Malazan Book of the Fallen Series

ancapailldorcha

Seriously considering rereading Gardens soon....

I raced through the end of Midnight Tides. Great book even though some of the humour was excessive. Night of Knives was good as well. I was expecting a lot worse but

Temper and Kiska were good characters and it was interesting to see Kellanved and Dancer ascending

.

About a fifth of the way through The Bonehunters and it's looking good. I think the important thing is to stay consistent with the series. It's not one for dipping in and out of.

keane2097

Bonehunters I thought was absolutely incredible. best of the series for me of what I've gotten through.

What order are you reading them in ACD?

ancapailldorcha

keane2097 wrote: »

Bonehunters I thought was absolutely incredible. best of the series for me of what I've gotten through.

What order are you reading them in ACD?

The order your posted years, actual years now ago!

Felt an odd pang of despair when the

Captain crushed Joyful Union

. I suspect worse is on the way though...

keane2097

ancapailldorcha wrote: »

The order your posted years, actual years now ago!

Felt an odd pang of despair when the

Captain crushed Joyful Union

. I suspect worse is on the way though...

I don't want to say anything that might spoil, but would encourage you to post updates for my amusement as you go through

I haven't actually read any of the side stories - recommend?

ancapailldorcha

keane2097 wrote: »

I don't want to say anything that might spoil, but would encourage you to post updates for my amusement as you go through

I haven't actually read any of the side stories - recommend?

Of course!

I keep coming upon spoilers but they seem minor as I mentioned on the previous page. I've only read Night of Knives so far but I liked it. It's only 300-odd pages but it does provide some nice detail about a key event in the series as well as smaller aspects of The Bonehunters such as the Stormriders.

I'm really getting into this series now. It took me about 3 years to get through the first 3 books and another one to finish another 3 (counting NoK).

ancapailldorcha

About 40% of the way through The Bonehunters now. Just finished

Y'Ghatan

section which was probably the most brutal portion of the series so far.

keane2097

ancapailldorcha wrote: »

About 40% of the way through The Bonehunters now. Just finished

Y'Ghatan

section which was probably the most brutal portion of the series so far.

When you say finished, where are you at now?

NeutralHandle

ancapailldorcha wrote: »

About a fifth of the way through The Bonehunters and it's looking good. I think the important thing is to stay consistent with the series. It's not one for dipping in and out of.

I think I stopped reading the books about halfway through The Bonehunters for exactly this reason. Was enjoying it, but put it down for a little too long. Going back to it felt a bit too much of an undertaking because of how many characters and threads I'd need to refamiliarise myself with.

Mickeroo

I just started Gardens of the Moon yesterday, not very far inot it yet, still on chapter one. Easy reading so far and it's already starting to grip me even though I haven't gotten through chapter 1 yet. A bit daunting starting a series so long though I have to say.

Evac101

I actually seek out substantial reads on the basis that if I enjoy the first then I have an assured supply of more of the good stuff. that said I read GotM back when it was the only book released over here at the time, on the recommendation of a friend, and it's one of my favourite fantasy settings/tones (which I do not consider to be 'grimdark'). I particularly like the very slow exposition of the back story for the various characters, though there are problems with the series as a whole (looking at you timeline!). All in all a series which I have no problem recommending to a patient reader who enjoys some seriously intricate plot lines.

GerB40

I was never really into fantasy until I read The Lord of the Rings a couple of years back. I've since read A Song of Ice and Fire and The Dark Tower and it's fair to say I'm fast becoming a fan of the genre.. I'm definitely up for a new fantasy series but I've heard Malazan is a bit of a slog. So basically I'm wondering is it worth investing time into this series? Is it a massive epic like LotR and ASoIaF or more simple like The Dark Tower? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Cheers...

keane2097

GerB40 wrote: »

I was never really into fantasy until I read The Lord of the Rings a couple of years back. I've since read A Song of Ice and Fire and The Dark Tower and it's fair to say I'm fast becoming a fan of the genre.. I'm definitely up for a new fantasy series but I've heard Malazan is a bit of a slog. So basically I'm wondering is it worth investing time into this series? Is it a massive epic like LotR and ASoIaF or more simple like The Dark Tower? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Cheers...

Best series by a mile IMO. Has pretty much spoiled the rest of the genre for me although I'm enjoying a re-read of the Silmarilion at the moment.

GerB40

keane2097 wrote: »

Best series by a mile IMO. Has pretty much spoiled the rest of the genre for me although I'm enjoying a re-read of the Silmarilion at the moment.

I wasn't going to mention The Silmarillion, didn't want to sound like the geek that I am

I loved that book. It was like a far more interesting version of the history books I read in school (which I also loved). You have me sold keane....

ancapailldorcha

GerB40 wrote: »

I was never really into fantasy until I read The Lord of the Rings a couple of years back. I've since read A Song of Ice and Fire and The Dark Tower and it's fair to say I'm fast becoming a fan of the genre.. I'm definitely up for a new fantasy series but I've heard Malazan is a bit of a slog. So basically I'm wondering is it worth investing time into this series? Is it a massive epic like LotR and ASoIaF or more simple like The Dark Tower? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Cheers...

Absolutely though I'd stress that "invest" is very much the key word. You'll get back what you put in. I'm seriously considering a reread of the first 3 books at the mo.

ancapailldorcha

keane2097 wrote: »

When you say finished, where are you at now?

I'm just over 300 pages in, well 300 according to the Kindle which seems to have a different numbering system. I've about 40% of the book read. The narrative has shifted back to

Icaruium and a Gral

who I don't think I've seen before.

GerB40

ancapailldorcha wrote: »

Absolutely though I'd stress that "invest" is very much the key word. You'll get back what you put in. I'm seriously considering a reread of the first 3 books at the mo.

Yeah that what I meant by slog. Although the lad who said that (he probably meant it was a chore to read) also reads Darren Shan and the Harry Potter books so, and I hope I don't sound snobby, perhaps Malazan was a bit much for him. I'll take the advice given here, I'm looking forward to this new adventure.. Yeah, I know how nerdy that sounds.

ancapailldorcha

GerB40 wrote: »

Yeah that what I meant by slog. Although the lad who said that (he probably meant it was a chore to read) also reads Darren Shan and the Harry Potter books so, and I hope I don't sound snobby, perhaps Malazan was a bit much for him. I'll take the advice given here, I'm looking forward to this new adventure.. Yeah, I know how needy that sounds.

Well, I certainly wouldn't want everything I read to require as much time and work as Malazan or I'd probably give up on reading. Much as I love Harry Potter, it's aimed at young adults whereas Malazan is about as grim, hopeless and gritty as I can fathom.

Evac101

But there's moments of wonder, inventiveness, mischievousness and fun in there that prevent, for me, it ever becoming a slog - though some of the Lether stuff comes close.

Tar.Aldarion

It's worth it for tehol and bugg alone

nesf

GerB40 wrote: »

Yeah that what I meant by slog. Although the lad who said that (he probably meant it was a chore to read) also reads Darren Shan and the Harry Potter books so, and I hope I don't sound snobby, perhaps Malazan was a bit much for him. I'll take the advice given here, I'm looking forward to this new adventure.. Yeah, I know how needy that sounds.

It's certainly a slog if you hit an arc that you don't like. Which is fairly possible, there is a lot of variety between the many arcs going on in the book. It's an ambitious series and suffers for that but the scope of the story is incredible.

Going from Harry Potter to Malazan is a bit harsh of a jump up though in terms of complexity.

GerB40

nesf wrote: »

It's certainly a slog if you hit an arc that you don't like. Which is fairly possible, there is a lot of variety between the many arcs going on in the book. It's an ambitious series and suffers for that but the scope of the story is incredible.

Going from Harry Potter to Malazan is a bit harsh of a jump up though in terms of complexity.

I've seldom read a book, let alone a series of books, that there wasn't at least one story arc that I just wanted to be finished with so I could get back to the good stuff. I see such storylines as a necessary hindrance so I won't lose my mind if I come across an arc I don't enjoy..

nesf

GerB40 wrote: »

I've seldom read a book, let alone a series of books, that there wasn't at least one story arc that I just wanted to be finished with so I could get back to the good stuff. I see such storylines as a necessary hindrance so I won't lose my mind if I come across an arc I don't enjoy..

Yeah, it can mean a book rather than a few chapters though. Like I said, scope. :P


Definitely a series worth taking a look at, for me personally I've much fonder memories of the earlier books. A lot of differing over this though.

AbusesToilets

I found the Red Mask section a bit dull, that and the Snake initially.

Mickeroo

I'm coming to the end of Gardens of the Moon.

Just finished the chapter where Raest emerged from the barrow and had the throw down with the dragons.

Pretty epic stuff, I'm fairly hooked now it has to be said.

AbusesToilets

It only gets better, believe me.

laoch na mona

ordered reapers gate, I finished the bone hunters about a month ago ( i had a few non fiction books I wanted to read) I have loved every bit of the series so far

hadoken13

Love this series, one of my all time favourites. Think it's nearly time to read them again. I wasn't reading too many books when I started the Malazan series and never found any part of them a slog, apart from the last one, and I loved the complexity of numerous characters and plot-lines. Can't understand why people give up to easy.

ancapailldorcha

So, I've just finished The Bonehunters in probably what was my quickest read of an Erikson Malazan book so far. The final act alone is enough to make it the best of the series so far IMO. I might give it a few days before commencing Reaper's Gale.

AbusesToilets

Reaper's Gale is brilliant, some of the best scenes in the series. Be prepared for some hard, emotional gut punches.

ancapailldorcha

Out of curiousity, has anyone seen anyone reading these IRL? I saw someone on a plane with a Czech version of The Crippled God and a chap on the bus one day with The Bonehunters.