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Malazan Book of the Fallen Series

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Comments

  • #452
    Spunge
    Registered Users Posts: 2,779 ✭✭✭Spunge


    i would agree its heavy on the philosophy but to me i find it very nice to listen to on audiobook. fall of light i don't think id re-read though, compared to a malazan novel.

    really looking forward to the next one.


  • #453
    Tar.Aldarion
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 60,082 Mod ✭✭✭✭Tar.Aldarion


    I see steven erikson is doing a talk/meet&greet in thomas house in two weeks:
    https://www.facebook.com/events/426955921494982/


  • #454
    ancapailldorcha
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 37,109 CMod ✭✭✭✭ancapailldorcha


    Finished Assail yesterday. Odd being done with this 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



  • #455
    AbusesToilets
    Registered Users Posts: 9,954 ✭✭✭AbusesToilets


    ancapailldorcha wrote: »
    Finished Assail yesterday. Odd being done with this series.

    I felt it left things fairly open ended. Be interesting to see what threads Erickson picks up in the Karsa trilogy. Have you read Esslemont's new books on the Empire's beginning?


  • #456
    Thargor
    Registered Users Posts: 17,865 ✭✭✭✭Thargor


    Never bothered with any of the extra stuff just the main series but Ill definitely be reading the Karsa trilogy.


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  • #457
    keane2097
    Registered Users Posts: 17,770 ✭✭✭✭keane2097


    The Esselmont books I've read range from decent to very good FWIW.


  • #458
    ancapailldorcha
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 37,109 CMod ✭✭✭✭ancapailldorcha


    AbusesToilets wrote: »
    I felt it left things fairly open ended. Be interesting to see what threads Erickson picks up in the Karsa trilogy. Have you read Esslemont's new books on the Empire's beginning?

    Didn't really feel like an ending. At best, the Esselmont books add to the main story and at worst they just feel like fanfiction such that Erikson even clarifies that they are not in his introduction to Night of Knives. Assail was decent but felt too detached from the main series. Even the Silverfox and Jethiss arcs felt a bit pointless. The book's ending is the ending for that book rather than the whole series or even the ICE series.
    Thargor wrote: »
    Never bothered with any of the extra stuff just the main series but Ill definitely be reading the Karsa trilogy.

    A lot of people don't. A woman at work who is the second person I've met only read Erikson. She had no idea the Esselmont book existed.
    keane2097 wrote: »
    The Esselmont books I've read range from decent to very good FWIW.

    I'd say that none of them are actually bad. Night of Knives is quite short and fills in a little detail on an important event in the series. Return of the Crimson Guard rounds up a minor character arc that Erikson may not even have mentioned in the main series while Orb, Sceptre, Throne was a genuinely excellent conclusion to Erikson's Darujhistan story from Toll the Hounds. Stonewielder and Assail simply have a surplus feel to them but they're decent stories in and of themselves. I did really like Blood and Bone as it's probably got the best comedy in Esselmont's 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



  • #459
    ixoy
    Moderators, Entertainment Moderators Posts: 17,988 Mod ✭✭✭✭ixoy


    I enjoyed the Esslemont books. They flesh out the world and it's fun to see places like Assail. Elements of the latter books also take place post-"The Crippled God" as well as overlapping some events in the main series.

    Looking forward to reading "The God is Not Willing" although there's no conclusive date to it yet. I imagine someone will ask him at Worldcon so maybe he'll give us an idea (or maybe he'll dodge the question if asked).


  • #460
    AbusesToilets
    Registered Users Posts: 9,954 ✭✭✭AbusesToilets


    ancapailldorcha wrote: »
    Didn't really feel like an ending. At best, the Esselmont books add to the main story and at worst they just feel like fanfiction such that Erikson even clarifies that they are not in his introduction to Night of Knives. Assail was decent but felt too detached from the main series. Even the Silverfox and Jethiss arcs felt a bit pointless. The book's ending is the ending for that book rather than the whole series or even the ICE series.



    A lot of people don't. A woman at work who is the second person I've met only read Erikson. She had no idea the Esselmont book existed.



    I'd say that none of them are actually bad. Night of Knives is quite short and fills in a little detail on an important event in the series. Return of the Crimson Guard rounds up a minor character arc that Erikson may not even have mentioned in the main series while Orb, Sceptre, Throne was a genuinely excellent conclusion to Erikson's Darujhistan story from Toll the Hounds. Stonewielder and Assail simply have a surplus feel to them but they're decent stories in and of themselves. I did really like Blood and Bone as it's probably got the best comedy in Esselmont's series.

    I've generally enjoyed the new Empire books, but I feel like he's giving the story a bit of a short shrift. Moving very quickly through some pretty important events.


  • #461
    ixoy
    Moderators, Entertainment Moderators Posts: 17,988 Mod ✭✭✭✭ixoy


    I just saw - too late - that he did a 4-hour Q & A in Thomas House last night (Sunday). Did anyone go?


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  • #462
    Glebee
    Registered Users Posts: 6,580 ✭✭✭Glebee


    Third of the way through DeadHouse Gates. Im really enjoying it so far and am amazed how quickly I got into it and got to grip with the characters. Could not really remember much from Gardens of the Moon, its been a while since I read it and after finishing I felt I would read no more of the series. Needed to google a few of them from time to time to stop getting mixed up and had a map of the continent saved to my phone to look at locations which also really help. Am really loving the desert / middle eastern location feel in the book.

    How to people rate this second book compared to the rest of the series????


  • #463
    keane2097
    Registered Users Posts: 17,770 ✭✭✭✭keane2097


    Glebee wrote: »
    Third of the way through DeadHouse Gates. Im really enjoying it so far and am amazed how quickly I got into it and got to grip with the characters. Could not really remember much from Gardens of the Moon, its been a while since I read it and after finishing I felt I would read no more of the series. Needed to google a few of them from time to time to stop getting mixed up and had a map of the continent saved to my phone to look at locations which also really help. Am really loving the desert / middle eastern location feel in the book.

    How to people rate this second book compared to the rest of the series????

    Deadhouse Gates is excellent. If you like it now you're going to be a wreck by the time you're finished it.

    I think Bonehunters is my favourite, Memories of Ice probably second and Deadhouse Gates at the front of the pack to be third.


  • #464
    lordgoat
    Moderators, Music Moderators Posts: 11,358 Mod ✭✭✭✭lordgoat


    Tried to read a the ICE books to break the series, about to give up on Crimson Guard despite liking the characters I just don't like his style!


  • #465
    AbusesToilets
    Registered Users Posts: 9,954 ✭✭✭AbusesToilets


    lordgoat wrote: »
    Tried to read a the ICE books to break the series, about to give up on Crimson Guard despite liking the characters I just don't like his style!

    RotCG and Blood and Bone are ICE's worst books imo. Orb, Sceptre, Throne probably his best.


  • #466
    Glebee
    Registered Users Posts: 6,580 ✭✭✭Glebee


    Its been slow going but getting to about 75% through deadhouse gates. Loving the chain of dogs story line but most of the other stuff thats going on has me completely lost. Going to complete but i dont know if any of the rest of this series is for me.


  • #467
    AbusesToilets
    Registered Users Posts: 9,954 ✭✭✭AbusesToilets


    Glebee wrote: »
    Its been slow going but getting to about 75% through deadhouse gates. Loving the chain of dogs story line but most of the other stuff thats going on has me completely lost. Going to complete but i dont know if any of the rest of this series is for me.

    A lot of threads start to tie together by book 3 and 4. It's worth it to stick with it.


  • #468
    keane2097
    Registered Users Posts: 17,770 ✭✭✭✭keane2097


    Memories of Ice is powerful


  • #469
    Mickeroo
    Administrators, Computer Games Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 32,131 Admin ✭✭✭✭✭Mickeroo


    I packed it in after Deadhosue Gates too, killed all my enthusiasm after really liking the first book.


  • #470
    Glebee
    Registered Users Posts: 6,580 ✭✭✭Glebee


    Dont get me wrong I think The Chains of Dogs story thread is classic stuff, its all the other storylines going on that I have not a breeze about. The Kalam story line im ok with. A character suddenly pops into a story line and I saying where the hell did he come from or where the feck are they now.


  • #471
    keane2097
    Registered Users Posts: 17,770 ✭✭✭✭keane2097


    Glebee wrote: »
    Dont get me wrong I think The Chains of Dogs story thread is classic stuff, its all the other storylines going on that I have not a breeze about. The Kalam story line im ok with. A character suddenly pops into a story line and I saying where the hell did he come from or where the feck are they now.

    From memory, I don't think it's abnormal to be struggling to keep up at this stage.

    There is a series of articles on Tor where they do chapter summaries and analysis of all the books that I found very useful when re-reading. If you're interested it might be worth a look:

    https://www.tor.com/series/malazan-reread-of-the-fallen/


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  • #472
    Glebee
    Registered Users Posts: 6,580 ✭✭✭Glebee


    keane2097 wrote: »
    From memory, I don't think it's abnormal to be struggling to keep up at this stage.

    There is a series of articles on Tor where they do chapter summaries and analysis of all the books that I found very useful when re-reading. If you're interested it might be worth a look:

    https://www.tor.com/series/malazan-reread-of-the-fallen/

    Ive been using that alright, but theres something not right about having to go back and read a chapter summary web site after reading the chapter..:):)


  • #473
    Glebee
    Registered Users Posts: 6,580 ✭✭✭Glebee


    So thats me complete on Deadhouse Gates. Chain of Dogs - Epic stuff, brillaint. I really loved the ending, would make a brilliant movie... All the other storey lines I would leave out.( no idea what was happening half the time) Not sure if I have the will power to dive straight into Memories of Ice?? Might go for something a little less taxing.


  • #474
    AbusesToilets
    Registered Users Posts: 9,954 ✭✭✭AbusesToilets


    Glebee wrote: »
    So thats me complete on Deadhouse Gates. Chain of Dogs - Epic stuff, brillaint. I really loved the ending, would make a brilliant movie... All the other storey lines I would leave out.( no idea what was happening half the time) Not sure if I have the will power to dive straight into Memories of Ice?? Might go for something a little less taxing.

    Ah, stick with it, really starts to tie together. Don't deny yourself Karsa.

    Witness


  • #475
    Glebee
    Registered Users Posts: 6,580 ✭✭✭Glebee


    Just starting to attempt Memories of Ice, there goes any other reading for the next 6 months....


  • #476
    Aethan Dor
    Registered Users Posts: 93 ✭✭Aethan Dor


    Eventually got through all these, highly recommend, big hole left to fill after such an enormous series.

    Anyone got similar stuff they can recommend please ?

    Although I've read a lot of popular Fantasy collections by now all suggestions welcome, My most recent foray is into the 'Thorns' series by Mark Lawrence, currently on Emperor of Thorns.


  • #477
    AbusesToilets
    Registered Users Posts: 9,954 ✭✭✭AbusesToilets


    Aethan Dor wrote: »
    Eventually got through all these, highly recommend, big hole left to fill after such an enormous series.

    Anyone got similar stuff they can recommend please ?

    Although I've read a lot of popular Fantasy collections by now all suggestions welcome, My most recent foray is into the 'Thorns' series by Mark Lawrence, currently on Emperor of Thorns.

    There's the Easselmont Malazan books, they can be a bit hit or miss, but worth it for the lore at the least. Kharkanas duology, as it stands, is a different beat, but again worth it if you're a fan of the world.

    If you're looking beyond Malazan, there's always the Black Company books, by Glenn Cook. Erickson riffed off of them heavily creating his series, to the point you'll think some of the characters are the same.


  • #478
    keane2097
    Registered Users Posts: 17,770 ✭✭✭✭keane2097


    Black Company is very good stuff in the same sort of mood alright. Nowhere near as heavy, but a good few crackers in there. They might be due another spin actually.


  • #479
    Glebee
    Registered Users Posts: 6,580 ✭✭✭Glebee


    Glebee wrote: »
    Just starting to attempt Memories of Ice, there goes any other reading for the next 6 months....


    Im actually not doing to bad with Memories of Ice at the moment for what I thought would be a mammath slog. 30% complete and just started early Jan is good going for me. The most important thing for me is the storyline / time scales are actually starting to make sence.. Ok some bits are over my head but the majority is sticking.


  • #480
    The White Feather
    Registered Users Posts: 5,393 ✭✭✭The White Feather


    I have been reading through this whole thread today as this morning I got 5 books in this series. The first 2 and the last one as well as 2 others. I got them all in a charity shop for only a few euro. I had never heard of Erikson before and they just seemed interesting.

    Now I see that maybe someone threw in the towel! :pac:

    They might have been read though so its hard to know.I am going to read them anyway once I get the others and the good thing is this thread has prepared me a bit on what to expect!!


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  • #481
    AbusesToilets
    Registered Users Posts: 9,954 ✭✭✭AbusesToilets


    The White Feather wrote: »
    I have been reading through this whole thread today as this morning I got 5 books in this series. The first 2 and the last one as well as 2 others. I got them all in a charity shop for only a few euro. I had never heard of Erikson before and they just seemed interesting.

    Now I see that maybe someone threw in the towel! :pac:

    They might have been read though so its hard to know.I am going to read them anyway once I get the others and the good thing is this thread has prepared me a bit on what to expect!!

    Very envious of you getting to experience them fresh. Enjoy


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