Malazan Books Of The Fallen

[Apoc]

I know...I know...epiph, wiggin and myself seem to be the only ones who have read these books...Steven Erikson's Malazan Books Of The Fallen...and wiggin has only prized his hands on the first one, seeing as its the only one so far released stateside-Gardens Of The Moon...which though pretty damn good is nothing compared to Deadhouse Gates and Memories Of Ice.

I'm currently on the fourth one, House Of Chains....and will be picking up book 5, Midnight Tides next week....I think the sixth one comes out in february..I haven't looked that far yet.

What I know though, for all you peeps stateside, is that book two (Deadhouse Gates) will be released in february with each book after that released every six months so as to catch up on us fortunate countries who's publishers saw straight off how damn good this series is...and there are to be ten books in the series according to Erikson. So thats five released over here in britain, I think in canada and Australia also and only one so far in the states.

Why am I making a thread to a series so few here have read?

Because its the best, that's why!

[valerie]

If I see it and I have money I'll pick it up

[Apoc]

In order-

Gardens Of The Moon
Deadhouse Gates
Memories Of Ice
House Of Chains
Midnight Tides

I say this as the books aren't numbered....well they are, but its hard to see...I stoopidly began reading book four first ~is an idiot~ and it confused the hell out of me hehe.

Gardens Of The Moon though isn't really a beginning...it is book 1...but it kinda just...well...dumps you in the middle of all these chars lives...its complicated...but so is life

They're not tales of farmboy turns into saviour....they're very adult orientated, most if not all the main chars are veteran elite soldiers, in some of the most terrifying situations imaginable. I tell you though, books two and three are really emotional and heartcrushing, but absolutely brilliant.

Oh and you gotta love Kruppe

[epiph]

kruppe was much better in the first than in the third. although everytime he says something, i love it. and dude...the end of memories of ice! i actually cried out "no!" when that particular death occurred. also, duiker's return was a nice touch.

i love the interwoveness of these books. and they're actually well written. like better than just "i haven't cringed once while reading these"...like WELL written. erikson is that ultimate hard to find: a literary story teller.

they are SO good. it is apparent that gardens is his first, and i'd say that the character crokus is the most relevant manifestation of that. my friend who introduced me to them thinks that deadhouse gates is the best as far as writing goes. i gotta say that i really loved memories of ice the best so far. i just picked up house of chains.

and personally, i think you gotta love quick ben...that part when shadowthrone realizes who he is in the first one...priceless.

[Apoc]

so true epiph I really love all the background goings on with Quick....that bit when he says farewell to the demon/dragon that he loosed to fight Rake in Gardens Of The Moon was very cool and quite sad also. How it knows that Rake is too powerful.

There are far too many parts in this series that I just love sooo much that its impossible to say them all.

But the Chain Of Dogs in Deadhouse Gates is easily the best storyline I've ever read, the ending had me in an emotional fit of anger and sadness.

Memories Of Ice was incredible also and I did really like the first words Duiker speaks at the very end...whilst holding the cloth with the womans name on it.

One of the reasons I think I love this series so much is how many things have just caught me completely unawares...yes I kinda guessed who the eel was in the first one...but so many other things have just completely surprised me...

The Seguleh!!!!! How fckn cool are they...I wonder if we'll ever enconter the Seguleh First, now that'd be cool

And yeah, that certain persons death at the end of MoI...with those two other people also...damn...oh and I loved the Moons Spawn bit...~would have never guessed~

Oh and I think I know who the Knight Of Death is in Memories Of Ice...could he possibly be Boudin from Deadhouse Gates...me thinks so hehe

I could go on and on...

how many have you read epiph? I'm on House Of Chains.

[epiph]

oh yeah, boudin, that was his name. yeah i wondered that. did he die with two swords in his hands? wasn't he mostly chewed up when he died tho? that was the only pause in my thinking it was him.

i just finished memories of ice. which moons spawn bit are you talking about? when paran and quick go into it? because THAT is cool.

oh yeah, and did kalam ascend at the end of deadhouse? because it really seemed like that was what was going on. ooh, and oonos at the end of memories! damn...all parts of that ending were so frickin' rad. i'm wondering what significance of the lame guy outside the azath house is... i mean, i know who he is...but why's he there?

GAH so good. it makes me want to gouge my eyes out for reading wot instead...my friend has been insisting i read these for four years. now i see why.

[Apoc]

well first off the Knight of Death says he died protecting a child as he was consumed in flames...he also has a bronze tan to his skin....Boudin died trying to save fesilin from the D'ivers that was set aflame remember? and he got a bronze hue to his skin from hen they where in the warren of dragons The knight of death guy was probably just some paw shmuck who was trying to defend Capustan but died...and boudin's taken over like toc has.

Moons Spawn bit being when it comes out of the sea hehe but the other bit you said was pretty cool with Paran and Quick.

Kalam? Well Shadowthorne has granted him sanctuary...ascended, I'm not too sure, High House Shadow already has its assassin, Dancer. so, no, I don't think so.

And yes Tool was sooo cool all throughout MoI, it was a nice ending for him I think.

I wasn't sure about the old man at the end...but I know wth Erikson that it WILL be answered...and answered well at that hehe

[epiph]

with regards to kalam, at the beginning of memories of ice when hedge and them are stealing the table back, they say something about the face of the assassin of shadow being kalams...

and that bit about body taking over like toc makes sense. ok. but damn, isn't that whole felisin story PAIN? i kept thinking "this HAS to get better!"

think tool will show up later? i love the syncronization of deadhouse and memories...like when they're arranging for the trygale guild to go run their errands in 7 cities...so good. and the azath! the unfolding of all that stuff is so cool. i could go on all night...but i should go to bed.

[Cypher]

Now, all ya'll have to do is mail me these books and I'd gladly join in on the conversation yeah yeah, I know, too priceless to send away, I'll get my own copies eventually.

[epiph]

i would. but i don't own my books.

[Apoc]

I'm definately going to have to reread all the books once I've finished Midnight Tides....its funny when your reading and something just doesn't make sense and confuses the hell out of you...then you read on and on and on and like two books later you go..."ohhh!" hehe

mysteries unravelled at the best moments

If Kalam is the new assassin of High House Death...then where the hell did Dancer/Cotillion go

Anyway...House Of Chains was the first one of the series that I had begun to read...I had got quite far and after confusing my self half to death, discovered it was the fourth book...now though, everything is making sense ~thinks the Teblor are Jaghut decendants~ heh

And epiph...with Kruppe...do you believe what Whiskeyjack thought of him that he is simly the smartest mortal on the planet under the protection of K'rul? I think he has more secrets...I loved the bit when Caladan Brood raised a small mountain in the attempt to shut Kruppe up very amusing.

[epiph]

well his whole dream thing seems to imply something even more. i dunno. i also dunno about kalam...i'm a bit confused there. maybe house of chains will clear up my confusion a bit...because chronologically, when hedge said that, the end of deadhouse hadn't happened yet. so who know?

[Apoc]

true...~shrugs~ just another mystery hehe

mentioning Hedge however, during the main battle in MoI, I was sooo shocked when the K'Chain Che'Malle was upon him and he just threw the cusser at his feet...I was like NOOOOOOOOOOO!

oh and here's a lil somethin....Paran "blessed" the Bridgeburners at the end of MoI in Moon's Spawn...do you think this now means that they're ascended?

~goes off to continue reading House Of Chains~

[epiph]

yes i do. so really, it doesn't really matter that whiskeyjack died.

the end of memories is intense like the period though. there's that part when korlat and whiskeyjack are talking and they split and there's a bit of narration where erikson says something like if they'd kept talking for another minute, korlat would have seen the moranth flying low towards the city, and in the moment, a single turn of the coin, landing on the lord. or something. then you know all hell's gonna break loose.

[Apoc]

and all hell did break loose

I just love the first part of House Of Chains...the timeline is excellent, Karsa is a brilliant character...so many times he's doing all these little things and stumbling on stuff that we've read about in the past three books...and you just go, "I think i've seen this scene before....oh its the same scene...just earlier...sooo cool!!!"

heh...and that deranged squad who worship Fener are back...so loads to look forward to.