[TheImp]

hey, so i just finished reading memories of ice from the malazan series and i must say, it was awesome. however i really, really did not enjoy the first one. the second was okay too, but not on the third books level.

so is it worth continuing on in the series or does it have a downfall in quality once again, because frankly i do NOT want to read another gardens of the moon, and i've heard the third book is the best one.

oh and i used the search feature and couldn't come up with anything of particular use. so yeah.

thanks :)

[Evil Agent]

Most people say Books 2 and 3 are the best... but I found Books 4, 5, and 6 to be my favourites (especially Book 5). If you're enjoying it so far, keep reading.

I'm up to Book 7, and they've all been great. There are no more books like Book 1. The only flaws that persist are some unnecessary side plots (sort of like in Book 3, with the Mhybe and the Bauchelain/Broach side stories), but the rest is still awesome as ever.

[DurzoBlint]

Most people say Books 2 and 3 are the best... but I found Books 4, 5, and 6 to be my favourites (especially Book 5). If you're enjoying it so far, keep reading.

I'm up to Book 7, and they've all been great. There are no more books like Book 1. The only flaws that persist are some unnecessary side plots (sort of like in Book 3, with the Mhybe and the Bauchelain/Broach side stories), but the rest is still awesome as ever.

I have only read up to book 4 but I have the next two books in my pile. Since book 5 starts on a new continent I have taken some time off to read a few other novels. That said, I think that each new book in the series is better than the previous book.

I recommend you keep on trucking through Malazan.

[Electronic6]

Well I just recently picked up House of Chains, 200 pages in and it's great so far. I find it better structured than DG/MoI, maybe it'as because the book follows only one character so far...*shrug*

[Werthead]

Books 2 and 3 are the best, IMO. 5 and 7 are also pretty good. 4 and 6 are the weakest in the series. 8 is well-written, but almost mind-numbingly dull and inert. 9 is middling-to-decent, but way overlong. If 10 is anything like 9, there is no reason they couldn't have been one book.

Bringing in Esslemont's Malazan books, Night of Knives is okay but a bit forgettable, whilst Return of the Crimson Guard is pretty good, somewhere around the quality of Erikson's Books 5 and 7.

[Winter]

I'm with Evil Agent here. While I loved Memories of Ice and Deadhouse Gates had the fantastic Chain of Dogs, my favorites are Midnight Tides (5) and The Bonehunters (6). House of Chains (4), isn't as good as Deadhouse Gates or Memories of Ice, but is certainly better than Gardens of the Moon.

[Zeratul]

Book 3 is the best by some distance, book 4 and 5 are still well worth reading, but after that the decline starts, at least IMO. Book 8 is quite weak, though in a very different way than GOTM.

[Werthead]

I think on a first read-through, 1 can come across as one of the weaker books in the series. However, it improves immensely on re-reads until it becomes one of the stronger books, thanks to its relative conciseness and lack of inexplicable WTF and DEM moments (GotM is more or less fully comprehensible at this point). I don't think a lot of the other books improve as much on re-reads.

[phil_geo]

I loved books 1-4, but could not get through the interminable book 5, Midnight Tides. It was a slog with no action for hundreds of pages. Book 6, Bonehunters, was another good one, with good characters and plot, and plenty of action. I am 200 pages into Book 7 and about to give up - nothing has happened except people walking around and a lot of talking. Part of why I read fantasy is the action, and books 5 and 7 have almost none. I'll give Reapers Gale another hundred pages, but that's it.

[CodanOfCanada]

Books 2 and 3 are the best, IMO. 5 and 7 are also pretty good. 4 and 6 are the weakest in the series. 8 is well-written, but almost mind-numbingly dull and inert. 9 is middling-to-decent, but way overlong. If 10 is anything like 9, there is no reason they couldn't have been one book.

Bringing in Esslemont's Malazan books, Night of Knives is okay but a bit forgettable, whilst Return of the Crimson Guard is pretty good, somewhere around the quality of Erikson's Books 5 and 7.

That's good to hear about the Crimson Guard. I read Night of Knives and liked it, but thought it was a little lacking in some departments (obviously you have to give him slack as it's his first book), so it's good to hear that he is improving.