Page Burners: Midnight Tides by Steven Erikson - Chapter 21 & Epilogue

About this episode

The crew wraps up their discussion of Midnight Tides, exploring its themes, character fates, and narrative structure.

In this episode of Page Burners , the crew wraps up their deep dive into Midnight Tides by Midnight Tides, the fifth installment in Malazan Book of the Fallen by Steven Erikson. Covering Chapter 25 and the epilogue, the discussion zeroes in on the novel’s powerful and tragic convergence—where politics, prophecy, and personal choices collide in unforgettable fashion. The panel explores the Shakespearean structure of the story, the devastating outcomes of key decisions, and whether the book’s emotional payoffs truly land. From the throne room climax to the fates of central characters like Trull, Rhulad, and Seren Pedac, the group debates what worked, what didn’t, and what may be setting the stage for future books. Is Midnight Tides a masterclass in thematic storytelling, or does its sprawling narrative leave some threads underdeveloped? The episode also looks ahead to what’s next in the Malazan reading order, including The Healthy Dead and Night of Knives , and teases an upcoming full-series spoiler discussion. If you love epic fantasy, deep character analysis, and honest reactions to one of the genre’s most ambitious series—this is the conversation for you. Send us a message (I'm…

People in this episode

Hosts: Jarrod Varsha, Chris Jose, Carl D. Albert, Thomas J. Deven

Topics covered

• epic fantasy
• character analysis
• thematic storytelling
• politics and prophecy
• narrative structure
• emotional payoffs

Keywords

• Midnight Tides
• Steven Erikson
• Malazan Book of the Fallen
• character fates
• thematic storytelling
• politics
• prophecy
• narrative structure

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Midnight Tides, Malazan Book of the Fallen, The Healthy Dead, Night of Knives

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