Page Burners: Midnight Tides by Steven Erikson - Chapters 15, 16 & 17

In this episode of Page Burners, the crew continues their journey through Midnight Tides, Book Five of Malazan Book of the Fallen by Steven Erikson, diving deep into the chaos and revelations of the late-book chapters as the Letherii–Edur conflict erupts into full war.

The discussion explores the sudden devastation unleashed by Letherii sorcery, wiping out entire villages and throwing the Edur world into upheaval. The hosts unpack the emotional weight of Buruk’s tragic storyline and Seren Pedac’s complicated reaction to his death, debating whether Erikson’s “fog of war” storytelling heightens the tension or obscures the emotional impact.

From there, the conversation branches into some of the book’s biggest mysteries. What is the Empty Hold, and why might Seren Pedac be tied to its power? Who are the mysterious “Mistresses,” and how does the awakening of Death in Lether connect to the shifting metaphysical balance of the world?

The crew also examines the arrival of the Crimson Guard and the enigmatic Iron Bars, whose appearance raises new questions about Lether’s place in the broader Malazan world.

Meanwhile, the discussion turns toward Trull Sengar and the Edur war campaign, touching on the strange presence of the Jheck, the implications of a Tiste Edur with Andii traits, and the broader question of how disconnected the Edur may have become from their own origins.

Finally, the hosts dive into one of the novel’s most bizarre and fascinating threads: Udinaas’ journey into a strange pocket realm inhabited by ghostly T'lan Imass, the shocking revelation of his son’s existence, and the tangled manipulations of the dragon-blooded powers moving behind the scenes.

As always, theories fly, timelines get debated, and the group wrestles with the sprawling mythology that makes Malazan one of fantasy’s most ambitious series.