers.’ The boy counted this as a victory, the first of what he knew would be a lifetime of victories When he was grown up And famous ‘That demon bites and it’ll eat you up And even if you catch it and drag it up, how will you kill it? Nobody can kill it!’ ‘Never said anything about killing it,’ the old man replied ‘Just been a while since we last talked.’ ‘Ha! Hah! Hahaha!’ High above the harbour, the winds were brisk coming in from the sea They struck and spun the old battered weathervane on its pole, as if the demon knew not where to turn A sudden gust took it then, wrenched it hard around, and with a solid squeal the weathervane jammed The wind buffeted it, but decades of decay and rust seemed proof to its will, and the weathervane but quivered Like a thing in chains This ends the Tenth and Final Tale of the Malazan Book of the Fallen And now the page before us blurs An age is done The book must close We are abandoned to history Raise high one more time the tattered standard of the Fallen See through the drifting smoke to the dark stains upon the fabric This is the blood of our lives, this is the payment of our deeds, all soon to be forgotten We were never what people could be We were only what we were Remember us APPENDIX DRAMATIS PERSONAE Characters appearing in both Dust of Dreams and The Crippled God THE MALAZANS Adjunct Tavore Paran High Mage Quick Ben Fist Keneb Fist Blistig Captain Lostara Yil Banaschar Fist Kindly Captain Skanarow Fist Faradan Sort Captain Ruthan Gudd Lieutenant Pores Captain Raband Sinn Grub THE SQUADS Captain Fiddler Sergeant Tarr Koryk Smiles Bottle Corabb Bhilan Thenu’alas Cuttle Sergeant Gesler Corporal Stormy Shortnose Flashwit Mayfly Sergeant Cord Corporal Shard Limp Ebron Crump Sergeant Hellian Corporal Touchy Corporal Brethless Maybe Sergeant Balm Corporal Deadsmell Throatslitter Widdershins Sergeant Urb Corporal Clasp Masan Gilani Saltlick Burnt Rope Lap Twirl Sad Sergeant Sinter Corporal Pravalak Rim Honey Lookback Sergeant Badan Gruk Corporal Ruffle Nep Furrow Reliko Vastly Blank Corporal Kisswhere Skulldeath Drawfirst Sergeant Gaunt-Eye Corporal Rib Himble Thrup Dead Hedge Alchemist Bavedict Sergeant Sweetlard Sergeant Rumjugs THE HOST Ganoes Paran, High Fist and Master of the Deck High Mage Noto Boil Fist Rythe Bude Imperial Artist Ormulogun Warleader Mathok Bodyguard T’morol Gumble Skintick Desra Nemanda Kalam Mekhar THE KHUNDRYL Warleader Gall Hanavat (Gall’s wife) Shelemasa Jastara THE PERISH GREY HELMS Mortal Sword Krughava Shield Anvil Tanakalian Destriant Run’Thurvian Commander Erekala THE LETHERII King Tehol Queen Janath Brys Beddict Atri-Ceda Aranict Henar Vygulf Shurq Elalle Skorgen Kaban Ublala Pung THE BOLKANDO Queen Abrastal Spultatha Felash, Fourteenth Daughter Handmaid Gilk Warchief-Spax THE BARGHAST Hetan Stavi Storii Absi Skincut Ralata Awl Torrent Setoc of the Wolves THE SNAKE Rutt Held Badalle Saddic Yan Tovis (Twilight) Yedan Derryg (the Watch) Witch Pully Witch Skwish Brevity Pithy Sharl Corporal Nithe Sergeant Cellows Withal THE IMASS Onrack T’emlava Kilava Onass Ulshun Pral THE T’LAN IMASS Warleader Onos T’oolan Bitterspring (Lera Epar) Kalt Urmanal Rystalle Ev Ulag Togtil Nom Kala Urugal the Woven Thenik the Shattered Beroke Soft Voice Kahlb the Silent Hunter Halad the Giant THE K’CHAIN CHE’MALLE J’an Sentinel Bre’nigan K’ell Hunter Sag’Churok Matron Gunth Mach Shi’gal Assassin Gu’Rull Destriant Kalyth (Elan) THE TISTE ANDII Nimander Golit Spinnock Durav Korlat Dathenar Fandoris Prazek Goul Skintick Desra Nemanda Sandalath Drukorlat Silchas Ruin THE JAGHUT: AMONG THE FOURTEEN Bolirium Gedoran Daryft Gathras Sanad Varandas Haut Suvalas Aimanan Hood THE FORKRUL ASSAIL: THE LAWFUL INQUISITORS Reverence Serenity Equity Placid Diligence Abide Aloft Calm Belie Freedom Grave THE WATERED: THE TIERS OF LESSER ASSAIL Amiss Exigent Hestand Festian Kessgan Trissin Melest Haggraf THE TISTE LIOSAN Kadagar Fant Aparal Forge Iparth Erule Gaelar Throe Eldat Pressen OTHERS Rud Elalle (Ryadd Eleis) Telorast Curdle The Errant (Errastas) Knuckles (Sechul Lath) Kilmandaros Mael Olar Ethil Udinaas Bent Roach Shadowthrone (Ammeanas) Cotillion Draconus K’rul Kaminsod (the Crippled God) Karsa Orlong Silanah Apsal’ara Tulas Shorn D’rek, the Worm of Autumn Gillimada (Teblor leader) Faint Precious Thimble Amby Bole Gruntle Mappo Icarium Korabas, the Otataral Dragon Absi Spultatha Spindle Munug Table of Contents Acknowledgements Map Dramatis Personae Book One : ‘He was a soldier’ Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three Chapter Four Book Two : All the takers of my days Chapter Five Chapter Six Chapter Seven Book Three : To charge the spear Chapter Eight Chapter Nine Chapter Ten Book Four : The fists of the world Chapter Eleven Chapter Twelve Chapter Thirteen Book Five : A hand upon the fates Chapter Fourteen Chapter Fifteen Chapter Sixteen Book Six : To one in chains Chapter Seventeen Chapter Eighteen Chapter Nineteen Chapter Twenty Book Seven : Your private shore Chapter Twenty-One Chapter Twenty-Two Chapter Twenty-Three Chapter Twenty-Four Epilogue I Epilogue II Appendix About the Author ... THE KHUNDRYL Widow Jastara THE SNAKE Sergeant Cellows Corporal Nithe Sharl THE T’LAN IMASS: THE UNBOUND Urugal the Woven Thenik the Shattered Beroke Soft Voice Kahlb the Silent Hunter Halad the. .. had not suckled at the teat of corruption? Oh, they fed their inner fires, yet they hoarded the light, the warmth, as if justice belonged to them alone She was appalled She seethed with contempt... as to escape the agonized cries, the growl of the Hounds, or, drifting out over the broken rocks in ghostly streams, the blistering breath of cold upon their backs Before them rose the infernal