First-time Reader's Journey - Malazan Book of the Fallen

[C-1]

ROTCG spoiler:




Esslemont grows a lot as a writer, Stonewielder is a huge step up in writing quality, though I love ROTCG despite its flaws.

Kazz didn’t suddenly appear, Skinner had buried him alive. The body Kyle found was Kazz, it just didn’t wake up until Kyle and the others had started back towards the boats. It’s written a bit so so, but that’s how it was. Skinner was able to survive a fight against Dassem twice, hardly a looser, though a real psycho bastard. Dassem Is Dessembrae "The Lord of Tears", so he hasn’t been human for a long time.

As you have discovered, the Esslemont books aren’t thigh in novels, they are important parts of the Malazan series on their own. A bunch of plotlines from Eriksson books were continued in ROTCG (Malick Rell, Laseen, Urko "Keeper" Crust" etc.) if you want the whole story you can’t skip them.

I’m currently 400 pages (of 600 total) into "Orb, Scepter, Throne" and it continues a ton of stuff set up in Eriksons TTH.

[fiddler]

rotcg spoiler:




Esslemont grows a lot as a writer, stonewielder is a huge step up in writing quality, though i love rotcg despite its flaws.

Kazz didn’t suddenly appear, skinner had buried him alive. The body kyle found was kazz, it just didn’t wake up until kyle and the others had started back towards the boats. It’s written a bit so so, but that’s how it was. Skinner was able to survive a fight against dassem twice, hardly a looser, though a real psycho bastard. Dassem is dessembrae "the lord of tears", so he hasn’t been human for a long time.

As you have discovered, the esslemont books aren’t thigh in novels, they are important parts of the malazan series on their own. A bunch of plotlines from eriksson books were continued in rotcg (malick rell, laseen, urko "keeper" crust" etc.) if you want the whole story you can’t skip them.

I’m currently 400 pages (of 600 total) into "orb, scepter, throne" and it continues a ton of stuff set up in eriksons tth.

spoiler alert !!!!

[C-1]

I did write "ROTCG spoiler:" at the top, so it isnt like I dident give a warning. I dont know how the blackout thing works.

[kater]

It's just hard to ignore in the first post of a new page and as the thread is about someone's first read through I put spoiler blocks on it.

To use the blocks type in [ s p o i l e r]Text[/s p o i l e r] without the spaces

[C-1]

Ok, thanks for the help.

[chris777]

It's just hard to ignore in the first post of a new page and as the thread is about someone's first read through I put spoiler blocks on it.

To use the blocks type in [ s p o i l e r]Text[/s p o i l e r] without the spaces

To be fair to C-1. The thread is about MY first read through. And I had previously stated I finished RotCG, so it wasn't a spoiler for me. But I don't disagree with putting spoiler tags on pretty important things though, just as I did in my post previous to his.

In hindsight I wish I would have organized my posts a bit more so someone coming into this thread can read through it easier. Right now it's just a bunch of random thoughts. The only saving grace is that it is chronological.

[werewolfv2]

sigh*

Im sitting here looking at Stone and CG.... for every new book Ive always done a re-read... but damn.. thats A LOT of dang reading to do now!

[C-1]

Thats a problem thats nice to have I say



I think it’s just fantastic that we get 1-2 new Malazan books each year, no painful waiting for years and years, and to me at least it always delivers. It’s one of the more rewarding experiences I have had as a fan of anything.

[kater]

I think it’s just fantastic that we get 1-2 new Malazan books each year, no painful waiting for years and years, and to me at least it always delivers. It’s one of the more rewarding experiences I have had as a fan of anything.

Couldn't agree more, the schedule they've managed to maintain, especially given the size of some of the later SE books, is amazing. Long may it continue. I'd also like to see the once rumoured Malazan Encyclopedia make an appearance, that would be crazy interesting

[Raven of SD]

sigh*

Im sitting here looking at Stone and CG.... for every new book Ive always done a re-read... but damn.. thats A LOT of dang reading to do now!

I'm having a similar issue. I've read just the Erikson stuff thinking that all of the SE material was just side story. Finally on CG. Really enjoying the series. Really bummed that I skipped the SE material because I like the world and wouldn't mind more backstory. Once SE finishes I'll probably do a re-read. Main series 3 million plus words and add maybe a million more for SE's stuff. So many words...

[chris777]

I'm having a similar issue. I've read just the Erikson stuff thinking that all of the SE material was just side story. Finally on CG. Really enjoying the series. Really bummed that I skipped the SE material because I like the world and wouldn't mind more backstory. Once SE finishes I'll probably do a re-read. Main series 3 million plus words and add maybe a million more for SE's stuff. So many words...

I'm thinking you are confusing SE and ICE. SE = Steven Erikson ICE = Ian Cameron Esslemont.

But if I get your drift, yes that is what I thought at first too...until reading them. Now I realize they are central to the main plot threads. A must read to get the full experience.

All these books and words. People seem disapointed! I LOVE it. I want to get to the end, to see how it ends. But oh how dissapointing it will be once I've read that final chapter. It's always the THOUGHT of starting a huge series that is the problem. But once you are hooked, IMO, it's wonderful to have the longer series. As long as it's not 5books of fluff(cough Jordan).

[C-1]

Couldn't agree more, the schedule they've managed to maintain, especially given the size of some of the later SE books, is amazing. Long may it continue. I'd also like to see the once rumoured Malazan Encyclopedia make an appearance, that would be crazy interesting

My mouth waters at the thought of that book. To have a book written by the two authors themselves, describing the different races, important character and nations in detail would be wonderful. And if we got pictures as well, boy that would be something.

It’s not going to happen for a while though. Erikson said in an interview made yesterday ( http://www.reddit.com/r/Fantasy/ )that he and Esslemont are too busy writing the series to do the encyclopedia right now, him assuming we would rather have a new book or two each year instead of the encyclopedia. I think that’s a fair assumption, though that means we won’t see it for a long time.

Would be nice if we could finally get an official world map though.

[kater]

There was once upon a time the beginnings of a Malazan comic being made (there may be a few examples still on the Malazan Empire site) so pictures/illustrations isn't out of the question.

The map would be nice though I bet they don't manage a chronology

[werewolfv2]

The map would be nice though I bet they don't manage a chronology

little known fact, but some warren/hold usage does in fact result in localized and unpredictable temporal shifts.



(and yes, I just made that up, but now that I think about it... lol)

[Zhauric]

I know one thing. The two of them have done a wonderful job building up the continent Assai because I'm about ready to explode to see what the heck is going on there. They just continually tease us more and more and the last part in Stonewielder didn't help either *sighs*

But definitely enjoying the pace the books are being published. I understand some complaints that folks have of the series but in the end it is far too entertaining and engrossing for me to care about those faults. Heck, I have yet to find a series that does not have something I can pick on it about. Just about if it leaves an impression with me after I put the book down and does make me immediately search for the next in the series.

And Malazan has done that for me every single time.