Bauchelain and Korbal Broach: Three Short Novels of the Malazan Empire

This collection of edgy and violent narratives tied to Erikson's Malazon Empire series pushes the boundaries of epic fantasy with morally ambiguous protagonists, bloody altercations and gritty world-building. Bauchelain, a cultured necromancer; Korbal Broach, his eunuch companion with an intense desire to procreate; and their luckless manservant, Emancipor Reese, find themselves embroiled in a murder mystery in “Blood Follows,” a shipboard battle against unearthly powers in “The Lees of Laughter's End,” and the politics of a fascist kingdom in “The Healthy Dead.” Through short, clipped chapters, a focus on gore-filled action and an economy of words, Erikson moves the plots quickly. A bit of ironic dark humor adds needed levity to otherwise disturbing, even sordid stories enthralled with the seedy side of human nature. (Sept.)