|
TGG posted:Paran is one of the weirdest characters in the series, they make sense but in the MOST confusing possible way. I like them but they are best in Memories of Ice and after that they kinda fall off. Remembering how much I like that character may inspire me to pick up Toll the Hounds again after falling off a while back through my latest series readthrough (I don't think TtH is bad or anything but if you've read it before you know you have a lot of bad poo poo happening to characters you like to look forward to before you can put it down and move on to the finale).
|
#
?
Nov 12, 2022 21:19
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 31, 2024 10:38 |
|
|
So finished Book 1 of Book 1. Feel like I so far have a grasp on what’s going on, lots of wheelings and dealings and moving parts and parties. Only thing I think I’m questioning is Why did Tattersail seem to warm the Hound that Hairlock was trying to steal it’s soul? And what is Hairlock attempting in that moment? Would soul stealing like transfer Hairlock from the puppet body into the Hound body, making him more powerful? Is it just a Hairlock power play? Because up until that point she’s defending herself AGAINST the Hound.
|
|
#
?
Nov 13, 2022 07:01
|
|
|
Conrad_Birdie posted:So finished Book 1 of Book 1. Feel like I so far have a grasp on what’s going on, lots of wheelings and dealings and moving parts and parties. Only thing I think I’m questioning is Why did Tattersail seem to warm the Hound that Hairlock was trying to steal it’s soul? And what is Hairlock attempting in that moment? Would soul stealing like transfer Hairlock from the puppet body into the Hound body, making him more powerful? Is it just a Hairlock power play? Because up until that point she’s defending herself AGAINST the Hound. Cos Hairlock is a an evil insane puppet-wizard that is just about tolerated by the Empire and the Bridgeburners because he's useful and they're desperate. They know he's only working with them because it suits him, and as soon as it doesn't suit him he'll toss em aside. Letting him absorb a Hound of Shadow will be Very Bad in some way, and even if an ancient shadow Hound is trying to kill you, you've got to be a real heartless bastard to let its soul get eaten by an evil insane puppet-wizard.
|
|
#
?
Nov 13, 2022 17:19
|
|
|
There's a good stretch of 3 or 4 books where the vibe is "Paran is also around here doing cool things, just out of frame"
|
|
#
?
Nov 13, 2022 17:29
|
|
|
TGG posted:Paran is one of the weirdest characters in the series, they make sense but in the MOST confusing possible way. I like them but they are best in Memories of Ice and after that they kinda fall off. Something I really dislike about the series is that a lot of characters end up like that. Krupp goes from this all powerful sorcerer that even the gods are aware of to the comic relief.
|
|
#
?
Nov 13, 2022 17:47
|
|
|
So yeah it’s mainly what I thought, he’s a wild little freak and nobody would want that scenario to see itself through. Cool cool cool.
|
|
#
?
Nov 13, 2022 18:11
|
|
|
AnimeIsTrash posted:Something I really dislike about the series is that a lot of characters end up like that. Krupp goes from this all powerful sorcerer that even the gods are aware of to the comic relief.
|
|
#
?
Nov 14, 2022 00:36
|
|
|
anilEhilated posted:I'm not sure about the first part. IIRC, the big magic he shows was directly "on loan" from K'rul who chose Kruppe because of his smarts, not powers; his biggest achievement was his spy network. Admittedly, I don't remember if they ever backpedal on that. Do you remember what book that is from? it's been a while since I read the series but from my memory Kruppe is a born mage, but gets visions/dreams from K'rul.
|
|
#
?
Nov 14, 2022 03:14
|
|
|
AnimeIsTrash posted:Krupp goes from this all powerful sorcerer that even the gods are aware of to the comic relief. he was always the comic relief. That's how he flys under the radar. He just also happens to be very good.
|
|
#
?
Nov 14, 2022 06:30
|
|
|
AnimeIsTrash posted:Do you remember what book that is from? it's been a while since I read the series but from my memory Kruppe is a born mage, but gets visions/dreams from K'rul. Whole series spoiler: The way I always read it was that he was always a mage but never a super powerful one, or if he was he never liked using his powerul magic like how Tayshrenn blows up mountains. The only time he does anything super powerful is in his dreams and when Caladan Brood tries to smash him with his hammer. The dream powers never really go away and the Kallor thing he says he's protected by powerful friends (i.e K'Rul). And he was always comic relief. I don't really see any inconsistencies as he never really uses raw power for anything, his power was always just being smart.
|
|
#
?
Nov 14, 2022 13:01
|
|
|
Yeah, Kruppe is never portrayed as an all-powerful mage, really. He does some minor bits here and there, like confusing people, wiping memories; the biggest thing you see is when he withstands Brood's hammer, and that is a very big feat, but I think it's also implied (and generally believed) that this was a result of K'rul's protection. The exact extent of Kruppe's sorcerous abilities is kept fairly enigmatic, in keeping with the character in general. By far Kruppe's standout attribute, as depicted, is his intelligence, which is described as being singular. Only Quick Ben and, I suppose, Tehol Beddict, are described in a manner which seems anywhere near close.
|
|
#
?
Nov 14, 2022 13:36
|
|
|
Kruppe is kind of a Tom Bumbling-odil, in that he's extremely powerful in his very narrowly defined area. He's described as "having a Deck of Dragons" in his head, and dream magic suggests a very strange relationship to Warrens, maybe even his own personal warren. And the climax of Gardens relies a lot on his powers. I never read that as K'Rul lending him power - as in GotM K'Rul is only just waking up and probably isn't very strong at that point. TGG posted:Paran is one of the weirdest characters in the series, they make sense but in the MOST confusing possible way. I like them but they are best in Memories of Ice and after that they kinda fall off. I like his Bonehunter's appearance more than MoI. Erikson nails that feeling of a dude who's been on loads of adventures and stuff off-screen, but he's not our protagonist anymore so we don't get to see it. Heck, some of Erikson's best character work is for people like him, where we don't get to see inside their head and instead both the reader and other characters are left speculating as to what's they really want. Like with Lasseen, Tavore, Rake etc.
|
|
#
?
Nov 14, 2022 19:04
|
|
|
It's why I really like Chapter 1 of The Crippled God. He's been off-screen for a long time and when we come back he's just casually wrecking poo poo and has powered himself up incredibly well.
|
|
#
?
Nov 14, 2022 21:30
|
|
|
Erikson decided to write a book about writing. And being that he's an epic fantasy writer that actually managed to finish his big series in a reasonable time, why the gently caress not. https://www.facebook.com/steveneriksonofficial/posts/pfbid02e2fYYEu6g9D4zHWZyJy42gHQUAVxzZJZWrMhi5ixoRV5DhNGpeD1JbHpZTvWgj2Gl
|
|
#
?
Nov 15, 2022 01:43
|
|
|
Alright finished up the second book of Gardens Of the Moon. Maybe I’m just getting used to Erickson’s writing style, but overall I enjoyed this section more than the first. I really enjoyed the lower class, street level vibe of the whole thing. Assassins, thieves, spies. Lots of political intrigue. Of course it ends before anything big happens, but it was a fun introduction to the players. There was a sense of urgency that kept me reading that I didn’t really get in the first section. Also wild it was just an entirely new set of characters in an entirely new locale with an entirely new plot and the barest ties to the events of the first 175 pages lol.
|
|
#
?
Nov 15, 2022 14:49
|
|
|
Enjoy what’s coming, the second and third book generally have one or the other as peoples favorite of the series.
|
|
#
?
Nov 15, 2022 16:05
|
|
|
Conrad_Birdie posted:Also wild it was just an entirely new set of characters in an entirely new locale with an entirely new plot and the barest ties to the events of the first 175 pages lol. Get used to that happening - or seemingly happening anyway, as the ties will normally eventually be established, in a satisfying way. Can take a while in some instances, though!
|
|
#
?
Nov 15, 2022 16:36
|
|
|
Alright, just finished Gardens of the Moon. I suppose I liked it. I think the highlight still might have been that second section learning about the crew at Phoenix Inn. It was just fun. A lot happened in this book. And just when you thought more couldn’t possibly happen, like three more things happen, with about one sentence of explanation for each. It’s just things on things on things. A lot of characters ended up not being particularly important to the climax of this book, honestly, including Whiskeyjack, which felt surprising. Ended up digging Rake, and definitely looking forward to seeing what he gets up to next. I feel like I understood everything that happened in the book, but I’m not just sure why everything happened. I will probably read Deadhouse Gates, but not immediately. Need a couple short books between each of these Malazan bricks. Big fans of the series, ask me questions after reading the first book for the first time.
|
|
#
?
Nov 28, 2022 05:05
|
|
|
Best to know that while Gardens is an entertaining book, it is not at all close to the rest of the series. Take your time, but know that Deadhouse Gates is some prime fantasy and could be read without Gardens if need be. It crushes.
|
|
#
?
Nov 28, 2022 07:39
|
|
|
Strom Cuzewon posted:Kruppe is kind of a Tom Bumbling-odil, in that he's extremely powerful in his very narrowly defined area. He's described as "having a Deck of Dragons" in his head, and dream magic suggests a very strange relationship to Warrens, maybe even his own personal warren. And the climax of Gardens relies a lot on his powers. I never read that as K'Rul lending him power - as in GotM K'Rul is only just waking up and probably isn't very strong at that point. Ha, I do love some of his offshoot characters. Fear is a fantastic little character who not a soul will know fully. Characters like Pearl appear and vanish with a feeling like you might understand them or might not? What the gently caress is Korbal Broach?
|
|
#
?
Nov 28, 2022 07:43
|
|
|
It amazes me that in a book series so huge I find myself wanting to still know more about a lot of the characters.
|
|
#
?
Nov 28, 2022 14:50
|
|
|
Conrad_Birdie posted:Alright, just finished Gardens of the Moon. What is a Warren? What is an Ascendant? Who is the biggest jerk in the series so far?
|
|
#
?
Nov 28, 2022 17:39
|
|
|
Warrens are otherworldly portals magic users in the book series draw their power from. They can also be traveled through as a sort of “shortcut” through the world. Some Warrens are kinda obvious - like this one gives you flame powers or shielding, and then some are really old, older than you think, and we have no idea what’s going on with them, other than they’re EXTREMELY powerful. Ascendants are gods, but not elder gods? Gods who like to gently caress around with the mortal world a bit more than the really ancient ones. Biggest rear end in a top hat was Hairlock of course.
|
|
#
?
Nov 28, 2022 17:47
|
|
|
Conrad_Birdie posted:Big fans of the series, ask me questions after reading the first book for the first time. Which characters do you think will remain relevant throughout the series? It's a big cast.
|
|
#
?
Nov 28, 2022 20:18
|
|
|
Jaxyon posted:Which characters do you think will remain relevant throughout the series? It's a big cast. Sorry seems like the only person I’m sure will continue on in some manner, it feels like she’s the one with the most explicit “sequel hook.” Which I’m kinda “whatever” about, all of Sorry’s stuff really did little for me. I assume Whiskeyjack and to some degree the other Bridgeburners. Hope he see a lot more of Rake. Really won me over as a big overpowered badass dragon dude by the finale. We’ll have to come back to Tattersail at some point too, after what, erm, happens to her midway through this first book.
|
|
#
?
Nov 28, 2022 20:34
|
|
|
What I liked about GoTM is how you were free to root for any of the factions. Like an independent Darhujistan? Phoenix in crew got you covered. Find the idea of imperialism distasteful? poo poo all over the empire, gently caress them! Find the idea of the bridgeburners over done? Well they got their comeuppance didn't they? Philosophic zombie neanderthals, hell yeah! Root for whoever you like.
|
|
#
?
Nov 28, 2022 21:01
|
|
|
Most importantly, are you into BBW’s?
|
|
#
?
Nov 28, 2022 21:29
|
|
|
imagine dungeons posted:Most importantly, are you into BBW’s? Erikson certainly is, and I certainly noticed he is while reading this book lol
|
|
#
?
Nov 28, 2022 22:34
|
|
|
The best part of Gardens of the Moon is something you don’t even realize until way later on. Pretty much every major character in the series was right there at the beginning. So trust you’ll be getting a lot more time with all of them.
|
|
#
?
Nov 29, 2022 14:16
|
|
|
 artist
|
|
#
?
Dec 12, 2022 19:56
|
|
|
Now do Barney Rubble as Rake
|
|
#
?
Dec 12, 2022 19:59
|
|
|
Got back into this series after dropping off from Reapers Gale like 2 years ago. Haven't read much fiction. Read a bit of the summaries of the past books again but I remember most of the big details. drat I LOVE this series. It's such a drat good read.
|
|
#
?
Dec 23, 2022 16:05
|
|
|
Started reading Deadhouse Gates after a maybe 7 year gap? since I read Gardens of the Moon. Not sure why I didn't get back into this series sooner, it's fuckin' awesome. I think when I was younger I felt it was cheesy and a little embarrassing how earnest it was. But now, I really appreciate the directness of the writing, the ambition and overflowing enthusiasm. There's no messing around, everything is laid on the table right away. In the first 3 chapters there's already been shapeshifting immortals, high-level imperial politics, god-avatars, a giant sea-centipede got its head blown off by an explosive crossbow... A lot of fantasy writers hold back plot and exposition to tease the reader. Erikson feels like he's holding back only because he has so much to tell you and he physically can't say it all at once. I feel like I basically remember the main points of the first book even though it's been so long. The fan wiki is surprisingly helpful in jogging my memory and not riddled with pointless minutiae like most fan wikis are.
|
|
#
?
Dec 29, 2022 01:30
|
|
|
Erikson's writing improved a lot from Gardens to Deadhouse, it was a long time between the two while he tried to find a publisher. Deadhouse is my easy favourite, though I couldn't pick a second. 
|
|
#
?
Dec 29, 2022 03:07
|
|
|
Ben Nerevarine posted:There's a good stretch of 3 or 4 books where the vibe is "Paran is also around here doing cool things, just out of frame" Its one of the most frustrating things of the series, when he gets the most interesting as a character. And his development takes a very intriguing turn. Erickson stops writing about him.
|
|
#
?
Jan 19, 2023 16:11
|
|
|
Remember that time you guys told me not to read Orb Sceptre Throne and Stoneweilder before The Cripple God. I probably should have done that... Stoneweilder took me SO LONG to get through it just dragged the whole time. I enjoyed Orb Sceptre Throne much more though. I'm ~500 pages into TCG and I'm not noticing anything that was enhanced by reading either of those two stories so far. I'm hoping at the very least the events with Tayschrenn at the end of OST impacts TCG...
|
|
#
?
Jan 19, 2023 16:55
|
|
|
you fuckers (and in the general thread here), got me to start reading this again.
|
|
#
?
Jan 19, 2023 16:56
|
|
|
McSpankWich posted:I'm hoping at the very least the events with Tayschrenn at the end of OST impacts TCG... lmao, literally nothing will come up from any part of those books.
|
|
#
?
Jan 19, 2023 19:28
|
|
|
|
|
#
?
Jan 19, 2023 20:47
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 31, 2024 10:38 |
|
|
I finally started Deadhouse Gates and yeah it’s definitely better written than Gardens of the Moon, so it’s going down a bit easier. He’s including lots of made up words and places, but I’m just kinda glazing over them and knowing that if they’re important down the line, they’ll be repeated and contextualized at some point. I’m about 150 pages in and like I said, the quality of his prose is better, and I understand everything that’s going on right now. Just not sure what the plot is. Right now it’s just like four disparate stories that are just kinda meandering along. He’s talking a lot more about D’ivers and Soletakens, neither of which I think were mentioned in GotM? I’m not exactly sure what either of them are? I think they’re some sort of shapeshifters? There’s definitely shape shifting in this book, we’ve seen it a lot already. And they speak telepathically? And you can stop them from killing you by outwitting them. I guess. It’s fine so far! We’ll see what happens!
|
|
#
?
Jan 22, 2023 15:32
|
|