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Strom Cuzewon posted:The word "gently caress" doesn't appear until Midnight Tides, and is used more times in Crippled God than the rest of the series combined. goons. Never stop posting.
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Nov 13, 2018 01:19
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I actually noticed when I first read the series (and more so on my re-read) that the language is a lot cleaner in the earlier books and gets much more coarse as it goes on. It's somewhat gradual but still enough of a shift to pick up even without specifically looking out for it.
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Nov 13, 2018 03:18
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no penis until Midnight Tides and then it takes off. just lol if you dont have this scene burned into your head already from when you first read it.quote:Udinaas might have been amused, had he permitted the emotion, to see the coins burned into the emperor's penis pop off, one, two, two more, then four, as Rhulad's desire became apparent.
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Nov 13, 2018 03:27
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The emperor's penis
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Nov 13, 2018 07:33
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Midnight Tides is a completely sausage fest, it's hilarious
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Nov 13, 2018 13:35
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Ynglaur posted:goons. Never stop posting. My feelings on swearing in fantasy are entirely rational, appropriate, and not at all weird. 
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Nov 13, 2018 18:36
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Hello I'm making another attempt to read this series past the first part of House of Chains. Deadhouse Gates is way better than I thought ten years ago. That is all.
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Nov 14, 2018 00:01
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Keep us updated. Really, though. Hope you enjoy the second attempt. It took me a few tries bouncing off of the series before it sunk its hooks into me.
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Nov 14, 2018 00:10
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I bounce off every other book, but always come back a year or so later.
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Nov 14, 2018 02:20
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Here's my ten years ago ranking of the Malazan books that I read The first part of House of Chains, the Karsa Orlong bit Memories of ice Gardens of the Moon Deadhouse Gates
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Nov 15, 2018 01:40
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Speaking of "a few tries" I just finished my 3rd attempt at Toll The Hounds. The first two times I bounced of it hard but that was on the back of reading the six preceding books at speed and I think I just burned out at that point. The loss of momentum didn't help either. This time I decided to start with TtH and it was a wise decision. Those last two or three chapters  I was a bit concerned at first because an encounter I knew was coming was a bit abrupt and anticlimactic... but ultimately that was just setting the scene for what came after it. Which was certainly something. I have thoughts... but am still processing everything.
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Nov 15, 2018 10:46
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Finally finished The Bonehunters after months of trying to get through. Looking at reviews on Goodreads it seems liked but that is kinda to be expected this deep into a series. I hated it. Leoman and Corabb were interesting in the first half of the book but after Y'ghatan the whole book was tedious as hell. Bottle is an awful character with 0 personality. Half the book is through his pov. He doesn't come close to any of the Bridgeburners or even to Smiles/Kindly other lower rank soldiers who we had as POV characters. The convergence is hinted at but still it felt it came out of nowhere. Lasseen's new *friends* seem like surprises just for the sake of surprises. I know it will be explained in the future but it hurts this book's enjoy ability. The convergence itself wasn't close to being as epic as the past ones. Raest in Darujhistan vs Rake and Bridgeburners infiltrating the city was better than anything happening in this convergence. And that is just the firstbook which is often considered the worst. I won't even bother comparing it to the others because it is not even close. Kalam, T'Amber and Tavore have a nice segment at the end. Icarium, Trull and Onrack's part is also great with a special appearance. Too bad that is like literally the last 20 pages for an otherwise shite book. Also guys this book has Karsa who literally does nothing the whole book. He has that one note worthy fight before he meets Samar Dev that's it. No epic storyline, mediocre convergence and very little action. Anyhow I am moving on to Return of the Crimson Guard for my first ICE novel.
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Nov 15, 2018 15:32
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Y'ghatan was the only part of the entire 10 book series that I listened to on audiobook. I listened to it over a 6-hour drive, to and from, and so it has a special place for me. It felt (obviously) much different, and it took on an especially dark tone as Fiddler and the group were navigating the tunnels under the city while I was driving through the mountains in pouring rain. It felt weighty and dire, and I loved the idea of the Bonehunters being literally forged in fire. Bottle is a pretty boring character, agreed. He shines in some scenes over the course of the novels but his personality is lacking, I don't know, stickiness? He doesn't have much of a hook like some of the other, better characters. Karsa gets short thrift in The Bonehunters but his fight scene with that monster was one of his best fight scenes, in my opinion. It felt like something out of Conan, like a one-off story in "The Adventures of Karsa". I get wanting more, though. I really enjoyed Kalam, Tavore, and T'amber's flight through the city, but mostly because of Kalam--Tavore is barely a character until The Crippled God, and T'amber isn't really a character at all. It was weak as far as convergences go, but it was pretty enjoyable for me (especially Fiddler's playing). I guess I was never married to the idea of each book's convergence having to top each before it.
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Nov 15, 2018 15:54
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BENGHAZI 2 posted:Here's my ten years ago ranking of the Malazan books that I read We've got the same taste, minus Memories of Ice , which I hated. Maybe I'll try it again.
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Nov 15, 2018 16:05
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Ben Nerevarine posted:Y'ghatan was the only part of the entire 10 book series that I listened to on audiobook. I listened to it over a 6-hour drive, to and from, and so it has a special place for me. It felt (obviously) much different, and it took on an especially dark tone as Fiddler and the group were navigating the tunnels under the city while I was driving through the mountains in pouring rain. It felt weighty and dire, and I loved the idea of the Bonehunters being literally forged in fire. Agree Yghatan was great but that was like the first half of the book. Bottle we pretty much agree on. Ya that fight was great as you said but Karsa in House of Chains was something else. Ya Kalam is a beast. You really get a sense of why, after the first book, the Bridgeburners were so revered.
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Nov 15, 2018 19:05
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Bonehunters is kind of a Malazan Greatest Hits. None of it really meshes, but holy hell they play all the bangers.
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Nov 15, 2018 21:46
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It's the first book that really focuses on being part of the series first and a good standalone novel second, it doesn't totally land because of that but it has some real good parts
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Nov 15, 2018 23:26
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I really liked Bonehunters, but I tend to prefer the Malazan heavy books. I loved all the Malaz City stuff at the end, but I never really thought of that as "convergence" along the same lines as we have in many of the other books. I felt like that was more of a traditional climax and the usual convergence was actually the Poliel/Paran stuff which, while being smaller in scale (just one or two gods and a handful of ascendents involved iirc) was neatly done and executed in a way I really appreciated. That said, we definitely have a different definition of what consititutes "very little action". It's going to be interesting to see what you (Ulio) think about Reaper's Gale, assuming you keep reading, as it's essentially a sequel to a book you loved and a book you hated. Meanwhile I just started on Dust of Dreams, the final stretch! Well, except for those ICE books (which I may read at some point) and the Kharkanas Trilogy (which I'm kind of "eh" about as I'm not a big fan of the Tiste Andii... but I do like politicing and power struggles).... and possibly at some point a Karsa trilogy.
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Nov 16, 2018 15:53
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Ya it seems I am in the minority with thinking Bonehunters was abysmal. That doesn't mean it had some loving absolutely jaw dropping moments but as a whole it was weak especially post Y'ghatan and minus the very very end.Gravy Jones posted:I really liked Bonehunters, but I tend to prefer the Malazan heavy books. I loved all the Malaz City stuff at the end, but I never really thought of that as "convergence" along the same lines as we have in many of the other books. I felt like that was more of a traditional climax and the usual convergence was actually the Poliel/Paran stuff which, while being smaller in scale (just one or two gods and a handful of ascendents involved iirc) was neatly done and executed in a way I really appreciated. That said, we definitely have a different definition of what consititutes "very little action". I think my point about Bonehunters not having lots of action wasn't communicated properly. There was action in it but it was at the start and the end. There was a large part in the middle where not much "action" happened and I don't only mean combat when I say action. Yes there was a lot of setups for future events but the convergence part of this book was weak as I already stated. Poliel/Paran with Noto was awesome but it should have been saved for the end but that might have made the book even more sluggish to read. I am not reading Reaper's Gale right now. I started Return of The Crimson Guard and the start thus far has been really strong.
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Nov 16, 2018 16:35
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dishwasherlove posted:Found this link in the Malazan discord that I thought might be helpful I'm not proud to admit that the first word I searched for was "ochre" but I'm not ashamed either.
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Nov 16, 2018 21:46
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I've been pretty slow with the Bonehunters too. I'm 46% complete. It just feels slow compared to the previous works. FTR, Memories of Ice is my favorite with Midnight Tides at a close second.
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Nov 17, 2018 00:00
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Pleiades posted:I've been pretty slow with the Bonehunters too. I'm 46% complete. It just feels slow compared to the previous works. Ah I guess we have similar taste. Memories was definitely really good but it is pretty close between House of Chains, Memories of Ice and Midnight Tides. Deadhouse Gates is also drat good with the Chain of Dogs part being really epic and well written. GOTM and Bonehunters are the weakest so far imo.
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Nov 17, 2018 16:26
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Bonehunters has one of my favourite character moments where QB and Kalam hide and get drunk because they’re scared  It’s nice compared to something like ASoIaF where badass characters like that wouldn’t show their weaknesses. snoremac fucked around with this message at 00:08 on Nov 19, 2018 |
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Nov 19, 2018 00:04
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snoremac posted:Bonehunters has one of my favourite character moments where QB and Kalam hide and get drunk because they’re scared Best example of this the First Law trilogy where even the main characters get scared shitless and piss themselves.
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Nov 19, 2018 16:25
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The best part of deadhouse Gates so far as I close in on the end of book two is how much we see the aftermath of the Chain of Dogs and characters trying to put together what's happening before we ever actually see it And then you get there and it's even worse because for all the external threats Coltsine is also trying to deal with some guillotine worthy motherfuckers
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Nov 20, 2018 19:40
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Coltaine is a hero and it makes the shitheads involved in his storyline so much more awful. His selflessness resonated with me a lot more than Itkovian’s.
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Nov 21, 2018 00:24
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re: coltainechat If he weren't a continually reincarnated spirit he'd be a lot better. If he was just a man he'd be the coolest.
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Nov 21, 2018 00:27
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Knobb Manwich posted:re: coltainechat
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Nov 21, 2018 01:12
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snoremac posted:Coltaine is a hero and it makes the shitheads involved in his storyline so much more awful. It's opposite for me. I mean, what happened to Coltaine left me a bit cold but Itkovian's end had me wrecked. HOWEVER, Coltain's was preventable. All Mallick Rel had to do was burst into flames.
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Nov 21, 2018 02:20
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snoremac posted:I either didn’t know that or forgot. What’s the deal there? It's Wickan bullshit. More Coltaine spoilers obvs. I dunno the exact mechanics of it but the crows come and carry off his spirit, and he's reborn in another Wickan child. Same deal with the Wickan warlock Sormo I think. I haven't read it but I think one of the ICE books actually spells it out, although I think it's mentioned in the later malazan books too.
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Nov 21, 2018 02:46
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Knobb Manwich posted:It's Wickan bullshit. More Coltaine spoilers obvs. I dunno the exact mechanics of it but the crows come and carry off his spirit, and he's reborn in another Wickan child. Same deal with the Wickan warlock Sormo I think. I haven't read it but I think one of the ICE books actually spells it out, although I think it's mentioned in the later malazan books too.
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Nov 21, 2018 03:45
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Knobb Manwich posted:It's Wickan bullshit. More Coltaine spoilers obvs. I dunno the exact mechanics of it but the crows come and carry off his spirit, and he's reborn in another Wickan child. Same deal with the Wickan warlock Sormo I think. I haven't read it but I think one of the ICE books actually spells it out, although I think it's mentioned in the later malazan books too. The sormo stuff is explicitly stated in his introduction, that it took thirteen crows to carry off his spirit and St one point after some serious work one drops dead It's cool, too, it's presented as just weird folk poo poo and then the crow drops dead and you're like oh, poo poo, he's for real, that's for real, that's how spirits work there's also nothing to suggest that coltaine has reincarnated before, and it seems to be more like a past lives thing than straight up rebirth. I think the idea is more that it's his reward for what he did for the Chain than that he's an immortal of some kind BENGHAZI 2 fucked around with this message at 06:13 on Nov 21, 2018 |
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Nov 21, 2018 05:59
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I think there's a difference between the warlocks and coltain. The latter is just more of a BA close to ascendancy and who knows if there'd been any previous lives. The 'locks use anything i.e. the butterflies and have probably lived for a long rear end time.
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Nov 21, 2018 16:53
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Don't forget the chained God's body was also stored in the great ravens. That's why rake's great raven buddy shows up out of loving nowhere in the middle of the finale. I have no idea if the coltain crows and great ravens are related but there you go. They probably aren't related. Crows travel in murders as everyone knows, but ravens prefer pairs or tight knit family units. Crows also go caw, while ravens go croak. Ravens are like writing desks, while crows resemble an abacus. There are other differences (ability to carry Wiccan souls vs godly corporeal forms notwithstanding) too if anyone wants a really interesting lecture.
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Nov 21, 2018 21:47
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BigHead posted:Don't forget the chained God's body was also stored in the great ravens. That's why rake's great raven buddy shows up out of loving nowhere in the middle of the finale. I have no idea if the coltain crows and great ravens are related but there you go. They probably aren't related. Crows travel in murders as everyone knows, but ravens prefer pairs or tight knit family units. Crows also go caw, while ravens go croak. Ravens are like writing desks, while crows resemble an abacus. There are other differences (ability to carry Wiccan souls vs godly corporeal forms notwithstanding) too if anyone wants a really interesting lecture. I loved it when I realized on my reread that it is revealed that Crone and the Great Ravens are the flesh of TCG in pretty much the first introduction to Great Ravens in the very first book. Then it's just not mentioned until the very end.
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Nov 26, 2018 09:20
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I dunno if anyone here is a Jeopardy fan, but someone on their writing staff has definitely read the series. Tuesday's episode had the back-to-back categories "Bridge Burners" and "First 'In', Last 'Out'". 
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Nov 29, 2018 20:58
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Man with Hat posted:I loved it when I realized on my reread that it is revealed that Crone and the Great Ravens are the flesh of TCG in pretty much the first introduction to Great Ravens in the very first book. Then it's just not mentioned until the very end. Kruppa starts to mention it Memories of Ice and Crone nearly rips his face off for mentioning it in polite company.
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Nov 30, 2018 20:42
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Man with Hat posted:I loved it when I realized on my reread that it is revealed that Crone and the Great Ravens are the flesh of TCG in pretty much the first introduction to Great Ravens in the very first book. Then it's just not mentioned until the very end. I can remember that coming up in book 3, whats the hint in book 1?
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Nov 30, 2018 20:46
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So I've finally finished this. I took a like 6 month break after the first 1/4 of book seven because I felt like I had OD'd on epic bantz, mate but I would say they're is more good than bad overall HOWEVER I feel like a lot of the "complexity" is [in this book I'm going to write this guy as a complete bastard] and then [in this book I'm going to write this guy as a just man doing what he must]. My main questions (having not read this long rear end thread are) 1) Was Anomander Rake's 9'000 point plan all just to get a bunch of Shake to die on a beach? 2) In the last appendix, the Snake and the Shake are the same thing somehow? I may well be being thick here but I am not getting it. 2.1) So that beach battle: the city of the T'ist Andii exists in two realms at once? Apropos of nothing, one thing I liked: 1) References to surprisingly modern scientific ideas popping up Apropos of nothing, one thing I disliked: 1) The "character design" was pretty poo poo like "jet black gray aliens with silver hair" and "a man with tiger skin" are just lame, aesthetically speaking
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Dec 8, 2018 03:23
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Counterpoint: zombie velociraptors with swords for arms. Swords. For arms.
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Dec 8, 2018 14:18
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