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

**Zhauric** · June 12th, 2012, 07:08 AM

Originally Posted by chris777

On the last few pages of TtH. And wow....Actually pretty much the last 1/3 of this book I've had a hard time putting down. Amazing stuff. I hope the last two are like this. Everything is coming to a head and things are happening!

Yeah the last part of that book was definitely a rush. I just finished Orb, Sceptre and Throne which was pretty good. ICE some issues but I think is improving with each book. The best part of his books though is less filler pages with characters taking on the hat of philosopher all the time like Erikson does. Just leap into it and go. Both have been great though so no real complaints here.

Now I guess I just wait til whatever is next for ICE. Just ready to go to Assail already!

**T77** · June 12th, 2012, 09:01 AM

Agree about the ending of TtH, I thought it was the best ending of the Malazan books. About 80% into DoD and I am loving it! Erikson states at the beginning of the book that this and TCG are one book, so not to expect anything to wrap up in DoD like in previous books, so i'm not expecting a spectacular ending.

At around TtH there are some who feel the series goes down hill. I totally disagree and I urge anyone who is either not going to start the series because of that or bail early to find out for yourself. There are a lot of people who feel otherwise, if only judging from the Amazon reviews, which are 4+ stars for the last 3 books.

**chris777** · June 12th, 2012, 10:10 AM

If the whole series was like the end of TtH I would be madly in love with this series. As it stands it's still very good. I do get annoyed by SE making every char a philosophy major

The best part of his books though is less filler pages with characters taking on the hate of philosopher all the time like Erikson does.

I skip over so much in SE's books compared to ICE just because of this. But I don't think it takes away much from the story. Just makes my reading go faster.

I'd have to say TtH is the best book of the series for me. HoC was great. I know many disagree. But I loved the Karsa story line. Lots of people didn't like it because, "whos Karsa, why do we need a new character all of the sudden". But I loved it.

Also about the Rake scene towards the end...

Spoiler:

Hood walks out. "Rake I've reconsidered..."
Rake decapitates him before he can finish...
Then feels the burden immediately of Hood entering Dragnipur.

My first thought was that was all intended. Hood let Rake kill him so he could enter the sword and help fight the chaos that is held inside. Then I think...why did Rake not let Hood finish and kill him nicely if he was doing him a favor. Though I hope it's something wholly unexpected!

**C-1** · June 13th, 2012, 05:04 AM

He wasn’t going to give the guy a chance to chicken out.

The last 250-300 pages of TTH really are mind-blowing beyond belief. TCG is my favorite though, and I would argue that the last 400 pages of that book kicks the last 1/3 of TTH by a pretty big margin, and DODs climax is insanely good as well.

You guys should definitely view DOD as part 1 of 2 though, it and TCG really do form one large epic story.

**chris777** · June 22nd, 2012, 04:34 PM

Well I've decided to go get my Security+ and go back and finish my Bachelors(i have associates). So I won't be reading too quickly for the next couple years. =/ I would like to finish Malazan real quick then take a break from most reading..well see!

**T77** · June 25th, 2012, 08:47 AM

Just finished Dust of Dreams and I thought it was incredible! The ending might be better than TtH's ending. I am in awe of this series. On to The Crippled God - I hope to have to have it finished before Forge of Darkness is released in September.

**chris777** · June 28th, 2012, 06:43 PM

Anyone know where to find OST, DoD, and CG in audio format?

**T77** · June 29th, 2012, 09:26 AM

Originally Posted by chris777

Anyone know where to find OST, DoD, and CG in audio format?

I don't believe they exist yet. SE said there will be audio books soon though. There are audio books floating around for some of the older books, but not for sale anywhere that I am aware of.

**chris777** · July 31st, 2012, 11:39 AM

OK I'm almost done with OST and I have a few questions/concerns.
(spoilers below)

1) I like this book. Lots of important things seem to be happening but many characters I feel are paper thin. Dassem doesn't feel as deep as when SE writes him...etc

2) Anyone else feel like the naming of the first at the end for the Seguleh was pretty disappointing. It felt really hollow. Once I realized Jan planned to try and make Dassem the first, i thought "holy crap that's awesome". Then the whole ceremony of it was pretty bland.

3) Was it just me or were there tons of moments in the books that seemed pointless. The guy who made the automation fighting robot? What was the point of that, it killed the pickled Seguleh then Taycheren blew it apart. Or the scenes of Spindle and Duiker getting this chemical that really didn't mean anything in the end. Or when Krupe and Humble made Baranthol do something that he freaked out and thought was so disgusting and vile he had to wash his hands a million times? Was that simply just creating arrows with a "wax" tip? That really did nothing? What was with that Imass who attacked everyone then thought the Legate was a Jaghut, but found instead he was human?

4) Why is K'rul being called a female now? That's random.

5) Was Mourn actually Rake? Or Draconus? I'm leaning towards Draconus....

6) I'm thinking two things. Kruppe is some sort of god. Elder. And Taycheren either just reached godhood through K'Rul, combined/fused with him/her, or merely ascended? Why the name change?

7) I'm a bit confused about the whole Hood/Rake scenario in the previous book. Why couldn't rake just have someone kill him with his own sword if that was his plan. Why even bother with Hood? He really didn't accomplish anything except delaying the chaos army.

I feel like I had more, but that's good for now.

**T77** · August 27th, 2012, 09:46 AM

Just finished The Crippled God and I liked it a lot, however, i do think it was one of the weaker books in the series. To put it in perspective I give it an 8/10, all of the other books were 8.5+/10. The reason why it didn't rank as high for me was that there were a lot of battles. While I love military fantasy, I enjoy what happens between the battles more than the battles themselves. But, this is a minor complaint as I liked the book, especially the ending. Everything was tied up nicely.

The series on a whole was incredible, 9/10. It was very close to perfection.

I still have to read Stonewielder and OST and FoD comes out in a few weeks, so a lot more Malazan goodness to come. Going to take a break from Malazan and catch up on Glen Cook before FoD hits.

**Headwound** · September 1st, 2012, 02:37 PM

A lot of questions are being answered in Forge of Darkness and I'm sure more in the following novels in the trilogy. I'm almost finished with FoD and am looking forward to reading MBotF (again) with the ICE novels placed in the timeline properly. FoD reads nothing like MBotf (thank gods) its straightforward and is only vague where it needs to be. I enjoyed the secrets interlaced throughout MBotF much in the way I enjoyed the tv show Lost. The Crippled God has a much more fan friendly ending.

**chris777** · September 11th, 2012, 09:20 AM

Just finished DoD. Pretty freaking good. Starting TCG today! I want to reread this series so bad, but its just too huge.

Lots of things I need to know if they get answered in this book.

Who was Ruthan Gudd?
What really happened to QuickBen?
Skinner/Cowl/CrimsonGaurd story line get resolved?
Is Dasem really playing no part in the upcoming battles? Being that he is now #1?
Everyone inside Rake's sword was reborn somewhere else...so where is Rake?
These "children" that are hunted by the assail and carrying "Held who cannot be held"; does this make sense later? Or was it pointless...
Silverfox and her T'lan Imass make another appearance?
The other people that dissapeared but have always been lurking, do we see them again? : Karsa, Aspalar, Kallor, Kallam, Edgewalker, GhostHands...the list goes on
This Eres'al that "haunts" bottle, and could subdue Icarium with a touch...do we see her again?
I'm sure there's more "hanging storylines" that i cannot think of right now.

**Andols** · September 11th, 2012, 09:25 AM

Originally Posted by chris777

Just finished DoD. Pretty freaking good. Starting TCG today! I want to reread this series so bad, but its just too huge.

Lots of things I need to know if they get answered in this book.

Who was Ruthan Gudd?
What really happened to QuickBen?
Skinner/Cowl/CrimsonGaurd story line get resolved?
Is Dasem really playing no part in the upcoming battles? Being that he is now #1?
Everyone inside Rake's sword was reborn somewhere else...so where is Rake?
These "children" that are hunted by the assail and carrying "Held who cannot be held"; does this make sense later? Or was it pointless...
Silverfox and her T'lan Imass make another appearance?
The other people that dissapeared but have always been lurking, do we see them again? : Karsa, Aspalar, Kallor, Kallam, Edgewalker, GhostHands...the list goes on
This Eres'al that "haunts" bottle, and could subdue Icarium with a touch...do we see her again?
I'm sure there's more "hanging storylines" that i cannot think of right now.

most of your list will see some clarification and resolution in tcg, stonewielder and OST. some will not

**chris777** · September 11th, 2012, 09:31 AM

Originally Posted by Andols

most of your list will see some clarification and resolution in tcg, stonewielder and OST. some will not

I've read SW and OST.

**Seli** · September 11th, 2012, 09:42 AM

Originally Posted by chris777

Just finished DoD. Pretty freaking good. Starting TCG today! I want to reread this series so bad, but its just too huge.

Lots of things I need to know if they get answered in this book.

Who was Ruthan Gudd?
What really happened to QuickBen?
Skinner/Cowl/CrimsonGaurd story line get resolved?
Is Dasem really playing no part in the upcoming battles? Being that he is now #1?
Everyone inside Rake's sword was reborn somewhere else...so where is Rake?
These "children" that are hunted by the assail and carrying "Held who cannot be held"; does this make sense later? Or was it pointless...
Silverfox and her T'lan Imass make another appearance?
The other people that dissapeared but have always been lurking, do we see them again? : Karsa, Aspalar, Kallor, Kallam, Edgewalker, GhostHands...the list goes on
This Eres'al that "haunts" bottle, and could subdue Icarium with a touch...do we see her again?
I'm sure there's more "hanging storylines" that i cannot think of right now.

Spoiler:

Rhud: more or less
QB: yes
Guard: other book
Dassem: I believe OST explains where he was (timeline be damned)
Rake: with mother dark? (still a mystery)
children: a bit more, never fully
Silverfox: other book
[? : is I can't remember it has been a while]
Karsa

, Aspalar ?, Kallor

, Kallam

, Edgewalker ?, GhostHands

Eres'al ?
Other storylines some will other won't