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Draw near, gentle readers, and let me tell you of Coltaine and the Chain of Dogs! Know, too, that my tale is praise — for no series on great leadership in the pages of speculative fiction could be complete without Coltaine.
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| Coltaine: © Jason Dement |
For those who know the Malazan Book of the Fallen (Malazan) series by Steven Erikson, I suspect no more need be said. For others, to whom the name Coltaine is new, I shall commence my tale by sharing that he is a central characters in Deadhouse Gates, which is #2 in the Malazan series.
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Coltaine is a leader among the nomadic Wickan tribes, who formerly opposed the Malazan empire but were convinced to join their ranks. When the story opens, he is now a Fist (think, general), in the Malazan armies, but is still regarded as a barbarian outsider by many. He is newly posted to the territory known as the Seven Cities, with command over both his own Wickan cavalry and the Malazan Seventh Army. Yet at the time of his arrival, the entire region is on the verge of an apocalyptic revolt, which erupts almost immediately afterward.
Foreseeing the revolt and that he cannot hold where he is, Coltaine leads a fighting retreat to join the main Malazan army in the stronghold city of Aren. What follows is a march that comes to be dubbed the Chain of Dogs, in which Coltaine must hold together his vastly outnumbered troops and defend thirty-thousand civilian refugees, in the face of privation and constant battle.
One of Coltaine's most significant leadership qualities is his ability to read events and his enemies. So when the revolt comes, he's prepared his troops and secured the supplies that make a fighting retreat possible. Throughout the Chain of Dogs, he out-thinks and outfights his opponents—although not without luck, given the degree to which he's both encumbered and outnumbered.
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Mostly, though, Coltaine makes his own luck, through a combination of preparation, tactical and strategic thinking, and daring. And although his leadership style is more distant than charismatic, he wins his army's unswerving loyalty through his genius and successes—which they understand, quite rightly, is what's keeping them in the fight.
Any distance, though, is only of personality, because otherwise Coltaine is strikingly present, leading a fight in which the one thing he can always be relied upon to do, militarily, is the unexpected. Yet his most surprising act, in the eyes of several of the tale's observers, is burdening himself with the civilian refugees, when militarily, jettisoning them would make more sense.
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Coltaine's greatness, though, lies in his ability to see a much bigger picture. He chose to join the empire, rather than continuing to fight it, because he perceived its strengths, particularly those of unity and organization. Strengths that will not be served by abandoning thirty-thousand civilians to be massacred, fueling the flames of rebellion, and replacing his outnumbered force's resolve with shame.
I believe there are few story arcs in speculative fiction more compelling than that of Coltaine and the Chain of Dogs. He is neither invulnerable nor infallible, but his courage, resolve, and sacrifice, see the thirty thousand to Aren, and put those who dismissed him as a barbarian outsider to shame. From the beginning of the Chain of Dogs to its end, he sees what needs to be done, and does it, by means of a combination of qualities that make him one of the outstanding leaders in speculative fiction.
© Jason Dement
Coltaine Image: Thanks to Jason Dement
I would like to thank Jason Dement for allowing me to feature his wonderful depiction of Coltaine in this post. As I said when making my request, it's always special to see a depiction that resonates with the visuals in one's head.
If you would like to see more of Jason's art, which features other characters from the Malazan series, as well as Star Wars and Marvel characters, click on Jason Dement. I believe you'll find that his site repays a visit. J
Prior Posts: Great Leaders in Speculative Fiction ~
Where To Find 'Em & Why They Rock
February: Mara of the Acoma in the "Empire" series by Raymond E Feist & Janny Wurts
March: Kaladin and Dalinar in "The Stormlight Archive" by Brandon Sanderson
April: Pyanfar Chanur in "The Pride of Chanur" series by CH Cherryh
May: John Aversin in Dragonsbane, by Barbara Hambly
June: Katniss Everdeen in "The Hunger Games" Trilogy by Suzanne Collins
July: Ulric of the Nadir in Legend by David Gemmell
August: Signe de Barbentain in A Song for Arbonne by Guy Gavriel Kay
September: Dr Mensah in the "Murderbot" Series by Martha Wells
October: Katsa & Bitterblue in "The Graceling Realms" by Kristin Cashore
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About Helen Lowe
Helen Lowe is an award-winning novelist, poet, and lover of story. With four books published to date, she is currently completing the final instalment in The Wall Of Night series.
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Helen posts regularly on her “…on Anything, Really” blog, monthly on the Supernatural Underground, and tweets @helenl0we.
