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Malazan Book of the Fallen Series

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  • Registered Users Posts: 2,187 ✭✭✭Fian


    Just finished toll the hounds.

    Probably my favorite, certainly since memories of ice.

    Still this is such a long complex series I can't help looking forward to finishing. It would be better if it had been a few books shorter than it is imo.


  • Moderators, Category Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 36,787 CMod ✭✭✭✭ancapailldorcha


    Still reading these. Slowly. Inexorably. Started Stonewielder last week. Toll the Hounds. What an ending. Loved the bit where
    Kruppe met Iskaral Pust.

    We sat again for an hour and a half discussing maps and figures and always getting back to that most damnable creation of the perverted ingenuity of man - the County of Tyrone.

    H. H. Asquith



  • Moderators, Category Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 36,787 CMod ✭✭✭✭ancapailldorcha


    Stonewielder felt a little like it was missing something. I enjoyed a lot of it but the Ivanr storyline felt completely pointless while the Stormwall reeks of being ripped off A Song of Ice & Fire. Starting Dust of Dreams now which has received some negative comments online but this may be down to it being part one of the end.

    The end is in sight...

    We sat again for an hour and a half discussing maps and figures and always getting back to that most damnable creation of the perverted ingenuity of man - the County of Tyrone.

    H. H. Asquith



  • Registered Users Posts: 2,187 ✭✭✭Fian


    I never popped back into this thread to note that I had finished the crippled god. Really enjoyed the series, but tbh it is too long - so long that instead of being sorry to finish i was kind of relieved. A strong editor would have made it a better series imo, it is great, really well written, but self indulgently long.


  • Moderators, Category Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 36,787 CMod ✭✭✭✭ancapailldorcha


    Fian wrote: »
    I never popped back into this thread to note that I had finished the crippled god. Really enjoyed the series, but tbh it is too long - so long that instead of being sorry to finish i was kind of relieved. A strong editor would have made it a better series imo, it is great, really well written, but self indulgently long.

    Did you feel that The Crippled God was a good ending to the series?

    We sat again for an hour and a half discussing maps and figures and always getting back to that most damnable creation of the perverted ingenuity of man - the County of Tyrone.

    H. H. Asquith



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  • Registered Users Posts: 2,187 ✭✭✭Fian


    Did you feel that The Crippled God was a good ending to the series?

    To me it felt like there were a few separate endings during the course of the series, where one arc finished and a new one started up. didn't really build up over the previous 9 books to a big climax in the crippled god.


  • Administrators, Computer Games Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 32,073 Admin ✭✭✭✭✭Mickeroo


    I absolutely loved the world, magic and characters in the first book. I keep meaning to go back but the second book fairly killed my motivation as I just did not take to the new characters at all.


  • Moderators, Category Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 36,787 CMod ✭✭✭✭ancapailldorcha


    Mickeroo wrote: »
    I absolutely loved the world, magic and characters in the first book. I keep meaning to go back but the second book fairly killed my motivation as I just did not take to the new characters at all.

    I found it somewhat overwhelming. It wasn't until Erikson narrowed his focus a bit with Karsa in the fourth book before I really got into it. Want to reread the series at some point but I shudder when I think of the time required.

    We sat again for an hour and a half discussing maps and figures and always getting back to that most damnable creation of the perverted ingenuity of man - the County of Tyrone.

    H. H. Asquith



  • Registered Users Posts: 656 ✭✭✭drake70


    I found it somewhat overwhelming. It wasn't until Erikson narrowed his focus a bit with Karsa in the fourth book before I really got into it. Want to reread the series at some point but I shudder when I think of the time required.

    Also having to read Novels of the Malazan Empire Series by Ian C. Esslemont to fill in the gaps. I never got around to reading all of these.


  • Moderators, Category Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 36,787 CMod ✭✭✭✭ancapailldorcha


    drake70 wrote: »
    Also having to read Novels of the Malazan Empire Series by Ian C. Esslemont to fill in the gaps. I never got around to reading all of these.

    I've read the first three. Knight of Knives and Return of the Crimson Guard are quite good. Stonewielder provides some closure to a few arcs in the previous novel but introduces too much stuff that I just found plain uninteresting.

    We sat again for an hour and a half discussing maps and figures and always getting back to that most damnable creation of the perverted ingenuity of man - the County of Tyrone.

    H. H. Asquith



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  • Registered Users Posts: 656 ✭✭✭drake70


    I've read the first three. Knight of Knives and Return of the Crimson Guard are quite good. Stonewielder provides some closure to a few arcs in the previous novel but introduces too much stuff that I just found plain uninteresting.

    The release schedule for that series was behind the Malazan Book of the Fallen series which was a factor for me not completing them. Once I finished The Crippled God I needed a break from that universe and never went back.


  • Moderators, Category Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 36,787 CMod ✭✭✭✭ancapailldorcha


    drake70 wrote: »
    The release schedule for that series was behind the Malazan Book of the Fallen series which was a factor for me not completing them. Once I finished The Crippled God I needed a break from that universe and never went back.

    I've been reading them in the order they were published. Esslemont improves as a writer as time goes on.

    We sat again for an hour and a half discussing maps and figures and always getting back to that most damnable creation of the perverted ingenuity of man - the County of Tyrone.

    H. H. Asquith



  • Registered Users Posts: 4,267 ✭✭✭mcgovern


    I've been reading them in the order they were published. Esslemont improves as a writer as time goes on.

    I've been doing something similar, read the first 4 of ICEs books and plan to start Crippled God this weekend. I think I started the series 6-7 years ago so it's been a long journey!


  • Moderators, Entertainment Moderators Posts: 17,978 Mod ✭✭✭✭ixoy


    Interesting article: 'Walk in Shadow', the final book in the Kharkanas trilogy is on hold. Apparently, the sales were very poor. Instead he's going to focus on the Karsa trilogy - no planned date but I imagine it'll be a lot less dense than the Kharkanas series, which I found tough going.


  • Moderators, Category Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 36,787 CMod ✭✭✭✭ancapailldorcha


    Hope it's ok to keep bumping this.

    I've started Orb, Sceptre, Throne. I found Stonewielder to be incredibly tedious and boring. OST contains some familiar characters and some lore about the Seguleh which is a lot more captivating than the Stormwall though I am only 100 pages in.

    We sat again for an hour and a half discussing maps and figures and always getting back to that most damnable creation of the perverted ingenuity of man - the County of Tyrone.

    H. H. Asquith



  • Registered Users Posts: 2,684 ✭✭✭dan_ep82


    Good book but I felt Return of the Crimson Guard, Night of Knives and his Path to Ascendency books were a more interesting read.


  • Moderators, Category Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 36,787 CMod ✭✭✭✭ancapailldorcha


    dan_ep82 wrote: »
    Good book but I felt Return of the Crimson Guard, Night of Knives and his Path to Ascendency books were a more interesting read.

    I've not read his prequels but NoK and RotCG were both quite good though they're more directly tied into the main canon.

    Does The Crippled God provide a satisfactory resolution to the series?

    We sat again for an hour and a half discussing maps and figures and always getting back to that most damnable creation of the perverted ingenuity of man - the County of Tyrone.

    H. H. Asquith



  • Registered Users Posts: 2,684 ✭✭✭dan_ep82


    I've not read his prequels but NoK and RotCG were both quite good though they're more directly tied into the main canon.

    Does The Crippled God provide a satisfactory resolution to the series?

    Thats a tough one.

    It's not the clear ending I wanted but it did answer a number of questions.

    I felt it wandered a bit but did tie all the plots back in nicely if not the way I'd want.

    I've read the series a few times and on the re read changed my mind from great to good ending.


  • Moderators, Category Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 36,787 CMod ✭✭✭✭ancapailldorcha


    I'm just about two thirds of the way into The Crippled God. It's really starting to feel like a finale now. I have to say that one of the most harrowing moments of the series is when
    the Bonehunters run into the snake.

    We sat again for an hour and a half discussing maps and figures and always getting back to that most damnable creation of the perverted ingenuity of man - the County of Tyrone.

    H. H. Asquith



  • Registered Users Posts: 17,848 ✭✭✭✭Thargor


    I'm just about two thirds of the way into The Crippled God. It's really starting to feel like a finale now. I have to say that one of the most harrowing moments of the series is when
    the Bonehunters run into the snake.
    My minds gone blank, what is your spoiler referring to?


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  • Moderators, Category Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 36,787 CMod ✭✭✭✭ancapailldorcha


    Thargor wrote: »
    My minds gone blank, what is your spoiler referring to?
    The refugee children.
    They're called the snake for some reason.

    We sat again for an hour and a half discussing maps and figures and always getting back to that most damnable creation of the perverted ingenuity of man - the County of Tyrone.

    H. H. Asquith



  • Registered Users Posts: 17,848 ✭✭✭✭Thargor


    Ah yeah, I think it was just how they looked stretched out along the trail.


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,589 ✭✭✭Tristram


    Must re-read this at some stage


  • Registered Users Posts: 9,902 ✭✭✭AbusesToilets


    Any word on when the final book of the Kharkanas trilogy will be published? I'm curious how he plans on wrapping up the shattering of Shadow and the war on death in one book.


  • Moderators, Category Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 36,787 CMod ✭✭✭✭ancapailldorcha


    Any word on when the final book of the Kharkanas trilogy will be published? I'm curious how he plans on wrapping up the shattering of Shadow and the war on death in one book.

    Postponed until the first of the Karsa trilogy is released with no definite date. He cited poor sales of the first two books though I have faith that he won't do a George R.R. Martin.

    I finished The Crippled God over the weekend. F**k me, that last few hundred pages.
    Nice to see Kalam and Quick Ben get some good moments in though Gesler and Stormy's deaths were just horrible to read.
    Weird that Erikson presented the Forkrul Assail with a defined motive though. It's practically unheard of in the series and was a tad jarring. I still have quite a few questions and, frankly think I should reread the series again.

    Perhaps once I complete the two remaining ICE books. Anyone here read the Kharkanas or ICE prequels?

    We sat again for an hour and a half discussing maps and figures and always getting back to that most damnable creation of the perverted ingenuity of man - the County of Tyrone.

    H. H. Asquith



  • Registered Users Posts: 9,902 ✭✭✭AbusesToilets


    Postponed until the first of the Karsa trilogy is released with no definite date. He cited poor sales of the first two books though I have faith that he won't do a George R.R. Martin.

    I finished The Crippled God over the weekend. F**k me, that last few hundred pages.
    Nice to see Kalam and Quick Ben get some good moments in though Gesler and Stormy's deaths were just horrible to read.
    Weird that Erikson presented the Forkrul Assail with a defined motive though. It's practically unheard of in the series and was a tad jarring. I still have quite a few questions and, frankly think I should reread the series again.

    Perhaps once I complete the two remaining ICE books. Anyone here read the Kharkanas or ICE prequels?

    I've read all the books so far. Quite liking Esslemonts new books.

    Disappointed to hear that about the Kharkanas sequel, surprised to hear sales were a concern. I wonder if that is a decision forced by the publisher. I have to confess that I did find Fall of Light a touch frustrating. I wasn't a fan of the narrative structure he used on the Tiste sections.


  • Moderators, Category Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 36,787 CMod ✭✭✭✭ancapailldorcha


    I've read all the books so far. Quite liking Esslemonts new books.

    Disappointed to hear that about the Kharkanas sequel, surprised to hear sales were a concern. I wonder if that is a decision forced by the publisher. I have to confess that I did find Fall of Light a touch frustrating. I wasn't a fan of the narrative structure he used on the Tiste sections.

    Esslemont has improved quite dramatically as a writer though I did find Stonewielder to be a bit of a slog, perhaps due to the subject matter. Orb, Sceptre, Throne was excellent. Hope his last two are good.

    Aye, I don't get it either. Maybe it's a lull in interest. I mean, this is his twelfth Malazan book. He did take a while to write it as well. I do anticipate the Karsa book being excellent given his last monologue in TCG.

    We sat again for an hour and a half discussing maps and figures and always getting back to that most damnable creation of the perverted ingenuity of man - the County of Tyrone.

    H. H. Asquith



  • Registered Users Posts: 9,902 ✭✭✭AbusesToilets


    Esslemont has improved quite dramatically as a writer though I did find Stonewielder to be a bit of a slog, perhaps due to the subject matter. Orb, Sceptre, Throne was excellent. Hope his last two are good.

    Aye, I don't get it either. Maybe it's a lull in interest. I mean, this is his twelfth Malazan book. He did take a while to write it as well. I do anticipate the Karsa book being excellent given his last monologue in TCG.

    I'm excited for the Karsa series, I'd expect that to be closer in nature to the main BOTF stuff. I've heard it expressed that the Karkhanas books are Erickson's take on a more "high literature" style, if that makes any sense. Playing around more with structure and philosophy.


  • Moderators, Category Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 36,787 CMod ✭✭✭✭ancapailldorcha


    I'm excited for the Karsa series, I'd expect that to be closer in nature to the main BOTF stuff. I've heard it expressed that the Karkhanas books are Erickson's take on a more "high literature" style, if that makes any sense. Playing around more with structure and philosophy.

    Likewise.

    It does, yeah. The philosophy becomes more and more pronounced as the series goes on.

    We sat again for an hour and a half discussing maps and figures and always getting back to that most damnable creation of the perverted ingenuity of man - the County of Tyrone.

    H. H. Asquith



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  • Registered Users Posts: 18,051 ✭✭✭✭bucketybuck


    It should be no secret why sales were poor, Fall of Light was self indulgent wankery that I regret ever opening.

    I'm one of Eriksons biggest fans but he definitely is disappearing up his own arse with every book he finishes. I'd love to read something on the level of "Deadhouse gates" again but I can't see it happening, it seems Erikson is never going to get this philosophical rambling out of his system.


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