It's odd how a book can, mid-series, jump a continent, not feature (almost) any of the previous characters in the series, and still be so successful at what it's trying to do. It also sets up plots points that I assume will play out in later books that themselves will tie in to earlier books. It's truly dizzying. 

I did not love Midnight Tides as much as I did House of Chains or Memories of Ice, and in many ways it mirrors those books without being as impactful, but that does not mean I was ever bored or disengaged. This is another Malazan book, and if you love the previous entries, you'll probably like this too. Yes, it has moments of horror that will have you talking on forums about how grossed out you were, but it also has humor and camaraderie, and manages not to kill off every single character you've grown to like. Midnight Tides is just different enough to be a strange entry into the series but also familiar.