[Rob B]

Let the discussions begin!!!

I read it almost a year ago and I remmeber the sheer breadth and scope of the story Erikson laying out being flabbergasting. I enjoyed it as much as I was trying to get a handle on all the characters.

[Eventine]

Getting a handle on the characters was a problem, but I found if I kept flicking back to the front of the book it wasn't that big a problem.
As with any new fantasy series, getting a hold on the vocabulary specific to a book took some time as well. I found if I was patient and waited I would eventually work out what the hell people were talking about (Who's this guy called Warren? :D )
ACtually, I loved the sense of mystery around this, and also the hints at back history.

A really enjoyed a lot of the characters, mostly for entirely different reasons. Kalam, Quick Ben, Kruppe, etc all had a life of their own and were great reads. Erikson used some of the more mysterious characters such as Anomander Rake to great effect as well.

The build up of tensions towards the end is well handled as well.

The best thing about this book is looking back at it after you've read some of the later ones and realise that Erikson doesn't waste a single word. All those seemingly irrelevant little comments, even things that seem to have some meaning turn out to have a greater meaningin later books.

So to anyone who read this book and enjoyed it: Read Deadhouse Gates. And if you didn't enjoy it: Read Deadhouse Gates. The reading gets easier as you understand more of the world. The politics gets more interesting. The action maintains if not builds its standard.

I wrote a point form critique of Deadhouse Gates on another thread here:
http://www.sffworld.org/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=3132 (http://)

[DarthV]

I thought it was an excellent piece of work. I can't wait to read the next ones to get a better handle on the history of the Empire (and world). I really enjoy authors who throw in little tidbits of backstory.

I couldn't help thinking about Glen Cook's The Black Company series while reading this book. There definitely were some parallels. Then again the first few books in Cook's series were far more spartan than Gardens of the Moon.

[BigBadMick]

I liked Gardens of the Moon. but the thing that worries me is that with the series going to comprise ten books in total, it might turn into a huge, rambling affair, much like Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time, with too many characters/plots and not enough space in each of the later volumes to develop each plotline to a great degree.

Don't get me wrong - I've been a huge fan of the Wheel of Time, but since about book 6 or 7, the series has just slowed down to a crawl. I just have my misgivings about huge series like this now and I just hope Erikson has the sense and discipline to keep to a set number of plotlines in order to avoid the problems which I feel Jordan has succumbed to.

BigBadMick
(bigbadmick2000@hotmail.com)

[bigbry]

Erikson is no Jordan. While each has a grand series on going with mulitple books planned that is where the similarities end.

Jordan's story hasn't advanced in several books, it has become drawn out and in a ways the subject of jokes, ridicule and what is wrong with publishers today.

Erikson is considered 'too complex' for Americna readers by publishers and I have to order overseas (Amazon.uk) to experience this rich and wonderful world by this amazing author. Erikson is telling the story of an entire world during the reign of the Malazan Empire. It has many fleshed out characters, places, races, gods and not-so-much gods. Each book is a stand alone story which incorporates people and places from previous books but does not need to focus on them. The overall story advances nicely on the previous books yet focuses on several different aspects on this vast empire.

Erikson could write endlessly about this world and I would never be bored. The beauty of his books are that he could eliminate every character and move the story 20 years into the future and still be able to write another 10 books on other people and places or even go back in time, say 500 years, and still have tons to write about.

If Jordan eliminated all of his characters the story would FINALLY be done (which it should have been 4 books ago!!!!) and I dont have to wait 1500 pages to see if Mat figures out who the Princess is........

[Nimea]

Mmh, looks like most people are still at reading the book - just like me.

I am on page 192. And up until now I really like it. First I was a little anxious because in other threads people said it was hard to get in during the first 200 pages . . . but I did not have any problems. Only not enough time.

For now I can at least say that I really like the theme of the spinning coin.

:)

[Gilliam]

This was a book that I enjoyed very much. I admit it was a hard slog for the first hundred pages but definately worth it. I also found the map and list of characters, races etc essential as I would have been lost without it.

Erikson has produced a world that while in a state of flux is a pleasure to explore. I have now read the first 3 books and have not been disappointed with any of them.

[Kushiel]

Well, I'm not that far into it (pg 150 or so) but I am really enjoying it as it seems to aimed towards the older readers. I find it refreshing it because I was kind of getting bored of dumbed down fantasy that seems to be so popular:)

Kushiel

[Lucky Joe]

Well I have about 50 pages to go until I get to the end and so far I can't remember enjoying a fantasy book (or any other kind of book for that matter) as much as I'm enjoying this one. Erikson really sucks you in with the vast range of characters and keeps you guessing where they are all headed. I'm also a big fan of how he has used so many fantasy elements that could come across as silly if written by an author of less skill, think of hairlock and you should know what I mean.

It's kind of bitter sweet to hear that there are going to be ten books, the prospect of reading another nine books of this quality is very exciting, I only hope that as has been said before that Erikson is able to stay on track with his work where Jordan has failed with his (And by failed I mean become an object of ridicule and losing so many once loyal fans), having said that I'm not going to worry about it unless it starts to happen. Besides from what I've read so far Erikson is twice the writer Jordan is and I don't believe it will be a problem, and if as bigbry said each book is going to be a stand alone story then it shouldn't happen anyway.

And as for these books being too complex for American readers that made me laugh, sorry guys but it did. Publishers should probably give you a bit more credit.

[bigbry]

Originally posted by Lucky Joe

Besides from what I've read so far Erikson is twice the writer Jordan is and I don't believe it will be a problem, and if as bigbry said each book is going to be a stand alone story then it shouldn't happen anyway.

Maybe I should clarify, the entire work (10 books) will tell a complete story of this world, more specifically the Malazan Empire. While each book is stand alone several characters and events will affect/reappear thoughout the series. The next book "Deadhouse Gates" takes place on a different continent and has no characters from TGOTM (well maybe one or two)...The Bridgeburners (what is left of them) are not heard from until "Memories Of Ice" and then only a small peak in "The House of Chains".

Erikson is more like Martin in that he really has several seperate stories on-going and is not against killing a major character or 2 (or 3, or 4) to further the story. He has created a rich world and not all of the characters must know one another or inter-act with one-another (Jordan) to tell the stories.

Originally posted by Lucky Joe

And as for these books being too complex for American readers that made me laugh, sorry guys but it did. Publishers should probably give you a bit more credit.

I didn't understand that either (being an American) and neither does Erikson. but as long as I can get them on Amazon.uk I could care less.......Erikson is committed to the complete series and a set of novellas so he'll write them whether or not some US publisher picks them up.

Could it be that Jordan has poisoned the well for "Epic Fantasy"!!!! While there are many trilogies out there being published, I haven't seen many Deathgate Cycles, Black Company's, or Whyte's Skystone series.........even Kearney's Monarchies series was almost finished in UK before the first printing in USA............