The Malazan Book of the Fallen: Too many wor'ds.

The Something Awful Forums > The Finer Arts > The Book Barn > The Malazan Book of the Fallen: Too many wor'ds.

The Ninth Layer: Jun 20, 2007

You can't go wrong with a reread. Lots of stuff to pick up the second time around when you don't have to worry about how drat confusing everything seems to be.

# ? Mar 1, 2016 06:34

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# ? May 14, 2024 22:29

Lunchmeat Larry: Nov 3, 2012

M_Gargantua posted:

So I started thinking of this series again the other day. And the thought just keeps growing because the whole thing is just this blur in my memory. It doesn't help that I listened to the last 3 as audiobooks after reading the rest. I feel like theres a lot I missed in retrospect.

Honestly I re-read the whole thing after TCG and the amount of stuff I'd entirely forgotten was ridiculous. Which makes sense given that I waited between each book as they came out and spent half of the following one going "what's happening here and who are these people". It's a lot more enjoyable being able to read them more or less back to back even though it's a huge reading investment.

# ? Mar 1, 2016 14:58

cptn_dr: Sep 7, 2011; Seven for beauty that blossoms and dies

Chapter One of Midnight Tides reminds me of reading the start of Gardens for the first time. I've been thrown into an entirely new setting with mostly new characters, with only little snippets of information from earlier to go on.
Interesting start, though. I'm bearing in mind the warning Paran got about the Emperor of the Edur, but other than that, I don't know where anything is going. Look forward to finding out though.

# ? Mar 2, 2016 10:51

Safety Factor: Oct 31, 2009; Grimey Drawer

cptn_dr posted:

Chapter One of Midnight Tides reminds me of reading the start of Gardens for the first time. I've been thrown into an entirely new setting with mostly new characters, with only little snippets of information from earlier to go on.
Interesting start, though. I'm bearing in mind the warning Paran got about the Emperor of the Edur, but other than that, I don't know where anything is going. Look forward to finding out though.

Midnight Tides takes place before the rest of the series(?) and you can pick up some neat tie-ins with some of the other books. It also introduces two of the best characters in the series, Tehol and Bugg. It is a good book.

# ? Mar 4, 2016 09:09

M_Gargantua: Oct 16, 2006; STOMP'N ON INTO THE POWERLINES; Exciting Lemon

So I did wind up starting Garden of the Moon again today. Already I know how much more i'm going to understand this run through. Like for example the stuff and characters referenced in the book of the fallen prechapter writings. The first one is by Felsin for example.

# ? Mar 5, 2016 02:49

Captain_Person: Apr 7, 2013; WHAT CAN THE HARVEST HOPE FOR, IF NOT FOR THE CARE OF THE REAPER MAN?

I finished Memories of Ice a few days ago. I think my cry of KALLOR YOU MOTHERUCKER gently caress gently caress gently caress FUCKER gently caress sums up how I felt pretty accurately. I started tearing up on the bus reading the last chapter and epilogue. Dammit Steven Erikson, I love these books too much to stop, but you aren't making it easy.

I'm nearly 200 pages into House of Chains now and while I'm not fed up with Karsa (holy poo poo Karsa is terrifying) I do miss the Bridgeburners. I'm really looking forward to seeing how everything comes together.

# ? Mar 5, 2016 06:16

Khizan: Jul 30, 2013

Captain_Person posted:

I finished Memories of Ice a few days ago. I think my cry of KALLOR YOU MOTHERUCKER gently caress gently caress gently caress FUCKER gently caress sums up how I felt pretty accurately. I started tearing up on the bus reading the last chapter and epilogue. Dammit Steven Erikson, I love these books too much to stop, but you aren't making it easy.

I'm nearly 200 pages into House of Chains now and while I'm not fed up with Karsa (holy poo poo Karsa is terrifying) I do miss the Bridgeburners. I'm really looking forward to seeing how everything comes together.

Kallor and Karsa are the best characters in the series.

# ? Mar 5, 2016 08:35

anilEhilated: Feb 17, 2014; But I say fuck the rain.; Grimey Drawer

Kallor did nothing wrong

No, seriously, he's a cool guy. I never really understood the love for Whiskeyjack - we keep being told how amazing he is but really don't see him doing anything that endearing.

# ? Mar 5, 2016 10:53

acumen: Mar 17, 2005; Fun Shoe

Whiskeyjack is basically [MoI]Ned Stark.

# ? Mar 6, 2016 00:00

dishwasherlove: Nov 26, 2007; The ultimate fusion of man and machine.

acumen posted:

Whiskeyjack is basically [MoI]Ned Stark.

Spoilers for the series If Ned Stark comes back as Nadi Skeark and leads and army of ghosts against the white walkers in GoT then I guess I'll have to start reading GoT again.

# ? Mar 6, 2016 00:54

Illinois Smith: Nov 15, 2003; Ninety-one? There are ninety other "Tiger Drivers"? Do any involve actual tigers, or driving?

I finally started Forge after letting it sit around for a while. I was kind of dreading starting out with yet another set of mostly new characters but I guess when reading them the names are easier to retain than with audiobooks, haven't needed to look at the wiki once so far.

Only about 150 pages in, meeting all the high and low houses of Tiste society is nice and all but I can't wait to get back to whatever Draconus is up to and my beloved Jags. I have a feeling Haut being called captain is gonna lead to lots of parts where I can't stop grinning like a loving idiot while reading this thing on the train.

Illinois Smith fucked around with this message at 12:18 on Mar 9, 2016

# ? Mar 9, 2016 12:07

Fuzzy Mammal: Aug 15, 2001; Lipstick Apathy

The Fiends of Nightmaria posted:

Beetle Praata�s horse collapsed under him just outside the embassy�s stables, making it easier to dismount. He stepped to one side to regard the fallen beast, and then gave one tentative kick to its lathered haunch, eliciting no response.

Puny Sploor, the groundskeeper and stabler, edged into view from the Sentry Cubicle, holding one flickering candle, his rheumy eyes blinking.
Beetle Praata gestured at the horse. �Brush this down and drag it close to some hay.�

Puny rubbed at one skinny arm, as if the effort of holding up the candle had exhausted it. �It�s dead,� he observed.

Beetle frowned and then shrugged. �You never know.�

Leaving the stabler and the horse in the small yard, the Imperial Courier of Nightmaria made his way into the embassy. Just outside the heavy bronze door he paused and squinted up into the night sky. The stars seemed to swim in a vast pool of black water, as if he had sunk to unimaginable depths, swallowed by a diluvean dream from which no awakening was possible. He drew a deep, cleansing breath, and then lifted the heavy iron ring, turned it until it clicked, pulled open the massive door, and strode inside.

The air within was redolent, thick with the pungent reek of decay. Offering bowls of green, slimy copper occupied flanking niches at eye-level to either side of the formal entranceway, filled with moss from which parasitic flowers spilled down to snake across the narrow ledges. A thick, loose rug underfoot made wet sounds beneath his boots, and from it arose the cloying smell of rot.

He unclipped his scaled leather highway cloak, shaking the dust from it before setting it on a hook. He plucked from his belt a pair of kid-skin gloves and methodically pulled them on, ensuring that each finger was snug. Satisfied, he continued on, exiting the entranceway to find himself in the vast Audience Chamber that had never known a foreign guest. The lush padding of the settees to either side of the Ambassador�s Chair were now lumpy, the filling spilled out from rotted holes here and there, and in places where small creatures nested the humps in the fabric moved up and down every now and then. Overhead, a chandelier of roseate crystal was mostly obscured beneath frayed braids of moss and lichens, its hundred candles long since eaten by mice and whatnot. From somewhere nearby, water trickled.

Beetle Praata strode to one side and tugged on a ratty cord, somewhat gingerly lest it part, and upon hearing a distant chime, he nodded to himself and settled in to wait.

Motion from beneath one of the settees drew his eye and he observed as a slow-worm, with a blunt maw big enough to swallow the head of a small dog, slithered into view. Lifting its sightless muzzle, it quested from one side to the next, and then set out sliding directly towards Beetle.

From somewhere nearby, deeper into the sanctum, came a muted dragging sound, along with faint, meaty flops, and the hint of something scaly sliding across the damp tiles.

Beetle crouched when the slow-worm finally reached him. He patted its blunt head, lightly enough to keep the stains to his gloves to a minimum. The slow-worm circled him, its knobby tail twitching. As the other sounds drew closer, he straightened and turned into time to see a hunched, uneven form creep into view from a narrow passageway hidden behind a mouldy curtain.

Clad in green silks, Ambassador Ophal D�Neeth Flatroq seemed to hover a moment, and then began a rhythmic swaying, similar to a cobra with hood unfurled. The robe Ophal wore was high-cowled, framing a bald pate of glistening scales, strangely curled ears that ended at vague, possibly chewed points, eyes of murky green, pallid brows and cheeks the hue of a serpent�s belly, and a toothless mouth of thick, flabby lips. One hand held up an open oil lamp, flames flickering, revealing fingers without nails and heavy scales upon the back of the hand.

A thin tongue slipped out and darted for a moment before retreating again.
Beetle Praata bowed. �Ambassador.�

�Hissip svlah, thlup?�

�Alas, yes. As expected, I�m afraid.� The Imperial Courier reached beneath his tunic and drew out a wooden tube, its ends sealed in wax, the seals bearing the stamp of the Royal Signet Ring.

�Prrlll obbel lell,� Ophal sighed, placing the oil lamp on nearby ledge and then accepting the king�s command. Twisting one end of the tube broke a seal and the ambassador probed with a greenish finger until he was able to pull out the vellum. Unfurling it, Ophal peered close, eyes tracking the script. His tongue slithered out again, this time from one corner of his mouth, then retreated once more. �Ahh, prrlll. Flluth villl rrrh na.�

Beetle�s brows lifted. �This very night? Very well. Shall I await the reply?�

Ophal nodded, and then sighed again. �Mah yull thelff hathome.�

The courier bowed a second time.

The ambassador gestured down at the slow-worm, �Eemlee, prrlll come!�

Ophal retreated from whence he came, the slow-worm slithering after him.

Beetle walked over to one of the settees and carefully sat down, ensuring that he crushed nothing. It was going to be a long night. He watched a spider chase a mouse across the floor.

noice

# ? Mar 11, 2016 19:36

Abalieno: Apr 3, 2011

Oh, it's already out?

I thought it was for this summer or something like that...

# ? Mar 13, 2016 00:35

dishwasherlove: Nov 26, 2007; The ultimate fusion of man and machine.

No thanks for the lack of a link. It's a preorder apparently. http://www.pspublishing.co.uk/the-fiends-of-nightmaria-slgned-slipcased-by-steven-erikson-3877-p.asp?utm_source=malazanempire

Think I'll wait for a cheaper version from another publisher.

# ? Mar 13, 2016 01:04

mallamp: Nov 25, 2009

Why does the cover look like bad 80's cheese horror?

# ? Mar 13, 2016 07:42

Elyv: Jun 14, 2013

Khizan posted:

Kallor and Karsa are the best characters in the series.

Incorrect (as far as Kallor goes at least)

# ? Mar 13, 2016 07:49

dishwasherlove: Nov 26, 2007; The ultimate fusion of man and machine.

Do you even curse?

# ? Mar 13, 2016 08:46

Spermy Smurf: Jul 2, 2004

I dont remember Kallor. There was this mysterious warlord who was pretty badass though. Its too bad he was too mysterious for me to know who he was.

He wore long grey chainmail, with a two handed sword sticking up above a shoulder. He was a mysterious warlord. Mysterious. Warlord. No name. Chain mail. Grey. Old. Warlord. Chainmail. Sword. Old. Mysterious warlord.

Too bad we will never know who that was.

Mysterious.

# ? Mar 13, 2016 13:48

Libluini: May 18, 2012; I gravitated towards the Greens, eventually even joining the party itself.

The Linke is a party I grudgingly accept exists, but I've learned enough about DDR-history I can't bring myself to trust a party that was once the SED, a party leading the corrupt state apparatus ...; Grimey Drawer

Spermy Smurf posted:

I dont remember Kallor. There was this mysterious warlord who was pretty badass though. Its too bad he was too mysterious for me to know who he was.

He wore long grey chainmail, with a two handed sword sticking up above a shoulder. He was a mysterious warlord. Mysterious. Warlord. No name. Chain mail. Grey. Old. Warlord. Chainmail. Sword. Old. Mysterious warlord.

Too bad we will never know who that was.

Mysterious.

Kallor is basically Adolf Hitler with a sword. The difference is, Hitler committed suicide and was real, Kallor is immortal and (thankfully) doesn't exist.

# ? Mar 13, 2016 15:30

Spermy Smurf: Jul 2, 2004

Havent read the ICE books huh?

# ? Mar 13, 2016 17:34

Eediot Jedi: Dec 25, 2007; This is where I begin to speculate what being a
man of my word costs me

You say that like it's a bad thing.

# ? Mar 14, 2016 03:38

Tokelau All Star: Feb 23, 2008; THE TAXES! THE FINGER THING MEANS THE TAXES!

Spermy Smurf posted:

Havent read the ICE books huh?

Why would anyone do that?

# ? Mar 14, 2016 08:18

Yngwie Mangosteen: Aug 23, 2007

Spermy Smurf posted:

Havent read the ICE books huh?

Ew gross, no.

# ? Mar 14, 2016 15:47

Gravity Cant Apple: Jun 25, 2011; guys its just like if you had an apple with a straw n you poked the apple though wit it n a pebbl hadnt dropped through itd stop straw insid the apple because gravity cant apple

I just finished Assail last week and actually thought he did a pretty good job with it. Not with actually making the Forkrul Assail themselves interesting or seeming like an actual threat, but the continent of Assail was pretty interesting. Certainly way better than Jacuruku was portrayed.

Shouldn't have been named Assail though, would have been a way better story without them entirely. That and if there were fewer ship convoys and parties moving overland so the story could be more focused. That's pretty much par for the course with ICE, though.

# ? Mar 14, 2016 16:09

Illinois Smith: Nov 15, 2003; Ninety-one? There are ninety other "Tiger Drivers"? Do any involve actual tigers, or driving?

I'm at the part in Forge where Draconus and co. reach the Azathanai village and Olar Ethil shows up and HOLY gently caress HOW DID I NOT GET STARTED WITH THIS BOOK SOONER

Also what's up with her claiming to be Burn in Crippled God (I think?), but claiming to have nursed her in this one?

The last chapter I finished was Osserc's fight with his dad and escape from the village, not the biggest fan of his backstory so far but I have a feeling poo poo's about to pick up in that regard too.

Please tell me we're actually gonna get to Jag City in this book. :allears:

Also, timeline question, is this all before or after the Jag / Imass war and the Tellann ritual? Lord of Hate is Raest, right?

Illinois Smith fucked around with this message at 12:48 on Mar 16, 2016

# ? Mar 16, 2016 12:28

anilEhilated: Feb 17, 2014; But I say fuck the rain.; Grimey Drawer

Illinois Smith posted:

Also what's up with her claiming to be Burn in Crippled God (I think?), but claiming to have nursed her in this one?

She's lying. She does that a lot.
IIRC, the Lord of Hate is Gothos and this is all taking place before Tellan since that's a warren and they aren't around yet.

# ? Mar 16, 2016 12:57

Habibi: Dec 8, 2004; We have the capability to make San Jose's first Cup Champion.

The Sharks could be that Champion.

anilEhilated posted:

She's lying. She does that a lot.
IIRC, the Lord of Hate is Gothos and this is all taking place before Tellan since that's a warren and they aren't around yet.

I was actually under the impression that it was after the ritual. I could be mixing up books, but doesn't she go off defending her 'punishment' of the Imass to Draconus as being justified for stealing her fire/magic/Warren or whatever?

She is lying about all the other stuff (although given that don't we meet Burn as an old priestess or woman or spirit or something? it's possible she predates her and Burn wasn't always Burn as we see her in the Malazan present.).

Habibi fucked around with this message at 21:30 on Mar 16, 2016

# ? Mar 16, 2016 21:28

anilEhilated: Feb 17, 2014; But I say fuck the rain.; Grimey Drawer

It's entirely possible, I read Forge only once and won't reread until Fall hits the shelves.

# ? Mar 16, 2016 21:39

Eediot Jedi: Dec 25, 2007; This is where I begin to speculate what being a
man of my word costs me

llinois Smith, Forge is before the ritual and the war. You might want to avoid reading the spoilers as more is revealed during the book.

Habibi posted:

I was actually under the impression that it was after the ritual. I could be mixing up books, but doesn't she go off defending her 'punishment' of the Imass to Draconus as being justified for stealing her fire/magic/Warren or whatever?

She is lying about all the other stuff (although given that don't we meet Burn as an old priestess or woman or spirit or something? it's possible she predates her and Burn wasn't always Burn as we see her in the Malazan present.).

Yeah, Burn was the most powerful Dog-Runner witch and she is sleeping in a temple underground. As she's slept she's become wooden and started putting out roots. I'm pretty sure there's also references in the book to Jaghut being naughty and dominating Dog-Runners, sowing the seeds of the future war.

# ? Mar 16, 2016 22:40

Infinite Karma: Oct 23, 2004; Good as dead

Tommofork posted:

llinois Smith, Forge is before the ritual and the war. You might want to avoid reading the spoilers as more is revealed during the book.

Yeah, Burn was the most powerful Dog-Runner witch and she is sleeping in a temple underground. As she's slept she's become wooden and started putting out roots. I'm pretty sure there's also references in the book to Jaghut being naughty and dominating Dog-Runners, sowing the seeds of the future war.

I'm still feeling confident that the Malazan world with "Burn's Sleep" is a dream realm like the Refugium that Udinaas lived in. Time and space are different in those worlds, so millennia could pass to the Malazans, with much less time for the Tiste and Azathanai. And all of the warren worlds that are connected in FoD could still be connected, but not without magic from the dream world. Obviously, it would be Burn's dream, so when a magic hammer is supposed to be able to wake her and end the world, that would be what literally happens.

# ? Mar 16, 2016 23:22

anilEhilated: Feb 17, 2014; But I say fuck the rain.; Grimey Drawer

Infinite Karma posted:

I'm still feeling confident that the Malazan world with "Burn's Sleep" is a dream realm like the Refugium that Udinaas lived in. Time and space are different in those worlds, so millennia could pass to the Malazans, with much less time for the Tiste and Azathanai. And all of the warren worlds that are connected in FoD could still be connected, but not without magic from the dream world. Obviously, it would be Burn's dream, so when a magic hammer is supposed to be able to wake her and end the world, that would be what literally happens.

I believe that is all but explicitely stated in MoI, yeah. Dream logic is also a way of handwaving time inconsistencies.

# ? Mar 16, 2016 23:32

Infinite Karma: Oct 23, 2004; Good as dead

anilEhilated posted:

I believe that is all but explicitely stated in MoI, yeah. Dream logic is also a way of handwaving time inconsistencies.

It is? I sure didn't connect those dots in MoI.

# ? Mar 17, 2016 01:14

IncendiaC: Sep 25, 2011

Infinite Karma posted:

It is? I sure didn't connect those dots in MoI.

There's a lot of parallels between Mhybe's constant slumber+dream world and Burn's sleep, plus Burn in general gets mentioned a lot in MoI and how her waking up will basically destroy the world. I didn't fully connect the two plotlines together until fairly late in the series though so you're not alone!

# ? Mar 17, 2016 10:15

Mordja: Apr 26, 2014; Hell Gem

I'm curious, how many of you found out about the Malazan series through this thread? Because it definitely seems like ground zero for a lot of people.

In my case, however, I came across it by pure chance. I was visiting my dad--poo poo I think I must have still been highschool--and he'd bought me and my brother a bunch of cheap, secondhand paperbacks from work. Most of them were pretty trashy and forgettable and I started reading Gardens of the Moon because I was in the mood for some doorstopper fantasy tat. I remember showing it to my brother and laughing at how generic the cover art (Tor's lightning sword one) looked, though the synopsis sounded cool enough. I thought the burning of the Mouse was pretty interesting, and was mostly confused by Sorry's possession.

Then I read the Siege of Pale. :aaaaa:

Edit: Man, Jesus, I've just now realized that my dad's been responsible for introducing to many of my absolute favourite writers. Erikson, Banks, I'm pretty sure Mieville. I should really call him...

Mordja fucked around with this message at 16:24 on Mar 17, 2016

# ? Mar 17, 2016 16:16

Aranan: May 21, 2007; Release the Kraken

A friend of mine introduced me to the series. I started it but quit after a few chapters because it just didn't seem worth reading. I picked it up again a year or two later and burned through the whole series.

# ? Mar 17, 2016 17:54

anilEhilated: Feb 17, 2014; But I say fuck the rain.; Grimey Drawer

I grabbed GotM more or less at random in a library. Fantasy wasn't the same since; I think it rather spoiled me.

# ? Mar 17, 2016 18:05

Baudin: Dec 31, 2009

I was introduced at a book store by a random grog employee. Best book recommendation.

# ? Mar 17, 2016 19:11

The Ninth Layer: Jun 20, 2007

I found it thanks to this thread! Was looking for an epic fantasy series and I'd heard bad things about the Wheel of Time, saw the thread and liked the description enough to give it a shot. Picked up Gardens and gave up about 100 pages in mostly due to apathy, six months later I decided I'd buckle down and actually finish this book that I got, finally got about 300 pages in and couldn't put the book down.

# ? Mar 17, 2016 19:17

Clinton1011: Jul 11, 2007

This series and Joe Abercrombie's work has set an unfair expectation for all other fantasy series. I haven't found anything I felt was really great since.

# ? Mar 17, 2016 19:22

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# ? May 14, 2024 22:29

Fuzzy Mammal: Aug 15, 2001; Lipstick Apathy

anilEhilated posted:

I grabbed GotM more or less at random in a library. Fantasy wasn't the same since; I think it rather spoiled me.

Mega same

e: All you guys now are lucky that you didn't have to wait 15 months between books for half a decade. Lol at grrm fans.

# ? Mar 17, 2016 20:32

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